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.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
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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