Nov. 27th, 2009 1st Sunday in Advent
Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36
Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’
‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’
I love words and I love to look up their meanings, their origins and their synonyms. Here’s what I found for Advent:
“Arrival, appearance, emergence, materialization, occurrence, dawn, birth, rise, development, approach, coming.” Advent originates from the Latin ‘adventus (arrival) and ‘advenire’ (to come). Incidentally, these are the very same roots of the word ‘Adventure’. Well, well…
‘Adventure’ is not often a word you often hear in the same sentence with the phrase ‘spiritual life’. As you read the above list of synonyms for Advent, you were no doubt applying each of those words to Jesus and his coming, perhaps especially to his first coming which we celebrate at Christmas. I especially love the words “emergence, dawn, birth and rise”. They are words filled with such an immense promise of something startlingly new, something never seen before, something that, in the case of Jesus’ first coming, rocked the people off their staid and stale foundations and made them either leap in joy and freedom or turn away in anger and fear or hesitate in anxious uncertainty, unsure if such beauty was meant for them. They are words of adventure and daring. They have serious consequences. They are very spiritual words.
It’s not all that hard to use those words in the context of Jesus and his amazing birth, his incredible life, his heart wrenching death and universally explosive resurrection. But would you ever use any of those words in the context of your everyday spiritual life? Emergence? Dawn? Birth? Materialization? Advent challenges you to not only acknowledge that Jesus came for the world and will come again for the world, but also that he came for you, comes for you and will come again for you – and that’s just in the next 5 minutes. Jesus never stops coming. Ever. His whole nature and his eternal desire is to come to us, but…
We just stop expecting him. We stop waiting for adventure.
We stop waiting in anticipation because, admit it, we feel we have been disappointed so often. We have so many preconceived ideas of what it will look like and what we should feel like when he comes that we become spiritually disheartened when our expectations and desires are not met. We pray for something and the answer doesn’t seem to come. We try to place ourselves in his presence but it feels like a failed experiment. Then we start to feel guilty because we don’t spend enough time in concentrated prayer and maybe that’s why he doesn’t seem to come. Days, weeks and months go by and prayer feels dry and unproductive – adventure is the last word we’d use to describe our spiritual life.
I’ll bet every one of you, without spending much time in deep thought, could easily identify something you are waiting for. Perhaps you’re waiting for healing, healing for a relationship or a physical healing. Maybe you’re waiting for change: a change in your life circumstances or a change in your ability to deal with certain people and situations. You may be waiting for a spiritual breakthrough or you could be waiting for guidance and direction for a tough decision. We are all waiting for something and waiting is very difficult. What we don’t often realize is that waiting is a vital, beautiful and deeply spiritual activity. Waiting is prayer. Waiting is adventure.
The reason we don’t recognize waiting as something valid and valuable in the spiritual life is because we are too influenced by the world’s perception of value. There is no doubt that ‘doing and accomplishing’ are essential to surviving in the world but when ‘doing and accomplishing’ are applied too liberally to our spiritual life, we are apt to get the horse before the cart. It becomes very difficult for us to remember that God is in control and that God is the beginning and the end; he is the creator and we are the created. When we realize that we have no control over God and his plans for our lives and that our goodness or lack of goodness is not what motivates God to come to us, all that’s left to do is wait. Waiting is the adventure. It means letting go and engaging in life without knowing what the next moment is going to hold. It means convincing ourselves that we cannot wrangle and manipulate and control things so that something we think is good and right will happen. It means being creatures in front of the one and only Creator. It means being poor and spiritual poverty is something that is difficult to comprehend in a world that pushes us to do, accomplish, attain, possess and control.
In scripture, there are 4 Hebrew words that translate as “wait”: qavah, yachal, damam and chakah. I’m just going to list all the translations of these four words since they are all fairly similar:
to bind together (like strands of a rope), look patiently, tarry or wait, hope, expect, look eagerly, trust, wait expectantly, to be dumb, grow silent, be still, long for.
Waiting is not just putting in time. Waiting in the spiritual life is a critical part of our prayer and our growth. If you don’t want to enter into the adventure of waiting, you may have a slightly mistaken idea of what the spiritual life is all about. Listen to what Isaiah says:
“For this cause the Lord will be waiting, so that he may be kind to you; and he will be lifted up, so that he may have mercy on you; for the Lord is a God of righteousness: there is a blessing on all who wait for him.” (Isaiah 30: 18)
Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.”
