Sacred Ground

Meditation for the Second Friday in Lent, March 2, 2012

We had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.       -  1Thessalonians 2:2b

Wikipedia's definition of courage: 

Courage (also bravery, boldness, fearlessness, mettle, fortitude, or intrepidity) is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation.  Courage is acting in spite of fear. "Physical courage" is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death, while "moral courage" is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement.

When the early church began spreading the Good News of the Kingdom of God, they needed both physical and moral courage.  Christianity was not a legal religion.  They could be arrested and put to death for their beliefs.  Also, those converts to the Way of Jesus, faced ridicule and exile from family and community.  It was not an easy road to walk.

In today's world, Christians are still persecuted to varying degrees.  Persecutions occur in North Korea, many Muslim countries, India, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. And, yet, there are still those who believe and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.  This takes courage.

Even in our country, it is not easy to profess our faith.  We won't be sent to jail or killed for being a Christian.  But, there are many, many people in the US who have no use for the church or for "institutional" religion.  Or they have seen in the news the dangers of religious fundamentalism, church scandals and schisms, religion being used for political gain.  There are also many who have been hurt by members of one church or another.  Sometimes it feels like we are fighting an uphill battle to defend our faith.  It takes courage to be steadfast in our faith and to be outspoken in what we believe.  If our hearts are filled to over-flowing with the love of God, we are compelled to speak, even in the face of ridicule or rejection.  Ask God to fill you again with that love that surpasses all human understanding. And be people of courage.  We are in good company.

Meditation for the 2nd Thursday of Lent, March 1, 2012

"The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."    -Jesus, Mark 4:26-29

This seems like a rather hands off approach to building up the Kingdom of God.  Just go out, scatter the seed, and leave it alone until the harvest.  The sower does not know how the seeds grow and is relieved of the responsibility to make them grow.  There is a divine mystery here.  If we are not out there making sure it happens, just how does the Kingdom of God prosper?  I think we often get caught between the need to make sure our faith and the faith of those we know and love is growing and this other call to be out in the world sharing the reality of God's love.  Is it more important to nourish those who are faithful and loyal to the kingdom already or should we be out among the people who are not followers of Christ, talking about our faith?  I know this is true for many Christians, not just professional clergy, we tend to flock with people like us.  Everyone we know is already a Christian.  We tell ourselves that we don't have any place to spread our faith. 

Here's a challenge: make friends outside your comfort zone.  Take up a hobby that brings you in contact with new people.  Join a community group.  Volunteer at your kid's school.  Be intentional about this.  If we are among people who have no faith in God or maybe those who have lost their faith, our presence and our story will bring the kingdom of God's love close to them.  Getting near to the love of God has a power all its own.  Eventually, maybe they will join your own faith community.  Maybe they will become part of another.  Either way, you are bringing those who once stood on the outside of the gate the Kingdom of God, into the warmth of the presence of God.

 

Meditation for the 2nd Wednesday of Lent Feb. 29, 2012

O Lord, who hast mercy upon all,
take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of thy Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore Thee,
a heart to delight in Thee,
to follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ's sake, Amen
St. Ambrose of Milan (AD 339-397)

We all want things around us to change - our finances, our work, our material needs, those who are in positions of authority.  We also want others around us to change.  We want our co-workers to be nicer, or more efficient, or less annoying.  We want our children's teachers to be more attuned to the needs of our children.  We want more from our religious leaders.  We all could create a list, quickly, of the things we want God to change.  How many of us would remember to include: "Me?"

St. Ambrose asks that God would take away his heart of stone.  Think of the unyielding nature of rock!  Unmoved by the plight of people around it.  Apathetic to the call to be different.  Rock is not going to change.  St. Ambrose asks that God replace that hardness with flesh.  Flesh that feels compassion and is open to transformation.  It is easy to say the words - change me, God.  It is harder to accept that we are the ones that need to change.  And that transformation is not easy.  Becoming someone new means dying to what we were before.  Dying to our self serving ways.  Dying to our arrogance and need to be right.  Dying to our desire to be like the stone: unyielding, uncaring, unchanging.

