Lenten reflection on scripture — road trip

Isaiah 40: 3-5

We hear all the voices cry
for us to make a highway in the wilderness

and yet people in churches
are preoccupied with the toll booths,

and issue EZ passes
to those with particular beliefs,
sexual orientations, gender expressions,
educational levels, income,
ethnicity, race.

We give little attention to the need
for breakdown lanes,
easy shoulders, rest areas,
for those whose journey is hard,

and reinforce jersey barriers
that folks with beater-car lives
crash into,
or speed bumps
to slow the enthusiasm of children.

If God’s glory is to be revealed
to all people
on such a road trip –

then we are called to mark well
the unconditional love of merging traffic
less the exit ramps,
put up fewer signs for 
low clearance, divided way,
dead end,
more – share the road.