TEXTS: Acts 1:15 – 26 and Voices, by Ursula Le Guin, pgs 359 – 361.
Last week I chose the readings for this week and next week. I did not know that casting lots and choosing a successor would be so closely related to what we did on retreat yesterday.
For those of you who were not able to make it to the retreat, yesterday we used a 4 sided die to decide which question of our 4 questions we would attempt to answer first. Also, I announced that I feel like I have been called to be interim pastor here at Grace, and that I have had a single vision for healing for this community, but that I feel called to not become the permanent pastor. It was not a decision fully formed until yesterday afternoon, but one that I have been discerning through reading and prayer for the last couple of months. It wasn't until the power was flowing in our gathering that I clearly heard what I was to do and be.
The believers, as they are called here in Acts, are waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit. We celebrate this fulfilled promise next week, but the believers did not have a time-table for when they would receive their power. At this point they are devoting themselves to prayer and taking care of business as they need to.
I think it's interesting that they decided the parameters of who would become the successor of Judas, but they let a divine roll of the dice decide which of the two who met the criteria would be selected. Those are interesting side notes ... details to the story. What really catches my eye is that they listened to the messengers that we read about last week. They stopped looking up and waiting for Jesus' return and they rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Some of that work was devoting themselves to prayer. Some of that work was doing the next thing that felt important.
In our other story, Memer finds out that she is the successor in her faith tradition. Her mentor, though not really her predecessor, offers her an explanation for a miracle that was not a miracle – the running of the fountain which hadn't run in decades. Memer is not troubled by this act of drama, but is more curious about the real miracle, that a lame man stood straight and tall, running and moving with grace and agility. Her mentor had been lame since she first knew him and remains lame, but in that moment of that day Memer describes the Waylord as "a tall, straight, beautiful man, smiling, with fire in his eyes. ... He was not lame, he was lithe and quick."
The Waylord was only acting upon what he felt prompted to do. He had no recognition of the miracle he had become in that moment. Both he and Memer, in a time of crisis when war broke out, listened to Holy promptings that guided them and did not let doubt stop them from moving in the power they were given.
These are before and after stories of receiving power. The believers are yet waiting for theirs. Memer and the Waylord received theirs. In both stories people roll up their sleeves and get to work trusting that what needs to happen will happen. Some miracles may be more or less miracle. What appears to be a miracle might actually be produced from skill or sweat. But within the apparent miracle, I think, is where the miracle often occurs.
As power surged through the Waylord, and he did the task that he knew he was supposed to do, he became lithe and agile, tall and beautiful. When Memer trusted that she was doing what she needed to be doing and let herself be guided by her god, she became filled with power from the gift that had been dormant within her. These people became the miracles.
As the believers wait for the promise of power from the Holy Spirit they do what they need to do. They replace Judas using both skill and spirit. Their skill is the reasoning that they do. They decide that it should be a person who has been with them from the beginning. Then they call on their god to guide the dice. God honors their reasoning skills and they accept the roll of the dice as divine.
We need to devote ourselves to prayer, take practical steps toward our goal, and trust that our God will divinely guide us. We need to appreciate the apparent miracles that we see but also remember that when it comes down to it, any one of us may become the real miracle for the moment. Listen for guidance, do what you know how to do, trust that the power that needs to be released will be released, and don't be afraid that it may be released through you. The Waylord thought he was the Reader, but he wasn't. He had a different role. Memer didn't expect to be the Reader, but she was. Justus and Matthias may have never entertained the thought to become one of the twelve.
Don't make up your mind what role you have. Make up your mind that you will hear and be able to respond. Make up your mind to do what is in your power and to let Power do what is in you. It's time to roll up our sleeves, trust our skill and trust our God.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Give Me Patience Now
Texts: Acts 1: 1 - 14 and an excerpt from The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you."
And when might that be, Jesus? There was no time to ask that question. Jesus seems to have been immediately lifted up and hidden from their sight by a cloud. As they were taking this all in, two messengers in white robes suddenly appear, chastise them for staring into space, and tell them that Jesus will return just like they saw him go.
And when might that be, two messengers in white robes? When will Jesus return? Nope, they didn't get a chance to ask that question either, apparently. So now they are waiting for two things: power and Jesus.
Waiting ... it seems to be a hallmark of our Christian faith. We wait during Advent. We prepare while we wait during Lent. We wait for Pentecost. And we have been waiting an awfully long time for what is commonly called The Second Coming of Christ.
Waiting seems passive. And there's this sense that something is out of our control. But waiting can also be seen as a gift. We can actively wait. Thich Nhat Hahn says that a red light while driving is a gift. All day long we have to be doing something, but at a red light, all we have to do is breathe. He may not know about the turn right on red rule, but still, the point is ... red means stop. Actively stop. Sometimes being required to stop is a gift. Other times, it's incredibly annoying.
I have been sick for the past two weeks. As I was getting over my cold, I ate something that my system didn't like. I haven't had a food reaction like that in a couple years. I'm still not sure of the cause. All I could do was lay down. I had no choice. Being required to stop did not feel like a gift. Mid afternoon I started to feel better, but I still had to move slowly.
I remember years ago being frustrated with the timing of life and praying, "Give me patience now." It didn't feel like the most holy prayer I had ever prayed, but it certainly was honest. I knew I had to wait ... there was no rushing whatever it was that had to come to pass, but I was not having an easy time being patient. I still struggle with that kind of patience. Waiting for life to unfold is hard for me.
When Jesus tells the disciples that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit is upon them, I think to myself, what's the hold up? What is the Holy Spirit doing that is getting in the way of receiving the power now? What do we do in the meantime? I sound like I'm about 5 years old, don't I? How come I can't have the Holy Spirit now? Why did Jesus have to leave if he's going to come back anyway? This is stupid. I don't like this game.
Really ... I don't. But I've learned something about waiting. As passive as it seems, there is something active always happening. Even if I can't see it, touch it, smell it, taste it, hear it, or feel it ... something active is happening.
When a mother is waiting to give birth, there is more going on than the baby just hanging around. Something is happening ... change is happening. When I am waiting at the red light, something is happening. Other people are going through their green light. It would be dangerous for me to ignore that red light. It's best that I wait. In the past, when I have rushed something in life to happen, I find that it does not work for anyone's benefit. Something was happening ... something under the surface or outside of my vision. Usually it was something important. When I side-step or try to rush things, it only makes things worse or take longer. I try to keep in mind these experiences when I become impatient with time.
The truth is, that I may be waiting, but someone or something else is working. It may be the Holy Spirit that is working. It may be my need for inner growth. Sometimes it's less spiritual than that. Any number of things might need to be played out, in my life or in someone else's life, before whatever it is that I am waiting for to happen can happen.
Are there promises that you have heard in your spirit? Is there something that you just know is supposed to happen? Have you been waiting a short time ... or a long time? Do you know that you aren't supposed to rush whatever it is? Do you need patience right now? Are you impatiently waiting for patience?
If everything is going well, I encourage you to not pray for patience because, as a previous pastor of mine told me, praying for patience generally results in receiving trials and tribulations which require the development of patience. However, if you already have the trials and tribulations, if life is frustrating or confusing, if time seems to be dragging, if life is chaotic and difficult, I encourage you to pray for an immediate gift of patience.
In two weeks we celebrate the receipt of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples with the result of them receiving power. We call this celebration Pentecost. This is good news. The gift that Jesus promised was given. The promise of the two messengers in white robes has yet to be fulfilled. Maybe some folks are taking that too literally.
It does seem, though, that we are waiting for something. Is it the Realm of Heaven being fulfilled on Earth? Is it a physical return of Jesus? Is it that we all learn to love each other unconditionally in our diversity? It feels like there is this big thing we are waiting for - this really important huge thing.
We are not to just stop and stare while we wait. There is a need for a balance of waiting and activity. That's a hard balance to achieve.
Along with this huge important thing that we are waiting for, there are smaller things that we wait for. Some we share with each other. Some we hold close, maybe not even speaking the words out loud to ourselves. For some it may seem as if we have been holding our breath for years. Discerning what kind of waiting to do is hard. At what point are we at the red light, with our only requirement being to breathe? At what point should we be devoting ourselves to prayer or be active by doing research or take some other action?
Think about how you wait. Do you wait mindfully, knowing that you are in fact waiting? Do you try to rush things into being? Do you pray or meditate? No matter how you wait, I think waiting is active, not passive. When we wait knowing that we are waiting, I think it's a form of prayer.
Something is always happening - change is always happening. It isn't always evident. Change can't always be discerned through out senses, but it is always happening.
As we look forward to celebrating the Holy Spirit's gift of power, lets remember to wait mindfully and prayerfully for whatever it is that is on our hearts and in our spirits. We wait together, even if we don't share everything with each other, we wait together ... in hope.
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you."
And when might that be, Jesus? There was no time to ask that question. Jesus seems to have been immediately lifted up and hidden from their sight by a cloud. As they were taking this all in, two messengers in white robes suddenly appear, chastise them for staring into space, and tell them that Jesus will return just like they saw him go.
And when might that be, two messengers in white robes? When will Jesus return? Nope, they didn't get a chance to ask that question either, apparently. So now they are waiting for two things: power and Jesus.
Waiting ... it seems to be a hallmark of our Christian faith. We wait during Advent. We prepare while we wait during Lent. We wait for Pentecost. And we have been waiting an awfully long time for what is commonly called The Second Coming of Christ.
Waiting seems passive. And there's this sense that something is out of our control. But waiting can also be seen as a gift. We can actively wait. Thich Nhat Hahn says that a red light while driving is a gift. All day long we have to be doing something, but at a red light, all we have to do is breathe. He may not know about the turn right on red rule, but still, the point is ... red means stop. Actively stop. Sometimes being required to stop is a gift. Other times, it's incredibly annoying.
I have been sick for the past two weeks. As I was getting over my cold, I ate something that my system didn't like. I haven't had a food reaction like that in a couple years. I'm still not sure of the cause. All I could do was lay down. I had no choice. Being required to stop did not feel like a gift. Mid afternoon I started to feel better, but I still had to move slowly.
I remember years ago being frustrated with the timing of life and praying, "Give me patience now." It didn't feel like the most holy prayer I had ever prayed, but it certainly was honest. I knew I had to wait ... there was no rushing whatever it was that had to come to pass, but I was not having an easy time being patient. I still struggle with that kind of patience. Waiting for life to unfold is hard for me.
When Jesus tells the disciples that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit is upon them, I think to myself, what's the hold up? What is the Holy Spirit doing that is getting in the way of receiving the power now? What do we do in the meantime? I sound like I'm about 5 years old, don't I? How come I can't have the Holy Spirit now? Why did Jesus have to leave if he's going to come back anyway? This is stupid. I don't like this game.
Really ... I don't. But I've learned something about waiting. As passive as it seems, there is something active always happening. Even if I can't see it, touch it, smell it, taste it, hear it, or feel it ... something active is happening.
When a mother is waiting to give birth, there is more going on than the baby just hanging around. Something is happening ... change is happening. When I am waiting at the red light, something is happening. Other people are going through their green light. It would be dangerous for me to ignore that red light. It's best that I wait. In the past, when I have rushed something in life to happen, I find that it does not work for anyone's benefit. Something was happening ... something under the surface or outside of my vision. Usually it was something important. When I side-step or try to rush things, it only makes things worse or take longer. I try to keep in mind these experiences when I become impatient with time.
The truth is, that I may be waiting, but someone or something else is working. It may be the Holy Spirit that is working. It may be my need for inner growth. Sometimes it's less spiritual than that. Any number of things might need to be played out, in my life or in someone else's life, before whatever it is that I am waiting for to happen can happen.
Are there promises that you have heard in your spirit? Is there something that you just know is supposed to happen? Have you been waiting a short time ... or a long time? Do you know that you aren't supposed to rush whatever it is? Do you need patience right now? Are you impatiently waiting for patience?
If everything is going well, I encourage you to not pray for patience because, as a previous pastor of mine told me, praying for patience generally results in receiving trials and tribulations which require the development of patience. However, if you already have the trials and tribulations, if life is frustrating or confusing, if time seems to be dragging, if life is chaotic and difficult, I encourage you to pray for an immediate gift of patience.
In two weeks we celebrate the receipt of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples with the result of them receiving power. We call this celebration Pentecost. This is good news. The gift that Jesus promised was given. The promise of the two messengers in white robes has yet to be fulfilled. Maybe some folks are taking that too literally.
It does seem, though, that we are waiting for something. Is it the Realm of Heaven being fulfilled on Earth? Is it a physical return of Jesus? Is it that we all learn to love each other unconditionally in our diversity? It feels like there is this big thing we are waiting for - this really important huge thing.
We are not to just stop and stare while we wait. There is a need for a balance of waiting and activity. That's a hard balance to achieve.
Along with this huge important thing that we are waiting for, there are smaller things that we wait for. Some we share with each other. Some we hold close, maybe not even speaking the words out loud to ourselves. For some it may seem as if we have been holding our breath for years. Discerning what kind of waiting to do is hard. At what point are we at the red light, with our only requirement being to breathe? At what point should we be devoting ourselves to prayer or be active by doing research or take some other action?
Think about how you wait. Do you wait mindfully, knowing that you are in fact waiting? Do you try to rush things into being? Do you pray or meditate? No matter how you wait, I think waiting is active, not passive. When we wait knowing that we are waiting, I think it's a form of prayer.
Something is always happening - change is always happening. It isn't always evident. Change can't always be discerned through out senses, but it is always happening.
As we look forward to celebrating the Holy Spirit's gift of power, lets remember to wait mindfully and prayerfully for whatever it is that is on our hearts and in our spirits. We wait together, even if we don't share everything with each other, we wait together ... in hope.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
"FERRON: girl on a road" Film Festival listings
Ferron is an amazing woman. She has an intense spirituality and love of life. When I was in her poetry writing workshop last year at BMC's, The Gathering in Angoloa, MI, I felt like I was in the presence of sacred wisdom.
This from Announcements from FerronOnline.com
*********************************************
Hey Folks,
We are so excited to announce the early list of Film Festivals that will be
screening Gerry Roger's captivating and beautifully shot documentary.....
"Ferron: girl on a road"
After 10 years, Ferron and her band reunite for a 3 island, 3 concert tour.
The film follows them from the rehearsal in Ferron's little house on Saturna
island
to the road..........
Part performance film, part biopic, “Ferron: girl on a road” traces, the
life, the songs,
the loves, the heartbreaks, and the pioneering path carved by a true folk
legend.
Intimate, and sweeping all at once, this film moves beyond “chronicle”
and captures
in word and deed, the essence of a visionary artist, and the soul of an
icon.
Please pass this on to anyone you think would like to see it.
The film will be screening at the following festivals - with plenty more to
follow - we'll update www.ferrononline.com regularly:
1. Inside Out/Toronto LGBT Film & Video Festival - May 14-24
Screening Sunday May 17 5pm at the ROM
www.insideout.on.ca
2. New Zealand Outtakes Reel Queer Film Festival - May 21 - June 10
Screenings: - Auckland, Monday May 25, 6:10pm
- Wellington, Sat. June 4th, 4:30 The Paramount
- Christchurch, Sat. June 7, 2:45 Regent on Worcester Cinemas
www.outtakes.org.nz
3. Honolulu Rainbow Film Fest - May 21-24
Screenings: - Honolulu, Sat. May 23 6pm Doris Duke Theatre
- Big Island (Kona), Fri. May 29, 5pm Aloha Theatre
- Big Island (Hilo), Sat. May 30, 4pm Palace Theatre
www.hglcf.org
4. Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Film Festival May 22 - 30
Screening: Sunday, May 24th, 7:30 Cinestudio, Trinity College, hartford
www.ctglff.org
5. Frameline: San Francisco LGBT Film Festival June 19 - 29
Screening: Friday, June 19, 6pm at the Roxy
www.frameline.org
6. The Nickel Indepedent Film Festival, St. John's, Newfoundland June 23-28
Screening date: TBD
www.nickelfestival.com
7. Philadelphia QFest- July 9-20th
Screening date: TBD
www.phillycinema.org
8. Vancouver Queer Film Festival August 13-23
Screening date:TBD
www.queerfilmfestival.ca
This from Announcements from FerronOnline.com
*********************************************
Hey Folks,
We are so excited to announce the early list of Film Festivals that will be
screening Gerry Roger's captivating and beautifully shot documentary.....
