Grace offends

Yesterday a man yelling, "Allah! Allah!" set himself ablaze in protest outside the White House. He survived because security guards were quick to extinguish the flames. At the Boar's Head Tavern, Russ asks why they "rush to the aid" of "someone like this".

On Saturday, our Cathedral held a memorial service for a local man taken hostage and murdered by Iraqi terrorists a few weeks ago. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary were both guests at the service. My friend remarked how out-of-proportion it was that a man who went to Iraq willingly to make money, despite being warned of the dangers, was being given his own memorial service attended by Tony Blair, while hundreds of brave soldiers had died fighting for their country without receiving anything like the same special attention.

I cannot help but think that if Jesus were around today, these are the parables he would tell. After all, he told the story of a wasteful son being celebrated by a foolish father at the expense of a hard-working elder brother. He told the tale of a steward apparently rewarded for all the wrong reasons and a crook being forgiven on the spot while a righteous man went away unjustified. He liked to turn things on their heads like that. Hell, he liked to offend. And grace offends.

(Originally posted at the Grace Pages)

-Dave