Maundy Thursday

Here is the liturgy we will use for Maundy Thursday. It is from the materials of Education for Ministry from the University of the South:

Sanctuary set up for dinner

People bring Middle Eastern or Mediterreanean food and place it on table

2nd Century Eucharist - Rite of Hippolytus
The Liturgy of the Word

Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before
he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood:
Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in
remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy
mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.

Psalm 78:14-20, 23-25
Epistle 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (27-32)
Gospel John 13:1-15
The kiss of peace (a handshake, embrace, or kiss on the cheek;
time should be allowed for all to greet one another)

The Liturgy of the Table
The offertory (A deacon spreads a cloth on the table while other deacons collect the gifts of bread and wine from the congregation. The bread should be in small loaves, preferably home-baked; wine should be brought in its original bottle. A deacon places a sufficient amount of bread and wine on the table and puts the rest aside on another convenient table. The president and the presbyters gather about the table and place their hands momentarily on the elements.)

The Eucharistic Prayer
President: The Lord be with you. People: And with your spirit. President: Lift up your hearts. People: They are lifted to the Lord. President: Let us give thanks to the Lord. People: It is worthy and just.
President: We give you thanks, O God, through your beloved Child Jesus Christ, whom in the last times you sent to us, a Savior and Redeemer and Messenger of your will, who is your Word, inseparable from you; through whom you made all things and whom, in your good pleasure, you sent from heaven into the womb of a virgin, and who, conceived within her, was made flesh, and was manifested as your Son, born of the Holy Spirit and a virgin; who, fulfilling your will, and winning for you a holy people, spread out his hands when he suffered, that by his passion he might set free those who believe in you; who, when he was given over to his voluntary suffering, that he might destroy death and break the bonds of the devil, and tread hell under foot, and enlighten the righteous, and set up a boundary post, and manifest the resurrection, taking bread and giving thanks to you said, Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. In the same manner, also, the cup, saying, This is my blood, which is poured out for you. When you do this, you make anamnesis of me.

Therefore, remembering his death and resurrection, we offer to you the bread and the cup, giving thanks to you because you have counted us worthy to stand before you and to minister as priests to you.

And we pray you to send your Holy Spirit upon the oblation of the holy church, gathering into one all who receive the holy [mysteries], that we may be filled with Holy Spirit, to the confirmation of faith in truth, that we may praise and glorify you, through your Child Jesus Christ, through whom be glory and honor to you, with the Holy Spirit in the holy church, both now and world without end. Amen.
[Blessing of cheese and olives: Sanctify this milk which has solidified, and solidify us in your love, and let not your sweetness depart from this fruit of the olive tree, which is a type of your mercy which you caused to flow from the Tree for life to those who hope in you. Glory to you, Father and Son with the Holy Spirit in the holy church both now and always and world without end. Amen.]

The breaking of the bread The receiving of communion

Dinner

Footwashing

Ubi Caritas - Choir

The Lord Jesus, after he had supped with his disciples and
had washed their feet, said to them, “Do you know what I,
your Lord and Master, have done to you? I have given you
an example, that you should do as I have done.”

Washing ceremony

Peace is my last gift to you, my own peace I now leave with
you; peace which the world cannot give, I give to you.

I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have
loved you.

Peace is my last gift to you, my own peace I now leave with
you; peace which the world cannot give, I give to you.

By this shall the world know that you are my disciples: That
you have love for one another.

Stripping of the Altar

vigil for those who wish to stay

Palm/Passion Sunday

Readings are here.

The streets are packed with people coming to the city for the Holy Days. The Roman legions are everywhere- nervous young soldiers sent to reinforce the regulars in the notoriously difficult place. Probably they are wondering about the Jews and their commitment to one God. Wondering why they can't just worship like everyone else - giving worship to the emperor, making offering to the gods of Rome? You can't even see their God - in fact they have a rule about not making images of their God even have to have the Roman money changed to use it for their offerings to this God

The religious leaders are nervous - this is the time of year when every sect comes to the city. Some come just to worship but some come with trouble on their minds. The Essenes are okay - usually just spend time out in the desert in their caves but those Zealots - plotting the overthrow of Rome - bringing trouble to all of us. The religious leaders try to make everyone keep a low profile - don't attract the attention of Rome. Survival of the people is uppermost in their minds.

Into this roiling mass of humanity - a man comes riding into Jerusalem - on a donkey no less, embodying the prophecy in Zechariah:

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Soldiers and religious leaders thinking -- Just what is not needed - someone claiming to be the king - and the crowds - going beserk - throwing down their outer covering - their cloaks - standing half naked in just their coats - shouting Hosanna! Cutting branches to place on the road. A mob - so easily influenced - moods that can swing from joy to anger to violence in a moment.

But maybe this is the one? Could it be? The king who will free us? Where is his army? All our hopes of Messiah - the one to give us back our lives - could it be?

So many expectations placed on the man on the donkey.

