[Prayer] has “taught me God is God and I’m not.” Today I spent a good part of my morning reading Psalm 5, and having it read to me in different versions of the Bible. There was something comforting to know that God has my back. Stanley Hauerwas gives us a cute little clip about prayer that is also comforting - reminding me that God is on God’s time, not my time. Sometimes sitting in the quiet or rereading a passage over and over again is a good way to go to hear God speak. I’ve also been watching how God uses strangers to communicate to me. But that’s for a different day.
0 Comments
God Invites Us Into Unceasing Conversation
Prayer is not introspection. It is not a scrupulous, inward-looking analysis of our own thoughts and feelings but it is a careful attentiveness to the Presence of Love personified inviting us to an encounter. Prayer is the presentation of our thoughts— reflective thoughts, as well as daydreams, and night dreams—to the One who receives them, sees them in the light of unconditional love, and responds to them with divine compassion. This context of thinking in the Presence, of conversation and dialogue with Love, is the joyful affirmation of our gentle Companion on the journey with God who knows our minds and hearts, our goodness and our beauty, our darkness and our light. The Psalmist prays the prayer for us (Psalms 139:1–3; 23–24): O Lord, you search me and you know me, you know my resting and my rising, you discern my purpose from afar. You mark when I walk or lie down, all my ways lie open to you. . . . O search me, God, and know my heart. O test me and know my thoughts. See that I follow not the wrong path and lead me in the path of life eternal. Text excerpts taken from "You are the Beloved" Henri J.M. Nouwen (Convergent Books: 2017). “Prayer is not a transaction that somehow pleases God but a transformation of the consciousness of the one doing the praying. Prayer is the awakening of an inner dialogue that, from God’s side, has never ceased. This is why Paul could write of praying “always” (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer is not changing God’s mind about us or about anything else, but allowing God to change our mind about the reality right in front of us (which we usually avoid or distort). ”When we put on a different mind, heaven takes care of itself. In fact, it begins now. If we resort too exclusively to verbal, wordy prayers, we’ll remain stuck in our rational, dualistic minds and will not experience deep change at the level of consciousness. Prayer is sitting in the silence until it silences us, choosing gratitude until we are grateful, and praising God until we ourselves are an act of praise. I don’t believe hell or heaven to be post-life destinations. I believe they are states of consciousness largely visible here and now. A world of objects is a kind of hell. A world of subjects—divine beings honoring the divinity in the other—is surely heaven. —Josh Radnor “Jesus tells his disciples, “Be awake. Be alert. . . . You do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, at cock crow, or in the morning” (see Mark 13:33-35). Jesus is not threatening, “You’d better do it right, or I’m going to get you.” He’s talking about the forever, eternal coming of Christ now . . . and now . . . and now. God’s judgment is always redemption. Christ is always coming. God is always present. It’s we who fall asleep. “Be ready. Be present to God in the here and now, the ordinary, the interruptions. Being fully present to the soul of all things will allow you to say, “This is good. This is enough. In fact, this is all I need.” You are now situated in the One Loving Gaze that unites all things in universal attraction and appreciation. We are practicing for heaven. Why wait for heaven when you can enjoy the Divine Flow in every moment, in everyone?” Josh Radnor, “Saluting the Divinity in You,” “Anger,” Oneing, vol. 6, no. 1 (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2018), 47, 50.
Adapted from Richard Rohr, Just This (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2017), 16, 18, 37-38.
My kids have taught me how to make every day Mother’s Day. By that I mean they are constantly saying, “mom, where’s my homework?” And, “mMom, what’s for dinner?" And "Mom, have you seen my sweater?" Or "Mom, will you get me a bandaid.” The only thing they say to me is, “Dad, where’s mom?”
Kathleen. You are the one of best moms ever. I have learned so much by watching you fully embrace your motherly spirit. I have learned how to be a father… and that nothing…no books, videos, or ancient folklore can prepare a man for the experience of watching someone else give birth. Speaking of giving birth, this is also the Lord’s Day when we talk about Jesus and the new birth he offers. And this might be a better way to go since Mother’s Day isn’t a great day for some.
Watch the message. Recorded live on Facebook May 12, 2019
Sisters Leah and Rachel shared a husband and delivered the 12 tribes of Israel. Naomi shared her faith with her daughter in-law Ruth – an outsider whose DNA would be in King David and Jesus himself. God works through our dysfunction and brokenness?
