Friends?

RCL – May 13, 2012 – Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 10: 44-48 Psalm 98 1 John 5: 1-6 John 15:9-17 Sometimes the Holy Spirit has a very odd sense of humor. Earlier this week before looking at the lectionary readings, I told my spouse that I was not going to make this post about … Read More

It Really is about Love

RCL – May 6, 2012 – Fifth Sunday of Easter

Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:25-31
1 John 4:7-21
John 15:1-8

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.

This passage gives me pause every time I encounter it. This is the Gospel in the proverbial nutshell. It is who we are, whose we are, and what we are called to do all in a few short sentences. It’s exciting and scary and nearly impossible for us to live into.

How many news articles and stories about violence and war were in the news this week? Syria. Egypt. Israel. Iran. How about here in the United States? Too many to count is my answer. And how many more that didn’t make the news? Something is missing. Something really important is missing when there is so much violence everywhere.

A small part of the problem may be that the word “love” is so often misused and overused. I love Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia. I love the writing of Charles de Lint. I love spending time at the beach. I love my cats. There are a lot of things I love. But not the way I love my spouse. Not the way I love God. There is a casualness to “love” these days that detracts from the impact of this passage. This passage reaches beyond the boundaries of pleasure and simple happiness. There is a depth, and truth to love that extends beyond human capacity and draws us out of ourselves and into a sacred identity.

Yes, the johannine writer used the word “agape,” but even this word has lost a bit of its strength. To say that the love of God for humanity, and the love we are called to have for one another is “unconditional,” is insufficient. Anyone can say she or he loves her or his neighbors. It takes more to respond when a neighbor is in need.

What did you think about the Occupy demonstrations on May Day? Did you roll your eyes and wonder why anyone bothers? Did you hope that maybe somebody might listen to what they have to say and head in the direction of changes? Or did you join in? When you hear about the bills being voted in your state, do you get involved or change the radio station? Does the thought, “somebody should do something about that” ever cross your mind? Is that somebody ever you? Do we really love the way we are called to love?

I know there are people out there trying to make a difference. Chen Guangchen is an amazing example of one person trying to make life better by advocating for those with little or no voice. I actually heard somebody say, “Why should I care about that guy from China? Isn’t there American news to report?” We have a long way to go to get to where we are called to be. Love is not about the worthiness of an individual. Love is about the value of every individual person – Chinese, American, Egyptian, Israeli, Iranian – in spite of what he or she does or does not do.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

There are too many stories of hatred and fear and violence. What would happen if the only stories that made the news for a week were ones of grace, mercy, and love? Would you watch the news? Would anyone be inspired to behave differently?

I am assuming that I am not the only one who is tired of the politics of hate. I will also confess that I find it difficult to figure out what to do and how to do it that will bring about any change. I’m often tired and overwhelmed. But I do know that there is no greater gift than the gift of love. Not the schmaltzy Hallmark stuff, but the stuff that changes lives. The day somebody says, “I love you,” and you know that she or he means it, changes you in a very real way. The day that you see yourself as God sees you, changes everything.

So, I guess, what I’m saying is that we, as Christians, need to find a way to say “I love you because God loves you” in a way that changes people in a very real way, in a way that goes beyond ethnicity, skin color, country of origin, gender, sexual orientation, ability, economics, and politics. To put it another way, if we abide in Christ, we have responsibility to bear fruit, much fruit, even. And the world is a very hungry place.

