Gospel text for Sunday 4 December 2022

Matthew 3.1-12        In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

                     "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Reflection        Finding his place in the mystery of the wilderness rather than in Roman baths or columned temple halls, grizzly John the Baptist is an anomalous character. Even though John's scraggly beard is crusty with legs of locust glued to globs of honey and he looks more like a hippie than a holy man, crowds listen to him. What is he saying?  “I am nothing. What I have to offer you is merely a bath in water that is nothing compared to the baptism by fire that the one who follows me will bring to you.” 

John consistently directs attention away from himself toward Jesus. “He who is coming after me is more powerful than me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals.” (Matt 3.11) Yet, even as John is a paragon of humility, he is an intrepid prophet fearlessly speaking truth to power. He not only calls for the people’s radical change, “repent and be baptized,” daring to criticize King Herod for marrying his brother’s wife, John also demands social justice. This does not end well for John who ultimately loses his head for it. But I am leaping ahead.

Even though he is a descendant of the priesthood of Aaron, as a comment against common corruption John renounces his rights to a position in the Temple. As a critic of injustice and exploitation the humble prophet John chooses to stand outside of Roman culture and condemn the status quo.  But, in keeping with his culture, John expects a Messiah to come and in a singular sweeping apocalyptic act set the world right. He declares, “(the Messiah) will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

John expects an all powerful Messiah King will bring an end to the corrupt status quo and institute a happily ever after life. This is where he and Jesus part ways.

Somewhere I read the contemporary Christian Testament scholar John Dominic Crossan’s description of a fundamental difference between John the Baptist and Jesus. According to Crossan both of them are interested in how the world will be transformed into the Kingdom of God. John believes the solution to the insoluble social situation depends on a deus ex machina, Divine apocalyptic intervention.  This means the kingdom of God is contingent on a God engineered catastrophic event that happens to the people and instantaneously results in peace and righteousness. 

By contrast, Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of God depends on actions through the people, socially conscious action taken to transform the misuse of power, position and privilege in the world. Rather than waiting for a distant god to provoke an apocalyptic event and instantaneously revolutionize the world, Crossan argues that Jesus assigns the responsibility for restoring peace and righteousness and remodeling the world to the slow work of the people. This represents an enormous advance in the development of human consciousness; from apocalyptic magical thinking to taking personal responsibility for the quality of life and care of all humanity.

What does this mean for us today? I believe it means taking a stand with Jesus and exercising the right use of position, power and privilege in response to human suffering; mass shootings, seditious conspiracy, hunger, obfuscation of truth, homelessness, hopelessness and every form of oppression and inhumanity. 

What does this mean for us today?  It means we, the people, must take responsibility to care for the roughly ten percent of the eight billion people in the world who are suffering from extreme poverty; beginning in our own country where nearly thirteen percent endure impoverishment. 

What does this mean for us today? It means we, the people, must speak truth to power, calling for responsibility, accountability and factuality. It means, with all humility we must use our hands and feet and voices to end hate, harm and hopelessness by living, acting and voting to insure dignity and care for all people, beginning where we stand.

No singular apocalyptic event, no messianic savior king or president, will bring to light the Kingdom of God on earth. But a million, a billion, countless trillion decisions made by each of us every single day will. We are meant to be humble prophets, standing shoulder to shoulder with John and Jesus, willing to renounce positions of power and privilege in the interest of claiming our shared responsibility for calling out corruption and being the kingdom of peace and righteousness on earth.

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Passion Narrative for Good Friday 15 April 2022

 

Link to Passion Narrative according to John   John 18:1-19:42 

Reflection        Each tentative step I had to pause, adjust the heft of the rough hewn cross on my shoulder as I made my halting way to the altar steps and there laid down the burden of the awkward Good Friday cross. Having completed my part of the liturgy, I sat down in the chancel facing the church half full of people.

One by one folks left their pew to wait in line to touch, bow before, kiss or weep over the stark symbol of suffering. It was not long before hot tears dripped like blood from my chin, painting dark stains on my mourning cassock as I watched the people wait in somber silence for their turn at the cross. Without favor my river of tears accompanied the wealthy, poor, elders and teens, beautiful and bent until the eyes of my heart rested on a person whom I always judged as having the perfect blessed life, and like lightening I “knew” with my heart what my head could not fathom. 

