I seemed to always have had a penchant for standing up for the under appreciated, the marginalized, the misunderstood. I had always had this feeling of appreciation for the outsider but I did not fully understand it until I was about 50 years old. As a youth I stood up for my neighbor, an older man with cerebral palsy. He was a good man and he worked hard, actually riding his three wheeled bicycle around selling Avon. When he was made fun of, I stood up to the bullies on his behalf. On another occasion when my friend Plato was made fun of, I stood up for him as well. Plato was Haitian and honestly, to make fun of him was a bit humorous because I was the minority in town, a token white guy. But stand up I did on numerous occasions. I was rather successful at it too. If only shaking up the bully but I also think I gave them something to think about, this pudgy pasty white boy geek standing up to them. Perhaps it was utter amazement.
I left the Roman church out of self respect for them and for myself when I realized I was gay. I think some of my empathy as a youth might very well have been my subconscious knowing instinctively that I to was an outsider. Leaving the church afforded me great freedom of thought if not a bit of anger ( the respect was clearly not mutual ).
In any event, the freedom of not being on the inside any longer was freedom to think and speak and discover the world on the outside. If a prophet is not welcome in his own community, this idiom has been very true for me. It is not just being an outsider as a gay man. Being gay can leave you feeling an outsider in many situations. But being gay and outside the confines of the Roman Catholic Church allows you great freedom to question and discover answers that you were not even free to think of before.
As a Lenten exercise, it might be quite revealing and humbling to try and take yourself out of an equation. That is, imagine wearing someone else's shoes. What is it like to live among white privilege? If that seems foreign, perhaps you can explore that there actually is white privilege and how pervasive it is. So pervasive that you may not even realize the role we often play in perpetuating it.
Sometimes when we are a part of something, part of the problem, it is very difficult to see an opening, an answer, a solution. In fact, when you are an 'insider', sometimes you see no problems at all.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Lenten journey: Isn't it rich , message at the well at high noon.
Isn't the passage for today rich? ( John 4:5-42 ) I mean that in all truth and all sarcasm. The richness of this passage and everything in it is quite telling for us as a template of faith, faith in action, perhaps even forgiveness. The passage is incredibly telling to us. At the same time, Jesus is throwing so much of what we profess in our religions on it's ear. It is a diatribe against so much that the Jews were certain of and even portends the crud that many Christian faiths believe even to this day. It's a slam dunk against so much of the hoopla that churches insist upon. Isn't it rich? The fact is, Jesus is delivering an incredible wealth of information for us. We can easily see where we have gone astray and also what we should truly be focusing on.
Let's lay some groundwork. Besides the fact that Jesus is Jewish and the woman at the well is a Samaritan and would never even speak with one another, let alone because she is a woman, we must note the time of day which is quite telling. This is not only a Samaritan woman but right off you can see she is a marginalized woman, the woman is not even welcome in her people, a woman with a history. She is at the well at noon, the height of the day and no one comes to the well at the hottest time. Every one comes very early in the morning - unless you are not welcome among the regular people at the well. No, this is not a respected woman. She would be one of the very last people Jesus would be speaking to. And yet, Jesus opens the mysteries of faith, God and the world to her.
“believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, ..."
Jesus clearly has little respect for specific sects, for the rules and rubrics of religion. Jesus is speaking of Spirit and truth that I dare say any faith could comprehend and understand - and believe!
Can we practice our faith in Spirit and truth? Can we find richness in acts of piety and richness in traditions but know in our hearts what is truly important , the most important is our faith and our love?
Let's lay some groundwork. Besides the fact that Jesus is Jewish and the woman at the well is a Samaritan and would never even speak with one another, let alone because she is a woman, we must note the time of day which is quite telling. This is not only a Samaritan woman but right off you can see she is a marginalized woman, the woman is not even welcome in her people, a woman with a history. She is at the well at noon, the height of the day and no one comes to the well at the hottest time. Every one comes very early in the morning - unless you are not welcome among the regular people at the well. No, this is not a respected woman. She would be one of the very last people Jesus would be speaking to. And yet, Jesus opens the mysteries of faith, God and the world to her.
“believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, ..."
Jesus clearly has little respect for specific sects, for the rules and rubrics of religion. Jesus is speaking of Spirit and truth that I dare say any faith could comprehend and understand - and believe!
Can we practice our faith in Spirit and truth? Can we find richness in acts of piety and richness in traditions but know in our hearts what is truly important , the most important is our faith and our love?
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Lenten journey: The prodigal son & a note about God's justice
The prodigal son may be one of the better known passages in Christian scripture. The joy of the father and the unbridled welcome home to the son who squandered the fathers money with dissolute living. As an analogy to the Father, it is comforting to know how much God loves each one of us and how welcome we are even after we've made some pretty bonehead mistakes in life. I have often said that God loves us with reckless abandon. I mean in the story, the father ran to meet this son with open arms, throws a big party and kills the fatted calf. This really is a celebration!
I have often wondered how the other brother felt. I have likened it to how the every Sunday Catholics feel when the CAPE Catholics show up for services and are welcomed with open arms. I have actually heard parishioners who are the so called 'regular attenders' complain about people who show up just for the holy days. It really is an unfortunate situation all the way around.
What I don't think people see is the direct correlation to the prodigal son story. I'm sure had I preached on that topic some people might be prompted to be more welcoming to others. Still there is an even bigger message here and it is all about God's forgiveness and more than that, wild, perhaps even undeserving forgiveness by our standards. That is a really big point. Perhaps such forgiveness is hard to swallow. I am not sure people are ready for what they might consider reckless forgiveness on God's part but what God might consider as unconditional love and total forgiveness.
When you follow scripture you realize that our standards are not God's standards. We also have the example of the farm owner who contracts out for workers at various times of the day but at the end of that day pays everyone the same full wage. Are you willing to accept that kind of 'inequality'? Of course we also have the example of the so called 'good son' . The son who stayed home with the father while the 'prodigal son' went out at squandered his inheritance on dissolute living. How would you feel when dear old Dad welcomes your brother back? And how do you feel when you attend church every Sunday and then 'these people' show up once a year to make you crowded, take 'your seat', you know, the one everyone else knows is where you sit each week? How do you feel? Can you embrace those newbies with warm, open and loving arms?
The fact is, we like playing God and we often want to see people punished and treated as we think they deserve it. We forgive but never forget, right? The call to try and be as loving and compassionate and forgiving as God is to us a tall order when we have to turn it around and accept everyone else. Can we at least accept that God is the better judge and that He/She may decide that everyone is going to get the big party and the fatted calf?
The call is there. God loves us with reckless abandon. God forgives us. Let's try to revel in that. Think of some of our own transgressions and know in our hearts that God not only forgives us, he forgets too and further, he celebrates us. Let's revel in that, let's soak in His love until we get all pruny with love. Perhaps if we accept his love and forgiveness we may be able to accept others' faults. Maybe we will even see that it is not for us to judge at all.
I have often wondered how the other brother felt. I have likened it to how the every Sunday Catholics feel when the CAPE Catholics show up for services and are welcomed with open arms. I have actually heard parishioners who are the so called 'regular attenders' complain about people who show up just for the holy days. It really is an unfortunate situation all the way around.
What I don't think people see is the direct correlation to the prodigal son story. I'm sure had I preached on that topic some people might be prompted to be more welcoming to others. Still there is an even bigger message here and it is all about God's forgiveness and more than that, wild, perhaps even undeserving forgiveness by our standards. That is a really big point. Perhaps such forgiveness is hard to swallow. I am not sure people are ready for what they might consider reckless forgiveness on God's part but what God might consider as unconditional love and total forgiveness.
When you follow scripture you realize that our standards are not God's standards. We also have the example of the farm owner who contracts out for workers at various times of the day but at the end of that day pays everyone the same full wage. Are you willing to accept that kind of 'inequality'? Of course we also have the example of the so called 'good son' . The son who stayed home with the father while the 'prodigal son' went out at squandered his inheritance on dissolute living. How would you feel when dear old Dad welcomes your brother back? And how do you feel when you attend church every Sunday and then 'these people' show up once a year to make you crowded, take 'your seat', you know, the one everyone else knows is where you sit each week? How do you feel? Can you embrace those newbies with warm, open and loving arms?
The fact is, we like playing God and we often want to see people punished and treated as we think they deserve it. We forgive but never forget, right? The call to try and be as loving and compassionate and forgiving as God is to us a tall order when we have to turn it around and accept everyone else. Can we at least accept that God is the better judge and that He/She may decide that everyone is going to get the big party and the fatted calf?