"Ferron: girl on a road"
After 10 years, Ferron and her band reunite for a 3 island, 3 concert tour.
The film follows them from the rehearsal in Ferron's little house on Saturna
island
to the road..........
Part performance film, part biopic, “Ferron: girl on a road” traces, the
life, the songs,
the loves, the heartbreaks, and the pioneering path carved by a true folk
legend.
Intimate, and sweeping all at once, this film moves beyond “chronicle”
and captures
in word and deed, the essence of a visionary artist, and the soul of an
icon.
Please pass this on to anyone you think would like to see it.
The film will be screening at the following festivals - with plenty more to
follow - we'll update www.ferrononline.com regularly:
1. Inside Out/Toronto LGBT Film & Video Festival - May 14-24
Screening Sunday May 17 5pm at the ROM
www.insideout.on.ca
2. New Zealand Outtakes Reel Queer Film Festival - May 21 - June 10
Screenings: - Auckland, Monday May 25, 6:10pm
- Wellington, Sat. June 4th, 4:30 The Paramount
- Christchurch, Sat. June 7, 2:45 Regent on Worcester Cinemas
www.outtakes.org.nz
3. Honolulu Rainbow Film Fest - May 21-24
Screenings: - Honolulu, Sat. May 23 6pm Doris Duke Theatre
- Big Island (Kona), Fri. May 29, 5pm Aloha Theatre
- Big Island (Hilo), Sat. May 30, 4pm Palace Theatre
www.hglcf.org
4. Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Film Festival May 22 - 30
Screening: Sunday, May 24th, 7:30 Cinestudio, Trinity College, hartford
www.ctglff.org
5. Frameline: San Francisco LGBT Film Festival June 19 - 29
Screening: Friday, June 19, 6pm at the Roxy
www.frameline.org
6. The Nickel Indepedent Film Festival, St. John's, Newfoundland June 23-28
Screening date: TBD
www.nickelfestival.com
7. Philadelphia QFest- July 9-20th
Screening date: TBD
www.phillycinema.org
8. Vancouver Queer Film Festival August 13-23
Screening date:TBD
www.queerfilmfestival.ca
Monday, May 11, 2009
Look at me, Mom!
THE TEXT
Wisdom of Solomon 7:1 - 14
1 I also am mortal, like everyone else, a descendant of the first-formed child of earth; and in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh, 2 within the period of ten months, compacted with blood, from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage. 3 And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air, and fell upon the kindred earth; my first sound was a cry, as is true of all. 4 I was nursed with care in swaddling cloths. 5 For no king has had a different beginning of existence; 6 there is for all one entrance into life, and one way out. 7 Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. 8 I preferred her to scepters and thrones, and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her. 9 Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold is but a little sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her. 10 I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her radiance never ceases. 11 All good things came to me along with her, and in her hands uncounted wealth. 12 I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them; but I did not know that she was their mother. 13 I learned without guile and I impart without grudging; I do not hide her wealth, 14 for it is an unfailing treasure for mortals; those who get it obtain friendship with God, commended for the gifts that come from instruction.
THE REFLECTION
Look at me, Mom!
First I want to point out that this story of birth is an ideal story. It is not always from "the pleasure of marriage" that a child is born. We are not all "nursed with care in swaddling clothes." But what is universal is that "there is for all one entrance into life, and one way out." At least at this point in time, the noble and the nobody are molded into flesh in a womb and have to exit that first home through a passage that includes blood, fear, pain, and hopefully great joy.
Typically, we name the person who gives birth to a child, mother. There are exceptions. For instance, women who have not given birth, but instead adopt children are called mother. Sometimes transmen give birth and prefer to be called, father. And certainly there are men who are gifted in the art and skill of mothering. Today is a day to honor and celebrate all those who identify as mother.
We have many images for mother. Earth first comes to mind. She is our mother according to the creation story because we are made from the earth - scooped up and molded by the hand of Spirit who then becomes our Father as we are animated by the breath of the Divine.
Another image for mother is Sophia, or Wisdom. In the passage we read, the author likens wisdom to be the mother of all good things. She is who you seek and honor. Nothing is more important than wisdom, and everything proceeds from wisdom.
Proverbs 3:13 – 20 says:
"Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding, for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding established the heavens; by knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew."
Earth is our mother. Wisdom is our mother. I'm not sure what happened to God the Father. It looks like we are born from a lesbian couple.
It's interesting to me that truth is not what is touted as what we should seek. Truth is not the mother that the author of the book of Wisdom proclaims. There is not Book of Truth that I know of, canonical or deuterocanonical. Wisdom is what is honored. Wisdom is what is valued. Wisdom is what gives birth to all creation and to all good things. She is the tree of life. We are to follow her, learn from her, and love her more than anyone or anything.
I remember as a little kid watching my mom and trying to duplicate her every move. I wanted her to be proud of me. I wanted her to notice how well I learned from her. When she sat, I would cross my legs like her and position my hands just so. When we were at church I would listen closely to the way she sang and try to match her. I wanted her to see me and to approve of me. I would call out to her, "Look at me, Mom" when I was playing and I hoped she watched me as I mimicked her every move and breath. It was a lot of work to pay such close attention to her. It was a lot of work for her too. Sometimes I didn't get all the rewards I thought I would get and sometimes I didn't get it right. We were, after all, a human child and a human mom – animated with The Divine, but not always acting like it.
There were times I would shout out, "Look at me, Mom" and I would begin a trick or skill and check to see if she was looking. If her head seemed the least bit turned I would scold her, "You're not looking!" and she would usually say, "Yes I am. Go ahead. I'm watching." Yeah, I was one of those kids. But you see, she was more precious to me than toys. She was more desirable to me than Vernor's Ginger Ale. Nothing compared with her.
As I grew, and I realized that my mother's walk felt funny to me and her hand gestures were no longer how I wanted to gesture, I still knew that she was someone to watch and to mimic.
Eventually I took the turn that most kids take and tried to do the exact opposite of her ... but how did I know what the opposite was? It was from all those years of watching and mimicking.
Kids want to bond with their Moms. It's a hard thing on Dads, I'm told. And sometimes it's a hard thing on Moms too. There's so much pressure.
As the children of Wisdom, I believe it is in our nature to want to bond with our mother. When we are young we soak up every little thing that she has to offer. Kids learn fast and much more easily than adults. Often though, during adolescence we go the way of most kids and try to become anything like our mother. Sometimes we get distracted by the pursuit of truth or power. But it is wisdom that is calling us. It is wisdom who is the most precious and beautiful. It is to wisdom that we should shout out, "Look at me! Look at me!" as we proudly display our skills of kindness and love.
Today, along with wishing all of the human mothers here a happy mother's day, I want to wish a happy mother's day to our Divine Mother, Wisdom. I want to remind us to pursue her with all our strength. She is more valuable than 401k's and jewelry. She is more costly than Platinum and stronger than Kevlar. She is more beautiful than whatever or whoever you see as beautiful. She is the one to watch and to mimic. From her flows the bounties of all good things. Don't be shy and don't be ashamed to call out to her, "Look at me. Watch me. I love you."
Wisdom of Solomon 7:1 - 14
1 I also am mortal, like everyone else, a descendant of the first-formed child of earth; and in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh, 2 within the period of ten months, compacted with blood, from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage. 3 And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air, and fell upon the kindred earth; my first sound was a cry, as is true of all. 4 I was nursed with care in swaddling cloths. 5 For no king has had a different beginning of existence; 6 there is for all one entrance into life, and one way out. 7 Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. 8 I preferred her to scepters and thrones, and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her. 9 Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold is but a little sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her. 10 I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her radiance never ceases. 11 All good things came to me along with her, and in her hands uncounted wealth. 12 I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them; but I did not know that she was their mother. 13 I learned without guile and I impart without grudging; I do not hide her wealth, 14 for it is an unfailing treasure for mortals; those who get it obtain friendship with God, commended for the gifts that come from instruction.
THE REFLECTION
Look at me, Mom!
First I want to point out that this story of birth is an ideal story. It is not always from "the pleasure of marriage" that a child is born. We are not all "nursed with care in swaddling clothes." But what is universal is that "there is for all one entrance into life, and one way out." At least at this point in time, the noble and the nobody are molded into flesh in a womb and have to exit that first home through a passage that includes blood, fear, pain, and hopefully great joy.
Typically, we name the person who gives birth to a child, mother. There are exceptions. For instance, women who have not given birth, but instead adopt children are called mother. Sometimes transmen give birth and prefer to be called, father. And certainly there are men who are gifted in the art and skill of mothering. Today is a day to honor and celebrate all those who identify as mother.
We have many images for mother. Earth first comes to mind. She is our mother according to the creation story because we are made from the earth - scooped up and molded by the hand of Spirit who then becomes our Father as we are animated by the breath of the Divine.
Another image for mother is Sophia, or Wisdom. In the passage we read, the author likens wisdom to be the mother of all good things. She is who you seek and honor. Nothing is more important than wisdom, and everything proceeds from wisdom.
Proverbs 3:13 – 20 says:
"Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding, for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding established the heavens; by knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew."
Earth is our mother. Wisdom is our mother. I'm not sure what happened to God the Father. It looks like we are born from a lesbian couple.
It's interesting to me that truth is not what is touted as what we should seek. Truth is not the mother that the author of the book of Wisdom proclaims. There is not Book of Truth that I know of, canonical or deuterocanonical. Wisdom is what is honored. Wisdom is what is valued. Wisdom is what gives birth to all creation and to all good things. She is the tree of life. We are to follow her, learn from her, and love her more than anyone or anything.
I remember as a little kid watching my mom and trying to duplicate her every move. I wanted her to be proud of me. I wanted her to notice how well I learned from her. When she sat, I would cross my legs like her and position my hands just so. When we were at church I would listen closely to the way she sang and try to match her. I wanted her to see me and to approve of me. I would call out to her, "Look at me, Mom" when I was playing and I hoped she watched me as I mimicked her every move and breath. It was a lot of work to pay such close attention to her. It was a lot of work for her too. Sometimes I didn't get all the rewards I thought I would get and sometimes I didn't get it right. We were, after all, a human child and a human mom – animated with The Divine, but not always acting like it.
There were times I would shout out, "Look at me, Mom" and I would begin a trick or skill and check to see if she was looking. If her head seemed the least bit turned I would scold her, "You're not looking!" and she would usually say, "Yes I am. Go ahead. I'm watching." Yeah, I was one of those kids. But you see, she was more precious to me than toys. She was more desirable to me than Vernor's Ginger Ale. Nothing compared with her.
As I grew, and I realized that my mother's walk felt funny to me and her hand gestures were no longer how I wanted to gesture, I still knew that she was someone to watch and to mimic.
Eventually I took the turn that most kids take and tried to do the exact opposite of her ... but how did I know what the opposite was? It was from all those years of watching and mimicking.
Kids want to bond with their Moms. It's a hard thing on Dads, I'm told. And sometimes it's a hard thing on Moms too. There's so much pressure.
As the children of Wisdom, I believe it is in our nature to want to bond with our mother. When we are young we soak up every little thing that she has to offer. Kids learn fast and much more easily than adults. Often though, during adolescence we go the way of most kids and try to become anything like our mother. Sometimes we get distracted by the pursuit of truth or power. But it is wisdom that is calling us. It is wisdom who is the most precious and beautiful. It is to wisdom that we should shout out, "Look at me! Look at me!" as we proudly display our skills of kindness and love.
Today, along with wishing all of the human mothers here a happy mother's day, I want to wish a happy mother's day to our Divine Mother, Wisdom. I want to remind us to pursue her with all our strength. She is more valuable than 401k's and jewelry. She is more costly than Platinum and stronger than Kevlar. She is more beautiful than whatever or whoever you see as beautiful. She is the one to watch and to mimic. From her flows the bounties of all good things. Don't be shy and don't be ashamed to call out to her, "Look at me. Watch me. I love you."
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Making Changes
Texts: Psalm 4 & The Gospel of John 20:30 – 21:14
It's been two weeks since the resurrection. The shock of Jesus being alive is still rippling through the various groups of his followers. Jesus is still making appearances. This is a time of transition for the disciples. They are shifting from being with him in person to being with him in spirit. Jesus helps them out by showing up periodically.
This has to be an incredibly stressful time for them. I bet it's easy for them to think that maybe they are making this up. And then there he is again, making them breakfast, eating with them or showing up as they walk down the road.
Remember that the torture and execution of Jesus was traumatic for his followers. They had put all their hope in this man to overturn their political and religious systems. All their hopes were dashed by when he was murdered. They were confused about how this could happen to him and scared for their own lives.
The resurrection was a trauma in its own way, too. Sure it was a relief, but it was also a shock. Jesus was resurrected; that on its own is pretty weird. Along with being resurrected, he wasn't exactly as he was before. Over and over as he appeared to them, they had a hard time recognizing him.
There were so many changes all at once.
Jesus encouraged them and admonished them. He reminded them of what they were supposed to do and he gave them the skills to do it. It seems to me that Jesus kept appearing in order to help his followers become stronger and more sure of what they knew to be true. Jesus didn't want his followers to be quivering before him.
We are not to quiver before God. We are not to quiver in fear in the presence of Jesus. Quivering in excitement is a different thing altogether. Quivering in joy ... I'm in favor of, but not quivering in fear. When we come before the One Who Loves Us, we are to be confident of that love. We see this confidence in Psalm 4. The psalmist is not only confident, he is bold.
"Answer me when I call." There's nothing quivering about that as an opening line to a prayer. "Answer me when I call." The psalmist follows this opening with why they can be confident and bold. "You gave room to me when I was in distress." According to one commentator this can be understood to mean, "You widened the path for me when things got narrow."
After Jesus' execution, the disciples were in a narrow place. Jesus gave them room. There are times that we are in a narrow place. Jesus gives us room. Jesus broadens our understanding of what's possible. Jesus broadens our strength. Jesus gives us room to hope. We don't have to beg. When the psalmist says, "Be gracious to me and hear my prayer," this is not begging. This psalmist does not mumble. They know what their relationship is with God. They are confident to come before God. In that confidence, they state what they need, thank God for what has been given, and encourage those listening to be put their trust in God as well.
The psalm ends with praise and a declaration of the psalmist being able to relax. "I will lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety."
My experience is that this is easier said than done ... to say your prayer in confidence and then let it go and relax. Am I alone in this being hard? Can everyone else just do that?
Being confident in our relationship with our Divine Beloved, I think, is incredibly important, especially when we are going through changes. The psalmist instructs us that when we are disturbed we are to not sin, but we should ponder what disturbs us on our beds and be silent. The instruction to "not sin" is countered with the instruction to ponder and be silent. This makes it sound like in this instance of being disturbed, that being busy and doing a lot of talking is sin. Instead we are to ponder and be silent; to offer right sacrifices and trust God. So we aren't to be entirely idle, but we also should not be in a flurry of activity.
This reminds me of Psalm 46:10 which says, "Be still and know that I am God."
It also reminds me of the story of Elijah in 2 Kings, chapter 19:9 – 13:
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He answered, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away." The voice said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
The "sound of sheer silence." Some translations say, "after the fire there was a still small voice." It takes trust and confidence to be still and to listen for the sound of sheer silence, especially when we are in the midst of changes.
In the middle of being still and listening for the silence that is the voice of our Divine Beloved, often other voices break through - voices from our past or our own voice - which tell us to get busy figuring things out or that God is not going to answer. They tell us that we are not good enough, smart enough, discerning enough. They remind us of our past mistakes. But, we need to remind ourselves that God widens the path when things get narrow.
I am not saying that we should let everything be done by miracles and that we have no responsibility. Jesus commissioned his disciples to do things - to heal and to preach hope and love; to feed the hungry; to clothe the naked; and so on. We are to work to see the Realm of Heaven realized on earth. But for those times of change when nothing makes sense and everything is chaotic, sometimes the best thing to do is call out to God with confidence saying, "Answer me when I call" and then to listen for that answer.
Cultivate a confidence in your relationship with God. It's hard to be still, state your request, be silent and to hear God in the silence if you aren't sure that God will show up. But, it's difficult to experience God showing up if you don't stop. Sometimes I find it helps to read Psalm 4 verse 1 aloud. Read it over and over if you want to. Read it aloud and then shut up and listen. Build up your confidence that you have the kind of relationship with God where you can say what you need and then rest.
