After the last 14 months, I think we are all a little sick of surprises. April 1 is the day we all expect to be surprised, especially as corporations become all the more obsessed with using it as an excuse for bad marketing.
The fun of April Fools' Day certainly lost its shine amid the COVID-19 pandemic — as have surprises in general — but I hope they won’t be ruined forever. Pokémon Go was maybe born from an April Fool’s prank. And some surprises, like a godfather of jazz working with an electronic producer, can produce extra joy. Other times a surprise is more sinister, or exploitative, normalized until we become accustomed to the wickedness.
Now, in this Holy Week, we celebrate what is perhaps one of the more astounding surprises seen in history — the birth of a faith that declares God suffers with the oppressed. Maybe the goal isn’t to inhabit a world with less surprises, but to surprise the status quo with love, justice, and goodness.
1. Pharoah Sanders’s Grand Return
A new collaboration with electronic producer Floating Points has led to a modern-day masterpiece for the jazz master. By Marcus J. Moore via thenation.com.
2. Why Do Chaplains Have To Pay for Their Internships?
Chaplaincy internships offer valuable experience, but many say the often-unpaid, tuition-based program isn't equitable. By Gina Ciliberto via sojo.net.
3. Is Baked Alaska the Secret to a Long Life?
A 117-year-old nun in France made me think it might be. By Dorie Greenspan via The New York Times.
4. Asian Women Lead Charge Against Bigotry in Christian Rallies Across U.S.
Fourteen rallies, coordinated by the Asian American Christian Collaborative, were held across the nation on Sunday afternoon. By Mitchell Atencio via sojo.net.
5. As the Country Reckons With Race, Will Tribal Nations Lead the Way?
The descendants of those once enslaved by tribes continue to push for equality. By Alaina E. Roberts via High Country News.
6. God Suffers With Us This Holy Week
Our suffering and loss can exist side by side with triumph. By Adam Russell Taylor via sojo.net.
7. Were the Texas Blackouts a Crime?
The February power outages were a deadly man-made disaster, but punishing those responsible may prove elusive. By Jonathan Tilove via Texas Monthly.
8. A Dumpster of Riches
‟Some things we have to compost, but that's better than the landfill.” By Jackie Parker via Sojourners.
9. Why Transgender Girls Are Suddenly the G.O.P.’s Culture-War Focus
Lawmakers in a growing number of Republican-led states are advancing and passing bills to bar transgender athletes in girls’ sports, a culture clash that seems to have come out of nowhere. By Jeremy W. Peters via The New York Times.
10. Biden Proclaims César Chávez Day to Honor the Labor Activist
Chávez was a Mexican American activist who organized for farmworkers’ rights. By Gina Ciliberto via sojo.net.
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