Faithfulness to God

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

All in…

“Wherever… thou shalt be, pray secretly within thyself. If thou shalt be far from a house of prayer, give not thyself trouble to seek for one, for thou thyself art a sanctuary designed for prayer. If thou shalt be in bed, or in any other place, pray there; thy temple is there.” – Bernard of Clairvaux

GodOfAll

With the onset of colder temperatures and more leaves on the ground than above, the evergreens across the way, always steady and true, remain. Just the same, living in a world with so much turmoil and strife… in a time and place where heads or tails, or the flip of a coin, seems to hold more weight than what is good, and right, and just, the goodness of God, always steady and true, remains.

For as the coin, tossed high in the air, flips and flops, often turning one end over the other, retains its value and essence, regardless of which side lands face up, so too each life as we live and breathe and move from one thing to another—day to day and year to year. God’s allegiance to all creation is undying.

“and God is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to God all are alive.” – Luke 20:38

Place allegiance with God, first and foremost, remembering there is but one God, one Creator, who inspires all that is good, steady, and true.

A Banner Time…

A few weeks ago, my daughter had an assignment in a design class to create a folder using images with which one might identify. Between discussion around the project and looking through some photographs from a recent trip to Walden Pond and the surrounding area, memories of creating banners and posters at various points throughout my childhood and in the ensuing years come to mind. One of the earliest memories is as a young Sunday school student finding joy in seeing all the banners made by different classrooms of students. The banners made with colors and using images that each class collectively picked were hung up around the church.  They were simply displayed, in the spirit of sharing so that everyone was free to receive them in whatever way they might.

In chapter 17 of the Book of Exodus, after Amelek has been defeated, it is written that Moses created an altar to the Lord, naming it Yahweh-nissi or “The Lord is my banner.” (Exodus 17:15). Victory had been achieved through the Lord, with Moses holding the staff of God raised up in his hands.

Throughout the Bible, God’s people are provided for; their needs do not go unmet. In times of trouble, it is never God who strays, but rather the people. There is example upon example of those who persist in identifying with, and embracing, the Lord as their banner. Ultimately, though different people and various kinds of situations are involved, each one always seems to arrive at a place where all things come together, reminding them, reminding us, that God is greater than any one story or situation could capture. Also calling us to remember, faithfulness to God is achieved in countless ways, even when others do not, or cannot, see it.

Given the task of creating a banner to be raised up and shared, what would it look like? In what ways would God be reflected in it? In my words and actions, how do I pay homage to who I am, who I was created to be, and “Take up the banner of the Lord! (Ex 17:16)”?

Thoreau

Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. – 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2

According to the Word…

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do. – Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli

In the fall of 1881, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was born in Northern Italy. He was the fourth of thirteen children in a family that worked fields for a landlord. They were sharecroppers.

It is probably fair to state that it was unlikely anyone, including Angelo Roncalli, would have imagined his life would inspire great change throughout the world, but it did. In the fall of 1958, he was elected Pope, taking the name John XXIII. His papacy, beginning a few years shy of his 80th birthday, was predicted to be a sort of “filling the gap.” In fact, many in the church’s upper echelon of leadership were expecting him to do very little while they were looking to line things up for the “right” successor upon his passing. However, Pope John XXIII continued with the same passion and Spirit-driven action that he had shown throughout his life.

St. John XXIII did, to the surprise and probably the dismay of many, much work during his papacy to encourage and steer the church toward greater integrity by emphasizing Truth, trying to live out the teachings of Jesus, and embodying a spirit of peace and unity. He called for change in the portrayal of Jesus’ death as the fault of the Jews and stopped the perpetuation of the term “faithless” with regards to our Jewish brothers and sisters. He sought to bring together the leaders of the United States and Russia in an attempt to help lessen animosities and work toward peace. He also called for the Second Vatican Council which led to numerous changes in the church, again trying to create a church more in line with the philosophy of Jesus.