God also works in goodness, like Mary – the blessed mother of all. Unwed and too young to be a mom, God handpicked her to carry the incarnate Christ. Like Eve, she is the mother of new life that comes through her Son Jesus. These are just a few of the women God has used to accomplish his purpose and promise – despite their flaws and the situations forced upon them. We share in their stories, their struggle and pain, as God works through us so that God’s will may be done. In today’s reading, Jesus is with a different kind of family, his disciples. A massive crowd has surrounded them. This is early in his ministry and his mother and siblings rush to save him; fearing for his life. Read: Mark 3:31-35
Last week Jesus asked, “Do you love me?” A simple question that, as my cousin Jere pointed out, can’t be answered so simply. Today’s question is a bit more esoteric. “Who is my mother and brother?”
Jesus didn’t wait for an answer. Looking at those who have gathered, those who have left their jobs and families to follow him, he declares, “Whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and my mother.” Typical of Jesus, he takes what we know to be the norm and turns it upside down to make it new again. Of course, Jesus doesn’t tell us what the will of God is. But I suspect the people who are there know the words of the prophet Micah who said, “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). This is more than keeping the letter of the law, it’s about living in the true Spirit of what God desires most – love, justice, and humility. By saying a spiritual connection is stronger than any biological one, Jesus is inviting us into the most important family of all – the Family of God. I am the youngest of four, and Kathleen is number 5 of 9. How either one of us managed to survive our siblings is nothing short of a miracle. Our families can be the source of the greatest joy and deepest heartache. But they are who we were given, so we learn to adapt accordingly. Jesus teaches us to accept and love them because in God’s family all are welcomed and loved. There is no room for jealousy, pettiness, or competition. So we must set aside our differences and family squabbles, and bend our will to God’s. Some people are afraid to surrender to God’s will because they think God will make them stop having fun. That’s what mothers are for. God wants to fill you with the most enjoyment you could ever imagine. By doing the will of God, we get a foretaste of what is to come; unbound freedom, endless joy, everlasting love, and grace upon grace. Fear is removed so we can truly thrive. So how might we begin to do God’s will? I’ve been saying it every week this year. When we see and do what Jesus does we, we learn and teach the will of God. Paul says it differently in that we are to be “Imitators of Christ.” But I like how Meister Eckhart put it. “We are all called to be mothers of God, for God is always waiting to be born.” We don’t have to be child bearers to be life givers. Mother Teresa never experienced child birth, yet she certainly earned the title by being a mother to all – especially to the most vulnerable. As she so famously prayed, “in all that I do, may other’s see Christ and not me.” If we want to follow Christ, then we must bear God’s incarnate love. We must to allow it to take shape within us and bring it safely into being. Jesus has made Mother’s Day a day for everyone, because we have all been called to give birth to God’s love, grace, and peace every day. By loving kindness, seeking justice, being humble we keep Jesus’ mission alive. Today is our day to be life givers. But let us forget that for every woman honored today, there is another longing for a life to grow within her womb. Yet we can celebrate both by giving birth to the will of God. For every person whose mother was not much of a mother at all, whose memories are tainted by years of abuse and pain, you can celebrate today because Jesus welcomes you into God’s family where your scars and suffering are healed by love and forgiveness. For all mothers and children who are separated for whatever reason, you can celebrate today knowing that Jesus reconciled all things to him. And through him we all become united in God’s love; receiving mercy and grace through our faith. For those who struggle today because your mother has died and you can’t call her on the phone, and for those mothers who know the pain of burying a child – come celebrate with Mary whose son died but did not stay dead. He rose again from the grave, securing eternity for her and all who would believe. By giving over his will to do God’s will, Jesus redeems us, unites us, and transforms us into one family through his body and blood. Just as we inherited this great kinship, so to are we called to do the same. To see and do what Jesus does, so we can be life givers. Jesus gives us great power and responsibility. Through him, the love of God remains alive inside us all… until the fullness of God’s glory, the mother of all love, is revealed throughout eternity. And so I ask you this important question: Will you be my mother, my brother, my sister?
Most of the world religions have some concept of heaven and hell. Why? Because human freedom matters. We have to be given the freedom to say no to love and life, and one word for that is hell.
