Love Your Enemies?

By Rev. Dr. Melinda V. McLain

God makes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. - Matthew 5: 45b

About 10 years ago, I took up the practice of preaching on the topic of “love your enemies” each January in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who also preached on this challenging theme once a year. And I would submit that the ability of Rev. Dr. King to embody this principle is one of the primary reasons that he is still so admired throughout the world. Who would Jesus call a friend? An enemy? The answer is, of course, neither. Jesus sees us all – and I believe without exception – as beloved children of God. No one is a "special friend" or "enemy" of Jesus. God loves us all. The all-too-human tendency to divide our neighbors into enemies and friends is not the way of Jesus, so it should not be the way among those who seek to follow Jesus.

Separating every experience we have into rigid categories of good and bad seems to be a favorite - and unfortunate - human occupation. For example, I have become increasingly sensitive to Christian rhetoric that claims to know what God is doing in the world and the subsequent assertion of who is blessed and who is cursed. 

We’ve all seen fire and brimstone preachers blame the extension of equality under the law for LGBTQ people as the reason for various hurricanes and other natural disasters. They rant and rave that God is having vengeance against us because we have been unfaithful to God’s law or precepts. The reverse is true too. Prosperity-gospel preachers claim to be financially-blessed because God has rewarded their “true worship” and, if you will only send them a generous contribution today, God will bless you too!

In my view, it is extremely dangerous for anyone to claim to know such things. At the very least, anyone who does make such proclamations may fall prey to Anne Lamott’s brilliant comment, that “you know you’ve created God in your own image when God hates all the same people you do.”

Instead, I believe Matthew gets it just right that the current weather (nor any other natural condition) is a gift or punishment from God. And to assert personal knowledge of God’s pleasure or displeasure is pure folly and perhaps even self-idolatry: casting ourselves in the role of God.

This passage goes even further and exhorts us to stop playing the game of sorting others into categories altogether by choosing to love all without exception. God calls us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Still, Jesus did not remain silent in the face of injustice. In the Gospels, Jesus regularly lambasts his disciples for their foolishness and constant bickering about "who is the greatest?" He also challenges the wealthy and the powerful to live their lives as servants instead of overlords.

Jesus is not a wimpy and meek lover of all humanity who allows bullies to keep up their assault on the weak. To do so would be to abandon both the bullied – and the bully too. For God even loves bullies and those who would seem to be enemies of all that is good and right. God doesn't give up on them, or us. Instead, Jesus teaches that the bullies will, like the rich man, find it difficult to glimpse the reign of God until they end their reign of terror.  Jesus teaches that there is a better way. Follow me. 
As our society becomes more and more connected, our divisions also become more visible. We are constantly challenged to "stand with this" and "stand against that". And this is good. It is definitely part of the path of Jesus to stand for the poor, the oppressed, the outcast, to stand for justice and mercy. 

At the same time, we must find a way to not convert our disagreements into hatred and separation. This is REALLY hard, but I believe it is part of Jesus path to find a way to love our enemies until they become our sisters and brothers.

Have you ever converted an "enemy" into a friend? What can we learn from those who disagree with us?  How can we welcome those who challenge us?

In The Community

Meet Mikki Norris, an activist, former publisher, and author working with Keep El Sobrante Clean and Beautiful. KESCB is a group of local residents, businesses and organizations who share a vision of nature and beauty. Mikki speaks with us about her work in El Sobrante as well as her hopes for the community once The Good Table Cafe opens its doors to the public.

You can learn more about her organization and how to volunteer by visiting their official website at: https://keepelsobrantebeautiful.info

Special thanks to Jacob Day for conducting and editing the video, and Mikki for chatting with us!

Click HERE to watch the complete interview!

Join us for our next Work + Fun Day!

When: Saturday, January 7th from 12-3 PM

Where: 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante 94803

Sat. January 7th will be our Community Work + Fun Day @ 5166 Sobrante Ave, 12- 3p. Wear sturdy shoes and clothing and bring work gloves and favorite gardening tools. And please bring a good quality mask so we can all stay safe from COVID and construction dust.

