Everybody ought to have a slave

Ephesians 6:1-9   Everybody ought to have a slave                                                    

Children and Parents

          Children, obey your parents in the Lord,^* for this is right. ²‘Honour your father and mother’—this is the first commandment with a promise: ³‘so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’
4 And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; ⁶not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. ⁷Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, ⁸knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free.
9 And, masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality. 

          Here we have it folks, Biblical sanctioning for having slaves! Yes! I always wanted one. The vision in my brain is Zero Mostel singing "everybody ought to have a slave" from that great show, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.  Yes, think of all things we could do and with no back talk. 

          But, would my conscience allow me to have a slave? Could I ever treat a fellow human that way? Could I even treat any animal that way? No, absolutely not. We have come to a point where we know that slavery is immoral and at the very least disrespects follow humans that ultimately disrespects ourselves and God.

           I read a great Blog the other day (Laurel Masse) that spoke of how women have been treated in the past and how some people, candidates even, would like nothing better than to return to the 'good 'ol days when woman were chattel. What's more, Jesus was probably the first person that recognized woman as equals and the blog does a find job of pointing that out. We are not going back to women as chattel or where the term 'legitimate rape' is even a legitimate term (if it ever was). 

        If everything that appears in the Bible was a dictum or a sanction for the activity mentioned, we would be in really sad shape. Slavery, incest, concubines, multiple wives and even terrorism would be norms. 

         Do not take the Bible so literally. The Spirit speaks and is engaging us today.

With regrets, the Tuesday October 30, 2012 blog entry was not published because of Hurricane Sandy.

Once again, the spirit of the law

Luke 13:10-17

         Once again, the Spirit of the law

          Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. ¹¹And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. ¹²When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’ ¹³When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. ¹⁴But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, ‘There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.’ ¹⁵But the Lord answered him and said, ‘You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? ¹⁶And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?’ ¹⁷When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing

          Here we have a law that comes from God, one of the commandments in fact, about keeping holy the sabbath. The Rabbi shows impeccable logic, quite reasonable if you think about it. Out of the 18 years and 6 days this woman has been crippled, why does she come on the Holy day? The Sabbath. Has she no respect for God's laws? And who is Jesus or any child of God for that matter, to 'work' on the Sabbath? I think we have all learned the lessons here.

           First, on an elementary level, is God subject to the laws he created himself? 

           Second, Jesus points out a bigger problem here.  Are we as humans, as Rabbi's, Imam's, Bishops or Popes, to create strictures on man that limit the power and love that God wishes us to live out and profess to each other? To his vast creation? Once again, Are we take this prohibition on 'working' on the Sabbath literally? It would appear Jesus is saying no.

          Third, I did not miss the reference to what the Roman Catholic church calls the Sensus Fidelium., or sense of the faithful. "the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things taht he was doing". Yes, the faithful knew what Jesus was doing was correct. The hierachy, the Rabbi, did not get it but the faithful did. Curing a woman on the Sabbath is a an act of love, an act of God's love, a sign of God's love. The faithful rightlfully judged what could be wrong with that? 

           Today the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church does not get many, many things. Whether we are speaking of birth control, woman clergy, gay rights or marriage equality, they are wrong hearted and simply wrong. The faithful gets it. The people in the pews get it. The hierarchy acts like the Rabbi, they use an argument that will help you come to the conclusion they want or think is valid but the faithful know differently. The Spirit lives and the hierarchy is deaf and blind.  It would be bad enough if they were deaf and blind simply to the faithful but in so doing they are deaf and blind to the Spirit, to the spirit of love and respect for God's creation.   

          

Fighting for what's important

Mk 10:46-52
         Fighting for what's important

         As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,

Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,

sat by the roadside begging.

On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,

he began to cry out and say,

"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."

And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.

But he kept calling out all the more,

"Son of David, have pity on me."

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."

So they called the blind man, saying to him,

"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."

He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.

Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?"

The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see."

Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you."

Immediately he received his sight

and followed him on the way.

          I've been watching this delightfully funny show called The New Normal, a story about a gay couple starting a family. Between the writing, the characters, the sexual tension, the ability to put forth both sides of an issue, I am just loving it. 

          The last episode I watched involved spirituality. Again, delightfully funny. But here's the nugget that I got this week that reminds me of this Gospel reading. One of the men in this couple is what we would call a lapsed Catholic. He returns to the local Catholic church which gives him comfort. In so doing he meets the local parish Priest. This is almost always the best place to start as the local guys are the guys in the trenches, living the faith. The likelihood of getting some warm fuzzy feeling or help from the local Catholic newspaper or media sound byte would be nil. This Priest is warm, welcoming, perhaps a bit challenging to our gay protagonist but the Priest has a series of lines that ring so very true.

            The gay community (and indeed all of humanity?) have issues of one sort or another. Here I am speaking of issues like, civil rights, world hunger, freedom. The Priest notes that the gay community is incredibly vocal and well organized in seeking their rights, in conveying that we are just like everyone else that wants to live a happy, fulfilled ife. Again, isn't this true of everyone? Just , perhaps a bit more so for those of us that have been marginalized.

          Here's the clincher for me - why do we not put as much energy into our faith? Why do we abandon our faith just because the act of loving as Jesus taught us, the faith that we find great comfort in has been highjacked by some farty old men in red hats? Why give up on our faith so easily?

       Why are we not like Bartimaeus the blind man who continues to seek out a personal one to one meeting with Jesus even when he is rebuked by the crowds?