This is where we leave our first Gospel today. At the end of our service we will read Matthew's version of the Passion - the death of Jesus. As we read it you will be asked to read the parts where Jesus speaks to remind all of us that we are the body of Christ in the world today. But we are also all the others in the story. So often in our history - Christians have used the words of this Gospel to accuse Jews of terrible things - to excuse violence against Jewish people. But remember that Matthew is writing to Jews, he is a Jew, Jesus was a Jew -- it was written in a time of division among people who were all the same - like family -brothers and sisters in the faith. Each side had a different view of the meaning of Jesus, was he the Messiah of prophecy or not? There was a controversy and the Roman state killed Jesus. Crucifixion was the way the Roman Empire carried out executions. The Jews did not have this power. Matthew is writing to warn the early Christians of how easily they can become the same as their enemies - taking up violence instead of following the non-violent ways of Christ. The church is the Jews in Matthew's Gospel - the warnings are to the leaders of the early organizations of Christians.

We are also the ones in the crowd - the ones who easily turn from adulation to calling for crucifixion. We know this from our own experience of putting someone up on a pedestal - a politician or other leader - only to relish their fall from on high. We are Pilate - washing our hands of the issues of the day - not recognizing whey we have played a part in whatever goes on by not speaking up, by walking away from things we can change. We are the disciples (we pray not Judas) who fell asleep or denied Christ - when no one knows that we are Christians - even by our actions if not our words. We are Simon of Cyrene - doing the right thing - hefting the cross and carrying it for another. Whenever we help another - go the extra mile to make sure someone has what they need for a better life. And we are the faithful women and friends who did follow all the way to the cross. Who stand and watch and wait - those who stand vigil against oppression and violence, who serve in the community and around the world to save others from death - who minister to those in prison, the stranger - the immigrant, those who are hungry and without shelter -- all who risk their own well being to be present for others so those can also have the abundant life that God promises.

As we read the Passion Gospel at the end of the service and you go out in silence -- meditate on the various people you hear speaking in the Gospel. And remember that we are the Body of Christ - as you speak his words in the reading- think about how it must have been for him - and how does what he says and does continue in us today.

Let us pray in the words of this prayer found in A New Zealand Prayer Book:

Jesus, when you rode into Jerusalem
the people waved palms
with shouts of acclamation.
Grant that when the shouting dies
we may still walk beside you even to a cross.

And may the cross carry you through whatever pain and suffering assails you.
May you go forward with courage in the faith of Christ,
May Christ the crucified convince you that God loves you and has forgiven you,
May you find in the cross a sure ground for faith
and a firm support for hope.

And a thought from John Stendahl on Facebook - for pondering:

But it surprises me, indeed amazes me, that I hardly ever hear any comment on the profound irony of this image. The blood is of course not only guilt but atonement, the blood Moses throws upon the people, the blood of the lamb, the blood that strangely cleanses rather than only stains. How could Matthew have written that phrase without hearing that resonance, and how can we read the words without hearing it?

Image from Romare Bearden

Lent 5

Readings are here.

This week in our Bible Study we looked at the various characters in the Gospel. We thought about what it would have been like for each of them and we were like or unlike each one. As we read the story again this morning, did any of them stand out for you? What did you wonder about each one? The sisters are mourning - each in her own way - Mary sitting beside Lazarus, Martha busy with greeting neighbors who come to mourn with them. The disciples are afraid, except for Thomas. Lazarus is dying and then dead and buried. Jesus moves with confidence through the scene but even he is caught up in the grief and weeps. Any of us who have been through the death of a loved one can recognize all these people and their feelings and actions. Who I wonder about most is Lazarus.

Perhaps it is because of the lessons that come before the Gospel in today's readings. The dry bones are called back to life, the psalmist cries out for hope where he feels there is no hope, Paul in his letter to the Romans offers life in the midst of death. Lazarus embodies all these themes.

The people of Israel think they might as well be dead - they have no hope, they have no temple, their leadership is dispersed, they have fallen from power and nationhood to conquered victims. What could symbolize their status more than a field of bones. The psalmist echoes their cry -- "out of the depths" - what is deeper than the grave? How can there be any hope? How will they be restored? Yet like a lonely sparrow singing for its flock on a housetop - the psalmist sings that they can hope again.

Paul talks about the sort of death that comes from separation from each other and God - sin, that chasm that seemingly opens when we are cut off from one another or cut ourselves off from God. In some ways this is the worst death - a living death.

I see Lazarus in a place like this. Cut off from family and friends, bound up first in his illness and then bound by the wrappings in grave. Entangled in death. Once he sat at table with his sisters and Jesus, a place bright with conversation, sustained by the bread and wine shared. Now cut off from them by death.

I wonder how we become cut off from family and friends, how can tables of friendship become empty and forlorn? What parts of our selves are dead to hope and joy? Where in our lives are we bound by expectations of ourselves and others. Where do we feel like something within us has died. Places where we feel I might as well give up?

In Lander I used to have tea with a woman who certainly could have felt this way. She was quite old, had health issues, was almost blind, her husband had divorced her and married a younger woman after she had used her money and ideas to help him live his dreams. But she did not lay down and die though many days were hard. The things that sustained her were her faith - worshipping regularly even on those days when she felt like God was far from her, seeing friends and being a friend - I never visited her that I did not come away energized by being with her, and her joy of being alive. I still remember the day she told me that she had had two fruit trees planted in the back yard. She told me her friends thought she was silly as she could not see them and she would not live long enough to enjoy their fruit. But she did not stay bound by their ideas of what she could NOT do - she was doing it for a sign of her hope and belief in the future - even one she might not see.

