Ash Wednesday

From the service for Ash Wednesday:

The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. . .  I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.

What would God have you do - or not do - this Lent?

The Way

Normally I write my meditations on my scriptures, however, today I watched the movie "The Way" with Martin Sheen.  I had seen a comment about it from Facebook and decided to check it out.  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it - especially for Cursillistas since it centers around the pilgrimage to Santiago do Compostella.

The story is about Thomas Avery.  When his son, Daniel, dies when he is just beginning the journey.  Tom goes to France to identify the body and while there decides to complete the journey for Daniel and to carry his son's ashes to the end.  He ends up joining with several companions during the pilgrimage.

Just after his son dies, Tom is asked by a priest, "Would you like to pray with me?" He answers, "What for?"  The implication is "it won't change what has happened."

That brings up the question, "Why do we pray?"  Through prayer, we cannot necessarily change what is - but we might be able to change the way we perceive it and how it affects us and how we respond to it..

The second thing that occurs to me is that sometimes on this journey we call life, God chooses our companions for us: not necessarily the ones we would choose for ourselves, but the ones we need. .

Life happens - and sometimes during it we are surprised to find out who we really are and what we really want.  God's plan is always perfect, and always seeks to transform us into the person God wants us to be.

Presentation of the Lord

Feb 2,The presentation of the Lord in the temple.

Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God...  Hebrews 2:17

The author of the letter to the Hebrews points out that Jesus came down to be one of us so that he might experience what we experience, and understand human nature.  This is the kind of God we have - the one who wants to fully enter into his own creation and know what it means to be human.  Jesus did this so that he might present us to God himself, knowing us from the inside out and loving us anyway.  God above all gods, one who loves and is not afraid to enter into the mess and mire that is our life on earth.  May the name of Jesus Christ be praised, now and forever.

Telling God, "Yes, and..."

The following piece is by Gina Bridgeman.  I find the concept to be very helpful when facing some of the things God asks me to do!

A friend of mine told me about an exercise she learned in an improvisation class. It’s called “Yes . . . and,” and it works something like this: A student calls out an idea for an improv, such as “We’re kittens.” Instead of dismissing the idea as dumb, another student must respond with an additional idea, saying, “Yes . . . and we’re prehistoric!” Each student adds an idea to expand the skit and nobody knows where the whole thing is going. 

I wondered if the same idea might work for me when facing God’s challenges, especially the ones that I might be more inclined to avoid than enthusiastically embrace. So when our pastor announced that our church was planning a health fair for a low-income, inner-city neighborhood, my immediate reaction was I’m not a doctor or nurse. What can I do? But instead I said, “Yes . . . and I’ll work wherever you need help.” I was assigned to the registration table, and not only did I put my organizational skills to good use, I even used a little of my high school Spanish. I also had fun and finished the day knowing that I’d helped people get information and services that they really needed.  Now when God sends a challenge my way, I fight the urge to say “No” and instead say “Yes . . . and.” I think of it as God’s improvisation. His ideas may surprise me, but I can relax and follow His lead because He always knows where things are going. 

Holy Name of Jesus

From today's reading:  When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, . . . so that we might receive adoption as children. . . . God has sent the Spirit . . . into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and . . . an heir, through God.     Galatians 4:4-7 (NRSV)

One of the things that I tie into so strongly is the idea of adoption.  Joseph took Jesus to be his son without hesitation to raise and protect and train up in the ways of Yahweh.  I envision Joseph to be like my adoptive father.  To give you an idea of my father, picture Dan Blocker from Bonanza. Just like Dan Blocker, my dad was a gentle giant, and that is the way I envision Joseph.

He did everything for Jesus that any father would do, receiving him as his own and never looking back, Joseph proudly took him to the temple saying, "This is my son, Jesus." 

This is what God does with us.  He presents each of us at the temple and says, "This is my child."  Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are all made acceptable before God.  All we have to do is accept the gift of Jesus and follow him each day as Lord and Savior. 

My brother or sister or mother.

Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”  Matthew 12:48b-50

I know that Jesus was not rejecting his family with this statement.  At the same time, I do believe that he was offering hope to those who are alone.  When family systems break down, regardless of the reason, God provides an alternative for us.  There are people in this world who find their hearts going out to those who have been abandoned.  These are the people that God has called to be family to those around them.

One of the greatest gifts I have learned in this life, is that I don't have to do it all myself.  But I do have to remain open to God's call to reach out at those times when I am the tool God chooses to use in a given situation.  I have to recognize those times when I can be mother, or sister, or friend to the person God places in my presence.  God, who would you have me reach out to today?

** The Rev, Dr, Rhoda Swanner Montgomery, rector of St Thomas in College Station died yesterday. May the Lord bring her into the greater family of his presence as he comforts those left behind.  Rhoda was a year behind me in seminary.

Our churches reflect us, and hopefully, Christ

Jesus said, "How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure. I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”  Matthew 12:34b-37

Jesus was talking to the scribes and pharisees who were looking for reasons to denounce him and had accused him of casting out demons by means of Beelzebul. Our churches today are sometimes faced with this same kind of vindictiveness.  I remember the first vestry meeting I ever attended as an ordained person: I sat in wonder at how a person who had listened to the gospel that morning could utter the things that came out of her mouth - totally contrary to the message of our Saviour.  What was she thinking?  She was so into her own agenda that she totally forgot we were a church that claims to follow the teachings of Christ.  Our churches should always reflect, not us, but the Christ we follow.

When problems arise in our churches today, are we part of the solution?  Or do we contribute to the problem?  Some day we will all stand before God and we will have to give an accounting of our actions.  Are mine always good and right?  No. I can get as incensed as any one else at the injustice I see. I often have to remind myself that Jesus is my model.  I try to remember that he is my savior, and not I myself.  And I try to remember that Jesus calls me to try to work with those whom I disagree with so that in the end, His glory will be seen by all.  He calls us all to that kind of examination of conscience: that the things we do reflect His place in our lives.