the humble will be exalted

Luke 18:9-14 – He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt:  “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’  But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

It’s easy to be like the Pharisee.  “Thank God I’m not poor and homeless, and I’d never cheat on my wife, like my neighbor did.  I’m a community leader and respected by everyone.  I tithe and go to church every week.  I’m a good Christian.”

Even when we know we aren’t all that God intends, it’s also hard to feel penitent like the tax collector.  Our sins aren’t that bad most of the time, are they?  A little lie here, a little cheat there, some disrespect or unkind words.  Nothing that makes us an outcast.  And certainly nothing that makes us beat our chest and beg for mercy.  We justify that our sins are more like minor misdemeanors, not felonies.

But sin separates us from God and those we love.  One small brick at a time, we build a wall of little sins and shame.  Before we know it, the wall blocks out God’s love and mercy.  We may not have swindled boldly like the tax collector, but our stack of small sins weighs heavily and keeps us from living in God’s light.

Humility helps us break down the wall we have built and join the circle again.  When we say, “I was wrong.  I knew what I said would hurt you, but I said it anyway. Please forgive me,” we make ourselves vulnerable.   Our apology may be rejected, but usually, when we risk humility, we redeem our relationship with God and the person we wronged.  And the wall of sins starts to come down.

be still

Psalm 46:1-2, 10 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea. Be still and know that I am God.

Be still. Be still and know. Be still and know I am with you in the chaos, in the fear, in changing times and in the joy and serendipity of this moment.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in your peace, breathe out patience in this time. Breathe in your love, breathe out compassion for others. With each breath, let me fall more into your likeness.

Help me linger in your presence, to revel in the beauty of this moment, to feel the here and now.

Breathe in, breathe out. Be still and know this is the moment.

Not the past, not the future. But here. Right now.

Breathe.

don’t worry, be happy

Psalm 37:1-5 – Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.  Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.  Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

Don’t worry, be happy.  Easier said than done.  Too often we fret over the wicked bullies.  Why do they do the things they do? How do they get away with such evil things?  What did we do to deserve this?  How do we stop their wave of destruction?  Sometimes it feels like there is a cosmic game of wack-a-mole at play in our world.  One source of evil pops up, and we try to wack it down, but another one pops up.  The more we wack, the more they pop.  It’s exhausting and unending.  And wickedness don’t seem to fade like grass, but take over like kudzu.  It’s everywhere, and almost impossible to uproot.

The psalmist points us another way.  Trust God and do good.  Take delight, and God will give you the desires of your heart.  This isn’t to say that evil doesn’t exist, but that we don’t need to be part of it and give it our energy.  Fretting over why someone is so mean and destructive does not make them less mean.  It just saps our energy for goodness and light.  When we become God’s light in the world, and shine in the midst of darkness, the light overcomes the darkness.  And as we shine, we light a path for others to escape the darkness and add to the light.

So make your own little corner of the world the best it can be.  Be kind to everyone you meet, and treat them as you would want to be treated.  Live this day with joy, embracing the abundance of life!  Be the change you desire in the world.  Evil will always be around you, and there are times you have to confront evil.  But worrying about evil is wasted energy and detracts us from our mission.  Trust in God, commit to the holy path.  Skip and be joyful as you go!  Evil will wither and run out of energy if we don’t feed it.  Take delight and gain the desires of your heart.

a new wind blows

Acts 2:1-8:  When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 

We are gathered with the masses on the Jewish day of Pentecost.   All of the sudden, there’s a mighty wind and fire surrounds us.  People start talking in languages they don’t know about this mighty Jesus, the Son of God.  We should be scared, but they are speaking in our native language, and they are so inspired by this man who is also God.  It should be pandemonium, like the Tower of Babel falling down, and yet this time, the scrambled language is to bring God’s people together again.

On this day, we celebrate that no matter what language you speak or where you come from, God is in our midst through the Holy Spirit, blowing like a wind, burning like a fire, filling us with a love so great, that we have to share it with everyone we meet.  Being in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we are filled with a power that comes from deep within us, making us bold where we used to be timid.

In this story, Peter finds his voice.  He has traded in his status of follower for leader.   He isn’t denying his bond with Jesus or falling asleep on the job.  He isn’t that exuberant disciple, waving his hand in the air for Jesus to pick him to be his favorite.  No, on his day of Pentecost, Peter knows who he is and what he’s meant to do.  He is meant to feed and nurture the flock of people yearning to know God in a new way.  He is meant to go to the corners of the Earth and share the Good News.  He is meant to die a painful death, knowing that the path to salvation is not an easy one.