Pope John Paul II, who certainly was not a liberal, reminded listeners that heaven and hell are not physical places at all; they’re states of being in a living relationship with God or choosing separation from the source of all life and joy. [1] And, if that’s true, there are plenty of people on earth who are in hell now. They often choose to be miserable, hateful, negative, and oppositional. They love to exclude people who are different from them. St. Catherine of Siena (1347–1380), whose feast we will celebrate tomorrow, received a vision of Jesus Christ as a bridge reaching from heaven to earth, forever joining “humanity with the greatness of the Godhead.” [2] Catholic Worker founder Dorothy Day (1897–1980) was fond of citing Catherine’s inspiration in her own reflections, often writing “All the way to heaven is heaven.” [3] I’d also add “It’s hell all the way to hell.” You’re choosing your destiny right now. You are responsible, not God. Do you want to live in love and communion? Or do you want to live in constant opposition to others and life itself? As we observe our politics, antagonism appears to be the primary style of communication today—how to fight and win, how to be suspicious, how to be hateful, how to tell lies. Who can we exclude now? Which race, religion, or group is unworthy? (All in the name of God, remember!) That’s simply hell right now. And an awful lot of people, even those who call themselves Christian, appear to be living in a hell of their own construction. That’s why Jesus can say, “I do not know you” even to those who “ate and drank in his company” (see Luke 13:25–27)! Heaven is not about belonging to the right group; it’s not about following the correct rituals. It’s about having the right attitude. There are just as many Muslims, Hindus, and Jews who are in love—serving their neighbor and the poor—as there are Christians. Jesus says there will be deep regret—“wailing and grinding of teeth” (Luke 13:28)—when we realize how wrong we were, how thoroughly we missed the point. Be prepared to be surprised about who is living a life of love and service and who isn’t. This should keep us all humble and searching and recognizing it’s not even any of our business who’s going to heaven and who’s going to hell. What makes us think that our little minds and hearts could discern the mind and heart of anyone else? [1] Pope John Paul II, General Audiences on the topics of heaven (July 21, 1999) and hell (July 28, 1999). Full texts of these addresses can be found at https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/audiences/1999.index.html. [2] Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue, trans. Suzanne Noffke (Paulist Press: 1980), 59. [3] Dorothy Day, The Catholic Worker (May 1970). This article (and many others that include this phrase) can be found by browsing online archives at https://www.catholicworker.org/dorothyday/browse/. Adapted from Richard Rohr: Essential Teachings on Love, eds. Joelle Chase and Judy Traeger (Orbis Books: 2018), 250-251. By Saying “Yes, I Love you” To Jesus you’re saying "Yes, I will allow the love of God to flow in me, through me, and all around me."
Imagine you are with them on the beach and Jesus is asking you, “Do you love me?” I think it’s a question we all need to answer, if for no other reason then we’ve all denied our Lord at least once in our lives.
Today I want to look at these four simple words to see how they might speak to your heart, as you think about your answer? The first is DO: It’s a straightforward word that sets up a yes-no question. This isn’t an invitation. Jesus isn’t asking Peter to love him. Nor is it a plea, saying ‘will you love me?’ Jesus is straight to the point: DO you love me! If someone asked me, “Do you like mayonnaise?” I would say, “No I do not.” Or is someone said, “Do you like craft beer.” I would enthusiastically respond, “Yes I do.” You either like mayonnaise or you don’t. And no amount of craft beer will make you change your mind. Jesus is asking you a decisive question – with zero ambiguity. Therefore, “Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.” The next word is YOU: Jesus asks, do YOU, Peter, love me? Do YOU, Ian, love me? Do YOU ______________ love me? You are the subject of the question. Just as Jesus chose his disciples, so too has Jesus chosen you. Now, Jesus is asking you to make a choice. Jesus wants to be in a personal, more meaningful relationship with you, but he’s not going to force you into it. He gives you the choice to say yes, or no. The onus is on you. On day Kathleen came up to me and said, “Yes.” And I said, “What the heck are you talking about?” And she said, “Yes, I will marry you.” No matter how she came to that conclusion, her choice forever changed my life. In scripture, Jesus describes himself as the bridegroom and you as the bride. Today, Jesus is standing at the altar ready to make a commitment to you…one that will change your life forever. But will you say, “I do”? The next word is LOVE… which gets thrown around a little too freely these days. And it might explain why we have trouble committing ourselves to it. For example I love tacos, but I’m not going to marry tacos. I love pizza but I know a relationship with pizza is not going to last very long. Love is the verb. And it ought to evoke something greater than mere pleasure. It occurs over 680 times in the Bible. In both the Hebrew and the Greek there are multiple words used for the word love. One is Storge: which is an affectionate love of someone in the family…parents loving their kids, a brother loving his sisters no matter how much they drive him crazy. Then there’s Philos: the love