15 Hopes for 2015

1. Go for a ride in the Pope-mobile (he comes to Philly in September). I’d settle for a hug from Francis, but would really like to jump in a fire hydrant on Potter Street with him.
2. End the death penalty. (This may be a 3-year goal)
3. Support friends in Ferguson and NY as they write a book… sort of theological memoirs of the movement.
4. Publish my newest book (coming out in a year or so)—tentatively titled “Executing Grace”.
5. Pray a lot. Hopefully focusing on prayer 3 times a day. Or 2. Ok, at least once a day. And do my best to “pray without ceasing”.
6. Hoping 2015 is a year with fewer people killed. Would love to stop all killing but that may also be a longer-term goal. For 2015, I hope for…
   1. Less people killed by police.
   2. Less police killed by people.
   3. Less people killed in general (we can do better than 10, 000 gun deaths a year in the US)
7. In 2015, I’d like to see more folks fall in love with Jesus, get baptized, and become filled with the Holy Spirit! And join a local parish. Hallelujah!
8. Run 5 miles at least once a week. And 10 miles every once in a while.
9. See one of our Simple Way scholars graduate from Eastern University!

… and see another kid from the neighborhood go to college at Eastern.

…and see another university provide full-tuition scholarships for our incredible Kensington youth.

10. Raise someone from the dead. (I’d settle for any little miracle.)
11. Go to jail if necessary – but only for something nonviolent, virtuous, and faith-filled.
12. End all war. But I’d settle for stopping the drone center planned to open in Horsham, PA (or any of the other 140+ tentative bases being set up to operate military drones and remote controlled killing devices).
13. Live off of 10% of our income, and support lots of great work around the world.
14. Expand our urban homestead.
    1. Raise chickens in the abandoned lot behind us.
    2. Get honey bees for our roof.
    3. Get a pig (for my neighbor’s yard ; )
15. Maybe have a baby? Or adopt one? Or just be the best mentor I can to the kids already a part of our family.

There you go.15 hopes for 2015. Hope it is a year filled with love and holy mischief.