Discipleship

The Sting of Things…

One Sunday afternoon, during a childhood visit with family, I was stung by a bee. I was around 5 or 6 at the time and vividly recall being in the backyard of my aunt and uncle’s home with some of my siblings and cousins. It was a hot, sunny day. I do not remember what we were playing, but we had been running around the yard. Then at one point, we stopped playing and were standing in the shade. We were under the cover of the lowest branches of a humongous tree, when suddenly I felt an intense, sharp jab in my leg.  

I had flicked the bee away, but I could see the stinger was still there as I headed into the house where the adults were. It was very painful, but after the stinger was removed and some mud was applied to the area, the pain started to subside. I remember how cool and soothing the mud felt and how surprised I was to learn that mud was an old time “remedy” for putting an end to the sting.

As we go through life, none of us escape the sting of things that go awry. Whether through our own words or deeds or those of others—or lack thereof—there is not a single person who walks the earth without feeling stung at some points along the way. And sometimes, the sting may strike with such intensity that it can seem like there is no mud for such a sting… no remedy to be found. It is just at those moments though, that we must remember, our job is to simply fill the jars with water (that is, to be true to oneself and who God created you to be), and trust Jesus to turn the water into wine.

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There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine.”
And Jesus said to her,
“Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servers,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told the them,
“Fill the jars with water.”
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
“Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now.”
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him. – John 2:1-11

The Spirit of…

Throughout the year, all around the world, people of all backgrounds prepare for various holidays, Holy days, and the festivities associated with them. There are many cultural as well as familial traditions. Among the countless possibilities, the fact remains that most people have their own ideas and preferences for what a holiday “should” be. Whether inherited and passed along as they were from their beginnings—with no change, put into practice with some variation of what came before, or created in an entirely new and different way, oftentimes we establish routines and even deadlines for the tasks that have become part of our preparation for a special day.

Yet, plan as we may, preparing the way can end up looking very different from what one may have set out to do, may have pictured, or expected from the image of years passed. Frequently though the places where there seems to be missteps, no time, no room, or where we may least expect something good, are exactly the places where we are apt encounter the gift of God’s grace. That is often the beauty and the blessing of holidays, Holy days, and the events that surround them. In our attempts to make them special and meaningful in our own ways, we often look up and around a little more, changing our ordinary routines just enough that we also, perhaps unknowingly, open ourselves and our environment up to more of the Extraordinary—the Divine.

When it is all said and done, it is not so much what we do that makes these days special, but rather what is behind our words and actions and the ways in which we are inspired to say and do them. As the holidays, Holy days, and festivities continue to arrive, embrace the “the splendor of glory from God” (Baruch 5:1). Live from it, allowing it to flow through you into the moments of each and every day, spreading peace, love, and joy wherever you may go; providing comfort, strength, restoration and healing wherever it is needed; and building and bridging relationships all around. In this Spirit, may we receive whomever and whatever may come as we are, that is blessed with the splendor of God’s glory.

Dove

The Point of Letting Go…

“The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry…” (1 Kings 17:16). Why? Because the Lord ordained it to be so.

In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
“Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.”
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
“Please bring along a bit of bread.”
She answered, “As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die.”
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
‘The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'”
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

– 1 Kings 17:10-16

God sent Elijah to the widow and her son during a period of famine. God’s plan, always, is to provide sustenance for those who are receptive to it. Oftentimes in order to receive the grace that God has in store, one must let go of something that is “other.” More often than not, it involves changing; adjusting, fine-tuning, or altogether shedding that which we may have resigned ourselves to holding onto.

Certainly, it would have been easy as well as justifiable for the widow at Zarephath to hold onto the last of her flour and oil rather than to share any portion of it with Elijah, the stranger in her midst. At first, it seems to be her intention to do just that. However, she listens to the prophet’s words and trusts the way in which they resonate with her.

Although the prophet, and the widow and her son are different, the same God leads each of them. It is in cooperation with God that they recognize this in each other, and in doing so, become one with the grace waiting to be bestowed upon them.

God calls and sends Elijah to a new place. The same God helps the widow to let go of what little she has, instead of clinging to it, and to trust that it will be enough for all… and it is.

YellowFall2

More than You and Me…

Any unity which does not have its origin in the multitudes is tyranny. – Blaise Pascal

It can be wonderful how a sense of togetherness can propel us to new heights. Unity bridges the gap, closing the chasm that can be created by differences of any kind. Oftentimes, the joy that accompanies unity helps in continuing on the path toward the wisdom and knowledge of what to let go of and how to rise above all that may stand in the way.