        At a time when whole hordes of people are abandoning their faith over one misguided issue of the church or another, why should we simply give up? It is our faith and the faith of our fathers. It is not our adherence to some funky laws or rules that these old men have created and claim it's authenticity on specious translations, circular logic and 'tradition' that makes us holy or gives us self worth. Jesus said that your faith has saved you. Jesus lived to show we are all children of God, all worthy from the getgo and loved equally by our heavenly father.

         If I may paraphrase a line from a great man I have the pleasure and honor of knowing, 

Don't mind the "hats", all they they do is deal in accommodation and happy horse shit".  Fight for your faith.

Second chances

Luke 13:1-9

          Second chances

  

         At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ²He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? ³No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. ⁴Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

6 Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. ⁷So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” ⁸He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. ⁹If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’

          They say you never get to make a second first impression. How many times have I failed miserably at that. How many times have I been judged or pigeon holed for something I have said, some mistake I have made or countless other actions that people pick up on and run with. I am sure to some I am considered a fallen member of the clergy, a man who left his wife, perhaps even a bold sinner.  To many of those people I will never be able to make it right, my fate is etched in stone. I might as well wear a big red A on my chest like Hester Prynne. Perhaps it should be a big red G for gay.      

         I've made comments in this blog about our heroes. I've noted several myself  and included in my list is Jim McGreevey,  former Governor of New Jersey. Whenever I mention my admiration for this man, especially when talking within the gay community, my praise often falls on deaf ears. In fact, many times, gay men demean him saying he only came out because he was forced to.

        First of all, I would not be so quick to make judgements about the turmoil in someone's life or of the internal conflict that a closeted gay man goes through in trying to reconcile who they are to themselves.  This is a lesson I learned oddly enough from my mother. A devout Roman Catholic, she divorced my dad at a time when such things were unspeakable. She was ostracized by faithful and parish priest alike. It may be only my brothers and I that realize how justified she was. I would never second guess the mental anguish she went through as a devout Catholic trying to come to terms with what she had to do to maintain her sanity and survive. She was courageous.  However, she was forever judged for her decision.

          I wonder what torment others have gone through to come to wholeness when it was not the politically correct thing to do or the socially acceptable thing to do. Some pay a high price and are always marked.

           But this reading to me speaks of second chances. Allowing people the opportunity to grow, mature and bear fruit even when others would be quick to cut us down and judge.

           Am I the one so quick with the the verbal chain saw, ready to cut people down and pigeon whole them? Can I recognize how difficult it has been for me (to come out) and acknowledge that others may have a similar unspoken, unknown story of their own. Can we give others a second chance at least?  Can we be patient with others as God has been patient with us?

Kings and Queens

Ephesians 4:1-6

          I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

        

         In 2001, Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway starred in a movie called the Princess Diaries. Anne Hathaway is a normal San Francisco teenager who discovers she is to be Queen of a small country called Genovia. Comedy ensues  as the 'normal' in teenager clashes with what a would-be queen should act like as well as simply accepting her position in life. Every girls fantasy? to find out you are really a princess?

         We are all created as royalty by God. In fact, in the Roman Catholic church when you are Baptized, you are anointed as Priest, Prophet and King (royalty). We are all in a sense royals. My quest is to be sure we are all aware of it. We need to know that our heavenly father, the king of the universe wants us to be aware that we are all his children, royals and heirs.

         The problems that ensue for us, not unlike in the Princess Diaries, is how we handle that information. Do we become big headed? Do we think we are better than everyone else and therefore entitled to more than everyone else? If we can adjust to the fact that we are all special, all royal children of God, then we face another dilemma. That is, as the reading todays says, do we lead a life worthy of the calling to which we have been called? It is one thing to know that we are a gift from God, it is another to live out our daily lives with that knowledge and live up to the standard it demands. 

          You are a  priest, prophet and king  (or queen). Are you acting accordingly?

Radical

Luke 12:49-53

          ‘I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! ⁵¹Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! ⁵²From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; ⁵³they will be divided:

father against son
   and son against father,
mother against daughter
   and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
   and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’

            Jesus was a revolutionary. He upset the apple cart, threw the money changes out of the temple, challenged the religious authorities of his own faith, asked to embrace enemies and outcasts. Why, he sort of looks like a hippie if you believe the image Hollywood has presented. In actuality, he probably looked more like a typical arab / middle eastern man, dark olive skin and on the short side. Def not Hollywood; not the 'hunk' that hangs from a crucifix in many a Catholic church. But I digress.

            Jesus knows exactly what he is doing. He sees what is wrong and tries to point us in the proper direction. He lives examples of how we should love. Sadly, the religion he started has returned to its roots in the Pharisees in both rules and demeanor. 

           What did he hope to accomplish?  Certainly to remind us that we are children of God. Certainly that we are loved - u n c o n d i t i o n a l l y.  Certainly that we should be whom we were created to be, be proud of it and embrace it. And certainly, know that it is what is inside our hearts that makes us holy. And lastly, I think that we are to share all that we have with everyone, both spiritually (who we are) and materially (what gifts we have been entrusted with ).

          If we do these things, uhhh it makes people uncomfortable.  People think there is a motive, people are uncomfortable accepting love from others when they have difficulty loving themselves or that they are even worthy. These radical ideas really do cause division.

           On a personal level, I know coming out , accepting who I am, caused division. People I thought would be supportive were not. Others that I never knew become best friends and a part of a new larger family. 

             But on any level, accepting  the love that Christ wishes us to have and sharing that lo with others is upsetting to some.  I say, go out and cause a ruckus!     

