christ

Branching Out

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Today’s readings:
Psalms 99; 147:12-20, Joshua 1:1-9, Hebrews 11:32-12:2, John 15:1-16

I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them
bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
– John 15:5

This passage from John beautifully illustrates our relationship with Christ; he is central not only to our beliefs, but to our very lives. Separated from Christ, we wither and die. The passage goes on to describe branches that wither and are burned, and branches that thrive and bear fruit.

Yes the vine is central, but this metaphor also reminds us of the importance of Christian community. After all, when’s the last time you saw a healthy vine with only one branch?

It’s no coincidence that Jesus immediately follows the image of the vine and branches with a commandment for the disciples to love one another so much that they would lay down their lives for each other. Branches are interdependent; the health of each one positively or negatively impacting the health of the others. Apart from community, we are like single branches trying to survive on our own: it’s remotely possible, but the fruit we bear will likely be sparse and limited … and even then only if we can bear any at all before collapsing under our own weight or drying out from overexposure to the elements. A community of many branches anchored together in Christ provides the support and shelter to bear good fruit.

Our reading from John is paired with a passage from Hebrews that refers to a “cloud of witnesses” who fought, won, suffered, and died for their faith so that future generations would see God’s promise fulfilled. Not everything we plant is meant for immediate benefit. A grapevine can take up to three years to produce grapes, but those years without fruit are not without purpose. Roots must grow deep and the plant must mature. Older branches are pruned so the vine may thrive. By participating in the life cycle of a community we contribute not only to its present health, but help provide for the health of future branches.

Let us work toward the health of all branches, supporting each other and bearing the sweetest fruits together.

Comfort: We are not alone.

Challenge: Think about whether you are a positive or negative influence on your own spiritual community.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for the many branches and witnesses who have made your church possible. Amen.

Discussion: What kind of community do you prefer? For example, blending into a large congregation, being part of small groups, online groups, mission teams, etc.

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll  have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!

Burying The Dead

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burythedead

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 98; 146, 1 Samuel 16:1-13a, Ephesians 3:14-21, Matthew 8:18-27

One day, when Jesus was preaching on the shore, the crowds grew so large he told them to move to the other side of the lake. One of the disciples wanted to first bury his father. Jesus replied:

“Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead.”

There are different opinions on the context and meaning of this odd phrase. One is that the man’s father was not yet dead, so the time until his burial was uncertain. Another is that “burying” him would have included acting as executor for his father’s affairs. The common theme across these theories is that to follow Christ is to pursue life, and that postponing our discipleship for the affairs of the world and tarrying among others doing the same is to wallow in death. When Christ calls we are to follow. Period.

If we are honest with ourselves, can we admit that deep down (or maybe not so deep) we know our lives will never be completely in order? Yet we use that reasoning as an excuse for putting off all kinds of things: starting families, launching new careers, jettisoning bad habits, getting in shape, going back to school, pursuing dreams, etc. We pretend there is a noble purpose of order behind our stalling tactic because it’s easier than admitting to laziness or fear. All too often the end result of our self-delusion is that we never get around to what we’d rather be doing, and our lives are still not orderly.

Your life will always be messy. There almost certainly will never be a “right time” – or even a better time – to walk away from the trappings of death and follow life. Voices – both internal and external – will tell you not to shirk your worldly responsibilities; these are the moans of ghosts who can’t move on and don’t want to be left behind and alone. Our true responsibilities are to the priorities Christ has taught us, and it is following him that makes us feel truly alive.

Christ does not cruelly demand we abandon our lives; he graciously invites us to find them.

Comfort: Christ has given you permission to let go of the things that keep you from true life.

Challenge: Egyptians pharaohs were buried with household goods, pets, servants, and even family members. They could not imagine life that didn’t look like what was actually holding them back. Pick one thing in your life that you could put down to lighten your load when following Christ. If it feels good, pick another…

Prayer: God of freedom, I will follow wherever you lead me. Amen.

Discussion: What do you need to put down before you can follow Christ unhindered? What’s stopping you?

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Love Never Ends

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab / window):
Psalms 43; 149, Exodus 2:23-3:15, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Mark 9:14-29

Today’s reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is frequently read at weddings because it beautifully describes the characteristics of love:

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

This passage is actually not about romantic love at all, but about the type of love we as Christians are to practice at all times. It is the type of love Christ had for us, and which we are called to reflect into the world.

