Faithfulness to God

Consequently…

Yes, every coin has two sides, and two sides only. Unlike coins, although people, stories, and situations also have more than one side, this does not mean that there are only two sides to matters regarding them. There are often more sides than there is the time that is taken to try to see them.

In the Gospel according to Matthew, the master of temptation seeks opportunities to blur the lines, create confusion, and make it more difficult to see clearly the choice that is, in fact, best for the time at hand.

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command that these stones become loaves of bread.”
He said in reply,
“It is written:
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God.”

Then the devil took him to the holy city,
and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus answered him,
“Again it is written,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”

Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you,
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.”
At this, Jesus said to him,
“Get away, Satan!
It is written:
The Lord, your God, shall you worship
and him alone shall you serve.”

Then the devil left him and, behold,
angels came and ministered to him. – Matthew 4:1-11

The trick that Jesus so masterfully avoids is the temptation to see what the devil presents to him in a two-dimensional way and thus respond or react based on that, rather than on a view or understanding that is multi-dimensional. That is, Jesus does not allow his view to be constricted by the fact that he is tired or hungry, or anything else. If he did, he would be lead to fall for the devil’s ploys, and then move toward making a choice(s) that at the root would solely benefit or be centered on himself, and meeting his personal needs at the expense of the greater good.

This passage provides a great example of the ways that are not of God, and that can go undetected and create interference. Temptation seeks to entice and distract us into living in a “going through the motions” kind of way or to distract us from being mindful and intentional. The more we partake of something, whatever it might be, the more likely it is to become rote, possibly lose meaning, and gradually remove us from the goodness of the original purpose and motivation. The devil counts on this, waiting for weakness to arrive. Notice how Jesus is pressed and tempted after being in the desert for 40 days, not right from the start of his stay or even mid-way through, but when he was physically at his weakest and likely to be less aware… when there was a potential opening for temptation to seep in.

During the season of Lent, as well as all year through, temptation seeks to draw us into seeing any, and all things as two-dimensional. Remember, though, as the saying goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” And, just because something is good, it does not mean it is always the best choice, for everyone, all the time. Only God can be the judge of that.

Coin

From the Chair to the Table…

There is a chair in my living room that everyone in the house seems to gravitate toward. Even though there is an identical chair on the opposite side of the room, this one chair tends to be the one that everyone looks for the opportunity to occupy. It seems that most homes have a chair or spot that becomes a favorite or coveted place to be. Today is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, the Apostle, the one appointed by Christ to be the head of the Church.

Perhaps, something to consider on this day, is not the many ways that things become, whether by intention or not, “chosen,” or not, but rather assuming one’s rightful position. In the realm of faith, being in the “preferred” place, has nothing to do with getting there first, or being the best, but simply with moving toward a place of authenticity, and the experience of a guiding inner peace.

St. Peter, as is well known, tripped, stumbled, and even fell. However, he continued to believe and hope in the Best. He also continued to follow the Way to the best of his ability, striving for what might be best in God’s eyes.

From the Chair to the Table, and the readings for the seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time…

In the Book of Leviticus it is written, “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (19:2).

In the Book of Psalms, God’s kindness and mercy… God’s way, is highlighted. “The Lord pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills. The Lord redeems your life from destruction, crowns you with kindness and compassion” (103:3-4).

In the first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul writes, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (3:16).

Finally, in the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus introduces a new way of looking at justice. He makes it clear that it is not to be an eye for an eye, but rather a consistent response of love.  Jesus ends by instructing the disciples, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (5:38-48).

Throughout society, in so many different areas of life, a drive toward perfection is rampant, and the competition that arises from it can be ruthless. However, the only perfection that one can ever really experience is through moments of truly letting go or surrendering and coming into union with God and God’s ways. Taking time and effort to make, from the very small to the big, choice upon choice in line with the beat placed in one’s heart and soul from the moment of inception, is the only way to achieving that which is true and meaningful perfection. Everything else is just hollow.

FromTheChairToTheTable

More Than These…

In a recent discussion involving various “hot” topics, it was refreshing to listen as well as to share and receive the thoughts, facts, opinions, and understandings of all who were present. It was also enlightening and thought provoking, when the youngest one in the group, a teenager, spoke, so mild mannered, with such honesty and so lovingly. “Well, I look at it this way. Imagine…,” she continued on, explaining her thoughts and feelings on the situation, taking into serious consideration what it might be like to be in the midst of a situation, or a life, shrouded in controversy created or inflamed by the judgment of others.