between friends; like Jesus had with Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Another is Eros: the physical and romantic love that happens at the end of Hallmark movies. But my favorite is Agape. This is the selfless and unconditional love. It is the love that Jesus demonstrated on the cross for our behalf. Jesus said a just few chapters before, “there is no greater love than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). In Jesus we see the perfection of God’s sacrificial love. By this love the world is redeem back to it’s rightful place. And it will never be the same again. C.S. Lewis once wrote, “To love at all is to be vulnerable.” He is right. Which is probably why so many of us are afraid to commit to loving others beyond family and friends. God knows what it’s like to be vulnerable. After all, God gives us the choice to accept or reject his love. But once you say ‘yes’ there’s no turning back to your old ways, being mere fishermen. Love is a verb that sends you out into the world to fish for people. Which takes us to the last word: ME. Last week Taylor Swift dropped a new song called “ME!” In it she sings, “I promise that you’ll never find another like me” while comparing herself to the world – proving she stands out above the rest. As the object of the question, Jesus is also saying, “I’m the only one of me.” And so he asks “Do you love me or do you love the world?” This is a tough question because we want God’s agape, yet seek and settle for the approval of family, friends, and lovers. But earlier in John’s gospel Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through ME.” In choosing Jesus, you’re choosing God who first chose you to love unconditionally. By the love of God that it has extended to you through Jesus Christ, you have been made a beloved child of God; receiving grace upon grace! Scripture tells us this is true through Jesus. But Jesus tells us is also true through you and me. If we love God, we will love one another – offering the same forgiveness and grace that God has give to us. So here’s the takeaway. When Jesus asks “Do you love ME” it’s deeply personal. Jesus wants a more meaningful relationship with you so you can have a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God whose agape allows us to have a deep and meaningful relationship with others. Thus Jesus emphatically proclaimed love as the most important command. Because those who truly love God will truly love their brothers and sisters. Not only love them, but cherish and feed them. To be agape. Such love has the power to change and transform every relationship – between you and me, us and them – by uniting us in one Spirit. That is the power of God’s redeeming, unconditional love that Jesus wants to give you and me. By saying “Yes, I love you” to Jesus, you allow God’s love to flow in and out and all around you. By saying, “Yes” to Jesus, you are saying “Yes, I love you” to the weak and the vulnerable; to the broken and the down and out. You’re saying, “Yes, I love you” to the hungry, thirsty, poor, and helpless; to the immigrant and the wayward; to the enemy and the stranger. By saying, “Yes, I love you” to Jesus you begin to see and do what he does…so that others can learn and teach the will of God for other’s to learn and teach, and so on. Your “Yes” allows the cycle of love to overpower and break the cycle of violence, hatred, racism, and tyranny that is in the world. Jesus has already answered the question. He has already shown us the power of agape. And now it’s up to us to make the choice. According to the gospel of John, this is the final time Jesus will appear to the disciples; but it’s not the last. Because wherever there is love, between you and me, there Christ is among us. You LOVE Me. - C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves. [Harper-Collins: 1960]. Nouwen on Prayers
“Prayer creates that openness in which God is given to us. Indeed, God wants to be admitted into the human heart, received with open hands, and loved with the same love with which we have been created.” “Today I imagined my inner self as a place crowded with pins and needles. How could I receive anyone in my prayer when there is no place for them to be free and relaxed? When I am still so full of preoccupations, jealousies, angry feelings, anyone who enters will get hurt. I had a very vivid realization that I must create some free space in my innermost self so that I may indeed invite others to enter and be healed. To pray for others means to offer others a hospitable place where I can really listen to their needs and pains. Compassion, therefore, calls for a self-scrutiny that can lead to inner gentleness.” “The Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21), Jesus said. The prayer of the heart takes these words seriously. When we empty our minds from all thoughts and our hearts from all experiences, we can prepare in the center of our innermost being the home for the God who wants to dwell in us. Then we can say with St. Paul, “I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Then we can affirm Luther’s words, “Grace is the experience of being delivered from experience.” And then we can realize that it is not we who pray, but the Spirit of God who prays in us.” Text excerpts taken from "You are the Beloved" by Henri J.M. Nouwen |
Ian MacdonaldAn ex-copywriter turned punk rock pastor and peacemaker who dedicates his life to making the world a better place for all humanity. "that they all might be one" ~John 17:21“Prius vita quam doctrina.”
~ St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) * “Life is more important than doctrine.”
Archives
September 2023
|