While I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue.
According to Indivisible, 75,000 people participated in the “No King” rally and march in Chicago. Across the country, upwards of 11 million people took to the streets to protect immigrants and refugees and reject spending cuts that would eliminate healthcare, SNAP benefits, housing subsidies and more that would impact the most vulnerable.
I was there. I hope you were too.
Historian Jamar Tisby has said, “There’s a popular phrase that says ‘history repeats itself.’ More accurately, history doesn’t repeat itself—history rhymes.”
His quote came to mind as I was reading the story of King Jeroboam in 1 Kings 12. Considered a defender of the oppressed, Jeroboam was made King by the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. However, to ensure that the people would remain loyal to him and to consolidate his power, Jeroboam began to dismantle the religious and social structures that had been part of Israelite history and culture. To discourage worship at the temple in Jerusalem in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, Jeroboam built several new temples at Bethel and Dan. Instead of appointing Levites as priests as prescribed by the Torah, he allowed anyone–qualified or unqualified–to serve in the new temples. Jeroboam had 2 golden calves made–which he placed at Bethel and Dan–and declared that they should be worshipped as “God who led you out of Egypt.” He offered sacrifices to the golden calf at Bethel, leading the people to do the same. In addition, he introduced a new calendar based on the Egyptian calendar, replacing the traditional dates of Jewish holidays and diminishing their significance. It all has a familiar ring to it.
While there was condemnation of Jeroboam’s new policies–particularly from “A Man of God” who arrived in Bethel at the installation of the golden calf–the people of Israel who had made Jeroboam their king gave him their loyalty and devotion. Jeroboam reigned as king for 22 years in Israel.
But Jeroboam’s reign was offensive to God. Ahijah, an old blind prophet, pronounced God’s judgement on Jeroboam and his house in 1 Kings 14:9-10: “You have made yourself other gods and cast false idols in their honor. You have aroused My wrath by putting Me behind you. Therefore, beware. I will bring destruction to Jeroboam’s house.” And because the people of the Northern Kingdom had supported Jeroboam’s destructive policies and become complicit in his evil, God had a word for them too. “[God] will abandon Israel because of Jeroboam’s wickedness, which caused all of Israel to be wicked as well.” (1 Kings 14:16)
Jeroboam’s name became synonymous with wickedness. Every Israelite king that followed was compared to Jeroboam. Every one of them was described by this common refrain: “He walked the wicked path of Jeroboam, causing the Israelites to live sinful lives.” (The Voice translation).
Leadership matters. Character matters. Behavior matters. Government practices and policies matter. And loyalty to a corrupt leader and corrupt policies results in corruption and self-destruction.
Jeroboam’s name is remembered, but never honored. His reign is included in the annuls of the Kings, but it is a cautionary tale. The evil of his reign infected the reigns of every king who followed him for the next 200 years. The people who made him a King became complicit in his evil and became evil with him, infecting future generations.
Another story is embedded in the story of Jeroboam and the kings that followed him; it is the story of the prophets who stood against their corruption. Ahijah, Elijah, Elisha, and Amos–along with others. According to 2 Kings 17:13, “The Eternal One gave fair warning to Israel and Judah…through the mouths of the prophets and seers throughout the land: “Abandon your wickedness, and obey My commands and laws which I gave to your ancestors through the mouths of My servants, the prophets.” Sadly, the words of the prophets went unheeded and the rest is history.
History rhymes. And when it does, we will have to choose. Will we walk the path of Jeroboam or will we walk the path of justice and righteousness? Will we be the sycophants of this administration or will we be the prophets who speak for liberation? The path we are on right now is rhyming in my ears with “upheaval” and it will only take us to hell. There is still time to choose a new path, but I’m afraid that the window of opportunity is closing.
After my last post on June 3, my time was devoted to preparing my stepmother’s funeral service, packing, traveling to PA, and reuniting with my immediate and extended family and old friends at the funeral . Throughout that time, everything else in the world appropriately faded into the background. I didn’t think about writing for “Tongue on Fire” until this morning after reading about the death of Walter Brueggemann on June 5.
Though I only heard him speak one time, his understanding of Old Testament history and the prophetic tradition blew me away and literally changed the trajectory of my preaching and ministry. A prolific writer (his website lists 168 titles!), it was his best known book, “The Prophetic Imagination,” written in 1978, that most impacted me and opened my eyes to the prophetic role of the church–speaking truth to power.
