A Franciscan thought

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

      Today's passage tells us to 'fix the words of God as an emblem on your forehead' and to 'bind them as a sign on your hands'.
     
      There was a time not too long ago when hanging an incredibly large and ornate cross on one's chest was popular. It would have seemed more likely to be seen on the robes of some Eastern Orthodox Patriarch than on someone wearing a t-shirt and jeans. The bling seemed designed to assure that the weight alone around your neck would be a constant reminder of how you should behave and who your Savior really is. 

     When I was in the seminary I ran across an oversized weighty text that spelled out the myriad assignments of robes, sashes and the religious accoutrements necessary for every occasion.  I will not bet on whether you would be surprised or not at the extent of official attire required to function properly in the Roman Catholic church. All I can say is, Jesus wore a simple robe and sandals with dusty feet underneath. It is sad to think that adornments and dress become a norm and it would seem almost a mortal sin if such attire is not adhered to.

       Isn't it sad that we would need anything other than our actions to show or prove our faith?  I am reminded of the saying attributed to St. Francis that admonishes us to preach the Good News always and if necessary, use words.

       The real message is right there up front in the first line of today's passage. Like a good writer, start off by 'telling them what you are going to tell them'.  It simply noted to keep the words of God in our hearts. From there we get to ways to accomplish the task.

      I am not going to advocate tattoos on foreheads, blingy crosses emblazoned on your chest or even a string on your finger to remind you 'who loves ya baby'? Whatever we do I think it should be something personal, practical, meaningful and unobtrusive. Perhaps you might consider a humble wooden cross held safely to your chest under your clothes?  Perhaps a Franciscan Cross?  This seems like a great idea to bring Lent and your entire life forward with a plan to make God's word always, willingly and intentionally close to your heart. 

       

      

    
      

Graced moments, graced lives

Psalm 71:17

     Oh God, you have taught me since I was young,
          and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.




   












     I really love labyrinths. Not too long ago I described one of my most powerful and memorable experience on a labyrinth. The method suggested that I use, and the one I did follow, allowed me to regress in time until the moment when God herself conceived me. One of the joys of that journey backwards in time is that I was able to focus on countless moments of my life. Births, deaths, marriage, ordination, first dates, being held up at gunpoint, childhood crushes, old friends, playing in the dirt, singing in a boys choir, skipping along Prince avenue whistling a happy tune, having my daily Hoffman ginger ale and lady fingers with the spinster ladies next door when I was just a tiny lad, the reactions of my 3 brothers when I was brought home from the hospital and yes, the center of the labyrinth when God decided what the world needed is me. Just me. Little old me. Graced me.

       My entire life has been a blessed journey. There have gifts of the presence of so many wonderful, holy and loving people that I am humbled and in awe of the efforts by God to bring me out. God, who attends to me and loves me with reckless abandon.  I can't help but think of that song from The Sound of Music ...Somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good.

         In order to get in touch with who you really are, with the fullness of your humanity as Jesus lived, we are given the gift of Lent, a time of preparation.  Make good use of your time. Find the time to appreciate the gift and graced life you have and that you are. 

Pillory or Yoke

Matthew 11:28-30

     Does anyone know the difference between a pillory and a yoke?  I used to get them confused, they seemed similar. But whereas a pillory is a means of constrictive punishment, the yoke oddly enough is basically the opposite.

     A yoke is a metaphor for so many things in life. When you want to accomplish something, when you have a big load to carry or a large task at hand, a little help goes a long way towards easing that burden.  Two people carrying a refrigerator is much easier than one. More importantly, when we share our sorrow, the sorrow is shared and lessened. When we share our joys the joy is increased exponentially. No matter how simple or complex, how devastating or hopeless a situation seems, sharing that burden with Christ lightens the load. Not only that, but the yoke allows Jesus to guide us in the right direction.

       You might read this and think, praying is not going to solve all my practical problems.
That seems almost narrow minded and defeatist in my mind. If we think the yoke is prayer alone, yes it is. However, if we realize the the yoke of Jesus, that guiding, loving helper is within all of us, then we open whole new doors and avenues of love. If I have cancer I would certainly pray, perhaps even double down on my prayers. But I would also seek professional help, doctors, oncologists etc. They too can be God's guiding, loving yoke, making our burdens lighter.