           

      

Previously unknown truths

Ephesians 3.4-21

          a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. ⁵In former generations this mystery^* was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: ⁶that is, the Gentiles have become fellow-heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. ⁸Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, ⁹and to make everyone see^* what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in^* God who created all things; ¹⁰so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹²in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.^* 

         When my daughter was about 18 months old she was toddling across the living room floor heading precariously close to the coal stove we had burning. I shouted so loud at her to stop she fell on her bottom and cried. She was very careful about going near the coal stove again. Of course she didn't understand why at the time other than this was ingrained memory that going close was associated with a bad experience. As she grew older she was able to understand the real reason and obviously, still stayed away with respect and care, not simply fear.

         This reading speaks of things " not made known to mankind". This is so true of Holy scripture. In many instances, they convey a truth with understanding to come later. Genesis conveys a truth that God created the world, created man in his likeness and that was that. As we grew in knowledge and wisdom, we discerned from the evidence around us, evidence created by God, that evolution was  a more in depth explanation of those Genesis truths.  

         Jesus came to fulfill the truths of the "Old Testament", He is the fulfillment of the law, He is the light. The Spirit is still revealing truths and we still are growing (hopefully) in knowledge and wisdom. To me the knowledge does not supplant holy scripture, it makes it richer. The more we know it seems the more we do not know. The mystery of God is still there. The more complex we realize the world is, the more awesome God is revealed to be. 

          There is a tendency in humanity however to resist change even though the world around us gives constant evidence that absolutely everything is changing and growing. Some are intensely afraid of change and they embrace the literal translations of the Bible as an insurance policy to comfort that fear. 

          I embrace a philosophy expounded in a book I read not too long ago called God vs. Gay. 

That is, when faced with a decision about interpretation of scripture or what is correct, or between two possibilities of action or beliefs, the nod goes to the one that is consistent with love. I'm not sure that completely conveys what the author really tries to say, but it's close. 

         In recent times it has come to the attention of society that a previously known group of people, known as homosexuals, believed to be amoral and often marginalized and vilified are presenting themselves as decent human beings created by God and worthy of having their long term relationships sanctioned by the state if not by God as well. This truth has been hidden. Gays are created equal. Gays are decent people, or at least as decent as everyone else. Gays are capable of and yearn for love and relationships as much as everyone else.  How do we handle this new revelation?  Look at this knowledge through truths set forth in scripture but also and perhaps more importantly through the lens of love that Jesus himself would show.  The nod goes to love, not restricting God's love.

           We grown in knowledge and love every day. Burst forth in God's light and love!  Grow seedlings, little creations.

          

Original Blessing

Ephesians 2:1-10

         You were dead through the trespasses and sins ²in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. ³All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us ⁵even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ^*—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— ⁹not the result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

          Many years ago when i just started to walk the labyrinth as a form of prayer I had an extraordinary experience. On the advice of a spiritual director, I did a personal regression. I entered at the present and walked back, stopping at prescribed intervals to recall past events or revelations. As I approached the center of the labyrinth I got younger and younger and I was in touch with feelings I had not recalled in decades. I had revelations about myself and my family that I could never have imagined. The goal was to attempt to enter the center of the labyrinth at the time God conceived me in His mind, that is, before I was conceived by my parents. When I reahed the center I was frozen solid as I felt I was in the presence of God. It was an incredible experience which started to make me gasp for air, shiver and eventually I had to stagger off the labyrinth. 

           To know that God conceived you as the individual person that you are is to know how loved you are, how special and unique you are and that you were purpose built, even if it takes you years or a lifetime to figure out what that is. This is a gift of immeasurable proportions. It is noted in this reading.

          You have been saved , not by your deeds or anything you have done or accomplished. You are saved as a gift as a part of your personal gift of creation. It reminds me of a terribly unorthodox book by an ex-Catholic priest called Original Blessing. Were we actually created with an Original Sin? Perhaps we were created fresh new and glorious right out of the box so to speak.

           The reading also quite clearly states that 'we are what he has made us'.  We are not to be who we are not. Be true to ourselves, to what God created us to be. We are not all created the same. We are myriad gifts, types and colors, we all reflect God's goodness and diversity like the many facets of a diamond.

            Be true to who you are, know that you are loved and salvation is yours!

          

Work hard, Play hard, Pray hard

Luke 12:13-21

          One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me." 14 But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?" 15 And he said to them, "Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 16 And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 18 And he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' 20 But God said to him, `Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

           We are all keenly aware of how precious life is. I have spoken before of how little time we have to accomplish our goals here on earth and how we should seek the Lord while we have the time to do  so lest we meet a stranger at the pearly gates. This reading to me speaks of the time we have and the balance our lives need. We all know people whose lives have been cut short and we also know people who squandered what they have and have little left to live on the rest of their lives.

            By all accounts I am a very practical and frugal person, not that it was always the case.  I strive for balance in everything. My kids will joke about me advising them about not getting too carried away and "keep one foot in reality". It wasn't until my last year in seminary that I think I was able to bring my thoughts all together into one cohesive statement or motto.  

That is: Work hard, Play hard, Pray hard. That's my motto and I'm sticking to it.

          Save enough to plan for the future but spend enough to have fun and live joyfully now. Work hard but remember that I don't know of anyone who said on their deathbed, "I wish I had spent more time at the office". Then, make every moment a prayer of thanksgiving and celebration for what you have. Short of being called to live as a hermit monk, we all can pray and still accomplish the first two. In fact, I think we need that prayer to accomplish the other two in proper perspective.