We are going to fail.

But Paul also assures us: “Love never ends.”

True Christian love is not a feeling we generate and maintain. We are not its source. Rather, this love comes from God and moves through us. It does not require us to feel affection. It does require us to treat others as Christ would have us do… even when we’d rather be doing anything else.

There is no patience without agitation. No peacemaking without strife. Kindness to our loved ones is no great virtue, but offering kindness when it doesn’t come easily – that is love. The love Paul describes does not require us to be emotionally perfected robots, but recognizes we are naturally irritable, resentful beings who can overcome our lesser impulses by relying on God.

The heart of love is humility. Not a humility which debases or degrades us, but one which trusts God more than our own feelings, intellect, and desires. A humility which bears and endures all things, because it is grounded in God’s love for us, as demonstrated by Jesus on the cross.

When our attempts to love are less than perfect, let’s remember there is always a chance to do better. Let’s be as patient and kind with ourselves as God is. Accepting God’s love is how we learn to love others.

Faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Comfort: Love is always available for you to give and receive.

Challenge:  Find ways to love people you do not like.

Prayer: Gracious and merciful God, thank you for loving me and teaching me to love. May I follow Christ at all times, and follow his loving example. Amen.

Discussion: Does your ability to express Christian love depend on your feelings? When have you been able to express love in spite of your emotions?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!

“Not the heart, but the stomach”

/ JJS / 1 Comment

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window): 
Psalms 43; 149, Genesis 47:27-48:7, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Mark 7:1-23

Most of us identify the “self” with the brain or head. Our physical voice resonates inside our skull, so we assign that same voice to our mental life. Hearing our own recorded voice can be shocking; because it differs so greatly from what we expect, the experience can border on identity crisis. However, this sense of identity belonging to the head is not universal. Cultures have placed the self in the heart, the kidneys, and elsewhere. Helen Keller wrote of her pre-lingual existence: “If I had made a man, I should certainly have put the brain and soul in his finger-tips.”

What organs best describe our faith experience?

Do we rely on our gut? Instinct is a fine survival tool, but doesn’t always align with faith. The instinct to fit into our tribe is so strong that we can elevate tribal traditions to immutable laws and ostracize those who don’t follow along. For example, the Jewish people practiced ceremonial hand-washing before meals. It was not a religious law, but a human one. When the Pharisees and scribes accused the disciples of disrespecting tradition by not washing their hands, Jesus pointed out how the religious leaders truly disrespected God by rationalizing away his commands.

The Pharisees relied on brainpower to the detriment of their souls. They allowed some Jews to dodge financial support of their parents – part of God’s command to honor them – by pledging money or property to the temple, thereby making it unavailable for other use. This clever ploy – benefiting both the pledger and the temple – was within the letter of the law, but far from its spirit. The brain may love a faith full of loopholes, but Jesus doesn’t.

Jesus taught faith comes from the heart. Regarding Jewish dietary laws, he said everything that enters the body is destined for the sewer, so it can not defile us, but if our heart generates wickedness, we are defiled from within. Our physical hearts have tremendous influence on our brain function. Our spiritual hearts should similarly influence our minds and guts away from defilement toward true faith and love.

Comfort: Christ’s law is love.

Challenge: It can be easy to vilify the Pharisees and distance ourselves from them. Like us, they were products of their culture. Try reading today’s passage from Mark with some sympathy for the Pharisees and ask yourself what cultural traditions are more important to you than they need to be.

Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God. May my mind and will always be in your service. Amen.

Discussion: Have you ever been surprised to learn something you thought had religious roots was only a local tradition?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!

No Excuses

/ JJS / 1 Comment

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 27; 147:12-20, Genesis 46:1-7, 28-34, 1 Corinthians 9:1-15, Mark 6:30-46

In what ways are we humans responsible to each other? This question produces heated debates about public policy for everything from healthcare to school lunches to seat belt laws to immigration. While one side cries “nanny state” and the other cries “class warfare” both seem less interested in compassion than in domination. People of faith can not look to secular leaders – even Christian ones – for answers about how to respond to God’s call to compassion. Fortunately, we have Christ as our guide.