In a world run by various governments and organizations with all kinds of man-made rules and regulations, there are often many hoops to jump through, complexity, dualism, complicity all around. Despite best efforts, through all the fog, it can be easy to become bound to these entities and their impositions, rather than remaining bound to God.

In Psalm 119, verses 32 through 34, it is written:

I will run the way of your commandments,
for you will broaden my heart.
Lord, teach me the way of your statutes;
I shall keep them with care.
Give me understanding to keep your law,
to observe it with all my heart.

The psalmist’s prayer is a reminder that, more important than the law, is The Way. It promises eternal life to all who are faithful to God, but what does that really mean? The Way cannot be contained or encapsulated solely in a list or in practices put into place. It is greater than rules created or handed down by human beings. More than these, it challenges each of us to be broader… having a bold heart for truth and justice for all, to take great care in how we live, and to strive to honor God’s ways and God’s voice wholeheartedly.

MoreThanThese

Your Words

Your Words
Let me hear Your words
Above all other voices
Above all the distractions in this world

Let me hear Your words
Above all of the voices
Above all the distractions in this world

For Your words bring life
And Your voice speaks promises
Lord, Your love offers more
Than anything else in this world

Your words give us life that’s never ending
Your words bring us love that never fails
Everything else will fade away
But what will remain
Are Your words

Let us speak Your words
More than ours, more than ever
Let us share Your love with all the world

The grass will wither and the flowers will fall
But the word of our God will last forever
The grass will wither and the flowers will fall
But the word of our God will last forever

Music by Third Day performing Your Words (Official Music Video). (C)2015 Provident Label Group LLC, a division of Sony Music Entertainment

 

Knit Wit…

Sometimes a tug on a loose string can lead to it separating completely, or staying firm, holding onto the place from whence it came. Other times, pulling on a string can begin the process of unraveling seemingly without end, as if both sides, loose string and the whole to which it belongs, have given up. Either way, some sort of repair is needed when pieces that were designed and knitted to fit together as a whole, become detached.

When there is separation, wherever it may be, both sides are vital to the process of becoming one again. What happens, though, when neither side seems capable of stopping the unraveling before it’s too late? What happens when neither side seems interested in being unified, and the end result is a pile of loose strings, thread, or yarn? … A complete falling apart? Catastrophe?

No, not at all. Despite how it may seem, there is always a way, either already present or coming into place. There is always hope and prayer to be exercised, and to lead forward.

It is the story of humankind. Vision born of faith, makes it clear that even when it seems things cannot be repaired, and when reconciliation seems impossible, there is birth, rebirth, and rebuilding. There is newness to be discovered.

Faith cultivates and beckons for efforts that are honest, just, and our best. Beyond and alongside that, all there is for one to do is to trust and keep doing that which is both possible as well as inspired through the pulse of one’s heart. Remembering that the extraordinary recovery, the unexpected turn around, or simply, a resolution, and peace, often comes at a time, and in a way, that is truly in the best interest of all.

Sometimes it is best to cut the loose string, and other times it is not. Whichever it is, the best thing to do, is to leave the decision in the hands of the One who knits all things well.

Thus says the Lord:
Share your bread with the hungry,
shelter the oppressed and the homeless;
clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!
If you remove from your midst
oppression, false accusation and malicious speech;
if you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday. – Isaiah 58:7-10

KnitWit

To the Extreme…

Coming on the heels of much milder temperatures, colder ones that are typical for the time of year, in this part of the world, seem so extreme and unnatural.  Like stepping into a long blast of Arctic air, shocking to the bone, is how the expected can feel when it comes dressed in unexpected ways. It makes one take a step back, and perhaps reassess before continuing on, maybe different or more awake than before.

To the person entrenched in, or enslaved by (whether knowingly or not), everyday life, was that what it was like when the prophets of the Old Testament… John the Baptist… Jesus came onto the scene?

In each situation and with every experience, back then, and hear and now, today, it is fair to state that in the end, none are left unchanged. In each moment of every day, all testify to something or someone in one way or another.

So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary’s hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime–the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment.

