Reflections from Vacation on Religion and Renewal

RCL – Year B – Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost – September 2, 2012

Song of Solomon 2:8-13 with Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9  or
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 with Psalm 15
James 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

This week I am writing while enjoying the last few days of my vacation. I haven’t paid too much attention to the happenings in the world during my time off. But what has filtered through to my relaxing brain, has not been entirely pleasant. The ongoing defining of rape and contraception disturb my peaceful thoughts. Racist remarks and actions coming out of the GOP convention are unsettling. Shootings in Maryland, California, and New York as well as violence in Syria and Pakistan cause ongoing distress. I also happened to catch a few Facebook posts advocating for social justice instead of vacations. None of these things make much sense from where I sit.

I was lucky enough to spend part of my vacation in Puerto Rico with my spouse. We watched tropical storm Isaac blow across the island and marveled at the power of nature. We explored Old San Juan in the rain, sat in a cathedral that was built in 1521, and observed mass being celebrated. There is something almost mystical about sitting in a place that has been a house of worship for nearly 500 years.

I also had some more personal spiritual experiences while on the island. One afternoon I walked to a grocery store and was surprised when the cashier assumed I lived there; she spoke to me in Spanish. I cannot explain the sense of acceptance I felt in that moment even though she was just telling me that the store didn’t accept the credit card I had given her. It was much more welcoming for me than the English greetings and offers of assistance I received in the tourist shops. On my walk back to the hotel, I thought about what it would be like to live in Puerto Rico. It is a beautiful place, but it is not perfect. And while I was pleased by the assumption that I belonged (or at least spoke Spanish) in that grocery store moment, I realized that I am privileged to live in a country where women can be ordained and, in a growing number of states, marry other women if they so choose.

On our last day in Condado, I went for a morning swim. There were few people on the beach and the waves were relatively small. As I floated and pondered the power and beauty of the ocean, a pelican swooped down for breakfast a few feet away from me. I was awed by the grace of the big, awkward bird. It floated for a few minutes before taking off again. I doubt it noticed me much at all.

During that same swim, I found a sand dollar in about 10 feet of water. I dove down to retrieve it, only to discover that it was still alive. As it floated back to the bottom of the ocean, I thought of other times I’ve found sand dollars. I’m not much of a believer in signs, but when sand dollars have turned up in my life, there has almost always been some significance attached to them. I’m not sure about this one, except that it made me happy in a grateful, joyful kind of way. And just so I didn’t float off into a mystical realm of dreaminess, shortly after letting the sand dollar go, I was stung by what may or may not have been a small jellyfish. It was not serious in any way and, somehow, just served to deepen my sense of gratitude for life – mine and the abundant forms of life around me.

Without these more spiritual experiences, I’m not sure I could face the chaos of what goes on in the world on a daily basis. So much hatred and ignorance are proclaimed in the name of one God or another. Christians (Republicans and Democrats, conservative and progressive) spend a lot of time and energy judging others who do not believe as they believe. It’s heartbreaking, really. Many of us have missed the point of the Gospel and transformed our religion into an idol.

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Perhaps we should all write the words down and read them to ourselves before passing judgement in the name of Christ or claiming to know the mind of God. I don’t know about you, but if I did not have moments with my spouse, pelicans, and sand dollars every now and then, the stains of this world would wipe me out. Jesus wasn’t kidding when he said, “For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”  There is a fine line between advocating for justice and overpowering those who think and feel differently.

I am horrified at some of the sound bites that have been repeated ad nauseum over the last several days. Ignorance is pretty scary when it is mistaken for righteousness in those with power. The racism displayed over the last few days is equally horrific. But so, too, is the needless violence happening throughout the world. These things are made worse when they are connected to people who are “religious.” Hatred for women, abuse of power, and racism are not among the teachings of Christ or any other God as far as I know. We have a long way to go to wash ourselves clean of the things that defile us. Maybe if we all spend a little more time with ourselves, with those in need, and with our God, we might worry less about what everyone else is doing.

I know that fixing what is wrong in the world isn’t that simple, of course. Consequently, many of us feel called to work against injustice in very active ways. The work is often exhausting and painful and, more often than not, rather sisyphean in nature. It does not mean that we can return hatred for hatred or violence for violence. Take a breath. Take a vacation. Be still. God is present in the face of suffering and oppression, but God is also present at the beach, in the flight of a pelican, in the simple complexity of a sand dollar.

And if this is not enough, read Psalm 15 and imagine what it would be like to live in God’s tent on God’s holy hill.

O God, who may abide in your tent?
   Who may dwell on your holy hill?

