FOR THEE, BUT NOT FOR ME

From the Advocate in Baton Rouge:

Gov. Bobby Jindal wants state employees to contribute more toward their future pension benefits.

But legislation Jindal is proposing exempts the governor and other elected officials who are members of the Louisiana State Employee Retirement System, called LASERS, from the 3 percent increase in the contribution rate sought in the legislation.

The 3 percent translates into a near 40 percent increase for rank-and-file members of LASERS. But not for the governor and other elected officials — their contribution rates would not increase.

“... this Act shall not apply to an elected official during the term of office he is serving on July 1, 2012. The contribution rate for such a member shall remain what it was on July 1, 2012, for the duration of his term of office,” according to Senate Bill 52 and House Bill 56, two pension revamp measures backed by Jindal.

The law will not apply to the present administration and legislators, but why should not the pain be shared by all state employees?  The exemption is an outrage!  Jindal refuses all requests for interviews.

The legislature has the opportunity to tinker with Jindal's proposals, but they have so very often shown themselves to be sheep-like in following the governor's directions.

If you read the entire article, you will note that Jindal is zealous in providing for the portion of his own retirement that will be paid out of state coffers.

LEONARD COHEN - 'IF IT BE YOUR WILL'

MORE BIBLICAL FARSIDE

Thanks to Frank.

A PRAYER FOR THE CROWN NOMINATIONS COMMISSION

Mr CatOLick offers for our personal use a prayer for the Crown Nominations Commission as they begin the process of choosing candidates for the position of Archbishop of Canterbury. 

Dear Father,

Help the CNC members to put away their own agendas and let them know that they, and their tribes have had their time.

Help them to listen to people outside of London and not to just give lip service to the northern folk.

Father, we just ask that you show them how to get their secretarial work right and pass on information.

Father, put your protecting power around their photocopier so that documents can be read.

Father, help them to remember more and more that Oxford and Cambridge are not the only universities in England.

Father, help them to show compassion and love, cast out any spot of arrogance and high handedness, and protect them from snobbery and pomposity.

Father, let your Holy spirit come down and work amongst them.  Let them know that you know the secrets of all our hearts and know even the secrets of the CNC.

Amen.

IN THE NAME OF SECURITY

From U.S. News:

Siding with security needs over privacy rights, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that jailers may subject people arrested for minor offenses to invasive strip searches.

By a 5-4 vote, the court rejected a challenge from a New Jersey man who argued it's unconstitutional to force everyone to strip down for inspection. Albert Florence was arrested by a state trooper because of an error in the state's records that mistakenly said he was wanted on an outstanding warrant for an unpaid fine. Even if the warrant had been valid, failure to pay a fine is not a crime in New Jersey.
....

Siding with security needs over privacy rights, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that jailers may subject people arrested for minor offenses to invasive strip searches.

By a 5-4 vote, the court rejected a challenge from a New Jersey man who argued it's unconstitutional to force everyone to strip down for inspection. Albert Florence was arrested by a state trooper because of an error in the state's records that mistakenly said he was wanted on an outstanding warrant for an unpaid fine. Even if the warrant had been valid, failure to pay a fine is not a crime in New Jersey.

This is so depressing.  I've come to dread Supreme Court sessions, because the justices will almost surely make mischief and worse, e. g., Citizens United (corporations are people). When will we have lost enough of our rights and privacy in the name of security to say that the terrorists have won?

YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP

From the BBC:

An investigation is under way after indecent images were "inadvertently" shown by a Catholic priest during a presentation at a primary school in County Tyrone.

Father Martin McVeigh projected the images onto a screen during a meeting for parents in Pomeroy in preparation for First Holy Communion. One child was also present.

Parents said 16 indecent images of men were displayed. The priest said he had no knowledge of the offending imagery.

Cardinal Sean Brady said the PSNI had indicated that no crime had been committed.