This is how I see this story in the Gospel of John. Jesus is that kind of hope - the one who breaks through our daily deaths, and promises life, who calls us to break bread and drink wine that we might consume that hope he incarnates - brings into the world. Death has no power, what we have done with our lives until this moment is not the point - the point is choosing life now. We can leave behind those things that separate us from one another. And God promises that nothing we have done nor is done to us can separate us from God. And each time we take communion - we affirm that truth - we take the bread and the wine and know that God dwells within us each time - it is sacrament - making holy - acknowledging that we are the dwelling place of the Most High God. Jesus calls Lazarus from his isolation and separation - "come out" -- come out and live fully as you were created to be. And he expects the community will follow up, saying, "unbind him" -- for so often the binding has come from outside - the messages that we are not worthy enough, have the wrong sort of whatever - all the things that people use to build themselves up by tearing others down. Jesus confronts the isolation and separation -whether of our own or others making - and says - do something about this. Don't take it laying down. Do not stay dead, do not allow others to stay dead.


Image by William Blake

Lent 4

Readings are here.

Notes for a sermon- redux.

Seeing is believing – true or not?

In our gospel – much is revealed to the disciples and the people around Jesus – God’s truth is shocking to them. What they see Jesus doing is hard to believe. Many in those days and still today believe in a cause and effect between bad things happening to people. Sometimes it is true – if you do certain things bad results will happen – but mostly things just happen. Jesus says the man was born blind not because his parents or he were sinners but whether or not is is of God shows in how it is perceived. Is God revealed through whatever happens. People saw Jesus ignoring the rules of their faith. Kneading the mud – was work – which was forbidden on the Sabbath. How could Jesus be a man of God if he did not even keep the rules that they believed God had laid down for them?

Many in our story do not believe this is even the same man – they had always seen him as “that blind man” – probably never really looking at him as they tossed a coin or two into his begging bowl. They really do not believe that he has anything to say about the nature of God. He is probably was dressed in poor clothes and had not been educated – so how could he know anything about God’s ways? They could not believe that his experience was even true. They were the “good church people” – they knew it all – they were the ones who were blessed by God – he could not be blessed as a blind person and a beggar.

Jesus confronts this way of seeing or really not seeing in this story - he sees the man as beloved of God, he sees the laws of faith as of God when they uphold this vision of beloved. He sees with God’s heart. He teaches how to see the kindom of God in their midst. Sin for Jesus is being unable to see one another as brothers and sisters, for only being able to see who is “in” and who is “out,” anything that separates us from one another, the creation and God.

Samuel is sure that the king will be the eldest or the strongest and so has his doubts when God says no – keep looking. When David appears – he is the youngest and somewhat more beautiful than the standard appearance of the other brothers – perhaps assumed to be more frail?

In the psalm – the author sees God’s presence even in dire circumstances – though he is walking in the valley of the shadow of death – in terrifying times – he sees goodness and mercy.

Ephesians emphasizes this choosing to live in the light of Christ – in truth – seeing with God’s eyes and not just our own. It tells us we can make choices to see or not see. Following Christ, worship, prayer and study can give us new eyes – can you think of something you believed in the past that has been changed by your faith?

Jesus confronts all our “not seeing” – how we are shaped by the rules we choose to live by, how other people’s perceptions affect our seeing. How familiarity often results in dulling the senses to the miracles of life around us. Jesus often recommends that we become like little children to see the realm of God. Walking with a 2 year old often is less about destination and more about delight and curiosity in the moment. Our gospel calls to us to see others with God’s eyes- how are they beheld in that loving gaze? How are we seen in that loving gaze?

In the book, The Little Prince, he has a rose that he believes is unique in all the universe. He happends upon a garden where there are many roses just exactly like his rose. He is sad to find out that his rose is just a common rose. He meets a fox who shows him how to see – the fox tells him his rose is unique in all the universe because of the relationship. The rose is not like all the others because of the time spent together and the care he has shown for the rose. It is not something that can be seen with the eyes – it is as the fox says: One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye.

Jesus confronts all our “not seeing” – how we are shaped by the rules we choose to live by, how other people’s perceptions affect our seeing. How familiarity often results in dulling the senses to the miracles of life around us. Jesus often recommends that we become like little children to see the realm of God. Walking with a 2 year old often is less about destination and more about delight and curiosity in the moment. Our gospel calls to us to see others with God’s eyes- how are they beheld in that loving gaze? How are we seen in that loving gaze?


The Little Prince

We all get older...

Love this video -- I am so un-adventurous and fashion challenged - but maybe there is hope?

I would post the video itself but it has auto run. Check it out.

h/t to Peace Bang at Beauty Tips for Ministers

Lent 3

Readings are here.

Sermon notes:

This is the reading that was the Gospel at my ordination as a priest. It is so rich with so many themes. The Orthodox call the Samaritan woman St. Photini - the enlightened one. Well stories in the Bible are always about betrothal - those seeking a wife or husband meet at the well. Does the Samaritan woman pledge herself to Jesus in this encounter? She goes to the well at mid-day - just the opposite of the parallel story we heard last Sunday of Nicodemus visiting Jesus in the dark of night. Many have speculated about why she would be out by the well at noon. Most of the women would go in the early morning and make a daily social occasion of their heavy water bearing work. Why had she had 5 husbands? Did they die? Did they put her away? Perhaps either she or her current partner did not marry because they felt it brought bad luck? She has had a tumultuous life to date - 5 husbands in the short life that most people had in those days. Whatever it was Jesus knows her deepest secrets.

