"Become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid." -- Lady Bird Johnson
Mark is wasting no time in letting the Jews know that Jesus' presence in the world is a new beginning in salvation history. In this story of the paralytic, Mark portrays Jesus as doing what they believed only God can do. First, Jesus forgives the man's sins. In the Hebrew mind, only God can forgive sins and then only after confession, repentance and a sacrificial offering. Second, Jesus calls the man "son," again something only God can do. Third, Jesus reads the man's mind and heart. The Hebrews believed only God can do that also. And finally, Jesus heals the paralytic. Jesus is more than just a good man or a faith healer.
Jesus is exhibiting the love and forgiveness of God that is always available to us. When we know someone loves and forgives us, we breathe a sigh of relief; and we are healed. We in turn can forgive others. Forgiveness is 70% of the gospel stories, and mutual forgiveness is the only way we will have peace in our minds and hearts.
Lent starts Wednesday. While it is good discipline for ouselves to "give up something," we might do better to be like the friends of the paralytic in today's gospel and do what we can for each other. We can be aware and look for opportunities to lift someone's spirit or help in some way, having faith that our actions might heal and bring someone closer to God.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
February 15, 2009
"The greatest science in the world, in heaven and on earth, is love." -- Mother Teresa
The following is an excerpt from a meditation by Joyce Rupp
The following is an excerpt from a meditation by Joyce Rupp
Containers of Divine Love
God of affection, devotion, passion, tenderness, and all forms of love, this day we thank you for the myriad ways that we have been given a touch of your goodness. We thank you for your many beneficent gestures:
...love that draws us to friendship and fidelity,
...love that leads us to kindness and compassion,
...love that lures us toward the sacred and serene,
...love that soothes our heartaches and gentles our pain,
...love that sees worth in each human being,
...love that believes in us and whispers with hope,
...love that longs for peace among all humankind,
...love that surprises and fills us with awe,
...love that urges us to take risks and have courage,
...love that embraces the shadow in us,
...love that ripens our souls for the final journey home.
Source of Love, we offer thanks for how you are abiding in all of these forms of love. May the hearts we give and receive this Valentine's Day remind us of you, the One Great Heart, holding us all in the tenderness of your love.
February 8, 2009
"I dare not cease to hope and aspire and believe in human love and justice." -- Fannie Williams
A Day in the Life of Jesus
This week Mark gives us an idea of how Jesus spent his days. Jesus himself felt the most important task he had was to tell everyone the good news of God's love and care for them. He concentrated on those on the margins of society -- the poor, widows, powerless, the outcasts with leprosy or some other condition that pushed them out of the mainstream of society. As he healed people, others began coming to him for deliverance from physical and mental handicaps. He confronted demons and cast them out. This he did during the day and even into the evening hours. "Then Mark says he arose early in the morning and went off by himself to pray."
Jesus knew he could not continue his work without taking time to be renewed and strengthened by his relationship with his Father. He could tackle any situation knowing that whatever good he did was the Spirit flowing from God through him. We would do well to follow his example. If we took even 10 mintues each morning ,centering ourselves in quiet prayer in the presence of God and letting God work through us, we would accomplish what we had to do and more and with a calm that only God can give. As we go through our day, we can be aware of the Spirit's presence always with us. Even when people hurt us or bad things happen to us, our relationship with God will give us inner peace and strength to sustain us.
Eventually, the disciples asked Jesus how to pray; and in the later gospels of Matthew and Luke, we are given the Lord's Prayer. Perhaps praying this prayer slowly each morning and thinking about what it says, or just being quiet in God's presence, we will be given the energy to accomplish the mission God has for us.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
February 1, 2009
"While it is wise to accept what we cannot change about ourselves, it is also good to remember that we are never too old to replace discouragement with bits and pieces of confidence and hope." -- Elaine N. Aron
Again this week Mark wastes no time in proclaiming Jesus' mission. Jesus has been baptized, picked some followers, and now he is in a synagogue where he teaches and casts out a demon from a man. The news of this healing will travel all over the countryside and begin the events that will lead to his crucifixion. And we are still in Chapter 1 of Mark's gospel.
The synagogue was where the community of Jews came together. If there were 10 Jewish families in an area, there had to be a synagogue. There was only one temple for praise and worship, and that was in Jerusalem. On the Sabbath, the Jewish men met in the synagogue, prayed, read Scripture, and discussed what it meant in their lives. Any responsible member could ask a question or teach on a particular topic. That is why the synagogue was the best place for Jesus to start his mission.
Jews and other peoples of the ancient world believed there were many demons and devils in the world and in each of us. They believed they were the cause of all the bad things that happened to them. Many ways were sought to get rid of them. In today's gospel, they are amazed that all Jesus has to do was speak, and the demon obeyed him. Jesus taught with authority; and in casting out the demon, he has declared war on evil. In its place he is bringing a message of holiness, wholeness, God's presence and love. He was not like the scribes who translated the law and made rules for everyone to obey. Jesus was a prophet they could believe in.