When Jesus led his disciples to what he hoped would be a place of rest, and instead found a great crowd already waiting, he didn’t complain or look for a different place. Rather, “he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” Compassion drove him even when he sought rest. Does our own compassion take precedence over our immediate fears and desires, or is it a slave to budgets, calendars, and convenience? It is tempting to make excuses when compassion asks for more than we want to give, especially to strangers. Compassion can be inconvenient, and may make demands of us when we are tired, hungry, or poor ourselves.

When the disciples asked Jesus to send that same crowd into town so they could find dinner, his response was: “You give them something to eat.” The disciples’ first reaction was to claim they couldn’t afford food for everyone. How often have we answered the call to compassion with similar excuses? Yet Jesus only asked them to give what was at hand, which turned out to be more than enough. He didn’t ask them to evaluate who was truly deserving, or to run a stewardship campaign to determine what resources were available. He trusted that God would use the gifts of the people to provide what was needed.

We can try to instill fairness, wisdom and compassion into secular society and government, but in the end Jesus is telling each of us: “you feed them” (or clothe them, or heal them, or help them). Will we respond with compassion or an excuse?

Comfort: The gifts you already possess are enough to make an important difference to someone.

Challenge: Of course you can’t be all things to all people at all times, but also try not to let yourself off the hook by dismissing what you have to offer.

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the gifts you have entrusted to me. Please bless me with the strength and will to use them in your service. Amen.

Discussion: In what ways are you stingy with your compassion? What excuses do you make for not using your gifts?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!

The Staircase

/ JJS / 2 Comments

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 5; 147:1-11, Genesis 45:16-28, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Mark 6:13-29

The French have an expression: l’esprit d’escalier. Its translation is “staircase wit.” It describes that moment someone thinks of the perfect retort – but too late, such as when we’re out the door and down the stairs after a confrontation. If such a confrontation catches us unawares, we can easily find ourselves dumbfounded.

Herod, the ruler of Jerusalem, was a target of John the Baptist’s criticism because Herod had married his brother’s wife Herodias. Herod imprisoned John to silence him, but was afraid to have him killed because the people considered him righteous and holy. Shortly after, a drunk Herod had his step-daughter dance for his court. He was so pleased, he promised her anything she wanted. After a quick consultation with her mother, she demanded John’s head on a platter. Herod was stuck.

Afterward, Herod probably had a lot of staircase moments. Perhaps he wavered between wondering how he didn’t see it coming and how he could ever have anticipated it. What could he have done?

Evil, when it emerges, bewilders us. Maybe that’s why it so often seems to have the upper hand. It goes places and does things we could never dream of. Stunned, we look up from the bottom of the stairs and it is still laughing at us.  As followers of Christ, our loving response can seem inadequate and even pitiful. Though what else can we do but love? Friedrich Nietzsche, while not a man of faith, wisely said: “Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster.” Our uncertainty and delay in responding to evil isn’t always a weakness; rather it is evidence we have not yet learned to think like monsters.

The beauty of stairs is that they travel both directions. We are not trapped at the bottom in a state of regret. Meeting evil with more evil is quick and easy. Instead, we need to gather our breath and wits before ascending to confront it again. With God and Christ on our side, we can afford to play the long game. In the end, no matter how slowly, God assures us love wins.

Comfort: Though evil in the world may seem overwhelming, goodness and justice persevere.

Challenge: Resist – or at least seriously evaluate – the urge to combat hate and violence with more hate and violence, even if it feels good or justified. Pay attention even to the language you use: does it approach conflict with an attitude of conquest or of reconciliation?

Prayer: Merciful God, please grant me strength and wisdom to confront evil where I find it. Bless me with the confidence to persevere when discouraged. Thank you for your faithfulness in all times and places. Amen.

Discussion: Jesus tells his disciples to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” How do we learn to anticipate evil without damaging our souls?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!

Faith in the Familiar

/ JJS / 1 Comment

teach me your ways

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 34; 146, Genesis 45:1-15, 1 Corinthians 7:32-40, Mark 6:1-13

Can you imagine any of your childhood friends becoming the Messiah? Neither could the people of Jesus’ hometown. When we have known someone since before they were toilet-trained, or have endured their adolescent moodiness, or have witnessed other personal (all too humanizing!) traits, our ability to see her or him as truly extraordinary can evaporate. Executive washrooms are exclusive for a reason. Familiarity may not always breed contempt, but it doesn’t often promote reverence.