On this day, Peter is resurrected.  He is a new creation.  He is ready to take on a new mission.  And we can be too.

storming the gates

Psalm 118:19-24 – Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.  This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.  I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.  The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.   This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Hosanna, Hosanna!  This is the day that the Lord has made!  Let us rejoice and be glad in it, indeed.  The somber season of Lent is coming to a close, as we enter Jerusalem with shouts and acclamation.  We have seen the miracles Jesus has done and we are ready to storm the gates of righteousness to take our place in this new kingdom.  We have been disenfranchised long enough.  We are poor, outcast, sick and undesirable.  We don’t get to carry the keys to the kingdom, but this is our chance.  Jesus is headed to Jerusalem.  We should go with him!

What I love about Palm/Passion Sunday is the juxtaposition of emotions.  We open with waving palms and songs of joy and expectation.  Our Savior is coming!  He’s storming the gates of righteousness!  We are rebuilding the temple to be what God intended.  The promise is about to come true!

And too often, we are tempted to stay in this spot, waving our branches, waiting for Jesus, without considering the rest of the week.  We want to miss the day in the temple, where Jesus upsets the carts and makes a mess.   We sit at the Last Supper, failing to take in what he is saying about his body and blood as a living sacrifice of love.  Somehow, the trial surprises us, and before we know it, we’ve denied we even knew him, and he’s dying there on the cross.  Our world is spinning out of control.

But we can’t get to Easter unless we pass though the full range of emotions today.  Jesus is at the gate, ready to change to world.  He’s just not going to do it in the ways we were expecting.   Will we go with him on this journey or stay outside with our branches?

there is a season

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:  a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;  a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

At the beginning of a new year, it’s a good time to reflect backwards and forwards.  What went well and what do I want to change next year?  Where do I want to be this time next year, and what will I need to do to get to that place?  It’s a time to make resolutions and get going in a new direction.

In the church year, the seasons mark the touchstones of  Christian life.  The 4 weeks of Advent prepare us for the birth of Christmas.  The quiet 12 days of Christmas prepare us for a time of growth and exploration that begins with Epiphany.  The 6 weeks of Lent give us time to clear out the barriers that keep us from really following Jesus wherever he leads.  The 50 days of Easter help us know the risen Lord, and the long season of Pentecost helps us perfect our walk toward holiness and share the Good News in our lives with others.

There is a season for everything.  A time to listen to angels, pregnant with the possibilities of new life within us.   A time to give birth to new dreams.   A time to accept gifts from strangers.  A time to grow and explore our own ministry.  A time to reflect and redirect ourselves toward the real destination.  A time to enter the room with shouts and acclamation.  A time to be scorned and rejected.  A time to rise up with a new sense of purpose.  A time to share the love you have found with everyone you meet.  And a time to start the cycle all over again, in a new place on the path.

The seasons come and go.  We can either jump in and live them with intention and zeal, or just let them happen.   The choice is ours.

away in the manger

Luke 2:15-19:  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in a manger.  When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

On this Christmas night, after all the commotion and craziness, it’s important to just sit with the story of Jesus’ amazing birth story.  After the long journey from Nazareth to the manger, and a slow and painful delivery in the straw, guests arrive with a fantastic story of more angels.  And Mary (and probably Joseph too), now quite comfortable with the stories of angels, and exhausted by the journey and events of the past few days, treasured these stories and pondered them in their hearts.

What might they be thinking this Christmas evening?  I’d be thinking, “What have we gotten ourselves into?  I wanted to get married, have a child, and live a quiet and faithful life.  But angels have been visiting me, my betrothed, and now these shepherds, telling me that I am the chosen vessel for God to come into our world?  Why me?  I’m not sure I’m up for this job.”

But Mary takes this all in stride.  She accepts that God is using her to do something truly exceptional, something so hard to believe, she just has to trust that God knows what God is doing.  She has to just let go of the preconceived notions of what her life would be like and surrender into God’s new game plan for her life as the mother of the Messiah.

Sometimes, when God takes control of the reigns, you just have to let go and trust that this new path is the right path.  You have to believe that if God puts you on this path, God will give you the tools and strength for the journey.  God has sent us Emmanuel today – which means God with Us.  And that baby, born in the manger this day, will be with us every day as we long to have God with Us.

give thanks

1 Chronicles 16:8-11 – O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.   Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works.  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.  Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually.