In describing the content of his final book of essays, “Lament that Generates Covenant,” published in March 2025, Brueggemann wrote: “This collection of essays pertains to matters that urgently concern our faith. My work consists in recognition that our various systems of meaning, power, and control are decisively penultimate, even though we conduct ourselves as though they are ultimate. Thus, our articulation of theology and faith are momentary and require endless rearticulation… For much too long the church has focused on private, spiritual, other-worldly matters. In fact, the biblical reportage and advocacy concern the continuing struggle for an alternative economy that is governed by neighborly generosity, an economy that eschews private accumulation by the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable.” Amen!
Though his pen is now stilled and his voice silenced, the words he wrote and spoke during his lifetime will live on–just as relevant for our times and for times to come. There will always be a need for prophetic imagination and prophetic action.
“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them’.” (Revelation 14:13). Well done.
Last Friday, my 93-year-old stepmother transitioned peacefully into eternity. She had lived a joy-filled, vibrant life. The past year was challenging for her physically, and she expressed (on a regular basis) that she was ready to get her new body. God mercifully heard her prayer, and she entered her rest. Her funeral will be a celebration of her faith, her zest for living and her impact on the world (literally) through her teaching career and her participation in global missions. Her death will leave a hole for her family, but the loss will be tempered with good memories and a recognition that she was ready to make the transition.
As Nancy Krieger, Social Epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health, noted in the documentary, “Unnatural Causes,”: “It’s not as if we won’t die. We all will die. But the question is: At what age? With what degree of suffering? With what degree of preventable illness?”
Good genes can extend our lives, but there are also social determinants of health–income, educational level, race, zip code, access to food, access to healthcare–that impact life expectancy. Life expectancy can be mapped. The poorer the community, the lower the life-expectancy. In Chicago, residents of Streeterville (aka the Gold Coast) have a life-expectancy of 90 while residents of Englewood (one of the city’s poorest communities) have a life expectancy of 60–a 30-year gap.
To die at age 93 isn’t tragic; it’s a milestone to be recognized and honored. But too many deaths are tragic–happening unexpectedly or prematurely. A death becomes tragic when it could have been, should have been, prevented.
If the proposed cuts to Medicaid, the National Institutes of Health, the Center for Disease Control, Cancer research on University campuses, and the Environmental Protection Agency outlined in the One Big, Beautiful Bill become law, people will die…tragically. They already are. According to a study by Boston University, an estimated 60,000 adults and children have died of AIDS around the world since USAID-supported PEPFAR programs were eliminated.
But some, like Senator Joni Ernst, seem unconcerned. “We all are going to die,” she told a crowd at a Town Hall meeting. Her statement is true, but that does NOT mean that we should minimize the tragedy of childhood death by disease or violence, nor should we coldly accept the inevitability that those without access to healthcare or medication or vaccines will die when we have the resources and knowledge to prevent those deaths.
Death may be our human destiny, but death by cutting the life-preserving programs and services that serve the poorest communities–especially poor children–shouldn’t be. We should be pursuing God’s new heaven and new earth as articulated by the prophet Isaiah where tragic death is a thing of the past. ““Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years.” (Isaiah 65:20). That is a goal worth pursuing.
Ah, remember 8th grade Civics class and taking the Constitution Test? It was where I learned that our country’s Constitution divides the government into 3 separate co-equal branches–the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary. The founders (who had rejected the English monarchy) wanted to ensure that power would be “balanced” so that no single branch could wield too much influence over the affairs of state.
In case you don’t remember the test (or 8th grade), the Legislative Branch (House of Representatives and Senate) is responsible for passing laws. The Executive Branch (President and Agencies authorized by Congress) is responsible to carry out those laws. The President also has the power to veto the laws passed by the Legislative Branch (though the Legislative Branch can override the veto). The Judicial Branch (the Supreme Court and Federal courts under it) is responsible to ensure that the legislation signed into law is consistent with the Constitution and that the laws are fairly applied.
The structure of our government is pretty ingenious and ensures that we live in a democracy and not a monarchy. That is, as long as each Branch does its job and does not yield its responsibilities to another Branch of the government. If that were to happen, democracy would be at risk and we would devolve into authoritarianism and fascism.
Right now, we are skewed. The Executive Branch–through 157 Executive Orders and 39 Memoranda (practically speaking, the same as an Executive Order) and the creation of unauthorized agencies (like DOGE)–has taken over the Legislative Branch, which (with a Republican majority) has seemed content to acquiesce. And while the Judicial Branch has exercised its power to review and slow the Executive Branch’s overreach, the Executive Branch has ignored many of their rulings–especially those related to habeas corpus and due process. And now–at the urging of the Executive Branch–the Republican controlled House has gifted the Executive Branch with a legal means to control the Judicial Branch.