           Work hard, Play hard, Pray hard

          

                    

Not my kind of Catholic

Mark 10:35-45

          And James and John, the sons of Zeb'edee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 36 And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" 37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." 38 But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" 39 And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

          There's the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. Which is more important?  I say the spirit of the law. As evidence, I ask you to recall how Jesus railed against the Pharisees and their scrupulosity in adherence to the law. Second, When Jesus was asked which of the Commandments was the greatest, rather than pick one he gaves us the lens of the two great commandments. As I have said, thus leaving it more difficult to be a Christian because you have to use your heart, your brain and your conscience.

         As we approach the Presidential election we have the vision of two vice presidential candidates, both of whom are Roman Catholic. Just as there is a vast difference between the Presidential candidates, there is a vast difference between the Catholicism that is practiced by each vice-presidential candidate. 

          Mr. Biden represents the kind of Catholic who uses his brain, his intellect, his heart and his conscience all together. He lives the life most closely associated with a Catholicism that embraces the actual life of Jesus. Intellectual? yes. Social radical? Perhaps? Driven by conscience? absolutely. This is more akin to the actual life that Jesus lived. 

           Mr. Ryan, while using intellect eschews the actual life example that Jesus lived for a faith based in rules, rubrics and tradition born of male dominance, euro centric circular logic and yet more rules.  This is at the heart of the schism within the Roman Catholic church that pits the curia against the nuns on a bus. As an example of 'service' that all Christians are called to on one level or another, Mr. Ryan stops at soup kitchen to show, apparently, what a good faithful person he is. In fact he washes already cleaned dishes for a photo op and quickly departs.  Is this the kind of 'servant' the Gospel is speaking of? I think not. I think this does not even fulfill the letter of the law. To further repudiate his faith, he takes comfort and guidance in the likes of Ayn Rand, perhaps the antithesis of Jesus Christ.

           As a Catholic, I do not believe in any litmus test for a Catholic candidate, whether they are pro-choice or equality. I would rather have them use the intellect, heart, compassion and conscience that Jesus lived rather than the faith based on some interpretation of the gospels and outdated traditions.

           So it is simple to me. Vote for the candidates that live a faith that is more closely associated with the real life of Jesus Christ, not merely mouthing that they are Catholic or even Christian. I'd say, Vote Obama / Biden.

Thou shall not kill

Luke 12:8-12

         "And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; 9 but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And every one who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be  forgiven. 11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

          Having over 20 solid years of Roman Catholic education under my belt, there are many wonderful things that I learned and took to heart along with some of the dribble that I often rant about.  One of the things that I was taught is that the only unforgivable sin is to blaspheme the Spirit. For a long time I thought that was pretty easy to avoid doing. 

          As I have said before though, being a Christian is not that easy. It's not like the being a Pharisee where all you had to do was obey all the myriad laws and rules. It's also not being a Christian by taking every word  of the Bible literally so you can be self righteous without virtually any thought. And we all know that taking the Bible literally is specious from the start because of all sorts of translation problems and because the actual life Jesus lived tells us otherwise.

           No, true Christians have to obey the two great commandments and live out the ten commandments with the prism of those two great ones. For example, thou shalt not bare false witness applies to half truths and obfuscations as well as a blatant lies. You can't say little Billy threw a rock at me without admitting that you threw a rock first because saying half of that sentence is only a half truth and is really still a lie. No being Christian is challenging, it requires you to use your mind and your intellect.

          As for blaspheming the spirit, The Spirit is everywhere.  To me, blaspheming the Spirit connects with thou shall not kill. Say what? By bad mouthing others, bullying, name calling, lying - anything that degrades or diminishes the Spirit in another person, you are blaspheming the Spirit  and in effect, killing the spirit of that person. A double whammy, as if you didn't have enough trouble simply blaspheming the Spirit. As my father taught me, there are many ways to 'kill' that never involve a weapon.

          So how do we turn this around to something positive? I would suggest the exact opposite of blaspheming. Let's do some praising. Yes, some good old, Baptist church, revival meeting praising.
Praise the Lord at all times and in every place. Thank God as you wake up, Praise Jesus! Thank God for the hot water, Praise Jesus! Thank God for the wonderful gift of a person you woke up next to, Praise Jesus! Thank God for the glorious Autumn colors, praise Jesus!  Acknowledge the goodness in yourself, Praise Jesus! Acknowledge the goodness in your neighbor, co-worker and relatives, Praise Jesus!

           Keep on Praising!  No more killing, no blaspheming!

of squirrels, deer, nature and man

Luke 12:1-7

         In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another, he began to say to his disciples first, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed  upon the housetops. 4 "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

          I heard a very disturbing story on the news early yesterday morning on my way to work. That time of day is precious to me as a time relatively free of traffic, silent and there is just a hint of a beautiful new day about to start with the rising sun. As I drive I am cognizant of the nightlife as I see deer after deer peering from the wood, over the hills of the local golf course looking up only to wonder who is disrupting their morning gathering on the green.  The story was about some locale where there was an over abundance of squirrels.  In many areas it is permissible to euthanize them but not in this community.  What stuck in my head was the term 'euthanize'. Really, it means kill and that disturbs me.

           This reading seems chock full of images and messages. With my love of nature and animals what struck me is how 'not one sparrow is forgotten before God'. I may always have had an affinity for nature but I never embraced it fully until two things happened, ok, three things happened. I would say the biggest is the fact that I was able to come into contact and realize who I truly am, a gay man. After that, I was able to embrace all sorts of things that I had put aside or neglected. One of which was the love of animals. So along comes the second thing, I met my husband. This wonderful man owned a cat, that's the third thing. I had always been an avowed cat hater. It did not take me long to fall in love with George le Chat (the cat). These are gifts from God.  Had I read this scripture passage before these three events, I am sure I would not have grasped the message.