On Thanksgiving, it’s good to think about the harvest in your life.  What have you have planted and tended recently?  What bore fruit?  And what withered because of adverse conditions or lack of care?   Are you singing praises for the bounty before you?

Give thanks to God for all that has been harvested in your soul.  Give thanks for the things that have been a blessing.  Give thanks for the failures and shortcomings, because we often learn more about life from failing that succeeding.  Give thanks for the little things that make up the fullness of life.  Give thanks with a grateful heart.

As we come to the end of the liturgical year,  I am especially thankful for the experiences I have had with my blog this year.  When I launched it on Epiphany this year, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Would I be able to sustain the writing?  Would anyone read it?   How would it take shape?

I had ambitions of posting 2-3 times a week, but found there were dry spots where I had nothing to say for weeks at a time.   Some of my closest friends and family never subscribed to or read my blog, but people I didn’t really know found it really meaningful.   My relationship with God grew as I explored the seasons, stories and symbols of the church year.

As I look at the harvest before me, I give thanks for so many things.  I give thanks for the fellow travelers who have encouraged me to continue this journey.  I give thanks for the time to read, reflect and write on the cycles in the church year and explore how these cycles and stories relate to our lives.  I give thanks to God for moments of inspiration when words flowed easily, but also the desert times, when I had nothing to share.  The bounty of this harvest is greater than I could have ever imagined.

What are you thankful for?  What is the bounty from the harvest of your soul?  And how do you show your thankfulness?  Give thanks to God!  Tell of these mighty acts!  Sing praises to the Lord!

cloud of witnesses

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 

As I write today, it is All Saints Day, the first Sunday of November.  This is the day we celebrate the lives of those who have gone before us, lighting the path and showing us the way.  It is a day to give thanks for those saints who have touched us through their example.

All Saints Day is one of those lesser church holidays that I have come to really savor.  It is a chance to remember those who have guided us and changed us for the better.  It is a day to celebrate in the goodness of life and the lessons that come in death.

At my church, and at many others today, we read the names of all the people in our congregation who had passed away this year.  A bell tolled after each name, and we listened as the sound reverberated and trailed off.  We celebrated Communion and lit candles to remember the light of the saints that blazed our trail.

Today, my heart was full of emotions as I thought about my cousin Linda, who is the newest saint in my cloud of witnesses.  This summer, I had the privilege to be with her, in what was her final week of life.  She had a biopsy, and within a month, she passed away from a cancerous brain tumor that burst.  She taught me so much about dying with grace.  She ran to her finish line with courage and compassion, surrounding herself with family and friends.  She laid aside the burdens that had encumbered her and lived in the present, savoring every minute of life as long as she could.

Today, and every day, she and the other saints in my life give me strength and inspiration. They look down from that great cloud of witnesses and cheer me on when I am discouraged.  They remind me to live fully and perform random acts of kindness, because these moments are the miracles in our midst.  They fill me with love that spills out of me.  They drive me toward perfection and prepare me for the sainthood that will come when my race is over.  May it be so.

grow where you are planted

Jeremiah 29:4-7 – Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:  Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce.  Take wives and have sons and daughters; takes wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.  But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

We’ve all been the new kid on the block, whether we move into a new neighborhood, go to a new school, start a new job or retire.   It’s daunting to have to learn the rules and culture of  the new place.   You have to make new friends and build relationships with a host of new people.

We long for the way life used to be, with old friends, familiar  places, knowing what to expect.  We used to know how to get to the grocery store, and where to find great ice cream.  We used to have friends we could call up.  We used to know the boss and get special favors.  Even if it’s a move we wanted to make, change is always difficult.

Life’s journey takes us to places we don’t want to go.  It takes us to places we don’t fit in and don’t feel welcome.   Maybe we are not carted off to Babylon, but we’ve all had times where we feel stuck and alone, and out of our element.

And God tells us, like the Israelites in exile, grow where you are planted.  Adapt.  Build.  Plant a garden and start a family. Multiply.  Invest in this new place, even if it feels like you’ve been exiled to the end of the earth.  Care about your community, because your welfare is tied the welfare of this new place.  Make it your own.

Grow where you are planted.  Be open to new possibilities.   God can use us in these new places to break down the barriers that exist and build new realities.   Be part of this new place, because you never know how long you will be there.