What mystery and power there is in waiting, being entwined with the Lord in longing, hope and trust and expecting him in eager stillness or still eagerness. We are encouraged so many times in scripture to wait - there must be something extremely valuable in this holy activity. Not only is there is a blessing on all who wait for him but he, too, is engaged in waiting – longing for us, longing to be kind to us, rising up so that he can have mercy on us. He emerges or rises like the dawn out of darkness – for us. Always for us.
This Advent, go on an adventure of Waiting. Identify the areas in your life where you have been waiting for something for a long time and give yourself permission to rejoice that simply by waiting for God to come you have been engaged in fruitful and holy prayer. Try to identify the places where you have begun to wait without hope or expectation and ask the Spirit for help to shore up the weak spots. See if there are any areas where your waiting has been undermined by a touch of cynicism or self pity. Put these things away. Examine yourself to see if there is self-blame or a feeling that God is not listening to you because you’re not good enough or you didn’t pray “the right way.” When you know waiting is prayer and adventure, there is no room for blame.
And finally, listen to these words from Carlo Carretto’s book titled “The God Who Comes”:
"God is always coming, and we, like Adam, hear his footsteps. God is always coming because God is life, and life has the unbridled force of creation...God comes because God is light, and light may not remain hidden. God comes because God is love, and love needs to give itself. God has always been coming; God is always coming.
God comes like the sun in the morning — when it is time."
SSSHHH!! Wait! Quiet. I think I hear Someone coming…
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Feast of Christ the King. Long live the King!
Nov. 22nd, 2009.
John 18: 33-37
33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ 34Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own or did others tell you about me?’ 35Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ 36Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ 37Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’
Every year around this time, we celebrate Jesus as King, a king who confronted all the principalities and powers of hell and won the victory for all eternity. We are presented with images of him being presented to God, the ‘One Who is Ancient of Days’ and being given glory, kingship, dominion and power over heaven and earth. With the psalmist we sing, “The Lord is King, he is robed in majesty.” He is named Ruler over all rulers, the Alpha and Omega. No, he doesn’t look too majestic in this week’s gospel as he’s being hauled before Pilot but we know the end of the story. He wins and there’s a victory party in heaven. Hallelujah!
Now…where’s that Kingdom he kept talking about? If Jesus is a king, he’s got to have a kingdom, right? Is it heaven, the place we go after we die? If we commit our lives to Christ and follow him in faith, is his Kingdom our reward for being good followers on earth?
That makes sense except for these verses from scripture and phrases from the Mass:
'But seek first the kingdom of God' Matthew 6.28-7.4
‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.' Mark 1.10-20
‘To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God,' Mark 4.6-16
‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God…(scattered seed, mustard seed, yeast, something that can be seen, the pearl of great price etc.…)?'
‘…for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ Mark 10.9-20
‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.' Mark 12.29-39
‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God'. Luke 6.15-25
‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; Luke 17.15-25
'For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.' Romans 14.17:
'Let us pray for the coming of the kingdom as Jesus taught us.' (Intro to Lord’s prayer)
'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;' (Lord’s prayer)
'For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,' (Lord’s prayer)
'…and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom' (prayer before sign of peace)
'For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.’ Luke 17.16-26
In other words, the kingdom is not only something that is to come; it is now, it is real, it is mystery and it is something we are called to search diligently for. It is not of or from this world. It’s not simply an attitude or a set of beliefs. It is a Kingdom: a realm that is under the control of a particular person, in this case, Jesus. And even though we cannot behold this kingdom with our physical eyes, we are told to believe in it, search for it, pray for it to come every day, believe that it has been given to us and act as if we are citizens of this realm apart. We are also told exactly where it is, in case we get befuddled. For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.’
We are also given signs that we can look for in order that we might know if we are indeed dwelling in the Kingdom of God. Go to scripture and look up the parables where Jesus begins with, “The Kingdom of God is like…” St. Paul says that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit and the Mass reminds us that the Kingdom is a kingdom of peace and unity. Right now. Not after we die or after the world ends but now.
Scripture tells us that only those who are like children can enter the Kingdom. Children in Jesus’ time were completely powerless - those who have no interest in power struggles will find it easy to enter and stay in the Kingdom because there’s already a King in the Kingdom. And it isn’t us. When we engage in unkingdom-like behavior, it is much the same as playing ‘King of the Castle’, which is struggling to make ourselves higher by casting others down. We never get booted out of the Kingdom for such behavior. We make a choice to leave the Kingdom when we choose to live by worldly standards.