While some of his words and actions may be disputed, as with any human being, he had a heart that desired and was devoted to peace and unity. Much of what he wrote, spoke, and did, came out of this place. It was his source of inspiration—the Spirit in which he lived.

Unfortunately, many do not experience church as a place of peace and unity, never mind a place of Truth. Despite this, how fortunate that the Spirit of God has depth and width broader than what the human mind can measure. How fortunate that spiritual nourishment and relationship with God are not bound and tied to any earthly thing, but rather expressed through those who are faithful, no matter where they may be.

We were all made in God’s image, and thus, we are all Godly alike. – Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (a.k.a. Good Pope John and then St. John XXIII)

AccordingToTheWordOfGod

Humankind was created as God’s reflection:
in the divine image God created them;
female and male, God made them. – Genesis 1:27

Be the spirit that is willing to be true…

To one side of the landscape there was mostly a wall of green, and then what seemed like a path of orange with some red extending upward and to the right, as if to say, come along this way.

In the second letter to Timothy, Paul writes, “I remind you, stir into flame the gift of God…” (2 Timothy 1:6). Paul is in prison, and Timothy, to whom he has been a mentor, must proceed in the work he has been called to do, namely evangelizing. However, rather than just telling Timothy what he needs to do, Paul first calls on him to remember the truth.

“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control…” – v. 7

This is a call to action that encourages Timothy, and encourages us, to carry on with integrity, and in a manner that is befitting one created in the image of God. If Timothy were to look around to see what others were doing, or to focus on the fact that Paul has been imprisoned for his Spirit driven efforts (which go against the grain of the majority and popular opinion) perhaps he would stop and turn the other way. In fact, it would be likely that he would move away from taking an approach that is first and foremost, faithful to God, and instead be lead toward fulfilling earthly ambitions or needs, thus compromising, or at the expense of, the fulfillment of his heavenly call.

This would be sad… tragic and a monumental loss. However, with God there is always more than one chance to do the right thing. More than one chance to make truly life giving choices and to live the life that God dreams for us. The life that we see as having ups and downs through trials and tribulations, but that becomes even keeled when we face them, inspired and moved into action by the Spirit of God, bringing a sense of peace in each and every thing.

For the vision is a witness for the appointed time,
a testimony to the end; it will not disappoint.
If it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late. – Habakkuk 2:3

With a willing spirit, and through the grace of God, each leaf turns in time, regardless of its surroundings.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. – Psalm 95

StirIntoFlame

Beloved:
I remind you, to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather of power and love and self-control.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;
but bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God.

Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me,
in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit
that dwells within us. – 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

An Homage…

Heading toward Boston, a favorite moment, for as long as I can recall, has been the moment at which the Rainbow Swash by Corita Kent, spread across a large gas tank, comes into view to the right of the highway. In my youth, I remember staring out the car window with anticipation, looking forward to seeing the splash of colors. I was too young to be aware of any controversy that may have swirled around those colors and that design.

Now much older, still, no matter the time of year… no matter the weather of a particular day, those stretches of color always seem so bright, jumping out as if for joy. So alive. Too alive to be held back or contained by a dreary backdrop of any kind.

Regardless of how something may or may not be intended, what springs up along the way can often be channeled into a source of guidance and inspiration for those following the Way. Frequently, controversy, unrest, and all that comes with it, can cause blindness to what is good, honorable, and true. Let go, and remember, nothing is beyond the grace of God.

“Love the moment and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries.” – Corita Kent

CoritaKentLove

God said: This is the sign of the covenant that I am making between me and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. – Genesis 9:12-13

The Ways of Wisdom…

Typically, the shortest route, or what seems like the most direct one, is a heavy favorite. Often making a straight line more appealing or desirable from the outset. In the Bible, straight paths are referred to on a number of occasions.

Over time, these examples of paths being made straight (or clear) by the grace of God, have often been reworded and turned into moral directives, such as “follow the straight and narrow.”

