Finding God in Child Like Wonder

Standing the top of North Mountain, I gazed out across the rolling and lush green hills of the Shenandoah Valley. In the distance, like unmovable bulwarks were the Blue Ridge Mountains, while far bellow us on the valley floor the sunlight glimmered and bounced off the tin roof tops of Shrine Mont and the community of Orkney Springs, Virginia. With incense burning on our make-shift rock altar, we lifted our voices up to the highest heaven in song to the energizing rhythm of an acoustic guitar. As I prepared to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in this natural cathedral, God’s Living presence was overwhelming and very real. Along with eighteen middle school campers and several councilors we praised God as one voice, and one people. In that holy moment as deep shadows lightly danced across the valley floor then leapt over the mountains beyond, all I could think was that God is surely in this place; the Incarnate Christ is an integral part of all creation. How could he not be?

For ten days during the month of July, I had the wonderful experience of serving as chaplain to Explorer’s III Middle School Youth Camp at Shrine Mont. I went to camp not knowing what to expect, hoping I would be able to provide some sort of spiritual guidance to these eighteen youth and their councilors. Today as I reflect on my time spent with these wonderful young people, I hope I was able to give them half as much spiritual nurturing and substance as they gave me. I arrived at Shrine Mont tentative and a little uneasy, I left full of the Spirit with an incredible reminder of just how many gifts our children have to offer our community of faith. Like all generations of people in the parish, our children and youth provide a unique and delightful perspective of God’s church and the world. Like a bright ray of sunlight bursting forth through dark and heavy clouds, my ten days of ministering to these young people reinvigorated the absolute importance of never losing the need or ability to play, to act a little crazy and have fun in this life. While life’s burden’s will always be around, attempting to weigh us down, I was reminded by these children that life is simply too short and too important to allow stress and worry to overwhelm us. When we become like children we touch that often hidden or even forgotten place in our hearts that is still full of innocence, vulnerable and hungry for what is new.

While I realize that it is unrealistic for most of us to go off to summer camp, it is very feasible to seek out the child like wonder and love that still exists in every one of our hearts. Through an old but long forgotten lens we may just find a renewed hope and child like freedom in an often troublesome world. We may also encounter the Incarnate Christ, who says, “Bring the children to me. Anyone who wishes to enter the Kingdom of Heaven must first become like one of these.”

For Heaven's Sake Someone's Sitting in my Pew!

I recently came across an article that I read a year ago in the Alban Institute’s quarterly publication, Congregations entitled “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Churches.” In an era of individualism in which our faith is constantly challenged, communities of faith divided and churches struggling to gain new membership, this article left me inspired and enthusiastic. We church folks are such creatures of habit, especially Episcopalians! (Remember the old joke? - In the Episcopal Church if we do something more than once then it becomes tradition). How true! We often miss the joy in life and new opportunities for ministry because we are so consumed with preserving our own needs, or those of the institution. I'll never forget one Sunday morning in church, my Grandmother insisting that someone move because they were sitting in "her" pew! Good grief! We get so bogged down in the silly minusia!

This list, composed by the United Church of Christ, is a beautiful reminder of how God calls us to live in community. It illumines the beauty of healthy change, and reminds us just how easy it is to become stuck in spiritual ruts.

It reads as follows:

1. Strive for excellent service to Christ. In other words, give God our best and continue to have fun, enjoying our ministry.
2. Cultivate a spirit of innovation and experimentation. Try new ministries and different approaches. Perhaps even try sitting in another pew on Sunday morning. Its really OK!
3. Take initiative to build relationships with people and groups in the wider community beyond our congregation.
4. Accept responsibility for mistakes; learn from them, and in all things LET GRACE ABOUND. Mistakes happen, so give each other a break and ourselves too! Our achievements are secondary to God’s abundant grace.
5. “Always be prepared to give an account of the hope that is within you.”
(I Peter 3:15). Find the places where love, energy and life flow and trust God to find ways to meet life’s challenges, even when we feel we can’t.
6. Find the willingness to allow folks have their feelings, and stay focused on the core mission of the parish. Love, compassion and acceptance of diversity are important spiritual elements in the life of a healthy congregation.
7. Splash it on! Finally, God loves cheerful givers. Spend your time, talent and money wisely, well and freely in God’s mission and ministry.

(For more inforamtion go to www.alban.org)

I express my sincere thanks to the United Church of Christ, the Alban Institute and it’s publication, Congregations for providing us with this simple but most effective way to grow and thrive spiritually in challenging times.

Don’t let Prayer Interfere with Life’s Interruptions…. Say What?

Making time for prayer and contemplation is often challenging and even difficult for many of us. Schedules, and more schedules along with the intrusion of life’s daily requirements and responsibilities often interfere with our best prayerful intentions. I can’t count how many times I have told myself, “This time I am determined to do this prayer thing right!” Yet all too often those well meaning, sincere and heart felt intentions fall way short. Why? Well, life happens! Am I alone in this or what? Answer: Probably not.

I have found over the years that my prayer time has had to adapt to my crazy life and its often busy schedule. I have come to the reality that I do not live, work and worship in a monastery; therefore I don’t have the benefits of solitude, silence and intentional time for prayer. Instead, I have learned to give myself a break. I have learned to use life’s opportunities to pray. Often while running, I am able to use that time to reflect and focus my mind on God’s presence and prayer (that is if my heart rate is not topping 170 or if I don’t have some rock tune blaring in my ears from my ipod). Depending on traffic and my subsequent mood, driving in the car is an occasional good time to pray, although I don’t recommend closing your eyes! The best place I have found to pray at home is in that brief island respite known as the shower. It is one of the very few places I can escape and relax for at least 10 minutes (OK let’s be honest – 20 minutes). Although even there I am bound to be interrupted by arguing children or even the nosy cat!

It is important for us to understand that prayer is not just words (or demands) spoken to God; prayer is active listening and looking for God in everyday life. Believe it or not, prayer happens in the ordinary and mundane daily tasks. It is an integral part of how we live, inner act with each other and form relationships. Real prayer often exists in our lives, yet its presence goes unnoticed. So many of us are children of structure; we love our formulas. I grew up believing that God only spoke the language of Kings and Queens (King James Bible) and if we were not in certain prayerful positions (on our knees) with the ambiance just right, then the prayer was null and void. Arrrrgh! What a trap I found myself having to exist! I spent more time trying to set the prayerful mood, along with choosing every word perfectly than I did experiencing God’s holy presence.

Today, intentional prayer still has its challenges, but I have learned that God is always with us and I can listen or talk with him any time. The Incarnate Christ is a deep and genuine part of each and every one of us. My active ministry has opened my eyes to the fact that we often experience and profoundly encounter God in life’s daily interruptions. After all if we think about it for a moment, isn’t that what God does best – interrupt our lives by calling us out in our busy daily tasks and work? Think of Moses, the Prophets, the Disciples and Paul. God interrupted their busy lives, transforming them forever. Perhaps we should stop trying to do everything so perfectly and let God interrupt our lives, allowing him to meet us where we are in life.

Freaking Out on a Sea of Despair.....Someone Wake up Jesus!

The church nave (the central part of the church) is often referred to as an upside down ship. In a traditional setting if we stop and look at the high pitched roof with beams crisscrossing the space inbetween, we can easily imagine the parish building itself as a vast ship; a ship named Casa di Dio (God’s House). God’s House is a refuge that often rides the stormy waves and perilous seas of life, tossed about by the winds of fury. And while God remains faithful, it is the crew and passengers that seem to consistently fall into fear and disarray. The winds and violent storms of life often arise out of nowhere, raining down doubt and ambiguity upon our lives. Yet despite the fact that God’s House takes on water and on occasion appears to ride low in the waters of despair, Christ is our ever present Captain and source of strength. Jesus will keep us afloat providing us with comfort and peace (when we allow him too!). We often forget that in Christ Jesus the storms will pass and the seas will calm. But just like the disciples on that frightening evening as they were caught in a vicious storm in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, we too find ourselves in panic mode and experiencing a whole range of terrifying fear.

The disciples were mostly sea worthy men. Several of them were seasoned fishermen and would certainly know and have experienced the temperamental mood swings of the sea. The Sea of Galilee is notorious for storms which brew and move in literally out of nowhere. As the Wind blows south down the Jordan River and through deep canyons that feed into the large lake, it picks up intensity and speed which it ravenously releases onto the open water. Fishermen in this region are all too familiar with the fickle nature of Galilee. It can be calm one moment and in the very next, a literal rain of terror. This is why it is so perplexing in Mark’s Gospel that these seasoned fishermen who are now Jesus’ disciples would so easily panic in this storm. One would think or assume they would be right at home on the temperamental sea. Obviously this was no ordinary storm.

As we read the Gospel of Mark a reality begins to surface and take shape. Perhaps this was no ordinary storm. It was made more intense and terrifying because the disciples were increasingly seeking and finding security in the presence of Jesus, and not their own selves. A subtle spiritual transference was quietly occurring as Jesus’ followers began to place their true reliance on him. The Adversary would certainly wish to have derailed God’s divine mission of hope and freedom found in Christ. Even though Satan couldn’t trick, intimidate or mislead Jesus, there was always the human element that was most vulnerable and susceptible to the Devil’s deception. Since he couldn’t tempt or derail Jesus and his mission, the old Adversary attacks what he perceives to be the weak link in God’s creation. You got it! The Church; the very place of refuge and hope is now the primary target of assault by Satan. And believe me, the Adversary often has a “field day.”