I believe when we do this we will need our rest because often the answer we get is to do something. Rest when you can.
The psalmist, the disciples and Elijah all had to believe in their God and in their relationship to their God. They had to trust that they were loved and that they knew how to love. They had to take risks ... some of those risks involved doing something and some of those risks involved believing deeply and listening. We are no different. When we are in the midst of change, as they were, we must dig deep into our souls and remember what we know to be true. We must stop and believe deeply. We must listen. Then the silence will carry the voice of the One Who Loves Us. Jesus said something similar. He said, "Let you who have ears, hear what the spirit of God is saying."
The disciples had to make the change from following Jesus in person to following him in spirit. That was a hard change to make. It had to feel chaotic and unnerving. But they did it. They learned how to hear the resurrected voice of Jesus.
When the chaos is twirling around you and change is inevitable, be still ... ponder these things on your bed ... fear not. Remember that you can come boldly before God and say, "Answer me when I call." And then listen and rest.
It's been two weeks since the resurrection. The shock of Jesus being alive is still rippling through the various groups of his followers. Jesus is still making appearances. This is a time of transition for the disciples. They are shifting from being with him in person to being with him in spirit. Jesus helps them out by showing up periodically.
This has to be an incredibly stressful time for them. I bet it's easy for them to think that maybe they are making this up. And then there he is again, making them breakfast, eating with them or showing up as they walk down the road.
Remember that the torture and execution of Jesus was traumatic for his followers. They had put all their hope in this man to overturn their political and religious systems. All their hopes were dashed by when he was murdered. They were confused about how this could happen to him and scared for their own lives.
The resurrection was a trauma in its own way, too. Sure it was a relief, but it was also a shock. Jesus was resurrected; that on its own is pretty weird. Along with being resurrected, he wasn't exactly as he was before. Over and over as he appeared to them, they had a hard time recognizing him.
There were so many changes all at once.
Jesus encouraged them and admonished them. He reminded them of what they were supposed to do and he gave them the skills to do it. It seems to me that Jesus kept appearing in order to help his followers become stronger and more sure of what they knew to be true. Jesus didn't want his followers to be quivering before him.
We are not to quiver before God. We are not to quiver in fear in the presence of Jesus. Quivering in excitement is a different thing altogether. Quivering in joy ... I'm in favor of, but not quivering in fear. When we come before the One Who Loves Us, we are to be confident of that love. We see this confidence in Psalm 4. The psalmist is not only confident, he is bold.
"Answer me when I call." There's nothing quivering about that as an opening line to a prayer. "Answer me when I call." The psalmist follows this opening with why they can be confident and bold. "You gave room to me when I was in distress." According to one commentator this can be understood to mean, "You widened the path for me when things got narrow."
After Jesus' execution, the disciples were in a narrow place. Jesus gave them room. There are times that we are in a narrow place. Jesus gives us room. Jesus broadens our understanding of what's possible. Jesus broadens our strength. Jesus gives us room to hope. We don't have to beg. When the psalmist says, "Be gracious to me and hear my prayer," this is not begging. This psalmist does not mumble. They know what their relationship is with God. They are confident to come before God. In that confidence, they state what they need, thank God for what has been given, and encourage those listening to be put their trust in God as well.
The psalm ends with praise and a declaration of the psalmist being able to relax. "I will lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety."
My experience is that this is easier said than done ... to say your prayer in confidence and then let it go and relax. Am I alone in this being hard? Can everyone else just do that?
Being confident in our relationship with our Divine Beloved, I think, is incredibly important, especially when we are going through changes. The psalmist instructs us that when we are disturbed we are to not sin, but we should ponder what disturbs us on our beds and be silent. The instruction to "not sin" is countered with the instruction to ponder and be silent. This makes it sound like in this instance of being disturbed, that being busy and doing a lot of talking is sin. Instead we are to ponder and be silent; to offer right sacrifices and trust God. So we aren't to be entirely idle, but we also should not be in a flurry of activity.
This reminds me of Psalm 46:10 which says, "Be still and know that I am God."
It also reminds me of the story of Elijah in 2 Kings, chapter 19:9 – 13:
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He answered, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away." The voice said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
The "sound of sheer silence." Some translations say, "after the fire there was a still small voice." It takes trust and confidence to be still and to listen for the sound of sheer silence, especially when we are in the midst of changes.
In the middle of being still and listening for the silence that is the voice of our Divine Beloved, often other voices break through - voices from our past or our own voice - which tell us to get busy figuring things out or that God is not going to answer. They tell us that we are not good enough, smart enough, discerning enough. They remind us of our past mistakes. But, we need to remind ourselves that God widens the path when things get narrow.
I am not saying that we should let everything be done by miracles and that we have no responsibility. Jesus commissioned his disciples to do things - to heal and to preach hope and love; to feed the hungry; to clothe the naked; and so on. We are to work to see the Realm of Heaven realized on earth. But for those times of change when nothing makes sense and everything is chaotic, sometimes the best thing to do is call out to God with confidence saying, "Answer me when I call" and then to listen for that answer.
Cultivate a confidence in your relationship with God. It's hard to be still, state your request, be silent and to hear God in the silence if you aren't sure that God will show up. But, it's difficult to experience God showing up if you don't stop. Sometimes I find it helps to read Psalm 4 verse 1 aloud. Read it over and over if you want to. Read it aloud and then shut up and listen. Build up your confidence that you have the kind of relationship with God where you can say what you need and then rest.
I believe when we do this we will need our rest because often the answer we get is to do something. Rest when you can.
The psalmist, the disciples and Elijah all had to believe in their God and in their relationship to their God. They had to trust that they were loved and that they knew how to love. They had to take risks ... some of those risks involved doing something and some of those risks involved believing deeply and listening. We are no different. When we are in the midst of change, as they were, we must dig deep into our souls and remember what we know to be true. We must stop and believe deeply. We must listen. Then the silence will carry the voice of the One Who Loves Us. Jesus said something similar. He said, "Let you who have ears, hear what the spirit of God is saying."
The disciples had to make the change from following Jesus in person to following him in spirit. That was a hard change to make. It had to feel chaotic and unnerving. But they did it. They learned how to hear the resurrected voice of Jesus.
When the chaos is twirling around you and change is inevitable, be still ... ponder these things on your bed ... fear not. Remember that you can come boldly before God and say, "Answer me when I call." And then listen and rest.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Weathering the Storm (Response to NOM Gathering Storm)
Earth Day meditation
"Then the Lord God formed the human from the dust of the ground, and breathed into the human's nostrils the breath of life; and the human became a living being." Gen 2:7
Earth my body, water my blood.
Air my breath, and fire my spirit.
Descants: Christian Williamson
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
Earth my body soil and sand,
Make me strong heart and hand.
Water my blood flowing strong,
Lead me with your healing song.
Air my breath blowing true,
Let my life take flight in you.
Fire my spirit burning bright,
Lead from darkness into light.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
Earth my body, water my blood.
Air my breath, and fire my spirit.
Descants: Christian Williamson
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
Earth my body soil and sand,
Make me strong heart and hand.
Water my blood flowing strong,
Lead me with your healing song.
Air my breath blowing true,
Let my life take flight in you.
Fire my spirit burning bright,
Lead from darkness into light.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
I am born of the elements.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Connected
Texts: Romans 8:24 - 39
and
this poem by Mechtild of Magdeburg
Effortlessly,
Love flows from God into man,
Like a bird
Who rivers the air
Without moving her wings.
Thus we move in His world,
One in body and soul,
Though outwardly separate in form.
As the Source strikes the note,
Humanity sings -
The Holy Spirit is our harpist,
And all strings
Which are touched by Love
Must sound.
According to Paul, nothing can separate us from the love of our Divine Beloved! According to Mechtild of Magdeburg, "we are one in body and soul, though outwardly separate in form."
We are connected. No matter what happens, when it happens, or how it happens, we remain connected. It is love that is the connecting force.
No matter if our bodies are in the same room, the same state, or the same country – if we have love for one another, we are always connected.
Paul tells us that Death cannot sever the connection between us and our Divine Beloved. He also tells us that Life cannot sever that connection. Furthermore, nothing that may happen between life and death can create a disconnect between us and our Sacred Creator. A lot of things may happen. There may be times when it looks like something or someone has the power to cut us off from the One Who is our Love, but I am convinced with Paul that neither height nor depth ... nor anything else in creation ... can separate us from the Love of God. I am absolutely and utterly convinced.
I am not convinced because Paul said so. I am also not convinced because Mechtild believes that God's love is like a bird who rivers through the air, although that image gives me shivers. I am convinced because like Paul and like Mechtild, I have experiences of the Holy intersecting with my life. I have experiences that sometimes don't make sense unless I attribute them to that which is transcendent. I believe with all of my being that I am joined with the Sacred – not joined like an addition was built onto my soul and God lives there, but joined in the way that you join eggs and flour and milk ... and you end up something delicious to eat. We are joined completely.
Not only are we joined with our Divine Beloved and joined with each other, but we are also joined with creation. With creation, we groan. A little before the selection read earlier, Paul writes that although we are suffering now, glory will be revealed eventually. He writes, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies."
All creation groans for redemption. We groan even though we have hope. We groan even in our patience. We groan because we do not yet see our redemption. And Spirit groans with us and through us.
At the time of this writing there was an expectation that Jesus would be right back to wrap this thing up. Now, all this time later, we look for the essence of truth in these writings. What does it mean to be redeemed? The kind of redemption that Paul and his community were waiting for has not happened yet. Is Jesus coming back literally and physically? Will the physical bodies of those who have already died take shape again? Will we go to a place called heaven and worship in a jeweled city with angels flying around? Will the lion and lamb both eat grass side by side? We just don't know. And if Jesus were here to ask, I think he would probably say something like he did to his followers then ... "What is it to you?" or "Only the Father knows." Then we would be instructed to "stay awake," to "be the servant of all," or simply to "love one another as I have loved you."
This question of redemption seems really important to me though, what with the creation, us, and Spirit all groaning for it. Redeem has many meanings, such as: to buy back. This is a common definition for Christian redemption ... Jesus having bought our salvation with his sacrifice. But there are other meanings to the word redeem; meanings that encompass more than going to heaven someday. I think that if all creation is groaning – the earth, the animals, the plants – that maybe redemption is more complicated. Paul talks about all of creation being set free from bondage. So maybe some of the other definitions of redeem apply, like: to change for the better, or to repair and restore.
It is Earth Day this Wednesday, so it seems fitting to take a moment to think about all creation groaning for redemption in terms of repairing and restoring. We humans have trashed this place. Tracy Chapman and others call it the rape of the world. There's so much that needs to be repaired and restored. The earth, plants, and animals are in terrible bondage because of how we live. I took a ride on my scooter recently. I was going to ride in the country somewhere but ended up taking the Lake Michigan tour and ended up riding next to the BP tanks and oil rigs near Gary, IN. It was so sad. Most of my senses were affected – sight, sound, taste and smell. It makes sense to me that creation, other than us humans, is groaning to be repaired and restored.
What about us though? What is it about our bodies that need to be repaired and restored?
There is sickness. Those of us with a chronic illness, pain or disability know the groaning of living with something that is constantly debilitating. All bodies are of equal sacred worth and this equality needs to be restored.
There is racism. People whose bodies are various shades of brown and whose features are non-European are systemically considered less than paler bodies with thin sharp features. Black and Brown people know the groaning of living in oppression. This system needs to be repaired. All bodies are of equal sacred worth and this equality needs to be restored.
There is heterosexism. People who do not fit neatly into gender norms or whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual know the groaning of living with sideway glances and being considered by others to be immoral. All bodies are of equal sacred worth and this equality needs to be restored.
There is patriarchy. Women have been subjected to 2nd class citizenry throughout history. The bodies of women have been objects and property. Women have been and continue to be commodified by men. All bodies are of equal sacred worth and this equality needs to be restored.
There is groaning for redemption, to be sure. What of the trans-woman of colour with a chronic illness? Is she not groaning? Are we not groaning with her? We need to be because we are all connected. All creation needs to be redeemed.
I agree with Paul that "the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed." And I agree with him that nothing, not persecution or famine, not nakedness or sword, can keep us from the love of God in Christ. I disagree with Paul, however, when he says that if we hope for what we do not see, that we wait for it with patience. I am not simply waiting for the redemption. If Paul was waiting patiently for Jesus to come back so that all creation would be redeemed, he'd still be waiting. Jesus was not one to wait and we are not only called to follow his pattern but we are connected to him through love and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I agree with Paul on something else, though. There will be peril. There will be dangers. There will be famine. There will be heights and depths and rulers and powers. None of these things, people, or places can separate us from the love of God in Christ or from each other.
We persevere in working for redemption. We repair and restore as much as we can however it is given us to do it. We remember that we are one with each other and with Christ. No matter where our individual paths take us … no matter how the church is structured ... no matter what ... we are connected.
Mechtild tells us that when we are touched in Love, we must sound because Humanity sings and the Holy Spirit is our harpist. The strength of Love reaches beyond our bodies and our senses. I have experienced being oppressed. I have experienced the stories of others who are oppressed. You have experienced oppression and have heard the stories of others who are oppressed. And somehow through all the perils and hunger, in spite of the rulers and powers, we are together today loving each other in the name of all that is Holy and Sacred.
Nothing ... nothing can separate us from Love.
and
this poem by Mechtild of Magdeburg
Effortlessly,
Love flows from God into man,
Like a bird
Who rivers the air
Without moving her wings.
Thus we move in His world,
One in body and soul,
Though outwardly separate in form.
As the Source strikes the note,
Humanity sings -
The Holy Spirit is our harpist,
And all strings
Which are touched by Love
Must sound.
According to Paul, nothing can separate us from the love of our Divine Beloved! According to Mechtild of Magdeburg, "we are one in body and soul, though outwardly separate in form."
We are connected. No matter what happens, when it happens, or how it happens, we remain connected. It is love that is the connecting force.
No matter if our bodies are in the same room, the same state, or the same country – if we have love for one another, we are always connected.
Paul tells us that Death cannot sever the connection between us and our Divine Beloved. He also tells us that Life cannot sever that connection. Furthermore, nothing that may happen between life and death can create a disconnect between us and our Sacred Creator. A lot of things may happen. There may be times when it looks like something or someone has the power to cut us off from the One Who is our Love, but I am convinced with Paul that neither height nor depth ... nor anything else in creation ... can separate us from the Love of God. I am absolutely and utterly convinced.
I am not convinced because Paul said so. I am also not convinced because Mechtild believes that God's love is like a bird who rivers through the air, although that image gives me shivers. I am convinced because like Paul and like Mechtild, I have experiences of the Holy intersecting with my life. I have experiences that sometimes don't make sense unless I attribute them to that which is transcendent. I believe with all of my being that I am joined with the Sacred – not joined like an addition was built onto my soul and God lives there, but joined in the way that you join eggs and flour and milk ... and you end up something delicious to eat. We are joined completely.
Not only are we joined with our Divine Beloved and joined with each other, but we are also joined with creation. With creation, we groan. A little before the selection read earlier, Paul writes that although we are suffering now, glory will be revealed eventually. He writes, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies."
All creation groans for redemption. We groan even though we have hope. We groan even in our patience. We groan because we do not yet see our redemption. And Spirit groans with us and through us.
At the time of this writing there was an expectation that Jesus would be right back to wrap this thing up. Now, all this time later, we look for the essence of truth in these writings. What does it mean to be redeemed? The kind of redemption that Paul and his community were waiting for has not happened yet. Is Jesus coming back literally and physically? Will the physical bodies of those who have already died take shape again? Will we go to a place called heaven and worship in a jeweled city with angels flying around? Will the lion and lamb both eat grass side by side? We just don't know. And if Jesus were here to ask, I think he would probably say something like he did to his followers then ... "What is it to you?" or "Only the Father knows." Then we would be instructed to "stay awake," to "be the servant of all," or simply to "love one another as I have loved you."