The moment any of us begins to walk in anger or walk with the intention of setting up and defending our own territories and agendas, we have left the Kingdom. There’s already a King in the Kingdom. He is the King of unity and peace.
The moment we take resentment against people and situations and begin to criticize and complain, we’ve left the Kingdom. There’s already a King in the Kingdom and he has mandated that we should maintain a right spirit and walk in peace and joy.
The second we look for honor, respect, recognition and appreciation from others, we’ve left the Kingdom. There’s already a King in the Kingdom and he is the one who is worthy of honor and glory.
So, what is our role in the Kingdom? Who are we when we’re at home? The second reading this week gives us a straight answer: “To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
We are priests in the Kingdom. Not kings. We serve, not rule.
This kingdom is real, not a myth from a different age. It would be more accurate to say that the material world we live in with all its misguided ways of perceiving reality and truth is the myth or at least a sad and totally inadequate reflection of reality. “We see through a glass darkly,” says Paul. We are priests of the Kingdom and one of our priestly duties is to bring the reality of the Kingdom to a world steeped in illusory desires and needs. It is our role to present hope, joy and peace to a world lost in hopelessness and immersed in power struggles. But we cannot do that if we don’t live in the kingdom with the King as much as possible. You can’t represent what you don’t know. You can’t offer what you don’t have.
“Seek first the Kingdom of God,” says Jesus, “and everything you need will be given to you.” Every moment of every day, we are called to seek the kingdom, place ourselves within in it, don the robes of righteousness and walk as priests who belong to a different world and a different order. What does that look like in reality? Just like Jesus who walked according to a different order than that of the world. Our High Priest and King is the personal mentor and role model to each one of us. Jesus is the only king in all history willing to walk intimately with each of his subjects while saying to them, “This is the way…walk in it.” When we seek the truth and reality of his Kingdom in every moment, we will become increasingly familiar with his voice until:
“Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and you will behold a land that stretches far away.” (Isaiah 33:17)
*********
PS. If you are like myself and most human beings, when you were reading the part where I was describing actions and attitudes that are not part of the Kingdom, there were people that immediately came to your mind: your spouse, a child, someone you work with in a group in your parish or a community leader. No, no, no. Not allowed! No doubt, there are many people who create wounds and chaos by behavior that doesn’t reflect Kingdom values but we are all called to examine our own behavior, not the behavior of others. In fact, as soon as we begin to identify others who have failed, we have left the Kingdom. The Kingdom already has a King and he is the King of mercy and forgiveness.
John 18: 33-37
33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ 34Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own or did others tell you about me?’ 35Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ 36Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ 37Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’
Every year around this time, we celebrate Jesus as King, a king who confronted all the principalities and powers of hell and won the victory for all eternity. We are presented with images of him being presented to God, the ‘One Who is Ancient of Days’ and being given glory, kingship, dominion and power over heaven and earth. With the psalmist we sing, “The Lord is King, he is robed in majesty.” He is named Ruler over all rulers, the Alpha and Omega. No, he doesn’t look too majestic in this week’s gospel as he’s being hauled before Pilot but we know the end of the story. He wins and there’s a victory party in heaven. Hallelujah!
Now…where’s that Kingdom he kept talking about? If Jesus is a king, he’s got to have a kingdom, right? Is it heaven, the place we go after we die? If we commit our lives to Christ and follow him in faith, is his Kingdom our reward for being good followers on earth?
That makes sense except for these verses from scripture and phrases from the Mass:
'But seek first the kingdom of God' Matthew 6.28-7.4
‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.' Mark 1.10-20
‘To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God,' Mark 4.6-16
‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God…(scattered seed, mustard seed, yeast, something that can be seen, the pearl of great price etc.…)?'
‘…for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ Mark 10.9-20
‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.' Mark 12.29-39
‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God'. Luke 6.15-25
‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; Luke 17.15-25
'For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.' Romans 14.17:
'Let us pray for the coming of the kingdom as Jesus taught us.' (Intro to Lord’s prayer)
'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;' (Lord’s prayer)
'For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,' (Lord’s prayer)
'…and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom' (prayer before sign of peace)
'For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.’ Luke 17.16-26
In other words, the kingdom is not only something that is to come; it is now, it is real, it is mystery and it is something we are called to search diligently for. It is not of or from this world. It’s not simply an attitude or a set of beliefs. It is a Kingdom: a realm that is under the control of a particular person, in this case, Jesus. And even though we cannot behold this kingdom with our physical eyes, we are told to believe in it, search for it, pray for it to come every day, believe that it has been given to us and act as if we are citizens of this realm apart. We are also told exactly where it is, in case we get befuddled. For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.’
