I was at work the other day and I over heard a couple of tennis players chatting. One player was clearly advanced in her ability yet she was telling the newby that she had scheduled a number of lessons with a tennis pro in Seattle. The newer player exclaimed "Really??? YOU still take lessons? I'm shocked!" The more advanced player smiled kindly and said simply "Now I know enough to know I need guidance to play my best game. After a couple of lessons, I find I am excited to play again. I'm always learning."
Wow. That spoke volumes to me. Now I'm no tennis player, but I am a student of Christ. A Jesus follower. And I have been hanging out with and around Jesus followers for a while now... I gotta tell you, it's not often I hear anyone say they need to go study with someone, to get some "guidance"" so to speak, to be "on their game". Nope. Mostly it's just folks thinking they have the "formula" or "recipe" down pat. We memorize scripture, we know our theology and our history. Not to say there haven't been times when we were vibrantly alive and involved with our faith. But for the most part the passion has settled into a comfortable routine with God. Now maybe that's because I'm a Baptist and we are kinda big on the whole "priesthood of believers" thing... but maybe we Jesus followers just get comfortable with what we (think we) know, bad habits and all. Me included.
So where would I go? Who would I want to spend time with? Well, I'm kinda a fan of "the old dead guys," so for me the first place I would go is probably Camp Bethel, toting a pile of books with writings of the Saints of old and some great music (hymns). No phone, no television, just books, music, prayer, God and me. Maybe after a week or two, I could feel that passion anew and have a centered focus renewed. Ahhh, but then, I had a client tell me about a Catholic retreat center outside Tucson that you can stay for contemplative time. The minimum stay is 30 days and you can stay up to 4 months. Now while you might think me nuts, I am strangely attracted to it. Not sure how long I could stay. I imagine, like prayer, you should probably start out small, and work you way up to longer and longer times. But I'm thinking it would probably take me a week to just clear my head and sleep. Then I might be open to what the Spirit had to say. I have visions of a time set aside like that as being pivotal.
Perhaps as Lent moves towards Good Friday, this is all a good reminder for me to plan time to "get some guidance" and refresh my soul (my "game" so to speak). Perhaps I need to make myself available for God to be at work in me. Even Michelangelo at age 87 said "I am still learning". I should be so blessed.
K
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Those pesky persistent things...
Tonight at Emmaus Mark asked us to ponder "What is wrong with our world today?"
Oh my where to begin...
Wars? Poverty? Greed? The plethora of social justice issues? Power hungry politicians that sell out their people to maintain the status quo or gain even more power or wealth? Corporations greedily enhancing their profit margins at the expense of human beings or the ecosystem ? People too afraid of law suits so they won't do "the right" thing? Parents too busy with their lives to parent? Teachers too overwhelmed by student load to effectively teach? The list can go on and on.
Now I'm no rocket scientist... but as pressing and important as any one of those issues may be, somehow, I don't think they are "what's wrong" with our world. I would submit it is as old as the garden of Eden. In my humble opinion, "what's wrong", may boil down to just a couple of pesky, persistent things...
So here we go... Feel free to disagree... I won't be offended.
First and foremost I think it's selfishness. I know for me, at the core of who I am, when I am most honest with myself, I want my own way. And that's not enough, I want you to want it too! Somehow, I don't think this makes me special or different than most folks wandering the globe today. When I look at the list above, I think pretty much the whole thing falls into this category, doesn't it? If you have doubts, browse any bookstore (Christian or secular), aisle after aisle of self help books on how to get what you want out of life. A prominent television preacher even published a best seller on how to have your "best" life. And he gives it to you in seven easy steps! (As if the life you currently have is less than "best"? Really?) So there you have it! Seven steps to have YOUR best life. Hmmm. The reality that we are so consistently drawn to information, philosophies and self help guru's (inside or outside Christendom) surely reinforces this point. We are told to "visualize our reality" and "put out in the universe" or my personal favorite, "pray for God's best blessing" on what you want, whether it be a huge new house or a new shiny new Rolls Royce.
We really aren't a selfless people are we.