Those who walk blamelessly,
   and do what is right, 
  
who speak the truth from their heart,
   and do not slander with their tongue, 

and do no evil to their friends,
   nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;

in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
   but who honor those who fear God;

who stand by their oath
   even to their hurt;

who do not lend money at interest,
   and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

I don’t know about you, but I have a long way to go. In the meantime, there is forgiveness, grace, and gratitude.

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Grace, Hope, Forgiveness, Etc. …

RCL – Year B – Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 26, 2012

1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43 with Psalm 84 or
Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18 with Psalm 34:15-22
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:56-69

I am on vacation this week and didn’t want to skip posting. The poem below is from my book, Negotiating the Shadows: Daily Meditations for Lent. Eugene, OR: WIPF and Stock, 2010, pp. 51-52.

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

John 8:3-11

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

Season Change

Despair wraps around me

like a blizzard

blinding snow

disorienting winds

fierce cold

bringing an isolating darkness

with the threat

of never ending.

What hope will guide my feet

when each step gives way to new loss?

Once, I was sure I heard You calling,

now I hear only stormy silence.

This path under my feet

was supposed to lead to You.

Yet here I am – deep in the wilderness.

She must have felt much the same

when they dropped her at Your feet –

glaringly alone

without much hope, if any,

for her life.

Those who would condemn

turned away as you rocked

their understanding.

Was she able to pick herself up

from despair

to walk back into the life You

restored to her?

No stones were thrown that day . . .

You lifted the weight of condemnation.

Where did it fall?

Back on her,

on those who held rocks at the ready,

or down through the ages to settle into the hearts

of those who pass judgment in Your name?

If I look up from this dreary path,

will I stumble onto You?

When I find myself at your feet,

speak the words

to dismiss the condemnation that echoes

through my life,

heal the heartbreak that binds me to despair,

and allow me to go and sin no more

as wintery blizzards give way to

gentle spring rains.

For more information on Negotiating the Shadows, please click here:  http://keefe-sanborne.com/lent.html.

If you enjoyed reading this blog, please click “follow” to receive one email a week (on Wednesday nights) containing the week’s post which will almost always be a reflection on the lectionary and current events.

Bidding Prayer for Wisdom

RCL – Year B – Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost – August, 19, 2012

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 with Psalm 111 or
Proverbs 9:1-6 with Psalm 34:9-14
Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58

The Olympics are over and the feelings of camaraderie and unity they inspired are fading quickly. A man walked into a conservative research center and fired on the security guard. Afghanistan has seen an increase in violence in recent days. Syria is embattled in civil war. There are floods in the Philippines and drought in the U.S.. Obama and Romney fling accusations and insults at each other and fail to address the issues in any concrete way. On any given day, the psychiatric hospital I work at has a double-digit list of people waiting and needing to be admitted. And I am less than 24 hours from vacation.

Therefore, I offer a prayer that is a response to the theme of seeking wisdom, prevalent in this week’s readings. The prayer is written in the bidding prayer format. A bidding prayer is often used in Anglican worship and includes prayers for the church, the world, the nation, people in need of healing, and other concerns of the worshiping community. Each segment can be followed by a time of silence or a time for people to lift up particular concerns and is conclude with a phrase such as, “Lord in your mercy” and the response, “Hear our prayers.”

God of grace and wisdom, I long to live in the house that wisdom has built. If I could eat at her table and drink from her cup, I would seek peace and pursue it with joy. But I am so often distracted along the way by things that should not matter so much. I am distressed by so many who claim to be your followers but manage to spread hatred and anger. Those who stand by and do nothing disturb me just as much. You call us all your beloved children. Let your Spirit blow through the Church, igniting a passion for justice in all your people.

God of unity and diversity, I am overwhelmed by the fear and ignorance that often flows through the world. You created the world and all living creatures. There is beauty and mystery, tenderness and fierceness, vulnerability and strength throughout creation. You made every human being in your image and this seems to be forgotten more than it is remembered. Grant wisdom and grace to all those who find themselves in positions of leadership or power.

God of all times and places, I am fearful of the future of this country. Empty, destructive words splatter here and there while the needs of many people go unseen. Drought, poverty, and despair threaten so many people who have no voice. Remind our leaders and politicians to speak truth and pursue peace not evil and deceit. Grant them an appreciation of the beauty of diversity and the strength of unity that comes from living in wisdom’s house.

God of life and love, my heart aches for all the lives destroyed by war and violence. I remember those killed by senseless acts of violence in recent months. I also hold up to you all the places in the world where war still rages and lives are lost. I cannot make sense of such horrible actions. Turn the hearts of all those who call on you — by any name — toward peace and equity and grant us all the courage to change our ways in all times and places.