The call is there. God loves us with reckless abandon. God forgives us. Let's try to revel in that. Think of some of our own transgressions and know in our hearts that God not only forgives us, he forgets too and further, he celebrates us. Let's revel in that, let's soak in His love until we get all pruny with love. Perhaps if we accept his love and forgiveness we may be able to accept others' faults. Maybe we will even see that it is not for us to judge at all.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Lenten journey: reflection on biblical literalism and a call to action
Whenever I read a story like today's reading from Genesis ( 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28 ) I am filled with wonder. I wonder how anyone can say this is the literal word of God. That is, as opposed to the inspired word of God. As certain as it is that these are a faithful people trying to have a relationship with God, they are also terribly fallible. How else can we speak of brothers throwing their very own brother in a well and then selling him off in slavery? I mean, is this a holy, God-like plan? This is almost monstrous. Sadly though, it seems like some of the real life stuff we might even see today in the news.
Many of the stories in Hebrew scripture show blatantly fallible, struggling and sometimes murderous people trying to stay faithful to God in everything they live and do. They so desperately want to see God in all the stuff that is going on around them. They are actually recording their love affair with God at their best and quite literally, at their worst*.
What we see though is the story of jealous men ( brothers all ) who have a younger brother with a "manufactured difference" ( he's a "dreamer" ). Do we use manufactured differences as a reason to hate? as a reason to act shamefully? as a justification for some "righteous act" on our part?
So the lessons of these ancient people do have some similarity to us today don't they? Is the Old Testament to be a justification of similar actions today? Is this God's official guide to behavior?
I don't think so. But as in anything in life, we can see the loving hand of God and a message in it if we are willing to open our eyes.
Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of this story come later when the "dreamer" and his dreams are what comes around to bite the brothers in the ass so to speak. Super story, super relevant for us. Great messages.
As a gay man, I can fully identify with being the different one, "the dreamer". Joseph's coat certainly emits a gay vibe for me. As a queer person, do you know how it feels to be thrown in the well, unliked, despised or downright hated? Are there any Presidential candidates that are speaking out like they want to throw us away, unneeded, unwanted? ( Google: kill the gays conference ). We are in the position of being Joseph all over again. It is not enough to say we will triumph later or simply that we know that "the Father" loves us ( more? ) The LGBTQ community must stand up precisely because God loves us equally and we must not let history, however ancient, repeat itself.
Reflections and a call to action.
Side note:
* The worst: for those so called literalists out there - and I mean way out there. I recall Lot ( also in Genesis, ( 19:1-8 ) , who as a "holy man" welcomes two travelers ( angels actually ). An angry mob of men from the village come to show the travelers who is boss. The mob wants to "know" them ( i.e rape them, an ancient / modern way of showing power over someone, of degrading someone. ) Lot says he will not send out these travelers, he will not submit the angels to this mob. What does lot do? He says, here take my daughters! You can hardly believe you are reading this in holy scripture! The message some knuckleheads derive from this? Not that rape is evil pure and simple but that being gay is bad. It never mentions anything about being gay in the scripture. What it mentions is a mob of men wanting to gang rape two innocent travelers. So much for literal translations. Biblical scholars agree, the message of Sodom and Gamorrah is not anti-gay, it's that they were destroyed for their inhospitable behavior and their greed.
Many of the stories in Hebrew scripture show blatantly fallible, struggling and sometimes murderous people trying to stay faithful to God in everything they live and do. They so desperately want to see God in all the stuff that is going on around them. They are actually recording their love affair with God at their best and quite literally, at their worst*.
What we see though is the story of jealous men ( brothers all ) who have a younger brother with a "manufactured difference" ( he's a "dreamer" ). Do we use manufactured differences as a reason to hate? as a reason to act shamefully? as a justification for some "righteous act" on our part?
So the lessons of these ancient people do have some similarity to us today don't they? Is the Old Testament to be a justification of similar actions today? Is this God's official guide to behavior?
I don't think so. But as in anything in life, we can see the loving hand of God and a message in it if we are willing to open our eyes.
Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of this story come later when the "dreamer" and his dreams are what comes around to bite the brothers in the ass so to speak. Super story, super relevant for us. Great messages.
As a gay man, I can fully identify with being the different one, "the dreamer". Joseph's coat certainly emits a gay vibe for me. As a queer person, do you know how it feels to be thrown in the well, unliked, despised or downright hated? Are there any Presidential candidates that are speaking out like they want to throw us away, unneeded, unwanted? ( Google: kill the gays conference ). We are in the position of being Joseph all over again. It is not enough to say we will triumph later or simply that we know that "the Father" loves us ( more? ) The LGBTQ community must stand up precisely because God loves us equally and we must not let history, however ancient, repeat itself.
Reflections and a call to action.
Side note:
* The worst: for those so called literalists out there - and I mean way out there. I recall Lot ( also in Genesis, ( 19:1-8 ) , who as a "holy man" welcomes two travelers ( angels actually ). An angry mob of men from the village come to show the travelers who is boss. The mob wants to "know" them ( i.e rape them, an ancient / modern way of showing power over someone, of degrading someone. ) Lot says he will not send out these travelers, he will not submit the angels to this mob. What does lot do? He says, here take my daughters! You can hardly believe you are reading this in holy scripture! The message some knuckleheads derive from this? Not that rape is evil pure and simple but that being gay is bad. It never mentions anything about being gay in the scripture. What it mentions is a mob of men wanting to gang rape two innocent travelers. So much for literal translations. Biblical scholars agree, the message of Sodom and Gamorrah is not anti-gay, it's that they were destroyed for their inhospitable behavior and their greed.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Lenten journey: Surplus government American cheese
The Gospel for today is the great story of the rich man who lives a magnificent life while a man named Lazarus lays outside the man's gate begging for scraps while dogs lick at Lazarus' oozing wounds. Pretty vivid.
The message here might be two fold. One is that while these two men lived polar opposite while living, the roles are reversed on death. Lazarus lays at the bosom of Abraham and the rich man is sent to hades. A very interesting topic for discussion. If you have some great ideas about this message, I'd love to hear it.
The second message is a bit more subtle. As Jesus has said, we will always have the poor among us. So I raise the question of whether the rich man knew about Lazarus or not. Surely the rich man's guilt is not simply being rich and eating well. If so, I have the 'eating well' pretty down pat, I might want to start preparing myself for a drastically warmer climate while I have a chance. Actually I think God would be happy if we were all rich but we are not, for a whole host of reasons.
The answer then is, the rich man was supposed to know that either Lazarus was at his doorstep if only by simply opening his eyes or that his wealth should have been used to help others, the poor, the needy, the starving. We are all given gifts and God expects us to use those talents or gifts - for His glory. The other point is that we need to look around. What is going on around us?
I used to live in a bungalow community. There was a good mix of very old people in these bungalo's as well as young couples who found the housing was good as a starting point in life. You might not know it but many of the older people went hungry. On fixed incomes and dwindling or no savings, food was not always plentiful. These seniors had to be savy about church breakfasts, soup suppers and free givernment hand outs. I know many took advantage of huge bricks of cheese which were labelled as government surplus. If you stayed to yourself and didn't angage anyone you might not realize your neighbors could almost literally be starving around you. We need to look around and see what is going on.
The message then is that we have no excuses not to be concerned with our neighbors and our fellow man. God loves them at least as much as He loves us. We are God's hands here on earth. We need to use our gifts, talents and treasure.
The message here might be two fold. One is that while these two men lived polar opposite while living, the roles are reversed on death. Lazarus lays at the bosom of Abraham and the rich man is sent to hades. A very interesting topic for discussion. If you have some great ideas about this message, I'd love to hear it.
The second message is a bit more subtle. As Jesus has said, we will always have the poor among us. So I raise the question of whether the rich man knew about Lazarus or not. Surely the rich man's guilt is not simply being rich and eating well. If so, I have the 'eating well' pretty down pat, I might want to start preparing myself for a drastically warmer climate while I have a chance. Actually I think God would be happy if we were all rich but we are not, for a whole host of reasons.
The answer then is, the rich man was supposed to know that either Lazarus was at his doorstep if only by simply opening his eyes or that his wealth should have been used to help others, the poor, the needy, the starving. We are all given gifts and God expects us to use those talents or gifts - for His glory. The other point is that we need to look around. What is going on around us?