Her response to encountering Jesus and his tender compassion towards her - is the urge to share it with all the townspeople. The disciples had gone to town to buy food - why didn't they bring back anyone to see Jesus? This woman shares in such a powerful way that the whole town believes and comes to learn more and believe even more deeply. Jesus uses this story to say the harvest is ready -- go out into the fields. The Pacific NW is the least "churched" of any area of the country - but what are the essentials that St. Catherine's offers that might entice others to join us?

We say we want St. Catherine's to grow - what do we mean by that? Do we mean people filling seats? or people finding a spiritual home - a place where they can join a community seeking the Holy? What do we find here that brings us back each week? What are the barriers we put up to newcomers? This church is one of the friendliest Episcopal churches I have ever attended. When our daughter came with me one Sunday - she was struck with the welcome that was not related to being my daughter - but you seemed genuinely interested in her for who she is. From that point what happens? Is there room for new people to move from welcome to finding a place with us. Where will they sit if they come through the doors. What about children? How can we build on the things people already find here? Extending the welcome -- church growth people say that a followup phone call or visit after someone comes to church is important - within 24 hours. Even more important a connection with a member - not just the priest. Those who attend 8 a.m. invite newcomers to go to breakfast - a great start to incorporation. The men invite other men to the Altar Boys-- another great way to help people find a place in our community.

Concerts for the community is one of our gifts and brings many through our doors. There is an active group who sees to this offering. Last week we had a wonderful first concert in the Mary and Paul Barthelemy series. This afternoon Jennifer Goodenberger will perform her music. In April Susie Godsey and David Carlson will offer yet another afternoon of enjoyment. But how multipurpose is our space? Could we do anything to make that experience more inviting? Are any who come to the concerts people who might join us for worship? Do we have materials available for information if they are looking for a church?

We are linked with the Center for Contemplative Arts - a place where people can explore their spirituality in a variety of ways. People who might not at first consider "church" -- can find a space to begin or continue their journeys in faith through art, meditation and other spiritual exercises. While not a formal part of our structure - many of us attend or participate in the offerings there. Do others there know we are members of St. Catherine's?

The service on Monday evening has brought us members who find worshipping in Spanish a community of welcome. Children are at ease and take part in the music and the liturgy - helping at the altar - playing the rhythm instruments as we sing.

A sign of a healthy church is one that cares for more than itself -- the Grub Club is one project that reaches out - to provide healthy lunches for children who might otherwise go without during the day. We are trying to reorganize that so the work is spread more widely. We have a current survey that says 50-60 children need this program - I am hoping that some of you will volunteer to join an oversight committee to revision how this program might continue. A committee that would also look at the other outreach projects and give oversight to those projects. There are also many of you who serve in the community in a variety of ways - teaching, running the Food Bank, looking in on neighbors, active in organizations that make the area better for all, voting.- active in government -- is your faith a motivator for these actions? Do people know you come to church at St. Catherine's? Are you ready to talk about your experiences if anyone asked. You don't have to beat people about the head with "are you saved" -- just go about your daily life and let your light shine.

To make ourselves more visible - we are revising our web site to make it more user friendly - so we can highlight current events - show who we are. Most people find a church if they are looking via the web site.

But really the most important step is invitation - most people join a church because when people show an interest - someone who is already a member invites them and accompanies or meets them there the first time.

The Samaritan woman gives us a model for sharing our faith. She tells of how encountering Jesus has changed her life. She is not afraid to say why it makes a difference. She is not thinking about church growth - she is sharing an encounter that changed her life. Perhaps the disciples could not be heard because they were outsiders - did not know the struggles of the Samaritans - the Samaritans knew her - they could see the transformation beyond mere words - they wanted what she had found.

Think about your own journey in faith - is this a place where you can "live the questions?" How did you get here - what has been your faith journey? What led you to walk in and what made you stay? Could you tell someone else about it?

As your interim vicar I have heard some of your stories of your encounters with the Holy One -- they are amazing. Maybe we might start with sharing those with each other - practicing before taking our "show on the road"? Ask someone you know at this church about their story. You will be surprised and you might surprise yourself in the telling of your story.

People are thirsty- we have a well.

Image by He Qi

The welcoming church h/t to Scott Gunn at 7 Whole Days.

2 Lent

Readings are here.

Notes towards a sermon:

Nicodemus – victory-people – (Nike – demos)

John –used for the gospels in Lent (A –Matthew, B-Mark, C-Luke) – parallel stories – this week – Nicodemus – next week Samaritan woman.

In the world of John there is a split between the Jews who followed Christ and those who did not. – a religious split that you can see referenced all through the Gospel of John – why there are such harsh words for “the Jews” – it is a gospel that has been used to justify terrible things- yet it arose between kindred and close friends and neighbors.

It is also a world where you are born into a certain status and you stay there – you don’t move. Your honor is dependent on who are “your people” – until fairly recently in history – this was the case – you might as well not try – unless you could somehow become attached to a higher status family – that was the only possibility. Jesus in this is shaking the very foundations of society in this passage. No wonder Nicodemus is confused about the idea of being born again. His reference to the wind blowing where it chooses is scary not reassuring – but yet

Nicodemus is a seeker—though he is a Pharisee, a leader of his people – he has not found a home in his faith. (Jim and I – where is home?). Else why would he come to Jesus. In the night – not only perhaps so no one would see him but perhaps also symbolizes “being in the dark” as we might say – about his relationship to God. I wonder if he had something happen that shook his faith? That caused him to wonder, “where is God?”