Riding on the stormy seas of gossip, schism, rumors and personal motive, the Adversary swoops down on God’s House like a sudden and violent storm. I imagine out there on the Sea of Galilee as Jesus rested peacefully in the stern, the storm that arose probably brought out the worst in the disciples personalities. These men remind us that in times of trouble and fear, if we are not spiritually grounded in a life of faith and service to Christ Jesus, the very brokenness of our humanity surfaces, causing the strong personal desire to control our environment. I’m certain that on that fishing boat there were more than a few barbs exchanged between the disciples. I am sure that the anxiety created out of faithless fear and self-preservation brought every raw emotion and hostile remark to the surface. This became an intense and driving storm, one that threatened the very life of the crew and ship. The Adversary threw a huge tempest in their path and waited for the crew and passengers to self-destruct. But as we all know, Jesus didn’t allow that to happen. With only a two words, “Be still” the rough seas calmed and the storm was dispelled.

How often do we call on the presence of Christ to calm the storms we face in and outside of the church? The disciples intuitively turned to Jesus in their despair, which speaks well of their reliance on him, yet they still struggled to understand his identity as the Messiah; the Christ; the One to Come; the Divine Liberator and Pioneer of Faith. They continued to struggle with that innate need to control their environment. They continued to struggle with the concept of faith. And guess what? 2000 years later we still do the exact same thing. Its easy to claim to love, follow and have faith in Jesus; particularly when life’s seas are smooth. Its easy to get along with one another in the church when life is calm and folks go unchallenged or unthreatened by change, authority or conflict. However, at the first sight of rain this fine balance is easily upset, as we often forget that Christ is in the stern with us.

Most of us are familiar with John Wesley; the great 18th c. evangelist to the American English colonies. He spread the Good News of Jesus faithfully in the age called “The Great Awakening.” Trust me; John Wesley could hardly have been called a faint-hearted or easily intimidated person. But there were times when even he lost his nerve and struggled with his faith. During one of Wesley's several Atlantic crossings, a frighteningly fierce storm broke out. The violent nature of this storm was terrible. It pitched and tossed the ship about on its rough seas; threatening to sink her along with the crew and passengers. While Wesley and others clung to their bunks in fear and doubt, a community of Moravians, traveling to their new homeland, calmly gathered to hold their daily worship service. Despite the vicious storm and its fury, they gathered in sincere faith to sing praises to God. Watching these Moravians, who were unperturbed by the hounding winds and crashing waves, Wesley realized he was witnessing a truly “waterproof faith.” From that moment on, John Wesley prayed that God would give him the ability to likewise ride out life's storms with the same confidence he witnessed in the Moravians.

Whatever storms we face in our personal lives; whatever tempests threaten those of us sailing aboard this vessel called the Church; know this – Christ is our faithful Captain who calms the winds, restores peace and brings comfort. Trust in Christ and allow him to be our navigator. The storms will come and go, yet Jesus is calm and steady. Throw all your personal desires for control overboard and embrace the winds of change. Unencumbered, Jesus will lead us into a deeper, richer and more nurturing life of faith and service.

Giving It Away to Keep It…Living a Christ Centered Life

I think most of us in the Church would agree that a Christ centered life is a gift worth sharing with others (a spiritually demanding gift I might add). Yet sharing of ourselves without condition or assurance is often challenging and difficult. Giving without concern for the self, and sharing through our vulnerability are rather alien concepts in today’s world – but so often that is how Jesus’ counter cultural teachings are perceived – outlandish! We live in a very individualistic society; one that teaches us to put ourselves first, seize as much power and control as possible, and a society that often teaches us to measure our self-worth based on the opinions of others. Think for one moment - how many times do we seek validation from outside sources? How many times do we base our success and failures on the reaction of our peers? This is just another form of self-centeredness and completely contrary to a life in Christ. Yet what are we supposed to do? We are after all human beings! Perhaps we should look deeper into what it means to live a Christ centered life.

We exist in a world in which we consistently experience a tug towards superficial achievements where success tends to be measured by worldly standards. Perhaps we have days in which we feel torn in several directions all at once. Those are the kinds of days in which I often feel it is everything I can do to take care of myself, much less give of myself to anyone else! It is hard not to put ourselves first in a society that teaches us might makes right, success is measured by how much worldly wealth we can accumulate, or how many goals we can accomplish in a day. Yet in contrast to the hustle and bustle of this world and it's standards, Jesus calls us to a life of complete and utter humility, poverty and a lifestyle of continuous self-giving (one without expectation of return or pay back). The counter culture love of God is radical in its nature. It knows nothing less than complete surrender and self-abandonment.

The very mystery and nature of God as Trinity celebrates self-abandoning love in diversity. And while we can debate and discuss the mystery of God, what is most important is to not lose sight of God’s pure benevolence; a gift that expects nothing in return. The economy of God is unconditional and ecstatic love for the other. In God there is no individual, but community. So what does that mean for us? Well, a life in Christ is all about acceptance of the self; the person God made us. It also means the acceptance of the beautiful diversity of all God’s people. The economy of God is not based on a fiduciary system, trade or the stock market. Instead the economy of God is the rock solid gift of life that is lived, shared and grounded in the community of faith. When we are initiated into the Body of Christ and immersed into the community of faith we die to our old selves and take on a new life, not only for ourselves, but for the sake of others as well. Just as the mystery of God is three divine “Persons” yet one being, so too do we become one with each other, yet remain personally valued and blessed with unique spiritual gifts. In other words, God calls us to build and rebuild relationships with others through the sharing of ourselves without condition. God invites us to celebrate our individual gifts as pieces of the puzzle that complement the community as a whole. Life in the community of the church recognizes that while we are diverse in nature, we need each other! A life in Christ is an immersion into unconditional love for God and our neighbor. Where many of us balk is that a genuine life in Christ requires nothing less than total self-sacrifice and self-abandonment. That is hard! Yet a life shared with others is a life that is constantly receiving the blessings of others and then selflessly passing along the gifts we receive. In the economy of God this exchange is a perfect cycle. But for human kind and our relationships, let’s just say we fall way short.

In this Ordinary time in the liturgical life of the church (the season of Pentecost), it is my sincere hope we will all continue to practice this cycle of self-giving love, even though we are far from perfect. The more we share of ourselves, the more vulnerable we all become as a community. It is in that vulnerability that sweet surrender occurs. It is in surrender that we find the meaning of unconditional love and service, sharing from our very poverty rather than excess.

Making Time for God

Most recently I had a meeting with a diocesan consultant at the former Catholic Convent of Richmond Hill, Richmond, Virginia. The convent was originally built after the War Between the States in the 1860’s. Situated on a hill overlooking the city, Richmond Hill's primary purpose was to watch over the city in careful, methodical and unceasing prayer. Richmond, like many southern cities was in utter chaos and destruction after its fall. The Southern troops and local inhabitants actually did most of the damage to the city as they fled the Union army. They burned all of the warehouses and anything else that might provide comfort and support for the enemy. To say the least, the city was in shambles and suddenly under Union control as well as marshal law. The sisters, who were moved to Richmond Hill by their bishop, had one mission – to pray without ceasing over the devastated city.

Richmond Hill, like so many monastic or former monastic facilities is a place that is rich and immersed in prayer. While Richmond Hill is no longer a convent, it is a place of spiritual retreat and solitude. So much sincere and faithful prayer has been lifted up to God within that small but beautiful compound; there is a genuine presence of stepping onto Holy Ground.

We all need respite from the daily grind of life. We all need a few moments to simply stop and pray and listen to that still small voice of God. We live in a fast paced world that demands immediate results, and as much of our time as it can steal. Work ethic has transformed in many places to ‘the more we do in a day, the more productive we are in that day.’ Never mind taking care of oneself spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally; the world demands a price to function in our modern day society and if we don’t pay the piper then we are taught the consequence is utter failure and ridicule. What a terrible way to live! Many of us have experienced the challenge of balancing work, family and self-care. The first item that usually goes by the way side when we are under pressure is the one thing we need the most – healthy lives committed to a solid spiritual formation. Trust me, as ironic and strange as it may sound the church and her clergy, lay staff and volunteers often fall into the exact same trap. The church is made up of human-beings and not immune to our brokenness.

I learned a valuable lesson regarding my spiritual life and ministry during my brief stay at Richmond Hill. I learned just how easy it is to become so self-absorbed and distracted that we neglect our prayer life and spiritual growth. Standing, kneeling and sitting in a room that was so rich and immersed in prayer was not only incredibly refreshing and spiritually reinvigorating, it was also a blessing and reminder from God about my true priorities and needs.