This question of redemption seems really important to me though, what with the creation, us, and Spirit all groaning for it. Redeem has many meanings, such as: to buy back. This is a common definition for Christian redemption ... Jesus having bought our salvation with his sacrifice. But there are other meanings to the word redeem; meanings that encompass more than going to heaven someday. I think that if all creation is groaning – the earth, the animals, the plants – that maybe redemption is more complicated. Paul talks about all of creation being set free from bondage. So maybe some of the other definitions of redeem apply, like: to change for the better, or to repair and restore.
It is Earth Day this Wednesday, so it seems fitting to take a moment to think about all creation groaning for redemption in terms of repairing and restoring. We humans have trashed this place. Tracy Chapman and others call it the rape of the world. There's so much that needs to be repaired and restored. The earth, plants, and animals are in terrible bondage because of how we live. I took a ride on my scooter recently. I was going to ride in the country somewhere but ended up taking the Lake Michigan tour and ended up riding next to the BP tanks and oil rigs near Gary, IN. It was so sad. Most of my senses were affected – sight, sound, taste and smell. It makes sense to me that creation, other than us humans, is groaning to be repaired and restored.
What about us though? What is it about our bodies that need to be repaired and restored?
There is sickness. Those of us with a chronic illness, pain or disability know the groaning of living with something that is constantly debilitating. All bodies are of equal sacred worth and this equality needs to be restored.
There is racism. People whose bodies are various shades of brown and whose features are non-European are systemically considered less than paler bodies with thin sharp features. Black and Brown people know the groaning of living in oppression. This system needs to be repaired. All bodies are of equal sacred worth and this equality needs to be restored.
There is heterosexism. People who do not fit neatly into gender norms or whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual know the groaning of living with sideway glances and being considered by others to be immoral. All bodies are of equal sacred worth and this equality needs to be restored.
There is patriarchy. Women have been subjected to 2nd class citizenry throughout history. The bodies of women have been objects and property. Women have been and continue to be commodified by men. All bodies are of equal sacred worth and this equality needs to be restored.
There is groaning for redemption, to be sure. What of the trans-woman of colour with a chronic illness? Is she not groaning? Are we not groaning with her? We need to be because we are all connected. All creation needs to be redeemed.
I agree with Paul that "the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed." And I agree with him that nothing, not persecution or famine, not nakedness or sword, can keep us from the love of God in Christ. I disagree with Paul, however, when he says that if we hope for what we do not see, that we wait for it with patience. I am not simply waiting for the redemption. If Paul was waiting patiently for Jesus to come back so that all creation would be redeemed, he'd still be waiting. Jesus was not one to wait and we are not only called to follow his pattern but we are connected to him through love and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I agree with Paul on something else, though. There will be peril. There will be dangers. There will be famine. There will be heights and depths and rulers and powers. None of these things, people, or places can separate us from the love of God in Christ or from each other.
We persevere in working for redemption. We repair and restore as much as we can however it is given us to do it. We remember that we are one with each other and with Christ. No matter where our individual paths take us … no matter how the church is structured ... no matter what ... we are connected.
Mechtild tells us that when we are touched in Love, we must sound because Humanity sings and the Holy Spirit is our harpist. The strength of Love reaches beyond our bodies and our senses. I have experienced being oppressed. I have experienced the stories of others who are oppressed. You have experienced oppression and have heard the stories of others who are oppressed. And somehow through all the perils and hunger, in spite of the rulers and powers, we are together today loving each other in the name of all that is Holy and Sacred.
Nothing ... nothing can separate us from Love.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
I am captivated
My friend and congregant died a few weeks ago. He was quite sick. AIDS, cancer, blood clots, paranoia ... it was a tough road that he walked, but he did so with honor, dignity and laughter.
When he died I met his family and his powers of attorney at his apartment. He lived at Chicago House in an efficiency. Amoung his most treasured possessions were his tv, vcr/dvd player, movies, and his puppet stage. Somehow, I ended up with all of those.
When he was alive, somehow I missed his video of Judy in Concert sitting on his shelf. How I wish we had watched this together. Well, I guess we are because I do believe in life eternal. But oh how I miss his laughter and his tears. He allowed himself to do both easily.
We didn't know that each of us had the cd of Judy at Carnegie Hall. Now I have 2 copies.
I am completely smitten, once again, with this amazing woman. Now that I am older I appreciate her beauty and talent even more.
And I love love love when she throws the microphone cord over her shoulder, don't you, Tom?
When he died I met his family and his powers of attorney at his apartment. He lived at Chicago House in an efficiency. Amoung his most treasured possessions were his tv, vcr/dvd player, movies, and his puppet stage. Somehow, I ended up with all of those.
When he was alive, somehow I missed his video of Judy in Concert sitting on his shelf. How I wish we had watched this together. Well, I guess we are because I do believe in life eternal. But oh how I miss his laughter and his tears. He allowed himself to do both easily.
We didn't know that each of us had the cd of Judy at Carnegie Hall. Now I have 2 copies.
I am completely smitten, once again, with this amazing woman. Now that I am older I appreciate her beauty and talent even more.
And I love love love when she throws the microphone cord over her shoulder, don't you, Tom?
Thursday, April 02, 2009
TORI AMOS live GOD
Deciding which version of this to post was difficult. I chose this one because I was feeling the guitar.
I've included links to a couple of other versions ... they are really worth watching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk1mu7wA_SM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PHUn4TLKM0&feature=related
I've included links to a couple of other versions ... they are really worth watching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk1mu7wA_SM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PHUn4TLKM0&feature=related
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Love Yourself
1. Deut 6:4 – 9 Love God
2. Leviticus 19: 9 – 19 Love Neighbor/Self
3. Matthew 22: 34 – 40 (to Pharisee) Love God/Neighbor/Self
4. Mark 12: 28 – 34 (to Scribe) Love God/Neighbor/Self
5. Luke 10: 25 – 28 (to Lawyer) Love God/Neighbor/Self
6. Romans 13: 8 – 10 Love Neighbor/Self
7. Galatians 5: 7 – 15 Love Neighbor/Self
8. James 2: 1 – 9 Love Neighbor/Self
Deuteronomy and Leviticus are just the beginning. I have 6 more scriptures that repeat the main theme of loving your neighbor as yourself. In all three of the canonical gospels it is the same story, but with different details. In Matthew, Jesus is talking to a Pharisee. In Mark, he is talking to a Scribe. In Luke, he is talking to a Lawyer. These three passages, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, each use what Jesus calls the great commandments – to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. He chose these commandments out of all the laws.
The next three scripture passages only include the second commandment – to love your neighbor as yourself. These passages are Romans 13:8, Galatians 5: 7 – 15, and James 2: 1 – 9.
Most often when these passages are used it is to talk about loving God or loving neighbor. That is what is being taught by the original writers. Today I want to talk about Loving our Self. The assumption in these passages is that you love yourself. The love that is being referred to here means to have affection for and to care for.
It is taken for granted in these scriptures that we have affection for ourselves and that we care for ourselves. From that basis, we are to understand how to take care for our neighbor.
Taking this love of self for granted is a dangerous thing. We are taught to be critical of ourselves as well as of others. We are marketed to that we are not good looking enough, smart enough, adventurous enough, healthy enough, tall enough, rich enough, buff enough, thin enough, man enough, woman enough … and the list goes on. Magazines, billboards, TV commercials, movies, books all let us know that we aren't what or who we should be.
What does it mean to care for ourselves? Do we take time to communicate with our Divine Beloved? Do we take time to eat well? Do we hold ourselves when we are sad or hurt? Do we forgive ourselves when we make mistakes?
Loving yourself is different than having pride. I remember a conversation I had with a pastor of mine a long time ago. I was beating myself up for some mistake I made. I just couldn't let go of the fact that I did whatever horrendous thing I did. It probably wasn't that horrendous, but I was very critical of myself. If my walk didn't match my talk I repented in no uncertain terms. So I turned to my pastor to help me through this and she told me that I needed to repent. Now, I had already repented of my action. What she wanted me to do was to repent from not letting go. She told me that self hate was just as much a sin of pride and ego as arrogance because in both cases the subject was entirely about me.
Here's a lesson we can learn from David. It is in 2 Samuel, the 12th chapter. One of the stories of David really messing up is when he had sex with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, and then he sent Uriah out to the front of the battle so that he would be killed. Bathsheba became pregnant from that encounter and gave birth. The story continues …
The Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became very ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child; David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground. The elders of his house stood beside him, urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, "While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us; how then can we tell him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm." But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, he perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead." Then David rose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the house of the Lord, and worshiped; he then went to his own house; and when he asked, they set food before him and he ate. Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but when the child died, you rose and ate food." He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, "Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.' But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."
David was taking action, pleading with God to spare his baby. In this story God does not do so. But when the baby dies, the servants expect David to be so grief-stricken that he hurts himself or maybe kills himself. They are confused as to why he would want to eat now that the baby is dead. But David learned early on that you have to let go. You have to repent, which he did, you make intercession, and then you let go. David here is loving himself. He knows it was his actions that brought about this terrible consequence, and he does what he knows how to do to try to fix the situation, but when it turns out for the worst he gets up, dusts himself off, and hopefully learns from his mistake. He cares for himself by eating and anointing himself. He worships and he takes off his stinky clothes and puts on clean clothes. All that may be easier said than done, but there's a lesson in it.
What are the obstacles that keep you from loving yourself? Do your ideals not match your actions? Have you been told that you aren't worth loving? Do you not forgive yourself for making mistakes?
The question we have been asking all Lent is "how has loved changed your world?" Loving yourself will change your world. I guarantee that. It will help you to be more confident with out that nasty arrogance that false love provides. It will help you care for your soul. It will help you see through the marketing of self-hate that we are bombarded with every minute of every day. It will help you not resort to self loathing, but rather to forgive yourself. It will also help you love your neighbor. Loving yourself is the foundation of loving others. Sure we can be kind to others and sacrifice ourselves for others, but without love we are told it is worth nothing. We are to share ourselves with others from a place of love, and that love begins with loving ourselves.
What are the obstacles that keep you from loving yourself? Can you name them or are they embedded and difficult to name?
How do these obstacles keep us from loving our neighbor?
How do these obstacles keep us from loving our Divine Beloved?
How does or how will loving yourself change your world?
How do you want to love yourself better?
Is it easier to love yourself when you are connected to your Divine Beloved?
2. Leviticus 19: 9 – 19 Love Neighbor/Self
3. Matthew 22: 34 – 40 (to Pharisee) Love God/Neighbor/Self
4. Mark 12: 28 – 34 (to Scribe) Love God/Neighbor/Self
5. Luke 10: 25 – 28 (to Lawyer) Love God/Neighbor/Self
6. Romans 13: 8 – 10 Love Neighbor/Self
7. Galatians 5: 7 – 15 Love Neighbor/Self
8. James 2: 1 – 9 Love Neighbor/Self
Deuteronomy and Leviticus are just the beginning. I have 6 more scriptures that repeat the main theme of loving your neighbor as yourself. In all three of the canonical gospels it is the same story, but with different details. In Matthew, Jesus is talking to a Pharisee. In Mark, he is talking to a Scribe. In Luke, he is talking to a Lawyer. These three passages, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, each use what Jesus calls the great commandments – to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. He chose these commandments out of all the laws.
The next three scripture passages only include the second commandment – to love your neighbor as yourself. These passages are Romans 13:8, Galatians 5: 7 – 15, and James 2: 1 – 9.
Most often when these passages are used it is to talk about loving God or loving neighbor. That is what is being taught by the original writers. Today I want to talk about Loving our Self. The assumption in these passages is that you love yourself. The love that is being referred to here means to have affection for and to care for.
It is taken for granted in these scriptures that we have affection for ourselves and that we care for ourselves. From that basis, we are to understand how to take care for our neighbor.
Taking this love of self for granted is a dangerous thing. We are taught to be critical of ourselves as well as of others. We are marketed to that we are not good looking enough, smart enough, adventurous enough, healthy enough, tall enough, rich enough, buff enough, thin enough, man enough, woman enough … and the list goes on. Magazines, billboards, TV commercials, movies, books all let us know that we aren't what or who we should be.
What does it mean to care for ourselves? Do we take time to communicate with our Divine Beloved? Do we take time to eat well? Do we hold ourselves when we are sad or hurt? Do we forgive ourselves when we make mistakes?
Loving yourself is different than having pride. I remember a conversation I had with a pastor of mine a long time ago. I was beating myself up for some mistake I made. I just couldn't let go of the fact that I did whatever horrendous thing I did. It probably wasn't that horrendous, but I was very critical of myself. If my walk didn't match my talk I repented in no uncertain terms. So I turned to my pastor to help me through this and she told me that I needed to repent. Now, I had already repented of my action. What she wanted me to do was to repent from not letting go. She told me that self hate was just as much a sin of pride and ego as arrogance because in both cases the subject was entirely about me.
Here's a lesson we can learn from David. It is in 2 Samuel, the 12th chapter. One of the stories of David really messing up is when he had sex with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, and then he sent Uriah out to the front of the battle so that he would be killed. Bathsheba became pregnant from that encounter and gave birth. The story continues …
The Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became very ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child; David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground. The elders of his house stood beside him, urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, "While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us; how then can we tell him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm." But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, he perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead." Then David rose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the house of the Lord, and worshiped; he then went to his own house; and when he asked, they set food before him and he ate. Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but when the child died, you rose and ate food." He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, "Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.' But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."
David was taking action, pleading with God to spare his baby. In this story God does not do so. But when the baby dies, the servants expect David to be so grief-stricken that he hurts himself or maybe kills himself. They are confused as to why he would want to eat now that the baby is dead. But David learned early on that you have to let go. You have to repent, which he did, you make intercession, and then you let go. David here is loving himself. He knows it was his actions that brought about this terrible consequence, and he does what he knows how to do to try to fix the situation, but when it turns out for the worst he gets up, dusts himself off, and hopefully learns from his mistake. He cares for himself by eating and anointing himself. He worships and he takes off his stinky clothes and puts on clean clothes. All that may be easier said than done, but there's a lesson in it.
What are the obstacles that keep you from loving yourself? Do your ideals not match your actions? Have you been told that you aren't worth loving? Do you not forgive yourself for making mistakes?
The question we have been asking all Lent is "how has loved changed your world?" Loving yourself will change your world. I guarantee that. It will help you to be more confident with out that nasty arrogance that false love provides. It will help you care for your soul. It will help you see through the marketing of self-hate that we are bombarded with every minute of every day. It will help you not resort to self loathing, but rather to forgive yourself. It will also help you love your neighbor. Loving yourself is the foundation of loving others. Sure we can be kind to others and sacrifice ourselves for others, but without love we are told it is worth nothing. We are to share ourselves with others from a place of love, and that love begins with loving ourselves.
What are the obstacles that keep you from loving yourself? Can you name them or are they embedded and difficult to name?
How do these obstacles keep us from loving our neighbor?
How do these obstacles keep us from loving our Divine Beloved?
How does or how will loving yourself change your world?
How do you want to love yourself better?
Is it easier to love yourself when you are connected to your Divine Beloved?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Consciously Close
Mark 10:32 - 45
This is the first Sunday of Lent, traditionally a season of self-examination, prayer, fasting and works of love.
As we begin our 40 day journey, I want to slow down the impulse to jump in with both feet. If these next 40 days are to correspond to other spiritual quests that involved 40 days or 40 years, it seems best to me to be conscious of what we do and why. The 40 years that the Israelites walked through the wilderness and the 40 days that Jesus spent after being whisked away to the desert were not well planned spiritual events on a church liturgical calendar. They were foisted upon our unsuspecting heroes. We have the benefit of being able to look back and reflect.
Mark 9:33 – 37 records an earlier conversation with a similar theme to the passage in Mark 10. It is about who is the greatest and Jesus uses a child as an example. The disciples had a hard time learning the lesson that Jesus wasn't calling them to power, he was calling them to relationship. The example of the children wasn't to teach his disciples to be totally dependent on God as children are on their parents. Jesus is teaching about being welcoming – "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me."
In our text today James and John want to be Jesus' right and left hand guys. This time Jesus uses the example of being a servant. Here he says, "Whoever wishes to become great amoung you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first amoung you must be servant of all." I think the teaching here is not "how to be great in 2 easy lessons." I think the point is that what they are wishing for is wrong. They are looking at the prevailing power structure in their society, one where might makes right and if you have enough money you can have power and privilege too and they seek to mimic it in their own community. Jesus is teaching that the whole set-up of society is wrong.