          God loves every creature great and small, every single one. God is capable of this. God is capable of creating a beautiful unique creation that I am and that you are so that "even the hairs of your head are numbered". Wow. This earth is not just a swirling ball set in motion and forgotten. Man, however much loved by God, is not the center of the universe to be cast above so that all everything else in creation is forgotten or disrespected.

          When we accept ourselves, honor ourselves and love ourselves, it becomes so easy to realize and see with clear eyes, the beauty of creation all around us. So besides aching when I hear stories of 'euthanizing' squirrels, I ache when I see a brother deer laying by the side of the road, it's spirit released to it loving creator.

           Honor life. Respect the uniqueness in all creation.

More on journey

Luke 11:47-54 

          Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.  48 So you are witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, `I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,' 50 that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of  this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering." 53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard, and to provoke him to speak of many things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch at something he might say.

           While I am castigating the Catholic church from the last few days readings, let me not not escape the shadow of guilt myself. Nor should any of us escape.

          What standards do we set that we chastise others for? Ironically, the things that we see in others are in such sharp focus because that is the issue we have the most problems with ourselves. Certainly something to think about. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if we merely stood by silently and judged others in our minds. Unfortunately, there is a tendency  to do what the last line of todays scripture reading says. We press hard, we provoke and we lay in wait to pounce. Does that make us feel better?
Does this come down to a self righteousness that conceals our own inadequacy?

           My mom once confided in me (when I was old enough to carry on such a conversation), that she felt she had a superiority complex that masked her inferiority complex. Is that what this kind of behavior is born from?

           Once again I have to remind myself and all of us, that we must first love ourselves. It should not affect our self image if we admit our failings. Good self examination is key to growth. Since we all are sinners and on a journey, isn't it better to accept our innate goodness, acknowledge our mistakes and simply move forward? Shouldn't we be more concerned about our own journey that the route someone else is taking? 

          Enjoy the road. If you reach a dead end, turn around.

            

The low road

Luke 11:42-46

          "But woe to you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places. 44 Woe to you! for you are like graves which are not seen, and men walk over them without knowing it." 45 One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you reproach us also." 46 And he said, "Woe to you lawyers also! for you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of  your fingers.

         When I came out, it became apparent that I would have to leave the church that I loved so much. I went to the pastor and explained the whole long story. He was incredibly loving and supportive. The rest of the church? Not so much. One thing my pastor did say which seems appropriate to my reflection, he asked if I was leaving because of a particular clergy member, Bill. This 'man of the cloth' was a difficult person to get along with. Bill had disenfranchised many previous clergy, some left, others resigned themselves to accept the bad behavour and sour treatment. Bill would say "he is dead to me". It was either Bill's way, or the highway. Not any kind of example of a good christian let alone a man of the cloth. I told my pastor I'm not leaving because of Bill but he certainly makes it easier.

          Moving along, yesterday I discussed the rubrics that pervade the Roman Catholic Church often at the expense of the true, loving faith.  In the reading today, Jesus speaks of the Pharisees in reprimanding tones because they put emphasis on the wrong aspects of religion, failing to live out the most important aspects of faith. Jesus also speaks of getting the best seats in the synagogue.  So at the risk of seeming like a rant against the Catholic church, I will make the following observations to make the same point Jesus was making about the Pharisees. And why?Why not, they make it so easy.

      Someone once told me, no one does pageantry better than the Catholic church. And it's true. The medieval robes, the gold and glory of a Roman heritage (it really should be Jerusalem should it not?), the precise movements, the swiss gaurd and the omnipresent red loafers of the pope. Is this what faith is all about? Doesn't it overshadow faith? This seems as blatantly wrong to me as The Pharisees were to Jesus.

         On a separate topic yet with a similar pattern, lets look at the Church's response to the pedophilia scandal.  The incredible lack of concern, subterfuge, coverups and blame game that marked the church's response is yet another sign of misplacing what is important. In fact it is a sign that there is less faith,  hollow morals and more concern for the institution but the institution of the church is nothing without abiding faith of the people.

           What does this mean to you and me. Stay away from the Catholic church? No, I cannot yet say that. The faithful in the pew are the ones with a deep abiding and loving faith. In most cases they are untouched by the misplaced emphasis the hierarchy seems infected with.

           What we need to do is to keep our focus on our Savior. Do not let bad examples stand in your way of our loving God who wants more than anything to love us and have a relationship with us. To let some misguided and errant individuals keep us from our faith would be a sin of the highest order. Better a millstone should be tied around their neck and they be thrown into the sea.

          

      

The Rubrics

Luke 11:37-41

         While he was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him; so he went in and sat at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of extortion and  wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you.

          When I read this passage of scripture I clearly envision Jesus as a hippie from the 60's. He certainly was a revolutionary, counter cultural and stood squarely against the establishment in all their self righteousness.  He encompassed everything that is holy and forsake all that was material.

           There is comfort in the rubrics and customs of almost any religion, especially if you have been brought up surrounded by them. They can enrich worship. It can be difficult to reverse course however when you realize these these acts of religiosity can become more important than the faith and love that is in your heart. I think that is what Jesus is speaking of.

         God is not looking for personal acts of piety for show nor the plethora of religious rubrics set forth by many of the so called 'true faiths'. What is inside your heart, what is in your soul, the goodness and generosity that is there, that is what makes you holy and makes a good offering to the Lord. 

