Fearless

Luke 12:13-31

        Death is a funny thing. We all know in some recess of our mind that we are not immortal, at least in a human sense. We know one day our life will end. It seems easy enough to put that out of our mind. In a way we are conditioned not to think about it because we have a long history of sleeping and waking day after day after day.

        Perhaps there are some moments in our life when we come closer to death than we care to. The death of a loved one or an accident in which we narrowly escape death. I recall an event 20 years ago when an oil truck rear ended a car on wet pavement. The car took off like a croquet ball and the tanker started spinning around like it was dancing on ice and it headed right for me, stopped at the opposing stoplight. It came to rest mere feet from the front of my car, nose to nose. I giggled an uneasy giggle all day, maybe all week knowing what might easily have happened. And then there are the times we witness the death of our loved ones. I was present when my good friend Joe eased from this life into the next after a valiant fight for life. It was surreal.

        Today I am facing my own personal view of dying. I can only suspect it would be fully appreciated by someone who has cancer, someone on death row awaiting a last minute appeal or someone like myself who has a ripening aneurysm. You are facing the real possibility that you may not wake up the next morning like you always have for years on end.

       It is interesting to know that you could easily die with not much more than a moments notice. How devastating to say goodbye to the people you love so intensely. My husband, my muse, my lover, my friend. My most wonderful children and two of the most adorable grandsons that I have been graced with, my family and friends.

         I do know that Jesus knew he was going to die. I do have an inkling now how he must have felt as his gut wrenched knowing he was saying good bye to his mom, his friends, perhaps his lover? and his Apostles. Jesus enjoyed companionship as much as he enjoyed communing with his father in the desert. The transition truly is gut wrenching.

         Knowing you may meet your maker makes you fearless though. You can see the prize of heavenly reward almost in front of you. The joy of such a meeting becomes not something to be feared but something to embrace even if you have absolutely no desire to say goodbye to loved ones. In fact I would vote an emphatic NO to leave my loved ones.  Yet in the face of being graced with such a wonderful husband, children and life, isn't it selfish to ask for more?

      Such is the mental anguish of being on the edge. Working feverishly to have yourself "fixed", doing all the tests, doing all they say to do and not doing what you have been accustomed to doing, and waiting, knowing, anticipating, accepting whatever is coming. Frankly it sucks but face it you must, one way or another. Coming face to face with the real possibility you will meet your maker perhaps sooner than later. You don't take for granted the waking day after day after day any longer.

       I say all this as a form of self therapy for sure. But on a day like today when we think of those that have died before us, those who have enriched our lives and who they themselves have gone to meet their maker, it seems wholly appropriate to think about my own mortality.

       Aside from the actual moment of death, there is a freeing moment here in my life, right now, ever present that I have been so graced and to make every moment precious because it truly is. Every moment is a graced moment. Oh if we could only live our whole life that way. It certainly is freeing and it certainly makes you fearless.

      

Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;^* yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying.For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Science, faith and love

Luke 13:31-35

          The Internet has been awash lately with the machinations within the Roman Catholic church. There appears to be at least some who are willing to tackle the tough questions (tough for the church, pretty easy for most everyone else). The Pope is being what he should be and what you would expect of a true vicar of Christ.  He seems less concerned with the rules and rubrics and more concerned with love , compassion and understanding. He may have to drag some of the Cardinals and Bishops kicking and screaming (and whining ) into the modern era. Some will never relent in their stubbornness.

          There was a Clergyman who not too long ago who presided over and blessed the marriage of his gay son. The preacher was brought up on charges within his church and convicted (it that's the correct word). That conviction as I understand it has recently been removed.

           They say that the Roman Church moves at a snails pace where centuries not days, weeks months or years are the unit of measurement. The Pope was in the news yesterday for confirming the acceptance of the Big Bang theory as well as evolution and that neither diminishes or denies the existence of God. He stated what I have always held, that such theories only make God even more magnificent. The Biblical story is absolutely correct in that it explains that God created the world. The fact that it may have been a Big Bang so to speak does not deny the fact that God was behind the Big Bang itself. God becomes even more awesome, more of a mystery than we can comprehend. 

            These battles of science and faith seems terminal in many ways. In my mind it seems so unnecessary. Science actually enriches faith. False logic, ignorance and tradition (often used in faith arguments) seem to doom formal religion. That will be sad for humanity because we do have a ingrained desire and need to search for our creator. It seems horribly sad that rules and rubrics destroy the very thing that is supposed to support and promote our natural call to our creator.

         What lies in the wings of such confusion and fights for power? All of humanity and especially the ones marginalized for one reason or another. Look throughout history for the labels of those who have been denied and marginalized by formal religions, especially the Roman church. Native Americans, African Americans, women, divorced and members of the LGBTQ community. They have suffered and continue to suffer.

         What we need is to embrace science, scholarly scriptural study and especially the love and faith that is exhibited in the Holy Spirit.

