Beatitude

A Broad Place of Welcome

  As the Presbyterian Church (USA) changes, making it possible for gay and lesbian people to be ordained, some may feel that the rest of the world cannot accept this new position. In October, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa wrote an open letter to the PCUSA affirming its decision. He suggested that the PCUSA had accomplished an act of justice through its decision to accept gay and lesbian people. In the letter, he said: “Salvation means being called out of our narrow bonds into a broad place of welcome to all.”

Tutu pointed out that in many places around the world Christians have been complicit while lesbians and gays have been legally persecuted. And, he said, “By making it possible for those in same-gender relationships to be ordained as pastors, preachers, elders, and deacons, you are being a witness to your ecumenical partners that you believe in the wideness of God’s merciful love.

Acceptance and solidarity toward those who have been unjustly excluded is at the core of what it means to be of faith. I’m grateful that the PCUSA has begun to take a stand and thankful for Desmond Tutu’s kind words.

Small

In light of large, overwhelming upheaval, I long to think small—not to avoid the desperation of the world but to adopt a mode of being that makes me more available to it. Instead of allowing the waves of fear to drown me, I wish to take a small part, along with you, to improve the world’s condition.

When the whole world seems to ring like a bell, I long to be still—not to hid from the suffering of the world but to draw on a source that is not of this world. I wish to know the Spirit that doesn’t miss a beat and sings through history songs that fill our souls just when we thought there was no hope.

When the world is angry, seeking power to bring down one enemy or another, I want somehow to look down to the ground and meekly draw in the dirt and caution about throwing stones. Does the world need more stones aloft? And in the mean time, you and I can listen to our neighbor, and work for peace.

When we throw our hands up, and we have lost those we loved, I will mourn, hopefully in your company. Together we will feel human pain… just listen to and look at what we would otherwise not want to see. Maybe weep. Maybe in suffering we will know what is otherwise unknowable.

When plans are devised to oppress and deals are made to cover up, I long to be simple. I long to resist as best I can the complicated temptation to nod in numb agreement. Then I hope I can teach with you, one simple truth after another until the world becomes a learning community and everyone’s decisions are made calmly and wide-eyed.

Dear God, I wish to be simple, mournful, meek, quiet and small today.

 

It Takes A Congregation

How many Presbyterians does it take to change a light bulb? You know where that normally goes. They form a committee, then decide to study the matter and discover it's really not about the switch, it's more about the essence of light... and perhaps we could consider the light of God instead of physical light, etc. But here's where I'll go with it today, thinking about whole new light fixtures and bulbs: It takes the whole congregation. At Westminster Presbyterian Church, Olympia, Washington, we've watched the drama unfold over 20 years. The congregation turned on the lights this summer. God inspired us, challenged us, encouraged us and then showed us the final steps. These days, every time I flip a switch, I picture 20 years of faithful worshipers. In know these faithful worshipers will be the hosts to thousands of guests and that Christ will be our host each day. It takes a congregation.

Aligning our Treasure

When Jesus spoke "“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom," in Luke 12:32, he was helping his followers, and by extension us, to learn to trust. It is a good time to learn that trust. We've seen a great deal of wealth moth-eaten recently. My suggestion is to take some of the wealth we've trusted, give it away and watch what happens. In the mean time we'll have more time to pray, shifting our trust from things to God. I admit it's a risky challenge. But I think we in America need to take a careful look at what we're doing with our possessions. We're probably not at risk for trusting God too much and our wealth too little. Are we?

Standing in the River of Grace

In Acts 11:1-18 Peter is called upon to explain to the Jerusalem council why he ate with and baptized Gentiles. Peter had been through a great deal to get to the point of doing so. It came to him even through great perplexity and his own resistance. Two independent visions and a series of miraculous coincidences combined with some authentic religious experience and a deep reflection on scripture; these and about 80 miles of travel helped transform Peter, and through him the church into a multi-racial, multi-cultural movement. 

To me it is as though Peter was standing in the middle of the spring runoff where tributaries had overflowed their banks and come together. Peter could look and see the waters of grace flowing for the Gentiles and he could also recognize the waters of grace flowing for his fellow Jews. He simply responded by baptizing his new Gentile friends in those same waters. Those in the Jerusalem council could not see the other half of the flowing waters until Peter showed them. Then “they praised God.” 

We stand in the same spring runoff. A multitude of people experience such grace flowing. The church needs to find a way to welcome them. They are of many races and many persuasions. They are young and old, popular and friendless, rich and poor, sick and strong. God loves and embraces people. All people. And I just think the church can get to be too much like the Jerusalem council before Peter tells them about the grace he witnessed. Do you think we could more effectively reach out and welcome a larger variety of people?

Whom Are You Looking For?

