Walk Home Together

A little note for the Rice boys on Good Friday. 

As you know, I’m constantly refining and defining and deconstructing and reconstructing my faith. I’m asking hard questions and not settling for pat answers. 

What I’ve found over the years is that discernment is the key. Faith and facts can coexist.  

Take the Creation story. The Garden, the Tree of Knowledge…it’s beautiful, it’s symbolic…it’s also annoyingly misogynistic (Adam isn’t responsible for his own choices, really?) Anyway, my point is, it’s not literally the factual start of the Earth. And knowing that doesn’t mean you’re rejecting God. 

On the other hand, Jesus. In my understanding, he was an actual person, not a myth or an amalgamation. He was an itinerant Jewish rabbi who challenged the oppressive government, flipped tables in the temple, taught and lived in a way that got him killed.

He practiced humility. He told people to pray in private and not make a big self-righteous show of it. 

He was friends with sinners and outcasts. He didn’t judge them. But he had some strong words for the people who did.

His whole message was personal accountability. Forget what everyone else is doing… what am I doing? How can I be better, more generous, more loving? Also, be cautious of those who claim to speak for Him. Think about what HE said. 

That’s the message. No more, no less. Every parable, every red letter in the New Testament. 

Aim high. 

Be radically empathetic and rigorously self-aware. 

It’s so hard. But that’s the deal. 

I love the symbolism of Easter. New life and new beginnings. An opportunity to recalibrate and try again. Warm sunshine and tender green sprouts of growth. 

I’m so proud of you both and how you’re maturing into adults before our eyes. On this Easter, I hope you feel convicted and motivated to keep growing. To be even more. More generous. More discerning. More open. More loving. Aim high. 

Love 

Mom