A New Take

RCL – April 29, 2012 – Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 4:5-12 Psalm 23 1 John 3:16-24 John 10:11-18 Something a little different this week. The headlines are full such disturbing, unsettling things. In contemplating the state of things in the world and this week’s scripture readings, I decided that fewer words are better for … Read More

Beyond Doubt

RCL – Second Sunday of Easter – April 15, 2012 Acts 4:32-35 Psalm 133 1 John 1:1-2:2 John 20:19-31 Today’s world could make a skeptic out of anyone, I think. Just look at some of the news this week. How many of us really thought Santorum would drop out of the race before he actually … Read More

No Partiality

RCL – April 8, 2012 – Easter Sunday Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43 John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8 Peter’s words in the Acts reading stand out for me:  I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what … Read More

Palm Sunday

RCL – April 1, 2012 – Palm Sunday Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16, Psalm 118:1-2,19-29 I am on vacation this week, so I am sharing this poem with you. It is from my book, Negotiating the Shadows: Daily Meditations for Lent, Eugene, OR: WIPF and Stock, 2010, pg 113-117. Palm Sunday Two parades cross town giving onlookers a … Read More

Time Warp

RCL – Fifth Sunday in Lent – March 25, 2012 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33 My gut reaction to the news this week is: YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!! Seriously, I thought this was 2012 not 1912 or 1812. The headlines in this country (and others) focused on … Read More

Not Too Late for Changes

RCL – Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 18, 2012

Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
Ephesians 2:1-10
John 3:14-21

I keep hearing about bullying and the need to put an end to it. But I turn on the news and I hear such hateful words coming out of the mouths of politicians. I listen as people around me talk about what is going on in the world and I hear disparaging remarks about people of other countries. And then there are more news stories about abuse, neglect, and blatant disrespect for human life. It is no wonder to me that children victimize those among them who are somehow “different” and that very often adults look the other way. It seems to me that disrespect, if not straight out bullying, has become normative in our society.

Maybe my perception is skewed because this has been a week of frustration and disappointment for me. Like many people these days, I work in a place that is understaffed and filled with stress. What emerges more often than not is not pretty. There is a culture of disrespect toward co-workers and, sometimes, toward the people we are there to serve. In an effort to balance this, I made the topic of my group work this week “The Golden Rule.” Participants had much to say about why this isn’t typical today even though all major world religions and philosophies (from Christianity to Confucianism) have a version of treat others as you wish to be treated. For those who attended the groups, it came down to respect – for self and others. One or the other is lacking was the general consensus.

While “The Golden Rule” is not the scripture for this week, I think that this week’s readings highlight the reasons for treating one another as we wish to be treated. Both the passage from Numbers and the Psalm indicate quite clearly that it is God who saves. The ancient Israelites were lost in their sin and suffering and God redeemed them; they did not redeem themselves. But this is only the beginning.

The writer of Ephesians so nicely reminds us that “by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” So the people like Santorum who condemns people who believe differently while bragging about what he has done in his life, need to take a step back and think again. And the people who say that Obama is not a Christian because he supports women’s rights (among other things) or judge against Romney because he is a Mormon, also ought to re-evaluate. I am so tired of politics getting tangled up in religion for no reason other than fear and ignorance. These people are not treating each other the way they would want to be treated. (And if they are, I can recommend some therapy to address their extreme lack of self-esteem.)

More than this emphasis on being saved from ourselves by the grace of God, is the point of the oft-quoted John 3:16 and the lesser known verse that follows it:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Everyone who believes. How simple is that? Not just the people who look like me, think like me, believe like me, live like me. Everyone who believes. And then there is the next part. God sent Jesus into the world not to condemn it but save it. THE WORLD. Not just right-wing or left-wing or moderates or liberals or progressives or Americans or Catholics or Protestants. God’s desire is to save everyone. And save everyone not by condemnation but by love.

That means we are back to where I started. If you call yourself a Christian, then bullying anyone is not an option. It should be unacceptable in our politicians, our parents, our teachers, our children, our churches – everywhere. The soldiers who return from service with symptoms of PTSD ought to receive appropriate treatment not be denied and turned away. The person with major mental illness ought to be shown respect not ignored or given substandard treatment. The “rogue soldier” who killed the civilians in Afghanistan should be prayed for right along with the victims. The immigrant who is trying to make a new life in this country ought to be welcomed and invited in rather than judged and resented. Hatred and resentment shouldn’t be focused on all  Syrians and Iranians. Who appreciates being judged negatively just because of the country they live in and some of the foolishness of their politicians?