Mary Magdalene came to the tomb looking not for Jesus, but simply for a place to grieve in John 20:1-18. She told others about the empty tomb with the assumption that Jesus’ body was stolen, not that he had risen. She is still convinced that Jesus’ dead body has been placed somewhere else, as she weeps outside the tomb. Then the resurrected Jesus speaks to her and she can’t see him as Jesus. Even though she looks right at him, she thinks he’s the gardener. Jesus asks her the question: “Whom are you looking for?” Evidence has it that she wasn’t actually looking for the living Jesus. That would have been too much to ask of someone who had just been crucified.

This is true for most of us. Daily you and I look resurrection in the face and don’t see it. My faith is too reasonable. I expect the life and death cycle to be reliable and predictable. The normalcy of life and death, anger and hatred, wars and crime, disbelief and defeat are commonplace and reinforce our expectations. They also blind us to the very abnormal and out-of-the-ordinary divine act of resurrection.

Mary recognized Jesus when he called her name. This text was not written to remind Mary of the event, but to show us of its truth today. Jesus calls our name just as Jesus called Mary’s. The opportunity is open for us to accept resurrection life; to open our hearts to Christ’s life. This challenges us to live not according to death, and all its relatives like hatred, wars, and crime; but instead to live according to life, love, peacemaking, justice, faith and hope. I submit that it’s not a one-time deal. We need frequently to turn to the risen Christ. I’m praying that I can keep turning toward the one who calls my name. How about you?

If You Were a Fig Tree

In Luke 13:1-9 Jesus proclaims an unequivocal “no” to the question “Are disasters inflicted on people as punishment for sin?” Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, fluke accidents, and criminal acts do not come to humanity under God’s orders to punish us.

But Jesus does call us to recognize that life can come to an abrupt end especially if you’re not ready to meet your maker. Recognize that much of our religious practice is designed to help us to notice that life is short and sometimes dangerous, and the best way to reconcile ourselves to that fact is to live in cooperation with God’s ways.

Most of us will say that we are not ready to meet our maker. We haven’t quite put our affairs in order or taken the necessary steps to live faithfully. Passages such as this encourage us to live so that God can strengthen us, nourish us and thus help us to be just, generous, and caring. Here’s the question: If you were that fig tree and given one more year to bear fruit, what would you do? Because in effect, we are, each one, that fig tree.

Notice the gardener, who is the one in the story taking initiative to make fruitfulness possible!

The Coming Realm Has Come

It’s hard to believe what Jesus says. He says in Luke 4:14-21 that the Poor hear good news, the captives are released, the blind receive sight and the oppressed go free. I believe it, but God help my unbelief. Jesus declares that what he said a couple thousand years ago was fulfilled right then and there. In my believing state, I can say it became true then and is true now; everywhere, all around us, all across the globe, healing and freedom are happening, all the time.

It’s true, of course, except when it’s not true. And that is where we come into the picture. We actually have the power to be agents of healing and freedom, or to limit what God can do because of our disbelief or reticence. It takes real, true faith. Let us long for it, seek after it, pray for it and welcome it into our lives. Then we can see the gospel happening everywhere.

We can participate in the redemption of humankind. We can see to the rebuilding of Haiti, perhaps this time without the oppression we and other countries inflicted upon it historically. We can heal racial divides in our own schools and communities. We can share our money and food so all people can eat and have the basics of life. We can cooperate with the liberating, life-changing Spirit of God that happens everywhere, all the time.

Glory in Two Movements

Verse 9 of Luke 2 says: “Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them…” and here is the first use of the word “glory” in this passage. Here it seems to be a light, or a brilliance, something indicating that the Lord is present. Definitions of the word in Greek, Latin, and English suggest that it is the eminence of God, the brightness or resplendence of God.

The second use of the word occurs in verse 14. Here the angels are giving glory to God, a very different meaning: “Glory to God in the highest heaven…” The first use or movement of glory is an expression of divine light, the second a response of praise. First, it seems, we absorb some of God’s light, then we express praise back to God.

Receiving and living in Christ is like that. We first receive the glory of the Son of God, then give glory to God in the way we live; by living the way Jesus lived and taught. While God is lofty and glorious, God is also accessible in the person of Christ who comes to us this Christmas Season. That’s why there is so much joy in Christmas. That’s why we can say Merry Christmas!

Sacrifice

Thanks to a great sermon by our guest preacher, The Rev. Mark Davis, we’ve reconsidered the idea of sacrifice. We’re coming to understand that sacrifice means making something sacred or holy. What we do when we give or serve is to make sacred. This runs contrary to “giving until it hurts.” 

Sacrifice in the shape of the previous or old covenant was made from guilt and sacrifice for the people of a new way is made in gratitude. We move from a place of giving until it hurts to a place where we "give until it helps." Both covenants' type of sacrifice are a costly way, but the path for those who follow Jesus is a path shaped by the sacrifice of self rather than a trail marked by the sacrifice of others. Our sacrificial giving and serving participates with God to do things we enjoy as we bless the world.

How might this transform your spiritual life?