         Where many a religion today, and obviously in Jesus' time as well,  fail and lead the children (faithful) astray, is by placing too much importance on the minutiae. Sadly, the Roman Catholic church has volumes on the perfect way to do just about everything. No kidding. And many a cleric are not kidding when they approach holiness and religious services with zeal for such trivial matters.  I recall the Bishops secretary scrupulously instructing us all on the precise manner to ring a bell.  Sad.

           Pay attention to what is in your heart. Give from within yourself, that is more valuable and cleaner than any dollar bill or coin.

Signs, signs, everywhere signs

Luke 11:29-32 

         When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it  except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nin'eveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to  hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

           The cops stops you and says "didn't you see that sign?" Invariably that would be that you failed to yield, were driving over the speed limit or ran a stop sign. When you see those lights flashing behind you and you get pulled over, perhaps you tremble a bit, it's unnerving.

           Failing to obey signs is certainly a problem on the road for many reasons. In this reading it is speaking of our immortal souls and judgement day. We have been given a Savior who is our sign on how to live, act, love God and love ourselves.

          If we ignore the example of our Lord, we waste precious time and lose out on a great deal of loving that God wants us to have, to be a part of. If we lived by the example God gives us, the world really would be a great love fest. We know however, what the world is like when people don't listen.

          As if that isn't serious enough, what signs do we ignore about ourselves? God wants us to be the beautiful creation he made us to be. Certainly not hiding the person we are, the person who would be a sign of love to others, certainly not hiding in a closet. And yet so many do.

       For myself, I did not hide in a closet intentionally. None the less, I avoided, denied and overlooked all the signs. It took 50 years for me to read the signs. I am not complaining because life is a journey to wholeness. I am happy though that I finally can say I know who I am and I can share that love openly and joyously. I am still on a journey to wholeness but knowing who I am is a tremendous gift.  It seems funny to me that I can see all the signs now, they seem obvious. How could I not have known I was gay? Really.

       Just as road signs help us navigate the streets, there are signs that help us navigate the roads of life. For me the first was searching for, obeying and submitting myself to God. From that came acceptance of self. One of the things I would suggest is to try and read the signs you have been given, especially the one given to us in Jesus. If you get lost along the way because you to failed to read one sign or another, don't worry too much. Your effort to find your way is appreciated by God.

       Just remember - it's a journey.

           

Naked as a jay bird

Hebrews 4:12-16

          Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

         I would like you to use some imagery here and try to picture a couple laying in bed naked, in each others arms , perhaps spooning and just after they have made love. Not your typical biblical reflection this, but what do you think God would say?

         I am not going to get into a morals discussion or whether they are married. That's not my point. My point is what does God see?

         This is what I think. God sees a couple who are sharing an intimate moment of love and he's smiling. God made us to be this way, physical, sexual and loving. No matter where this 'couple' is on their journey, individually and perhaps as a couple, God sees the heart of each person. God knows what's in their hearts and see the BIG picture. So, what is their intent? Is it a shared love? Is it a poor decision but one that brings them closer to the answers God wants us to find, namely who we are?

          This whole passage that notes nothing is hidden, we are naked before him; that notes that we should approach the throne of grace with boldness and that notes that He can sympathize with our weaknesses. This reading is very telling. Be accepting of who you are. Be accepting of your mistakes. Be accepting of what God made us to be - straight or gay. God knows it all, He created it! He walked on earth as a flesh and blood man, he understands it all. 

            So, as I lay with my husband and we hold each other, I know the closenes we share, the love we share is holy and it is holiness created and sanctioned by God as we both thank him for ourselves , our love and our life together, our families, our friends and our world. 

            God understands it all. Go forth with a pure heart of love. Accept who you are as God created you in holiness.

Marian worship

Luke 11:27-28

         As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

         Gotta love some of these translations, they make you wonder. Somehow I never thought the word "sucked" would be in the Bible. I'm pretty sure the original text was an aramaic word for nursed or a variation of  'fed at the breast of'  but surely not "sucked". If you know anything about me from this fledgeling blog, you know I love to look at original words and what they have managed to be translated into.  But I digress.

         For many years until my mom died, I sent a thank you card to her on my birthday. Just a reminder of  the love and  sacrifice she made to bring me into this world. It seems like a perfectly great idea, perhaps more so these days.

         I have always had a special attraction to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Some, especially in the Catholic church have devotion that almost exceeds their love for her son. This may have gotten a bit out of hand but the truth is, there are very practical reasons to hold Mary in high regard. Mary is the quintessential Jewish mother.  But it wasn't all that easy. As a young Jewish girl, she is asked by God to carry Jesus while betrothed to Joseph. That is, they had not been intimate yet which was forbidden before marriage. So becoming pregnant was no small matter. Mary's willingness to say "yes" to God really put her life in peril. She could very easily expect that Joseph would leave her and that there would be a fine stoning waiting for her.  Let's be realistic here, would we say yes to God if  we could easily expect such a horrid outcome? Mary had faith, Mary loved God. She risked it all for her love of God, for her love of her impending son. I aspire to such faith. I think that is one of the reasons I had a special attraction to her.

          I have often remarked that when God wants you do something he taps you on the shoulder and that if you ignore God, he comes back and taps you again - with a baseball bat.  I aspire to be a person who carefully listens to God and what He wants me to do (so he doesn't have to come back with that baseball bat). I think writing this blog is one thing he wants me to do. To give hope to gay men and women. To help all  people know their inherent goodness and that their happiness is searching for who they are, accepting who they are and recognizing the beauty in all of Gods creations. Not an easy thing to do. It involves listening, praying, self study and being a person of action.

          Mary listened and risked it all. Are willing to listen to God? Are you willing to put God's will before your own wants and desires? Just some things to think about.

          Hail Mary.