What is “the straight and narrow”? From whom does it come? And, why follow it?

Turning back to scripture, perhaps Wisdom is the straight and narrow (no nonsense) from God, calling and moving us, with a desire to make the way clear and lead us closer to God, by way of the Holy Spirit.

Who can know God’s counsel,
or who can conceive what the Lord intends?
For the deliberations of mortals are timid,
and unsure are our plans.
For the corruptible body burdens the soul
and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.
And scarce do we guess the things on earth,
and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty;
but when things are in heaven, who can search them out?
Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom
and sent your holy spirit from on high?
And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight,
And people learned what pleases you,
And were saved by Wisdom. – Wisdom 9:13-18

In the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 14, verses 25-33, there is wisdom in Jesus’ words about discipleship, however unconventional his initial words may be. When Jesus uses a form of the word, “hate,” in conjunction with one’s closest of relatives and oneself, certainly, this would be unexpected as well as shocking to those who were with him. So much for wisdom being refined or in a pretty package.

Next, Jesus explains further. Discipleship comes with trials and tribulations. Not only that, but it also requires an awareness and desire as well as a resolve to faithfulness and commitment to God, above all. Jesus calls us to be “all in.”

What does this mean from a practical standpoint? What does being “all in” look like? More often than not, it is what it feels like, more than what it looks like.

Wisdom, if heeded, carries one in various directions at various times (often unexpected or unconventional), while creating and sustaining a sense of following the straight and narrow. Just as God is infinite and ever-present, so are the ways of being a good and faithful disciple.

Wisdom

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:25-33

Each Step’s Value…

From as early as I can recall, I have been intrigued by the way things move and the impact they have. Whether on land, in or under water, or in space, it has been fascinating to me to read about and to see the way humankind has worked with care, and continues to, in order to understand the lay of the land, sea, air, and space, and all that is living. It is amazing that given the proper conditions and environment, damage can be reversed, and restoration and/or regeneration is more often possible than not. However, even in those cases where it is not, all is not lost. Knowledge and understanding… wisdom is gained, making it possible to move forward in new or different ways for those who follow. Nothing is in vain.

In the process of going about one’s business each day, there is a lot of navigating, some expected and some not. In the Book of Proverbs it is written: “Survey the path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure” (4:26). Where am I moving and in what way? How do I proceed as I go about my business? What is it that moves me in the direction I am heading? In what or in whom do I find a sense of security?

In the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 13, verses 22-30, Jesus, as always, moves with purpose and meaning, and his footprints are laden with lessons and examples of how to live. He leaves more than a path to follow. Jesus imparts love, truth (sometimes truth that can be very challenging), and wisdom.

As he travels, Jesus makes an impression that lasts far beyond his physical presence. And through it all, he is never stagnant or fixated in any one place or on any one population. As he moves through different towns and villages, he does not turn away a single soul who comes to him. Even when it might seem like he is going to (e.g. the Syrophoenician woman – Mark 7:24-30). With Jesus, there is room for all those who desire and strive to receive his peace and healing—to live and be with him.

Sometimes, it can be tempting to think of, or to seek, Jesus in what the human mind might label as “positive” experiences or outcomes, not recognizing his presence in all of life’s circumstances. In verses 22-30 of Luke, chapter 13, he is upfront, as always, about the fact that following him is not easy. On, and of, the earth, there are no guarantees. However, while we may be bound by human limitations, our spirits are not. In turning to Jesus, all that is eternal can be brought to life, both here and now, as well as forever, enabling and empowering us to be the voice of all that is truly good and to rise above situations and circumstances that may be difficult rather than avoiding them. It is in this way that one is able to examine the path and move secure, regardless of the conditions or the footing along the way.

APlace

Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them,
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
‘Lord, open the door for us.’
He will say to you in reply,
‘I do not know where you are from.
And you will say,
‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you,
‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last.” – Luke 13:22-30