Help us share the Good word by following us on Facebook and Instagram

The Earth reminded us of a Christmas tree ornament hanging in the blackness of space. As we got farther and farther away it  diminished in size. Finally it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful marble you can imagine. – James Irwin, American astronaut 

Each year, on December 21st, we mark the winter solstice and the longest night of the year.  For our science fans, the December solstice occurs when the sun reaches its most southerly declination of -23.5 degrees. In other words, it is when the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun.  When this happens, all places above a latitude of 66.5 degrees north (Arctic Polar Circle) are now in darkness, while locations below a latitude of 66.5 degrees south (Antarctic Polar Circle) receive 24 hours of daylight. 

Ancient humans were much more attuned to the sky – they had not managed to obliterate the stars and moon by artificial light.  Growing up in the Texas panhandle, I was similarly blessed by an unobstructed 360 degree view of the horizon and very little light pollution.  Sunrises and sunsets were often spectacular and the night sky was a wonder. 

At the Monastery of Christ in the Desert north of Abiquiu, New Mexico, where I’m an oblate, there is virtually no light pollution and looking at the night sky is often amazing.  During  a retreat there in 2012, a group of executives from Sony Classical were at the monastery to make a recording of the monks chanting.  For these New Yorkers, the night sky was a big surprise.  I remember walking out of the refectory after compline and watching one of these urbanites simply gasp in amazement at the sight of the Milky Way.  She said she had always thought that you could only see it with a telescope.  “Who knew?”, she exclaimed. 

As one of the monks began to patiently point out various stars and constellations, I was delighted to be one who “knows” the beauty of the night sky, of the high desert, and of places where our human “progress” has not veiled the beauty of the cosmos. 

I have crystallized in my memories long evenings spent lying on my back looking at the night sky.  While counting the shooting stars, I would imagine the genius behind all that beauty.  As a youngster, I was certain that I was seeing the handiwork of God. 

Now I see the work of the Divine all around me when I take the time to simply look beyond all the noise, busyness, and light in the way.  This is the journey of this season, to look beyond our normal lives to catch a glimpse of God. 

So even if you can’t get away from the blinding lights that obscure your vision of the night sky, see if, for a moment, you can look beyond life as you know it and catch a bit of starlight for yourself.  Put it in your pocket and be at peace. Happy Solstice. 

Vegan Salted Espresso Brownie Cookies

The most decadent & fudgy Vegan Salted Espresso Brownie Cookies! Also known as vegan brookies, these double chocolate chip cookies feature a brownie-like batter mixed with dark, aromatic espresso & topped with flaky sea salt for the ultimate dairy-free & eggless dessert!

Link to the Original Recipe from www.shortgirltallorder.com

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all purpose flour

• 1 Tablespoon finely ground espresso

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ cup dark chocolate chips melted

• ¼ cup coconut oil melted

• ¼ cup organic white sugar

• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 flax egg *1 Tablespoon (8 grams) ground flaxseed mixed with 3 Tablespoons water, left to sit 5-10 minutes until thick*

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

• ¼ cup chocolate chips optional, to add into mix

• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt optional, to top cookies

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350F and place a sheet of parchment paper a large baking pan.

• First, sift together the all-purpose flour, espresso, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.

• Then, melt the chocolate and coconut oil. Add a few inches of water to a small pan and bring to a simmer. In a separate heatproof bowl, add your chocolate chips and coconut oil. Set the bowl over the pan with simmering water and stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and let sit. It's also fine to microwave together in microwave safe bowl, stopping every 20-30 seconds to stir until completely melted.

• Pour the melted chocolate and coconut oil into a large mixing bowl right after melting. Then, add the white sugar, brown sugar, flax egg, and vanilla bean paste to the bowl and whisk together until combined.

• Gradually add the bowl of sifted dry ingredients to the larger mixing bowl with wet ingredients and mix until a smooth batter has formed. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix one last time to make sure all the dry ingredients are evenly mixed. The batter will be soft and like a brownie batter at this point.

• If you are adding chocolate chips to the cookies (highly recommended!), add the additional ¼ cup of chocolate chips and fold into the batter with a spatula.