I used to live in a bungalow community. There was a good mix of very old people in these bungalo's as well as young couples who found the housing was good as a starting point in life. You might not know it but many of the older people went hungry. On fixed incomes and dwindling or no savings, food was not always plentiful. These seniors had to be savy about church breakfasts, soup suppers and free givernment hand outs. I know many took advantage of huge bricks of cheese which were labelled as government surplus. If you stayed to yourself and didn't angage anyone you might not realize your neighbors could almost literally be starving around you. We need to look around and see what is going on.
The message then is that we have no excuses not to be concerned with our neighbors and our fellow man. God loves them at least as much as He loves us. We are God's hands here on earth. We need to use our gifts, talents and treasure.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Lenten journey: The blame game
One of things that Lent is about is trying to be more like God intended us to be, humans fully engaged, fully alive. That is what Jesus was, fully divine but also fully human. In a way, since we are created in the image and likeness of God, becoming fully human is bringing us closer to God.
Of course this is no easy task and growing, maturing, pruning, reaching for growth is not solely a Lenten journey, it is our life journey. Sometimes it's easier to coast along though. There are people who don't even make the eeffort at any form of personal growth, emotional or spiritual. I recognize these people as old fogies. The person who is judgemental, crotchety, unbending and basically has stopped living for all intents and purposes even if the body lives for another 40 or 50 years. It's sad but true and I am sure we have known one or two people like that.
There are also those who, in a pseudo attempt to grow, try to make themselves look better by making the other 'guy' look worse. Point to someone else. The best defense is a good offense, isn't that how the expression goes? People get very comfy where they are and so why change things? If things do begin to change, if the world starts to grow even the slightest from what they are comfortable with, lets blame the 'other'. We know who the other's are too. It could be Muslims, blacks, gays, Jews or any array of non white or non-Christian people. They are responsible for the changes, we want it the way it was ( and invariably, allegedly, the way it always has been. ) To blame others we need not worry about history, that can be denied and explained away or even ignored. Just so long as we don't have to change, grow or mature.
In today's passage from Jeremiah the power elite decided that they would plan to have Jeremiah killed rather than to acknowledge wrong doing, wrong living or accept responsibility - or God forbid, change! This is still part of the human condition today and it would be a special gift to God and ourselves if we tried to stop this kind of behavour as part of our Lenten journey.
In today's passage from Matthew, we find some strong feelings and arguments among the apostles about who is the greatest among them, perhaps incited by John and James' mother who asks if they can sit on Jesus' right and left side in God's kingdom. Jesus is quick to point out the folly here. We have to know that as the world is, it cannot be so with us as Christians. We cannot be building walls, emotional or physical to keep our brothers and sisters away or outside. We should not be asking to be first. Jesus has preached plenty about those who wish to be first and the answer is always to serve our bothers and sisters and to be last.
Finally, as if to drive the point home in answering John and James' mom, Jesus basically says, be careful what you ask for. Will James and John be able to accept what Jesus is going to accept, what Jesus is going to do? Before we start blaming others and invoking God in our own peculiar self righteous ways, we better make note of what we are really asking for, God may give it to us.
Of course this is no easy task and growing, maturing, pruning, reaching for growth is not solely a Lenten journey, it is our life journey. Sometimes it's easier to coast along though. There are people who don't even make the eeffort at any form of personal growth, emotional or spiritual. I recognize these people as old fogies. The person who is judgemental, crotchety, unbending and basically has stopped living for all intents and purposes even if the body lives for another 40 or 50 years. It's sad but true and I am sure we have known one or two people like that.
There are also those who, in a pseudo attempt to grow, try to make themselves look better by making the other 'guy' look worse. Point to someone else. The best defense is a good offense, isn't that how the expression goes? People get very comfy where they are and so why change things? If things do begin to change, if the world starts to grow even the slightest from what they are comfortable with, lets blame the 'other'. We know who the other's are too. It could be Muslims, blacks, gays, Jews or any array of non white or non-Christian people. They are responsible for the changes, we want it the way it was ( and invariably, allegedly, the way it always has been. ) To blame others we need not worry about history, that can be denied and explained away or even ignored. Just so long as we don't have to change, grow or mature.
In today's passage from Jeremiah the power elite decided that they would plan to have Jeremiah killed rather than to acknowledge wrong doing, wrong living or accept responsibility - or God forbid, change! This is still part of the human condition today and it would be a special gift to God and ourselves if we tried to stop this kind of behavour as part of our Lenten journey.
In today's passage from Matthew, we find some strong feelings and arguments among the apostles about who is the greatest among them, perhaps incited by John and James' mother who asks if they can sit on Jesus' right and left side in God's kingdom. Jesus is quick to point out the folly here. We have to know that as the world is, it cannot be so with us as Christians. We cannot be building walls, emotional or physical to keep our brothers and sisters away or outside. We should not be asking to be first. Jesus has preached plenty about those who wish to be first and the answer is always to serve our bothers and sisters and to be last.
Finally, as if to drive the point home in answering John and James' mom, Jesus basically says, be careful what you ask for. Will James and John be able to accept what Jesus is going to accept, what Jesus is going to do? Before we start blaming others and invoking God in our own peculiar self righteous ways, we better make note of what we are really asking for, God may give it to us.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Lenten journey: Crimson red or Wooly white?
It is a real hoot to listen and watch the politics going on in the United States. Mentioning no names of course, the ease with which candidates bear their Christianity like a shield of honor while condemning others and preaching to reject the foreigners if not enslave them in camps.
I myself reposted a cartoon on facebook, a picture of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and labelled something like 'the original illegal aliens'. Another favorite is the picture of the native Americans welcoming the illegal immigrants - the Europeans. at Plymouth Rock. There is a great deal of hypocrisy and self righteousness floating around the USA these days. It would be comical if it were not so sad.
Perhaps sadder still is that these issues were railed against by both Isaiah and Jesus. How can a follower of Judaism or Christianity say they are followers and do precisely the opposite to which they are called to do.
My Dad once noted in a causal conversation that 'we are all hyprocrites'. It seems to be true and I am as guilty as anyone else. But we are called to be better than this. Social justice is a hallmark of both Christianity and Judaism. I am more ignorant of other religions but I feel safe in presuming that most religions of the world call for compassion and welcoming of strangers.
The chief crime of Sodom and Gomorrah according to Biblical scholars was their selfishness and inhospitality. While our sins hopefully are much less, Isaiah speaks of our sins as Crimson Red and that God wishes to make us white as wool. Sound anything like the transfiguration? God wishes us all the best, to be pure white and heavenly. Is this not part of why we don white garments when we celebrate the Sacraments? We are caled to holy and right living.
Let us focus on social activism and social justice. This calendar year with it's presidential election is a good way to exercise our right, duty and religious obligation to focus on God's will and not the will of extremists calling us to cower and hate our fellow humans.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Lenten journey: Who are you in the LGBTQ?
Really? Seems like an odd question. We have so many descriptions of what people are and since this blog should, but not always does, have a gay theme, I thought I'd throw that in as a description any of us could use. Straight people can be queer too after all. There are so many other descriptions of people though, I am sure you will be able to come up with some that fit you.
So what about this variety of people we have witness to in God's world? What kind of people are we graced with personally, in society, in the media, at work, in our churches, wherever? When we are trying to decide who lets God shine through and whom we should emulate with our own precious God given gifts, who do me pick? Beyonce? Merton? Mother Theresa? Trump? It likely isn't just one person since we meet and are graced with a wide variety of people every day, all our life.
One of the things that I love about the Episcopal church is the way each day is represented by a given holy person. Unlike the Roman church, these people are not only Saints but also saints, small "s". These are people who may or may not be nearly as famous but have contributed to the faith and/or have lives a faithful life. So often the list of official Roman saints seem far removed from reality and are filled with almost a folklore of information. The beauty of the Episcopal way is that I am as likely to read about Saints Polyeuct and Nearchus; the man who started the A.M.E. church or about the young person who first started the Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich ministry. It is always informative, beautiful and inspirational.
Today we remember the life story of Eric Liddell ( 1902 - 1945 ). Perhaps most remembered as The Flying Scotsman and portrayed in Chariots of Fire. Eric was a true person of Faith. He gives me strength and hope and is a lot more relevant and timely than most Saints. No, he is a saint with a small "s" , not canonized, he didn't go through some torturous bureaucratic roman process but I believe, and the Episcopal church believes he is a saint, a holy person.
