Today we come in silence and leave in silence to commemorate the death of Jesus. We believe that Jesus lived. We believe Jesus died nailed to a cross. We believe that Jesus rose from the dead and lives with us today. We remember that the Body of Christ was nailed to an instrument of torture, an instrument of capital punishment, an instrument of death. We remember that Jesus was an innocent man, the Son of God, who came into human history, as a human being with all the feelings that we have. We believe that he came not only to forgive sins but to also show us the proper way to live our lives so we can avoid sin in the first place. We believe that the Romans actually nailed Jesus to the cross. Yet we also believe that all of our sins today nail the Body of Christ to the cross. Our sins contribute tot he crucifixion of Jesus- to the crucifixion of The Body of Christ. How can this be? Christ died once and for all. He has risen to everlasting life. How do we nail the Body of Christ to the cross today?
As Christian believers we believe that the relationships we have with one another and with all human beings can be referred to as the Body of Christ. When we act sinfully we actually damage our relationships with one another. We damage the Body of Christ. When we sin and damage our relationships with God and others we nail the Body of Christ to the cross.
We nail Jesus to the cross when we start and prolong unjust wars as those killed and those doing the killing are the Body of Christ.
We nail Jesus to the cross when we torture and when we condone the torture of human beings for any reason as the tortured are the Body of Christ.
We nail Jesus to the cross when we execute prisoners as both the innocent and the guilty are the Body of Christ.
We nail Jesus to the cross when we do not provide health care to all as all of our brothers and sisters are the Body of Christ.
We nail Jesus to the cross when we treat others-our friends and enemies with disrespect and indifference as our friends and enemies are the Body of Christ.
We nail Jesus to the cross when we do not provide just wages for our workers as workers are the Body of Christ.
We nail Jesus to the cross when we refuse to feed the hungry as the hungry are the Body of Christ.
We nail Jesus to the cross when we (you fill in the blank) because we are all the Body of Christ.
Yes, Jesus died once and for all of us, yet we continue to nail the Body of Christ to the cross when we sin against God and our brothers and sisters, because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ-we are the Body of Christ.
We came here in silence today; we leave again today in silence. How can we remain silent when we see our brothers and sisters, the Body of Christ, being nailed to the cross?
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Feingold Response-St Croix River Bridge
Dear Mr. Schaefer,
Thank you for contacting me to share your opposition to the construction of a new bridge across the St. Croix River on State Highway 36 near Stillwater, Minnesota. I appreciate hearing from you.
The Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Transportation (DOT) have created the St. Croix River Crossing Project. The primary goal of the project is to construct a new bridge to connect Washington County, Minnesota, and St. Croix County, Wisconsin. The new bridge would accommodate vehicular traffic, allowing the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge to be utilized by bicycle and pedestrian traffic only. The cost of the project is estimated at $670 million, with Wisconsin and Minnesota each contributing.
On March 11, 2010, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Davis issued an opinion stating that construction plans for the proposed new bridge violate the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The National Park Service (NPS) had previously given approval to the project. The St. Croix River was designated a Wild and Scenic River in 1964 due to the efforts of former Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson. This designation prevents actions that would harm the recreational and scenic value of the river. The NPS is required to issue a new evaluation that addresses the court's concerns. The project has been put on hold pending the NPS evaluation.
Thank you for contacting me to share your opposition to the construction of a new bridge across the St. Croix River on State Highway 36 near Stillwater, Minnesota. I appreciate hearing from you.
The Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Transportation (DOT) have created the St. Croix River Crossing Project. The primary goal of the project is to construct a new bridge to connect Washington County, Minnesota, and St. Croix County, Wisconsin. The new bridge would accommodate vehicular traffic, allowing the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge to be utilized by bicycle and pedestrian traffic only. The cost of the project is estimated at $670 million, with Wisconsin and Minnesota each contributing.
On March 11, 2010, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Davis issued an opinion stating that construction plans for the proposed new bridge violate the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The National Park Service (NPS) had previously given approval to the project. The St. Croix River was designated a Wild and Scenic River in 1964 due to the efforts of former Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson. This designation prevents actions that would harm the recreational and scenic value of the river. The NPS is required to issue a new evaluation that addresses the court's concerns. The project has been put on hold pending the NPS evaluation.
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