With the scales on my eyes washed away by my tears I “saw” the river of humanity flowing up the church aisle to reverence the Good Friday cross as one, one intimate and holy communion in suffering. Suffering, a great equalizer. Suffering cutting through every strand of diversity, born in the hearts of all human beings. 

Suffering is suffering. It is not better. It is not worse. It is not more and it is not less. Suffering is suffering. Great riches do not protect us from suffering. Neither does brilliance or poverty, good judgement or folly make our suffering less. In suffering we all participate. In suffering we all belong. This truth is stamped on my heart forever. In suffering we are all one holy communion.

Perhaps that is the good part of Good Friday. We cannot and we will not suffer alone. This night we weep the tears of the powerful and the poor, the dying and the to be born, the pious and pretentious, the murdered innocents and their perpetrators. This night we are one, one holy communion joined in suffering, suffering with God.

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Hebrew Testament Text for Sunday 17 October 2021

Job 38:1-7, 34-41

The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:

"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Gird up your loins like a man,

I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell me, if you have understanding.

Who determined its measurements—surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?

On what were its bases sunk,

or who laid its cornerstone

when the morning stars sang together

and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?

“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

so that a flood of waters may cover you?

Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go

and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

Who has put wisdom in the inward parts,

or given understanding to the mind?

Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?

Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,

when the dust runs into a mass

and the clods cling together?

“Can you hunt the prey for the lion,

or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

when they crouch in their dens,

or lie in wait in their covert?

Who provides for the raven its prey,

when its young ones cry to God, 

and wander about for lack of food?”

Reflection         God is God, unfathomable as the unborn, undying eternally all that is, and, at the same time God is bound at the center of the whirlwind of our suffering. God is the humility that tempers our pride. God is the generosity that empties our gluttony. God is the peace that eases our anger. God is the joy that supplants our suffering. God is all and beyond all, closer than our breath, ungraspable as mercury.

The sooner we get on our knees and admit our complete and utter dependence on God (not to mention unspeakable smallness in the face of all creation) the sooner we will experience the mysterious wisdom and grace of God in us and of us, with us and for us.

In all twelve step recovery programs the first and essential step toward freedom from a particular obsession, compulsion or addiction is to admit we are not in control, in other words, to get on our knees and surrender to something greater than ourselves. Which is the second step in every twelve step program, recognizing there is indeed something greater than ourself. The thing is, not all of us loose our freedom to drugs, alcohol, sex or gambling. Like Job some of us loose our freedom to ideas or images about ourselves; we are righteous, dutiful, smart, law abiding, altruistic, successful, philanthropic, good people, aren’t we?.

In the gospel according to Mark we meet Jesus as he “was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.”” (Mk10.17) Apparently Jesus was familiar with the Hebrew scriptures and took Job’s lesson to heart. God alone is good or righteous. And we are meant to be in humble and reverent relationship with God. 

Here is the interesting twist. Although we are not God, we are not other than God. As long as we get on our knees and admit our complete and utter dependence on God, there is every chance we will be surprised by the lavish grace of God flowing to us and through us, even and perhaps especially in the midst of our suffering.

God appears to us in a whirlwind of run-a-way thoughts, anxiety, pain, fear, grief, and every variety of addiction, obsession and compulsion - whatever it takes to put us on our knees. Still, all is not lost because freedom calls us as Job’s young friend Elihu admonishes,   “(God) delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear by adversity. (God) also allures you out of distress into a broad place where there is no constraint…” (Job 36.15-16)

When swept away in a whirlwind of our suffering, God is not absent. God is not silent. God is speaking through our distress, and not only speaking but also inviting us to a bigger, broader life of freedom in humble relationship with God’s Indwelling Presence.

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Gospel text for Sunday 11 April 2021

 John 20:19-31      When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Reflection        Oh Thomas, be careful what you ask for! Do you really want to see and feel Jesus’ wounds? Is having your own personal experience of Jesus’ suffering the only way you will believe? Thomas’ answer is “Yes.” And apparently many people on the planet today would also answer, “Yes.”

Hitting rock bottom is the familiar euphemism for reaching the lowest possible point in our life wherein suffering bears down like a hammer and we seek refuge in our rooms, lock the doors and lament. Then, with our bodies and minds buried in Jesus’ wounds, finally we see beyond seeing and know beyond knowing. We “come to believe.” By allowing ourselves to  experience the immediacy of our suffering we catch ourselves calling out, “My Lord and my God. Help me.” 