     I hope we can see how wearing the yoke of Jesus, who makes our burden light, can be as easy as our helping hands, a listening ear, a therapist or physician. Just as we are are the hands of Christ today, we can also be that guiding and loving yoke which we should willingly accept. 

fLaws in faith

     Adherence to the law is an interesting thing. Jesus himself said that he was not here to abolish the law.  Jesus said he was the fulfillment of the law. I always found that interesting because it seemed to me that in adding those two great commandments, it was more challenging to honour the original Ten. I've said countless times before, now we must look at those Ten with the light of love. We have to use our consciences and think about what killing is. Adultery is more than an act, it could be an ongoing internal fantasy. Lies are not just blatant lies, they are also half-truths, omissions and 'white lies' that we may have convinced ourselves we can get away with. It's not really a lie, is it?

     But we also know Jesus railed vehemently against the  Pharisees who created such a mountain of laws that virtually no one could follow.  So although Jesus is fulfilling the law, he is saying there is something more important. His love, law tempered with love and most importantly faith. Faith is one of those tricky words too. Like those two great commandments that make the first Ten just a wee bit harder to follow, Faith is an action word.  It is not enough to say I believe because true faith calls us to real actions of love, caring and commitment.

      The poor rich chap who approached Jesus and proclaimed that he followed all the laws and asked what more did he need to do to be saved. Jesus' answer is for him to give away everything he owned. Yikes!  So it is not about fulfilling every detail of legal minutia. What we are called to is faith and actions of love.

       What I truly find troubling is the subversion of God's word, the cherry picking of Scripture and lies and sin justified by 'faith'. This is so rampant today in religious political zealots whose agenda is not God's but their own will and political gain.

       The true faith is one that calls people to loving action, even political action but based on an inclusive and fervent love of everyone as their brother. This is why Martin Luther King Jr. had power. It was not his power but HIS power. He held truth to political power. He held truth to bastardizations of scripture that held people down. He held truth to power that kept systems in place that perpetuated evil.

        When we claim we have faith, even the smallest seed of faith, faith the size of a mustard seed, we are stepping up to the plate of action. We are putting Jesus' love into action. How are you doing that today? This Lent? For your life, literally, for your life?

        

        

     

     

Conception

Psalm 139:12-13

      For you yourself created my inmost parts;
           you knit me together in my mother's womb
     I will thank you because I am marvelously made;
           your works are wonderful, I know it well.

     Every so often I am brought back to a very thin place where I learned to take this passage to heart. I was on a labyrinth in Manhasset, New York. Sadly, the whole place has been torn down but the message received by me is forever etched into my heart and soul.

     On any given day there are probably millions of births on this planet of ours. We tend to think of them in biological terms. As a parent involved in the birth of their child we might see the miraculous nature of this event. Not so often though do we think of our own birth.

      Even less frequent, if ever, do we think about our conception in the mind of God. There is a moment in time as measure it, that God made a thought that what his created world needs is YOU and it was done. The rest might be biological but it is by God's choice and the design of God in every molecule and fiber of your being that God decided you would be you and God said, "this is good".

        If Lent is obliquely about getting in touch with our humanity, the real task if you will, is to find the uniquely human being that you are. Discover that person, revel in that person, promote all that that person has to offer, all that God created in you.

      This is no small task, a lifetime may not be enough time if you decide to appreciate and look at yourself. But it awesome. It is humbling. It is a magnificent task, like a flower unfolding or a butterfly being born. Unique. Lovely, special, Godly.

Subversive

Mark 2:13-22

        Whether you like change or not, I think it is safe to say that just about everyone likes life to go on pretty smoothly. Don't rock the boat! 

         One of the problems for Christians and especially at this very introspective time of year is that the teachings which we follow are those of a real radical, a grandly subversive individual named Jesus.

         In today's Gospel reading from the Liturgy of the Hours, we find Jesus doing things that our mothers taught us not to do. He associated with all the wrong sorts of people. Today it is tax collectors. They are the worst you know, sort of the pimps of Rome. Not liked at all. Yet Jesus pulls up a chair and dines with them and answers His detractors well.

        Later in the same passage Jesus' disciples are breaking the fast. Think back when meat on Fridays was unthinkable and considered a mortal sin if you dared break the rule. Jesus and his disciples do such things almost as a norm, almost as an in your face kind of act.

        In other passages, Jesus routinely consorts with women. Jesus spent some real quality time chatting with the woman at the well. She had several strikes against her. Woman. Samaritan. Questionable marital status. These marks were major stumbling blocks in ancient times. Jesus has no qualms about his association with her. 

       My favorite I'd have to say is Jesus curing the 'pais' of a Roman Centurion. This is so radical, even today. A soldier from the occupying army seeking Jesus to cure his pais. Strike one, soldier. Strike two, pais is translated as the subordinate male lover for the soldier, not a mere servant or slave.  Look it up in the Google.  Jesus' love is expansive, unlimited and subversive. Jesus cures the man.