Jesus has come to the one who offers healing – healing for the whole world through those who follow him. Moses lifted up the snake to cure the people. Jesus will be crucified for confronting the divisions of the world and offering a way of healing. His death will show the world that death is not the end. Death is separation and believing that some humans are better than others – not a way of life.

Abram was also a seeker – in his world you did not take off from your ancestral homes – but he felt God calling him out of his settled life – to go out to be a blessing for the whole world.

Neither Nicodemus nor Abram (who we now call Abraham) were called to stop with themselves and their close kin – they were called to be a blessing – to bring a new understanding to the world. Paul refers to Abraham’s faith – that there was one God who could be trusted to keep faith with humankind. Nicodemus by the end of the Gospel is bringing a hundred pounds of spices and oils for Jesus anointing after his death – “hundred” – unheard of - his conversion – his love for Jesus showing in this over abundance.

I think these readings give us hope – no matter where we are on our journey in faith. Whether we are confused and wondering like Nicodemus or if we are stepping out in faith like Abraham. The key is asking the questions and walking the path of life. Perhaps as Rilke says:

to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.

I Lent

Readings are here.

Once again the readings take us back to the beginning. Eve and Adam begin their life outside that perfect relationship (called Eden) with God and all creation. And Jesus takes his first steps from his baptism to the cross and beyond. Each responds to the challenges in very different ways.

For Eve and Adam, they live in perfect relationship – an unconscious unity with God and creation. They have all their needs met.

For Jesus – he lives in a totally different place. He is born into a world where needs are not met, the Roman empire rules with legions of soldiers, most live day to day – on the edge of starvation, hoping to have enough to feed the family day by day. Even those who seem powerful in the Gospels (the religious leaders of the community) live in fear – fear of loss of position, loss of status and needing to appease the Roman rulers to keep chaos away from their community. People have forgotten those easy days of perfect relationship with creation and the Creator.

In his baptism Jesus hears his call to life – “this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Our passage today comes directly after those words. Today we hear that Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness. He goes to sort out what being the beloved will mean.

Throughout the Bible and as we know from our lives, temptation comes to us in attractive ways (like the songs "devil with the blue jeans/dress on?") and when we are most vulnerable. The fruit is attractive – the snake is charming. And in a way the snake is right – they won’t die immediately from eating the fruit of this tree. Eve and Adam will have the knowledge that no other creature has. Knowledge that will make them think they can be God. We know about this. We begin to think we are so smart – we do not have to obey the rules of creation. We see it in our time – watch the news. The rules of gravity and geology still hold true - regardless of how smart we become.

Jesus on the other hand, lives fully in right relationship with God and even though lonely, hungry and tired, he remembers who he is – the beloved. The tempter taunts him with “if you are the beloved” – trying to undercut Jesus’ confidence in his essential being. Well, the demonic says, “if you are the beloved (and that’s a big stretch for anyone to believe- he insinuates) then why are you out here starving, poor and alone? If you are the beloved you could change your circumstances in an instant. You can feed yourself – why you can feed the world – just turn these stones into bread. What not powerful enough – oh well – guess you aren’t who you think after all.”

Or “The beloved can have all the kingdoms of the world – think what you could do if you ruled the world – just worship power and wealth.”

Or “How about being spectacular – miraculous – jump off the roof of the temple – surely the beloved can fly – angels bearing you up and all that?”

And so it goes between temptation and Jesus – but Jesus remembers who he is and whose he is – staying steady in the midst of it all. This is the beginning of how he will return us to that perfect state of being – Eden-like – that realm of eternal life that is happening now. Jesus lives in it all the time and invites us into it here and now. His body is the bread of Eden, his blood – the drink of wholeness (salvation).

Each time we come to partake of the bread and the wine we are re-membered – put back into that moment when we walked and talked with God in the garden in perfect relationship. We remember that we are the creatures and not God. We live into our call to serve not rule.

We can do many things for ourselves but it is not the doing that gets our relationship with God back on track, Jesus has already done that for us. We can take that grace, accept it, breathe it in. Taking time for being in relationship with God – taking time to be in the presence of God— being out in God’s creation, praying, taking time for our relationships with others, worshipping and praising, listening, sharing the sacred stories, seeing God in each person – helping them to see that too.

Image by Michael O'Brien

Ash Wednesday

Readings are here.

Today we begin Lent – taking time for our spiritual lives. Traditionally we have given up things like chocolate or other candy, alcohol, meat, or other physical sacrifices. These are worthy things to do as each time we are are confronted with the thing we have given up we are reminded that it is Lent and a time for reflection on our spiritual journey. Taking on a spiritual discipline is another common practice. Daily reading of scripture, meditation, working for the Food Bank or some other agency that serves those with less, are some ideas. USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-03-01-Lent28_ST_N.htm noted this week that many are doing other activities for Lent. Some are doing a carbon fast – trying to use less electricity and more mass transit. UMC is encouraging all its members to give up alcohol – which Methodists are not supposed to drink in the first place – but to confront the use of it in their midst. I did that one year in solidarity with all who have abuse of alcohol issues. I was amazed then at how many tried to get me to take a drink. I think times have changed as everyone seems to offer alternative beverages now. Maybe that Lenten fast served a purpose – at least I hope so.