• Use a cookie/ice cream scooper to form cookie dough balls about 1 Tbsp in size and drop them onto the parchment paper. Make sure to leave enough space between each cookie as they will spread.

• Bake for 8-9 minutes until cookies are crinkled on the outside, but still soft on the inside. Remove from the oven and let the cookies sit on the baking tray for at least 10 minutes to cool and firm u[ as they will be very soft. After that 10 minute mark, use a spatula to gently remove each cookie and place onto a cooling rack. Once cooled, top with extra flaky sea salt and enjoy!

NOTES

• Because these cookies are made using coconut oil, it is NOT recommended to chill the dough before baking as this affects the spread of the cookies. If you chill the dough, the cookies will not spread as much and will be thick.

• Chips or Lily's Dark Chocolate Chips are my favorite. However, if you prefer a sweeter cookie, semi sweet can also work- just make sure it's vegan!

• Cookies can be stored in a closed container at room temperature for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Since we are using coconut oil, they do not store as well in the fridge.

• Recipe very slightly adapted from The Boy Who Bakes Brownie Crinkle Cookies

The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.  –George Elliot 

‘Tis the season for angels, angels, angels!  We sing songs about angels, read stories about angels, we make angels in the snow, and of course, we put angel images everywhere.  On cookies, in frames, frozen in sculpture, molded in chocolate, and then we even impale them on decorated trees. 

Most of the angel images are of the sweet cherub variety – angels in the guise of small children.  And most of the angels disguised as humans I have met have been under the age of seven.  (of course I have met quite a few “devils” in this age group too)  These cute little angels are messengers that call us back to play and make believe.  They bring us tidings of unconditional love.  They break our hearts when they are sad or hurt because they love so purely. 

Biblical angels are a different matter altogether.  When an angel shows up in a text, I often ask the congregation, “now what is the first thing an angel says?”  Folks then call out: “behold” or “lo”, but actually the first thing a Biblical angel usually says is “fear not”.  When the angels visit the shepherds on Christmas Eve, listen for this language about fear. 

Fear not, indeed.  In Tony Kushner’s brilliant play, “Angels in America”, the angel is terrifying, enthralling, mysterious, and sexy.  The message of this angel is hard to decipher and can only be understood in the context of the struggle of Prior Walter to live and finally die with AIDS.  S/he (angels are usually depicted as being quite androgynous) appears in supernatural visions and then in the guise of a wise nurse, a homeless woman, and more enigmatically as a real estate agent.  The message of the voice/angel in this play is to tell Prior Walter that he is a prophet:  that his life has meaning and how he lives with this plague matters.  Prior, by conquering his fear of the angel (and God) will then be able to speak prophetic words of life in the midst of death. 

I believe that angels – messengers of God – are hovering all about us.  This is not a particularly “woo woo” sort of belief, nor do I think that we are surrounded by all sorts of strange spiritual beings.  And I am particularly not interested in long discussions of fallen angels, angel armies, guardian angels, or the various hierarchies of angels in heaven and hell.  Instead, I believe that bits and pieces of divine wisdom are scattered within creation and that there is much we can learn if we are simply willing to listen. 

God is still speaking through little children, furry four-leggeds, mountains, valleys, tragedies, triumphs, and through our sisters and brothers – any one of whom may suddenly become an angel to us bringing a message from the Divine. 

‘Tis the season for angels – can you hear them sing? speak? And if you find yourself suddenly fearful, listen very, very carefully, for an angel may be on the way.

Click HERE to view the entire Newsletter!

In The Community

Meet Sam Lustig who has lived in the Bay Area for the last 16 years, working in agriculture for 15 of those years. A longtime Swanton Berry Farm employee (and a proud member of the United Farm Workers!), Sam was responsible for recipe development, interior design, baking and sales at America’s very first unionized organic farm and the oldest certified organic strawberry farm in California. Sam talk's to us about his work with Planting Justice and The Good Table and his hopes for the future!

Special thanks to Jacob Day for conducting and editing the video, and Sam for chatting with us.

Click HERE to watch the complete interview!

Join us for our next Work + Fun Day!