Christ is the Incarnate God who abides in us whether we take time to recognize his presence or not. I encourage us all to seek out time and places to renew our lives and spirits. I encourage us all to enter into a life of intentional prayer and silence, even if it is for just a brief amount of time. It is amazing how even the briefest time spent in the presence of God has the ability to rejuvenate our lives, calm our spirits and reprioritize our lives in a most healthy manner. Life’s challenges will always be there to confront us as that is simply living life on life's terms. Yet when we take the time to enter Holy Ground we will emerge refined and better able to meet those challenges with a deeper faith and steadfast spiritual foundation. It is in the still silence and quietness of our hearts that we become grounded in God's love and compassion, and much better prepared to meet the daily grind that lies just around the corner.

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, but Words can be Brutal

Relationships are fundamental to our lives not only as Christians but as part of our basic human DNA as well. While relationships provide us with companionship, friendship and colleagues, they also provide us with numerous challenges. The church is certainly not exempt from the complex nature of relationships. A friend of mine used to say in reference to the diversity of human nature and personalities – “It takes all kinds to make up this world.” How very true is this statement when it comes to the complex make up of individual people. Of course what makes our personalities and individuality interesting is when we enter into relationships with others, or become a part of a larger group.

Church folks, especially the clergy often take their fair share of criticism and beatings at the hands (or should I say words) of disgruntled people. The natural reaction for most of us when confronted with difficult behavior is to become defensive or simply withdraw. Knowing this raises several questions, especially when it comes to life in the church. What do we do with the hurt and pain caused to us by others in the church? How do we as Christians transcend the malicious intent of gossip? How do we, the Body of Christ seek out reconciliation rather than revenge? These are difficult questions, but often the reality we face in the corporate community of faith.

From time to time random people outside the congregation approach me in the grocery store, mall, restaurant or some other public place in order to express and explain why they no longer attend church (It must be the collar!). Part of the mantle I bear upon my shoulders as an Episcopal priest is to be a magnet for the disenfranchised, hurt and lost. I listen to these folks as they share their plight and painful experiences in the church. Whether it is due to gossip, power struggles or parish politics, these folk’s stories have a common thread – they left their community of faith with a bitter and disgusting taste for life in the church. Most of these folks leave their church feeling battered and in desperate need of healing and recovery. Many folks seek God elsewhere, while others become so put off by the internal squabbles and unhealthy reactions that they simply drift along as non-active members who only grace the doors of the church when it is absolutely necessary. Is this the Christian life and fellowship that we are called to live? What kind of example are we setting for the world at large when all it ever witnesses is our internal feuds and fights?

We do hurt each other in the church, and often. While it is a sad fact, it is also the broken nature of human-beings to want control their environment, need to be right, and nurture ego-centric and dysfunctional behavior. In his book, Never Call Them Jerks, Arthur Paul Boers explains that unfortunately in the name of Jesus destructive mental health issues are all too often protected and enabled by well intentioned people in the congregation, providing the dysfunctional behavior with a genuine sense of empowerment and validation; no matter what the cost. Of course the clergy are certainly not exempt from these divisive self-serving needs either.

So the real question is – when these divisive, unhealthy and selfish actions occur, how do we deal with them in a healthy, accountable and loving manner? In other words, how do we reconcile with each other and stop the unhealthy cycle of dysfunctional behavior? The key - don't enable the difficult behavior while continuing to reach out and try to build bridges, not walls. Of course this sounds easy but in reality is much harder to do, especially when human emotions are factored into the situation. Yet to ignore difficult behavior or to retaliate only deepens and widens the chasm which separates us. After all, isn't that the nature of sin -to divide? Jesus tells us to go to a person who we have issues, and speak with them directly. He goes on to say if they will not listen then go back to them with a witness. If they still refuse to reconcile then take it to the church. If that doesn't work then we have to let them go in love so that we might move forward with healthy and joy filled spiritual lives. Unconditional love and Reconciliation are after all at the very heart of the Gospel, but so is accountability. As for me, I want to be a bridge, not a chasm. Life is so much better when we are able to let go, and let God!

God is our Divine Artist

Art is one of many creative and intimate avenues of spiritual expression. It is a tremendous (and even prayerful) outlet for our inner most feeling and thoughts. From humanity’s earliest existence, art has played an important role in humanity’s creative ability and process. There is a deep and innate part of each one of us that longs to capture and express energy and movement, light and dark, as well as emotions such as love and hate. Art is revealing and secretive. It tells a story that bursts forth onto a canvas, page, palate or molded clay; often in a unique and personal way. Art captures our likes and our dislikes. It tells others something about our inner most selves, and the mysterious story behind our eyes. When looking at a painting, a piece of sculpture or drawing we enjoy, often there is something (known or unknown) in that work which touches us in a deep and profound manner. Sometimes whether we like the piece of art or not, we find ourselves drawn into the life of the work; stimulated, captivated and even overwhelmed by what we find. In many ways it is our interpretation or the evoked emotion that gives that piece of art life, meaning and purpose.

We often forget that God is the divine artist, constantly creating and recreating life, the world and universe. God molded humanity out of the earth and then blew his holy breath into the sculpted clay, giving us life and substance. Filled with the creative life force of God’s breath, we too have an innate drive to create and find expression in the beauty of this world (whether we realize it or not).

Do we have a way, place or medium to release and exercise our creativity? This summer as many of us take vacation, go to camp or simply relax at home in the backyard, I encourage us to stop and look around at the vast and lovely creative work and energy of God. It is everywhere. Who knows, maybe we will be inspired to open up those tightly guarded places in our hearts and allow our creativity to bubble to the surface.

Love....Its Not Mere Lip Service

A well known actor was asked at a special Christian gathering to recite the 23rd Psalm. So, with great drama and flair, he mounted the stage and artfully articulated the vivid imagery of this familiar piece of Scripture. The people were entertained and in awe of his ability to articulate each word and to sprinkle just the right amount of inflection in key spots throughout the Psalm. Later in the same program, an elderly, respected woman of the community was asked to make some kind of contribution to the evening. She rose to the stage and apologized to the people because she could think of nothing else to share but a piece of Scripture she knew best; and you guessed it - the 23rd Psalm. Her voice cracked as she started, “The Lord is my shepherd.” She stumbled over her words, and the people had to strain to hear her low, monotone voice. Yet, there was a very real passion and sense of faith that resignated from her heart. She spoke the psalm as if it were something deeply internalized within her soul. Every monotne word was spoken in genuine affection for her love and gratitude to God. When she finished, there was not a dry eye in the house. The great actor climbed onto the stage and hugged the old woman and explained the difference. “I know the psalm,” he said, “but she lives the psalm.”

Believing what we live, and living what we believe. How many times have we looked at our spouse or someone else we are close to and apologized for failing to live up to a promise? Again! And how many times has that person(s) looked us in the eye and told us to save our apologies because ‘actions speak louder than words?’ I don’t know about other folks but when I find myself in this position I always feel spiritually rotten inside. I feel as if I dropped the ball by failing to follow through with my commitments. Or perhaps, and even more concerning, maybe there is no commitment or conviction in my words.

Actions do speak louder than words. We can make many claims in our lives; we can make promises galore; we can have the best intentions in the world, but unless we follow through with those deeds (no matter how admirable our sincerity and willingness) they count for nothing; nothing more than meaningless and hollow articulated sounds. Words are a most vital in our communication with one another. They have great power to bring us together or drive us apart. Words can bring peace and comfort, or they can bring war and conflict. Words have power; for both good and bad. Every single day words have the ability to open the encounters of our hearts and minds to new and exciting interpretations. In our daily lives words also have the ability to rob us of meaningful relationships. Words cannot stand alone. Unless there is substance, trust and action behind them, they are nothing more than meaningless verbiage that drive wedges between us, and those we love.

The Apostle John understood the need to not only speak the truth, but live it as well. In his first letter he wrote, “Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” Literally translated: "...let us love, not with lip service, but in truth and action." A colleague of mine when preaching often says in his opening prayer, “Lord, let me faithfully preach the Gospel today, and when necessary --- use words.” Each of us is called to live our lives as faithful Christians who read, digest and embrace God’s Holy Word. After all, Christ is the living Word of God; the way, the truth and the life. We can profess this all day long, but in the end do we practice what we preach? Do we put our faith in active motion and truly live as wholesome examples in Christ?

In his first epistle John maintains consistency with his Gospel. He emphasizes the importance of faith actions and deeds. For John, this is vital and relevant to our salvation. While love, truth and light are revealed in Christ they only become pertinent in our lives through active faith (deeds and actions). Many of us know how to talk the talk (for some of us talking has never been a problem), but do we know how to walk the walk?

These 50 days of Easter are about learning to both talk the talk as well as walk the walk. Easter presents us with multiple opportunities to encounter the Risen Lord, and like the Apostles, allow him to open our minds to his Word. Like the disciples after the resurrection, once we encounter the Risen Lord and inwardly digest his living Word, we can’t help but move into truthful and loving action.

The bottom line – it is easy to say we love others and want to reach out to them in reconciliation, kindness or thoughtful concern; but unless we seek them with truthful intentions and right actions our faith becomes stagnant and wrought with despair. Know Christ, but live Christ and make him known!

I Want to Walk with Jesus: Barefooted and Free!

