I waited as long as possible (to allow for mathematical error)… but it appears that we have all survived the end of the world. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about:
A radical right-wing Christian group predicted that last weekend would be the Second Coming and the end of the world. Billboards all over Chicago (and perhaps other places) read '5/21/11- Christ Returns' and 'The End is 5/21/11.' The group claimed to have based their prediction on 'mathematical equations' (three holy numbers multiplied together and added to the date of the crucifixion). Earthquakes were supposed to begin at 6pm in New Zealand and then slowly destroy the world…. I think we are safe.
I personally believe that when Matthew 25:13 says that we will "know neither the day nor the hour"… it means that we will know neither the day nor the hour.
Many groups predict the end of the world. I equate this with telling people that they have cancer so that they repent and get their spiritual life in order… and then revealing that they don't really have cancer once they have gotten on the right path.
Perhaps more important than knowing when the world will end is knowing that each of us has an end.
But God doesn't want faith motivated by terror…. our God is a God of Love. The occasional reminder that each of us has an end can be helpful, lest we become complacent and lose sight of our end goal… but this is nothing to be terrified about.
Regardless of the individual plan that God has called us to…. and regardless of whatever time he plans to call each of us home… we have been given a daily call to grow in holiness (and I personally believe that we have also been called to be insanely joyful!).
If each of us can remember our call to holiness and do something (however small it may seem) to achieve it each day, we have nothing to worry about in terms of the end…. whether it is our personal end or the end of the whole world.
Also, Jesus was a pretty cool dude…. no reason to think he still wont be cool when we meet him again!
Peace turtles! I wish you all insane joy!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Is 49:14-15
The first reading in the Lectionary for this Sunday is so short that I am afraid that people will miss it. The passage comes from Isaiah 49:14-15. It reads:
"Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;
my LORD has forgotten me.”
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you."
This passage was written toward the end of the Babylonian exile as the Persians were preparing to conquer the Babylonians. Isaiah writes these words to encourage the exiled Israelites to return home.
Further, Isaiah isn't writing these words to a community of strangers. He is writing these words to his brothers and sisters in Israelite family. Do we speak such beautiful and encouraging words to our brothers and sisters?
The exile had been short, less than 100 years, but, none the less, it was very traumatic for the Hebrew community. The Prophet Jeremiah even suggested that the Israelites in Babylon should set up shop and prepare to stay forever (he believed Babylon was doing God's work by punishing the Jews for their unfaithfulness).
But Isaiah reminds them of God's tender and compassionate love for God's people. The verse before this passage reads, "For the Lord comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted." God is a mother who has come to heal Her children's pain.
Now, we must understand that that every image of God is as flawed as it is insightful. I've worked with troubled adolescents long enough to realize that mothers do forget their children… families are not perfect. While the image of God presented here by Isaiah will comfort many… it will challenge others. I take comfort knowing that God is much bigger than the images we have for God.
However, I like this passage because it's easy to develop an authoritarian… an out of touch… an emotionless image of God. This passage challenges me to think about God in a different way… as a loving and kind mother. Let's take time this week to reflect and really take to heart this image of God. Is this an image of God that we take to prayer with us? Is this an image of God that our Christian community proclaims in our lives and ministries?
Go out and love… nurture… and remember that God loves you tenderly and completely. Peace turtles!
"Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;
my LORD has forgotten me.”
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you."
This passage was written toward the end of the Babylonian exile as the Persians were preparing to conquer the Babylonians. Isaiah writes these words to encourage the exiled Israelites to return home.
Further, Isaiah isn't writing these words to a community of strangers. He is writing these words to his brothers and sisters in Israelite family. Do we speak such beautiful and encouraging words to our brothers and sisters?
The exile had been short, less than 100 years, but, none the less, it was very traumatic for the Hebrew community. The Prophet Jeremiah even suggested that the Israelites in Babylon should set up shop and prepare to stay forever (he believed Babylon was doing God's work by punishing the Jews for their unfaithfulness).