We are also given signs that we can look for in order that we might know if we are indeed dwelling in the Kingdom of God. Go to scripture and look up the parables where Jesus begins with, “The Kingdom of God is like…” St. Paul says that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit and the Mass reminds us that the Kingdom is a kingdom of peace and unity. Right now. Not after we die or after the world ends but now.
Scripture tells us that only those who are like children can enter the Kingdom. Children in Jesus’ time were completely powerless - those who have no interest in power struggles will find it easy to enter and stay in the Kingdom because there’s already a King in the Kingdom. And it isn’t us. When we engage in unkingdom-like behavior, it is much the same as playing ‘King of the Castle’, which is struggling to make ourselves higher by casting others down. We never get booted out of the Kingdom for such behavior. We make a choice to leave the Kingdom when we choose to live by worldly standards.
The moment any of us begins to walk in anger or walk with the intention of setting up and defending our own territories and agendas, we have left the Kingdom. There’s already a King in the Kingdom. He is the King of unity and peace.
The moment we take resentment against people and situations and begin to criticize and complain, we’ve left the Kingdom. There’s already a King in the Kingdom and he has mandated that we should maintain a right spirit and walk in peace and joy.
The second we look for honor, respect, recognition and appreciation from others, we’ve left the Kingdom. There’s already a King in the Kingdom and he is the one who is worthy of honor and glory.
So, what is our role in the Kingdom? Who are we when we’re at home? The second reading this week gives us a straight answer: “To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
We are priests in the Kingdom. Not kings. We serve, not rule.
This kingdom is real, not a myth from a different age. It would be more accurate to say that the material world we live in with all its misguided ways of perceiving reality and truth is the myth or at least a sad and totally inadequate reflection of reality. “We see through a glass darkly,” says Paul. We are priests of the Kingdom and one of our priestly duties is to bring the reality of the Kingdom to a world steeped in illusory desires and needs. It is our role to present hope, joy and peace to a world lost in hopelessness and immersed in power struggles. But we cannot do that if we don’t live in the kingdom with the King as much as possible. You can’t represent what you don’t know. You can’t offer what you don’t have.
“Seek first the Kingdom of God,” says Jesus, “and everything you need will be given to you.” Every moment of every day, we are called to seek the kingdom, place ourselves within in it, don the robes of righteousness and walk as priests who belong to a different world and a different order. What does that look like in reality? Just like Jesus who walked according to a different order than that of the world. Our High Priest and King is the personal mentor and role model to each one of us. Jesus is the only king in all history willing to walk intimately with each of his subjects while saying to them, “This is the way…walk in it.” When we seek the truth and reality of his Kingdom in every moment, we will become increasingly familiar with his voice until:
“Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and you will behold a land that stretches far away.” (Isaiah 33:17)
*********
PS. If you are like myself and most human beings, when you were reading the part where I was describing actions and attitudes that are not part of the Kingdom, there were people that immediately came to your mind: your spouse, a child, someone you work with in a group in your parish or a community leader. No, no, no. Not allowed! No doubt, there are many people who create wounds and chaos by behavior that doesn’t reflect Kingdom values but we are all called to examine our own behavior, not the behavior of others. In fact, as soon as we begin to identify others who have failed, we have left the Kingdom. The Kingdom already has a King and he is the King of mercy and forgiveness.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The High Way
Nov. 15th, 2009
Mark 13: 24-32
24 ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. 27Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
28 ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
I have my own pet theory about the end times, a theory that has little basis in anything, really. I just think it would be amusing if my theory were true. In my lifetime, there have been several predictions that the end of the world was about to take place. “The Late Great Planet Earth” by Hal Lindsey, written in the 70’s, predicted that human history would end in the 1980’s. This book was even on secular best-seller lists. New Age adherents have had several instances in the past two or three decades where large groups of people gathered at certain places in the world to watch the end of the world take place. Obviously, nothing came of these predictions.
My theory is that even if someone gets it right and accurately predicts the date on which the world is to end, God will change the date.