I have been meditating on this dynamic of the disciples to seek power and the tradition of Lent which is based in self-denial and suffering for the sake of purity. One seems to be the flip side of the other. In order for us to not behave in a power hungry manner we will deny ourselves. I know that for some Lent is a powerful ritual of intentional self-examination. But for others it is just another way to feel defeated and not good enough. I don't believe the God of Love asks people who have meager resources to fast from nourishment. I don't believe the God of Love asks those of us who have been beaten down by the system to flagellate themselves ... to punish themselves ... to think less of themselves ... for the sake of holiness and to be close to Jesus.
When the disciples seek to be great, Jesus tells them that they need to take the posture of a servant and to welcome children. These teachings aren't about how to be close to your Divine Beloved, they are teachings against striving for greatness and power.
What is the point of Lent? I don't want to take away anyone's ritual, but I do want to challenge the why and the how. When someone tends toward some kind of excess, then Lent might be just the right opportunity to examine that and take an initiative toward correcting it. If we forget to be prayerful or to do works of love, then Lent is a good time to begin again the practice of prayer and good works. But fasting, prayer and good works aren't the point of Lent. Feeling bad about yourself is not the point of Lent. Feeling good about how bad you feel about yourself should not be the point of Lent.
I think being consciously close to Jesus is the point of Lent. The hunger from fasting, the concentration of prayer, and the sacrifice of good works are supposed to remind us to walk consciously close to Jesus. Hunger itself isn't holy. Depriving yourself from something you love doesn't bring you closer to God. What brings you closer to God is walking closer to God.
Does a temporary abstinence from something help to remind you to fix your thoughts on what Philippians teaches ... "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise"? Fixing our thoughts on these things helps us walk closer to Jesus.
James and John – the brothers who asked Jesus if they could sit at his right hand and his left hand – they asked the wrong question. The disciples who were arguing about who would be the greatest – they were asking the wrong question. But why were they asking these questions? What was really motivating them? Was it the quest for power? Was it the desire for fame? There may have been some of that. But once they realized Jesus wasn't in it for the fame and the power and that likely they would receive none either, why did they continue to follow?
I believe that the requests the followers made were misguided attempts to emulate the Messiah. I think what they wanted most of all was to be as close as possible to Jesus. They were still in the learning phase of what that meant and the best way to go about it. They didn't yet have the emotional or spiritual tools to be able to tell Jesus how much they loved him and wanted to be like him ... how often they wanted to be near him ... how afraid they were to be without him.
For us, walking with Jesus takes a different form. We cannot physically walk down the road with our Messiah. We can't ask him questions face to face. Wouldn't that be great to be able to do ... even if our questions were wrong? He would be right there and yet, doesn't it happen that even when someone is "right there" that sometime we end up still not being with them. Here's a question you don't have tell me the answer to ... how many times during this service have you phased out? Even though you are sitting in your chair in this room, how much of the time have you been somewhere else? I'm not bringing this up to criticize. It happens to me too. I phase in and out ... I come and go even though I'm right here.
This kind of thing happens to us everywhere. We can be with our spouse, our kids, our bestest of best friends and still, we are not always conscious of where we are and who we're with.
Often we even phase in and out of paying attention to ourselves. If Jesus were here amoung us, if he was a member of this congregation, eventually we would take him for granted at least some of the time ... just like we do now.
This time of Lent, however you practice it, is a time to draw close to Jesus. This is a time to stay in the room with him and with yourself. The disciples got one thing right ... they may have asked the wrong questions and not understood a lot of the parables ... but they loved Jesus and they kept walking with him as close as they could. James and John wanted to be as close to Jesus as possible. They didn't care which one of them was on the right hand and which was on the left hand, but they each wanted to be able to take Jesus' hand at a moment's notice.
As consciously as you can, try to remember to walk close to Jesus. See if you can pay attention to when you phase in and out. How do you talk differently when you are walking beside the Messiah ... the Healer ... the one who is your Divine Beloved? What choices do you make that are different? Do you treat others differently when you are consciously in the presence of the God of Love?
This Christ who we worship, this man who defended those that others called sinners ... who spoke out against religious arrogance ... who willingly took a beating because he would not take back what he said and because he would not stop healing people's bodies any and every day of the week ... when you are consciously in the presence of the Christ and allow the love that you have for Jesus to flow through you, what are you like?
Jesus is a member of this congregation. Jesus sits in the midst of us. This Lent, whatever else you do, I encourage you to apply yourself to be in the presence of the God of Love as the focus of your 40 day spiritual journey.
This is the first Sunday of Lent, traditionally a season of self-examination, prayer, fasting and works of love.
As we begin our 40 day journey, I want to slow down the impulse to jump in with both feet. If these next 40 days are to correspond to other spiritual quests that involved 40 days or 40 years, it seems best to me to be conscious of what we do and why. The 40 years that the Israelites walked through the wilderness and the 40 days that Jesus spent after being whisked away to the desert were not well planned spiritual events on a church liturgical calendar. They were foisted upon our unsuspecting heroes. We have the benefit of being able to look back and reflect.
Mark 9:33 – 37 records an earlier conversation with a similar theme to the passage in Mark 10. It is about who is the greatest and Jesus uses a child as an example. The disciples had a hard time learning the lesson that Jesus wasn't calling them to power, he was calling them to relationship. The example of the children wasn't to teach his disciples to be totally dependent on God as children are on their parents. Jesus is teaching about being welcoming – "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me."
In our text today James and John want to be Jesus' right and left hand guys. This time Jesus uses the example of being a servant. Here he says, "Whoever wishes to become great amoung you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first amoung you must be servant of all." I think the teaching here is not "how to be great in 2 easy lessons." I think the point is that what they are wishing for is wrong. They are looking at the prevailing power structure in their society, one where might makes right and if you have enough money you can have power and privilege too and they seek to mimic it in their own community. Jesus is teaching that the whole set-up of society is wrong.
I have been meditating on this dynamic of the disciples to seek power and the tradition of Lent which is based in self-denial and suffering for the sake of purity. One seems to be the flip side of the other. In order for us to not behave in a power hungry manner we will deny ourselves. I know that for some Lent is a powerful ritual of intentional self-examination. But for others it is just another way to feel defeated and not good enough. I don't believe the God of Love asks people who have meager resources to fast from nourishment. I don't believe the God of Love asks those of us who have been beaten down by the system to flagellate themselves ... to punish themselves ... to think less of themselves ... for the sake of holiness and to be close to Jesus.
When the disciples seek to be great, Jesus tells them that they need to take the posture of a servant and to welcome children. These teachings aren't about how to be close to your Divine Beloved, they are teachings against striving for greatness and power.
What is the point of Lent? I don't want to take away anyone's ritual, but I do want to challenge the why and the how. When someone tends toward some kind of excess, then Lent might be just the right opportunity to examine that and take an initiative toward correcting it. If we forget to be prayerful or to do works of love, then Lent is a good time to begin again the practice of prayer and good works. But fasting, prayer and good works aren't the point of Lent. Feeling bad about yourself is not the point of Lent. Feeling good about how bad you feel about yourself should not be the point of Lent.
I think being consciously close to Jesus is the point of Lent. The hunger from fasting, the concentration of prayer, and the sacrifice of good works are supposed to remind us to walk consciously close to Jesus. Hunger itself isn't holy. Depriving yourself from something you love doesn't bring you closer to God. What brings you closer to God is walking closer to God.
Does a temporary abstinence from something help to remind you to fix your thoughts on what Philippians teaches ... "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise"? Fixing our thoughts on these things helps us walk closer to Jesus.
James and John – the brothers who asked Jesus if they could sit at his right hand and his left hand – they asked the wrong question. The disciples who were arguing about who would be the greatest – they were asking the wrong question. But why were they asking these questions? What was really motivating them? Was it the quest for power? Was it the desire for fame? There may have been some of that. But once they realized Jesus wasn't in it for the fame and the power and that likely they would receive none either, why did they continue to follow?
I believe that the requests the followers made were misguided attempts to emulate the Messiah. I think what they wanted most of all was to be as close as possible to Jesus. They were still in the learning phase of what that meant and the best way to go about it. They didn't yet have the emotional or spiritual tools to be able to tell Jesus how much they loved him and wanted to be like him ... how often they wanted to be near him ... how afraid they were to be without him.
For us, walking with Jesus takes a different form. We cannot physically walk down the road with our Messiah. We can't ask him questions face to face. Wouldn't that be great to be able to do ... even if our questions were wrong? He would be right there and yet, doesn't it happen that even when someone is "right there" that sometime we end up still not being with them. Here's a question you don't have tell me the answer to ... how many times during this service have you phased out? Even though you are sitting in your chair in this room, how much of the time have you been somewhere else? I'm not bringing this up to criticize. It happens to me too. I phase in and out ... I come and go even though I'm right here.
This kind of thing happens to us everywhere. We can be with our spouse, our kids, our bestest of best friends and still, we are not always conscious of where we are and who we're with.
Often we even phase in and out of paying attention to ourselves. If Jesus were here amoung us, if he was a member of this congregation, eventually we would take him for granted at least some of the time ... just like we do now.
This time of Lent, however you practice it, is a time to draw close to Jesus. This is a time to stay in the room with him and with yourself. The disciples got one thing right ... they may have asked the wrong questions and not understood a lot of the parables ... but they loved Jesus and they kept walking with him as close as they could. James and John wanted to be as close to Jesus as possible. They didn't care which one of them was on the right hand and which was on the left hand, but they each wanted to be able to take Jesus' hand at a moment's notice.
As consciously as you can, try to remember to walk close to Jesus. See if you can pay attention to when you phase in and out. How do you talk differently when you are walking beside the Messiah ... the Healer ... the one who is your Divine Beloved? What choices do you make that are different? Do you treat others differently when you are consciously in the presence of the God of Love?
This Christ who we worship, this man who defended those that others called sinners ... who spoke out against religious arrogance ... who willingly took a beating because he would not take back what he said and because he would not stop healing people's bodies any and every day of the week ... when you are consciously in the presence of the Christ and allow the love that you have for Jesus to flow through you, what are you like?
Jesus is a member of this congregation. Jesus sits in the midst of us. This Lent, whatever else you do, I encourage you to apply yourself to be in the presence of the God of Love as the focus of your 40 day spiritual journey.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Praise and Worship: For Love
Text - Psalm 100
I've been thinking a lot about praise and worship and prayer. I have conversations about these words with people and it rarely fails that we define these words differently. For some people worship includes prayer and for others it doesn't. Sometimes worship and praise are interchangeable words and sometimes they are not.
No matter what the specific definition of the words for a person, we do tend to agree that generally speaking all these words are talking about reaching toward the Sacred.
There was a time when I was very very sad and scared. I didn't know what to do with myself. I didn't know how to be who I was. I didn't know who to be. Everything was all mixed up.
The church I attended at the time had two components. The first was a praise and worship time. Basically we sang for an hour. There was a song leader who had chosen the songs. We also had lots of band members. The song leader would direct the whole thing. I could be very powerful ... very moving.
Sometimes, though, the music just didn't match up to how you were feeling. One morning I was feeling quite desperate and I was hoping for some music that would help me work through my struggles. I wanted to sing a song like, this one from the book of Hosea:
Sow to yourself in righteousness
Reap in mercy, reap in mercy
Break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord
Till God comes and reigns righteousness upon you
Or this one from Psalm 42:
As the deer thirsts for the water so my soul thirsts after you
You oh Lord are my hearts desire and I long to worship you
You oh Lord are my strength and shield
To you oh Lord does my spirit yield
You alone are my hearts desire and I long to worship you
But what I got was a song that was happy. It was upbeat. Then I got another upbeat song that was less lively but still a hopeful wonderful song. I was not feeling hopeful or wonderful. I was not feeling the songs in the service. But at one point I decided that I was going to sing with all my heart. I was going to break through my own hopelessness and despair and praise God in what I called faith. I had never sung a happy song with grief in my heart and tears flowing out of my eyes before, but I did that morning.
One of the songs that I remember singing was this one. Some of you may know it with a different melody line.
I love you Lord and I lift my voice
To worship you, oh my soul rejoice
Take joy my king in what you hear
Let me be a sweet sweet sound in your ear
We exalt you
We exalt you
We exalt you
Oh God
This song helped me to break through. I realized that I could sing a song about my soul rejoicing even though it felt like I was dying because I could truthfully sing the words, "I love you, Lord." I love you. I decided that if I still knew that I loved God that that meant my soul still had something to rejoice about. All I wanted to do was to reach out to the Sacred. I wanted to take the hand of my Divine Beloved and I wanted to be wrapped in my Beloved's arms. I needed shelter and I needed acceptance. I wanted to be loved back.
Music has been a good way for me to reach out. Sometimes it isn't with words. Often I reach out with my drums. I used to reach through playing my clarinet. That was a long time ago. Some people use art or poetry. Some use dance or theatre.
It seems to me that whatever someone uses to reach past the struggle, if it isn't motivated by love it won't have the strength or stamina to fully tap in. This whole Christian journey; the reason we build and continue to be a part of a faith community; the desire to reach out and share with others; all of this has to be motivated by love.
I wanted to talk before we sing today to name a few things. First I want to name the motivation of love as being primary. Sometimes we don't feel love, but we may have a loyalty or devotion that is attached to our love that can make love more tangible. Next, I want to name that sometimes we have to push through a struggle to praise God. Struggling is important. I think being in an honest struggle is healthy. It gives us a depth to our soul and our living. I would rather struggle and push to get to another side than to pretend that there is no struggle and be silently miserable or to have the pain masked even to myself. Struggle for the sake of struggle, I think, is counter productive. But I do not want to silence my pain or anyone else's pain. I also do not want to stop praising The Holy, The Presence who loves me and wants me to be consciously close.
That morning of praise for me was powerful because I figured out I could be in that moment of contradiction and the result was that I did not die. Rather I ended up being more fully present to my Divine Beloved and to myself. I couldn't do it as just a ritual. I had to do it for love. I had to do it to be consciously close to God.
Today I want us to sing a few songs. They are the songs in the insert to the bulletin. I don't know if any of you know them. And again, I might know a different melody line, so we'll figure it out. The how of singing is not as important as the singing itself and the being together.
Our text today has one of my favourite verses - Make a joyful noise to the Lord. Love is not always pretty. It is not always harmonious. Sometimes there is dissonance or passing tones that help us figure out the direction the song needs to take. I invite you to find your voice - find a harmony part if you wish. Or let your body do whatever it wants to do ... sway or stand or sit ...
We will do each song several times through, kind of in a Lectio Divina style. My hope is that as we sing these songs repeatedly we have the opportunity to go deeper. Two of the three songs are scripturally based. The third song is a love song to God.
We are all struggling with something - some of us with many things. As we use this meditative style, praising and worshiping through song, I invite you to be present to yourself and to look for and encounter your Love. This love that I am talking about is the love that you hold in you and Love which is calling to you through the Holy Spirit or The Sacred or however you name it.
I've been thinking a lot about praise and worship and prayer. I have conversations about these words with people and it rarely fails that we define these words differently. For some people worship includes prayer and for others it doesn't. Sometimes worship and praise are interchangeable words and sometimes they are not.
No matter what the specific definition of the words for a person, we do tend to agree that generally speaking all these words are talking about reaching toward the Sacred.
There was a time when I was very very sad and scared. I didn't know what to do with myself. I didn't know how to be who I was. I didn't know who to be. Everything was all mixed up.
The church I attended at the time had two components. The first was a praise and worship time. Basically we sang for an hour. There was a song leader who had chosen the songs. We also had lots of band members. The song leader would direct the whole thing. I could be very powerful ... very moving.
Sometimes, though, the music just didn't match up to how you were feeling. One morning I was feeling quite desperate and I was hoping for some music that would help me work through my struggles. I wanted to sing a song like, this one from the book of Hosea:
Sow to yourself in righteousness
Reap in mercy, reap in mercy
Break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord
Till God comes and reigns righteousness upon you
Or this one from Psalm 42:
As the deer thirsts for the water so my soul thirsts after you
You oh Lord are my hearts desire and I long to worship you
You oh Lord are my strength and shield
To you oh Lord does my spirit yield
You alone are my hearts desire and I long to worship you
But what I got was a song that was happy. It was upbeat. Then I got another upbeat song that was less lively but still a hopeful wonderful song. I was not feeling hopeful or wonderful. I was not feeling the songs in the service. But at one point I decided that I was going to sing with all my heart. I was going to break through my own hopelessness and despair and praise God in what I called faith. I had never sung a happy song with grief in my heart and tears flowing out of my eyes before, but I did that morning.