God of hope and healing, too many people are lost, broken, or forgotten in the busyness and rush of everyday. Sickness of body, mind, or spirit touches everyone. You are the bread of life. Your body broke for our wholeness and your blood spilled for our healing. No one is denied your love, yet so many are excluded from our churches. Awaken all who worship you to the possibilities and promise of the life and love you offer.

God of the wise and the foolish, I thank you for the gifts of grace, forgiveness, love, and joy you have given me. I am grateful that amidst the pain and struggle in my life and the world, I can turn to you. You bring light even in the darkest times and nothing will change that. Let me follow in the ways of wisdom that I may bring your hope and healing into the world.

With humble gratitude, I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

You are welcome to use this prayer in worship if it appeals to you. I would recommend that you change “I” to “we” and add things specific to your congregation.

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A Sermon’s Beginnings: What Do We Do Now?

RCL August 12, 2012 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 with Psalm 130 or
1 Kings 19:4-8 with Psalm 34:1-8
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
John 6:35, 41-51

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

I would like to write this passage from Ephesians on the doors of every church or on the mirror of all people who calls themselves Christian. The level of hatred in this country has reached toxic levels. While I can’t say that the man who opened-fire on the Sikhs while they worshiped or the man who burned down a mosque during Ramadan claimed to do so in the name of Christ, I can say that the lack of outrage is appalling. More people were horrified by a seemingly random shooting in a movie theater than by hate-motivated attacks on people of faith.

Let me add to this that a church banned a black couple from getting married in their sanctuary. Apparently, there was also a town that tried to prevent black people from moving in. What year is this? And, of course, there is the whole Chick-fil-a mess. How is it possible that such discriminatory practices are endorsed by people who claim to be the followers of Christ? How can this be?

I cannot read this passage from Ephesians without thinking of the words attributed to Martin Niemoller:

In Germany they came first for the Communists
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me–
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

If we don’t stand up for our brothers and sisters – Sikh or Muslim or black or gay – who will stand up for us when the tide of hatred and fear turns toward us? These situations stir anger deep within my being. Hatred is not a Christian value. It is not even a human value. It erodes the spirit and leaves us without hope. I am not being overly dramatic here. People are dead because of their beliefs. People are without a house of worship in their holiest month because of their faith. People are denied marriage in a church because of their skin color. People are denied marriage rights because of whom they want to marry. All of this is in a country that speaks of freedom and opportunity. I am angered. I am saddened. And I want things to change.

So then, let us stop lying to ourselves and speak the truth that our neighbors are of many colors, many faiths, gay and straight and trans, and we are one human race. Be angry but do not break relationship with yourself, your neighbors, or your God; speak up to injustice before time passes lest you become ambivalent, complacent, or apathetic while injustice claims more lives. Let us stop claiming what is not our own; let us wrestle honestly with ourselves and the demons that haunt us, so as to have integrity to share with all those we meet. Harsh and abusive words are empty and destructive. Let us speak with honesty and compassion when constructive criticism is needed, so that our words may give grace to those who hear. And let us not break the heart of God who gives us breath, claims us as God’s own, and promises redemption. It is time to end all foolishness and bitterness and pettiness and ignorance that separates one human being from another. Kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness are given to us in Christ; let us share these gifts with all people as unselfishly as Christ has given them to us. Therefore let us be imitators of God, as children unconditionally loved, and live in that steadfast love, as Christ loved us without condition and gave himself up for us, an incomparable offering and sacrifice to God. Let us give this sacrifice meaning and purpose by living lives filled with compassion, grace, and action.

There is not much more I can say. I keep hoping and praying for change, but the human capacity for hatred and violence continues to astound me. On the other hand, the human spirit is amazingly resilient and those who could seek vengeance often respond with forgiveness and grace. That being said, I honestly don’t know what can be done about the levels of hatred and bigotry in this country and all the places in the world where war and violence are a way of life. But I can say that it is a greater tragedy when these attitudes and actions are endorsed and encouraged by any who claim to be followers of Christ.

So, really, what do we do now?

Did You Know that Superman is a Methodist?

2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a with Psalm 51:1-12 or
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 with Psalm 78:23-29
Ephesians 4:1-16
John 6:24-35

A couple of months ago, I went to see The Avengers just like millions of other people. I came out of the theater wanting to watch it all over again. It is the most entertaining movie I have ever seen. Nostalgia had something to do with it. I was reminded of early childhood watching Batman and, later, The Incredible Hulk on television. It made me remember seeing Superman and being captivated by Christopher Reeve like many other teenage girls. But it was more than just memories that made The Avengers great; it was the message of good triumphing over evil in a rather spectacular way that made me love this movie.