When we’ve lost our job, our home, our loved one, or our body is wracked with disease, when our family is falling apart or we simply cannot get out of bed, when we have fallen to the bottom of our personal rabbit hole, whatever that may be, this is when  in a most mysterious way  many of us “come to believe” that there is indeed something more. Pivoting on the head of a pin we see beyond the fallen bricks and mortar of our lives and shout into the darkness, “My Lord and my God.”

Much as the disciples, I have spent time locked inside my fear while locking the rest of the world out. Locked into fear. Locked out of relationships. Apparently this is an unacceptable situation for the risen Christ. By means we cannot wrap our minds around  Jesus breeches the locked door, stands among the terrified disciples and inconceivably delivers the gift of his presence saying, “Peace be with you…. receive the Holy Spirit.” 

When we hit our personal rock bottom, locked in fear with the world locked out, rising from the depths of our darkest wound comes the impossible promise. Peace. God’s Peace. The Holy Spirit of God arrives dispensing the opposite of fear, agitation, disharmony, worry, frustration, hatred and distress. Peace. 

“Peace be with you,” in the depths of your darkest nightmare. “Peace be with you,” in the wounds of your flesh. “Peace be with you,” in your tormented mind. “Peace be with you,” when your friends abandon you and you are locked in fear. “Peace be with you,” so that “you may have life.” The question is, “Do you choose to believe?”

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 Mark 13:24-37        Jesus said, “In those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.”

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Reflection        “The sun will no more give its light by day, nor the moon its light by night,” because we,  the People of God, have refused to succumb to the subterfuge of darkness. We have decided to “Keep Awake” and be the revelation of God’s new light which is nothing less than a new way of being human. It is not about right belief. It is about right living. And right living is the fulfillment of our hope for Advent; extending peace, love and joy to all humanity. 

This Sunday begins the season of Advent. It is the beginning of the Christian liturgical year during which we wait expectantly for the promise of new light to manifest. The temptation is to look outside ourselves and point our fingers at the untold myriad signs of darkness. We screw up our eyes and wrinkle our foreheads straining to see a new sun or moon or star rise outside of us (will there be a miracle cure for COVID?). But all we see is darkness (the COVID numbers keep rising; physical, social, emotional and financial loss abound). The result, we shudder, shrink and close our eyes. And darkness grows ever darker as we are lured into torpidity (turning to drink, drugs or mindless distraction) until Jesus’ bidding, “Stay awake!”penetrates the night and turns our world inside out. 

It is the end of time as we have known it, but only if we “Keep Awake!” “For behold darkness covers the land; deep gloom enshrouds the people.”(Isaiah 60.2) Interesting how little has really changed during the past 2760 or so years since the prophet Isaiah spoke these words. Life continues to challenge us at every turn. We grow weary, worn down and desolate, turning against each other and ourselves. Until Jesus breaks into the scene and counsels, ‘When darkness sweeps over the earth and all that you have counted on to be reliable and true seems to be falling from the sky into the abyss, “Keep Awake,” for it is out of the midst of darkness that new light rises.’ 

‘Awakeness’ is the light that pierces the darkness. Which is why when dark is at its darkest and things seem beyond repair, we must keep awake to wield the sword of hope against agents of despair. When darkness surrounds us and lures us into sleep, there is every chance we will miss the experience of something new and good and true. And if we miss it, how will we share it? How will we pass on the revelation of God’s renewed light?

Unlike the secular New Year that arrives amidst gyrating crowds and explosive light displays, our New Year, our Advent season of hope is born on the quiet wings of peace, love and joy because the season of hope is born in our hearts. As the prophet Isaiah asserted, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.” (Isaiah 9.2) In other words, there is hope no matter how dark the times may seem.

The season of Advent, our new Church year, leads to the fulfillment of our ancient ancestors’ hope, hope that we know comes as God’s light born again each year in the incarnation of Jesus.  And, the season of Advent depends on us to “Keep Awake” because we can only be the continuing revelation of God’s light in the world if we “Keep Awake.” 

So, “Keep Awake.”  Rather than forward, delete the nasty social or political cartoon. Rather than judge the person who seeks refuge or assistance, offer food, drink and a place to sleep. Rather than talk about “those people,” ask someone who does not think or pray or vote like you to tell you their story, then listen. Rather than lament the way things are, talk about a blessing you experienced this week (if you are reading this you still have eyes to see!). Voilà - there you have it. The end of time as we have known it because you have  refused to succumb to the subterfuge of darkness. 

