I’m the older son with a younger brother. I don’t know if my parents had a favorite child. They certainly tried to make sure if one of us got some financial help, the other got an equal sum. One thing I do know is that I was sometimes a handful for my family to deal with when I was a kid. If you find that hard to believe, I’ll give you my brother’s phone number!

Can you believe it? I find myself asking this a lot lately. Can you believe what they did today? I turn on the news or read something on social media and I can’t believe what’s happening. Each day a new shocker. In conversation with friends I find myself saying, “Can you even believe what’s happening?,” and we share in the shock, the sense of urgency for change, and we support each other in our quest to do something to help turn things around. 

Have you ever heard the phrase, “skinfolk ain't always kinfolk,”? The first time I heard this phrase I was in college trying to create a Campus Ministry that would feel comfortable and safe for Black students. I had a few informal conversations with leaders from other student organizations like our Black Student Union and United Women of Color to ask for their guidance. They told me to be careful - “not all skinfolk are kinfolk.” They warned me that some of our administrators might choose their paycheck or their reputation with the school over the wellbeing of students of color even if they are people of color themselves. 

Think of Lent as a resistance movement. Jesus resists the devil and says, “get lost, buddy.” In baptism we renounce the powers of evil, and tell them, in essence, to get away from us. For some, not only in Lent—but always—we try to resist the lure of our personal addictions.

Lent is also a journey, a lifetime one at that. And an arduous journey is a trek. Which brings me to Star Trek. And to the well-known catchphrase that Star Trek fans, and maybe others, will know. Resistance is futile.