Centered not surrendered

Luke 11:15-26
          
          15 But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Be-el'zebul, the prince of demons"; 16 while others, to test him, sought from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; 22 but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil. 23 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 24 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, `I will return to my house from which I came.' 25 And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. 

       This reading contains a great deal of dark images. Demons, divided kingdoms, divided households, Be-el'zebul, unclean spirits and assailants. 

        How does one react to such events? The world seems full of such horrific events. When I speak of disrespecting yourself and others, these events put a face to it as an abused child, a murder or violent intolerance. I could see this easily weighing a persons' heart down, feeling surrounded and perhaps hopeless. It would appear to be a loveless world at times.

          How we react and then, subsequently, how we act is very telling about our own beliefs and our own self respect and compassion. They are all intertwined.  If we have self respect and are centered in the love of God, we can be sorrowful while having the ability to double down on our expression of love to others, particularly those around us. This makes the world less overwhelming, less evil.

          We cannot solve the problems of the world except by our excellent example, our abiding love and faith in God that good will triumph over evil.

          Live in a God centered, loving life. 

        

Luke 11:5-13

         Yours for the asking

         And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, `Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 and he will answer from within, `Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

          I am truly blessed to be a father to a wonderful son and daughter. How true is this reading? If they asked wouldn't I give as much as I could? Wouldn't any parent?  As Judge Judy said " a parent can only be as happy as it's unhappiest child".

           Don't you think God feels the same about each one of us? Of course we get confused sometimes when we don't get what we (think) we want.  You can probably think of a scenario when a child asks for something totally outrageous and so obviously the parents say no. Well, God doesn't give us everything that way either. God does, more than anything, want us to be happy and fulfilled.

          I would tell you that happiness and fulfillment is a product of accepting who you are and loving who you are. That isn't all that easy. On National Coming Out Day (today) think about asking your heavenly father to help you come out. God will certainly be there for you. Perhaps the people you expect to be there won't, but God will support you with others like myself and family and friends you haven't met yet and probably can't even imagine. God is that good. 

          Of course I am speaking about accepting your sexuality. However, the average person stays in many closets of their own building that has nothing to do with sexual orientation. I believe we can all ask God to help us in our journey to wholeness, to "come out", no matter who we are and what we are. He will give us what we ask for. God made you and God wants you to be whom he made, he made no other exactly like you. You are the gift he intended for the world. Come out of the closet and let yourself shine.

           Happy Coming Out Day !  Out and proud since 2008. Wooohoo! 

Luke 11:1-4

          Lord, teach us to pray

         1 He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread; 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation."

        What a beautiful reading for today. And since the world that allows me to write this blog was not terribly cooperative today, this reading comes as a gift and a blessing. This will be short.

         When I speak of devoting time to prayer, to self and a comittment to spend time with the God who created us and loves us dearly, I have no specific prayer or form of prayer in mind. That is a highly individual thing and it varies even within our own lives, our needs and our maturity. I find scripture rich material for prayer but I also like to pray in a labyrinth as much as I use guided imagery and total silence. 

         Having said that, one of the first prayers I ever learned, and the subject of this reading, can be an incredibly rich source of prayer that can last many days, if not weeks. I have on occasion, taken to praying the Our Father word by single word. Each day or session becomes a meditation, a journal entry or time spent thinking about successive words.  So first, I would meditate on the "our" in the Our Father. The next day or session, I would do the same process for the word "father". Then on to the word "who" and so on. You'll be amazed at where this will take your prayer, your thoughts. For example, who really is the "our" in the prayer? It's like asking who is our neighbor but yet it defines us as part of the whole because it says our , not just my father. get the idea? The possibilities and rewards are boundless.

           If you have a rich prayer life, this is a great addition. If not, this is a great place to begin.

           Lord, teach us to pray.

        

Luke 10:38-42

         Martha, Martha, Martha (or Marcia, Marcia, Marcia)

         38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; 42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."

         Mary has chosen the better portion.  More than that, I think Mary has accepted the better portion. When it comes to so many of the good things and blessings of this life, so many of us turn them down. Kudo's to Mary for having the good sense and presence of mind to know what the better portion was. 

        I've noticed on more than one occasion that people respond to face book postings about places we go or places we eat with the comment of  "I wish I could do that" or "wouldn't it be nice".  Truth be told it takes a decision to want to do it and a great deal of planning. We live frugally but we are also generous and we plan things out. We use the brains God gave us to make things happen and we try not to waste what we have been graced with. Anyone can do these things, it just doesn't happen overnight.

          Some people will cite excuse after excuse why they can't do this or that. Martha burdened herself with all sorts of concerns and worries and she wound up missing out on the best portion.

         When we burden ourselves with too many cares and concerns, fret over the unimportant, we are  actually making a decision not to enjoy some of the good things in life because our mind is too occupied, our time is too occupied. Perhaps we don't feel we are worth it. One of my lifelong goals is to try and be sure everyone knows that they are in fact worth it.

          Lest you think I am being rather materialistic, I am not. This is all about the spiritual. The material is secondary to the spiritual. The material will pass away, our souls will not. So how does this all play out in our spiritual life? Well, for starters, we have to stop making excuses and make some decisions. 1) Know that you are worthy. God created you, God loves you, God wants you to have the best and that is a fulfilled relationship with him/her. 2) Decide to take some time. Devote some time to prayer, solitude, reading scripture. Like fine trips and dining, it takes time and planning but the results can be awe inspiring. 3. Decide to put aside the mundane less important details of life. They will surely get in the way of way, way too many good things.

          So, Don't be a Martha - be a Mary.

