(a Steve Orr Bible reflection) In the early days of social media, my account kept suggesting I become friends with celebrated actor Ashley Judd. Yes, that Ashley Judd, daughter of music star Naomi Judd and sister to country music legend Wynonna Judd. That friending suggestion popped up with some regularity. Eventually I just couldn’t resist: I clicked on the link. The screen quickly displayed a message informing me that Ashley couldn't be friends with me because she alrea

I am ending Part 1 of my “metaphors” section with an essay or martyrs, people who die intentionally for a cause. It may be due to religious, political or personal beliefs, but the result is certain death. A source on Wikipedia defines it this way: “A martyr is an individual who suffers persecution, severe loss, or death for refusing to renounce their religious, political, or deeply held beliefs. Originating from the Greek word "witness," it signifies someone whose sacrifice a

Mockups of the “Grim Reaper” have him appearing dour and cheerless as he (usually) goes about his task as a mythical personification of death. He mostly wears a black robe and carries a scythe, which he uses to separate the soul from the body, his harvest for the afterlife. The Grim Reaper is a blend from older European traditions and was referred to in connections with the Bubonic Plague (the Black Death) that once ravaged the European continent. He is symbolic, a western

(a Steve Orr Bible reflection) On our minds in winter: When is summer? In the northern hemisphere, many consider Memorial Day weekend the unofficial start. Meteorologists start summer on June 1. And then of course, there is the traditional start: Summer Solstice, which lands on June 21 this year. And, because of their long winters, New Englanders hold out for July 4. Whenever it starts for you, summer is a lovely time. When winter finally ends, we feel an uplift in spirit.

There is a myth that St. Peter is heaven’s gatekeeper. It originated from a literal interpretation of Matthew 16:19, where Jesus granted Peter "the keys of the kingdom of heaven." Catholic tradition interprets this as Peter’s complete authority over the Church and perhaps depicting him as giving a thumbs up or thumbs down at the “pearly gates.” An alternative phrase to meeting St. Peter is to “meet our maker,” and it can point to a future judgment by God. We can also talk a

(a Steve Orr Bible reflection) The 1968 film Wild in the Streets was released to wild acclaim—among teenagers. Adults? Not so much. The plot: The voting age is lowered to 14, drug use is legalized, and 20-year-old rock star Max Frost is elected President. What could go wrong? Teen reaction: great soundtrack! Adult reaction: anarchy! For most of us, orderly is the way. We like order. We especially like law and order. We feel safer knowing the law is there to protect us

Assassinations are a certain death that occur when prominent individuals, often politicians, are deliberately killed It is formally described as an “act of assassination.” The grim act is most often carried out to eliminate someone for political purposes and revenge. Common synonyms for the act are to dispatch, execute, kill, murder, and slay someone. None of them are nice things to happen. The numbers of assassinations have risen over the last decade, and 772 cases were re

(a Steve Orr Bible reflection) If you’ve never heard of Sam Houston, I’m not surprised. Before I moved to Texas, I had never heard of him, either. In fact, if I hadn’t moved to Texas, it’s likely I never would have. He was a leader in the Texas Revolution, served as the first and third President of the Republic of Texas, shepherded the treaty that later joined Texas to the United States, was a U.S. Senator from the State of Texas, and then served Texas as Governor. Sam was

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "kiss of death" is a phrase describing an action or association that brings inevitable ruin or failure. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot (the "Judas kiss") is a primary source for the phrase. In other nefarious instances, the kiss on the lips marks a gang member for execution. It is a phrase that indicates an act that predicts failure or doom. The word “kiss” is derived from the noun coss in Old English (Middle English kis

(a Steve Orr Bible reflection) JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is about a company of persons chosen to go on a great quest. As is common in such quests, the fellowship—charged with shepherding the Ring of Power to its destruction in the volcanic fires of Mount Doom—is packed with persons of great stature. There are great warriors—current royals, future royals, the brave, the bold—and some Hobbits. Those hairy-footed little Hobbits—not the royal, the brave,