Some of my fondest memories of growing up in the Deep South are forged from my youthful days of freedom; an innocent freedom born out of my dear affection for summer (despite the incredibly hot temperatures and near 100% humidity). The long lazy days, afternoon thundershowers and endless time playing outside (barefooted of course) until long after dark are as much a part of my spiritual formation as time spent in church. For many of us the outdoors is God’s vast cathedral, one that no work of brick and mortar can ever match. Summer is a time in which life thrives intensely, just before the sudden, necessary and natural cycle of fall’s decay announces the silent dormancy of winter.

Jesus’ life and ministry (most likely barefooted) was one that was fully thriving, growing and spreading throughout Galilee and Judah. Like a bright summer’s day full of life, thunder and seemly never ending, Jesus was in the prime of his mission when suddenly the winds of change shifted, and the darkness of winter abruptly arrived. Did he expect this change? Was he prepared for this sudden and abrupt transition? His divinity certainly understood the demands of his mission, but Jesus’ humanity railed against the bitter chalice filled with gloom and death. In the youth of his life a cold chill stirred the night air in the Garden of Gethsemane; a bone cutting coldness brought on by the kiss of betrayal. The thriving life of summer came to a deafening and eerie hush, as Jesus began his silent plight to winter’s barren cross.

The very life of God flows through us because Jesus sacrificed himself for us; spilling his precious blood so that our ravaged, lost and shattered spirits might be preserved from the oppressive bondage of sin and death. Through the love and faithfulness of Christ Jesus our Lord, in the midst of winters harsh, savage and barren coldness life and hope awoke. Jesus destroyed the black emptiness of the desolate tomb, transforming the gloom of that early Easter morning into light and joyful reunion. Nothing of this world, not even death, could contain the Lord of all Creation. As hard as it is to sometimes believe, nothing of this world can separate us from the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. The cold season of winter will still fall across the landscape of our lives; the snow and hard ice will form on our hearts from time to time; and the life around us will still feel desolate and barren on occasion; that is simply life on life’s terms in this broken world. The good news is that spring will come, flowers will bloom and our lives will feel the warm hope that gently blows across our shattered hearts and dispirited dreams. And if we listen very carefully, we will hear the sounds of an eternal summer; a delightful enunciation of grace beckoning us to cast aside our heavy burdens in order to run forever, barefooted and free.

Leaving Loose Ends Untied.

An Arab chief once told a story of a spy who was captured and then sentenced to death by a general in the Persian army. This general had the strange custom of giving condemned criminals a choice between the firing squad and the ‘big, black door.’ As the moment for execution drew near, the spy was brought to the Persian general, who asked the question, “What will it be: the firing squad or the big, black door?”The spy hesitated for a long time. It was a difficult decision. Finally, after much fearful deliberation he chose the firing squad.Moments later shots rang out confirming his execution. The general turned to his aide and said, “They always prefer the known way to the unknown. It is characteristic of people to be afraid of the undefined. Yet, we gave him a choice.”The aide said, “What lies beyond the big black door?”“Freedom,” replied the general. “But very few people have the courage to dare and risk opening that door, much less walk through it’s portal.”

Fear of the unknown; that is what we find on this glorious Easter morning. Mark’s account of the resurrection is one that makes us all some what uncomfortable and uneasy. After sixteen chapters Mark simply leaves us with the women running as fast as they can to escape the empty tomb (and of course an angelic encounter!). His Gospel narrative leaves us in desperate need of closure. The last thing we actually see are the women high-tailing it out of the garden in great fear. I don’t think they had any problem in choosing the door over the firing squad (metaphorically speaking). They ran as fast as they could back into their own comfort zones and the comfortable reality it provided them. After all, someone or something had moved that giant stone from the entrance into the tomb and Jesus’ body was nowhere to be found. The removal of the body must have been devastating enough for Jesus’ friends, not to mention all of the mystery surrounding that early morning encounter.

But what if the women had found Jesus’ body in the tomb? What if every thing had worked out nice and neat the way they expected? What if there was no shocking surprise or heavenly encounter? What if there was no risk involved and every thing went as planned? What if there were no choices to make beyond (say) what spices to anoint Jesus’ corpse; or no decisions beyond how to remove the stone from the entrance? If every thing had gone as expected for the three women on that first Easter morning; if they had found their closure by anointing the body of Jesus; and if they had tied up all of their loose ends - we wouldn’t be here today. Mark, the brilliant and inspired evangelist he was – intentionally left the Gospel ending open and loose ends untied.

Many of us like to have everything wrapped up nice and tidy in an orderly and explainable fashion. But guess what? That is not the nature of God and it is certainly isn’t characteristic of a life in Christ! God sent the women to tell the disciple’s of Jesus’ resurrection, without even giving them even the tiniest glimpse of the risen Lord! Mark leaves us wondering if they metaphorically chose the firing squad or the big black door; because the evangelist tells us they ran away in fear and said nothing (Nothing) to anyone. The greatest event in creation occurs (the Resurrection) and fear, doubt and ambiguity appear to win out; or do they?

The angel told the women that Jesus had risen and already gone to Galilee. The disciples and followers of Christ would certainly encounter him there. In the end, God’s grace will always transcend our faithlessness. In the end, God’s love will always overcome our fear. And in the end, God’s triumph of life eternal will always conquer death. Nevertheless, the choice of what kind of life we choose to lead is important to our quality of faith and spirituality.

We like to know what is coming next in life - don’t we? Most of us don’t care for surprises. We aren’t about to choose “the big black door” if we are afraid. It is amazing that we will choose self- destructive and sometimes deadly paths even though we know they are roads to nowhere; but in a sick manner, we at least can rationalize and are content with the certain knowledge of where they lead!

Often when confronted with such choices in life we find ourselves frozen in fear and indecisive. It’s a difficult and unfortunate position when we stand with one foot in yesterday and another in tomorrow. In the words of one theologian, “We crucify ourselves between two thieves: on the one side is regret for yesterday, and on the other is fear of tomorrow;” - two thieves that rob our lives of so much joy. That is one wretched place to exist my dear friends. A life of fear is one of sorrow, resentment and much regret. Yet its our choice isn’t it?

For one moment I ask us to think about those fear filled times in our lives; think back on the joy as well as opportunities that fear has caused us to miss. Touch those wounds received by life. Feel the ridges and contours of those bitter scars. In the light of the resurrection, are we willing to risk opening our hearts just a little, even though every fiber of our being rails against the hurt that could take place in that vulnerable moment? The resurrection gives us another chance at living life to its fullest potential without the overwhelming and daunting fear. Jesus rose from the grave and bought for us with his own precious blood a renewed hope and new shot at life. The risen Lord beacons to us - leave behind those consuming fears, rejoice in the power of God’s redeeming love, and don’t worry about what we don’t or can’t see (untied, loose ends). Freedom despite life’s uncertainties is what the resurrection in Mark’s Gospel is all about – freedom; freedom to embrace what lies in the unknown without worry or stress. Christ is calling us on this glorious Easter morn to walk with him down a path named – Faith. It is faith that leads to truth and it is the truth (as Jesus tells us) that will set us free.

So Mark reminds us that a life in Christ Jesus is one that thrives in the gray areas of life and embraces the unknown. True spiritual growth only occurs in the ambiguity of risk and the acceptance of change. Spiritual maturity occurs when we faithfully step through the big black door, even though we know not what awaits us behind its mystery. But by stepping through the door of faith and embracing the risen Christ we can let go of our regrets of yesterday, as well as those phantom fears of tomorrow. We can then live my sisters and brothers- truly live! We can live a full life (with all of its challenges) with faith, joy and hope in the present!

Today Christ has risen!!! Today we have a renewed hope, a new covenant with God and an assurance of freedom from the bondage of sin and death. Today, we are bathed in the glowing light of the resurrection and brought through that mysterious door that leads to eternal life

Jesus is Laid in the Sepulchre

Laid in a borrowed tomb, awaiting the sign of Jonah
-the only sign that would be given to His generation
-that after three days and nights in the womb of the earth,
the belly of the fish, the grave and hell,
He would come forth to do His Father's will
-Jesus the humble Son of God , the exultant Son of Man,
the eternal contradiction, the Blessed One.
The end is not yet. Weeping endures for a night,
but joy comes in the morning.
The good news - 'He is risen' -
will burst upon the Son-rise.

Therefore with joy we shall draw water
out of the wells of salvation.

When all is dark,
and Hope is buried,
it is hard to trust His words
that promised, before the pain:
He died that I might live.

In His death is my birth.
He dies that I might live.

In His life is my life.
He died that I might live.

My Jesus! He died that I might live.
He died that I might live.
~ 'The Way of the Cross,' Celtic Daily Prayer.

I dared to Look in the Mirror and What did I See?

During this most Holy Week in Christendom, like many faithful believers, I have decided to do all I can to walk with a more intentional purpose with our Lord Jesus Christ through his passion. I hope to journey through this week and emerge with a stronger vision and embodiment of Christ. I want to look deep below the surface of the passion narrative to see just how and (probably more importantly) why God relates to us.

I ask myself: When we look into the face of the tortured, flogged and mocked Jesus, what do we see? When we hear the hostile crowds yell to Pilate, "Crucify Him!" do we hear our voice mingled amongst the mob?