When Jesus tried to teach in Nazareth, people took offense at his attempt. They asked: “Isn’t he just that carpenter? You know, Mary’s kid?” Their unbelief amazed him, and limited his abilities. Like a nightmarish high school reunion, his peers’ preconceptions negated all he had become. We may judge in hindsight, but how would we react if the neighbor kid started telling us we needed to rethink our concept of God?

Though none of our neighbors, children, siblings, parents, or friends are likely to be the second coming of Christ, the reaction of the people of Nazareth serves as a warning. We don’t always want to hear challenging truths from someone we know well. We may brush off legitimate criticism from friends by reminding ourselves (and them) of their own faults. We might ignore good advice from Dad because “he always worries too much.” After watching our children make mistakes we warned them about, we may have trouble learning to see them as capable adults. Companies often bring in consultants to point out obvious truths not because consultants are smarter, but because strangers lack the baggage we use to discredit our peers when we don’t like what they have to say.

What damage do we cause our relationships when, even unknowingly, we dismiss people because they are familiar? Maybe we’re not preventing them from performing miracles, but how much might they accomplish if shown a little faith? One way to try seeing the face of Christ in everyone is to define them by their potential, and not by their shortcomings. Sometimes they may let us down, but how we can rejoice when they lift us up!

Comfort: No matter how other people see you, God sees you as He created you to be.

Challenge: Be discerning, but don’t fall into the trap of cynicism.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for giving me space to grow. Please help me to live into the potential you have created for me. Please help me support and foster the potential of others. May we develop all our talents to serve God and neighbor. Amen.

Discussion: Is there anyone in your life – children, parents, friends, etc. – you are seeing through outdated eyes? How can you change that?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!

Go In Peace

/ JJS / 4 Comments

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 119:73-80; 145, Genesis 44:18-34, 1 Corinthians 7:25-31, Mark 5:21-43

During pre-flight safety instructions, attendants tell us that in an emergency we should put on our own oxygen masks before helping others. As Christians we learn to put others before ourselves. We love to repeat stories like the one about Mother Theresa, who suffered deformed feet because she always picked for herself the worst shoes out of the donations. Some of us are taught to be ashamed of asking for prayers for ourselves. Are self-mutilation and shame really part of the “good news” of the gospel?

A crowd was following Jesus to the house of Jairus, whose daughter was ill. Along the way a woman who had suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years pushed her way forward to touch his cloak.  According to the religious voices of the time, her gender and affliction made her too unclean to touch him. When he asked who in the crowd had touched him, she bravely confessed. Someone less merciful could have demanded her punishment. Instead her faith healed her immediately, and Christ bade her “go in peace.”

Despite the interruption, Jesus was able to travel on and heal Jairus’s daughter. We need to stop treating grace as if: a) there’s a limited supply to be doled out to the most worthy, b) it’s for other people but not ourselves, and c) it’s for ourselves but not other people. If the woman had not acted on her own behalf, she might have spent the rest of her life miserable and shunned; instead she became a powerful witness for Christ.

Without doubt we are called to sacrifice our wealth, time, reputation, and even safety if it means staying true to our faith and loving our neighbor, but putting others before ourselves does not equal pointless humiliation or self-destruction. Christ brings healing, not damage; hope, not shame. If the shoes that fit you poorly could fit someone else well, your show of piety harms two people and helps no one. If you don’t put on your own mask first, you won’t be alive to help anyone else. It’s OK to push forward once in a while; Christ also wants you to “go in peace.”

Comfort: God loves you just as much as he loves everyone else.

Challenge: Learn to be fine with loving yourself as God loves you, and understand how this can be compatible with a life of service.

Prayer: God of grace, thank you for your steadfast love. I know I can serve you best when I accept all the love you have to offer me. Please help me understand how your love for me can help me love and serve my neighbor. Amen.

Discussion: Many people find this Mother Theresa story inspirational. What’s your take on it, especially if it’s different from the one in this post?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!

