Discipleship

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

SunTrees

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

 

Because it’s the right thing to do…

“Why? I don’t understand why we have to do this?” To which the father responded, “Because, it’s the right thing to do. I can do my best to explain it, but whether or not you, I, or anyone understands, we are doing it, because right here, right now, it’s the right thing to do.”

We all experience moments in life when it can be hard to put something into words or to provide reason or logic. However, even when one cannot understand, there is always a reason. At those times, the challenge is to take what is felt in one’s bones and trust it. Give it whirl, allowing it to have a voice, letting it come to life, and seeing what happens.

Oftentimes, sticking to what we “know,” what we think we know, or what we have been told, takes us further away and pales in comparison to what we may be headed toward or on the brink of discovering… learning… experiencing.

In June of 1949, Cardinal Emmanuel Suhard was buried in Notre Dame Cathedral, alongside archbishops by whom he was predeceased. He had entered formation, despite not having the support of his pastor. He went on to become a priest in 1897, professor, bishop, and eventually Archbishop of Reims in 1930.

In 1942, Cardinal Suhard found his way to using his voice publically against the Vichy government, its deportation of the Jewish people of Paris, and essentially its collusion with the Nazi government. The Cardinal was detained for his actions which went against the clergy and the government of his time and place. However, this was not the first time, he paid consequences for the doing what he felt was the right thing to do.

In his lifetime, Cardinal Suhard was also instrumental in the creation of what was referred to as the Worker-Priest movement. Although the movement was originally supported by the church hierarchy as a means to bring people, specifically the French working class, back to the church, it took on a life of its own.

The priests were sent out into everyday life in the everyday world. The ones who participated in the movement worked in the factories of Paris and other cities. As they experienced the environment and conditions of their fellow workers, they could not help but become involved in trying to make things better. In doing so, they came to be seen by the factory owners, and were reported to the church, as being divisive for their efforts to improve the injustice and wrongdoing they saw and experienced. As a result, the worker priests were told to return to their churches. Some did, and some did not. As for the movement, it went through various stages, including some years of being halted altogether, but has essentially carried on in one form or another.

Emmanuel Célestin Suhard became aware, discovered, and listened to what was in his bones, his God-given purpose. It is always the right thing to do.

“To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one’s life would not make sense if God did not exist.” – Emmanuel Célestin Suhard

On the Edge…

The drops of water lay so gently on the flower’s petals, leaving no evidence of the heavy downpours in the hours before.

Currently, in the state of Hawaii, there are rumblings underground through which lava is flowing. Where there was no evidence of faulty ground visible to the eye, where once perhaps there was what seemed steady, tolerable or even glamorous, now there is disruption. However, depending not on where one stands, but on how one stands, the ground, though it may be cracked and shaking, remains intact.

When Peter and his fellow Apostles were carrying on after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the ground was shaky. The future was unknown, yet they remained intact. They were able to proceed despite differences, disputes, and disruptions. They remained rooted even when the ground was moving.

The Apostles stood firm in their love of God. This was the manner in which they lived—how they stood, wherever they stood. Their love of God and desire to be faithful to God, impassioned them. It opened their hearts and minds, enflaming their spirits and their willingness to listen and to be guided by the Holy Spirit, despite their prior understanding or personal thoughts on the way things should be.

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him
and, falling at his feet, paid him homage.
Peter, however, raised him up, saying,
“Get up. I myself am also a human being.”

Then Peter proceeded to speak and said,
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.”

While Peter was still speaking these things,
the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.
The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter
were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit
should have been poured out on the Gentiles also,
for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.

Then Peter responded,
“Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people,
who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?”
He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

– Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

While the Apostles lived so very long ago, the way they lived… how they stood, is much more than history. It is like drops of water on a flower petal, waiting on the edges of every experience. It is Wisdom for the ages.

OnTheEdge

“It is at the edge of a petal that love waits.” – William Carlos Williams

At the End of the Day…

The other day as I was in the car waiting to pick up one of my children, I was looking toward the top of the school steps as a sea of students flowed out of the building. As I was watching for my child, suddenly there was a knock on the car window. Startled at this unexpected knock, I turned toward the window to see my child’s face. While I was looking in one direction, my son had appeared from another direction. This was something new and completely unanticipated.

When the two disciples on the road to Emmaus encountered Jesus, they had no idea who he was (Luke 24:13-35). They were not expecting him and could not have anticipated that Jesus who had been crucified would appear to them. They were with him for quite some time and it was not until after he broke the bread and said the blessing that they were able to recognize him. It was as if in that moment everything came together and they turned their heads to see what was in front of them as they journeyed.

When they return to Jerusalem to tell the others about Jesus appearing to them, they learn that Jesus has appeared to Peter too. Then as they are recounting what happened to them along the way to Emmaus, Jesus appears again (Luke 24:36-49). Each time Jesus appears, it is unanticipated and unexpected. It is also in response to hearts that are troubled… hearts that are longing… hearts that believe and that are trying to find or to put the pieces back together… striving to continue to live out of a relationship that was, that is, like no other.

In all these cases where Jesus appears, it seems the person(s) to whom he appears is letting their guard down and openly thinking, speaking or trying to understand their experience. They are remembering and recounting what transpired. They are looking at where Jesus was, wondering about what happened and where he is now. They are also watching, waiting, and listening. In doing so, wherever they are, Jesus is suddenly with them and making himself known.

On the road to Emmaus, the two disciples recalled with each step all that transpired. Jesus joined them and their hearts were burning as he helped them to take an intimate look, to remember, and to see, perhaps with new eyes. The Lord also appears to others, including us, helping us to remember or to reclaim and to go forward or to wait… helping us to know more surely, more confidently, who we are and how to be.