Think about this prayer of St. Ambrose.  Take it to heart and offer it up to God.  And ask God to help you in this change by the kindling of the Holy Spirit once more in your heart.

Meditation for the First Tuesday in Lent, February 28, 2012

'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Isaiah 61:1

Quoted by Jesus  Luke 4:18

Jesus proclaims to the people in the Temple after reading that portion of Isaiah, that this scripture is fulfilled this day.  Jesus is the one annointed by God with the Holy Spirit to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, restore sight to the blind, let the oppressed go free and initiate the year of the Lord's favor.  

This is the first sermon of Jesus recorded in the Bible.  His intent was to minister among those who were the poorest in society, primarily.  He planned to work with the blind, the maimed, the widow, the orphan, the outcast.  Why?  Perhaps because God's great concern is with those who have not.  Jesus' plan was for restoration.  The blind will see again.  The lame will walk.  The poor with be brought into community and there will be justice for everyone.   We can, of course, take this on a different level.  We can examine the passage and apply it to those who are spiritually blind or maimed, or poor in spirit.  And I think that is also valid.  Jesus did bring sight to those who were spiritually blind and healed the spirits of many people, both rich and poor.  

However, Jesus did not come to be a powerful king like David, or a wealthy king like Solomon, or a military leader like Joshua.  He came to serve the least of these.  If we are to be imitators of Christ, than we need to pay attention to what Jesus came to do and follow in his footsteps.  We need to be servants, too.

February 27, 2012 Meditation for the First Monday in Lent

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.    Matthew 5:9

The followers of Jesus have been called to peace. When he called them they found their peace, for he is their peace. But now they are told that they must not only have peace but make it. And to that end they renounce all violence and tumult.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

Now peacemaking is a divine work. For peace means reconciliation, and God is the author of peace and of reconciliation. … It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the particular blessing which attaches to peacemakers is that "they shall be called sons of God." For they are seeking to do what their Father has done, loving people with his love.
John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount

Being a peacemaker is part of being surrendered to God, for God brings peace. We abandon the effort to get our needs met through the destruction of enemies. God comes to us in Christ to make peace with us; and we participate in God's grace as we go to our enemies to make peace.
Glen H. Stassen and David P. Gushee, Kingdom Ethics

In your life, where is there need for peace and reconciliation?  As a parent, at least part of the day is spent in helping siblings to become reconciled to each other.  As a minister, I hear many stories of family conflict that need God's peace.  At work, at school, at home, in our communities, in our own hearts, we all need peace.   Not the peace that is simply an ending to hostility.  The peace that comes from God comes with greater insight to the needs of those outside ourselves.  God's peace calls for all people to live gently with each other, so that all might grow and prosper in grace.  Think about the peace that you can offer to others today.  Be an intentional reconciler.  

Making peace makes us God's children—and kin to each other.
Michael H. Crosby, Spirituality of the Beatitudes 

 

 

 

Lent Day 4 Saturday, February 25, 2012

 'I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

John 17:20-26

There are reportedly 38,000 different denominations within the Christian faith.  The church has undergone schism after schism.  A schism is defined as  a division or a split, usually between people belonging to an organization or movement, most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body.  This is not a new phenomenon.    There was the Great Schism of 1054, which resulted in the split between the Eastern and Wetern Christian Churches.  Then there was The Great Western Schism between the years of 1378 - 1417, which was resolved by the Council of Constance in 1414-1418.  The Reformation brought about more schism in the 16th century.

How then do we reconcile ourselves to the passage from John?  Here, I think, we need to fall back on love.  We sometimes forget that Christianity is about following a way of life, a way defined by Jesus of Nazareth.  The way of life is concerned with two basic principles:  love of God and love of neighbor.  Most likely there will never be a time when all denominations of Christians are of one mind with regard to doctrine, scriptural interpretation, ministry roles, or church practice.  We should, however, remember to love.  And with loving God and eachother, there should be a component of mercy and forgiveness that comes with it.  Maybe if we so focussed on serving others, we would find a place of common ground.  For, here is the goal:  That the world may believe that God sent Jesus to show us the way to God.