          

          

           

Luke 10:25-37

            25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" 27 And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live." 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, 34 and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, `Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

          Now I wonder, which is the oldest profession? Being a lawyer or being a...... but I digress.

          I love this reading. In my mind, I wonder what each of the three characters in this little drama  are thinking.

Priest:   I have places to go? My Bishop wants to see me? I am running a fundraiser for the poor,

              surely the hordes of poor are more important than this pitiful man who probably deserved

              what happened to him.

Levite:  It would be against God's law for me to make myself unclean by touching such an individual;    

             Surely, it is God's will. I wonder who's sin caused this, his or his parents?

Samaritan:   I have been blessed by God, let me help someone who has fallen on hard times; I know 

                    how it feels to be cast aside as worthless and untouchable, I am going to help him 
                    because  that's what I would want someone to do for me; 

         How much of a lawyer is in each of us? Are we afraid to help others in a time of need for fear we'll be sued? I can't imagine it's that we don't care.  Perhaps we are too busy.  Maybe we don't think they deserve it? Jesus clearly does think people are deserving of help..

         As Thanksgiving approaches, I received my first request for money to help feed needy families. I certainly do not think that these people in need are lazy and responsible for their own misfortune. Maybe they are, who knows. I do not think I should write them off as 47% of our country may soon be. One thing I know, whatever the cause, they could use some help and they deserve a good meal because every single one of us is created and loved by God and each of us has tons to be thankful for. Some of us can afford to dine lavishly and some will dine on tofurkey, I think we can all lend a hand so others don't have to eat dog food as a thanksgiving dinner.

          A few years back, my husband and I volunteered to help at a soup kitchen on thanksgiving day because even then, we knew we were incredibly blessed. There is no law or perfect way to help others. It all depends on the heart of the giver, their means, their generosity and their compassion.

          Let loose your love !

Genesis 2:18-24
           Community

          Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner."

So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken." Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

          One of the things that just drives me crazy (not a long ride I am told) are people who take the bible literally. Perhaps worse is picking which passages to take literally and then, in reference to other passages, say that "this is what it really means". There are so many contradictions in the scriptures, just in Genesis alone.  Between transcribing errors and translational errors, can one really be sure what a passage means.?

           Rather than a literal writing of God's exact words because I think God would have made less mistakes and been quite a bit clearer, I believe the Bible are stories compiled by man, surely inspired by God, of life as lived by people who wish to follow His word. It is a compilation of many different literary styles from many different times in our history that tell of a love affair between God and his people, between a  people and their God.

           This belief allows the scriptures to come alive and to grow in manner consistant with our increases in knowledge, understanding and moral growth.  After all, some of the statements in the bible  are in direct conflict of what we now know through science, observation and moral truths from the spirit of God that still speaks to us and engages us.

          So, do I believe that the world was created in 6 days? No, absolutely not. Is it possible? yes. Is it consistent with the evidence that God gives us and shows us? Certainly not. Yet the creation stories of the bible and similar stories of many other ancient civilizations express a truth about what we believe.

           It may be a long breath of an intro but lets look at just the first line of the scripture passage from today. It is not good that the man should be alone. This is wholly consistent with our beliefs and our lives. In the secular world, we routinely gather in groups. Family feasts, birthday parties, nights out with the guys, coworkers, etc.  It is normal to try and find "your one tue love" to spend time with and to love. In any major religion, worship is a communal celebration, not solitary. In the Catholic church, all the sacraments, save reconciliation are all based on the community but even reconciliation is open to the very popular "communal penance service". We are always and forever a social creature. This truth is spoken of in this one line from Genesis.

         On another level, the creation story does speak of our search for our one true love. We search for the love and support of another. That is true whether you are straight or gay. In this respect, I find that marriage equality is not just a social construct, it is not only about civil rights, all of which is absolutely true. The creation reading makes the love of two a religious norm and right. This point would be heatedly contested by biblical literalists in reference to the gay community. I will let such arguments to John Corvino and Maggie Gallagher to duke out. 

           This reading helps me know in my heart that not only is my marriage legally recognized but recognized as a sacrament of love by my creator as well. 

           Let the love fest begin ! 

           

   

Luke 10:17-24
          Happiness

           17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" 18 And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." 23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." 

            Did you ever see a child simply enthralled and entertained by a large box? What is it? a fort? A tank? a house? a cave?  God delights in their capacity to see joy in almost anything.  I think that is what God calls us to do, to be.

             But there is something else there with that child at play. They are content with what they have, they are happy. Are we happy with what we have or are we always wanting for more thinking that something more will make us happy. The phrase is "if only" and I'll let you fill in the blanks (plural).

             Coming out at 50ish and with a great deal of religious training under my belt (not to mention  degrees and ordination), I was willing to give up everything and in fact I gave away loads of 'stuff' that I had been accumulating and keeping for years. I am truly blessed to know that none of the 'stuff' made me happy. As I constantly repeat, happiness is in knowing yourself and loving others in that order.

            I have also been blessed with the love of a truly wonderful man. I came into the relationship with little of anything and without many wordly posessions. Still we are truly happy and he often has said that we could be happy anywhere in any place because we have each other ( and the love of the perfect cat). 

            It would appear I am extolling all the blessings of my life but notice that they are not material things. The happiness I have, the source of the happiness we have, is hidden from many. Everyone can surely see we are incredibly happy but others may very well seek similar happiness in 'things'. Many people live their lives trying to find true happiness in things.

            When I read this reading, I know I am blessed (even more) because I know why we are happy and we are not wanting for more to give us happiness. We have it.

             What would , or does make you truly happy?