Again, when we take the time in our very busy lives to see and allow our ourselves to be witnessed to by the many holy people around us each day, how do we respond? I'm not speaking of exualting them. Perhaps appreciating them or simply recognizing them. What I think we are called to do is to be encouraged, called and asked to respond by being the same in our own personal way.
In our lives, how do we live and witness so as to be a "leg up" t others around us?
So what about this variety of people we have witness to in God's world? What kind of people are we graced with personally, in society, in the media, at work, in our churches, wherever? When we are trying to decide who lets God shine through and whom we should emulate with our own precious God given gifts, who do me pick? Beyonce? Merton? Mother Theresa? Trump? It likely isn't just one person since we meet and are graced with a wide variety of people every day, all our life.
One of the things that I love about the Episcopal church is the way each day is represented by a given holy person. Unlike the Roman church, these people are not only Saints but also saints, small "s". These are people who may or may not be nearly as famous but have contributed to the faith and/or have lives a faithful life. So often the list of official Roman saints seem far removed from reality and are filled with almost a folklore of information. The beauty of the Episcopal way is that I am as likely to read about Saints Polyeuct and Nearchus; the man who started the A.M.E. church or about the young person who first started the Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich ministry. It is always informative, beautiful and inspirational.
Today we remember the life story of Eric Liddell ( 1902 - 1945 ). Perhaps most remembered as The Flying Scotsman and portrayed in Chariots of Fire. Eric was a true person of Faith. He gives me strength and hope and is a lot more relevant and timely than most Saints. No, he is a saint with a small "s" , not canonized, he didn't go through some torturous bureaucratic roman process but I believe, and the Episcopal church believes he is a saint, a holy person.
Again, when we take the time in our very busy lives to see and allow our ourselves to be witnessed to by the many holy people around us each day, how do we respond? I'm not speaking of exualting them. Perhaps appreciating them or simply recognizing them. What I think we are called to do is to be encouraged, called and asked to respond by being the same in our own personal way.
In our lives, how do we live and witness so as to be a "leg up" t others around us?
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Lenten journey: I've been to the mountaintop
The disciples present in today's reading sure had a front row seat. To be there in the presence of Moses, Elijah and the transfigured Jesus. How awesome, how honored they must have felt, how humbling. How small but honored they must have felt.
The world has seen many great people come and go, none greater than Jesus I would say. We all have visions of who the great ones are and we would be awed to be in their mere presence. Have you ever been so blessed, graced? I can think of many people that I have been graced to know and I know they were living Saints. Still there are others that I feel graced to have read through their written words. One of them has been Thomas Merton who has spoken to me so often. He wrote as if it was for my understanding alone. Perhaps everyone felt that way and that is why he is so popular and revered. Another is Richard Rohr with whom I am blessed to share my own Lenten journey through his written word. I had occasion previously to spend time with him via audio tape. He mesmerizes me, help me to understand and again speaks to me, like Merton, as if it was written for only me to understand. Such concepts that I am humbled and amazed at what he is conveying so that even I can understand.
I imagine that the Peter, James and John were filled with all sorts of emotions, amazement, fear, honor, humbled, awed at what they saw on the mountaintop. The range of emotion capped with the knowledge that Jesus is the "beloved Son". I would have a difficult time not sharing it even when told "don't talk about it".
( Trail to another mountaintop, to Angel's Landing, Zion National Park, Utah, USA )
Yet I have too have been to a mountaintop. It may sound funny but I was 'on the mountaintop' in a huge valley. It is difficult to explain but awesome to hold the realization inside you. I was on retreat in British Columbia and was meditating while sitting on a valley floor, surrounded by enormous and majestic mountains. I was awed and humbled. I felt so special and yet so small. I recall feeling one with the rocks and dirt, knowing that I had come from the same creator. I felt one with the dirt and at once part of the majesty around me. I wonder if that's how Peter, James and John felt. I think my revelations and feelings were light stuff compared to those fellows. Still it was awesome. The mere thought of being one with the dirt and rocks and the similarity of Lent "remember man that you are dust...." is a sobering and wonderful thought.
What mountaintops have we scaled, how many magnificent people, saints have we been graced to know or be simply aware of? Is it possible to see the people around us transfigured as "beloved" children of God? Can you see yourself transfigured as a beloved child of God?
Take every opportunity to climb to the mountaintop and see if God is waiting there for you?
The world has seen many great people come and go, none greater than Jesus I would say. We all have visions of who the great ones are and we would be awed to be in their mere presence. Have you ever been so blessed, graced? I can think of many people that I have been graced to know and I know they were living Saints. Still there are others that I feel graced to have read through their written words. One of them has been Thomas Merton who has spoken to me so often. He wrote as if it was for my understanding alone. Perhaps everyone felt that way and that is why he is so popular and revered. Another is Richard Rohr with whom I am blessed to share my own Lenten journey through his written word. I had occasion previously to spend time with him via audio tape. He mesmerizes me, help me to understand and again speaks to me, like Merton, as if it was written for only me to understand. Such concepts that I am humbled and amazed at what he is conveying so that even I can understand.
I imagine that the Peter, James and John were filled with all sorts of emotions, amazement, fear, honor, humbled, awed at what they saw on the mountaintop. The range of emotion capped with the knowledge that Jesus is the "beloved Son". I would have a difficult time not sharing it even when told "don't talk about it".
Yet I have too have been to a mountaintop. It may sound funny but I was 'on the mountaintop' in a huge valley. It is difficult to explain but awesome to hold the realization inside you. I was on retreat in British Columbia and was meditating while sitting on a valley floor, surrounded by enormous and majestic mountains. I was awed and humbled. I felt so special and yet so small. I recall feeling one with the rocks and dirt, knowing that I had come from the same creator. I felt one with the dirt and at once part of the majesty around me. I wonder if that's how Peter, James and John felt. I think my revelations and feelings were light stuff compared to those fellows. Still it was awesome. The mere thought of being one with the dirt and rocks and the similarity of Lent "remember man that you are dust...." is a sobering and wonderful thought.
What mountaintops have we scaled, how many magnificent people, saints have we been graced to know or be simply aware of? Is it possible to see the people around us transfigured as "beloved" children of God? Can you see yourself transfigured as a beloved child of God?
Take every opportunity to climb to the mountaintop and see if God is waiting there for you?
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Lenten journey: J.C. Hammer
I often say that when God wants your attention he/she will tap you on the shoulder in one way or another. If you choose to ignore God, it is quite likely that God will then get your attention with a baseball bat instead. God is not always subtle.....or easy. We are often called to do things we would really prefer not to do. I suppose life would be easy if life was all about me, just me. ( It certainly would be lonelier ). But God is all about relationships and other people. The Trinity is both symbol and the reality of relationship. Any call to action is really a call to all. All our worship and all the Sacraments are communal in nature, or at least celebrated in communion with others. But even marriage is a celebration and life of more than one, two shall become one, your people shall be my people. Always more than just me. Love, God and life itself are always outward focused with others.
And in today's readings, God creates an agreement. I will be your God, you will be the chosen nation, you will need to obey these rules of living. Jesus comes down like a hammer though. Not enough to obey those commandments, easy peasy. Any literalist can do that. It requires very little thinking and you can remain self centered. Just stay in your box and live.
But life is all about interactions, living, loving, communication, mis-communication, working, etc., etc., etc. Jesus tells us again that it is more than those Ten Commandments, it is not strict adherence to some rote rules. In Matthew, it is relayed that God loves everyone, the righteous and the unrighteous. The self righteous should not look down on others and I, a sinner, should not look down on the righteous either. Jesus says we are to love ALL. There's that hammer. Love ALL. It really does seem like a baseball bat if you really get it. God is calling us to respect and love every single part and parcel of his creation. To do otherwise disrespects your own dignity and God. 'What you do to the least of my children' is driven home with that proverbial hammer.
It easy to be nice to the nice. We love doing things for people we like. How do we love the ones we don't like? 'Honest' hatred? Rebukes that someone 'deserves'? Outright loathing? Perhaps the fact that this is a presidential election year in the United States makes a good point for us. No matter which side you are on there are plenty of people around who seem like blithering idiots. They seem to get the whole message wrong - about every single thing you believe in. Argh. You could hate them, right? How are we called to act? Certainly not to vote for that person or persons. We are called to dignity, gentle honesty perhaps but we must love them and listen.