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’

The Calling to be all that you can be

Ephesians 4:1-16

             A very popular question you might hear is "what's your sign?" Many people give credence to astrology and the role it may play in our lives. I don't have an opinion either way except to say that perhaps God has many ways in revealing himself to us. But the question itself  calls to mind a broader question that's mentioned in this passage, lead a life worthy of the calling. 

               What is our calling? You've certainly heard the expression "he or she received the calling".  I have always been of the belief that it referred to a person being called by God to ministry. I had broadened my definition a bit when I saw how physicians and nurses worked. They work hard and long hours not dictated by a clock but dictated by a higher, broader responsibility. I believe being a physician or nurse is something more than a job then, it's a calling.

                Where does that leave the rest of us? After some thought I realize we are all called.  While we may not be called to ministry and we may not be called to serve others in medicine we are none the less all called. What are we called to?

                 That is the BIG question now isn't it.  First, being called presumes you are listening. Putting that aside for a minute, we are called by virtue of our creation. God created each and every one of us as a unique, highly loved and cherished being. Those things that make us special and unique, the fact that we are children of God, calls us to be all that we were created to be. We are called to offer all that we are to all of our brothers in sisters in the best way we can. Basically, be all that you can be, all that you were meant to be. After that, listening is key.

                I have come to great deal of self knowledge in my life. In my search for who I am, I did a great deal of listening. One of the biggest chunks of self knowledge about myself is that I am gay. I didn't come to that realization until I was about 50 years old. It is integral to who I am and how I love and serve God. But before I came to that epiphany, I was still a loved, created being of God trying to be the best I could be, listening for God's 'calling'.  This kind of listening led me to such wonderful experiences as running soup suppers, volunteering to serve food on Thanksgiving day, being involved with small Christian communities, volunteering in the Dominican Republic and hammering nails for habitat for humanity with my church.  I would  consider of all of these 'callings'. 

                 So, although my definition of 'the calling' has vastly expanded over the years, the one most important calling is the one to be whom God created  you to be. To be all you can be, all that you are.

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

But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said,

‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;

   he gave gifts to his people.’ 

(When it says, ‘He ascended’, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

Our lifeboat

1 Corinthians 10:15-24

          "we who are many are one body". For whatever reason all I could think of is a movie I have not seen in decades, Lifeboat. It's quite a movie and the world as it existed was a single lifeboat and it's occupants. It might be an interesting movie to watch, especially after reading this today.  What happens might be an interesting analogy to life.

           Imagine a camera and move out, way out so that what you see is a beautiful blue orb - earth. That is our lifeboat and we who are many are one body, the creations of our heavenly Father. How do we handle that? What do we do with that knowledge , that realization if you will?

           We know how we are called to act and perhaps we think about it it terms of our family, our neighbors, our coworkers, maybe as citizens of the United States. What about as citizens of the  world? 

            There is a great irony in a growing trend of isolationism. The premise is that we should spend less money and have perhaps less concern for the needs of the rest of the world and focus more on the needs here at home. Even worse, there are calls to cut many social safety nets at home and diminish help and lower taxes at home. The extreme irony of this kind of thinking is that it comes from the far right Christian conservatives when in fact such thoughts are the furthest from what Christians are called to do. This kind of thinking and policy is the furthest from what Jesus would do. This, in a country of enormous gifts.

             We amass vast fortunes here in the United States as if capitalism and business were part of our founding documents. I would not agree against being rich. Being wealthy in itself is no sin. I would however point out that hearses do not have luggage racks. The fact that we have the money and resources to help millions and have the moral and religious responsibility to do so as a nation and as individuals is quite indicting compared to what we actually do.  What we consume in every single measure as a percentage of the 'lifeboats' population and resources is simply sinful on the grandest of scales.

              Now would be the time to get Lifeboat from Netflix or some other place. How are we called to act even ( or especially ) while we recognize the evil in the world. God has great compassion and love for every single one of us, saints and sinners. Into which category do we wish to be aligned? What are our duties as citizen of earth, our 'lifeboat'? 

I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? What do I imply then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

‘All things are lawful’, but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful’, but not all things build up. Do not seek your own advantage, but that of others.

I'll show you mine if you show me yours

Luke 13:1-9

          It's curious how we count our blessings and lament the troubles we have. Perhaps it's a fine line between seeing the good in something bad and revelling in the bad. It's the difference between a masochist and a person who sees a silver lining in everything. I am certainly not looking for any trouble myself. Life seems to dole out problems as it is. Illness, violence, poverty, hatred. There is no need to to seek the wrongs that life holds. Our mission is to overcome and put our talents to work to at least alleviate the pain and suffering.

           The curious part to me is how we all handle life's problems. Some lament how bad they have it. They use it as a spotlight on themselves, an attention getter that is supposed to show how they have it worse than everyone else and that they deserve all the attention. There are people like that. Still others accept their problems but make them seem easier to bear or justified as not as bad as someone else.  'Sure I have cancer but thank God I'm not like that one that has AIDS'. Something that makes them seem better than the morally repugnant AIDS patient. 'Lord know what they did to get that!'