When: Saturday, December 3rd from 12-3 PM

Where: 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante 94803

Sat. December 3rd will be our Community Work + Fun Day @ 5166 Sobrante Ave, 12- 3p. Wear sturdy shoes and clothing and bring work gloves and favorite gardening tools. And please bring a good quality mask so we can all stay safe from COVID and construction dust.

Help us share the Good word by following us on Facebook and Instagram

Recipe: Mushroom Wellington with Rosemary and Pecans

Here’s a little number that may come in handy for the holidays – Mushroom Wellington with Rosemary and Pecans. This, my friends the perfect, most elegant, vegan main dish for your Thanksgiving, Christmas or holiday table! And the best part? It is very simple!!!

Link to the Original Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 box -2 sheets vegan puff pastry, thawed in the fridge overnight. (Use cold-not at room temp)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)

• 2 pounds mushrooms, sliced, stems OK (except Shiitake stems)

• 1 large onion, diced

• 4–6 fat garlic cloves, rough chopped

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or sage, or thyme)

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 cup sherry wine ( not sherry vinegar) marsala wine, ruby port (or red wine or white wine) – or leave it out! see notes.

• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans ( or feel free to sub hazelnuts or walnuts)

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• 2 teaspoons truffle oil ( optional)

• OPTIONS -if you want to add cheese, add ½ – 1 cup grated pecorino, gruyere, goat cheese or cream cheese- or use a meltable vegan cheese- or make vegan ricotta!

• “Egg” wash – use nut milk, cream or melted coconut oil to brush on the pastry. If not worried about it being vegan, whisk an egg with a tablespoon of water.

Instructions

• Make sure your puff pastry is thawed before you start -cold, but thawed. (Note if it is too warm, it may fall apart, if too cold, it will be too stiff to roll.)

• Preheat oven to 400F

• MAKE THE FILLING: Heat oil in an extra-large skillet or dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onions, garlic, salt and rosemary and saute, stirring often, until mushrooms release all their liquid. Turn heat down to medium, and continue sauteing until all the liquid has evaporated, be patient, this will take a little time! Once the mushrooms are relatively dry in the pan, splash with the sherry wine and balsamic vinegar and again, sauté on medium heat until all the liquid has cooked off. This is important- you absolutely do not want a watery filling ( it will turn into a mess!). Add the toasted chopped pecans, pepper, truffle oil. Taste, adjust salt to your liking. At this point, you could fold in some cheese if you like.

• Let the filling cool 15-20 minutes (you could make the filling a day ahead and refrigerate).

• Fill 2 Puff Pastries: Carefully unroll the puff pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (if it seems stiff, let it thaw a few more minutes until pliable). Place half the filling in a mound along the center (see photo) and working quickly, roll the pastry up, and over, seam side down. Fill and roll the second sheet.

• Brush with the egg or eggless wash.

• Score the pastry using a razor blade or sharp knife with your choice of design – cross-hatch, herringbone, leafy vine or just simple diagonal slits.

• Bake: Place the sheet pan on the middle rack in the oven for 35 minutes, checking at 2o mins, and rotating pan for even browning if necessary. Let the pastry bake until it is a really deep golden color – to ensure it’s done and flaky all the way through. You may need to add 5 more minutes depending on your oven. Convection will help if you have this setting (use it for the last 5-10 minutes) Please, let’s not have any pale pastries!!! Nice and golden!

• Cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. Garnish with Rosemary Sprigs. It’s OK to serve at room temp, but warm is best.

• See notes for making ahead!

NOTES

Feel free to add other veggies to the mushrooms, just as long as the filling is not watery and still has flavor (adjust salt and seasonings!). Roasted parsnips, wilted spinach, roasted sweet potatoes or butternut, sautéed kale, roasted sunchokes ….would all work well here.

Feel free to sub other nuts for the pecans, like toasted walnuts or hazelnuts.

When I made these, I made one roll vegan and one with cheese. Both are good. 😉

If making ahead, I would recommend making the filling ahead, then assemble and bake the day of. OR you can also make and bake the whole thing ahead and reheat ( letting it come to room temp first).  If baking ahead, bake until the puff pastry is cooked through, but not too golden. Let it get golden when reheating. It will look “prettier” baked the day of.