There is an old question asked in a poster ( when bedroom posters were "in" ). If you were accused of being a Christian, could you be convicted? The essence of Christian conversion is not a rule book but that expression "they'll know we are Christians by our love".
The essence of responding to God, to answering his call and growth is love. It is not a simple love of our youth where we obey simple rules and keep a tally. Mature faith is a challenge, it is expansive, it is hard at times. Think though how expansive and loving God is with us, loving each one of use, gracing each one of us. What should our response be then?
And in today's readings, God creates an agreement. I will be your God, you will be the chosen nation, you will need to obey these rules of living. Jesus comes down like a hammer though. Not enough to obey those commandments, easy peasy. Any literalist can do that. It requires very little thinking and you can remain self centered. Just stay in your box and live.
But life is all about interactions, living, loving, communication, mis-communication, working, etc., etc., etc. Jesus tells us again that it is more than those Ten Commandments, it is not strict adherence to some rote rules. In Matthew, it is relayed that God loves everyone, the righteous and the unrighteous. The self righteous should not look down on others and I, a sinner, should not look down on the righteous either. Jesus says we are to love ALL. There's that hammer. Love ALL. It really does seem like a baseball bat if you really get it. God is calling us to respect and love every single part and parcel of his creation. To do otherwise disrespects your own dignity and God. 'What you do to the least of my children' is driven home with that proverbial hammer.
It easy to be nice to the nice. We love doing things for people we like. How do we love the ones we don't like? 'Honest' hatred? Rebukes that someone 'deserves'? Outright loathing? Perhaps the fact that this is a presidential election year in the United States makes a good point for us. No matter which side you are on there are plenty of people around who seem like blithering idiots. They seem to get the whole message wrong - about every single thing you believe in. Argh. You could hate them, right? How are we called to act? Certainly not to vote for that person or persons. We are called to dignity, gentle honesty perhaps but we must love them and listen.
There is an old question asked in a poster ( when bedroom posters were "in" ). If you were accused of being a Christian, could you be convicted? The essence of Christian conversion is not a rule book but that expression "they'll know we are Christians by our love".
The essence of responding to God, to answering his call and growth is love. It is not a simple love of our youth where we obey simple rules and keep a tally. Mature faith is a challenge, it is expansive, it is hard at times. Think though how expansive and loving God is with us, loving each one of use, gracing each one of us. What should our response be then?
Friday, February 19, 2016
Lenten journey: Christian Karma?
I don't wish to make you gag but my husband and I are blissfully happy. We are still newlyweds after 4 years of legally wedded bliss. It's even more years of being 'committed' in God's eyes; we just hadn't been legally married. We are bordering on an old married couple. Very often we wonder why we are so blessed and like any good gay couple, we can easily break into song ( from The Sound of Music ) that "we must have done something good". But we will song the whole song.
This might seem like Karma and that is a truth about todays readings. What you sow, you reap. Unfortunately it is not that easy. God judges our hearts and our intent that no one else can really see. Christians are asked to respond to a deeper meaning of the Ten Commandments that can be readily fulfilled by any literalist. What Jesus is telling us is that we need to use the two great commandments as our guide. Furthermore, our thoughts ( carrying grudges ) and malice of the heart can just as easily be a killing tool as any form of murder. As Christians, bullying should be viewed as the killing of a person's soul and esteem, as guilty as murder with a knife.
Being a Christian or being truly faithful to any religion involves your brain and your heart. It is your brain and your heart that will propel you to great heights of faith and growth but can also through you into the bowels of "Gehenna". Whichever you choose being a faithful Christian is more than rules and it's a tough sell. Wouldn't it be easier to just have a check list of things to do to accomplish salvation? That is not what we are about.
We are about sowing good seeds, intent, our brain, self respect, introspection and knowing that when we do good we are already in heaven.
This might seem like Karma and that is a truth about todays readings. What you sow, you reap. Unfortunately it is not that easy. God judges our hearts and our intent that no one else can really see. Christians are asked to respond to a deeper meaning of the Ten Commandments that can be readily fulfilled by any literalist. What Jesus is telling us is that we need to use the two great commandments as our guide. Furthermore, our thoughts ( carrying grudges ) and malice of the heart can just as easily be a killing tool as any form of murder. As Christians, bullying should be viewed as the killing of a person's soul and esteem, as guilty as murder with a knife.
Being a Christian or being truly faithful to any religion involves your brain and your heart. It is your brain and your heart that will propel you to great heights of faith and growth but can also through you into the bowels of "Gehenna". Whichever you choose being a faithful Christian is more than rules and it's a tough sell. Wouldn't it be easier to just have a check list of things to do to accomplish salvation? That is not what we are about.
We are about sowing good seeds, intent, our brain, self respect, introspection and knowing that when we do good we are already in heaven.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Lenten Journey: Count your blessings instead of sheep
The readings today from Esther and Matthew both involve asking God for something, fervent prayer and acknowledging that it is only in God that we find the answers to our problems. This brings several things to my mind.
First, we need to have the conversation. That is, we need to pray. We need to start that conversation with God, good bad or whatever. I have met many people who say that they are mad at God for one reason or another and so they shouldn't be approaching God to talk about anything.. I tell them that they should tell God that. They should empty their soul of anger and let God have it all, all of it. Yell, scream, cry but tell it to God. He can take it, he's a big boy and he wants to hear our concerns and our anger. God longs to hear our voice and longs to have the conversation, however uncomfortable.
However, with any earnest conversation that has to honesty and listening. That can be difficult for us. We have to be honest with ourselves. Perhaps we have to admit our own complicity in our problems or acknowledge our own faults or brokenness. In so acknowledging we are humbling ourselves before God. Also, and no one knows this a well as myself, things could always be worse. I asked that question once, "what could possibly happen next?" Cosmically, I found out and it wasn't sweet I can tell you that. The point is this, even in our pain and anger, even as bad as we see life at times, we must acknowledge that things could be much worse. I think God deserves a hand of thanks for helping us through as much as we have. I believe God walks along side us all the time whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. It is so.
My retreat master this Lent is quick to point to the origin of things we ask for. Perhaps I haven't thought of that so much as a blessing or thought in my arrogance that the things I pray for are my own very brilliant idea. It is being suggested that the ideas of things for which we pray are seeds of things we have already experienced. Seeds can be small but they can germinate into grand things. Is it God that plants these ideas as the small experiences we have in life? We have experienced love and so pray for more love? We have witnessed a loving relationship in our parents or a friend and so that seed becomes a prayer that we too may find it? Interesting notion. All I can say about it is that I shall be giving that some thought this Lent.
In the meantime I shall reflect on my gifts and blessings and open up that daily conversation with God. When I find myself in trouble or restless, I will count my blessings instead of sheep so God knows it is he in whom I am centered.
First, we need to have the conversation. That is, we need to pray. We need to start that conversation with God, good bad or whatever. I have met many people who say that they are mad at God for one reason or another and so they shouldn't be approaching God to talk about anything.. I tell them that they should tell God that. They should empty their soul of anger and let God have it all, all of it. Yell, scream, cry but tell it to God. He can take it, he's a big boy and he wants to hear our concerns and our anger. God longs to hear our voice and longs to have the conversation, however uncomfortable.
However, with any earnest conversation that has to honesty and listening. That can be difficult for us. We have to be honest with ourselves. Perhaps we have to admit our own complicity in our problems or acknowledge our own faults or brokenness. In so acknowledging we are humbling ourselves before God. Also, and no one knows this a well as myself, things could always be worse. I asked that question once, "what could possibly happen next?" Cosmically, I found out and it wasn't sweet I can tell you that. The point is this, even in our pain and anger, even as bad as we see life at times, we must acknowledge that things could be much worse. I think God deserves a hand of thanks for helping us through as much as we have. I believe God walks along side us all the time whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. It is so.
My retreat master this Lent is quick to point to the origin of things we ask for. Perhaps I haven't thought of that so much as a blessing or thought in my arrogance that the things I pray for are my own very brilliant idea. It is being suggested that the ideas of things for which we pray are seeds of things we have already experienced. Seeds can be small but they can germinate into grand things. Is it God that plants these ideas as the small experiences we have in life? We have experienced love and so pray for more love? We have witnessed a loving relationship in our parents or a friend and so that seed becomes a prayer that we too may find it? Interesting notion. All I can say about it is that I shall be giving that some thought this Lent.
