In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision on Louisiana v. Callais, and the lectionary gospel lesson of the beginning of John 14, I felt led to share some thoughts on the importance of being an informed people, but most importantly, being a people who practice a faith, a politics, and a social engagement that seeks understanding.

The Gospels of John and Elena Kagan, I hope, encourages people of faith (and Christians particularly) in this time of rising fascism and discrimination to be people who double down on our work for peace, life, and love.

photo by Katrin Bolovtsova

In John’s Gospel, the signs of Jesus are not merely displays of divine power, but invitations into relationship, conversation, and transformation. As I reflected on the raising of Lazarus, I tried to make an argument that suffering is not justified in the text (or the world. Responsibility is redirected—away from those who suffer and toward the systems and hearts that perpetuate exclusion and injustice. The glory of God is revealed not in human pain, but in the liberation of those who have forgotten how to love, and in the awakening of conscience among those with power. In this reflection I hope to challenge us all to move beyond asking why suffering happens, and instead to ask what must change in me, in us, and in our world. In that question, I encounter the invitation of Jesus: to live Presence, Belief, and Faith.

This was a sermon originally shared with the Presbyterian United Church of Christ.

This article grows out of reflections first shared during 2026 Ecumenical Advocacy Days of the New York State Council of Churches, a gathering where people of faith gathered to consider how the values of our traditions shape our engagement in public life.

Such gatherings matter because faith communities are not called only to reflect on moral teachings in the abstract. They are also called to bring those values into the public square, where policies and decisions affect the daily lives of our neighbors. This year’s advocacy agenda reflects that calling in a very tangible way. Participants are engaging issues that touch nearly every dimension of common life: criminal legal reform, economic fairness, environmental stewardship, housing access and affordability, and the welcoming of immigrants in our communities.

The policy document guiding this work alone spans twelve pages.

And for many of us, looking at the breadth of these concerns can feel overwhelming. It is natural to pause and think what many of us quietly admit to ourselves:

This is a lot.

A sermon on the Prophet Miriam shared with the Presbyterian United Church of Christ in the occasion of the beginning of Women History Month 2026.
Link to video at the bottom of the blog.