When we think of the words of Ash Wednesday - remember you are dust and to dust you shall return - remember that the scientists have learned that we are of the same dust as stars - so remember also you are stardust and to stardust you shall return.

This year I would like to share with you another way of looking at Lent – I used this a few years ago and I still like the ideals it puts forth – a way of keeping Lent that improves my relationships with others, the planet, myself and God.

Fast from judgment, Feast on compassion
Fast from greed, Feast on sharing
Fast from scarcity, Feast on abundance
Fast from fear, Feast on peace
Fast from lies, Feast on truth
Fast from gossip, Feast on praise
Fast from anxiety, Feast on patience
Fast from evil, Feast on kindness
Fast from apathy, Feast on engagement
Fast from discontent, Feast on gratitude
Fast from noise, Feast on silence
Fast from discouragement, Feast on hope
Fast from hatred, Feast on love
What will be your fast? What will be your feast?

After Bishop Arthur Lichtenberger

Last Sunday after Epiphany

Readings are here.

Today is the last Sunday of the season of Epiphany – a season of revelation and revealing. Beginning with the Baptism of Jesus by John to the revelation of transformation on the mountain – transfiguration. The question behind each reading in this season of Epiphany seems to be – how are we to reveal Christ in this world as he reveals himself to us? In the baptism – he plunges into the waters of our life – the one without sin immerses himself fully in the world showing us eternal life – not in the hereafter but in the here and now. In the absolution after the confession we pray, “keep us in eternal life”

Once again in the gospel today Jesus urges us to enter fully into life – go down from the mountaintop of encounter with the Holy One, don’t stay in the wonderful memory – live.

Peter, James and John accompany Jesus to the high mountain where they experience the fullness of Christ. With Moses and Isaiah at his sides, Jesus seems transfigured – the Greek is metamorphoomai – like a larva becoming a butterfly. He revealed his true self – and the reaction was typically of the “disciples are clueless” variety. Peter babbles on about building booths – probably like Jews do to celebrate the Exodus – the feast of Booths – Sukkot, a remembrance of living in a fragile tent or lean-to in the desert. It is a natural reaction – coming out of his culture. Trying to make sense of something completely new and mind blowing by connecting it to something we know. But in the midst of this – a voice speaks from a cloud – repeating the words heard at Jesus’ baptism, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him.” Stop talking – listen.

The disciples fall down in terror. Jesus comes to them and touches them – reassuring them and they move down into the valley – the valley where life goes on in all its wonder and messiness. You would think they might be changed by this experience but no – it takes more events and encounters and revelations until they are ready to go out into the world with the message of the revelation of God in Jesus.

One of the key phrases in this reading is “listen” – we can’t really capture the word in English -- (akouete) is a present imperative, implying continual or repeated actions: "Keep on listening to him" or "Continue to listen to him. It will take more than one retreat, one encounter, one sermon, one reflection – keep listening is the message. It is why I like to begin all meetings with a Bible study – so we can listen before we talk, listen to what God might have to say about the issues before us. And I like to just use whatever is the lesson for the day – not pick one that “I think” has something to say. It is why I like the Lectionary – it makes me wrestle and listen instead of allowing me to just pick a comfortable passage. It is why I like the Daily Office as a daily discipline – though I have been a slacker lately – it sets the day in the context of something to think about as I go about my days. It is why I wrote Streams of Mercy – collecting those bits into one place for contemplation each day.

This Wednesday, after our festive feeding frenzy of the Pancake Supper, we enter into Lent – with the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a good time to enter into listening. St. Catherine’s will offer a variety of opportunities for you to keep Lent and listen for where God is calling you next in your journey. Instead of giving up chocolate – think about taking on a spiritual discipline, or attending one of our extra events, or just reading the Daily Office each day at home. Slow down, take a break from the constant barrage of “news” or anything that makes you anxious. Walk on the beach, do some gardening, tend your soul, tend your mind, tend your body.

Jesus was transformed in the eyes of the disciples – they saw him in a new way. He did not really change but showed them how he has always and will always be. Their ability to see was changed. The transformation for us is to join this metamorphosis – to gradually become the hands and feet of Christ in this world. To become that which God has seen from the beginning. Listen.

VIII Epiphany

Readings are here.

From the psalm:
But I still my soul and make it quiet,
like a child upon its mother's breast; *
my soul is quieted within me.

When I read through the lessons for today - I immediately thought of our primroses. A few weeks ago we were buying some primroses. Our children and their children came to visit and so they sat on the porch unplanted. From the warm sunny false spring of early February - the weather has been more like Wyoming the last few days - cold, bitter, snowy. So we have been putting our plants in the garage at night and maybe next week we will get them in the ground where they will have a better chance to grow and thrive.

Here at St. Catherine's we hope to grow and thrive as a point of God's presence in the communities we serve. Santa Catalina, served by Padre Jorge (George) is certainly growing and thriving with the majority of our younger families and children. Last week 75 people attended a Presentation of a three year old child. St. Catherine's is active with service to the the area. New members have come to join us and are adding their gifts to the already wonderful gifts present in our midst. Plans for a Vacation Bible School are in the works for summer. While we are still looking for new leadership for the Grub Club - many are willing workers for that program. Other ministries continue in quiet ways and soon Lent will be upon us with its commitment to a deeper faith. The Search Committee is organizing ways, like our meeting today, to discern who will be called as Vicar for the next stage of the journey even as we pray that God is already preparing the heart of the one who is to come.