In the meantime I shall reflect on my gifts and blessings and open up that daily conversation with God. When I find myself in trouble or restless, I will count my blessings instead of sheep so God knows it is he in whom I am centered.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Lenten Journey: In the belly of the beast
I read a posting on Facebook yesterday that asked one of those annoying questions, like who were you in a past life? What colour are you? answer these questions; What kind of animal are you, answer these questions. Today it was this: let us analyze your profile and we'll tell you what Bible character you are. I was Noah. Go figure. I was hoping for Jonathan or David, that wonderful gay couple from Hebrew Scripture, whose passage was read when my husband and I asked for God's blessing and we consecrated our lives to each other. We got married! The character I think it should have been was Jonah. Jonah, swallowed by the whale. Jonah who set out in Ninevah in today's passage to warn the citizens to repent. Jonah who had the ability to live life, see where he had been, reflect, repent and move forward in faith.
Truth be told, I have always been a person of faith. Perhaps a blessing, perhaps the result of some very good nuns and Priests and certainly my attempt to seek wholeness when I knew I was an odd duck, unlike everyone else, gay. Of course I didn't realize the gay thing until much later in life but I knew I was different and sought God as an ally, a guide on my path to wholeness. Perhaps God is my wholeness.
The life that ensued had so many vast experiences, all graced by God. What also came after a well lived and experienced life was perspective, not unlike Jonah had.
Whatever "the belly of the whale" is to you or me, it is an opportunity for perspective and an opportunity to move forward in faith. This perspective does not come from barreling through life and break neck speed, never slowing down and looking only toward the goal line of life. We must slow down, make a pit stop, evaluate, discern, learn and grow. Perhaps adjust our course. Isn't that what Lent is?
The key is to take the time out. We are called to stop and reflect. If you are reading this blog for Lent, you are taking at least a little time out. Now you need to set aside time to reflect about yourself and your life. Have you been in the belly of the beast? What can you learn about moving forward by stopping to look back?
As always in faith, we move forward into the unknown. Perhaps that's what faith is. But our guide should be clear as it has always been for me. I still do not know where I am going specifically. Life has taken some pretty wild turns, turns in my life I never ever would or could have imagined. The ride has been splendid, the ride is joyous and magnificent. I am blessed. Still, I do not know where specifically I am headed.
I do know that it all makes no sense unless I reflect and move forward in faith and hope and love. My true Lenten / lifelong journey.
Truth be told, I have always been a person of faith. Perhaps a blessing, perhaps the result of some very good nuns and Priests and certainly my attempt to seek wholeness when I knew I was an odd duck, unlike everyone else, gay. Of course I didn't realize the gay thing until much later in life but I knew I was different and sought God as an ally, a guide on my path to wholeness. Perhaps God is my wholeness.
The life that ensued had so many vast experiences, all graced by God. What also came after a well lived and experienced life was perspective, not unlike Jonah had.
Whatever "the belly of the whale" is to you or me, it is an opportunity for perspective and an opportunity to move forward in faith. This perspective does not come from barreling through life and break neck speed, never slowing down and looking only toward the goal line of life. We must slow down, make a pit stop, evaluate, discern, learn and grow. Perhaps adjust our course. Isn't that what Lent is?
The key is to take the time out. We are called to stop and reflect. If you are reading this blog for Lent, you are taking at least a little time out. Now you need to set aside time to reflect about yourself and your life. Have you been in the belly of the beast? What can you learn about moving forward by stopping to look back?
As always in faith, we move forward into the unknown. Perhaps that's what faith is. But our guide should be clear as it has always been for me. I still do not know where I am going specifically. Life has taken some pretty wild turns, turns in my life I never ever would or could have imagined. The ride has been splendid, the ride is joyous and magnificent. I am blessed. Still, I do not know where specifically I am headed.
I do know that it all makes no sense unless I reflect and move forward in faith and hope and love. My true Lenten / lifelong journey.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Lenten Journey: Oh my pappa....
It was so many years ago that I taught religion to a small group of youngsters in my parish. One of the biggest goals I had was to assure them that God loved them. I would ask the children their name and an answer came immediately back to me because they knew their own name. So I set forth to try to help them realize that as certain and as instantaneously as they knew their own name, they should also know without a moment of hesitation that God loved each and every one of them as the individual that they are. No small task at times but a task worth relaying.
I have contemplated many ways in which to get children and a fair number of adults to realize just how much God does love each and every one of us. It seems a daunting task because invariably whatever vision I can come up with for "God" or "Father", there are experiences from a religion member that gets in the way from one bad experience or another. Catholic clerics seem particularly good at this when being judgemental or threatening that you are 'going to hell in a handbasket' for this or that. Anyone frankly that is a self righteous prig can turn off another to the boundless love of God with the certainty that their truth is thee truth. Why would you even want God to love us in that case? The term "father is also not a universally great one. There are drunken abusive fathers who might never have been there if you'd wanted him to be. The concept of God as father then isn't a ringing endorsement to some. I myself had a flawed father but I realize I too am flawed and I look beyond human flaws, brokenness and frailties to the love he had for me. The idea of God as father for me is extraordinary because I believe God the Father has no flaws or frailties save the ache he has when I make a bad decision or when I hurt myself or some other. God's frailty is how He aches when he sees what in the world we can do to each other in the name of His love or religion.
Yes I have thought a great deal about God. God as Father, God creator and even God as lover ( of his creations, especially me of course! ). I give God all the finest attributes and accolades because , well, he is after all, God.
So for this day in Lent I am working with our second reading for today, Matthews version of the "our Father" ( Mt. 6:12,14-15 ). Knowing how this creator God loves each and every one of us, I am disposed to set aside some time to read this "our Father" and think about each and every word. This could be a month long meditation for sure but I will devote just a goodly amount of time to delve a bit deeper into the prayer to our Father - who loves us all very much.
I have contemplated many ways in which to get children and a fair number of adults to realize just how much God does love each and every one of us. It seems a daunting task because invariably whatever vision I can come up with for "God" or "Father", there are experiences from a religion member that gets in the way from one bad experience or another. Catholic clerics seem particularly good at this when being judgemental or threatening that you are 'going to hell in a handbasket' for this or that. Anyone frankly that is a self righteous prig can turn off another to the boundless love of God with the certainty that their truth is thee truth. Why would you even want God to love us in that case? The term "father is also not a universally great one. There are drunken abusive fathers who might never have been there if you'd wanted him to be. The concept of God as father then isn't a ringing endorsement to some. I myself had a flawed father but I realize I too am flawed and I look beyond human flaws, brokenness and frailties to the love he had for me. The idea of God as father for me is extraordinary because I believe God the Father has no flaws or frailties save the ache he has when I make a bad decision or when I hurt myself or some other. God's frailty is how He aches when he sees what in the world we can do to each other in the name of His love or religion.
Yes I have thought a great deal about God. God as Father, God creator and even God as lover ( of his creations, especially me of course! ). I give God all the finest attributes and accolades because , well, he is after all, God.
So for this day in Lent I am working with our second reading for today, Matthews version of the "our Father" ( Mt. 6:12,14-15 ). Knowing how this creator God loves each and every one of us, I am disposed to set aside some time to read this "our Father" and think about each and every word. This could be a month long meditation for sure but I will devote just a goodly amount of time to delve a bit deeper into the prayer to our Father - who loves us all very much.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Lenten Journey - ah, to be a goat
I don't know if you have ever read it, but I highly recommend the book Good Goats . It's quite uplifting, challenging too and also leaves you with a feeling of hope. We are perhaps very familiar with the scripture reading in which God returns to separate the goats from the sheep. The goats are the not so good people.
In todays passage from Scripture we get the distilled version of the Ten Commandments, whatever we have done ( or have not done ) for the least of the kingdom you have done to me (the Lord God). Wow. Yikes! Even if we act secretly for only God to see, we often do good deeds, being quite proud of the fact (even if only interiorly) that we are doing a good deed. We pat ourselves on the back. I think we usually pick nice things to do for the people we'd prefer to do nice things for. What about the ones we are not so fond of? Would we find ourselves secretly doing good deeds for those people we really might find loathsome? When we aren't being nice to the least of these, we perhaps would find ourselves being more goat like than the sheep we might prefer to be or that me might think we are.
Yesterday I spoke of being proud of who you are. Today the caveat is clear, who we are and our goodness is not based on all the nice things we do for nice people. Following Levitical commands or strict adherence to the Ten Commandments won't do it either. What we need to do is live by the Spirit of the law and that will almost always be a bit more difficult. We will have to stretch ourselves, perhaps feel a bit uneasy and challenged to love whomever "the other" is that we are not so comfortable with. It will be our challenge to see who those people are in our own lives and in the world.