         So what are we called to today in Lent 2018?  Are we as liberal with accepting God's outpouring of love on ourselves?  Am I capable of seeing through the happy horse shit of religion and society to be a beacon of God's love? Most of us don't have the audience Jesus had, nor do we have the calling. I do think we can see wrongs and try to right them. I do think we are capable of treating everyone the same way we would like to be treated. 

        Can we be subversive in the name of God? Love the unlovable? Speak truth to power?

        And speaking of power, my husband just walked into to say I probably should not have eaten sausage quiche for breakfast . . . . oh well!

Zaide ! Grandpa !

Proverbs 17:6

     This Scripture passage about grandchildren being the crown of the aged makes me smile. While I am not accustomed to thinking that I am ‘aged’ I always smile when I think of my grandchildren. I always smile when Grandpa! or Zaide! is yelled out.

     Jesus speaks about being like a child to get into the kingdom, I’d say being with grandchildren is heaven. I imagine almost all grandparents feel that way.

     As far as Lent, it might be a great idea to add a grandchild ( or child ) into your presence to see, appreciate and feel the unbridled joy, innocence, love and awe they exhibit.

     As far as grandchildren are concerned I see great freedom and love. I am not so concerned with the worldly things with them as I was when I was parenting their parents. There is genuine and total acceptance, love and a willingness to enter into their lives on their level. This seems a joyous task and one to expand on for all of us. How can we nurture the essence of being a grandparent to help us on our Lenten journey? How can we expand this superior model of love to everyone, even to ourselves?

Miracle of miracles

Luke 1:37

     I once knew someone whose rejection of religion / God was based on his observation that miracles did not happen. He was raised in  strictly Catholic home with Bible study an integral part. He could not see lame people walking, parting of seas or any of the ancient reports of miracles.  Now, I am a ardent follower of the notion that God can be clearly seen without benefit of  rules and rubrics, convoluted logic and philosophical treatises so often associated with, if not defined by organized religions. I do think my friend has been incredibly short sighted if not horribly myopic. So sad really, I want to tell him to go get a new pair of glasses! I see miracles every day and not just in the world but also in my own life. Perhaps especially in my own life.

      One only need look into the world around us and in our lives to see the miracles that are a hallmark of God and the actions of the Holy Spirit.

      I always searched for God. I was also raised Catholic although perhaps not as strict as my parents were divorced. Somehow I always sought to be closer to God. For decades I studied and prayed while living life. I married and raised a family, volunteered, studied, went to Church, retreats. I also sought a deeper and meaningful relationship with my Creator. I was ordained and in short order I began to have troubling emotional issues with what I know have come to realize is the fact that I am gay. This was an intensely troubling time. From the pulpit I was professing doctrines that I sensed were denying my very essence. Here's the rub. Somehow, while seeing no good choices in either direction, I found a path forward with God.  To me this is no small miracle and it got bigger. This is not to say there was no heartache or agony on my part or to my family. Seeing me through this was tough work, challenging and an emotional roller coaster. No choice seemed viable. I clearly can empathize with those that see suicide as an answer. I shudder to think that such a short sighted answer had crossed my mind at the time. I shudder to think what I would have done without God at my side, if not carrying me. Somehow I managed to come out, somehow I had the support of my family, somehow I met a truly magnificent man, soul mate and husband. Many, many somehows.

       When I see my life now and the myriad changes, twists and turns, I see nothing short of a miracle. At so many different steps in life, I have been blessed and it is miraculous.

      This goes on every day in all of our lives. Sometimes we refuse to see like my old friend. Sometimes we brush miracles off to the side.  Sometimes in our arrogance we think we actually did it ourselves.  I challenge you to look deeply at your own life and life around you. I guarantee you will be struck by the miracles in your own lives.

       As this is Lent, think about this miracle too: God so loved you, he become flesh to experience what you experience, to live like you live and then, in spite of all our mistakes and especially our sins, he died on a cross and rose for YOU and you alone.

Lenten spirituality, Lenten sexuality

Matthew 5:8

     Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God

     I often say that I can see the face of God in my feline friend George. It's true. I believe it.
George is loving, caring, aloof and all the things associated with being true to his creation - a cat.

     Our journey in Lent is to be fully human. Today's Scripture passage speaks of the pure in heart, part of litany in the beatitudes. Purity is directly associated with the heart, the seat of passion and love.

     I immediately hearken back to Catholic school where a good Sister would pronounce "make room for the Holy Spirit" when couples were dancing as if being close was impure.