But as bad as that is, I'm not sure that's the worst of it. It feels like there is a more dangerous game afloat. An increasing attitude that I would say could certainly be called a new hedonism. It is more and more culturally acceptable for us as individuals to focus on our pleasure. If someone is uncomfortable, for almost any reason, for me to be around, I don't have to. Culturally, I can effectively validate almost any type of self-absorbed, pleasure-centered behavior. After all, it's my right isn't it? ... To pursue happiness... pleasure. Self-indulged, immediate, satisfying pleasure. Isn't it? Almost daily there are glaring examples either in the news or in some online article being promoted. And Christians are right there in the thick of it. Who could expect us to be any different? We are bombarded daily with images and words supporting this new hedonism. Troubling to be sure.
Is that who we are called to be? Selfish, pleasure seeking individuals? Surely God has a better life for us than this shallow shell of one we have settled for! Surely in God's realm, "the other" matters. Surely in God's plan, sacrifice and perseverance lead to maturity. Surely I am called to live beyond this base level that any of mankind can settle for. Surely there is a place for selfless love and mercy. Surely grace redeems hearts. Surely forgiveness heals wounds.
Oh Lent. Such a time of reflection. May it lead to growth in grace and love.
K
Oh my where to begin...
Wars? Poverty? Greed? The plethora of social justice issues? Power hungry politicians that sell out their people to maintain the status quo or gain even more power or wealth? Corporations greedily enhancing their profit margins at the expense of human beings or the ecosystem ? People too afraid of law suits so they won't do "the right" thing? Parents too busy with their lives to parent? Teachers too overwhelmed by student load to effectively teach? The list can go on and on.
Now I'm no rocket scientist... but as pressing and important as any one of those issues may be, somehow, I don't think they are "what's wrong" with our world. I would submit it is as old as the garden of Eden. In my humble opinion, "what's wrong", may boil down to just a couple of pesky, persistent things...
So here we go... Feel free to disagree... I won't be offended.
First and foremost I think it's selfishness. I know for me, at the core of who I am, when I am most honest with myself, I want my own way. And that's not enough, I want you to want it too! Somehow, I don't think this makes me special or different than most folks wandering the globe today. When I look at the list above, I think pretty much the whole thing falls into this category, doesn't it? If you have doubts, browse any bookstore (Christian or secular), aisle after aisle of self help books on how to get what you want out of life. A prominent television preacher even published a best seller on how to have your "best" life. And he gives it to you in seven easy steps! (As if the life you currently have is less than "best"? Really?) So there you have it! Seven steps to have YOUR best life. Hmmm. The reality that we are so consistently drawn to information, philosophies and self help guru's (inside or outside Christendom) surely reinforces this point. We are told to "visualize our reality" and "put out in the universe" or my personal favorite, "pray for God's best blessing" on what you want, whether it be a huge new house or a new shiny new Rolls Royce.
We really aren't a selfless people are we.
But as bad as that is, I'm not sure that's the worst of it. It feels like there is a more dangerous game afloat. An increasing attitude that I would say could certainly be called a new hedonism. It is more and more culturally acceptable for us as individuals to focus on our pleasure. If someone is uncomfortable, for almost any reason, for me to be around, I don't have to. Culturally, I can effectively validate almost any type of self-absorbed, pleasure-centered behavior. After all, it's my right isn't it? ... To pursue happiness... pleasure. Self-indulged, immediate, satisfying pleasure. Isn't it? Almost daily there are glaring examples either in the news or in some online article being promoted. And Christians are right there in the thick of it. Who could expect us to be any different? We are bombarded daily with images and words supporting this new hedonism. Troubling to be sure.
Is that who we are called to be? Selfish, pleasure seeking individuals? Surely God has a better life for us than this shallow shell of one we have settled for! Surely in God's realm, "the other" matters. Surely in God's plan, sacrifice and perseverance lead to maturity. Surely I am called to live beyond this base level that any of mankind can settle for. Surely there is a place for selfless love and mercy. Surely grace redeems hearts. Surely forgiveness heals wounds.
Oh Lent. Such a time of reflection. May it lead to growth in grace and love.