In the book, Confession, Leo Tolstoy wrote, “I understood, not with my intellect but with my whole being, that no theories of the rationality of existence or of progress could justify such an act; I realized that even if all the people in the world from the day of creation found this to be necessary according to whatever theory, I knew that it was not necessary and that it was wrong. Therefore, my judgments must be based-on what is right and necessary and not on what people say and do; I must judge not according to progress but according to my own heart.” This statement was written about an execution that the author had witnessed in the mid-1800s, but the insight it shares, is timeless.

Oftentimes, the intentions of those in charge or a group united in purpose can be mistaken for unity. However, unity is both powerful and healing in all directions, not just on one side. It is not the child of negotiation or compromise to reach agreement, but rather embodies a spirit of choosing right doing whatever that might entail. By oneself or in self-interest… without God, unity simply cannot be.

Standing together is fine, but standing in unity is best.

Jesus summoned the twelve and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

– Mark 10:42-45

OnFire

 

Before (and with) the Lord…

A good amount of each day is spent traveling from one spot to another. Sometimes the distance is short—a few steps here or there—and sometimes it is longer. For sure, there is a lot of physical movement by each of us as well as around us throughout any given day. Add to this the movements that occur within that are not “physical,” such as a change of heart, a new or different perspective, and so on.

In Psalm 116, the psalmist writes, “I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living” (verse 9). Notice how the psalmist does not write, “I shall run before the Lord,” “I shall stand before the Lord,” or “I shall sit before the Lord.” The psalmist uses the word, “walk.”

“I shall walk before the Lord.” It is intentional, measured, and purposeful, as if to say, “As I go about my way in this life, I will move with meaning, ever mindful of the Lord’s presence.” A tall order, yes, but not impossible one step… one moment at a time.

The journey is meant to be something that is striven for, without succumbing to a notion or drive toward perfection. Mistakes and mishaps, trials and tribulations are par for the course, and the more one can acknowledge and look to learn from them, the less distraction they will cause while walking through them. More than anything, it is about a heart that is open and willing, filled with desire for constant contact and union with the Lord, while in the land of the “living.”

In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 8, verses 27-35, Jesus asks his disciples about who they believe him to be. Peter immediately answers, “You are the Messiah.” Peter knows and believes in Jesus as the Savior, but he, like the others, does not know what that really means. When Jesus then tells them that he will be beaten and killed, and about his resurrection, Peter responds just as fervently as he did when professing Jesus as the Messiah. However, where Peter says to the Lord, “Yes!” loud and clear, now when Jesus tells him something that is unexpected, unpleasant, and most likely the exact opposite of what he has envisioned or hoped for, Peter says to the Lord, “No!” loud and clear. While his passion may be the same, in that moment, he loses sight of the Lord and with that, his response moves away from being intentional, measured, and purposeful. Jesus recognizes this immediately and responds, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

As Peter continues striving to walk with the Lord both before and after the death and resurrection of Jesus, he learns as he moves and grows in trust, wisdom, and understanding. We, also disciples, are called to move in the same way… and we can, too.

How do I walk not only before the Lord, but also with and in the Lord as I go about each day… each moment?

We must not mind insulting men, if by respecting them we offend God. – Saint John Chrysostom

BiddefordPoolSunset

Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it.” – Mark 8:27-35

Bigger than the Shadows…

Observing the valley and the mountain across the way from the top of a ridgeline, the magnificence of the landscape, despite shadows cast by some of the clouds, was undeniable. We found ourselves in awe of the vastness and beauty all around us. It was so much so, that neither the clouds nor the fog that rolled in or the passing rain shower could dull our spirits or lessen the sense of appreciation and joy in our hearts. Recalling the experience, if I had to name it or add a caption, it would simply be, “The Glory of God: Always Bigger than the Shadows.” How true.

In the Gospel of Mark, the Pharisees and scribes ask Jesus, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands” (Mark 7:5)? Jesus sees the shadows for what they are and responds by shedding light and guiding people to Truth.

As Jesus replies to the Pharisees and scribes, he tells them, “You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things” (Mark 7:13). Then he turns his attention back to the people. It is written, “He summoned the crowd again and said to them, ‘Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.’”

While the shadows may attempt to obscure or distort the view, the truth is always revealed to those whose hearts honestly desire and work to see and live within Truth, as they make their way.

“God of might, giver of every good gift, put into our hearts the love of your name, so that, by deepening our sense of reverence, you may nurture in us what is good, and by your watchful care, keep safe what you have nurtured.” (Collect for September 2, 2018)

Shadow

Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.

(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles [and beds].)

So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”

He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
In vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.’

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”

He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition!

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’

Yet you say, ‘If a person says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.

