Diakonia

Mark 9:33-37

           When I was ordained a Deacon of the church,  a friend told me the title only confirmed what everyone already knew I was. I was a Deacon inside with a heart of service, diakonia. That doesn't mean I am particularly saved any more than anyone else. It simply means that there is a part of me that wishes to serve others and that the church recognized that. Of course it involved a considerable amount of theological training in the seminary. Leave it to the church to create such elaborate and cumbersome requisites to confirm what is in my heart. I assure you, no such training was required in the early church of any deacons, priests or of the Apostles.

            The heart of this passage though is all about service to others. It has nothing to do with guilt or reparations or penance. It simply is stating that whoever wishes to be first would be the one who serves all. It immediately quashes the personal desire to be first and lets you focus on the others. I can tell you that at the very least, it yields a very happy heart. Long before any reflections on service or nay assessing of the whole experience, there is a a great joy in your heart simply from doing for others. This was true whether I was stirring cauldrons of soup, lifting boxes, witnessing in a small mountain Dominican Republic village or pounding sheet rock for Habitat for Humanity. It brings such joy to your heart it can barely be contained. It's as if you have found the true meaning of life.

           Perhaps it is the true meaning of life. Aside from finding out the particulars of who you are as a person and having an intimate relationship with your creator, God created us to serve others. This is an extension of serving and loving Him. For this I believe we are richly rewarded and blessed.  In serving our brothers and sisters, we are loving the one who created them. God smiles.

           Diakonia!

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

Taking up your Cross

Luke 9:18-27

          Today at services a Monk preached about listening to God much as a child listens to a parent. Children must be told over and over many times, God must tell us over and over. God reminds us what he wants us to do, perhaps really, it's what we need to do to be fulfilled as humans and as children of God. When you don't listen to a parent, the result is often punishment of some kind. When you don't listen to God, the result is further reminders. I often say however that when God wants you do something he gently nudges and eventually comes back with a 2x4 to give you the message.  The question of God punishing us though came up in a post service discussion with a friend. She feels God does in fact throw punishments our way. I am not so certain. I do believe that we wind up punishing ourselves when we don't listen. The ultimate punishment for turning away from God is sending ourselves to hell. I don't think God sends us to hell. I think we do that on our own.

            So then what to say to my friend who thinks God throws punishments our way when we refuse to listen or make mistakes (sin).  I still do not believe that God throws punishments our way like some Greek God that likes to toy with us mortals. Life is quite complicated and while I think we bear responsibility for a great deal of torment that winds up coming our way, there is the very true expression that sh#@ just happens. Perhaps some will trace  the evils to that first apple bite. I believe that many of our problems result from a generalized negativism and social sin that we seem willing to engage in. We fail to be attentive to what is important which is the love of God and each other. Heaven knows there are a great many evils in the world caused by not loving ourselves. Many people just cannot accept that they are lovable.

           All these evils that we experience and problems seem to me not so much punishments meted out by God but are crosses to bear, crosses to carry and opportunities to love.  It is our great capacity to love, that noun and verb that is what God really is always throwing our way instead of punishment that can cure all the evils and problems of our world.

           Crosses to bear are not something that we seek or long for. It is accepting life, changing the things we can and above all learning from what is going on. Using everything as an opportunity to love.  No, I do not believe God throws punishments our way. But crosses can be gifts if they are opportunities to learn and love.

         

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ They answered, ‘John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Messiah of God.’

He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, ‘The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.’

Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.’

Stop, don't write, meditate

Sirach 43:1-12,27-32

            I like a varied prayer life. There are certain forms of prayer that I am very comfortable with and each of us has ways of speaking with God that we find comfort in.

          This reading to me is what I might have written as a form of prayer, though I cannot imagine I could ever write it as well.  This prayer is the result of being present to a daily life, seeing what is around you and realizing where it all has come from.  It is beautiful as is and I cannot comment on it or reflect on it except to say, for today simply read this and be present to our creator. 

The pride of the higher realms is the clear vault of the sky,
   as glorious to behold as the sight of the heavens.
The sun, when it appears, proclaims as it rises
   what a marvellous instrument it is, the work of the Most High.
At noon it parches the land,
   and who can withstand its burning heat?
A man tending a furnace works in burning heat,
   but three times as hot is the sun scorching the mountains;
it breathes out fiery vapours,
   and its bright rays blind the eyes.
Great is the Lord who made it;
   at his orders it hurries on its course. 

It is the moon that marks the changing seasons,
   governing the times, their everlasting sign.
From the moon comes the sign for festal days,
   a light that wanes when it completes its course.
The new moon, as its name suggests, renews itself;
   how marvellous it is in this change,
a beacon to the hosts on high,
   shining in the vault of the heavens! 