     If we see our humanity as good, then the sexual aspect of it is also good, a gift from God. Strictly abstaining from our sexuality is wrong, a rejection of a gift. Embarking on sexual escapades and one night stands would also be wrong though, being disrespectful of one of God's beautiful gifts to us.

     So where does purity of heart enter into the equation? We could start simply with one of the two great commandments about 'doing unto others as you would have do unto you'. But perhaps sexuality should be looked at as a special and uniquely personal gift of our humanity that with sincerity, consideration and a genuine heart, is something deeply personal to be shared, celebrated and even elevated.

     In sharing the greatest gifts we have with one another we are catching a glimpse of the face of God. Our human nature, however masked by materiality, selfishness and any other distraction to  our wholeness, is in essence a peek into the face and essence of God who is all loving.

      Sexuality is a gift in which with pure heart, we can see the face of God.

Greater love

John 15:13

   No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends

   Quite sadly, this passage came to life just this week as a teacher in Florida acted as a human shield to protect students and gave the ultimate gift, his own life. That is love in action. Are we all called to such acts of bravery? Such incidents should be rare and again sadly, it is not so. So many acts of domestic terrorism are fresh in our memories. So much so that they may blurr in our minds. 

     As Lent moves forward how can we lay down our lives for our friends, our families, our fellow citizens and humans of all races? Just as we cannot take strictures like 'thou shall not kill' simply literally (because you can easily kill someone's spirit with words just as easily as a gun) , the converse is also true. How can we 'lay down our life' for our friends without physically dying? I think we are called to at least do this. 

      How do we give life to others then? Remember 'random acts of kindness'? Small loving acts can yield great results. Thoughtfulness, courtesy, inclusion, caring, listening all help heal and promote life. I am certain I have given the cliff notes version and for every person that reads this, there would be yet another way they can think of to promote love and life in their own corner of the world.  We may never know what our actions may yield but I know they will create a better world and at a grass roots level.

        Going full circle, wouldn't it be an act of love and life to take some action towards realistic gun control? A small act on our part ( a small dying to ourself ) may help save a life. Contacting our legislators, openly advocating for sensible regulations.  If Lent is to be fully human as Jesus showed us, then we must respect and protect life, not in simply a 'pro-birth' narrative, but in respecting life in every way and in every form. Birth to death and the entire planet as well.

The Franciscan

Mark 1:12

     I have some blank card stock that speaks of 'entering in the desert where you will hear God speak'. This card is from one of my favorite thin places, that is, a place where I find God easily found and clearly present. It is a Benedictine Priory.

     I have often spoken of pulling yourself aside to listen; I speak of trying to find those thin places in our lives so that we can hear the voice of God.

     In this morning’s Gospel reading from Mark we see that Jesus' response to his baptism is to enter into the desert to hear the voice of his father. The odd thing that I notice is that in the same sentence that it is noted how angels waited on him, that Satan is also their tempting him. Both good and evil present at the same time.

This is most challenging, to know that in everything we do, all day long we are presented with good and evil. Angels assisting, the devil tempting. Even perhaps in our sacred times of prayer. How can we train ourselves or be present enough to focus in on the good and vacate the power of evil that often seems more in control of what’s going on around us? Clearly not an easy task, especially today but one that we know Jesus also had to face in his days on earth.

     In light of such reading that merely states to us the obvious of what we seem to live with every day, sadly I cannot come up with any brilliant wisdom. What I am going to do is focus on the prayer of St. Francis. I suggest you Google it, print yourself a copy if need be, keep it in your pocket, in your mind and in your heart.

Auto or Bike ?

Matthew 18:1-5

    I can go from my home to my husbands office by car, about 15 miles, in about 30 minutes. I have done the same ride by bicycle and it takes me about 2 hours. The trips are vastly different and if it were a contest of speed the car would win hands down. Very efficient and I can accomplish so much more. 

     The bike ride however boasts some benefits that today's Scripture passage speaks of. If we are to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, if we are to be our best, to be childlike and what we are meant to be then the bike ride wins.

      When I bike,  I reignite my sense of wonder. I reconnect with creation and appreciate so much that I totally miss zipping by at 45 mph.  The sights of animals in the fields, the smells of freshly mowed grass, the fields, the sounds of streams gurgling and birds singing.

     I am not advocating everyone get out on their bicycle, it seems it would be fool hearty in many areas of the nation today. It also isn't suitable for everyone. This is not a message sponsored by Schwinn or Trek. It is a reflection on ways in which I can reconnect with my sense of awe, my childlike nature that Jesus notes we should strive for. To be like a child.