We are called as beloved children of God but so is everyone else and it is one of our tasks to use our talents and gifts and who we are to make sure everyone else feels that way too.
In todays passage from Scripture we get the distilled version of the Ten Commandments, whatever we have done ( or have not done ) for the least of the kingdom you have done to me (the Lord God). Wow. Yikes! Even if we act secretly for only God to see, we often do good deeds, being quite proud of the fact (even if only interiorly) that we are doing a good deed. We pat ourselves on the back. I think we usually pick nice things to do for the people we'd prefer to do nice things for. What about the ones we are not so fond of? Would we find ourselves secretly doing good deeds for those people we really might find loathsome? When we aren't being nice to the least of these, we perhaps would find ourselves being more goat like than the sheep we might prefer to be or that me might think we are.
Yesterday I spoke of being proud of who you are. Today the caveat is clear, who we are and our goodness is not based on all the nice things we do for nice people. Following Levitical commands or strict adherence to the Ten Commandments won't do it either. What we need to do is live by the Spirit of the law and that will almost always be a bit more difficult. We will have to stretch ourselves, perhaps feel a bit uneasy and challenged to love whomever "the other" is that we are not so comfortable with. It will be our challenge to see who those people are in our own lives and in the world.
We are called as beloved children of God but so is everyone else and it is one of our tasks to use our talents and gifts and who we are to make sure everyone else feels that way too.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Lenten Journey: I've got the power !
I am thoroughly enjoying my readings and 'retreat leader' so far this Lent. There is much personal terrain to cross. It's a wonderful feeling to be in a seat of power over drifting aimlessly.
The Gospel for today is just about power. The devil is tempting Jesus in the desert and Jesus comes through flawlessly as one would expect. The question posed to me then is how would I respond to such temptations. Then I realize, the question really is how do I respond to temptations, you know, the ones that you and I come across every day. Rarely do they involve transmuting rocks to bread or having dominion over the world or even a small portion thereof.
But I realize I do have power all the same and the temptations I face are perhaps mundane compared to the universe but are powerful all the same. In the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life Jimmy Stewart has difficulty realizing the great impact his life has on everyone around him. To the thinking person, this has enormous power and one realizes how our own actions can and do have a broad ranging impact on our community and even the world.
What small decisions will I make today that will have a much broader affect? It can be as simple as a smile, recognizing the dignity of a stranger, a patient, a neighbor or even someone we find repulsive like a political candidate. Challenges indeed. Some simple, some not so simple, all to be used and exercised wisely.
Part of the power that we hold is in the dignity given to us by virtue of our creation by God. How many of us can imagine being present at the moment that God, the creator of all we see and cannot see, made the decision that what the world needs now is the human in the form of me? You?
I was graced to be transported to that moment when I walked a labyrinth many years ago. The power of God in that moment was humbling, scary and enormously powerful. It was all more that I could take in before I broke into tears, trembling and weak in the knees.
What do we do with the realization that we have such power in ourselves? One is to respect who we are, be proud of who we are. Hopefully not arrogant but certainly some amount of a mature pride. Pride in self is key and respect for self is key. No matter who you are and what God created you to be, if you truly know what God created you to be, love yourself, and use that power wisely.
I am proud to be a decent and loving husband, father, minister and gay man. There is much more but this is what I am working with right now. I have the power! How about you?
The Gospel for today is just about power. The devil is tempting Jesus in the desert and Jesus comes through flawlessly as one would expect. The question posed to me then is how would I respond to such temptations. Then I realize, the question really is how do I respond to temptations, you know, the ones that you and I come across every day. Rarely do they involve transmuting rocks to bread or having dominion over the world or even a small portion thereof.
But I realize I do have power all the same and the temptations I face are perhaps mundane compared to the universe but are powerful all the same. In the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life Jimmy Stewart has difficulty realizing the great impact his life has on everyone around him. To the thinking person, this has enormous power and one realizes how our own actions can and do have a broad ranging impact on our community and even the world.
What small decisions will I make today that will have a much broader affect? It can be as simple as a smile, recognizing the dignity of a stranger, a patient, a neighbor or even someone we find repulsive like a political candidate. Challenges indeed. Some simple, some not so simple, all to be used and exercised wisely.
Part of the power that we hold is in the dignity given to us by virtue of our creation by God. How many of us can imagine being present at the moment that God, the creator of all we see and cannot see, made the decision that what the world needs now is the human in the form of me? You?
I was graced to be transported to that moment when I walked a labyrinth many years ago. The power of God in that moment was humbling, scary and enormously powerful. It was all more that I could take in before I broke into tears, trembling and weak in the knees.
What do we do with the realization that we have such power in ourselves? One is to respect who we are, be proud of who we are. Hopefully not arrogant but certainly some amount of a mature pride. Pride in self is key and respect for self is key. No matter who you are and what God created you to be, if you truly know what God created you to be, love yourself, and use that power wisely.
I am proud to be a decent and loving husband, father, minister and gay man. There is much more but this is what I am working with right now. I have the power! How about you?
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Lenten journey: A Valentine's date with Jesus?
If I were a Jew, akin to some kind of born again, Bible thumping Christian, I would be so troubled. The literal interpretation of Hebrew Scripture would be quite a challenge. Whether it is Leviticus that would have me stoning people right and left, or the "eye for eye" scenario, half the world including myself would be blind. I love the current call for a reality show where people would have to live a year by totally strict Hebrew scripture. Bedlam I am sure!
I've said on these pages since it's inception, the Bible is not a document written directly by the hand of God to be taken literally. Hebrew scripture is more of a library with stories, albeit holy and inspired stories, of God and his people. The people writing of their trials and tribulations and their fervent desire to be holy. That is a beloved people of God, the chosen people and they truly want to live up to that. Hence, the rules and rubrics of Leviticus not to mention the literalness of the Ten Commandments.
But here it is Lent. We are trying to challenge and grow. Isaiah today continues his call for repentance and not to some literal call to purity by the law. The call is to "give up" or fast from the way we live. Can we give up hatred for Lent? Can we give up being stubborn? Can we give up on our social injustices? Can we give up on us trying to be the judgemental hand of God and leave that to him? Her?
In Luke's reading today we have our ray of sunshine and again, a call to move beyond the rules and rubrics that the elite claim as their raison d'etre of holiness. Luke notes that Jesus is not calling the holy ones. (Does a healthy person need a doctor?) Jesus consorts with all the worst people and socializes with them and seemingly loves them as much as the elite seem to love their fellow elite.
What gives here? In the same breath that we are called to repent, to look at our lives with blanched honesty, in that 'tearing down moment of honesty', we need to know that Jesus is calling us. Jesus is calling us, the sinners. Jesus wants to have a real relationship with us! In fact, Jesus loves us, warts and all, saints and sinners, just as we are. No matter where we are on our journey, Jesus would have loved nothing more than to sit down with you and break bread, perhaps have that glass of wine and shoot the breeze over who you are, where you are in life, and says 'so how was your day today?'
In the midst of calling for brutal self honesty and perhaps looking at our worst attributes and deciding to move forward towards God and the totally beautiful person we are called to be, Jesus loves you and wants to be your friend. Cool. Way cool.
I've said on these pages since it's inception, the Bible is not a document written directly by the hand of God to be taken literally. Hebrew scripture is more of a library with stories, albeit holy and inspired stories, of God and his people. The people writing of their trials and tribulations and their fervent desire to be holy. That is a beloved people of God, the chosen people and they truly want to live up to that. Hence, the rules and rubrics of Leviticus not to mention the literalness of the Ten Commandments.
But here it is Lent. We are trying to challenge and grow. Isaiah today continues his call for repentance and not to some literal call to purity by the law. The call is to "give up" or fast from the way we live. Can we give up hatred for Lent? Can we give up being stubborn? Can we give up on our social injustices? Can we give up on us trying to be the judgemental hand of God and leave that to him? Her?
In Luke's reading today we have our ray of sunshine and again, a call to move beyond the rules and rubrics that the elite claim as their raison d'etre of holiness. Luke notes that Jesus is not calling the holy ones. (Does a healthy person need a doctor?) Jesus consorts with all the worst people and socializes with them and seemingly loves them as much as the elite seem to love their fellow elite.