The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven,
   a glittering array in the heights of the Lord.
On the orders of the Holy One they stand in their appointed places;
   they never relax in their watches.
Look at the rainbow, and praise him who made it;
   it is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness.
It encircles the sky with its glorious arc;
   the hands of the Most High have stretched it out. 

We could say more but could never say enough;
   let the final word be: ‘He is the all.’
Where can we find the strength to praise him?
   For he is greater than all his works.
Awesome is the Lord and very great,
   and marvellous is his power.
Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can,
   for he surpasses even that.
When you exalt him, summon all your strength,
   and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough.
Who has seen him and can describe him?
   Or who can extol him as he is?
Many things greater than these lie hidden,
   for I have seen but few of his works.

Revelations in due time

Galatians 4:1-12

           This passage speaks to the ways in which we act and remain under guardianship until the proper time, when we gain maturity and wisdom.  This is a case I have argued for quite some time.

            Do you believe in mesons and bosons? This is heavy physics for sure but they do exist. I am sure God has known all about this stuff, after all it was from his mind that it was all created. We are still trying to figure it out (as best we can). If, as the literalists suggest, the Bible is the actual words of God, why didn't he speak of mesons and bosons, the fact that the earth revolves around the sun and that it really isn't quite a "dome" that sits over the land as if we are living on a silver platter and about to be revealed as today's speacialite du jour. No, God did not present the world that way when he inspired the Biblical authors (plural) to set down on paper, rocks or papyrus the story of His love for us and our devotion to him (or her as the case could very easily be).  What good would it have done if he relayed such in depth information to us? Could we possibly have understood? If God told Og (the caveman) anything other than a grunt, would Og have understood?  Why is it that our Savior appears in our history thousands of years after recorded history begins?

          Let me ask you another question., why didn't you give your son a brand new car on the day he was born?  Perhaps such a gift would be inappropriate. He wasn't ready for it.

          God reveals himself all the time. The Spirit of our living God is around us, helping us to see and understand truths that we not have been able to understand or have not been ready for.  And so there is a story of creation (2 actually in Genesis) in terms we could understand at the time. We thought the sun revolved around the earth and we eventually grew up a bit more and understood that it just isn't so.  Then too, we realized that Bible was not condoning slavery. The Spirit of God prevailed and recognized the dignity and freedom for all men and women. Even the dignity of women was not always a recognized right. Unfortunately, slavery and women's rights are still not universal across the globe. There was a  time in the late 1800's that the Pope said that suspension bridges were 'of the devil'. We know better I think.

          What I am going for here is the recognition that the time has come, inspired by the Spirit, guided by correct interpretation of scripture and principle of law, that God given rights to love, and live committed rights also belong to the LGBTQ community. It seems that not too many years ago we cowered in the corners, closeted and fearful. It is amazing what happens when you step into the light of day. It is even more amazing to me what happens in your life when you step into the light of Christ.

           Gay people are not better or no worse than anyone else. If there is a propensity to sin in any way it is no more prevalent in the gay community than in any other. If you think otherwise, I would consult the statistics on divorce, infidelity or hang outside a singles bar to see how straight people really act. I am not indicting straight people, simpling noting behavior, good or bad, might be considered universal.

          The time has come when we can now understand more than we ever did.  I pray for the time we can all realize that we do not need to fight wars. I pray we can realize the rights and privileges of all God's creations. Perhaps that even means ALL animals, maybe one day we'll all be vegetarians, who knows. I want to to be open to the Spirit. Right now I am praising God and thanking Him for the Spirit that is helping us realize that yeah, he created Gay people who are part of his created world and are worth the same love and respect as everyone else.

           

4

My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; ²but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. ³So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits^* of the world. ⁴But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. ⁶And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our^* hearts, crying, ‘Abba!^* Father!’ ⁷So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.^*

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. ⁹Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits?^* How can you want to be enslaved to them again? ¹⁰You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years. ¹¹I am afraid that my work for you may have been wasted.

12 Friends,^* I beg you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong.

Queer masterpiece

Romans 14:13-23

          I didn't realize I was gay until I was about 50 years old. Pretty amazing eh?  Well, I suppose I could list a whole host of reasons and assign blame. That would serve no purpose really. I also realized that if it took me 50 years to come to terms with myself, how could I expect anyone else to come to terms with it overnight. After all, for 50 years it seemed I was a different person. Even if it was unintentional or a matter of subconscious survival techniques, I had acted straight and pursued a way of living that really was at odds with being gay. Perhaps that's the real reason I had to come to terms with my sexuality. The more I went one way. The more my psyche was forcing me to address who I really was or I would break down mentally. I was coming close, I know that. Thank God for therapy. Thank God, period.