You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”

He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable.

He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)

“But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” – Mark 7:1-23

Following The Leader…

After hearing about all they had done, Jesus tells the apostles, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). The apostles listened and set out in a boat with Jesus away from where they were. However, word traveled and when they arrived at the deserted place, it was no longer that, for the crowd had followed.

Now it may seem like the apostles’ condition was no better in terms of stepping away with Jesus and getting some rest, but this is not the case. While the place that was to be deserted is now busy with a crowd of people, all in need of good works, we do not read about the apostles, who had been ministering to the needs of others prior to getting in the boat, forging ahead. They do not take it upon themselves, nor does Jesus tell them or lead them, to change course or carry on and keep working without rest. Rather, Jesus takes over, as always, ministering to the needs of the people.

Jesus takes care of both the apostles’ needs and those of all in the crowd—those who follow him. Just the same, when we seek to follow The Leader, one way or another, all that we honestly need is taken care of and provided, and the work, or rest, for us to do becomes clear.

Jesus sees all that is going on, and knows what is best.

The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.

                                                                                                – Mark 6:30-34

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Packing for the Trip…

From the first days of school I remember carrying with me a lunch box and backpack. Over time, the backpack got bigger and heavier as the items needed for each day became more numerous… a variety of school supplies for writing, calculating, and measuring; more books and folders; outer wear, sports gear, etc. A major part of being prepared and ready to go each school day, which eventually turns into each work day, involves packing for “the trip.”

It is hard to imagine going out for even a few hours, yet alone a whole day or more, without taking a bag and bringing along some provisions. However, Jesus instructs his disciples to carry only the clothes they are wearing on their backs, refraining from the business of traveling with a packed bag. He tells them to focus not on what they think they need—security (food, luggage, clothing, and money), but rather on what is really needed for any journey worth taking—trust.

While security offers a path that is thought to be safe and perhaps predictable, it often comes at the expense of what is good for the soul. On the other hand, trust, when placed appropriately… prayerfully, leads to a path that not only preserves the glory of God within, but also lifts the soul to new heights.

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick—
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

– Mark 6:7-13

RedBackPack

Cloaked in Courage…

A long time ago, there was a woman with an illness for which there seemed to be no cure. She tried everything she could possibly try within the realm of conventional or traditional practices. However, the only changes were negative as both the condition of her health, and her wealth, continued to suffer.

After being through so much over the course of many years, the woman was moved to try something not only different, but also bold and new. It would take courage, especially given the times in which she lived and her status in society. It would also require a great leap of faith. However, as nervous or afraid as she might have felt, when she considered all things, deep down she knew that trying more of the same, would only lead to further suffering. She came to see that she needed to do something different, so she did, and it made all the difference.

Oftentimes, steadfastness can be confused with, or perhaps too tightly associated with, choices that are “conventional” or “traditional.” Yet, when looking through the eyes of faith and one’s experience along with tradition, and Scripture, God’s steadfastness is not stagnant, nor is it ever tied to the “rules” of the time, space, or place in which one might find themselves.

In many ways, and as seen through all of Scripture, including the life and ministry of Jesus, God is always present as well as constantly evolving. At the same time, God calls each of us to evolve, too.

The woman who suffered with hemorrhages for twelve years certainly had faith. We can also surmise that she had been praying all that time too in addition to seeking medical help. However, her healing only came when she listened deep within, took courage, did the unconventional, and touched the cloak of Jesus.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”
But his disciples said to Jesus,
“You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?'”
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” – Mark 5: 25-34,

Sowing Seeds…

If I take a stone and throw it across the top of still water, immediately I can see the ripples caused by the impact of the stone. Depending on how quiet my surroundings are, I might also be able to hear the impact. Furthermore, having previously experienced the sight and sound of a stone skipping across water, even if I could not see and hear the affect, I would still be able to envision it. The way the mind works is interesting, and our ability to remember, to make associations, and to imagine, can be of great value.

As we enter Father’s Day weekend, I find myself thinking about the fact that so much of life comes down to what one values. Whether working independently, with a partner, or in a larger group, it is always that which is valued most, that has the greatest impact on what you sow, and therefore, what you reap. In chapter 4 of the Gospel of Mark (verses 26-34), Jesus is essentially telling the crowds, when you sincerely respect and value God, what you sow, that is both your words and your deeds, reflect God’s ways, producing more than you can envision and reaching much farther than your wildest dreams.

Whether or not you can see the ripples in the water or the fruit from the seed, have faith, they are there.

TheSower

Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and through it all the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”

He said,
“To what shall we compare the kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

– Mark 4:26-34