To live in the Sonoran Desert in late summer is to understand urgency. The sun pushes us indoors, the heat shimmering off the pavement, while news feeds bring a relentless stream of noise—political tension, immigration enforcement targeting our neighbors, and wildfire smoke lingering on the horizon.
It is easy, under the weight of 110 degrees and a hostile political climate, to feel scorched. But our tradition reminds us that the desert has always been a place where God meets people in the wilderness. When Elijah lay exhausted under the broom bush, God didn’t demand he keep running—God gave him bread, water, and rest for the journey.
Justice work in a Sonoran summer isn’t about running until we collapse. It’s about becoming an oasis. When ICE threatens our community, our response is sanctuary. When heat threatens the unhoused, our response is a shower which refreshes body and soul. When the world feels burning, our calling is to be a shade tree for one another.
Let’s take care of our bodies, protect our neighbors, and remember that love is cooler and far more durable than hate. See you on Sunday if not sooner!
Shalom, Paul