Here is the challenge:  find one or two people that are currently in your life that you have a hard time loving, Christian or non-Christian, it doesn't really matter.  Then, explore ways of serving them:  pray for them, learn about their lives, listen to their opinions, forgive them their sharp edges, take them out for coffee.  Once we learn to practice this kind of love, it is easier to extend it to other people that we come across.  As individuals we cannot heal all the brokenness in this world, but we can build one bridge at a time.

Lent Day 3 Friday, Feb 24, 2012

Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Phillipians 4:8

Bad news sells.  Top stories for Tulsa on Feb. 23 included the man arrested for starting fires, the death of a homecoming queen, and a man accused of threatening to blow up DHS with a Ryder Truck.  None of the headlines offered any good news.  Why?  Would we rather hear of tragedy, so that our lives look good in comparison?  Are we uninterested as a society in hearing about good samaritans, or lives that have been changed for the better, or someone who is working to improve the lives of others?  Or do we just want our basic inner pessimism to be bolstered?

In his letter to the Phillipians, Paul encourages the people of God to reflect on things that are true, honorable, just, pure and commendable.  But, why?  A friend of mine is fond of saying to people who are speaking critically to one another:  "Now, is that life giving?"  Life giving - that is what we are to be about.  If we focus on all the negatives in our world, in politics, in our environment, in our cities and homes, our spirit's are denied good life giving food.  We need to focus on the work that is being done around us that is positive.  Discover the people in your life who are bringing about change - in education, in human rights, in building God's Kingdom, in helping the disabled, in government.  Listen to their stories and be encouraged!  Of course, we can't deny that there is evil and corruption in the world.  There is sadness, greed, disease, and disaster all around us.  But, it is harder to change this world when we are filled with dread and negativity, than when we continually hold on to the good. 

Dear God,  help us to see your hand in the world about us.  And help us to join in to that work, trusting in you to bring out the good in every situation.

 

Thursday after Ash Wednesday February 23, 2012

Though the fig tree does not bud
   and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
   and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
   and no cattle in the stalls, 
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
   I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

 Habakkuk is one of the 12 books of prophets in the Old Testament scripture.  Less is known about this writer than any other Old Testament writer.  He lived in the 7th century before Jesus.  The book is a conversation between the prophet and God, in which Habakkuk learns to put his trust in God even when he doesn't fully understand the whole plan.

We might feel that since he lived so long ago, how could his words have any meaning for us today?  How could he understand the complexity of our world and the difficulties that we face?  His words for today call us to praise and give thanks to God even when times are hard.  If we are honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that in times of trouble we are more inclined to blame God, instead of praise God.

And, yet, what happens when we enter into praise?  If you can imagine for a moment the great courtyard where the presence of God dwells.  It is surrounded by a towering wall, with a gate.  The gate is open to anyone who desires to enter.  Those who are caught up in complaining and blaming God for their circumstances fail to see the opening in the wall.  On the other hand, if we can walk through carrying our pain and problems, but lifting up our prayers of thanksgiving and praise, something changes.  Our situation may remain unaltered, but we are changed.

Whenever we dare to let ourselves be lifted up in worship and praise, we open ourselves to joy.  Leave the complaining behind today and spend this day praising God and taking time out to give God thanks.

 

Reflection for Ash Wednesday Feb 22, 2012

It is the start of another season of Lent.  I don't remember a time when I didn't participate in Lent.  It is part of me and of my family's DNA.   For those of us who grew up with these traditions, it is often with astonishment when we hear anyone say, "Lent?  I never heard of it."  For those of you who are reading this and have never journeyed toward Easter following a season of fasting, I hope you will take the opportunity this year.  Today is Ash Wednesday, the day that marks the beginning of the church's penitential season.  Ash Wednesday comes with the invitation to keep a holy Lent - with fasting and self examination and self denial.  As well as, of course, the sign of ashes on our foreheads - death before resurrection. 