I truly enjoy the little book, "Love Set Free" by Brother Martin L. Smith, SSJE. In the Gospel of John during Jesus' trial we hear Pilate say, "Here is the man!" Brother Smith stresses that this one tiny sentence is a profound revelation to our inner selves. The humanity of Jesus is important and vital to our salvation and hope. The longer and more deeply we gaze at Jesus the better we are able to internalize and witness "the dignity of his [Jesus'] stillness and suffering compassion and companionship of God." By entering into the darkness of Christ's passion and suffering, we realize the profound truth; "God is not a distant God looking down at this scene[Jesus' trial and execution] or a remote God peering over the horizon." By looking into the suffering eyes of Christ Jesus we get a tiny glimpse of the incredible nature of God. For it is "only by drawing near enough to us to be caught up in the cycle of human self-destructive violence does God get near enough to end the cycle with healing, reconciliation and reunion."

God strives to get as close to us as we will allow him. This is how our lives are transformed and the cycle of self-destructive behavior is broken. God is an engaging God who genuinely wants to be in communion with us. Through Christ Jesus we are drawn nearer to God; we are made one with him - just as he and the Father are one. There is a genuine dignity in this precious moment; for it is here, in this intimate moment that our inner most pain and suffering are not only revealed, but absorbed in Christ's suffering and pain. Gods meets us where we are in life and thus opens our hearts to shine through the darkness, and live as wholesome examples in Christ.

In conclusion, when we look into the tortured, blood stained and bruised face of Jesus what do we see? I see a compassionate God who loves and honors the dignity in all people, even when those same people lash out and turn away from him. I see a loving God whose passion for humanity far exceeds our often selfish and rebellious behavior. I see a God who allows us to throw him under the bus, only to reach out in reconciling forgiveness and invite us to sit beside him on the bus.

Will we accept God's invitation to walk through this most holy week with Jesus? Will we dare to look into the face of Christ and risk seeing a reflection of our broken selves? Do we dare acknowledge those places where we harbor our most intense pain and shame? Will we open our hearts to the compassion of Christ and let him heal those festering sores; sores that are infected with resentment, hate and self-centeredness?

This Holy Week dare to look into the mirror eyes of Christ. Embrace the truth that stares back at us; for it is not only a reflection of our own hurt, sorrow and pain, but a reflection of Christ's redeeming love as well.

Palm Monday Hangover?

Palm Monday. The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. “I’ll show myself to them,” he thought.

But they didn’t notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind. “Throw your garments down,” he said crossly. “Don’t you know who I am?” They just looked at him as nothing more than a wandering mule. Then to add insult to injury, someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move. “Miserable heathens!” the donkey muttered to himself. “I’ll just go to the market. The good people there will remember me for sure!” But when the little donkey arrived in the busy Jerusalem market the same thing happened - no one (not a single person) paid him any attention. Then the donkey thought, “Oh yes, the palm branches! Where are the palm branches?! Yesterday, these people raised, waved and threw palm branches!” Hurt, baffled and confused, the donkey sulked and returned home to his mother. When she heard what had happened, she compassionately whispered to the little donkey, “Foolish child, don’t you realize that without Jesus, you are just an ordinary donkey?”

Today we are reminded that without Jesus to accompany us in this life, we are like the donkey in this (made up) metaphor; we too are simply misguided creatures, full of false hope and lofty expectations. We end up living superficial lives that seek nothing more than to live in moments of self-centered glory.

The people who crowded into the streets of Jerusalem in order to welcome Jesus into the city had worked themselves up into a frenzy; a frenzy driven by false hope and unrealistic, lofty expectations. Jesus was the Messiah. This was a triumphant military entry into the most holy city in the universe. The Christ would liberate these people from the burden of Roman oppression; the Christ would raise Israel up above her enemies in triumph; the Christ would bring down the reign of God, and Zion would flourish. Yet, as we shall see the Jewish leaders and people of Jerusalem set themselves up for a major disappointment.

Like our little donkey, Holy Monday (Palm Monday as the story called it) brought a completely different tone. Where were the mighty acts of this Messiah? Where were the angel and heavenly hosts? Where was their “self” prophesied liberation? Why were the Roman soldiers still occupying the city? Nothing had changed! Disappointment, discouragement and ultimately anger must have festered in the city streets of Jerusalem. I imagine each time a discarded palm branch came into view; it only served to stoke and ignite the angry disappointment of the Jewish people. To make matters worse, not only did Jesus not call down a heavenly army of liberators, Mark tells us that as quickly as he entered the city, he left. Jesus didn’t even make a sacrifice in the temple, address the people or challenge the Roman authorities. Jesus and his disciples go back outside the city to Bethany and retire for the night. Is Mark joking? All the hype and energetic build up and then – nothing? Ironically the very moment the crowds seem at last to recognize Jesus and eager to affirm his identity, Jesus decides to emphasize that he is not the kind of Davidic and liberating Messiah they expect. So Jesus and the twelve disciples simply left Jerusalem leaving nothing more than a (disillusioned) donkey to show he had been present.

Palm Sunday is a subtle reminder to each of us that it is often our own expectations (spoken or not) that get us into trouble and cut us off from God. Our perceptions of what we want God to do in this life often become the stumbling blocks that trip us up as we journey through this life. If only God would have saved that person from death; if only God had not allowed that criminal to commit such a heinous act; if only God had allowed me to avoid those painful experiences….(the list goes on and on).

We have all stood in the street and waived our palms at Jesus, expecting him to do for us those things that we desire or project on him. And we have all felt the bitter disappointment when those expectations go unmet. Yet God is not manipulated by our actions, nor tricked by our careful plans. Instead, God loves us despite the isolating and divisive nature of sin. God longs to be in communion with each and every one of us, and looks beyond our human shortsightedness to the eternal truth. And just what is that eternal truth? It is the fact that God’s nature is to draw all things to him. While sin ran amok in this world, unchecked and ramped, God’s task was not possible. But in Christ Jesus, that would change!

Like the label on the back of a bottle of salad dressing that says, Shake well before using - shaking is a part of God’s divine nature. God doesn't forewarn, he doesn't explain, sometimes he just shakes.God shook Job -- he lost everything.God shook Jonah -- the bottom dropped out of his plans.God shook the apostles -- the vibrations didn't stop until they reached heaven.Left unshaken, a bottle of salad dressing creates sour sediment like that at the bottom of a wine vat. The world had become stale, flat and sour because she was sedimentary, calcified, hardened. Through out the history of the world we witness God restore his people and nations by shaking them up. God doesn't shake just for the sake of shaking. There is a reason. The stuff of life is being rearranged, and people are going to be affected.

Therefore on the day we call Palm Sunday, God decided to radically shake things up in this world. God did the most unexpected and selfless act by sending Jesus as the living sacrifice that would restore the world to freedom. Through this jarring action - sin and death are defeated and the hope for all creation is restored. The eternal truth is - that our hope (yours and mine) is restored, and nothing (Absolutely Nothing) will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

As we move forward into Holy Week and journey with Jesus to the cross, I ask each of us to prayerfully reflect:

What selfish expectations do we wave like palms in the air as we seek Christ?
What parts of our lives need to be shaken and jarred?
Are we like the donkey on “Palm Monday” blindly caught up in our own life needs and wants?

The journey that lies before us as we enter Holy Week is one that will take us ever deeper into the mystery of God. This is a journey that will shake our lives to their very core, shaking loose the sediments and calcified deposits of sin that weigh us down; the hardened film that cuts us off from God. Holy Week has begun; darkness falls; the light is dimmed; Christ has triumphantly entered Jerusalem (only) to quietly leave and prepare for the earth shattering darkness to come.

Go to Dark Gethsemane

Let go in faith and journey into the unknown. Easily said, much harder to do! The author of the Book of Hebrews tells us, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the assurance of things unseen.” In other words, faith is a means of letting go of all the “control issues” in our lives; those predetermined plans that we often interject or sneak into our prayers as we try to influence God to “just let things turn out my way!”

Throughout Scripture we witness God’s people do great things because of their willingness to step outside of themselves in faith. Abraham left behind all he knew and led his people into a new land, becoming the Father of all Nations. Moses answered God’s call and returned to Egypt to face Pharaoh, in order to free the Children of Israel from the bondage of sin and slavery. God’s prophets were driven (sometimes kicking and screaming) by faith to hold God’s people accountable when they strayed away from Yhweh. Countless Christians in the early church (as well as today) experienced intense persecution by governments and authorities because of their faithfulness to Christ. And finally, Jesus faithfully accepted his fate in the Garden of Gethsemane even though he prayed to the Father, “If it be your will please remove this cup from my lips, but thou will be done.”

As we prepare to embark on this journey with Christ and disciples through Holy Week, we find ourselves on a path that is most uncomfortable and often harsh. Like the disciples, it is easier to fall asleep, run and avoid the painful darkness of Holy Week. This is the time for Jesus’ passion and suffering; a faithful suffering that buys our freedom from the bondage of sin and death. All too often we go to sleep on Palm Sunday and awake on Easter morning. We miss the whole journey! In many ways we are no better than the faithless disciples who abandoned Christ in his most desperate hour. Faith is not comfortable. Faith is not easy. Faith is not an assurance that we will always get our way in life (thank goodness!). Faith requires us to stand, walk and trudge forward, even though life sometimes hurts and becomes very dark and grim. Faith is the grains of sand used to polish our armor of light (as Paul describes in his Letter to the Ephesians) so that our spirits burn brighter and more radiant despite the darkness of our age. Faith simply requires that we believe; believe in Christ Jesus’ unconditional love and the wholesome desire to do the next right thing no matter the cost.