          It's obvious to me that I cannot be a person who judges or places stumbling blocks in other peoples way as this passage states. I should be the last one to do that. I recognize the incredible journey of love and faith I have been on my whole life and part of that was acknowledging that I am gay, as God created me. Good, sexy, lovable as well as all the other attributes people have known me for my entire life. I am a good person. The journey has been rough but no one has judged me. Or at least I have allowed no one to judge me save my saviour, my creator, my God.

            Our journeys to become the masterpieces God created is not an easy task for anyone and every journey is different. Everything about us is different in one way or another. In that respect we are all queer and we should all respect that as well as each and every journey to wholeness.

            There should be no judgements, no stumbling blocks, only love and encouragement.

Let us therefore no longer pass judgement on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling-block or hindrance in the way of another. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. If your brother or sister is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual edification. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for you to make others fall by what you eat; it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve. But those who have doubts are condemned if they eat, because they do not act from faith; for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Masterpiece

Acts 15:7-21

            There was sharp disagreement between the Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians (if I may be allowed to even make such a distinction). The fact is, in that early fledgling church, they did make a distinction.  Even then, there was a sense of them and us. What have we done to deserve salvation? What have we done to earn the love of God and the Spirit of the living God?

            We have done nothing, absolutely nothing. We could never, in a thousand lifetimes, earn enough, do enough or love enough to actually earn the love of God. We are not capable enough and His love for us is so immense. His love is beyond our comprehension.  So on what do we base the gifts that He has given us? Purely love and our faith.

            When each one of us is born we are masterpieces of his handiwork. But not just then, from the moment we were conceived in God's mind we are masterpieces and He has great plans for us. We are a piece of the puzzle that He knows is needed to complete His design of creation. We may never discern it but He knows what that purpose is. On a fundamental level that purpose is to love and to seek him.

              So there is no need to place a 'yoke on the necks of the disciples' (us) that God does not place there. God gives all freely, willingly and lovingly. All we need do is accept and  know from where our riches come. Appreciate God's love, revel in it, celebrate it and share it.

              We have been given all this freely and with abundant love.

After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.’

The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, ‘My brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first looked favourably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written,
“After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen;
   from its ruins I will rebuild it,
     and I will set it up,
so that all other peoples may seek the Lord—
   even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called.
     Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago.”
Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues.’

Spiritual evolution

Wisdom 13:1-9

          You better not curse the wind there Og, or the the wind God will send a tornado and blow us away. At some point a tornado does come as fate would have it and viola, the existence of the wind God is confirmed. Status of Og unknown.

            When men were Ogs and women were non-Ogs, their understanding about the world was quite far removed from anything we know today but they grasped the concept of a higher being. We all do. Even when we find out about mesons, and 'God particles' we'll have to ask "who created the God particle?" The more we know, the more we don't know.

           So we are apparently or supposedly smart enough to know that there is no God of the wind, there is no God of the rain.  What we do know is that behind everything that exists, there is the one God. That is, not the Sun God but the Son of God.  When we see all the things that we see around us, a wise person recognizes that they are all from God, created by God as a clue to his being and love for us. Of course the biggest clue is a no brainer, he died on a cross for us.

           In our own time we sometimes reference different Gods. We make God's of our jobs, material possessions and accomplishments. We may think we earn things, relationships and accomplishments. The truth is, we really earn nothing. Really. We may cooperate with the gifts and talents God has given us but in the end, everything in some form or another is a gift from God.  That is where we should focus.

            We are old enough (as beings) to recognize that there is one God who created us and loves us. There is no God of the rain, the weather or anything else although the Spirit of God pervades everything. Realize that and dwell on that.

For all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature;
and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know the one who exists,
nor did they recognize the artisan while paying heed to his works;
but they supposed that either fire or wind or swift air,
or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water,
or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world.
If through delight in the beauty of these things people assumed them to be gods,
let them know how much better than these is their Lord,
for the author of beauty created them.
And if people were amazed at their power and working,
let them perceive from them
how much more powerful is the one who formed them.
For from the greatness and beauty of created things
comes a corresponding perception of their Creator.
Yet these people are little to be blamed,
for perhaps they go astray
while seeking God and desiring to find him.
For while they live among his works, they keep searching,
and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are beautiful.
Yet again, not even they are to be excused;
for if they had the power to know so much
that they could investigate the world,
how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?