It is easy to get anxious and worry about the search process, who will come, will we have enough money, will our church grow, do we have a future? Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, calls us to be stewards and be trustworthy. The first step in this is to turn to God and ask what are you, God, calling us to be. And then to be faithful to our call. We plant and water this part of God's vineyard and look to God for the growth. Being a steward is different from being an owner. As things change - as they always do - it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking we are owners. When we feel that reaction - "but we never did it that way" welling up inside- stop and examine what is it we worry or fear will happen or is happening? I know for me - liturgical dance sets off my -- oh no - not in "my" church. Or sometimes a different tune to a hymn than is familiar to me. If I stop and let my reaction pass - then examine the actual event -- I calm down and can see what I might learn.

Jesus words in our Gospel are particularly focused on no worrying or being anxious. He begins with "no one can serve two masters." Jesus talks about money, wealth and possessions more than any other subject except prayer. It is his second favorite topic. However, this gospel is not a diatribe about having wealth but a lesson on the right place of wealth and possessions in our lives. Nor is this about not planning for the future. His point is that if possessions, clothing, or what will happen, consume our minds - there is no place for God. Think about it like a pie chart - if you try to fit God into a section of the pie - then the other things crowd out God or we do not have balance in our lives. If we put God in the center - then all things take their rightful place. The kindom of God permeates all that we do. The future will take happen regardless - we may be able to plan some of it but we do not know what will emerge. Today is all we know. The past is gone - it influences today but we cannot change it. Today we can make choices as things arise - trusting God to be with us in these choices if they are faith-filled.

Thomas Merton:

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you and I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.
And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road although I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Or Oscar Romero's Prayer.

Or perhaps Mary Oliver:

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down--
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

or maybe -- show up, pay attention, don't get attached to the outcome.

7 Epiphany

Notes towards a sermon
Readings are here.

From the Collect: O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you.

The lessons this week tell us how to live when we have love poured into our hearts - God's greatest gift. This is not the love - nice warm feeling we get around babies and our beloveds. This is the hard work love - wanting the best for all people regardless of their actions. Choosing life for all and not just for "nice" people.

Leviticus speaks of becoming holy as God is holy and goes on to give some examples of what that means - fields must not be stripped bare for the greatest profit from the grain or grapes Some must be left for those who have nothing - so they might earn their daily bread and have some grapes or wine to to with the bread. All must be treated as you would wish to be treated. Jesus echoes that call to love neighbor as yourself in his great commandment to his followers.

The psalmist prays that God will teach him the ways of God and keep him from straying off track.

People are holy and must be treated with the reverence we would give to a holy place. He says we are temples of the holy. Anything that we do that abuses ourselves or others defaces that holy temple.

One time when we were in Yellowstone Park with our kids, near the Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. We had walked down flights of stairways to get near the bottom of the falls. In that awesome space our youngest, who was about 8 at the time, started picking up all the bits left by careless tourists, cigarette ends, bits of paper, - and he told us all to be quiet! He recognized the holiness of the place. Reminded me of the days when we had Morning Prayer at Grace Memorial in Portland. Mr. Richardson, who was from Wales originally - spoke - "The Lord is in his holy temple - let all the earth keep silence before him." We felt that holiness through out the church and in ourselves. I still can call up the feelings of that moment in my childhood.

I think that is the sort of sense of holiness that God calls us to feel in the presence of others and ourselves. Thomas Merton tells of a time when he suddenly saw that in a crowd of people on an otherwise ordinary day in NYC. Each person shone with the light of God for him.

How do we stay in that belief - how do we maintain a loving stance even in the midst of others doing evil things? This is the question that Jesus is addressing in our reading from Matthew today.

Suzanne Guthrie: I remember a Tibetan monk who had been tortured in a Chinese prison for 22 years. When he reached Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama asked him: "What were you scared of the most in prison?" He replied: "I was afraid that I might lose my compassion towards the torturers." -Sulak Sivaraksa

Walter Wink has looked at the Matthew passage through the eyes of culture of the day and writes:

One of the most misunderstood passages in all of the Bible is Jesus' teaching about turning the other cheek. The passage runs this way: "You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist one who is evil. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also. And if anyone takes you to court and sues you for your outer garment, give your undergarment as well. If one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two."

This passage has generally been understood by people as teaching non-resistance. Do not resist one who is evil has been taken to mean simply let them run all over you. Give up all concern for your own justice. If they hit you on one cheek, turn the other and let them batter you there too, which has been bad advice for battered women. As far as the soldier forcing you to take his pack an extra mile, well are you doing that voluntarily? It has become a platitude meaning extend yourself.

Jesus could not have meant those kinds of things. He resisted evil with every fiber of His being. There is not a single instance in which Jesus does not resist evil when He encounters it. The problem begins right there with the word resist. The Greek term is antistenai. Anti is familiar to us in English still, "against," "Anti"-Defamation League. Stenai means to stand. So, "stand against." Resist is not a mistranslation so much as an undertranslation. What has been overlooked is the degree to which antistenai is used in the Old Testament in the vast majority of cases as a technical term for warfare. To "stand against" refers to the marching of the two armies up against each other until they actually collide with one another and the battle ensues. That is called "taking a stand."

Ephesians 6:13 says, "Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand (antistenai) in that evil day and having done all to stand (stenai)."
...