       I can think of other ways to calm the socialized adult beast within me. Hiking, walking a labyrinth, sitting on my lanai in the early morning or simply taking time to sit and center on nothingness, erasing any adult agendas from my mind. Taking time to play with my grandchild, sitting on the floor playing cars or with wooden trains, I get lost in vroom-vrooms and toot-toots.  It is magical and holy.

       How can we still ourselves and awaken the child within? We are filled with a desire if not a need to play, to be 'taken away' and appreciate God in the world.

The High School Lunch Table

Luke 22:14

     There is a scene common to all of us from high school. Who gets to sit at which lunch table. There are the geeks, the jocks, thespians, band, the goth table and perhaps the "in" crowd. Which table are you welcome at? Isn’t it a great feeling when someone says to you, come sit here with us? Isn’t it perhaps an even nicer feeling when you just know that you can simply come to a table of friends and plop yourself down, certain of your place.

     This  brings to mind everyone that does not feel welcome for one reason or another. Too religious? Too gay? Handicapped? Black, Indian, Asian, Hispanic.

     There are so many factors involved in including people as well as reasons you might be excluded from the table. Timing, friendship, generosity and abundance, inclusiveness.

As someone who was neither geek, nerd nor jock , I was one who probably exhibited some kind of gay pheromone (even if it took me 50 years to recognize it ), I know how it feels to not be welcome at the table. I empathize with the marginalized and those who do not feel welcome at the table. Really, the people who are intentionally excluded from the table.

     Questions that come to my mind from this short scripture passage today are very timely. The questions are very much about abundance, our faith, how big our table is, our generosity and who our brothers and sisters are in this world. Who do we welcome at our table? Come to think of it, what is our table? What does our faith call us to do especially during this Lenten season?

     As a reference point I do now that Jesus dined at table with some very unlikely and seemingly undesirable sorts. Prostitutes. Tax collectors. Lepers. Women. Taken in the historical context of His time here on earth, Jesus was a downright radical.   So I ask, what is your table and who is welcome?

Finding Jesus. Was he lost?

Luke 2:46-48
   
   

     I don’t know what is more astounding, Mary and Joseph ‘losing track’ of their son for 3 days ( not looking good there for Joseph and Mary ) or the fact that this child is found in the temple teaching the teachers as it were. Sounds a bit like Sheldon only of the religious variety.

      We may have a really great plan for Lent, fasting, daily prayers perhaps, a retreat? All good ideas for sure but have we ‘lost’ the ability to be astonished and struck with awe by the unexpected? To hear God as she speaks to us. The religious leaders surely didn’t expect it,  Jesus teaching them. The Apostles, professional fishermen that they were, did not expect a carpenter to tell him them to throw their nets in ‘one more time’ after a failed night of fishing only to take in the motherload. There was so much fish the boat almost sank. 

     In the face of what I suspect might be reasonable panic on the part of Mary and Joseph, they are confronted with an astounding realization about their son. I am not sure I would be looking for such an astounding answer when I am looking for a totally different answer to a totally different question. I like to think I am open to the Spirit but I know that I like my prayers answered in direct response to what I am looking for. 

     We really are not capable of knowing the mysterious ways of God.  In fact, I am not sure we can imagine what God has in store for us. I know that is true for me and my life.

      What I do know, is that we must remain open to God's constant calling, beckoning us closer to wholeness, to our true selves fully engaged and full of Her loving presence.

Remember human that you are dust . . . . . .

Happy Ash Wednesday !

     Many years ago  I was on a retreat in the Canadian Rockies.  On one particular morning I arose and walked into the midst of the valley where we had camped. I was there with mountains and enormous rock formations all around me. I felt like a speck in the midst of creation. At the same time I had an overwhelming sense of one-ness with my surroundings, like I was at home, like I came from the dirt, the dust. One creation.  Still, there was the majesty of which I was an integral part.

      So we come from dust. The message is not to delve into our insignificance but to delve into the majesty of which we belong, of which we are. Lent is about entering fully into our humanity, our dustiness and our glory.  

     Jesus' journey from Incarnation to God's gift to us in His death and rising is also our journey.  God made each of us with great intent , specificity and love. It is our journey, each and every one of us, to enter into the dustiness of life and the fullness of being human. Most especially, Lent should be a time when we enter into our very own humanity, that which makes us unique, loved and special.  Embracing our own incarnation if you will. 

       This journey of ours is not unlike a seed sprouting into a beautiful flower or perhpas more appropriate, a cocoon in which we live and on Easter we emerge as the magnificent butterfly God has made each of us to be.