One of the songs that I remember singing was this one. Some of you may know it with a different melody line.
I love you Lord and I lift my voice
To worship you, oh my soul rejoice
Take joy my king in what you hear
Let me be a sweet sweet sound in your ear
We exalt you
We exalt you
We exalt you
Oh God
This song helped me to break through. I realized that I could sing a song about my soul rejoicing even though it felt like I was dying because I could truthfully sing the words, "I love you, Lord." I love you. I decided that if I still knew that I loved God that that meant my soul still had something to rejoice about. All I wanted to do was to reach out to the Sacred. I wanted to take the hand of my Divine Beloved and I wanted to be wrapped in my Beloved's arms. I needed shelter and I needed acceptance. I wanted to be loved back.
Music has been a good way for me to reach out. Sometimes it isn't with words. Often I reach out with my drums. I used to reach through playing my clarinet. That was a long time ago. Some people use art or poetry. Some use dance or theatre.
It seems to me that whatever someone uses to reach past the struggle, if it isn't motivated by love it won't have the strength or stamina to fully tap in. This whole Christian journey; the reason we build and continue to be a part of a faith community; the desire to reach out and share with others; all of this has to be motivated by love.
I wanted to talk before we sing today to name a few things. First I want to name the motivation of love as being primary. Sometimes we don't feel love, but we may have a loyalty or devotion that is attached to our love that can make love more tangible. Next, I want to name that sometimes we have to push through a struggle to praise God. Struggling is important. I think being in an honest struggle is healthy. It gives us a depth to our soul and our living. I would rather struggle and push to get to another side than to pretend that there is no struggle and be silently miserable or to have the pain masked even to myself. Struggle for the sake of struggle, I think, is counter productive. But I do not want to silence my pain or anyone else's pain. I also do not want to stop praising The Holy, The Presence who loves me and wants me to be consciously close.
That morning of praise for me was powerful because I figured out I could be in that moment of contradiction and the result was that I did not die. Rather I ended up being more fully present to my Divine Beloved and to myself. I couldn't do it as just a ritual. I had to do it for love. I had to do it to be consciously close to God.
Today I want us to sing a few songs. They are the songs in the insert to the bulletin. I don't know if any of you know them. And again, I might know a different melody line, so we'll figure it out. The how of singing is not as important as the singing itself and the being together.
Our text today has one of my favourite verses - Make a joyful noise to the Lord. Love is not always pretty. It is not always harmonious. Sometimes there is dissonance or passing tones that help us figure out the direction the song needs to take. I invite you to find your voice - find a harmony part if you wish. Or let your body do whatever it wants to do ... sway or stand or sit ...
We will do each song several times through, kind of in a Lectio Divina style. My hope is that as we sing these songs repeatedly we have the opportunity to go deeper. Two of the three songs are scripturally based. The third song is a love song to God.
We are all struggling with something - some of us with many things. As we use this meditative style, praising and worshiping through song, I invite you to be present to yourself and to look for and encounter your Love. This love that I am talking about is the love that you hold in you and Love which is calling to you through the Holy Spirit or The Sacred or however you name it.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
A Certain Type of Exodus - story collecting
A Certain Type of Exodus is the story of faith in the LGBTQ community. While many LGBTQ are people of faith, we struggle with how our religion views us. We struggle with how God sees us. We struggle to either walk away from the faith we have always known, or stay within our faith as a gay/lesbian/transgender member. Our stories of exodus give us the ability to find an accepting God, whether within our faith or not.
Loralei Matisse is currently collecting stories from LGBTQ members of different faith organizations to place within an anthology. The goal for this book will be to help open (and in many cases, continue) the conversations within faith community. It will also be part of a healing retreat designed by Ken Phillips (currently in concept phase). They both hope to heal the wounds we receive coming out in our faith - which can be more trying than coming out to family.
Please contact her at loraleimatisse@gmail.com with questions or stories.
THANK YOU!
Loralei Matisse is currently collecting stories from LGBTQ members of different faith organizations to place within an anthology. The goal for this book will be to help open (and in many cases, continue) the conversations within faith community. It will also be part of a healing retreat designed by Ken Phillips (currently in concept phase). They both hope to heal the wounds we receive coming out in our faith - which can be more trying than coming out to family.
Please contact her at loraleimatisse@gmail.com with questions or stories.
THANK YOU!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Pain and Words Matter - Sermon from February 8, 2009
Matthew 18:1 - 7
When I was training to be a hospice chaplain one of the first instructions they gave was, "If someone tells you they feel pain, believe them."
How often we dismiss someone's pain as being "not that bad" or "in their head." Often when someone says they are in pain - physical, emotional, spiritual, or intellectual pain - judgment follows. The person is seen as "looking for attention" or not being "tough enough." The more I thought about the instruction, "If someone tells you they feel pain, believe them," the more I realized that this obvious thing to say was actually necessary.
How sad. How amazingly sad. What a shock it was to realize that words acknowledging pain too often become immediately overlaid with judgment.
Years ago I started to hear words of pain being expressed by people of colour regarding Biblical and religious language. I heard my dark-skinned colleagues and friends share that white and light being good and black and dark being bad was not helpful to them. Not all people of colour were saying this, but there were voices in the room agreeing that this language was painful.
I have heard lots of white people dismiss or negate that pain saying these sisters and brothers are being too sensitive or that they are missing the point of the metaphor. I have also heard justification of these metaphors based on facts like, light really does help us see in the dark. And while it is true that light helps us see in the dark, it is equally true that when the light is in my eyes I put on "shades."
A metaphor is just a metaphor. It is limited. We need lots of metaphors of different kinds to understand the fullness of things like "God" or "holiness." Unfortunately Christianity is overloaded on the metaphors for light and white. I think this is true because of systemic racism. The power structure privileging light skinned people goes way back.
We could deconstruct the historical foundations of white privilege. We could talk about how worshiping the sun and light has grounded us in a pattern of systemic racism. All those things are interesting and important to me. If they are to you too then maybe we can develop a six week study on the foundations of racism in religion.
But for today, this 2nd Sunday of Black History month, I want to talk about the pain I hear people feeling today. I want us to believe it when someone says the words in our worship hurt them.
In the 1940's, Kenneth and Mamie Clark, did a study on racial biases in education. You have met both Dr. Kenneth Clark and Dr. Mamie Clark, in the bios I read of them from Columbia University. You have also heard some of Dr. Kenneth Clark's words in the excerpt read from Dark Ghetto.
Their most famous study was the doll study. In this study, African American children were shown two white dolls and two black dolls. They were each asked question about the dolls such as, which doll would you like to play with and which is the nice doll? They were also asked what colour the dolls were. Finally they were asked which doll they looked most like. Overwhelmingly these African American children chose the white dolls as the nice dolls and preferable to play with and when they were asked to identify which doll they looked most like, they became upset, some did not answer and some left the room. This study was used in the 1954 Brown vs Board of Education case and was instrumental in bringing about the ruling that public school segregation is unconstitutional.
But I said I was going to talk about today. In 2005, Kiri Davis recreated the Clark doll study. Ms. Davis is an African American filmmaker. At the time she filmed this study she was 18 years old. She created a seven-minute documentary called, A Girl Like Me. I'd like to show you a clip from that.
The first time I saw this, I was devastated. The devastation only deepens with each sequential viewing. This is the pain I heard in those conversations when we talked about the light and dark metaphors in religious language. This is the pain that my sisters and brothers of colour were talking about. I had to hear it from children to get it in my gut. My head was processing like crazy but to feel it I had to see this.
This documentary shows the impact of our culture, and I believe that our language in worship is part of that. When kids are surrounded with the notion that white is good and black is bad it easily become transferred to people and what colour they are. The metaphor of the sun bursting through the darkness so that we can see in the daytime is fine on its own, but it isn't on its own. This language is accompanied by the history of slavery in this country and by Jim Crow laws and lynchings and nooses being hung in trees as a supposed joke at a high school in Jena, Louisiana. Nothing is done in a vacuum.
The metaphor of our need for shelter from the bright harsh sun is rarely talked about. Metaphors about flowers and vegetables in their surprising array of colours are not used much either. The metaphor of the brown earth from which our creation story says we were made - that doesn't get much play either.
It is in my heart to write songs and liturgy that explore all these amazing images. It is also in my heart to eliminate the harmful images as best I can. Here is the Streams songbook that I use at home when picking songs. I have gone through the book and noted the light/white and dark/night metaphors. I don't use those songs. I think these metaphors have become stumbling blocks. In verse 7 of our reading in Matthew today it says, "Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!"
Is my choice a little over the top? Some say that it is. I don't think I'm quite over the top yet though. I don't think I've come close to the top of this mountain. If the words that I use hurt somebody, if the words that I use cause someone to stumble - and by stumble I don't mean sin - If what I do causes someone pain, I want to know that and I want to stop. Woe to me if I don't.
More needs to be done than just altering these images of dark and light, but if I can do this small thing, it might make a huge difference in someone's life. More liturgy needs to be written ... more songs need to be written that explore the abundance of colour images. I am working on that too.
This is important to me at my core. It drives me and it impacts the choices that I make. The words that we say matter. People's pain matter.
When I was training to be a hospice chaplain one of the first instructions they gave was, "If someone tells you they feel pain, believe them."
How often we dismiss someone's pain as being "not that bad" or "in their head." Often when someone says they are in pain - physical, emotional, spiritual, or intellectual pain - judgment follows. The person is seen as "looking for attention" or not being "tough enough." The more I thought about the instruction, "If someone tells you they feel pain, believe them," the more I realized that this obvious thing to say was actually necessary.
How sad. How amazingly sad. What a shock it was to realize that words acknowledging pain too often become immediately overlaid with judgment.
Years ago I started to hear words of pain being expressed by people of colour regarding Biblical and religious language. I heard my dark-skinned colleagues and friends share that white and light being good and black and dark being bad was not helpful to them. Not all people of colour were saying this, but there were voices in the room agreeing that this language was painful.
I have heard lots of white people dismiss or negate that pain saying these sisters and brothers are being too sensitive or that they are missing the point of the metaphor. I have also heard justification of these metaphors based on facts like, light really does help us see in the dark. And while it is true that light helps us see in the dark, it is equally true that when the light is in my eyes I put on "shades."
A metaphor is just a metaphor. It is limited. We need lots of metaphors of different kinds to understand the fullness of things like "God" or "holiness." Unfortunately Christianity is overloaded on the metaphors for light and white. I think this is true because of systemic racism. The power structure privileging light skinned people goes way back.
We could deconstruct the historical foundations of white privilege. We could talk about how worshiping the sun and light has grounded us in a pattern of systemic racism. All those things are interesting and important to me. If they are to you too then maybe we can develop a six week study on the foundations of racism in religion.
But for today, this 2nd Sunday of Black History month, I want to talk about the pain I hear people feeling today. I want us to believe it when someone says the words in our worship hurt them.
In the 1940's, Kenneth and Mamie Clark, did a study on racial biases in education. You have met both Dr. Kenneth Clark and Dr. Mamie Clark, in the bios I read of them from Columbia University. You have also heard some of Dr. Kenneth Clark's words in the excerpt read from Dark Ghetto.
Their most famous study was the doll study. In this study, African American children were shown two white dolls and two black dolls. They were each asked question about the dolls such as, which doll would you like to play with and which is the nice doll? They were also asked what colour the dolls were. Finally they were asked which doll they looked most like. Overwhelmingly these African American children chose the white dolls as the nice dolls and preferable to play with and when they were asked to identify which doll they looked most like, they became upset, some did not answer and some left the room. This study was used in the 1954 Brown vs Board of Education case and was instrumental in bringing about the ruling that public school segregation is unconstitutional.
But I said I was going to talk about today. In 2005, Kiri Davis recreated the Clark doll study. Ms. Davis is an African American filmmaker. At the time she filmed this study she was 18 years old. She created a seven-minute documentary called, A Girl Like Me. I'd like to show you a clip from that.
The first time I saw this, I was devastated. The devastation only deepens with each sequential viewing. This is the pain I heard in those conversations when we talked about the light and dark metaphors in religious language. This is the pain that my sisters and brothers of colour were talking about. I had to hear it from children to get it in my gut. My head was processing like crazy but to feel it I had to see this.
This documentary shows the impact of our culture, and I believe that our language in worship is part of that. When kids are surrounded with the notion that white is good and black is bad it easily become transferred to people and what colour they are. The metaphor of the sun bursting through the darkness so that we can see in the daytime is fine on its own, but it isn't on its own. This language is accompanied by the history of slavery in this country and by Jim Crow laws and lynchings and nooses being hung in trees as a supposed joke at a high school in Jena, Louisiana. Nothing is done in a vacuum.
The metaphor of our need for shelter from the bright harsh sun is rarely talked about. Metaphors about flowers and vegetables in their surprising array of colours are not used much either. The metaphor of the brown earth from which our creation story says we were made - that doesn't get much play either.
It is in my heart to write songs and liturgy that explore all these amazing images. It is also in my heart to eliminate the harmful images as best I can. Here is the Streams songbook that I use at home when picking songs. I have gone through the book and noted the light/white and dark/night metaphors. I don't use those songs. I think these metaphors have become stumbling blocks. In verse 7 of our reading in Matthew today it says, "Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!"
Is my choice a little over the top? Some say that it is. I don't think I'm quite over the top yet though. I don't think I've come close to the top of this mountain. If the words that I use hurt somebody, if the words that I use cause someone to stumble - and by stumble I don't mean sin - If what I do causes someone pain, I want to know that and I want to stop. Woe to me if I don't.
More needs to be done than just altering these images of dark and light, but if I can do this small thing, it might make a huge difference in someone's life. More liturgy needs to be written ... more songs need to be written that explore the abundance of colour images. I am working on that too.
This is important to me at my core. It drives me and it impacts the choices that I make. The words that we say matter. People's pain matter.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Guest Post at Womanist Musings
Hi all,
Renee at Womanist Musings has graciously accepted a guest post that I wrote. Check out her blog. It's great. While you're there, you can read my guest post.
Renee at Womanist Musings has graciously accepted a guest post that I wrote. Check out her blog. It's great. While you're there, you can read my guest post.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Filter
As I was walking the 3/4 mile trip from the train to my work yesterday, I was feeling a pressure of resistance to being mindful and to participating in the sacrality of all creation. I was struggling to "think on these things - whatever is holy and just; whatever is of good report; etc." I was struggling to find happiness or joy.
I started to breathe with intention. I began to imagine myself breathing life. As I began to "see" molecules of life in the atmosphere surrounding me, and I was about to inhale, I also saw a plethora of molecules that were toxic. They were molecules of greed and selfish ambition. They were molecules of blame and trickery. They were molecules of every kind of violence. I realized that I could not inhale because as much as I wanted Life, there were too many toxins - too much pollution. I could not breathe all that pollution.
Then I was shown a filter to wear. That seemed reasonable. I still had about half of my journey left and I wanted to get to work with a little Life in me. It was a filter that would keep the toxins out and allow me to breathe in Life. I took a deep breathe, but I was only able to take the one breath before the surface of the filter was clogged. It was covered with the pollution. No more Life could get through. Again, I could not breathe.
I did not know if I should take off the filter or keep it in place. I started to consider the problem and was reminded that it wasn't enough to take the toxins off the filter and throw them away. The toxins needed to be dissolved. This perplexed me. Also, I was only a few blocks from work. I saw the image of the toxins dissolving and asked what would do that. To be honest, I didn't like the answer at first. I was not ready for the answer. I saw that it was Love that would dissolve the toxins. Love. I didn't want to Love. Not then. Not there. But in order for me to breathe Life I saw that I had to access Love.