One of my favorite scripture passages is Isaiah 48: 6-7.
Now I am revealing new things to you, things hidden and unknown to you, created just now, this very moment, of these things you have heard nothing until now, so that you cannot say, ‘Oh yes, I knew all this.’
In other words, God does not want us getting all caught up in esoteric knowledge where, instead of spending our time building hope and faith as we walk with him in the moment, our whole attention is focused on political, social and natural events and disasters. Even though he calls us to be concerned for and compassionate towards the world around us, he doesn’t call us to become cynical and despairing. And isn’t the very act of predicting the end of the world based on events that are happening an act of despair? “Things are so bad that Christ must be getting ready to come again to wipe the slate clean.”
One could think Jesus was advocating that all of the disciples pay attention to signs of the end times and expect them soon when he said, “…this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.” Some theologians feel that he was either referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 or that ‘this generation’ refers to the spiritual generation of all Christianity or that Jesus means that once the end times begin, everything will happen very quickly – within a generation. Whatever he meant, he also said that no one, not even he, knew when these things would take place. No one, Christian or otherwise, has insider knowledge of the future. However, a key sentence in this week’s Gospel is: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Jesus’ words are full of life and hope that endure no matter what cataclysmic events are taking place either in the world or in our personal lives. While we have to deal with tragedy and endeavor to mitigate our own destructive actions or those of people around us or those of society in general, we are still called above all to hope in Jesus, who is The Word of Hope.
Jeremiah 29: 11-14 says, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord,”
It is easy and it is entirely human to focus on the negative and the destructive. This is true whether we are looking at the state of the environmental, social and political world, or whether we are focusing on our personal lives. It is easier to pinpoint all that is wrong than to have faith in the Lord of All that is Right. It is much easier to look for doom and destruction than it is to have faith in the One who builds and creates. In the short term it’s often more emotionally satisfying to criticize the world and the people who run it or ruin it. It feels like we’re more in control if we can spot everything that is wrong. I am not saying we shouldn’t do all we can for the environment or work to build a just society. I am not advocating going into denial in relation to things that need change in the world or our own lives. All I’m saying is that as Christians we are called to first grasp hope and faith in the God of all power before we are called to grapple with the problems of a humanity so full of weakness and need. Was there some other reason Jesus came and died on the cross? I don’t think so.
In the first reading from Daniel this week, it says, “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” It is wisdom to seek to understand what God meant when he said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways not your ways. Yes, the heavens are as high above the earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55: 8,9) Wisdom tells us that the human inclination is to see disaster and doom and to pick up on everything that is wrong and bad in the world and in our own lives and the lives of those around us, but God does not see things as we do. God’s vision is not limited or short sighted like ours. When we think all is lost, wisdom says God knows what is on the verge of being found. When we think everything is going to hell in a hand basket, wisdom says that Jesus went to hell and brought it all back in a treasure chest. When we think society has lost all sense of morality and justice, wisdom says that God’s Truth and Justice was nailed to a cross and won the victory for all eternity.
You’ve heard the old adage, “Don’t believe everything you read.” What I say is, “Don’t believe everything you think.”
St. Paul said: “For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8: 38 and 39)
Amen and amen.
Mark 13: 24-32
24 ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. 27Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
28 ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
I have my own pet theory about the end times, a theory that has little basis in anything, really. I just think it would be amusing if my theory were true. In my lifetime, there have been several predictions that the end of the world was about to take place. “The Late Great Planet Earth” by Hal Lindsey, written in the 70’s, predicted that human history would end in the 1980’s. This book was even on secular best-seller lists. New Age adherents have had several instances in the past two or three decades where large groups of people gathered at certain places in the world to watch the end of the world take place. Obviously, nothing came of these predictions.
My theory is that even if someone gets it right and accurately predicts the date on which the world is to end, God will change the date.
One of my favorite scripture passages is Isaiah 48: 6-7.
Now I am revealing new things to you, things hidden and unknown to you, created just now, this very moment, of these things you have heard nothing until now, so that you cannot say, ‘Oh yes, I knew all this.’
In other words, God does not want us getting all caught up in esoteric knowledge where, instead of spending our time building hope and faith as we walk with him in the moment, our whole attention is focused on political, social and natural events and disasters. Even though he calls us to be concerned for and compassionate towards the world around us, he doesn’t call us to become cynical and despairing. And isn’t the very act of predicting the end of the world based on events that are happening an act of despair? “Things are so bad that Christ must be getting ready to come again to wipe the slate clean.”
