Every now and then, I lose sight of what day it is. Today is such a day. I have decompressed—finally—from a busy and hectic five years, and am sitting around in my onsie about to watch Middle Church worship. I’m feeling whiplash about the last 48 hours and how POTUS can invade a country, kidnap its president and declare we are going to run it. What in the hell???? Venezuela being run by Trump from here!!
Lord, have mercy.
I know, we’ve turned the page into 2026, and many are saying we should leave what is back there behind. But I can’t. I can’t leave behind giggles with my grandkids nor can I leave behind the tears of the worlds’ children. I can’t leave behind toxic politics nor can I leave behind the way my heart soared when Zohran Kwame Mamdani became mayor-elect and now mayor of my city. I find hope in the truth that though the world is full of hate-filled despots doing despicable acts of destruction, it is also filled with the kind-hearted and brave actions of love warriors all over the globe standing up for what is just, moral and right. I find hope in the power of the folks who persist and resist, like Jumaane Williams, standing up with immigrant New York neighbors as Public Advocate and Matthew Collin Marrero who keeps fighting for his husband Allan to come home from an unlawful detention. I find hope in Palestinians and Gazans and Sudanese and Congolese and Ukrainians who keep fighting every day for a better life, and for all those who use their platforms to lift their voices and keep eyes turned on the suffering, in the hopes of liberation. I see you Linda Sarsour, and Annie Lennox, just to name two.
I find hope in communities steeped in love, like my community at Middle Church. We know love is not squishy, it is fierce. It takes zero $hit, when it comes to fighting for justice, and it looks evil in the eye and asks, “Is that all you got? Cuz we got more power than that!”
What day is it? Sunday, January 4, 2026; I just checked the calendar. It’s the fourth day the new year; it’s the 11th day of Christmas.
What day is it? The first day of the rest of our lives. We know what time it is and we know what is required of us. So let’s get busy!
And if you are feeling down, and you need a strong dose of inspiration, Watch Middle Church in action, celebrating love-made-flesh. You will tap your feet, clap your hands, and sing along, I promise you!
Let’s go!!!