Since I did not have a reservoir of Love within me at the moment I called out to the Source - to the Presence - and asked for Love to be applied so that I could breathe. Even though I did not have a reservoir of Love within me I knew that I did not want to be walking around without Life. I gathered my strength, because Love is not a tame energy. Love found the toxins that were on the filter and worked to dissolve them. I was better able to breathe Life. Love also found the toxins within me and frankly, it is still working to dissolve them.
I started to breathe with intention. I began to imagine myself breathing life. As I began to "see" molecules of life in the atmosphere surrounding me, and I was about to inhale, I also saw a plethora of molecules that were toxic. They were molecules of greed and selfish ambition. They were molecules of blame and trickery. They were molecules of every kind of violence. I realized that I could not inhale because as much as I wanted Life, there were too many toxins - too much pollution. I could not breathe all that pollution.
Then I was shown a filter to wear. That seemed reasonable. I still had about half of my journey left and I wanted to get to work with a little Life in me. It was a filter that would keep the toxins out and allow me to breathe in Life. I took a deep breathe, but I was only able to take the one breath before the surface of the filter was clogged. It was covered with the pollution. No more Life could get through. Again, I could not breathe.
I did not know if I should take off the filter or keep it in place. I started to consider the problem and was reminded that it wasn't enough to take the toxins off the filter and throw them away. The toxins needed to be dissolved. This perplexed me. Also, I was only a few blocks from work. I saw the image of the toxins dissolving and asked what would do that. To be honest, I didn't like the answer at first. I was not ready for the answer. I saw that it was Love that would dissolve the toxins. Love. I didn't want to Love. Not then. Not there. But in order for me to breathe Life I saw that I had to access Love.
Since I did not have a reservoir of Love within me at the moment I called out to the Source - to the Presence - and asked for Love to be applied so that I could breathe. Even though I did not have a reservoir of Love within me I knew that I did not want to be walking around without Life. I gathered my strength, because Love is not a tame energy. Love found the toxins that were on the filter and worked to dissolve them. I was better able to breathe Life. Love also found the toxins within me and frankly, it is still working to dissolve them.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Times of Refreshing - Sermon from 01-18-09
Texts: Psalm 139 & "God is Able" by Dr. King
Times of Refreshing
Have you ever felt wore out? Have you ever felt done in ... wanting to escape somewhere or hide? Have you ever just been tired? I think Jesus got wore out sometimes. I think Dr. King did too. Tomorrow is our nation's official day of remembrance of Dr. King. I remember him mostly because of his words - his sermons and speeches. I remember him through pictures too. I was almost 5 years old when Dr. King was assassinated. Not old enough to have any first hand memories of him.
A couple of years ago I visited The National Civil Rights Museum, which is at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I saw the room where Dr. King stayed and the balcony where he was shot. I saw the past frozen in time. It was frightening and inspiring.
As I remember the bed in the room where Dr. King stayed, I imagine a man who might have been tired and worn down by his work and by the expectations made of him. I imagine a man who would not give up; a man who was determined; a man who believed in the ability of God. I imagine him sleeping at the Lorraine Motel. This was not the first time Dr. King stayed in the Lorraine Motel. This was where he stayed when he came to Memphis. It's kind of like Jesus staying with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus when he was in Bethany. There are some places you go. You go there to rest. You go there for friendly faces. You go there because they are the ones who are willing to take you in.
But there are times, in my experience, that it feels like there is no where to turn. There are times when you can't find someone to take you in. What do we do then? Where do we turn? At the risk of sounding religious ... I turn to God. When I need a time of refreshing, I run to the well of Love.
Psalm 139 refreshes me. Psalm 139 reminds me that I am not some handicraft of a faraway Almighty Being, but I am lovingly designed by my Divine Beloved. I am not an assembly line product, but I am the offspring of the All That Is. I am also reminded that I am always in the presence of the one who is The Presence. There is nowhere that I can go to run from Love. And, there is nowhere that Love would rather be than with us.
When I am in the midst of feeling inside out or burned out, if I can remember that God seeks me, that God wants to know me, if I can remember that, then maybe the weight of the atrocities of the world, the frustrations of my life will be lifted for long enough so that I can breathe in hope and life and peace and joy. If I can remember the gloriousness of my Divine Beloved, maybe I can be lifted outside of myself long enough to bask in wonder and awe. If I can remember how deep the love of God runs and the riches of the Grace of God, then maybe I can allow myself a moment of ecstasy.
If God is truly able, as Dr. King says God is, and if God is truly awesome, as the psalmist says God is, then I know that I can persevere. The psalmist says, "This is too much, too wonderful. I can't take it all in!" Dr. King says, "Why be afraid? God is able. ... Why despair? God is able. ... Why be anxious? Come what may, God is able."
Oh that I could remember that all the time. When the chips are down, God is too wonderful to take in and God is able. When I'm in pain - physical, spiritual, mental, emotional pain - God is too wonderful to take in and God is able. When I'm confused, God is too wonderful to take in and God is able. When I'm angry, God is too wonderful to take in and God is able.
How can we enter into the moment of ecstasy that will bring us out of our chaos and into hope? Dr. King talks about the inner stability of faith being Jesus' chief legacy to us. We have what he calls an inner equilibrium to stand tall amid the trials and burdens of life. We have the peace that Jesus breathes on us and that we can inhale – yes, we are supposed to inhale – so that it fills us.
The ecstasy of the psalmist. The assurance of Dr. King. These are ways of thinking about God ... ways of believing Spirit ... ways of connecting to that which is Unseen and Permanent.
Dr. King didn't live his life just to be murdered and have it all be over. He lived his life in the same legacy that we live our lives ... the legacy of Jesus the Christ. We are partners with Dr. King and the psalmist in Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace. We are partners with Dr. King and the psalmist in God being able. We are partners with Dr. King and the psalmist in God being too much and too wonderful.
Remembering Dr. King is a time of refreshing. You know I'm all about feeling your pain and not denying realities, even hard ones. But I think it's important to remember that the ecstasy of Love and the ability of The All is reality too. We are so much more than what we see - of ourselves and our world. This week I urge you to reach out with your spirit and find Glory. Inhale the breath of Spirit ... inhale deeply. Let your mind go to a place of ecstasy. I urge you to believe that you are precious and loved; that you are sought after by your Divine Beloved. When you do that, bask in the Glory of Love.
Times of Refreshing
Have you ever felt wore out? Have you ever felt done in ... wanting to escape somewhere or hide? Have you ever just been tired? I think Jesus got wore out sometimes. I think Dr. King did too. Tomorrow is our nation's official day of remembrance of Dr. King. I remember him mostly because of his words - his sermons and speeches. I remember him through pictures too. I was almost 5 years old when Dr. King was assassinated. Not old enough to have any first hand memories of him.
A couple of years ago I visited The National Civil Rights Museum, which is at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I saw the room where Dr. King stayed and the balcony where he was shot. I saw the past frozen in time. It was frightening and inspiring.
As I remember the bed in the room where Dr. King stayed, I imagine a man who might have been tired and worn down by his work and by the expectations made of him. I imagine a man who would not give up; a man who was determined; a man who believed in the ability of God. I imagine him sleeping at the Lorraine Motel. This was not the first time Dr. King stayed in the Lorraine Motel. This was where he stayed when he came to Memphis. It's kind of like Jesus staying with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus when he was in Bethany. There are some places you go. You go there to rest. You go there for friendly faces. You go there because they are the ones who are willing to take you in.
But there are times, in my experience, that it feels like there is no where to turn. There are times when you can't find someone to take you in. What do we do then? Where do we turn? At the risk of sounding religious ... I turn to God. When I need a time of refreshing, I run to the well of Love.
Psalm 139 refreshes me. Psalm 139 reminds me that I am not some handicraft of a faraway Almighty Being, but I am lovingly designed by my Divine Beloved. I am not an assembly line product, but I am the offspring of the All That Is. I am also reminded that I am always in the presence of the one who is The Presence. There is nowhere that I can go to run from Love. And, there is nowhere that Love would rather be than with us.
When I am in the midst of feeling inside out or burned out, if I can remember that God seeks me, that God wants to know me, if I can remember that, then maybe the weight of the atrocities of the world, the frustrations of my life will be lifted for long enough so that I can breathe in hope and life and peace and joy. If I can remember the gloriousness of my Divine Beloved, maybe I can be lifted outside of myself long enough to bask in wonder and awe. If I can remember how deep the love of God runs and the riches of the Grace of God, then maybe I can allow myself a moment of ecstasy.
If God is truly able, as Dr. King says God is, and if God is truly awesome, as the psalmist says God is, then I know that I can persevere. The psalmist says, "This is too much, too wonderful. I can't take it all in!" Dr. King says, "Why be afraid? God is able. ... Why despair? God is able. ... Why be anxious? Come what may, God is able."
Oh that I could remember that all the time. When the chips are down, God is too wonderful to take in and God is able. When I'm in pain - physical, spiritual, mental, emotional pain - God is too wonderful to take in and God is able. When I'm confused, God is too wonderful to take in and God is able. When I'm angry, God is too wonderful to take in and God is able.
How can we enter into the moment of ecstasy that will bring us out of our chaos and into hope? Dr. King talks about the inner stability of faith being Jesus' chief legacy to us. We have what he calls an inner equilibrium to stand tall amid the trials and burdens of life. We have the peace that Jesus breathes on us and that we can inhale – yes, we are supposed to inhale – so that it fills us.
The ecstasy of the psalmist. The assurance of Dr. King. These are ways of thinking about God ... ways of believing Spirit ... ways of connecting to that which is Unseen and Permanent.
Dr. King didn't live his life just to be murdered and have it all be over. He lived his life in the same legacy that we live our lives ... the legacy of Jesus the Christ. We are partners with Dr. King and the psalmist in Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace. We are partners with Dr. King and the psalmist in God being able. We are partners with Dr. King and the psalmist in God being too much and too wonderful.
Remembering Dr. King is a time of refreshing. You know I'm all about feeling your pain and not denying realities, even hard ones. But I think it's important to remember that the ecstasy of Love and the ability of The All is reality too. We are so much more than what we see - of ourselves and our world. This week I urge you to reach out with your spirit and find Glory. Inhale the breath of Spirit ... inhale deeply. Let your mind go to a place of ecstasy. I urge you to believe that you are precious and loved; that you are sought after by your Divine Beloved. When you do that, bask in the Glory of Love.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Both And - Sermon from Dec 28, 2008
Advent and Christmas have been celebrated. New Years is around the corner. We are in a liminal space - an in-between time. At this time we tend to look back and then look forward. Some of us look more in one direction than the other.
I spent my Christmas with my family. I got to talk about some really interesting things. One of those conversations had to do with the artist Escher. Escher is an artist who is most famous for his mathematical drawings. One of his pieces is a Mobius Strip with ants on it.
My brother and I talked about the marvel of Escher's art and especially about the Mobius Strip. We discussed it with his 10 year old daughter. She was intrigued. We explained that although the Mobius Strip appears to have 2 sides, it really only has one side. As you look it, you can see that the inside is the outside and the outside is the inside. Unlike a simple loop, you can trace your finger around both the inside and the outside without lifting your finger.
John the Baptist says that Jesus was later than him, but ranks ahead of him because Jesus was before him. In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says that we must make the two into one, the inner like the outer, the outer like the inner, the upper like the lower, and the male and female into a single one so that there is neither. We are to make eyes in the place of an eye, a hand in the place of a hand, and so on.
I can't think of a better example of this than the Mobius Strip. What is this thing? It's simple really, and yet the mathematical implications are quite complicated. All this is, is a loop with a half-twist. A loop on its own has an inside and an outside. You can trace the inside with your finger, but you must pick up your finger to trace the outside. Add the half-twist, and the inside becomes the outside and the outside becomes the inside. The two sides become one side.
The loop, or a circle, already has no beginning and no end. The non-linear way in which John the Baptist described himself and Jesus might be seen in the loop or the circle. Then Jesus, as Thomas relays it, adds a half-twist.
This could be our life. We could be like the Mobius Strip - no beginning, no end, the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner. There's a mystery to it. I think this speaks of our spirits and our bodies; our brains and our thoughts; our life and our death; us and our Divine Beloved. It speaks to the year ringing out and the year ringing in.
This is a metaphor for wholeness - for being complete. The sacred call to give ourselves to wholeness infuses meaning into what might otherwise be a lesson in futility. This strip doesn't go round and round for no reason. We are not spinning our wheels. We are fusing our spirits with our bodies. We are considering the relationship of the Holy Spirit with our spirit. We are looking ahead at the New Year and looking behind at the past and seeing that with our loving Creator one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. Time and eternity twist into one another just as our spirits twists into our bodies.
This is encouraging. The faith that we are living is embodied in us. It is in our hands and our feet and our eyes. We do not need to make either/or choices, we can make both/and choices. When we make the male and female into a single one so that the female is not female and the male is not male, then we don't have to live by the crazy rules that our society lays out for us saying girls should act this way and boys should act another way. When the upper is like the lower and the lower like the upper, then we can abolish the hierarchical systems that are used to mis-distribute wealth, power, and education. We can be whole people and we can create societies that are whole. We need to remember that our half-twist is what creates our wholeness.
In a few days, when 2008 is in the past and 2009 becomes our present, let's also remember that we live in eternity right now. We carry the Sacred in our bodies, just like Jesus took flesh upon his Sacredness. We are born of the Spirit just like Jesus was born of a Woman. It's a mystery, and it lives in the half-twist of ourselves. It is our glorious faith that we embody.
I spent my Christmas with my family. I got to talk about some really interesting things. One of those conversations had to do with the artist Escher. Escher is an artist who is most famous for his mathematical drawings. One of his pieces is a Mobius Strip with ants on it.
My brother and I talked about the marvel of Escher's art and especially about the Mobius Strip. We discussed it with his 10 year old daughter. She was intrigued. We explained that although the Mobius Strip appears to have 2 sides, it really only has one side. As you look it, you can see that the inside is the outside and the outside is the inside. Unlike a simple loop, you can trace your finger around both the inside and the outside without lifting your finger.
John the Baptist says that Jesus was later than him, but ranks ahead of him because Jesus was before him. In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says that we must make the two into one, the inner like the outer, the outer like the inner, the upper like the lower, and the male and female into a single one so that there is neither. We are to make eyes in the place of an eye, a hand in the place of a hand, and so on.
I can't think of a better example of this than the Mobius Strip. What is this thing? It's simple really, and yet the mathematical implications are quite complicated. All this is, is a loop with a half-twist. A loop on its own has an inside and an outside. You can trace the inside with your finger, but you must pick up your finger to trace the outside. Add the half-twist, and the inside becomes the outside and the outside becomes the inside. The two sides become one side.
The loop, or a circle, already has no beginning and no end. The non-linear way in which John the Baptist described himself and Jesus might be seen in the loop or the circle. Then Jesus, as Thomas relays it, adds a half-twist.
This could be our life. We could be like the Mobius Strip - no beginning, no end, the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner. There's a mystery to it. I think this speaks of our spirits and our bodies; our brains and our thoughts; our life and our death; us and our Divine Beloved. It speaks to the year ringing out and the year ringing in.
This is a metaphor for wholeness - for being complete. The sacred call to give ourselves to wholeness infuses meaning into what might otherwise be a lesson in futility. This strip doesn't go round and round for no reason. We are not spinning our wheels. We are fusing our spirits with our bodies. We are considering the relationship of the Holy Spirit with our spirit. We are looking ahead at the New Year and looking behind at the past and seeing that with our loving Creator one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. Time and eternity twist into one another just as our spirits twists into our bodies.
This is encouraging. The faith that we are living is embodied in us. It is in our hands and our feet and our eyes. We do not need to make either/or choices, we can make both/and choices. When we make the male and female into a single one so that the female is not female and the male is not male, then we don't have to live by the crazy rules that our society lays out for us saying girls should act this way and boys should act another way. When the upper is like the lower and the lower like the upper, then we can abolish the hierarchical systems that are used to mis-distribute wealth, power, and education. We can be whole people and we can create societies that are whole. We need to remember that our half-twist is what creates our wholeness.
In a few days, when 2008 is in the past and 2009 becomes our present, let's also remember that we live in eternity right now. We carry the Sacred in our bodies, just like Jesus took flesh upon his Sacredness. We are born of the Spirit just like Jesus was born of a Woman. It's a mystery, and it lives in the half-twist of ourselves. It is our glorious faith that we embody.