One could think Jesus was advocating that all of the disciples pay attention to signs of the end times and expect them soon when he said, “…this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.” Some theologians feel that he was either referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 or that ‘this generation’ refers to the spiritual generation of all Christianity or that Jesus means that once the end times begin, everything will happen very quickly – within a generation. Whatever he meant, he also said that no one, not even he, knew when these things would take place. No one, Christian or otherwise, has insider knowledge of the future. However, a key sentence in this week’s Gospel is: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Jesus’ words are full of life and hope that endure no matter what cataclysmic events are taking place either in the world or in our personal lives. While we have to deal with tragedy and endeavor to mitigate our own destructive actions or those of people around us or those of society in general, we are still called above all to hope in Jesus, who is The Word of Hope.
Jeremiah 29: 11-14 says, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord,”
It is easy and it is entirely human to focus on the negative and the destructive. This is true whether we are looking at the state of the environmental, social and political world, or whether we are focusing on our personal lives. It is easier to pinpoint all that is wrong than to have faith in the Lord of All that is Right. It is much easier to look for doom and destruction than it is to have faith in the One who builds and creates. In the short term it’s often more emotionally satisfying to criticize the world and the people who run it or ruin it. It feels like we’re more in control if we can spot everything that is wrong. I am not saying we shouldn’t do all we can for the environment or work to build a just society. I am not advocating going into denial in relation to things that need change in the world or our own lives. All I’m saying is that as Christians we are called to first grasp hope and faith in the God of all power before we are called to grapple with the problems of a humanity so full of weakness and need. Was there some other reason Jesus came and died on the cross? I don’t think so.
In the first reading from Daniel this week, it says, “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” It is wisdom to seek to understand what God meant when he said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways not your ways. Yes, the heavens are as high above the earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55: 8,9) Wisdom tells us that the human inclination is to see disaster and doom and to pick up on everything that is wrong and bad in the world and in our own lives and the lives of those around us, but God does not see things as we do. God’s vision is not limited or short sighted like ours. When we think all is lost, wisdom says God knows what is on the verge of being found. When we think everything is going to hell in a hand basket, wisdom says that Jesus went to hell and brought it all back in a treasure chest. When we think society has lost all sense of morality and justice, wisdom says that God’s Truth and Justice was nailed to a cross and won the victory for all eternity.
You’ve heard the old adage, “Don’t believe everything you read.” What I say is, “Don’t believe everything you think.”
St. Paul said: “For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8: 38 and 39)
Amen and amen.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Father in Disguise
Nov. 8th, 2009
Mark 12: 38-44
38 As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, 39and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’
41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’
In this reading, I was struck by the fact that Jesus deliberately sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting in their contributions. He just sat and watched. Was he waiting for a poor person to come and contribute just so he could give his disciples an object lesson? Or did he have an appointment? Perhaps the Father said to him, “Watch the treasury. I will be appearing there.”
So, he watches and waits. He watches as people rich in money and influence, as well as skills and talents, parade by and ostentatiously deposit their gifts. One could be forgiven for looking for the Father somewhere amongst these people. After all, he is God, King of the Universe, the source of all riches, power, gifts and glory. Would he not come in great dignity, in a mode that would cause people to stop, fall on their knees and gaze in wonder and awe? Would he not be robed in majesty and grace? Wouldn’t he present himself as Power personified? That’s what most people would watch for if they were told the Father was going to make an appearance.
Not Jesus.
I could see him sitting impassively as he watches all the people dressed in fine robes and attended by many slaves parade by so self-aware of how well they support the temple and proud of all the committees they serve on and how often their opinions are sought in important decisions. They are the leaders. They are the ones that are depended upon, noticed and honored. Then the widow appears. To most observers, she has three strikes against her. She is a woman. She is a widow. She is poor. In other words, she is less than nothing. She has no money, no viable skills, no education, no husband to give her status and worth and what’s more, she knows it. Yet, she gives to the temple in the sight of those who look down on her. She supports a community that ignores her and her needs and judges her as unworthy. She comes when nobody wants her, expects her or waits for her. She comes. She gives.
And Jesus’ heart leaps within him and he says to himself, “There is my Father.”