K
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Lent-Colbert Style
We're big Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert fans at our house. So after a long day which including setting up for the Ash Wednesday service as well as facilitating the service, it was nice to decompress a bit by going out for a post-Ash dinner with about half a dozen of the Emmaus House community. After some good conversation and a yummy curry dish, I went home to check on the family. It had been a pretty tough day for Kathleen and she was exhausted so she ended going to bed early. I too was feeling the tiredness of the day, but I still was kind of wound-up, so I watched a little TV and watched Stewart and Colbert. I found myself drifting in and out until I heard Colbert make the following statement:
"The ash on my forehead is a Christian symbol of sacrifice, penance and mortality. It's basically the hand stamp for God's nightclub."
It made me laugh outloud. Colbert does that for me. He is so honest, and witty and insightful and irreverent and faith-full all rolled up into this on-air persona. Plus, he's just hysterical to listen to. Outside of TV land, Colbert is a man of faith, of the Catholic persuasion, who is transparent enough to make light of those who claim to follow God through Christ, and who sometimes miss the mark. His assessments of the faithful plays out in an "adventures in missing the point" (stealing the title of a Tony Campolo/Brian McClaren book) lampoon. Why can't we see our brokenness played out in our faith journey, where more often than not, we miss the point of how Jesus lived as well as what he taught?
Sacrifice...penance...mortality. That's pretty weighty stuff. Who would want to go to that kind of nightclub? Seems pretty depressing and dismal to me. I bet the only kind of music they would play is dirges. But maybe that's the point of Lent. No, not all of that murky, dark, depressing thing, I can get that anytime. Maybe Lent is more about saying that for the next 40 days I will intentionally live, examine and focus on the ways "sacrifice, penance and mortality" are being played out in my life as well as the faith communities I/we belong to.
We often forget that there are two sides to God's kingdom. One one side of the coin there is sacrifice, penance and mortality but those lead to the other side, which is freedom, forgiveness and life. Those three things, freedom, forgiveness and life is pretty good stuff. Those latter three things make me smile and laugh and make me pretty hopeful for whatever tomorrow brings me. Freedom, forgiveness and life reminds me that God's nightclub is multi-faceted with a variety of styles and rhythms that are being played out all around us.
So if you want to know what Lent is about, from this American Baptist perspective, take a clue from Stephen Colbert and focus on sacrifice, penance and mortality. If you do, you just find the other side of resurrection day: freedom, forgiveness and life! May you rock the next 40 days my friends!
-M-
"The ash on my forehead is a Christian symbol of sacrifice, penance and mortality. It's basically the hand stamp for God's nightclub."
It made me laugh outloud. Colbert does that for me. He is so honest, and witty and insightful and irreverent and faith-full all rolled up into this on-air persona. Plus, he's just hysterical to listen to. Outside of TV land, Colbert is a man of faith, of the Catholic persuasion, who is transparent enough to make light of those who claim to follow God through Christ, and who sometimes miss the mark. His assessments of the faithful plays out in an "adventures in missing the point" (stealing the title of a Tony Campolo/Brian McClaren book) lampoon. Why can't we see our brokenness played out in our faith journey, where more often than not, we miss the point of how Jesus lived as well as what he taught?
Sacrifice...penance...mortality. That's pretty weighty stuff. Who would want to go to that kind of nightclub? Seems pretty depressing and dismal to me. I bet the only kind of music they would play is dirges. But maybe that's the point of Lent. No, not all of that murky, dark, depressing thing, I can get that anytime. Maybe Lent is more about saying that for the next 40 days I will intentionally live, examine and focus on the ways "sacrifice, penance and mortality" are being played out in my life as well as the faith communities I/we belong to.
We often forget that there are two sides to God's kingdom. One one side of the coin there is sacrifice, penance and mortality but those lead to the other side, which is freedom, forgiveness and life. Those three things, freedom, forgiveness and life is pretty good stuff. Those latter three things make me smile and laugh and make me pretty hopeful for whatever tomorrow brings me. Freedom, forgiveness and life reminds me that God's nightclub is multi-faceted with a variety of styles and rhythms that are being played out all around us.
So if you want to know what Lent is about, from this American Baptist perspective, take a clue from Stephen Colbert and focus on sacrifice, penance and mortality. If you do, you just find the other side of resurrection day: freedom, forgiveness and life! May you rock the next 40 days my friends!
-M-
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