Since then, I’ve thought a lot about superheroes in general and why there might be a resurgence in their popularity now.  The  Avengers, Spiderman, and The Dark Knight Rises are among this summer’s top movies and there must be a reason. Before I continue, I should say that I am not a superhero expert. I was never a comic book fan, either. But, I will go and watch any superhero movie. I even watched The Transformers despite having no real idea who was who or what. It’s the story that gets me every time. Evil forces threaten the planet and in spectacular feats of power and might, good wins… Every time!

This is in direct contrast with day to day life where good struggles to survive and seldom seems to win on a large scale. These days the economy is shaky. War continues with no real end in sight. Fires and floods destroy communities. The future looks uncertain on so many fronts. Where are The Avengers when we need them?

Where indeed? It seems incredibly ironic that superhero movies and mythology are gaining popularity, or at least enjoying some new publicity, at a time when the Church (and I do mean the Church as a whole in all its various forms) is losing more and more members. How has the message of the Gospel been so lost and weakened as to be upstaged by fictional heroes? I would bet that more people under the age of 40 (if not 50) know far more about various superheroes than they know about their own faith traditions.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Hunger and thirst we have in abundance. What we seem to be missing is faith – faith in God and faith in ourselves as God’s beloved children. But even the superheroes of box office fame have faith and they certainly don’t lack faith in themselves. I was surprised to discover that these cultural icons have faith affiliations with few exceptions. Did you know that of The Avengers, only Iron Man has a purely secular philosophy? That’s right. The Hulk is Catholic, Black Widow is Russian Orthodox, Captain America is Protestant, Hawkeye is at least nominally Christian, and Thor is, of course, a god in his own right. Batman is Catholic and Spiderman is Protestant. (References below.) Apparently, nearly every superhero out there is affiliated with one faith tradition or another. How many fans would be surprised to hear this? Or do they already know and point out that at least Black Widow and Batman do not practice their faith?

I’m not sure why, but it seems important that these fictional forces of good are at least loosely connected with faith traditions – both ancient and contemporary. Of course, none of the movies I’ve seen show any religious traditions except the idea that good wins and evil is eradicated. And, I suppose, this doesn’t matter so much as why superheroes are seemingly more popular than God.

On the surface, the answer is easy. Superheroes always win while doing something extraordinary; it’s what makes them superheroes. God, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to win much and hasn’t been seen doing anything extraordinary in a couple thousand years. Well that and the fact that movies are way more exciting than the average worship service.

Below the surface, though, it gets way more complicated. Wouldn’t it be nice to be rescued from all the negative things at play in the world? If Superman would come and end all wars… Or Batman would come and stop all crime… Or The Avengers could right the wrongs of the planet… If these things could happen, then we humans would no longer have any responsibility to work toward correcting what we have done wrong or what has simply gone away from what is right and good. Jesus works through us in ways that could potentially make any one of us into a superhero for someone else. I think of the words of St. Teresa of Avila:

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Now this is not nearly as exciting as The Avengers in IMAX 3D, but you won’t fall asleep in church if you are thinking about words like these which are rather reminiscent of the reading from Ephesians for this week. We all have different gifts given to us by Christ. How has this lost power over the centuries? How has our worship become so boring and foreign to more than one generation of people? It certainly is not for lack of need. We flock to the movies to get relief from the seemingly hopeless state of the world. Wouldn’t it be better if people were flocking to worship?

Surely, being Christ in the world is quite extraordinary. When did it become boring? I’m not suggesting that we need to compete with IMAX technology, but the Church seriously needs a makeover if it is going to last much longer. We have a message that is desperately needed in the world today: Every human being is worthy of love. It doesn’t even stop there. In Christ, evil does not win. It’s just that simple and just that complicated.

Superheroes do what they do with gusto. Those of us who call ourselves Christians ought to be doing what we do with passion. God is not boring and the amazing acts of God in the world far exceed IMAX 3D special effects.

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.

We can all agree that there are no superheroes. Some very creative people over the years have made them up. In contrast, there are a fair number of people who will say that Christ is not fictional and he has all the superpowers we need. So maybe it is time to remake our image in the world. Even though I have a great fondness for those old Batman episodes, they are pretty lame in comparison to today’s movies. So, the question I leave unanswered is:  How do we make Christ alive today so that more people will pray than will yearn for Superman swoop in and fix everything?

For more information of the religious affiliations of superheroes, check out this site: http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/comic_book_religion.html