You can leave out the wine altogether, and not replace it with anything. I find it does add another level of complexity, but up to you.

Click HERE to view the entire Newsletter!

Recipe: Day of the Dead Bread | Pan de Muerto

Do plan to join us for our Sunday Gathering on Sunday, Nov. 6th at 12n if you would like to participate in building the ofrenda as a way to honor your beloveds who have died. Bring photos and or small objects that remind you of your beloveds for the altar. If you have questions or want more information about this service, please contact Pastor Melinda.

The Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and helping support their spiritual journey. In Mexican culture, death is viewed as a natural part of the human cycle. Mexicans view it not as a day of sadness but as a day of celebration because their loved ones awake and celebrate with them. In 2008, the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

We have coupled elements of Día de Muertos with the Christian feast of All Saints Day, a feast that proclaims that there is a powerful spiritual bond between those in heaven and the living. In the British Isles, it is known that churches were already celebrating All Saints on November 1 at the beginning of the 8th century to coincide with or replace the Celtic festival of Samhain. Celtic spirituality teaches that there are “thin places” between the living and the dead where we can be more acutely aware of what matters in our lives.

Pan de Muerto

Link to the Original Recipe

Ingredients

• 500 grams 4 cups All Purpose flour

• 2 Tablespoons active-dry yeast

• 100 grams sugar ½ cup

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 80 grams butter at room temperature + 30 grs. to brush the bread after baking.

• 80 grams unsalted margarine room temperature plus more for bowl and pans.

• 4 large eggs room temperature

• Orange zest from 2 oranges

• 60 ml. warm water about 110 degrees

• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water or orange essence

• 1 large egg lightly beaten to brush the bread

• Sugar to decorate the bread at the end.

Instructions

• Place the 4 eggs, margarine, salt and half of the sugar in the mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment start working the dough for about 2 minutes. Add the All-purpose flour in small amounts alternating with the water. Add the dry active yeast and mix until well combined.

• Continue now by adding one at a time the butter, the orange zest, the rest of the sugar and the orange blossom essence, mixing well after each addition until soft dough forms.

• Get the dough out of the mixer bowl and place onto work surface; knead until smooth, dusting work surface lightly with flour as needed if the dough begins to stick. Knead for a couple more minutes. Coat the interior of a large bowl with margarine; transfer dough to bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

• Transfer the dough from the bowl onto working surface, separate 300 grams of the dough to form the decorative bones later on. Cut the rest of the dough in 70grs. pieces or in two equal pieces if making 2 large breads. (Making sure to separate 300 grams of dough to form the decorative bones.). Prepare 2 greased baking sheets, set aside.

Shaping the Pan de Muerto bread

• Take one portion of the dough and place in the palm of your hand, we put our fingers in and add a bit of pressure and shape each piece into a tight ball rolling the dough on the surface. This is called “bolear” in Spanish (if, at first they do not look fine to you, do not worry you will achieve this with practice) Place on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Press the dough slightly.

• Now place the remaining 300 grs of dough we reserved onto the work surface, dusting with flour if needed, and knead until the flour is integrated perfectly (this is for the bones to decorate our breads).

• We take small portions of dough and roll in small logs putting a little pressure with the fingers to form the bones. Once your bones are already formed (we need 2 for each bread). Brush each roll forming a cross on top of each bun with a mix made out of the remaining beaten egg with 1 Tablespoon of water, once we marked the cross with the brush we place the bones as it shows in the above picture, cutting any extra dough.

• And finally, with the leftover dough form small balls, varnish the center of the buns where the bones come together and put the ball there as shown in the picture. Cover baking sheets with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until buns are touching and doubled in size, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Add a pinch of salt to our mix of egg and water and brush the buns before placing in the oven. Transfer buns to oven and bake until golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes, approximately, if making the small buns. If you are making the larger version the baking time will change a little. Remember that every oven is different, (when the bottom of the bread is golden it indicates that they are ready). Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

• Once your Pan de Muerto bread has a completely cooled brush with the remaining butter and then dust with sugar.

NOTES

Instructions are given to work the dough in the Electric Mixer but it can be done by hand.