By our baptism, we are responsible to bring an awareness of God's presence and love to others, not only by our words but also by the example of our lives.
Again this week Mark wastes no time in proclaiming Jesus' mission. Jesus has been baptized, picked some followers, and now he is in a synagogue where he teaches and casts out a demon from a man. The news of this healing will travel all over the countryside and begin the events that will lead to his crucifixion. And we are still in Chapter 1 of Mark's gospel.
The synagogue was where the community of Jews came together. If there were 10 Jewish families in an area, there had to be a synagogue. There was only one temple for praise and worship, and that was in Jerusalem. On the Sabbath, the Jewish men met in the synagogue, prayed, read Scripture, and discussed what it meant in their lives. Any responsible member could ask a question or teach on a particular topic. That is why the synagogue was the best place for Jesus to start his mission.
Jews and other peoples of the ancient world believed there were many demons and devils in the world and in each of us. They believed they were the cause of all the bad things that happened to them. Many ways were sought to get rid of them. In today's gospel, they are amazed that all Jesus has to do was speak, and the demon obeyed him. Jesus taught with authority; and in casting out the demon, he has declared war on evil. In its place he is bringing a message of holiness, wholeness, God's presence and love. He was not like the scribes who translated the law and made rules for everyone to obey. Jesus was a prophet they could believe in.
By our baptism, we are responsible to bring an awareness of God's presence and love to others, not only by our words but also by the example of our lives.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
January 25, 2009
"Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else." --- Margaret Mead
Mark is quick and to the point. His is the first gospel to be written down, and he is in a hurry to write down the stories of Jesus before they would be forgotten. He is making a point when he says that Andrew, Simon, James and John immediately followed Jesus when he said, "Follow me." The first disciples probably knew Jesus and had been thinking about what he was teaching.
Fishing was their families' livelihood, and they would not leave without a good reason. (In something I read many years ago, there is the scene in this story where James and John are telling their mother they are leaving home to go with Jesus. She tells them to get back to the boats where they belong!) Mark's point is that we are to be willing to follow Jesus' call no matter where it may lead and what vocation we have. Jesus' mission is what will make a difference in the world. Wherever we are, we can be the good news that people need to hear-- that God loves them and wants only what is best for them.
This week we celebrate a giant step in our country's history. Our forefathers declared that all men are created equal, and we are finally seeing actions that agree with what we say we believe. Jesus is an evolutionary step forward in the development of humankind. He called his first disciples to take his mission to the world -- to tell them God is Love, and in God's eyes all people are equal, no longer Jew/Greek, slave/free, male/female. This mission is still going on, and we are all called by Jesus to continue to carry it forward.
Mark is quick and to the point. His is the first gospel to be written down, and he is in a hurry to write down the stories of Jesus before they would be forgotten. He is making a point when he says that Andrew, Simon, James and John immediately followed Jesus when he said, "Follow me." The first disciples probably knew Jesus and had been thinking about what he was teaching.
Fishing was their families' livelihood, and they would not leave without a good reason. (In something I read many years ago, there is the scene in this story where James and John are telling their mother they are leaving home to go with Jesus. She tells them to get back to the boats where they belong!) Mark's point is that we are to be willing to follow Jesus' call no matter where it may lead and what vocation we have. Jesus' mission is what will make a difference in the world. Wherever we are, we can be the good news that people need to hear-- that God loves them and wants only what is best for them.
This week we celebrate a giant step in our country's history. Our forefathers declared that all men are created equal, and we are finally seeing actions that agree with what we say we believe. Jesus is an evolutionary step forward in the development of humankind. He called his first disciples to take his mission to the world -- to tell them God is Love, and in God's eyes all people are equal, no longer Jew/Greek, slave/free, male/female. This mission is still going on, and we are all called by Jesus to continue to carry it forward.
January 18, 2009
"Truth is eternal. Knowledge is changeable. It is disastrous to confuse them." --- Madeleine L'Engle
In this week's gospel, Jesus calls the first disciples and tells them to "Come and see" what he is about. Their response will change their lives. We are all called to follow Jesus-- to listen to his words and incorporate them in what we say and do. To be able to hear God's voice, we need to find quiet time to just "be." The gospels tell us that Jesus took time out to go someplace alone and rest in God. Jesus calls us to come and share this communion with God. In our journey with God, we will come to our fullest and best selves.
This coming week is set aside and proclaimed as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. We are blessed that we have a caring ecumenical group in our area. We have a Centering Prayer Group who meets weekly, composed of Episcopal, Methodist and Catholic members. Centering prayer encourages silent prayer, listening for God's voice in our lives. We have a lectionary group that meets weekly to study the Scriptures for the coming weekend. This group, composed of Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian and Catholic traditions also does centering prayer before their study. We have combined services during Lent at the Methodist Church and lead a Baccalaureate service for the Montrose seniors. Recently a monthly, lay-led ecumenical Vesper Service was started at St. Paul's.