During this most holy week of Christendom, as we prepare to undertake this difficult journey of faith with Jesus, one that will lead us right through the painful abandonment of the cross; it is my most fervent prayer that we find the courage to believe in God’s redeeming grace and love. Dear Father I believe! Help my unbelief!

A Journey through Christendom's Most Holy time of Year

The Liturgical Season of Lent:

Lent is the season of prayerful journey and self-reflection. It is the forty days plus the six Sundays of preparation and self-denial that lead up to Easter. For centuries, Lent has been observed as a special time of personal examination and penitence. Today we find ourselves in a barren season that beacons us to concentrate on our fundamental Christian values and priorities. Contrary to the views of many, the season of Lent is not a time for self punishment; instead it is a time of letting go of those things that cut us off from God. Lent is a time in our spiritual lives in which we are called by God to prepare our hearts for the redeeming love of Christ.

Perhaps we find ourselves living in this world as one of the many aimlessly lapsed Christians, wandering away from church and neglecting our spiritual lives. For centuries, Lent has offered God's people the opportunity to return to the fellowship of the church. In fact the season of Lent historically is a period in the life of the church in which the lapsed, as well as those who have committed notorious sins were received back into the community of faith. If you are questioning your own faith and wondering what to believe, this is a most appropriate reflect and ask the difficult questions with sincerity and truth. For some Lent is a pathway that leads back into the Body of Christ or the Church.

Throughout Lent, the worship services of the church take on a simpler tone, appropriate to this season. Crosses showing the risen Christ are veiled. The word "Alleluia" is not used in the words of the liturgy or hymns. These practices help the worshipping community to mark this season of renewal as a special time in the church year.

Observing a Holy Lent ~ The custom is to mark the season of Lent by giving up some things and taking on others. Both can serve to mark the season as a holy time of preparation. Some examples of things people give up for Lent include sweets, meat for all or some meals, and alcohol. In most cases, giving up something for Lent can be made more meaningful by using the money or time for another purpose. For example, meal times on fast days could be spent in prayer. Another example is that if you give up meat during Lent, the extra money that would go to meat dishes can be given to a group, such as World Vision, which works to end hunger worldwide. Some things added during Lent are daily Bible reading, fasting on Fridays, times of prayer, taking a course of study related in some way to spirituality.

Note that the season of Lent is forty days plus the six Sundays. This is because Sundays are celebrations of Jesus’ resurrection and are always an appropriate day to lessen the restrictions of Lent. So that if you have, for example, given up chocolate for Lent, you could indulge in a weekly candy bar on Sunday.

The Sacrament of Confession ~ Lent is also an especially appropriate time for the sacrament of confession. While confession to a priest is not required to receive God’s forgiveness, it can be a meaningful rite of reconciliation to God.

Special Days and Services:

Shrove Tuesday ~ This is actually the day before Lent begins. The day is named for the "shriving" or confessing that was traditional on this day before beginning Lent. This day is also known as Maddi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday," because it was a time for eating the things from which one would abstain during Lent. Pancake suppers are traditional as they were a way of using up some of the ingredients not needed during Lent.

Ash Wednesday ~ The first day of Lent is marked with a special liturgy. The theme for the day, though not for all of Lent, is that we stand as sinners condemned to die, but for God’s grace. This is symbolized by the imposition of ashes on the forehead, with the words, "You are dust and to dust you shall return." In the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of penitence (feeling regretful at offenses) and mourning.

Ash Wednesday is one of two days of special observance (the other being Good Friday) for which fasting is recommended. While this usually refers going without food for the entire day, this practice is not practical for all persons, including, but not limited to, diabetics. Use your own discretion in determining how you can best observe this day.

Stations of the Cross ~ These are depictions of 14 incidents in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ death from Pilate’s house to being placed in the tomb. They are used for the service called the Way of the Cross, which visits each station in turn with a brief reading, response, collect and on some occasions, a meditation. This is particularly appropriate for Good Friday.

Palm Sunday ~ This Sunday before Easter is the last Sunday in Lent. The day commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem with a blessing of palms and a procession in which the whole congregation carries palms. The day is also marked by reading the story of Jesus’ passion (the word used to describe Jesus’ death comes from "suffering," which is one old meaning of passion).

Maundy Thursday ~ This is the Thursday in Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter). The day is a time for remembering The Last Supper. The name comes from the Latin word "Maundatum" for "commandment" as Jesus said, "I give you a new commandment; that you love one another." This is also the moment in which Jesus showed his disciples the meaning of servant hood by washing their feet. We will observe the foot washing during the liturgy. At the conclusion of this service, altars are stripped of any ornamentation and crosses are removed or veiled to mark the solemnness of the occasion.

Good Friday ~ The Friday in Holy Week is a time for remembering Jesus death. Traditionally there is a Good Friday service at noon as Jesus hung on the cross from noon until 3 p.m. This is the second day of special observance for which fasting is recommended. One should use discretion in decided how best to observe this day. There is no celebration of Communion from Maundy Thursday until the Easter Vigil on late Saturday or early Sunday. However, it is customary in many churches to give out the elements of communion blessed during the Maundy Thursday service.

The Easter Vigil ~ This service is appropriate from after sunset on Holy Saturday until sunrise Easter morning. This is our most ancient Christian Liturgy. In the early Christian Church it was the traditional time of baptism, reaffirmation and reconciliation. This service begins in darkness and a new fire is lit, from which the Christ candle is lighted. It signifies the light of Christ coming into the world anew at the resurrection. This service ends the season of Lent and begins the joy of the Easter season.

I'm with Peter!

In the 16th c. the Pope sent Jesuit missionary’s into China in order to evangelize the huge population. He had them take art work with them that depicted scenes from Jesus’ life. He thought this would assist with the obvious challenge of the language barrier. Interestingly the Chinese people took an instant liking to paintings of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child. However, when it came to depictions of the crucifixion and the missionary’s explanation that this was the same child that Mary was holding, they were shocked. The Chinese people were even more disturbed that this Child was the Christian God and that was treated so repulsively. They were horrified to see how Jesus was made to suffer and ultimately die. This was extremely counter cultural to them, so the Chinese people decided they would rather worship the Blessed Mother Mary, since she was pictured in love and adoration for the child.

None of us likes suffering do we? It is counter cultural to our need to survive and live. When Jesus tells the disciples that he must be delivered into the hands of his enemies, suffer and die by crucifixion, they naturally were appalled. Peter, who had just identified Jesus as the Messiah (after all Peter is the guy in the bunch who most often spoke first and thought later) – he was the stunned enough to actually rebuke Jesus. Think about it for one moment and put yourself in Peter’s shoes (or sandals). He and the rest of the disciples had witnessed Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons and work miracles. Jesus was their hope; Jesus was their leader; Jesus was their inspiration. Yet, Jesus must die.

Well, I don’t know about you all but I’m with Peter! I would have had the same reaction. I would have been just as confused, protective and ready to argue with Jesus as Peter. I would have been ready to keep my dear friend safe and secure. Friends protect friends; that is the way love and friendship work! There would be no reason for useless suffering. Look at all the good Jesus was doing for his people. Like the Chinese, I would have been repulsed had Jesus revealed his hideous fate on the cross; one that was reserved for thieves, murderers and rebels.

Jesus reaction to Peter was even harsher than Peter’s reaction to him. The Greek word Mark used for ~ rebuke ~ is the exact same word he uses when Jesus casts out demons. This was a very serious rebuke! It was a direct command with the authority of God. Jesus would not be tempted. He knew this was one of those moments that the Adversary seized to try and derail his divine mission; even though the temptation came in the form of concern from an innocent and loving friend.

Jesus mission was one of love and sacrifice. In the process he redefined discipleship. Jesus says, “Set your mind on divine things, not human things.” And here is the real kicker, he says, “Be ready to suffer!” Suffer! That’s right, you heard me correctly. To be a follower of Jesus means that we must become willing to suffer. What Mark is telling us is that self-sacrifice, self-abandonment and self-empting are at the very core of God’s divine love for all creation. Jesus is telling us that in order to follow him, we are called to suffer through the same self-sacrificial acts. This is what he means when he says, “In order to save you life you must lose it.”

One January afternoon in 2007, 50-year-old Wesley Autrey was waiting with his two young daughters to board a train at Broadway’s 137th Street station in Manhattan, when the unthinkable happened. According to cbsnews.com, Cameron Hollopeter, 19, fell onto the subway tracks while suffering a seizure, just as an oncoming train was approaching. In a split second Autrey, a construction worker and Vietnam War veteran jumped onto the tracks to save him. As the train barreled toward them, unable to stop in time, Autrey realized he could not lift Hollopeter to safety. So he threw his body on top of the still convulsing young man, pinning him down in the shallow drainage trough, roughly a foot deep, between the tracks. The train’s front two cars rolled over them with just about two precious inches to spare before the operator was able to bring it to a stop. Hollopeter and Autrey emerged largely unharmed. Cheers erupted and Autrey was hailed as a hero. But Autrey, as humble as he was brave, told The New York Times, “I don’t feel like I did something spectacular; I just saw someone who needed help. I did what I felt was right.”