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

ToTheExtreme

Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. – Psalm 40

Through and through…

In the closing days of the Christmas season, as the last of the lights are taken down and decorations put away, it can seem like the good feelings of Christmas are also packed away. However, the Spirit of Christmas, Love, is within us, all the time.

It is written in Psalm 29:

The voice of the Lord is over the waters,
the Lord, over vast waters.
The voice of the Lord is mighty;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.

Like the Spirit of Christmas, the voice of God, is not something that can be sealed in a box and put away. It reaches far and stretches wide, beyond what one can imagine. The Apostle Peter was inspired by it when he stated, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35).

In Scripture, it is also written:

The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him. – Mark 9:7

What would everyday life look like, if each of us envisioned every other person as being chosen by God? What kind of impact might there be if the Spirit of Christmas… the Spirit of God… the voice of God was the music carried around, listened to, and shared in thoughts, words, and deeds, as much as possible, each day?

Henry David Thoreau wrote, “Love must be as much a light as it is a flame.” It is intended to burn bright, and to be both given and received.

ChristmasSunset

On Deck…

In a time and place where focus can often be drawn toward what’s next or what’s on deck, there stands Epiphany, ever calling one back, gently, to pause in the Light.

Seeing that careful observation was part of their daily practice, those who were called wise, not only saw the sign, but were also aware of its significance and moved by it into action.

We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage. – Matthew 2:2

According to Scripture, the magi came from the east and journeyed over the course of days and nights, and then some more days and nights, not knowing the exact destination. Yet, they remained faithful, eventually reaching the place to which they were guided.

Path

What about those from the west? And those already there? Did they also see the star from its rising? What signs did they see or hear? Were they too closed, or too quick to assume that what they were waiting and looking for, could not possibly be in their midst already?

What, if anything, did they recognize?

See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory. – Isaiah 60:2

Epiphany

Contrast…

Looking across the yard, the tree branches still snow clad from a recent storm seem livelier than in the weeks preceding. It is interesting what contrast can do, often bringing life to that which seems to be on the way to being mostly lifeless, if not already. Oftentimes, it is in or through differences, when one is able to hold them side by side, that strength is found; not only that, but also a common sense, pointing to the essence, or the heart of any matter.

Trees are made with branches, and leaves that come and go.
We are made, all of us, with body, heart, and soul.
Trees are made to stand, side-by-side, tall, proud, and free.
We are made to stand, side-by-side, tall, proud, and free.
Trees are made to gently bend or lean, but not break.
We are made to gently bend or lean, but not break.
Trees have roots, for bearing fruit, always in due time.
We have roots, for bearing fruit, always in due time.
Only, trees, though, they know how, to open, and let go.

Contrast

Trust in the Lord…

“The maker of heaven and earth,
the seas and all that is in them,
Who keeps faith forever…” – Psalm 146:6

The Heart That Seeks…

At the beginning of the second chapter of the Book of the prophet Isaiah, it is written that the people of all nations shall strive together toward the house of the Lord, saying:

“Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that we may be instructed in God’s ways,
and we may walk in God’s paths.” (verse 3)

In the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 24, verses 37-44, in speaking to the disciples about being prepared for the day of the Lord, Jesus says,

“Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left” (verses 40-41).

On the surface, to the human eye, or mind, there is no discernible difference between the one who is taken and the one who is left in this passage. And, in the end, only God truly knows.

However, Jesus seems to be making the point that it does not matter what one does. It does not matter whether one “falls in line” (or out), but rather the reason for doing so, or not, is what matters. That is, what is in one’s heart? What is one preparing, or preparing for? And, who is really being served, and how so?

Returning to the prophet Isaiah, it is clear, many nations and many people. Also, many are the ways and the paths of God. Again, only God truly knows. Yet, while the exact time and place, and what lies ahead, may be a mystery, the heart that seeks is always connected, helping one to be awake to the pulse of the Spirit.

There is no need to look for God here or there. He is no farther away than the door of your own heart. – Meister Eckhart

RiseUp

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” – Matthew 24:37-44

Ahead of the Game…

It seems that often, so much emphasis is placed on coming up with strategies to conquer whatever may be deemed as standing in the way of the accomplishment of goals. Yet, sometimes… actually all the time, the best way to prepare, is not to outright plan, but rather to develop an approach that is True, then trust… believe… and cling to it, come what may.

Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives. – Luke 21:14-19   

SunOfJustice

But for you who revere my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays. – Malachi 3:20A