As we go through life, God is with us from before our first steps, and all the way through. Sometimes we need to rest, and allow the Lord to help us recount and remember.

Our soul waits for the Lord,
Who is our help and shield.
For in the Lord our hearts rejoice;
In God’s holy name we trust.
May your mercy, Lord, be upon us;
As we put our hope in you. – Psalm 33:20-22

Path

Hope Restored… Bridges Rebuilt… No Thing Impossible…

These days there is much that can cause one to say, “I see it, but I don’t believe it!” The unbelievable and unreal seem so common place. It is so much so that the far out or absurd is no longer shocking, but rather quietly, silently absorbed into what seems like the disintegrating fabric of society. However, amidst the clouds of confusion and within the fragments of sense and sensibility, there is faith. Sometimes waiting to be discovered or rekindled, sometimes on the verge of becoming more broad or deepened.

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own
but they had everything in common.
With great power the apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need. – Acts 4:32-35

Unbelievable! Not only a community of believers, but one of the same heart and mind working and living side-by-side. Unity… accepting differences, learning from each other, and using the ways in which we are unique (our God-given gifts and talents) to strengthen us as we strive toward a common goal (to love God, and to love one another). Unity! So wonderful, but seemingly impossible in our times. One might say, “I won’t believe it, until I see it.”

The disciple Thomas essentially said, “I won’t believe it, until I see it” (John 20:19-31). Perhaps all that he had experienced and witnessed in his life along with his knowledge of Jesus and the crucifixion, coupled with dashed hopes and shattered expectations, led Thomas to the conclusion that things were broken beyond repair. Perhaps, “I won’t believe it, until I see it,” was, “My hopes have been crushed…my trust broken. My heart cannot take any more… I need to see it (proof) for myself.” And what is Jesus’ response? He gives Thomas what he needs, and then reminds him, as well as us, to keep the faith—believe. Despite what you may or may not see, believe.

With God, there is always hope and, where there is an open heart and mind, there is nothing… absolutely nothing beyond some kind of repair.

Our life is full of brokenness – broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again to God’s faithful presence in our lives.

– Henri Nouwen

Bridge

The Greatest Show…

Last night I had the opportunity to see a musical movie that portrayed the rise of P.T. Barnum and showed how his circus came to be. It was both interesting and remarkable to step into the life and times of the main character and those previously hidden, shut out, and silenced, but who came to be at the forefront and an important part of the show. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the movie was how beautifully the uniqueness of each individual came to be celebrated and the spirit that was born out of it.

While it may seem odd to pair a variation of the word “beauty” with the word “circus,” it also seems so relevant. We live in times that can feel like a non-stop circus with all the happenings in today’s world. However, in it all, there is still so much beauty to be found, and to be celebrated.

Through many heated disagreements and debates, especially of recent times, silence is being shattered and a spirit that celebrates the unique and diverse, but more importantly, the authentic, is growing. While the events around us can be upsetting and trying, they can also lead to becoming more in touch with values and beliefs, feeling compelled and moved, and living more deeply, or intentionally. In the chaotic and unexpected (as well as in the humdrum and typical, and everything in between), it is remarkable how present God, the author of creation… the author of diversity, is.

“No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.” – P.T. Barnum

If God intended for all to be the same, or to be uniform, the ark would not have been a zoo, rainbows would be bland instead of full of color—life, and Jesus would have added to the over 600 Mosaic laws instead of simplifying them and being an example of love, mercy, compassion, acceptance and integrity.

Celebrate individuality; it is part of how the human race was created and it honors God. Encourage truth; it is important to keep it real. Embrace all that is humane and always carry hope, remembering that the heart of God is in each of us.

TheGreatestShow

Mirror, Mirror…

When I was a young child, I first heard the Hans Christian Andersen story, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” As the fairy tale was read aloud, I remember listening with great interest and a desire to know what was going to happen. I wondered how so many people could ignore what they saw for themselves.

The people knew that there were no “new” clothes, yet they were afraid to speak the truth, and so they lied when asked their opinion, pretending to marvel at the “brilliant” clothes created by two conmen. This charade continued and was embraced by nearly everyone until a child spoke the truth aloud.

It is clear from the story that the people recognized that there were no clothes to see, but the men “making” the clothes had preyed on the emperor’s weakness, a penchant for fine clothing. Once they caught his attention, they also promised something that the emperor did not possess, but wanted—knowledge of who was fit for their position and who was not.

The emperor fell for the scam, and because he did, his people, out of fear, went along with it too. After a child states the truth, the emperor continues to carry on as if he is wearing the most fabulous clothing as he walks down the street, when in fact he is wearing no clothing. The reader also learns that the emperor does this despite fearing that the child and those who have joined with him are correct. The emperor clings to pretense.

Looking back at the story, the conmen presented themselves as skilled weavers, using what they witnessed to take advantage of the emperor and his subjects. They did not come to town in the name of anything resembling goodness. The emperor presented himself as someone who was wise and “better than.” He used his wealth and appearance to try to impress as well as using what he thought was the skill of others to try to uphold this image. No one under the king wanted to be viewed as unfit so they presented themselves as seeing what was not present—the emperor’s clothes. Then there is the child, the one who presents her/himself with no pretenses, giving voice to the truth.

During this time of year when there is much talk and effort around presents, perhaps a question(s) worth asking is, “How do I present myself? And what is operating behind it?”

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. – Mark 11:9

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