Section 70303 of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” would prohibit courts from using federal funds to enforce a contempt citation for failing to comply with court orders. Think about that. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Executive Branch “facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego García” to the US after he was mistakenly deported to prison in El Salvador. So far, there is no evidence that the Executive Branch has done anything to comply. In fact, Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, stated before a House oversight committee (under oath) that Garcia will never return to the United States.. Lower Courts have threatened to hold the administration in contempt for non-compliance–the only tool they have to enforce their rulings. IF CONGRESS PASSES THE BUDGET BILL WITH SECTION 70303 INTACT, THE COURTS WILL HAVE NO ABILITY TO HOLD GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE, making the Judicial Branch moot, and concentrating power almost completely in the Executive Branch. In essence, we will be living in a Monarchy. And if that happens, not only will the balance of power be skewed, we’ll all be screwed.
PS The Senate can still remove Section 70303 and reject the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” but Democrats and Independents cannot do it without Republican defectors. Whether you live in a state with Democrat or Republican Senators, call them and make some noise TODAY. But especially focus on your Republican Senators. If you need a script, go to 5calls.org.
245 calories. That’s the average caloric intake for people living in Northern Gaza according to a report published by Oxfam in April . That’s the equivalent of 1 can of peas. No one can survive on 245 calories per day. No one. Especially children. The National Institutes of Health recommend no less than 1,000 calories a day for toddlers (ages 2-3) for optimal health. Eating less than 1,000 calories impedes growth and brain development in children and results in malnutrition, starvation and–finally–death.
Human bodies can only go without food for 2-3 months (as long as water is available) before death occurs. But without access to both food AND water, death can occur within 8 – 21 days depending on age, weight, sex and health. Children are most at risk of death by starvation than adults.
Since March 2, the Israeli government has blocked any humanitarian aid (including food) to enter Gaza–over 80 days! You would think that the starvation of children–on purpose–would drive our leaders to demand the end of the food embargo in Gaza. But it hasn’t. Occasionally, you might hear platitudes about how tragic the situation is in Gaza, but you won’t hear a demand for action against Israel for the atrocities is it committing against innocent children. Most Congressmen and Congresswomen publicly support Israel’s policies and are more focused on the “cover-up” of Joe Biden’s cognitive decline while in office or manipulating passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (which also includes taking food away from hungry people).
As people of faith, we cannot continue to allow the starvation of Palestinians in Gaza. This is not a partisan political issue; it is a moral issue. Is it right to ignore the suffering of children? Is it moral to be silent as they starve to death? Are we not called to compassion and mercy? Are we not called to action?
I don’t normally write more than a few times a week. Today, I am writing twice. That’s because today is the start of a 40-day hunger strike / Fast for Gaza organized by Veterans for Peace and supported by dozens of other organizations across the US. Hundreds of people have committed to eat no more than 250 calories a day for the next 40 days in solidarity with the people of Gaza to draw attention to the weaponization of food by the Israeli government. Participants will also demand the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza under UN authority and the end to provision of weapons (bombs) to Israel by the US.
Most of us cannot participate in such a drastic Fast for the entire 40 days due to age and chronic health conditions. Today, I ate less than 250 calories over breakfast and lunch, and I am committing to that practice at least 10 days in the next 40 days ending June 30. If you cannot fast, that’s fine. But we all must do doing something to feed the hungry. So if you cannot commit to fasting from food, you can commit to call your representatives in Congress at least once a week to tell them to demand that they publicly call for humanitarian aid to resume immediately and that they publicly call for an arms embargo to end the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. You can also commit to praying daily for an end to the food blockade to end the starvation of those surviving in Gaza.
I will fast as often as I am able. I will call. And I will pray daily. Who will join me?
Overnight, the House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act –and you, Mr. Speaker took a victory lap. I don’t understand. Back in 2023, in an interview with Sean Hannity, you said, “I am a Bible-believing Christian. Someone asked me today in the media, they said, “It’s curious, people are curious. ‘What does Mike Johnson think about any issue under the sun?’” I said, “Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it – that’s my worldview. That’s what I believe and so I make no apologies for it.”
So, I picked up my Bible and read it. And I am curious. Mr. Speaker, Isaiah 58:10 says, “If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” But you just passed a bill that cuts SNAP food assistance for low-income families. And Proverbs 14:31 says, “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” But your Big Beautiful Bill will take away healthcare for millions of poor and needy people. Where is the kindness in that? Does taking benefits from the poor to give tax breaks to the rich honor God? I think not.