Wesley Autrey provides us with an incredible example of what it means to deny ourselves of our self, and give to others (even those we do not know) in unconditional love and sacrifice.

In this season of Lent we often give up things, by denying ourselves chocolate, coffee, sodas, TV or something important to our daily lives. While this act is an important reminder of the act of sacrifice, God’s call to follow him is far deeper and demanding than these (often inconvenient) but small reminders. Jesus wants us to give to God ~ our complete selves: our thoughts; our dreams; our egos; our goals; our burdens and problems. God wants every single little piece of us.

The path to sacrifice is what leads us to God and allows us to identify with God. While this is counter culture to the world, God made the world and God put his unconditional love and labor into our very existence. Therefore we should really flip this around and say, “The world is counter cultural to the original way God created and brought it into existence.”

Mr. Autrey understood something that the Chinese culture of the 16th c. had not yet learned: Jesus defines true discipleship as a way of life that imitates God. Since God made himself vulnerable to the extreme (ultimately allowing the Son to perish on the cross) he calls us (you and I) to the same life of vulnerability. Our God loves us so much that he longs to be in communion with us, and will go to what ever length required to show us. God gives so completely of God’s self (to us) that nothing is ever held back in reserve.

So, whether it is leaving the comforts of home and traveling all the way around the world on mission; whether it is jumping on a train track, using our own body to shield and protect a complete stranger from the train; whether it is saying the blessing before a meal in the restaurant in order to give God thanks, at the expense of a few stares – Christ is calling us to a life of self-sacrifice; one that demands all of us (heart, mind, and body). God holds nothing back and neither should we.

As we follow this road of Lent together. I pray that we continue to keep our attention focused on Jerusalem and the cross. While the heavy burden and fear will only grow and become darker over the next few weeks, we shouldn’t over look one tiny, but major and significant statement Jesus makes at the very end of this mornings passage from Mark. After he tells the disciple of his fatal destination and fate, he says, “And on the third day I will rise again.” In all the shock, the disciples missed that one liner! God is reminding us that through Jesus’ suffering that we are promised life eternal. When giving of ourselves unconditionally don’t forget the beautiful reward that awaits us all.

Floods, Deserts and Dust. It Must be Lent!

The shadow of Lent has fallen upon us. The light of the Epiphany has dimmed and been covered. The dark cloud of inevitable death is only a stones throw away. God has empowered his only begotten Son with a mission of salvation to all creation. While this isn’t the first time God has made a covenant (or promise) with his creation, this will be the ultimate and last covenant necessary.

Long before Jesus is sent on his divine salvific mission, there is the story of Noah. Once again we learn that God has become displeased and disgusted with his very free, but very broken creation. Once again God looks down at not only humanity’s waywardness, but on at the negative effect we have had on the rest of his creation. One would think that we might have learned something in the Garden of Eden. But that is the nature of sin. Left unchecked it continues to repeat its destructive patterns over and over again; each time becoming a little worse until it has consumed all the things it touches (especially us) cutting us off from the light and love of God.

In this mornings reading from the Book of Genesis we find the whole earth at fault before God. God’s patience is gone. His tolerance of humanity’s self-centered, faithless behavior is at its end. God will no longer allow his creation to live in such a filthy and sinful manner. So He brings the flood. Since all of God’s creation is closely linked the destruction of the earth and all living things is part of God’s divine plan. Yet we have a loving God. A God whose nature it is to create; and rather than wipe out his work completely, God has his faithful servant Noah build an ark and herd two of every kind of animal (both male and female) aboard the big boat. Now, I used to work for the Biology Department while in college at UGA. I was the animal caretaker for the lab animals. That smelled bad enough, but can you imagine what the ark must have smelled like?! I often wonder who got the job of cleaning the stalls.

The important thing to note about the flood story is that after it was all over, God made a covenant with Noah. He said he would never again destroy the earth by flood waters. To mark the sign of this covenant he hung a beautiful rainbow in the sky. In Christ Jesus, God will do the same for us. Accept rather than hang a rainbow in the sky, he will hang his only Son from a cross.

In today’s reading from Mark, we witness Jesus’ baptism and literal expulsion into the Judean desert (not a good place to be). This reading in Mark is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry to his people and eventually to all creation. In many ways, Jesus is the “New Ark.” We find Jesus suffering through merciless temptation for 40 days, with the wild beasts and angels. (You see) once again we see that all creation is linked.

As we look at the nature of God and his covenants, there are interesting parallels between today’s two readings:

In Genesis the clouds form and the rain pours down. In Mark the heavens are violently torn apart at Jesus’ baptism, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus like a Dove.
In Genesis, Noah floats on the waters for 40 days; adrift in a wet and abandoned world. There is a dark void where abundant life used to exist. In Mark, Jesus is set adrift in the desert. For 40 days he endures the desolate void found in a dry and abandoned waste land.
In Genesis, Noah herds God’s creatures into the ark and cares for them during this 40 day period. In Mark, Jesus draws the desert creatures to himself. He is God’s new Ark or refuge.

We don’t know what kind of sailing Noah experienced during the flood. We are not told if he faced terrible waves and violent tempests. But we do know that Jesus faced a terrible onslaught by the Adversary; an attack meant to derail and destroy the future hope of God’s creation. If Jesus gave in or failed, the world was doomed. But as we all know, where Adam failed in the Garden of Eden, Jesus will succeed in the Judean desert. And just as the flood waters eventually subside, so does Jesus’ wilderness exile. God’s plan for redeeming all creation is now in motion.

All too often we find ourselves adrift in this world. We find ourselves frightened, worried and consumed with the weight of our problems. Perhaps we long for the heavens to open up and have God deliver us. Perhaps we desperately hope to find refuge and sanctuary on a rescue boat, as we slowly drown in a sea of doubt and despair.

There is no doubt that today’s world is a difficult place to exist. We all have major worries. If it is not the deflated economy, it is the violence we see in society. If it is not war and conflict, it is the abuse of the innocent. We exist in a very harsh and world in which the Adversary is always brewing up a new tempest or sand storm to make our lives difficult, full of doubt and distracted. This is why it is absolutely vital that we remember that Jesus (the New Covenant) is (dare I say the word!) our Bailout Package. Except unlike the monstrosity in Washington, this bailout comes at no cost without interest. This morning as Jesus undertakes his mission to redeem the world, deep down in creation a change is subtly taking place. Because of Jesus’ faithfulness, the Adversary knows that he has already lost the battle. While he will make a few subtle returns, Jesus will not fall for his tricks or ploys. Jesus has turned his face toward Jerusalem and the cross. Lent has begun.

As we undertake this Lenten journey with Christ; the more faithfully we commit ourselves to stay the path; the less power our fears will have over us. Please remember, no matter what storms or hardships we face, God is faithful and God will not abandon us. Through Christ Jesus our Lord we have a new hope and a new life. So, please – join me and together, (together) we will take this Lenten journey – (a journey) which will eventually lead to the greatest bailout package of all – the Resurrection.

Indifference, the Refined Art of Exile

This past Sunday I preached a sermon on the hurtful nature of indifference. This particular sermon was a difficult one to preach, because not only did several folks in the congregation find it challenging, but so did the preacher! The question as well as the challenge is - as Christian's how can we remain indifferent to people who genuinely suffer? How can we turn our backs on people whose pain is only magnified by society's blatant abandonment? The political prisoner, the homeless refugee, starving families, the sick, destitute and abandoned; by ignoring their existence and looking the other way we exile them from our consciousness. The Jewish Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel states it best when he says, "By denying their humanity, we betray our own."

Remaining indifferent to those who truly suffer in this world is nothing new to our time. Indifference is a cruel form of social marginalization. A Darwinian theorist might even justify that marginalization of those who are sick, needy or in desperate trouble is the "natural order of things." But for those who claim Christ as our Lord, we are called to usurp the "natural order of things."

First century Palestine was no different than any other age when it came to the outcast, socially marginalized and loathed. Actually it was probably worse since the Jewish law gave credibility to the exile and expulsion of those considered unclean. Leprosy most assuredly was one such death sentence to a life of normal social acceptance. It was an ancient curse that guaranteed a person of a life stripped of dignity, hope and any kind of value. This terrible disease caused grotesque disfigurement of the body. It was considered highly contagious, and those who contracted it were condemned to a life of exile, desperation and poverty. Lepers were cast out of society, avoided and treated as despicable objects. The lepers of Jesus day lived a life of deep humiliation, and were treated with an attitude of indifference. In Wiesel's words, they were reduced to a mere "abstraction."