This Gospel passage is not just speaking about the spiritual requirement of being generous with one’s possessions. It is presenting a clear image of God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. We, God’s people, have a terribly difficult time shifting our minds away from the world’s idea of the definition of power and effectiveness. We think in terms of possessions, skill, power, organization, knowledge and financial savvy etc. and while there’s nothing wrong with these things, we need to understand they are just tools. They are not evidence of the presence – or the lack of presence - of God.
We acknowledge that God is the God of all power and might – and that is correct. What is not always correct is our perception of power and might, even though Jesus gave us such a clear picture by his life here on earth. He did not save us through knowledge or physical strength or the accumulation of riches. His life and death were not effective because he built a great organization that attracted a lot of gifted people and had a lot of clout with the government. He saved us through love. His life was not effective just because he was poor either. His poverty was not the pivotal point of who he was. We need to know that poverty alone has no power or substance. Poverty alone can be as much of a hindrance to spiritual effectiveness as having too much. It was his love that saved us. It was the widow’s love of God and her willingness to let go of what she had that made the penny more valuable than mounds of gold.
Jesus immediately recognized the presence of his Father in the widow. It is the Father’s nature to come even when he is not particularly wanted, to give all he has to a world that does not value him or his gifts. In love he pours out more than just a portion of his abundance. He pours out everything he has and all that he is.
Rich or poor, the question is, can we love?
And I have to say it again: we cannot love well unless we know in the depths of our hearts we are well loved.
Mark 12: 38-44
38 As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, 39and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’
41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’
In this reading, I was struck by the fact that Jesus deliberately sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting in their contributions. He just sat and watched. Was he waiting for a poor person to come and contribute just so he could give his disciples an object lesson? Or did he have an appointment? Perhaps the Father said to him, “Watch the treasury. I will be appearing there.”
So, he watches and waits. He watches as people rich in money and influence, as well as skills and talents, parade by and ostentatiously deposit their gifts. One could be forgiven for looking for the Father somewhere amongst these people. After all, he is God, King of the Universe, the source of all riches, power, gifts and glory. Would he not come in great dignity, in a mode that would cause people to stop, fall on their knees and gaze in wonder and awe? Would he not be robed in majesty and grace? Wouldn’t he present himself as Power personified? That’s what most people would watch for if they were told the Father was going to make an appearance.
Not Jesus.
I could see him sitting impassively as he watches all the people dressed in fine robes and attended by many slaves parade by so self-aware of how well they support the temple and proud of all the committees they serve on and how often their opinions are sought in important decisions. They are the leaders. They are the ones that are depended upon, noticed and honored. Then the widow appears. To most observers, she has three strikes against her. She is a woman. She is a widow. She is poor. In other words, she is less than nothing. She has no money, no viable skills, no education, no husband to give her status and worth and what’s more, she knows it. Yet, she gives to the temple in the sight of those who look down on her. She supports a community that ignores her and her needs and judges her as unworthy. She comes when nobody wants her, expects her or waits for her. She comes. She gives.
And Jesus’ heart leaps within him and he says to himself, “There is my Father.”
This Gospel passage is not just speaking about the spiritual requirement of being generous with one’s possessions. It is presenting a clear image of God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. We, God’s people, have a terribly difficult time shifting our minds away from the world’s idea of the definition of power and effectiveness. We think in terms of possessions, skill, power, organization, knowledge and financial savvy etc. and while there’s nothing wrong with these things, we need to understand they are just tools. They are not evidence of the presence – or the lack of presence - of God.
We acknowledge that God is the God of all power and might – and that is correct. What is not always correct is our perception of power and might, even though Jesus gave us such a clear picture by his life here on earth. He did not save us through knowledge or physical strength or the accumulation of riches. His life and death were not effective because he built a great organization that attracted a lot of gifted people and had a lot of clout with the government. He saved us through love. His life was not effective just because he was poor either. His poverty was not the pivotal point of who he was. We need to know that poverty alone has no power or substance. Poverty alone can be as much of a hindrance to spiritual effectiveness as having too much. It was his love that saved us. It was the widow’s love of God and her willingness to let go of what she had that made the penny more valuable than mounds of gold.
Jesus immediately recognized the presence of his Father in the widow. It is the Father’s nature to come even when he is not particularly wanted, to give all he has to a world that does not value him or his gifts. In love he pours out more than just a portion of his abundance. He pours out everything he has and all that he is.
Rich or poor, the question is, can we love?
And I have to say it again: we cannot love well unless we know in the depths of our hearts we are well loved.
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