The Devils You Know

/ JJS / 1 Comment

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 43; 149, Genesis 43:16-34, 1 Corinthians 7:10-24, Mark 5:1-20

Gospel stories sometimes raise more questions than they answer. While in Gerasene country, Jesus encountered a man living among the tombs because he was possessed by two thousand demons calling themselves Legion. Jesus healed him by driving the demons into a herd of pigs … who then jumped over a cliff into the sea. Now that’s a story that raises an question or two. Was the man actually possessed? Why does no map of that area show a sea? Was anyone reimbursed for the loss of two thousand pigs and a livelihood?

Many people read this story as an allegory about Roman occupation. Its use of “legion” – also a division of two thousand Roman soldiers – and other phrases supports this interpretation.* Given that framework the questions may seem less important, but the story works on multiple levels.

However we understand this story, the reaction of the local people is telling. After Jesus exorcised the man (and drove up the local price of bacon), they reported it to the authorities and “began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.” They treated him more as threat than savior. Despite his demonstration of power over the spiritual realm, fear of their occupiers was greater than their desire to be free. In retrospect we may call them foolish, but human nature often compels us to endure the hardship we know rather than risk the strange, however promising.

Freedom – from demons, from authority, from law – is a scary thing. Like Jesus, it can be wild and unpredictable and ask more of us than we realize we are prepared to give. It can bring down the wrath of those who feel threatened by our freedom, both political and religious. Does that sound overwhelming? When Jesus has presented us with difficult choices between the status quo and the unknown, have we ever asked him to leave the neighborhood? Do we prefer flying under the radar even if it means contributing to our own oppression? Those are the real questions.

Once we are truly free, like the Gerasene demoniac, we can’t imagine going back to life among the dead.

Comfort: It’s OK to be a little intimidated by Jesus. He’ll love you through it.

Challenge: When you feel like ditching Jesus for security, pray for strength.

Prayer: God of freedom, thank you for not leaving me to waste away in the tomb of security, but for breathing fresh, exciting life into me through Jesus. Amen.

Discussion: What unwanted forces “occupy” your spiritual life?

*For more about this topic, see this entry in Father Ted’s Blog, which points to some additional references.

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!

Healthy Fear

/ JJS / 2 Comments

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 22; 148, Genesis 43:1-15, 1 Corinthians 7:1-9, Mark 4:35-41

What words describe your feelings about Jesus? Awe? Love? Gratitude? Comfort? How about… fear? The Bible uses the phrase “fear of God” or “fear of the Lord” to describe the proper reverence we owe God, but Jesus is generally portrayed as more immediate, more understanding, more human. His disciples found him sufficiently charismatic to leave behind jobs, homes, and families and follow him far and wide. He persuaded people through love, not fear. But is there a fearful side to Jesus?

One day Jesus and the disciples were on a boat after a long day of preaching to large crowds when a storm rose. Jesus might have slept right through it, but the disciples were afraid and woke him. He “rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still! ‘ Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm.” Afterward the terrified disciples asked each other who this person was, that he commanded nature herself. We might assume such a display would be inspiring, but when someone you think you know turns out to be entirely more powerful than you can understand, it is unsettling. Jesus changed from magnetic preacher to unknown quantity in a heartbeat.

Some disciples must have doubted the safety of continuing to follow this powerful figure. When we study Jesus, do we settle for “Jesus 101” – the introductory course with a benign, almost chummy Jesus? Or do we go for the advanced study: a Jesus who can be intimidating and demanding, but who offers a much richer life? Maybe we can synthesize the two: a Jesus who upends our expectations and draw us into new – sometimes frightening – lives, but loves and supports us through the demands of the new life he offers. When the Jesus who calmed the storm washed his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, he taught us true power bends itself toward service. How can we not be humbled? Remembering Jesus is more than a companion who walks and talks with us “in the garden” helps us realize the deep reality of who Christ is – and who we can become in him.

Comfort: Jesus is with us to ride out life’s storms.

Challenge: When you are in trouble and it seems Jesus may be “in the stern, asleep on the cushion,” trust he is still faithful to you.

Prayer: God of power and majesty, I am your humble servant. Give me the courage to serve as Jesus served. Amen.

Discussion: When has following Jesus been scary?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!