Can you imagine every time encountering a "clean" person having to yell, "Unclean! Unclean!" so that they might avoid contact with you? That was exactly what the Jewish law required. Can you imagine the humiliation of being bound in filthy rags from head to toe in order to distinguish yourself as a disease infected leper? Can you imagine having to live near the city dump so that you could out run your fellow lepers for scraps of food? Well, that was exactly the hopeless existence the lepers of Jesus' day were forced to live. They were treated as rude and unwanted interruptions, reduced to mere abstractions.

Yet the leper in Mark's Gospel ran to Jesus. He broke the law and asked Jesus to please make him clean; and Jesus did exactly that - he touched him and made him clean; made him whole and restored his dignity. One might argue at this point that Jesus is God and he knows the heart of all people. True; that is a correct thought and understanding of the nature of God, and we know (at least most of know!) that we're not God. But still, as Christians we are given a few direct marching orders from Jesus to take care of the poor, the destitute, the widows and orphans, as well as the oppressed and alien (legal or illegal).

A few days ago I gave a man ten dollars so that he could buy gas in order to get to a job interview near Petersburg. I found out within the hour that he took that ten dollars straight to the liquor store. At first, I was frustrated and disappointed because the gentleman lied to me; I felt deceived and used. No wonder people (myself included) often walk right by or step over those who claim to be in desperate need. But is that what Jesus is telling us to do - make judgments regarding those who ask us for help? For those of us who have experienced the abuse of trust and the deceptive ploys of the needy and homeless, Jesus' direct commandment to us to take care of the sick and poor is most difficult.

The last I checked, God doesn't ask us to determine who is worthy of our assistance and who is not (at least I haven't been charged with that daunting responsibility). God simply asks us to be faithful conduits of his love and mercy to all those in trouble, sorrow, sickness or adversity. God also didn't tell us to be door mats for those we know abuse the system either! There is a fine line of accountability and enablement that we need to recognize, yet this is learned through our willingness to love unconditionally and give of ourselves as Christ has taught us. Our directive is to serve Christ as his humble servants and become icons of love, hope and light to all people; even the ones who abuse the system. (You never know what transforming action or word might invite the Spirit into their lives).

In conclusion, Jesus treats all people as just that - people. Everyone from the most desperate leper to the most pious Pharisee, Jesus refuses to treat them as a rude intrusion or mere abstraction. He treats all of God's children the same - with love (some time's rather testily - but nevertheless love) compassion and dignity. This is the model that we as Christians are called to live and inwardly digest. While this lifestyle is not easy, it is the food that nourishes our spirits and the life line that connects us and God to the community. When we become willing to step outside of ourselves and become vulnerable (even to the abuse of society) we suffer with those who suffer; we suffer with Christ as he continues to tirelessly unite his Body as one in Him. So I encourage all of us to be a conduit of God's love and mercy and not a gatekeeper or judge.

Fear Driven or Faith Driven

What does it mean to experience life through a "Fear Driven" lens? What does it mean to experience life through though a "Faith Driven" lens?

To live driven by fear means we are usually running away from someone or something that creates anxiety in our hearts. A fear driven life also has the ability to drive us toward something (healthy or unhealthy) in order to escape those threats. I spent much of my youth living on the fear driven side of the scale; either running towards denial or running away from reality and pain. Like many people today I too experienced those dreaded demons who whisper words of phantom doubt and anxiety into the soul's ear, cultivating various forms of spiritual sickness and disease. It is a nightmare existence to live in constant and unceasing fear - fear of failure, fear of loss, fear of others, fear of self, fear of conflict, fear of authority, fear of things beyond our control, and fear of retribution. For many of us this list has the potential go on and on, forming an endless litany of despair.

How are we to live a life centered in Christ if we spend a life immersed in fear? The answer is quite simple; we can't!

The prophet Jeremiah wrote:

"Blessed is the man who trusts the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by water that sends its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

I want to be like that tree planted by the water; a clean, clear and nutrient laden water; one that provides spiritual refreshment and growth; a living water that brings peace and calmness to the very core of life's storms; a water that cools and refreshes the heart, even when the heat of life creates a parched and dusty drought. When our roots are spiritually deep, planted in the rich soil of Christ, we suddenly experience what it means to lead a faith driven life. Those deep roots are grounded in trust; a holy and unbending trust in God, who provides the sustaining nutrients our spirits and consciousness need to live. In Jesus Christ we find an unconditional love that when tapped into, we are able to experience the benefit of a joy filled confidence.

The true fact of the matter is spiritual droughts will always occur in this life. Challenges will rise and fall with whatever season we find ourselves. There are days in which we will feel parched and dry; we may even find ourselves in a desert. But if our spiritual roots are spread out and firmly attached to Christ, the one thing we can most assuredly count on is God's living water. In the most barren time it will bubble up and nourish our hearts, minds and bodies.

The holy and life giving spirit our hearts long for is God. He is the nurturing water that gushes out of rocks, rises out of sand and flows through dry desert crags. Christ is the living water that gives rest to the weary, strength to the weak, love to the reviled, calmness to the restless in spirit, and peace to those who are desperate.

While fear will always exist in this world and constantly assault us, looking for any crack or crevice to breach our faith, know that in Christ there is an endless ocean of hope that is filled with grace and love. In Christ Jesus nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.

Founded on the Love of Jesus - Anything else is Just a Bad Substitute

This week I attended the Diocese of Virginia’s 215th Annual Diocesan Council, held in Reston, Virginia. The theme of this year’s council was – "The Church is One Foundation." This is such an appropriate theme as the Diocese of Virginia continues the unfortunate litigation process regarding our property with those 11 break away parishes. I was reminded at council of our need to live, worship and exist in community. At the heart of Jesus’ ministry, community was important. For Christ, not only was gathering his followers around him an essential part of his ministry, but embracing diversity was vital as well; and what a diverse group of disciples he called to service! Jesus had a band of people from all walks of life serving as his Apostles. Through his band of followers, Jesus created a microcosm and model of the Christian community. He called and welcomed a tax collector, a Zealot, ordinary fishermen and even a traitor into his community of followers. What does this say about Christianity when even those who have bad intentions are allowed into the community of faith? It tells us that we are all welcome and that God loves the sinner. God welcomes the hurt, the oppressed, the sick, the lost, the outcast and loathed people. Jesus opened the community up to us all in order to redeem us all.

Still, how quickly we forget what it means to be a Christian. How easily we forsake community for individuality. How ever so subtly we become a club of exclusiveness, rather than a community of inclusiveness. From our roots we Christians have always been a diverse bunch. The reason we live together despite our petty arguments, disagreements and differences is that we are formed in Christ Jesus our Lord. He is at the center of our lives and faith. Jesus is truly the “Sure Foundation” that bonds us together providing the common ground for us to stand and gather.

If we are to grow as a community of faith and carry the Gospel message to all nations, we need to learn to accept each other for who God created us. While it is alright to recognize and even discuss our differences, in the end it is vital to the Church Universal that we embrace one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, laying aside the divisive need to be right or prove others wrong. There is no room for that kind of behavior in the economy of God.

“The Church is One Foundation with Jesus Christ her Lord” and she stands in magnificent beauty despite the threats of schism and sin's wicked stain. I encourage us to look at Jesus’ disciples and their diversity. I encourage us to look at the church and the diversity of her membership. I encourage us to look in the mirror and know that while we are a unique being, formed in the image of God, so are others; even those people we may not like or understand. As the Christian community we are founded on Jesus Christ our Lord, anything else is just a bad substitute.

Divine Living in a Human State of Mind

What does it mean to be fully human? What does it mean to embrace this heart, mind, body and soul that God has created? These are important questions when examining our faith. These questions remind us that we are not merely a spiritual being trapped in a bodily shell; we are reminded that our body, mind and soul are all connected and integral parts of one another; we are reminded that God is a divine artist, sculptor and creator. So what does it mean to be fully human and alive in this world?

We don’t have to look very far for the answer to these questions. Jesus is the perfect example of what it means to live life to its fullest human potential. Jesus, the Word made Flesh (the Incarnation) is fully human, yet fully divine. This is the mystery of God. Through his human nature, Jesus teaches us how to live in our mortal bodies with a rich and deep spiritual fortitude. To live a life that is fully human means to live a life that is spiritually nourishing and grounded in Christ. When our spirits are healthy, our humanity thrives despite our shortcomings, hardships and challenges. A healthy spiritual life allows us in our humanity to face life with compassion, love, forgiveness and with a fearlessness that comes from an open and vulnerable heart.

Jesus was made perfect in everyway, but he experienced the full spectrum of emotions in his humanity that we do. While Jesus lived his life without sin, that is a luxury that you and I don’t have in this life. We are sinners whose humanity is broken, divided and consumed by burdens. Yet God made us perfect. God made us in his image. God blessed us and molded us to be above all of his creatures. Christ in his humanity reminds us of the perfect nature of God; a breath of life that we once shared. But God doesn’t make junk, and despite our human fallibility we are saved through the perfection of Jesus Christ.

So what does it mean to be fully human? It simply means that we will make mistakes in this life, yet we are fully redeemed. We bear burdens, but we’re not alone. We stumble and fall, but Christ is always there to pick us up. To learn what it means to be human is to accept the diversity in which God has created in each of us, and become willing to live life on life’s terms in joyful gratitude for the rich blessing of communion with Christ and one another.