         I myself have had (have, had?) numerous problems in my life. Sadly I will confess, I have sometimes sunk into the depressed feeling that it is all about me. Self pity is a willing leader.  In all life's challenges, it is not about me. When someone gets cancer or AIDS or someone close dies, it is not about them. I don't wish to say that they are not deserving of compassion, charity and understanding. 

        What I like to think is that even though life is fraught with challenges and problems, it is just that, a challenge. The challenge is to rise above whatever troubles we have. Use it as leverage. Is there someone who has a more serious problem that we could comfort?  Can we possibly see some good that comes out of our trial? Are we being called to be compassionate and understanding of others?  The big one might be, are we being called to appreciate life and the fragility of it? Is it a wake up call to our own limited amount of time here on earth?

        We all have 'issues' and problems. Is mine worse than yours? Are we going to play the game of "I'll show you mine if you show me yours"? As horrible as it is is dealing with what life throws us, perhaps it is better and more befitting of believers to focus our attention outward. If we truly are believers, it isn't about me, me, me. What it really is about is how "me" can effectively love others.

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

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

Martha, Martha, Martha and the high life

Luke 10:38-42

          There is a very pleasant woman at my work, Kathy, always friendly, a smile for everyone. As it turns out she is married to a preacher of one sort or another. I know him as well, he's a good man. Kathy and I started our friendship with "the word for the day" when one of us would come up with a word and we would think about it all day. Sort of a day long meditation if you will. Kathy sees my postings on FaceBook and knows many of the outings my husband and I go on. Trips, dinners, hikes and the gamut of our social life. She often says we are  "living the high life".  Perhaps it's true but I do not for a moment take it for granted. The fact is, we are not living beyond our means and we are quite frugal. We often do things that seem (are) exciting but cost little if no money. The excitement and pleasure comes from each other. We enjoy each others presence, companionship and love.  That elevates the ordinary to the extraordinary.  We know when it is time to work and we know balance is knowing when it is time to play. We make the time and effort.  Anyone can do what we do. I have told Kathy that too.

            Todays' reading seems timeless. I can see the same scenario played out today. People working hard at everything that's important and things that "must get done".  The end result is no time to do the truly important things. Time with God. Time with your lover (spouse?). Time with the kids. Time with yourself.  The scenario of Martha is so real.  Mary is the wise one and Jesus says she will not be deprived of it. Good for Mary.

            I often tell people they need to make time to pray. The truth is, they need to make time for many things and put aside things that are just not really that important.  My husband often quotes Tess McGill ( Melanie Griffith ) in Working Girl when she says "fringe time is crucial".  Using your time wisely is a skill that allows you to accomplish so much more and it isn't chores I am speaking of. That "extra" time you make is time that can be well spent with God, on yourself, with your spouse or kids.  Hubby has it right.

          In the meantime, all you Martha's out there, wake up and smell the coffee. You too can live the high life.  

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

Sinner and Saint

Hebrews 4:12-16

          I am a sinner. Who knows the extent of my sins?  Sometimes I think I am not fully aware of the extent of my sinfulness.  I could roll out a litany of sins like I was a child in the confessional but that is passe. What is more modern and more mature is to think about how I have strayed and why I have strayed.  Who cares how many times I did what? What is it that I have done and why?

          Selfishness, arrogance, greed, lust, vanity, hatefulness. I could go on. I am fully aware of my shortcomings, past and present. I am not wearing them like a necklace to be showed off and be proud of. What do I do with this self knowledge? Do I even dare approach the altar of God or speak to God in such a state? Ever?

           First of all, this passage points out we do not have a saviour, a high priest, who is unable to sympathize. Jesus was fully human in every way. Perhaps the stories of scripture have glossed over certain aspects of Jesus. Perhaps some aspects have been intentionally omitted to suit an agenda or an approved philosophy. Whatever, Jesus was fully human. Any person worth their salt knows that Jesus therefore understood everything, and I mean everything about being human. From anger and love, to sexuality and solitude, Jesus was there. It is from this knowledge that we know God understands all that we are and all the mistakes and foibles we have entered into.  From the greatest intentions and biggest lies we tell ourselves, God understands and still loves us.

            Scripture says to approach the throne with boldness. It is boldness born of self respect and humbleness combined into one being that God so graciously created in each of us. I know there is a careful balance that must be drawn between beating ourselves up over our mistakes and mistakenly thinking we can do no wrong. In fact, some people seem to feel that an acknowledgement, public or private, of wrongdoing is detrimental to their psychological well being. It just ain't so.

           Only by acknowledging our humanity and our divinity, each to the full, can we approach the throne of God boldly without being disrespectful to God that loves us '"with reckless abandon" as I say.

          Yes I am a sinner. Find out the way, try to sin no more and by all means approach the altar of God boldly as a beloved child of God.

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. 

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.