Mr. Speaker, the Bible says, ““Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” (Proverbs 3:27 – ESV). You had the power to “do good’, but instead, you withheld it from those in need.
Please, stop rejoicing as if you have accomplished some righteous deed while your brothers and sisters are weeping. Oh, and by the way, the Bible says to a people who have forsaken God’s ways: “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood! Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” (Isaiah 1:15-17)
Mr. Speaker, there is still time to “learn to do right.” The Big Beautiful Bill will return to the House for final approval. You have the opportunity to use your power to obey God and do the right thing.
I’m praying for you.
In the gospels, disturbing things happen in the middle of the night. This is especially seen in the events surrounding Jesus’s arrest and trials. It begins ominously with Judas’s departure in the middle of Jesus’s last meal with his disciples. John’s gospel makes the observation:“And it was night.” (John 13:30). Later that night, Judas–with the temple police–approaches Jesus on the Mount of Olives and seals Jesus’s arrest with a kiss. Jesus is arrested and whisked away to the Sanhedrin which has gathered in the middle of the night for a sham trial. “Very early in the morning” (Mark 15:1), the Sanhedrin puts their plan in motion, binding Jesus and taking him to Pilate to demand that Jesus be executed. By noon, Jesus is hanging on the cross, and he’s dead by 3:00 pm.
The arrest, the sham trial, the decision to pursue execution–they all happen in the cover of darkness. Why? Why do most disturbing things happen at night? It’s because very few people are around to witness the crimes and expose the corruption. John writes, “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” (John 3:20)
.Why am I writing about this? I write because political bodies continue to use the cover of night to make it easier to carry out their plans without the public’s knowledge.
Why did the House Budget Committee schedule a vote on the “One Big Beautiful [budget] Bill Act” on Sunday, May 19, at 10:00 pm? (By the way, it passed.) Why did the House Rules Committee schedule its vote to advance the Bill to the full House at 1:00 am tomorrow, Wednesday, May 21? That’s right: 1:00 o’clock AM! Obviously, it is to ensure passage of the bill without the watchful eyes of the Press or the scrutiny of the public.
And it’s no wonder they want to keep this budget hidden. It will do harm to almost every aspect of public life. It will remove protections from our air and water and release public land to private corporations to drill, mine and deforest. It will reduce funding for healthcare for children and seniors (Medicaid) and housing vouchers for low-income families while increasing funding for the military, border security and ICE detention and deportation. It will add trillions of dollars to the national debt while reducing the taxes for billionaires and corporations.
But there were witnesses to the unlawful acts of Caiaphas–the Rome-appointed High Priest–and the Sanhedrin. They wanted it kept hidden in the dark of the night, but their deeds were exposed and their actions were made public. All four gospels provide a record thanks to Peter and John who follow Jesus to the Sanhedrin, and thanks to Nicodemus who was a member of the Sanhedrin and had objected to the ongoing harassment and condemnation of Jesus (John 7:50-51) and who became a public follower of Jesus when he helped Joseph of Arimathea bury Jesus’s crucified body.
There will be witnesses to the vote on the budget. There will be a public record of the names of every representative who voted for death and destruction. There will be Representatives who will expose the bill and its damaging propositions. There will be brave independent journalists who will tell the truth.
Those with a vested interest in this budget will vilify and denounce those who would expose their underhanded tactics. But we must not listen to their spin and twisted narratives. Remember, it’s all taking place in the middle of the night–and that should tells us all we need to know about their motives, intentions and goals. They want power to rob widows and orphans and aliens and the needy. And they want us to be asleep while they do it.
“Deliver the poor and the needy; rescue them from their…oppressors.” Psalm 82:4 (The Voice)
Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security posted the following announcement on its website:.
“Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem today announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan. The TPS designation for the country expires on May 20, 2025, and the termination will be effective on July 14, 2025.
“After consultation with interagency partners, Secretary Noem determined that conditions in Afghanistan no longer meet the statutory requirements. The Secretary’s decision was based on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review of the country conditions and in consultation with the Department of State. The Secretary determined that, overall, there are notable improvements in the security and economic situation such that requiring the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to ongoing-armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions. She further determined that permitting Afghan nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States.”