We are half way through Lent. It isn’t too late to give up something. Maybe if we all gave up harsh words of judgment… If we tried harder to find compassion and empathy for those we experience as “other”… then more people could see that our faith is in a God who loves fully and deeply. God saw human beings as worth the life of Christ; God did not call us worthless, despicable creatures, but gave us Christ to save us from ourselves and show us our immeasurable value. It’s time we do the same.

A Little Bit of Foolishness (and maybe some wisdom, too)

RCL – Third Sunday in Lent – March 11, 2012

Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
John 2:13-22

In the midst of the chaos this week, I sought out some of God’s foolishness. I’m far too distressed by the increasing tensions between Israel and Iran, the on-going spew of demoralizing, destructive rhetoric from politicians, bombings in Russia, and deaths caused by tornadoes and other storms – I need to look at the positive this week. So here are some news items that I find interesting, provocative, and relevant and maybe indicative of God’s sense of humor.

The first story that I found somehow pleasing was the decoding of the gorilla genome. I don’t really understand the science behind this at all, but I do get the outcome. Human beings share 98% of our DNA with gorillas. Apparently, this is second only to Chimpanzees which is 99% but more than Orangutans at 97%. I realize that scientists are trying to sort out the evolutionary process and figure out the mystery of what makes us human. The entertainment value for me is that we share so much genetic material with creatures who are clearly animals. So what makes us uniquely human is about 1%. Yes, it is significant, but what does that say about how we should be caring for those creatures we consider “lesser”?

The law of God is perfect,  reviving the soul; the decrees of God are sure, making wise the simple…

Another story that is absolutely fascinating is the making of violin strings out of spider silk. I hate spiders and spider webs when I come into contact with them. I have often wondered why God created them (except maybe to eat things like mosquitoes). Now I know. They can make strings for violins that make violins sound even better. Who knew? Well, I guess the really smart, creative man in Japan who figured out how to do. If someone can figure out how to make something useful and beautiful out of spider silk, surely someone can figure out how to bring peace to war zones…

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.

After the gorilla and the spider come the “God Particle.” I’m not sure how or why I stumbled on the article describing the search for the “Higgs boson” or “God Particle.” This elusive particle will help explain the origins of mass. How is this even possible? I don’t know. I don’t even really understand what it is the physicists are searching for or if I have the terminology correct. But what would a discovery really explain? Creation ex nihilo? I’m a fan of science, knowledge, learning. It’s not wrong to want to know how the world works and where it came from. But spending billions of dollars on this particular issue seems odd at this point in history. Wouldn’t time and money be better spent trying to provide clean drinking water, adequate food, and appropriate health care throughout the world than trying to figure out where the world came from?

God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

This last one doesn’t show God’s wisdom so much as human foolishness. There was a story about young girls putting video clips on You Tube to ask about their attractiveness and value. These teens and preteens were asking strangers to validate them. The gorillas, spiders, and physicists make me smile in awe and wonder. This story has the opposite effect on me. It is distressing. Friends, if our kids are looking to strangers to give them a sense of worth, we have been very foolish indeed. As Christians we have an answer to this question of personal value that kids are not hearing. Why not? I know this is a common question. But, really, are our traditions and ways of being the church in the world more important than the emotional and spiritual health of our children?

When I consider the wonders of creation – the gorillas, the spiders, the particles (that I can’t begin to understand) – I want all children to know that they are beautiful and wonderful and amazing. Why are we so reluctant to treat one another as children of God, sacred beings? No girl should need a You Tube video to tell her she has worth. No human being should doubt their value. It might be time to cleanse our temples…

We can sort out genomes and make instruments from cobwebs, search out and come close to finding the origins of the universe, but we can’t communicate love and value that are God given. We are foolish creatures indeed.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O God, my rock and my redeemer.