One of the readings for Ash Wednesday is from Isaiah 58.  Here is a portion of that reading:

If you remove the yoke from among you,
the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
if you offer your food to the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail.
Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in.

This vision of Isaiah is one way to look at our journey in Lent.  We are the ones called to remove heavy burdens from other people, to offer food for the journey, to be light in the darkness and water to the parched.  Lent is about changing the focus of our vision - less of ourselves, more of each other.   I think it would be amazing to be called a repairer of the breach!  Much in our lives is in need of repair - we live with broken promises, compromised relationships, destroyed trust.  And yet, there is always the hope of restoration.  Walk this season of Lent with the intention of becoming one who restores and see where the God of hope will lead you.

The last bit of Christmas

The house is peaceful.  The boys are away with their Dad getting haircuts.  The dog and cats are sleeping.  There is jazz playing quietly.  This should be a time of relaxing for me.  Instead, it is an emotional rollercoaster - I am putting away the outward signs of Christmas.  The tree came down already - ornaments packed and stacked.  Tree dissassembled and squashed back into the box in the garage.  Now it is time for the rest to be put away - the snowglobes, the glittery mantle tree and tall yulebuck, the nativities and gold painted pinecones.  I find myself gripped by melancholy.  

It never used to bother me to return the house to its pre-Christmas state.  I was and am always eager for the end of winter and the first signs of spring.  But now it does.  I think about the people who made Christmas special for me as a child, and wish they were closer.  I think of my Grandparents who are no longer on this earth.  Especially, I remember my Grandmother Gardlund.  She liked to take Christmas down right away.  For her, it was not an act of anticipating spring.  I believe she took the decorations down because they reminded her of people who were now far away.   The grandkids had gone home, some nearby, but some not so close.  Her daughters were back to work.  Her son gone home to Michigan.  Christmas reminds us of family and laughter and happiness - but it also reminds us of endings and goodbyes.  I'm not as good at good-byes as I use to be.

And time is relentless.  I see the paper ornaments from four Christmases ago that my children made - their handprints look impossibly small.  And I know that Christmas at home with them as joyous, crazy kids will not last forever.  As much as we strive to recreate Christmas and memories of the past every year, it is always different.  Kids grow up.  Members of the family die.  And new members are brought in.  The hard part, for me, is allowing all this to be okay.  Life shouldn't be stagnate and static.  It should be about movement, light, growth and change.  But I still want to be in charge of the changes!  So frustrating that I am not.

I put away the Advent calendar my Grandma and Pop-pop Smith sent my husband and I when we were first married.  We didn't have kids, yet.  But, they were always hopeful we would have children soon.  My mind wanders back to the excitement of going to the airport to meet Grandma and Pop-pop when I was very young.  Grandma always had the heaviest suitcase and Pop-pop had hidden treasures in the pockets of his big overcoat.  

Christmas at home in Michigan meant snow - usually - and fires in the fireplace - always.  I loved the thrill of the cold air rushing into the family room when Dad went outside to get firewood.  He would bring it in and then roll newspapers into logs for kindling.  We would sit with our backs to the fire to get warm - and still our toes would be cold.  Home or away from home for Christmas meant church on Christmas eve and Christmas morning.  It meant candy and big dinners and time to read by the fire.  Mom would bring out the record player and we would decorate the tree to music of Christmas carols.  One Christmas the pipes froze and we spent a good portion of the day with hair driers trying to warm the pipes inside - while Dad did mysterious things to the pipes outside.  

I can't go back and live it all again.  And, I can't hold on to this year's Christmas - as lovely and as joy filled as it was.   We live in the light of hope.   And hope looks forward.  So I will put away the vestiges of Christmas with love in my heart and allow the melancholy to be dispelled by God's grace.