This DHS decision means that all Afghans who received protection following the US military withdrawal in 2022 will now be required to return to Afghanistan voluntarily or face prison sentences and/or forced deportation. Many of these Afghans had assisted the US military during the war against the Taliban, the same Taliban that now controls the country. And among the 200,000 Afghans losing their protected status are more than 300 Christians who faced harsh persecution under Taliban rule and who were pursuing asylum in the US. Delivering any of these Afghan individuals and families to the Taliban will likely result in imprisonment or even death.
In a letter sent to President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, faith leaders urged the “Administration to act swiftly to protect Afghan Christians from deportation to Afghanistan, where they face grave threats to their safety and their very lives because of their faith.” Opposition to ending the protections is appropriate and necessary. Will the letter make a difference? If the acts of DHS and ICE in the past are any indication, it is not likely.
Psalm 82 reminds the “judges” (ie political leaders) that their role is to “rescue the poor and needy from their oppressors.” The ending of TPS for Afghans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans is inconsistent with our faith and our values. Silence isn’t an option.
Today, my Congresswoman, Delia Ramirez (IL – District 03) will not be silent as she repeats her call* for the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem ” for the unconstitutional, illegal weaponization of DHS to pursue a campaign of persecution, mass incarceration, and deportation. Now she can include the reckless and immoral rescinding of Afghani Temporary Protected Status to the list.
* Ramirez first called for Noem’s resignation on April 8 in a press conference after witnessing children being processed by immigration officials at the southern border without legal representation.
James 1:27 says, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (Good News Translation)
There are two signs of authentic faith. 1. Showing compassion toward those who are at risk of exploitation and especially prone to live in poverty, and 2. Keeping oneself from being corrupted by the values and principles of the world. These two faith facets are what God looks for from those who claim to know God and who follow Christ.
Most Christians I know are compassionate people and fulfill the first sign of authentic faith. They are generous with their time and resources. When Hurricane Katrina flooded much of New Orleans, churches across the country organized volunteer work teams to help with clean-up and rebuilding. When California wild fires destroyed the communities of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, churches collected relief offerings. When the water in Flint, MI, became toxic with lead and other chemicals, churches collected and sent truckloads of bottled water to those in need. When a neighborhood family faces tragedy, churches organize meal trains and childcare. These are wonderful and appropriate responses in the face of distress. But I have found that, for many Christians, compassion and generosity have their limits–relational limits, geographic limits, even political limits.
For example, consider JD Vance’s interpretation of the Catholic concept of “Ordis Amoris” or “the order of charity”: “[First] you love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country, and then, after that, you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.”. Vance used the ‘Order’ to justify mass deportations of undocumented individuals and families in an interview on Fox News because the US needs to protect its own citizens before “protecting” those who are not. Vance’s interpretation (and application) got the attention of Pope Francis, who responded: “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups.” Cardinal Robert Prevost (now known as Pope Leo XIV) then tweeted more bluntly, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
Besides the idea of a limited “love local” ethic, many Christians also limit their generosity on the basis of whether the person in need is considered “deserving” of their help. When tragedy strikes someone through no fault of their own, help is given without hesitation. However, it is often withheld if the person (in their assessment) is undeserving. People living under the expressway viaduct usually considered “undeserving” because they obviously could get a job, and giving them money only encourages them to be lazy and unproductive. In other words, the unhoused are to blame for their condition and are therefore “undeserving.” (Never mind that 40-60% of people who are homeless have a full or part time job.)
I also see the limits of compassion when Christians cry out for the protection of the unborn, but are strangely silent when “the born” are blown to bits by American-made bombs dropped in Gaza or are separated from their parents and placed in cages at the southern border. And just yesterday, House Republicans unveiled their budget proposal that would slash Medicaid spending by $715 billion–which could impact 8.6 million poor people–including children! The cuts in Medicaid would provide tax breaks for the wealthy. Are the unborn more deserving of our concern? Are children of migrants less deserving of our compassion? Do the widows and orphans of Gaza somehow deserve their distress? And who deserves health care? What does it say about a country that sacrifices children for tax breaks for the rich?
The moment our compassion is based on our biased deserving/undeserving scale, we have failed to fulfill the second sign of authentic faith–living free of the world’s contamination. The moment we buy into the myth of the “self-made man”, the myth of “Manifest Destiny,” and the myth of material success as indicative of God’s blessing for our godliness, we have adopted the values and priorities of the world. We have become corrupted.
It’s time for a “faith reassessment.” And it’s time for repentance.
This post was updated at 11 am today to reflect yesterday’s GOP proposal to slash Medicaid funds to pay for tax breaks.