After the priest left the meeting in dismay and embarrassment, he returned later and said that children making their First Holy Communion receive lots of money, and they should think about giving some of the money to the church.

H/T and thanks to MadPriest for my first belly laugh of the day.  I have no idea what is the story behind the story of the images on the memory stick.  Sabotage?  No crime was committed, but a major gaffe was committed, surely inadvertently.   

"JESUS PRAYS ALONE"

"Jesus Prays Alone" - Doug Blanchard

And he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’

 (Mark 14:34-36)

If you visit his blog, you can see Doug Blanchard's entire stunning series of "Gay Passion of Christ" paintings, which carry great power when seen all together.  Every single painting is marvelous, but as I looked at the pictures a day or so ago and came upon "Jesus Prays Alone", my heart skipped a beat when I saw the depiction of the lonely Jesus.  Why do particular pieces of art affect us with such force?  And then today at church, we heard the words above from Mark's Gospel.  

A couple of years ago, Doug honored me with permission to use his paintings during Holy Week and Eastertide.  Today, Jesus in Love Blog begins a Holy Week series which includes Doug's "Gay Passion of Christ" paintings and reflections on passages from the Scriptures.

TOWARD THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE

After Easter Sunday, I will be joining a contemplative community of Anglican Carmelite nuns.  I feel the call to a quiet life, and what could be quieter than silence?  Grandpère understands, and though he may feel bereft for a while, he'll get over it.  He and my children and grandchildren can think of all the good times we had together and remember me as I was before I became really, really, really old.

The question of whether I will continue with my blog is, as yet, unsettled.  Striking the keys on the keyboard makes a noise but only a small noise, and the matter is now under negotiation with the Mother Superior.  If the blog must go, then go it must, for I will be bound by a vow of obedience.  However, take courage!  As I understand it, you, my online friends and readers, will have access to my six years of blog posts forever and ever, amen, and you can click over whenever you like for a virtual visit .

Peace.

'WHAT NEXT?" - ALAN PERRY

Canon Alan Perry of the Anglican Church of Canada ponders the next step for the churches of the Anglican Communion after the rejection of the Anglican Covenant by the Church of England.  As the Episcopal Church in the US will meet in General Convention in July of this year and and will be addressing proposed resolutions concerning the covenant, Alan's post seems to me a helpful addition to preparatory material.

I don't know how much time, effort or money has been expended on the Anglican Covenant proposal, but I think it is safe to say “a lot”. And this proposal has distracted Anglicans to a significant degree from pursuing, both other avenues of building relationships, and our primary mission of living out the Gospel in our various contexts. Now that the project is stalled, perhaps irretrievably, in the Church of England, how much more time, energy and money should the rest of us be expending on this proposed Covenant?

What should those outside England do?

It's really up to each Church to decide how it's going to deal with the proposed Covenant, but I see four options at this point:

1. Continue with the process of considering and adopting the proposed Covenant;
2. Continue to consider the Covenant, but adopt it conditionally such that an Act of Synod adopting the Covenant does not come into effect until the Church of England adopts it;
3. Suspend the process of considering the Covenant until it is clear what the Church of England is going to do next;
4. Adopt a resolution rejecting the Covenant.

Please don't stop with my short quote from Alan's post.  Read it all.

Whatever resolutions the Episcopal Church passes or does not pass, I fervently hope we will not spend "a lot" of time, effort, and money on such an inferior piece of work, especially now that the "mother" church has disposed of it. 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - WALTER BRUEGGEMANN

Jeremiah and Second Isaiah taken together, poets of pathos and amazement, speak in laments and doxologies.  They cannot be torn from each other.  Reading Jeremiah alone leaves faith in death where God finally will not stay.  And reading Second Isaiah alone leads us to imagine that we may receive comfort without tears and tearing.  Clearly, only those who anguish will sing new songs.

Walter Brueggemann - The Prophetic Imagination, 2d ed.