What gives here? In the same breath that we are called to repent, to look at our lives with blanched honesty, in that 'tearing down moment of honesty', we need to know that Jesus is calling us. Jesus is calling us, the sinners. Jesus wants to have a real relationship with us! In fact, Jesus loves us, warts and all, saints and sinners, just as we are. No matter where we are on our journey, Jesus would have loved nothing more than to sit down with you and break bread, perhaps have that glass of wine and shoot the breeze over who you are, where you are in life, and says 'so how was your day today?'
In the midst of calling for brutal self honesty and perhaps looking at our worst attributes and deciding to move forward towards God and the totally beautiful person we are called to be, Jesus loves you and wants to be your friend. Cool. Way cool.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Lenten Journey: Engaging yourself
What a spectacular reading from Isaiah today ( 58:1-9a ), I encourage you to read it. How bold Isaiah is to challenge the temple elite as Jesus did, perhaps it's why he met the same fate as Jesus, an early death. Isaiah speaks of what kind of fasting God truly wants and it is not the obnoxious, omnipresent lamentations of the religiously fervent and devout. These are the same people who are scrupulous at Sunday services who are overt in their acts of personal piety, bends, bows, beatings of the breast, hands raised to the sky - until they verbally assault someone in the vestibule of the church or mow someone down on their way out of the parking lot.
God asks a different kind of fast, an active, vibrant and offertory fast of social action, liberating, loving action.
Here's a thought. Jesus embraced his humanity to the full. He was born normally, was raised, loved, played, and grew into a normal man with friends and perhaps even a lover or two. Who knows. The point is, he embraced his humanity to the full. It would seem a spectacular idea to embrace our own humanity, our own unique, God created, humanity.
So as we ease into Lent, read verse 6 from Isaiah 58,
Is not this the fast that I choose:
But here's the twist, here's the real thought, gear it to yourself with the same fervor any religious zealot might. Be generous with yourself, lavish yourself with love, acceptance and work fervently to free yourself from the things that hold you back from being the fully loved and fully engaged human that God created you to be. Embrace your humanity as Jesus embraced his.
This is a lifetime effort for sure but making the decision to try and do this is an admirable goal for Lent. By all means, also try to engage Isaiah 58:6 in the world in every way you can see and are called to. But first, for now, engage yourself. Set yourself free and fly.
God asks a different kind of fast, an active, vibrant and offertory fast of social action, liberating, loving action.
Here's a thought. Jesus embraced his humanity to the full. He was born normally, was raised, loved, played, and grew into a normal man with friends and perhaps even a lover or two. Who knows. The point is, he embraced his humanity to the full. It would seem a spectacular idea to embrace our own humanity, our own unique, God created, humanity.
So as we ease into Lent, read verse 6 from Isaiah 58,
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke? But here's the twist, here's the real thought, gear it to yourself with the same fervor any religious zealot might. Be generous with yourself, lavish yourself with love, acceptance and work fervently to free yourself from the things that hold you back from being the fully loved and fully engaged human that God created you to be. Embrace your humanity as Jesus embraced his.
This is a lifetime effort for sure but making the decision to try and do this is an admirable goal for Lent. By all means, also try to engage Isaiah 58:6 in the world in every way you can see and are called to. But first, for now, engage yourself. Set yourself free and fly.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Lenten Journey: Black or White
In today's reading from Deuteronomy and Luke I am reminded of how I ( wrongfully ) looked at religion as a child. It still affects how I and many others mark our Lenten Journey. Perhaps we could look to the Baltimore Catechism to see why I beleived God had a great tally book in which the all knowing God marked what things I had done wrong and what things I had done right.
The notions of either/or , black or white, good or bad and the way that plays out in our life and for today, our Lenten journey is very important. How we perceive ourselves and our journey in Lent and in our journey to wholeness are seen in these terms. We judge ourselves and others in these terms.
Isn't our life and faith more like a dance though? We move forward , we move back, we move around, we adventure, we discover, we learn, we grow. We also challenge ourselves, our thoughts; We discover that the world is not so black and white. Not only are there grays in God's created world but a spectrum of magnificent colors waiting to explode in our sights, in our lives. Our life activities and decision are not just black or white, good or bad.
How can we encourage more rainbows in our lives this Lent and less judgemental dualism?
I have come to beleive, quite ironically, that the answer to the dualism, polar vision and judgement that I once blamed on God is actually solved by faith in God. I am not talking about rules and rubrics of religion, that solves very little and can easily casue a lack of faith. God loves us as we are, as He/She created us and I believe God loves the dance. Our dance of life that goes backwards and forwards and dances all around. God's wish is to love us and that we love him. That is, God wants to engage us in a dance of love, a very personal dance of love.
God's dance of love is never black or white. Our Lenten journey is similar. It is not based on whether we give up a bar of chocolate or never say a swear word or put a coin a day in a little folded box. What matters is the dance. The movement towards and engagement with God.
Realize this, we are not perfect and we never will be. We will never measure up to some rule or ruler that tries to measure us in some finite way. God loves us though, completely, radically, passionately and just as we are. Our faith and journey to Him is what is loved and appreciated, not how many times we failed or succeeded.
So Lent becomes a journey, albeit perhaps an imperfect one, towards God and a real decision to make that journey. The question in my mind is to actually make that decision and make that journey with my eyes open and an intent to love and grow. That would be my definition of Lent for today.
The notions of either/or , black or white, good or bad and the way that plays out in our life and for today, our Lenten journey is very important. How we perceive ourselves and our journey in Lent and in our journey to wholeness are seen in these terms. We judge ourselves and others in these terms.
Isn't our life and faith more like a dance though? We move forward , we move back, we move around, we adventure, we discover, we learn, we grow. We also challenge ourselves, our thoughts; We discover that the world is not so black and white. Not only are there grays in God's created world but a spectrum of magnificent colors waiting to explode in our sights, in our lives. Our life activities and decision are not just black or white, good or bad.
How can we encourage more rainbows in our lives this Lent and less judgemental dualism?
I have come to beleive, quite ironically, that the answer to the dualism, polar vision and judgement that I once blamed on God is actually solved by faith in God. I am not talking about rules and rubrics of religion, that solves very little and can easily casue a lack of faith. God loves us as we are, as He/She created us and I believe God loves the dance. Our dance of life that goes backwards and forwards and dances all around. God's wish is to love us and that we love him. That is, God wants to engage us in a dance of love, a very personal dance of love.
God's dance of love is never black or white. Our Lenten journey is similar. It is not based on whether we give up a bar of chocolate or never say a swear word or put a coin a day in a little folded box. What matters is the dance. The movement towards and engagement with God.
Realize this, we are not perfect and we never will be. We will never measure up to some rule or ruler that tries to measure us in some finite way. God loves us though, completely, radically, passionately and just as we are. Our faith and journey to Him is what is loved and appreciated, not how many times we failed or succeeded.
So Lent becomes a journey, albeit perhaps an imperfect one, towards God and a real decision to make that journey. The question in my mind is to actually make that decision and make that journey with my eyes open and an intent to love and grow. That would be my definition of Lent for today.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Lenten Journey, Ash Wednesday.
Good and glorious morning.
Today I am offering myself a Lenten retreat that starts today and starts with Richard Rohr.
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a journey, a continued journey, an offering of self and a prayer for completion in Jesus Christ and God our Father. May the Spirit be fully alive in me and in us all.
"God give me the desire to desire what you want me to desire" This seems like such a simple task yet wrapped in our humanity, our brokenness and our hope, that is the essence of my Lenten journey.
What prayer can we offer that offers us fruitful movement in our selves? A prayer of action that bears fruit in our growth. Is pruning what I need? For today I will pray. I will read the readings, pray for teh desire and discernment. I will offer myself as an empty vessel, a broken vessel. Can the potter re-mold me? If I let God?
If I let God.
Today I am offering myself a Lenten retreat that starts today and starts with Richard Rohr.
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a journey, a continued journey, an offering of self and a prayer for completion in Jesus Christ and God our Father. May the Spirit be fully alive in me and in us all.
"God give me the desire to desire what you want me to desire" This seems like such a simple task yet wrapped in our humanity, our brokenness and our hope, that is the essence of my Lenten journey.
What prayer can we offer that offers us fruitful movement in our selves? A prayer of action that bears fruit in our growth. Is pruning what I need? For today I will pray. I will read the readings, pray for teh desire and discernment. I will offer myself as an empty vessel, a broken vessel. Can the potter re-mold me? If I let God?
If I let God.
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