Friday, December 26, 2008
In Which I Wonder About Being Alive
I am ... what I can only describe as ... stoned. Stoned on dashed white lines, ice, rain, fog, and rock-n-roll.
When I was a teenager, one of my favorite things was to drive in the fog. Not just to drive in it, but to drive fast. I would drive 80 ... 90 mph through the fog of rural Michigan. It was a thrill. It was a thrill that I lived through time and time again. It wasn't the only thrill. My fast fog driving is indicative of the types of thrills I sought out. How did I live?
Tonight, as I drove through the fog on the icy roads covered with water while listening to music, I realized that I had no interest in driving fast. I had no interest in driving at all, but drive I did ... most of the day, finally getting home to Chicago around 9pm. Usually this is a 6 hour drive. I was passed by many cars. I also saw many cars in the median; some turned on their sides or upside-down. How did I live as a teen?
The music and the dashed white lines of the highway kept me in a mindful trance. I spent my weekend with family. We discussed Escher, suffrage for white women, suffrage for blacks, the meaning of eternity, and quality of life vs climbing the ladder of "success." I love the conversations that I get to have with my family. Not just the adult members of the family, but the kids too. However, as I drove today, I did not let myself rehearse what we said and think even deeper about it. Mostly, I was grateful to be alive to have the conversations. I prayed to be allowed to have more. It looks like my prayers have been answered, once again.
To all that is sacred and holy, I extend my heartfelt thanks. This includes all the people who sent up requests for my safety - those requests are holy and sacred. I did not have even one tragic incident.
Below is an example of the music I listened to.
When I was a teenager, one of my favorite things was to drive in the fog. Not just to drive in it, but to drive fast. I would drive 80 ... 90 mph through the fog of rural Michigan. It was a thrill. It was a thrill that I lived through time and time again. It wasn't the only thrill. My fast fog driving is indicative of the types of thrills I sought out. How did I live?
Tonight, as I drove through the fog on the icy roads covered with water while listening to music, I realized that I had no interest in driving fast. I had no interest in driving at all, but drive I did ... most of the day, finally getting home to Chicago around 9pm. Usually this is a 6 hour drive. I was passed by many cars. I also saw many cars in the median; some turned on their sides or upside-down. How did I live as a teen?
The music and the dashed white lines of the highway kept me in a mindful trance. I spent my weekend with family. We discussed Escher, suffrage for white women, suffrage for blacks, the meaning of eternity, and quality of life vs climbing the ladder of "success." I love the conversations that I get to have with my family. Not just the adult members of the family, but the kids too. However, as I drove today, I did not let myself rehearse what we said and think even deeper about it. Mostly, I was grateful to be alive to have the conversations. I prayed to be allowed to have more. It looks like my prayers have been answered, once again.
To all that is sacred and holy, I extend my heartfelt thanks. This includes all the people who sent up requests for my safety - those requests are holy and sacred. I did not have even one tragic incident.
Below is an example of the music I listened to.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Ahhhh, Solstice
The Northern Hemisphere's shortest day of the year. It is pretty bitter cold outside, here in Chicago. I had to go outside for a minute earlier, but soon I will be driving to my morning church service. Brrrrrr.
I am celebrating this cyclical shift, grateful for the lengthening of days. I am also grateful that in six months the cycle changes again, not allowing the days to lengthen beyond the time they are marked.
I do wish, however, that I could enjoy this cycle with out the bitter cold. I enjoy the lengthening of darkness, but I can't go play in it the way I want. What to do - what to do? I will enjoy this day - the shortest day - just as it is and just as I am. I will drink my tea and print out my sermon. I will take my vitamins to ward off this potential cold. And I will remind myself as often as I can to "center down" in the midst of finding parking spots and bundling up to go from car to church to car to the other church to car to home. I am grateful for a car. I am grateful for my jobs. I am grateful for my home.
Music and lyrics Joni Mitchell.
Yesterday a child came out to wonder
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder
And tearful at the falling of a star
And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
Then the child moved ten times 'round the seasons
Skated over ten clear frozen streams
Words like "when you're older" must
appease him
And promises of someday make his dreams
And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
Sixteen springs and sixteen summers
gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels through
the town
And they tell him, "Take your time, it won't
be long now
Till you drag your feet to slow the
circles down"
And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
So the years spin by and now the boy
is twenty
Though his dreams gave lost some
grandeur coming true
There'll be new dreams, maybe better
dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through
And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
I am celebrating this cyclical shift, grateful for the lengthening of days. I am also grateful that in six months the cycle changes again, not allowing the days to lengthen beyond the time they are marked.
I do wish, however, that I could enjoy this cycle with out the bitter cold. I enjoy the lengthening of darkness, but I can't go play in it the way I want. What to do - what to do? I will enjoy this day - the shortest day - just as it is and just as I am. I will drink my tea and print out my sermon. I will take my vitamins to ward off this potential cold. And I will remind myself as often as I can to "center down" in the midst of finding parking spots and bundling up to go from car to church to car to the other church to car to home. I am grateful for a car. I am grateful for my jobs. I am grateful for my home.
Music and lyrics Joni Mitchell.
Yesterday a child came out to wonder
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder
And tearful at the falling of a star
And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
Then the child moved ten times 'round the seasons
Skated over ten clear frozen streams
Words like "when you're older" must
appease him
And promises of someday make his dreams
And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
Sixteen springs and sixteen summers
gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels through
the town
And they tell him, "Take your time, it won't
be long now
Till you drag your feet to slow the
circles down"
And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
So the years spin by and now the boy
is twenty
Though his dreams gave lost some
grandeur coming true
There'll be new dreams, maybe better
dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through
And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
AIDS Service of remembrance: this Friday, December 19th in Chicago
I know this is a sudden announcement, but that's due to the spontaneous nature of this event.
This Friday, December 19th, The Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches and Broadway UMC invite you to an HIV/AIDS service of remembrance. This will be a time of worshiping our Divine Beloved; mourning those whom we have loved and lost to this dreaded disease; and strengthening ourselves to continue to fight for a cure.
You are welcome to share a 2 minute story or reflection. We would love to hear from you.
Please join us at 7pm, Friday December 19, 2008 at
Broadway United Methodist Church.
3338 N. Broadway Street
Chicago, IL 60657
773-348-2679
For more information on how to get to BUMC, please check out their website direction page.
http://www.brdwyumc.org/content/view/19/23/
This Friday, December 19th, The Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches and Broadway UMC invite you to an HIV/AIDS service of remembrance. This will be a time of worshiping our Divine Beloved; mourning those whom we have loved and lost to this dreaded disease; and strengthening ourselves to continue to fight for a cure.
You are welcome to share a 2 minute story or reflection. We would love to hear from you.
Please join us at 7pm, Friday December 19, 2008 at
Broadway United Methodist Church.
3338 N. Broadway Street
Chicago, IL 60657
773-348-2679
For more information on how to get to BUMC, please check out their website direction page.
http://www.brdwyumc.org/content/view/19/23/
Friday, December 05, 2008
Prop 8 Protest in Chicago
The pastor preaching here is Rev Sherrie Lowly. She is pastor of one of the partner churches of the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches.
Monday, December 01, 2008
"Hope is the cure for now, until we get a real one."
Texts:
Isaiah 9:1 - 7
Three selections from the book, "The Faces of AIDS", June 2001
1. "Teresa" Place of origin: Central America. Currently lives in the Chicago, Illinois Metropolitan area.
"I am sharing my story because some people are just finding out they are HIV-Positive. If they read something about somebody, it gives them hope, and they understand it better. You can think, 'I am the only one in the world with this problem,' and that's not really true."
**************************
2. Nile, age 13
You can't get AIDS from being a friend.
Not from a hug or a pencil or even a pen.
So why won't anyone let him play?
"That kid has AIDS," my friend responds,
"So you see, there's nothing more to say."
So that's the problem that shuns this boy.
That is the reason he can't touch the toy.
This is crazy, it has to end. You can't get
AIDS from being a friend.
****************************
3. a camper from Camp Heartland (a camp for kids with HIV/AIDS)
"At Camp Heartland, I've realized that hope is the cure for now, until we get a real one."
****************************
We anticipate the celebration of the birth of Jesus, our Christ. Mary's agreement to become pregnant with the Messiah speaks of the hope she had for the future of her people and her family. She did not refuse the angel who had come in the name of the Divine. She embraced the challenge and lived in the hope of the promise, the hope of the future.
The anonymous camper at Camp Heartland has a similar hope. This camper believes there will be a cure, and the hope in that cure becomes the cure for now.
For Teresa the hope is in sharing her story. She is offering hope in the telling of her story. It is like the gospel writers sharing the "Good News", and Isaiah proclaiming a promise that there will be no more gloom and that a child will be born who has authority to establish endless peace, and justice with righteousness.
"Hope is the cure for now, until we get a real one." As Christians, the real cure that we await this season is the birth of Jesus. In this baby we anticipate the proclaimed promise of Isaiah to be realized. But in fact, this is a ritual of remembering for us. The child Jesus was born and lived and healed and did wonders. It is a ritual that helps us remember our role as followers of Jesus. We are the voice, the body, the house of the realm that Jesus proclaimed ... that Jesus taught.
The work continues and it's easy to get bogged down in the work. It's easy to identify with the work instead of with the hope and the promise. When the angel visited Mary, the message was one of the future. Still, she had to carry the child within her body and then raise the child. There was work to do. I think it was the hope in the Angel's words that sustained her.
I think it is hope that can also sustain us. We have the good news of God's love to proclaim. We are pregnant with a future. What is the promise that you have heard that gives you hope? What is the proclamation that you heard that gives you hope? The young camper at Camp Heartland believes that there will be a cure for AIDS. Teresa believes telling her story will bring hope. Isaiah believes there will be never-ending peace because of a child yet to be born. Mary believes the child she carries in her body is the Messiah her people need. What these people believe about a better future gives them the cure of hope for today.
Hope is powerful! It can give you strength. It can sustain you. Hope can give you a smile ... a joy. It can reach out to you so that you can reach out to yourself and to others. Hope inspires us to act for the change we believe in.
What is your hope? What inspires you to act? What is your cure for now as you wait for the revealing of future change?
My hope is that adults can unlearn hate and prejudice and that children and grandchildren will grow up expressing love for all people of all ilks. My hope is that solidarity today will result in communities tomorrow. My hope is in the Beloved Community. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. expanded on the notion of Josiah Royce's Beloved Community. According to the King Center website,
"Dr. King's Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Beloved Community, international disputes will be resolved by peaceful conflict-resolution and reconciliation of adversaries, instead of military power. Love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred. Peace with justice will prevail over war and military conflict.
Dr. King's Beloved Community was not devoid of interpersonal, group or international conflict. Instead he recognized that conflict was an inevitable part of human experience. But he believed that conflicts could be resolved peacefully and adversaries could be reconciled through a mutual, determined commitment to nonviolence. No conflict, he believed, need erupt in violence. And all conflicts in The Beloved Community should end with reconciliation of adversaries cooperating together in a spirit of friendship and goodwill." http://www.thekingcenter.org/prog/bc/index.html
If I were to distill my hope in a couple of words, those words would be Beloved Community. That's what I have heard proclaimed, that's what I believe in for the future. The Beloved Community is a manifestation of the Realm of Heaven that Jesus proclaimed. It is how I interpret what Isaiah proclaimed. It is the cure for tomorrow. My hope for the Beloved Community is my cure for today until it is manifested in all its glory.
What is your hope? I want us to spend a few minutes writing down our hopes. I brought this little Christmas tree. Over the course of Advent we are going to decorate this tree with our ideas about Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. It will be our Advent Tree. Think about what you believe, the promises that you hang on to, the future that you envision and then think about the hope that is the cure for now until the real cure comes.
Isaiah 9:1 - 7
Three selections from the book, "The Faces of AIDS", June 2001
1. "Teresa" Place of origin: Central America. Currently lives in the Chicago, Illinois Metropolitan area.
"I am sharing my story because some people are just finding out they are HIV-Positive. If they read something about somebody, it gives them hope, and they understand it better. You can think, 'I am the only one in the world with this problem,' and that's not really true."
**************************
2. Nile, age 13
You can't get AIDS from being a friend.
Not from a hug or a pencil or even a pen.
So why won't anyone let him play?
"That kid has AIDS," my friend responds,
"So you see, there's nothing more to say."
So that's the problem that shuns this boy.
That is the reason he can't touch the toy.
This is crazy, it has to end. You can't get
AIDS from being a friend.
****************************
3. a camper from Camp Heartland (a camp for kids with HIV/AIDS)
"At Camp Heartland, I've realized that hope is the cure for now, until we get a real one."
****************************
We anticipate the celebration of the birth of Jesus, our Christ. Mary's agreement to become pregnant with the Messiah speaks of the hope she had for the future of her people and her family. She did not refuse the angel who had come in the name of the Divine. She embraced the challenge and lived in the hope of the promise, the hope of the future.
The anonymous camper at Camp Heartland has a similar hope. This camper believes there will be a cure, and the hope in that cure becomes the cure for now.
For Teresa the hope is in sharing her story. She is offering hope in the telling of her story. It is like the gospel writers sharing the "Good News", and Isaiah proclaiming a promise that there will be no more gloom and that a child will be born who has authority to establish endless peace, and justice with righteousness.
"Hope is the cure for now, until we get a real one." As Christians, the real cure that we await this season is the birth of Jesus. In this baby we anticipate the proclaimed promise of Isaiah to be realized. But in fact, this is a ritual of remembering for us. The child Jesus was born and lived and healed and did wonders. It is a ritual that helps us remember our role as followers of Jesus. We are the voice, the body, the house of the realm that Jesus proclaimed ... that Jesus taught.
The work continues and it's easy to get bogged down in the work. It's easy to identify with the work instead of with the hope and the promise. When the angel visited Mary, the message was one of the future. Still, she had to carry the child within her body and then raise the child. There was work to do. I think it was the hope in the Angel's words that sustained her.
I think it is hope that can also sustain us. We have the good news of God's love to proclaim. We are pregnant with a future. What is the promise that you have heard that gives you hope? What is the proclamation that you heard that gives you hope? The young camper at Camp Heartland believes that there will be a cure for AIDS. Teresa believes telling her story will bring hope. Isaiah believes there will be never-ending peace because of a child yet to be born. Mary believes the child she carries in her body is the Messiah her people need. What these people believe about a better future gives them the cure of hope for today.
Hope is powerful! It can give you strength. It can sustain you. Hope can give you a smile ... a joy. It can reach out to you so that you can reach out to yourself and to others. Hope inspires us to act for the change we believe in.
What is your hope? What inspires you to act? What is your cure for now as you wait for the revealing of future change?
My hope is that adults can unlearn hate and prejudice and that children and grandchildren will grow up expressing love for all people of all ilks. My hope is that solidarity today will result in communities tomorrow. My hope is in the Beloved Community. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. expanded on the notion of Josiah Royce's Beloved Community. According to the King Center website,
"Dr. King's Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Beloved Community, international disputes will be resolved by peaceful conflict-resolution and reconciliation of adversaries, instead of military power. Love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred. Peace with justice will prevail over war and military conflict.
Dr. King's Beloved Community was not devoid of interpersonal, group or international conflict. Instead he recognized that conflict was an inevitable part of human experience. But he believed that conflicts could be resolved peacefully and adversaries could be reconciled through a mutual, determined commitment to nonviolence. No conflict, he believed, need erupt in violence. And all conflicts in The Beloved Community should end with reconciliation of adversaries cooperating together in a spirit of friendship and goodwill." http://www.thekingcenter.org/prog/bc/index.html
If I were to distill my hope in a couple of words, those words would be Beloved Community. That's what I have heard proclaimed, that's what I believe in for the future. The Beloved Community is a manifestation of the Realm of Heaven that Jesus proclaimed. It is how I interpret what Isaiah proclaimed. It is the cure for tomorrow. My hope for the Beloved Community is my cure for today until it is manifested in all its glory.
What is your hope? I want us to spend a few minutes writing down our hopes. I brought this little Christmas tree. Over the course of Advent we are going to decorate this tree with our ideas about Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. It will be our Advent Tree. Think about what you believe, the promises that you hang on to, the future that you envision and then think about the hope that is the cure for now until the real cure comes.
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