Happy New Year! 

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Epistle for 7th Sunday of Easter 24 May 2020

1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11        Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

Reflection        Please join me mounting a ten thousand feet above the ground perspective from which to scan the course of life and it’s ordeals?

From the beginning of our faith traditions narrative some thirty four hundred years ago, there has never been a time without ordeals and suffering. In the third chapter of Genesis our first named human ancestors succumb to the temptation to aggrandize themselves by “eating from the tree of good and evil,” and the man blames the woman and the woman blames the serpent and our human propensity to shirk responsibility and look for someone to blame for our troubles is born and the consequences of our choices are; shame, hard work and consciousness of pain.  The next thing that happens is sibling rivalry. Cain is jealous of Abel, so kills his brother. Before we wander through seven chapters of the first book of the Hebrew Testament humanity is nearly extinguished by a great flood. 

Here is the thing. The Genesis stories are not historical records of events. They are our ancestors attempts to understand and make meaning from their mysterious ordeals. Why are some people favored more than others?  Why do women have pain in childbirth? Why is there suffering? Why do people die? Humanity’s questions echo from the beginning.

And so the writer of 1 Peter entreats us, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” There has never been a generation that did not face fiery ordeals.  But here is the thing. When the writer includes in his exhortation, “to test you,” he is not describing situations designed for us to either pass or fail. Testing means proving or refining. In the text from 1 Peter, testing is being “restored, supported, strengthened, and established.” Established in relationship to something greater than us, a ubiquitous perspective, something that we call God, something that has been emerging through billions of fiery ordeals.

4.5b years ago there was the birth of a planet we call earth. Perhaps we could think of this as the big ordeal that set the stage for the first microorganisms that predicated life 3.5 billion years ago. The earth’s surface broke into rocky platelets that moved and gave birth to the first continent named “Ur.” That was 3 billion years ago. Sex started about 1.7 billion years later with red algae which led to multicellular life but then on two occasions the entire earth froze. A subsequent explosion birthed animals with shells and massive diversification then, you guessed it, the first mass extinction about 450m years ago. Next fish that walked inhabited the single earth continent that then tore itself apart and another mass extinction preceded dinosaurs. We know what happened to them. 

Question is not, “Why are there ordeals?” The question is “How do we choose to walk through ordeals?”  The writer of 1Peter continues with good counsel. “Humble yourselves… Cast all your anxiety on (God)… Discipline yourselves, keep alert.” Because during ordeals we are vulnerable. 

Early Wednesday afternoon, sitting in my office with a laptop recently gave to the church. The thing is, it is a PC and I am a Mac user, so I decided to get it set up ahead of time for our 2 pm Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina  meeting. Much to my relief I managed to get the zoom site running then left the laptop open and continued to work on my own computer. At some point I noticed the image of a beautiful lion’s head looking at me from the PC. I actually stopped and thought about the beauty of this noble beast before closing the laptop and carrying it to the library for the meeting.

At 1:58 when I opened the laptop, the screen was bright blue. No matter which key I touched I could not get past the sea of blue nothing. Depressing the power button failed to turn it off. Time is passing, my cell phone is buzzing with texts from meeting participants wondering where I am. Huffing and muttering things that I shall not write, I grab the recalcitrant laptop and retreat to my office, hoping against hope that I can access zoom and open the meeting on my unreliable Mac. Stomach churning, heart pounding, mind racing, you might think I was being chased by a lion rather than late for a Centering Prayer meeting. And there we have it.

“Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” Humble yourself Debra. Stop being anxious about all the changes and how to lead the church through this Covid-19 ordeal. Put your faith in God and resist the devil’s temptation to assume you have to figure this out, make everything work. Stay alert and know “your sisters and brothers in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.”  

Whether we choose to begin our story 13.7 billion years ago with the massive fiery ordeal that blew space into smithereens, thirty four hundred years ago with our Hebrew ancestors’ attempts to make sense of their mystifying ordeals, or the most recent time the roaring lion showed up to steal our peace or shake our faith, there is no escaping life’s ordeals.

So what shall we do when the lion roars? Be disciplined and alert saying, “Welcome, welcome, welcome. I let go of my desire for things to be different than they are.”

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Gospel text for 2nd Sunday of Easter: Liturgy for Home Use

As we the people of God continue our time of Holy Waiting in Diaspora, I invite you to set some time aside each day to ponder the puzzles of our faith story. 