When Jesus says, "Do not resist one who is evil," there is something stronger than simply resist. It's do not resist violently. Jesus is indicating do not resist evil on its own terms. Don't let your opponent dictate the terms of your opposition. If I have a hoe and my opponent has a rifle, I am obviously going to have to get a rifle in order to fight on equal terms, but then my opponent gets a machine gun, so I have to get a machine gun. You have a spiral of violence that is unending.

Jesus is trying to break that spiral of violence. Don't resist one who is evil probably means something like, don't turn into the very thing you hate. Don't become what you oppose. The earliest translation of this is probably in a version of Romans 12 where Paul says, "Do not return evil for evil."

Jesus gives three examples of what He means by not returning evil for evil. The first of these is, "If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also." Imagine if I were your assailant and I were to strike a blow with my right fist at your face, which cheek would it land on? It would be the left. It is the wrong cheek in terms of the text we are looking at. Jesus says, "If anyone strikes you on the right cheek..." I could hit you on the right cheek if I used a left hook, but that would be impossible in Semitic society because the left hand was used only for unclean tasks. You couldn't even gesture with your left hand in public. The only way I could hit you on the right cheek would be with the back of the hand.

Now the back of the hand is not a blow intended to injure. It is a symbolic blow. It is intended to put you back where you belong. It is always from a position of power or superiority. The back of the hand was given by a master to a slave or by a husband to a wife or by a parent to a child or a Roman to a Jew in that period. What Jesus is saying is in effect, "When someone tries to humiliate you and put you down, back into your social location which is inferior to that person, and turn your other cheek."

Now in the process of turning in that direction, if you turned your head to the right, I could no longer backhand you. Your nose is now in the way. Furthermore, you can't backhand someone twice. It's like telling a joke a second time. If it doesn't work the first time, it has failed. By turning the other cheek, you are defiantly saying to the master, "I refuse to be humiliated by you any longer. I am a human being just like you. I am a child of God. You can't put me down even if you have me killed." This is clearly no way to avoid trouble. The master might have you flogged within an inch of your life, but he will never be able to assert that you have no dignity.

The second instance Jesus gives is, "If anyone takes you to court and sues you for your outer garment, give your undergarment as well." The situation here is dealing with collateral for a loan. If a person was trying to get a loan, normally they would use animals or land as collateral for the loan but the very poorest of the poor, according to Deuteronomy 24:10-13, could hock their outer garment. It was the long robe that they used to sleep in at night and used as an overcoat by day. The creditor had to return this garment every night but could come get it every morning and thus harass the debtor and hopefully get him to repay.

Jesus' audience is made up of debtors -- "If anyone takes you to court..." He is talking to the very people who know they are going to be dragged into court for indebtedness and they know also that the law is on the side of the wealthy. They are never going to win a case. So Jesus says to them, "Okay, you are not going to win the case. So take the law and with jujitsu-like finesse, throw it into a point of absurdity. When your creditor sues you for your outer garment, give your undergarment as well."

They didn't have underwear in those days. That meant taking off the only stitch of clothing you had left on you and standing nude, naked, in court. As the story of Jonah reminds us, nakedness was not only taboo in Israel. The shame of nakedness fell not on the person who was naked, but on the person who observed their nakedness. The creditor is being put in the position of being shamed by the nakedness of the debtor. Imagine the debtor leaving the courtroom, walking out in the street and all of his friends coming and seeing him in his all-togethers and saying, "What happened to you?"

He says, "That creditor has got all my clothes," and starts walking down to his house. People are coming out of bazaars and alleys, "What happened? What happened?" Everyone is talking about it and chattering and falling in behind him, fifty-hundred people marching down in this little demonstration toward his house. You can imagine it is going to be some time in that village before any creditor takes anybody else to court.

What Jesus is showing us in these two examples so far is that you don't have to wait for a utopian revolution to come along before you can start living humanly. You can begin living humanly now under the conditions of the old order. The kingdom of God is breaking into the myths of these people now, the moment they begin living the life of the future, the kingdom of God.

Jesus' third example is "If one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two." Now these packs weighed 65 to 85 pounds, not counting weapons. These soldiers had to move quickly to get to the borders where trouble had broken out. The military law made it permissible for a soldier to grab a civilian and force the civilian to carry the pack, but only one mile. There were mile markers on every Roman road. If -- and this is the part we have left out -- the civilian were forced to carry the pack more than one mile, the soldier was in infraction of military code, and military code was always more strictly enforced than civilian. So Jesus is saying, "All right. The next time the soldier forces you to carry his pack, cooperate. Carry it and then when you come to the mile marker, keep going."

The soldier suddenly finds himself in a position he has never been in before. He has always known before exactly what you would do. You would mutter and you would complain, but you would carry it. As soon as the mile marker came, you would drop it. Suddenly, this person is carrying the pack on. The soldier doesn't know why, but he also knows that he is in infraction of military law and if his centurion finds out about this, he is in deep trouble. Jesus is teaching these people how to take the initiative away from their oppressors and within the situation of that old order, find a new way of being.

Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. found these lessons from Christ for their leadership of groups resisting oppression.

Wink calls it the Third Way. Looking for a way to stand up for ourselves without becoming like the one we are resisting. It can work for those things within ourselves too - if we are trying to change. Finding ways that are loving towards ourselves - not beating ourselves up for being bad or failures.

The work of love is not easy but the rewards are eternal.