These four plus the Baptist and Evangelical Free churches work together at the monthly meeting of the ministry of Christian Service which works with local agencies to help as many people as possible. This group coordinates and serves the Angel Food Ministry in Montrose. Through their congregations, they contribute to the Interfaith Christmas Dinner with food and gifts. They also contribute to the St Paul's Easter Dinner. Praying and working together is what Jesus calls us to do.
The following is a quote from Pope John Paul II: "If Christians, despite their divisions, can grow ever more united in common prayer around Christ, they will grow in the awareness of how little divides them in comparison to what unites them." --- 'That They May be One.'
In this week's gospel, Jesus calls the first disciples and tells them to "Come and see" what he is about. Their response will change their lives. We are all called to follow Jesus-- to listen to his words and incorporate them in what we say and do. To be able to hear God's voice, we need to find quiet time to just "be." The gospels tell us that Jesus took time out to go someplace alone and rest in God. Jesus calls us to come and share this communion with God. In our journey with God, we will come to our fullest and best selves.
This coming week is set aside and proclaimed as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. We are blessed that we have a caring ecumenical group in our area. We have a Centering Prayer Group who meets weekly, composed of Episcopal, Methodist and Catholic members. Centering prayer encourages silent prayer, listening for God's voice in our lives. We have a lectionary group that meets weekly to study the Scriptures for the coming weekend. This group, composed of Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian and Catholic traditions also does centering prayer before their study. We have combined services during Lent at the Methodist Church and lead a Baccalaureate service for the Montrose seniors. Recently a monthly, lay-led ecumenical Vesper Service was started at St. Paul's.
These four plus the Baptist and Evangelical Free churches work together at the monthly meeting of the ministry of Christian Service which works with local agencies to help as many people as possible. This group coordinates and serves the Angel Food Ministry in Montrose. Through their congregations, they contribute to the Interfaith Christmas Dinner with food and gifts. They also contribute to the St Paul's Easter Dinner. Praying and working together is what Jesus calls us to do.
The following is a quote from Pope John Paul II: "If Christians, despite their divisions, can grow ever more united in common prayer around Christ, they will grow in the awareness of how little divides them in comparison to what unites them." --- 'That They May be One.'
Sunday, January 18, 2009
January 11, 2009
"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself." -- Anna Quindlen
One of our local pastors said she received a call one day asking if she "would do my kid." The parent wanted the child baptized. Baptism isn't something we " get done" and that's it. Baptism is only the beginning. We become new people (water) and receive the Holy Spirit (anointing) to live our lives as followers of Jesus, to say and do what he did.
In our gospel reading this week, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist. John had been calling people to repent of their wrongdoing and turn their lives around. The word for this is metanoia -- to turn 180 degrees and go in a totally opposite direction. Jesus had not needed to be baptized, so why did he? One answer is it signaled the beginning of his public ministry. Another is that it demonstrated his submission to whatever God the Father would ask him to do.
A third answer is that Jesus was telling us that he is one of us, that he was becoming a part of our community and to let us know he wanted to share in our lives. The people of the Old Testament were waiting for a savior who would establish God's kingdom on earth. By Jesus' baptism, he was saying this new era they were waiting for was now present in being close to him.
Another way of looking at it is like comparing it to raising our children. When they are young, we give them rules to live by to protect them. When they mature, they see the value of the rules but now live a good life for its own sake. When we were young in our faith, we were given rules; and when we mature in the faith, we live the life Jesus told us to live because of God's love for us. Jesus wants us to live in community with him and each other, empowered by the Holy Spirit. So, let's pray for each other and live as beloved sons and daughters of God.
One of our local pastors said she received a call one day asking if she "would do my kid." The parent wanted the child baptized. Baptism isn't something we " get done" and that's it. Baptism is only the beginning. We become new people (water) and receive the Holy Spirit (anointing) to live our lives as followers of Jesus, to say and do what he did.
In our gospel reading this week, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist. John had been calling people to repent of their wrongdoing and turn their lives around. The word for this is metanoia -- to turn 180 degrees and go in a totally opposite direction. Jesus had not needed to be baptized, so why did he? One answer is it signaled the beginning of his public ministry. Another is that it demonstrated his submission to whatever God the Father would ask him to do.
A third answer is that Jesus was telling us that he is one of us, that he was becoming a part of our community and to let us know he wanted to share in our lives. The people of the Old Testament were waiting for a savior who would establish God's kingdom on earth. By Jesus' baptism, he was saying this new era they were waiting for was now present in being close to him.
Another way of looking at it is like comparing it to raising our children. When they are young, we give them rules to live by to protect them. When they mature, they see the value of the rules but now live a good life for its own sake. When we were young in our faith, we were given rules; and when we mature in the faith, we live the life Jesus told us to live because of God's love for us. Jesus wants us to live in community with him and each other, empowered by the Holy Spirit. So, let's pray for each other and live as beloved sons and daughters of God.
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