A prayer to begin each day of Holy Waiting.

O God, bless my Holy Waiting. Look with compassion upon me and my addictions to my food, my health, my habits and my way of doing things. Free me to rest in the assurance of your unfailing mercy, remove from me the fears that beset me, strengthen me in my work to recover my best self and to be patient and generous in my care and provision for the needs of others. AMEN. 

Take time to listen to  Messiaen's  "Three Small Liturgies of Divine Presence." 

Messiaen Trois Petits Liturgies de la Presence Divine

While listening you may want to ponder Caravaggio's painting

                                      

   "The Incredulity of St. Thomas."

Having missed the appearance of Jesus to the other disciples, Thomas said, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where  the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." (John 20.25) The following week Jesus appears to Thomas as depicted by Carravagio. 

Thomas had to "touch" Jesus wounds, his suffering, with his own hands in order to believe. 

As we the people of God continue our time of Holy Waiting, what wounds, what suffering are you touching? Fear, anxiety, feverishness, coughing, boredom, whatever???  How much suffering must you touch in order to believe that we, the people of God, are meant to offer our lives to free prisoners and the oppressed? nourish the hungry? and dignify all people?

 Like prisoners or elders confined to their small quarters, are you touching the wound of isolation?

                                

As a person with special dietary needs or preferences are you touching the wounds of food scarcity?

                                 

As a person accustomed to finding your income or your sense of worth in work or volunteering, are you touching the wounds of the unemployed and undignified?

                                     

As a healthcare, grocery, gas station, public safety, plumbing, teaching, electrical or other essential worker, are you touching the wounds of those who sacrifice themselves for the good of others every day?

                                       

How are you like Thomas?

What do you need to turn your skepticism into belief?

What do you need to turn your wonder into amazement?

For an entirely different kind of music and reflection than we began with, please listen to "The Many," a contemporary Christian Music Group's performance of "Waiting for You."  

Waiting For You by The Many

For Holy Waiting during the First Week of Easter:

A prayer to conclude each night.

O God, bless my Holy Waiting. Look with compassion upon me and my addictions to my food, my health, my habits and my way of doing things. Free me to rest in the assurance of your unfailing mercy, remove from me the fears that beset me, strengthen me in my work to recover my best self and to be patient and generous in my care and provision for the needs of others. AMEN. 

Please let me know your experience with Holy Waiting. 

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Christian Testament text for 16 June 2019

Romans 5.1-5        Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Reflection            Some 30 years ago I was lying on my Rolfer’s table, wincing with excruciating pain.   For those of you who may have missed out on the alternative medicine that was available in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the late 1980s, Rolfing was a ten session program intending to realign the body structure and functioning through manipulation of connective tissues. Rolfing is not to be confused with massage.  In other words, it is not intended to produce relaxation. It systematically works on the connective tissues throughout the body, driving hard into the heart of physical pain and erupting emotional trauma along the way. 

In any case, in the midst my third or fourth Rolfing session when tightening my shoulder muscles in resistance to the intrusion of  Margaret the Rolfer’s elbow piercing my scapula,  Margaret counseled, “If you would just relax around the pain rather than resisting it, this will not hurt.” Without missing a beat Margaret waxed on, “One day you will be grateful for all of the pains you have endured.” 

It was a good thing I paid for all ten sessions in advance, insurance I would stick it out, because I seriously considered leaping off Margaret’s table to limp away and lick my wounds.  I tell you this story because it is the first experience that erupts on my thought horizon when I hear Paul’s counsel to the Romans, “And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

Paul, Margaret, what are you saying? I believe the key to the meaning of this scripture as well as Margaret’s counsel lies in where it lands, “God’s love poured into our hearts…” You see, regardless of our situation, regardless of our suffering and the challenges we endure, “the Holy Spirit of God has been given to us.” When life is flowing along smoothly and we are enjoying pink sunsets and the freshness of brand new baby breath, it is easy to proclaim, “I found God in the extraordinary sunset. I found God in promise of new life revealed in this infant.” Lovely as they are, these experiences do not stretch or grow our faith.

The questions that actually grow and align (justify) our faith are, “How do we find God in the not so beautiful places? How do we welcome our uneasy places, our disappointments or challenges? How do we relax around the edges of our pain and endure?” For me the only way to do so is by remembering, “God is with me, especially in my suffering.” This is the substance of our faith, faith that holds us in right relationship with God, faith that God is faithfully with us, enabling us to endure no matter what.

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Gospel text for Sunday of the Passion 25 March 2018

Mark 15.1-39         As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then he answered them, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.

It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.

When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

Reflection       Each one of our stories is a variation on the theme of Jesus’ story. Some of us were planned from birth, others, not so much. Some were welcomed to the world with gifts, (if not frankincense and myrrh, perhaps a silver spoon) others driven into hiding. All of us encounter “other” people; the sick, wealthy, poor, wise, powerful, weak, fearful, bold. A few of us have friends who really know who we are but most people only think they do. We have families who love us and misjudge us; civil and religious officials who try to tell us who and how we ought to be. And, if we dare to pick up our cross and live our lives by faith rather than fear, if we dare to strive for love and compassion rather than power and privilege, there is every chance we will be misunderstood, hated, persecuted and likely hear ourselves cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

Here is the thing. As we progress on our journeys of faith with God, sometimes God seems to be absent especially if we have experienced moments of joy, comfort or great consolation with God. Experiencing the presence of God with us is like fueling our deepest desire, and of course, all we want is more, more of the amazing God feeling. So God, in God’s wisdom steps back, inviting us into deeper, more faithful relationship with God, a relationship that does not depend on signs,  miracles, good feelings or even rescue from suffering or death.

We share this story that we call life with Jesus. Woven throughout our stories there are paragraphs called suffering and others called death because our lives are punctuated  with all kinds of suffering and who knows how many deaths; deaths of our self image, ego, ideals, youth, dreams, deaths of our pets and loved ones, death of the way things used to be, until our physical death. 

There is no superhero God who is going to break into space and save us from suffering and death. But the good news is,  Jesus shows us the way to navigate these paragraphs with grace and equanimity. Rather than praying for divine rescue or miraculous cure we look to the presence of God who is faithfully with us, no matter what because God is faithful. 

The curtain that separated the divine from the human has been torn for ever. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God…” (Ro 8.38-39) God is faithful, no matter what.

May your walk to Jerusalem be blessed this Holy Week and always.

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Gospel text for Sunday 3 September 2017

Matthew 16:21-28       Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Reflection        “God forbid it… this must never happen!” No one wants suffering. Not Peter. Not me, not you, not the countless people devastated by the ravages of Hurricane Harvey. Like Peter, we want God to forbid suffering. That would be so much easier than having to live in imitation of Jesus, so much easier than setting our personal comforts aside and caring for all those suffering people. “Jesus, do you not understand, when all hell breaks loose it could cost us our lives?”

Can you hear Jesus’ response? “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Ouch. I want to crawl under a rock. My petty concerns, anxiety about my security, safety, esteem, power and control, my withholding love and care and generosity are stumbling blocks to God’s compassionate presence being revealed in the world.

Yes, I better get behind Jesus but I want to cling to my way of life, to my thoughts, my beliefs, my comforts, my church, my money, my way. Then Jesus asks, “For what will it profit (you) if (you) gain the whole world but forfeit (your) life?” What life is Jesus talking about?

I believe Jesus is talking about our “with God life.” Jesus finds his life in and of and with God. He does not cling to things of this world demanding that they never change. He is willing to challenge the status quo; to let old ideas, thought forms, beliefs and conventional strategies for security, safety, esteem, power and control die even though it costs him dearly. This is what he means by being willing to lose our life to follow him. We must be willing to lose our lives as we have known them in order to live our “with God” life.

Tens of thousands of people are suffering In the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Calling out to God on their behalf is simply not enough, in fact, Jesus would call this being stumbling blocks. When all hell breaks loose it is up to us to live in imitation of Jesus, setting our minds on divine things, caring for all the suffering people without withholding, without judgment. 

Here are three ways you may help the animals and the people suffering from the ravages of Hurricane Harvey. 

Animals

https://www.gofundme.com/rejoiceranch to help the Rejoice Horse Ranch in Texas rescue and care for pets and livestock that are literally pouring onto their ranch.

People

http://www.episcopalrelief.org/hurricane-harvey-response to help the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund provide assistance to people recovering from the impact of Hurricane Harvey.

Ready to Serve

https://www.episcopalrelief.org/what-you-can-do/volunteer/ready-to-serve If you want to volunteer as part of the long term recovery from Hurricane Harvey you can register at this website.

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