But Isaiah reminds them of God's tender and compassionate love for God's people. The verse before this passage reads, "For the Lord comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted." God is a mother who has come to heal Her children's pain.
Now, we must understand that that every image of God is as flawed as it is insightful. I've worked with troubled adolescents long enough to realize that mothers do forget their children… families are not perfect. While the image of God presented here by Isaiah will comfort many… it will challenge others. I take comfort knowing that God is much bigger than the images we have for God.
However, I like this passage because it's easy to develop an authoritarian… an out of touch… an emotionless image of God. This passage challenges me to think about God in a different way… as a loving and kind mother. Let's take time this week to reflect and really take to heart this image of God. Is this an image of God that we take to prayer with us? Is this an image of God that our Christian community proclaims in our lives and ministries?
Go out and love… nurture… and remember that God loves you tenderly and completely. Peace turtles!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
If not a roller coaster...
I have been trying to come up with different images to describe my prayer life. In a previous draft of this post I wrote something like, “it’s a roller coaster,” but the aspiring writer in me said, “Wait... that is the most overused image in contemporary reflective writing!” I wanted something different.
Enter Online Thesaurus... result- No luck.
Enter Google. Search term- “descriptive word alternatives for roller coaster ride.” Result- No luck.... just hundreds of thousands of roller coaster themed websites that burned the roller coaster image deeper into my descriptive lexicon.
I hate to admit it, but the image just works. I strap into a spiritual practice and as I start climbing I think to myself, “This isn’t so bad.” But then it levels off and I go plummetting down to the ground! Often this plummetting is exhilarating, but then I wonder, “Is this ride ever going to end?!” And I hear God say something like, “Hey Buddy! You don’t sustain the universe!” And then I jolt back upright and start the climb again... but this time I am covered in my own vomit and missing a shoe. And as horrible as that sounds... I do it over and over and over again!
Many things have reminded me these past couple weeks that it is indeed not I who sustains the Universe. And, although I often think I could, we are all much better off that I don’t! Pray that is never comes to that! Peace turtles!
Enter Online Thesaurus... result- No luck.
Enter Google. Search term- “descriptive word alternatives for roller coaster ride.” Result- No luck.... just hundreds of thousands of roller coaster themed websites that burned the roller coaster image deeper into my descriptive lexicon.
I hate to admit it, but the image just works. I strap into a spiritual practice and as I start climbing I think to myself, “This isn’t so bad.” But then it levels off and I go plummetting down to the ground! Often this plummetting is exhilarating, but then I wonder, “Is this ride ever going to end?!” And I hear God say something like, “Hey Buddy! You don’t sustain the universe!” And then I jolt back upright and start the climb again... but this time I am covered in my own vomit and missing a shoe. And as horrible as that sounds... I do it over and over and over again!
Many things have reminded me these past couple weeks that it is indeed not I who sustains the Universe. And, although I often think I could, we are all much better off that I don’t! Pray that is never comes to that! Peace turtles!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Hope vs. Cynicism
I have commented many times since leaving my experience as a detention minister that the people who stayed in juvenile detention ministry for long periods of time followed two paths... they either became PROFOUNDLY HUMBLE/HOPEFUL or TERRIFYINGLY CYNICAL. These seemed to be the only two ways to cope with the stress of the job.
I have recently become convinced that this journey between cynicism and humility/hope (sainthood) is a dominant feature of life in this world. In order to cope with life in the world, we must either whole-heartedly affirm or completely deny the existence of Goodness.
A friend of mine was dealing with some difficult things a few weeks ago. I went to him to provide counsel and quickly recognized a sickening amount of cynicism developing in him. I spent about an hour sharing my belief in the goodness of people... in resurrection... in love... in the inevitable possibility of peace in our world. I hoped that my convictions would comfort him. They did.
A number of very stressful and shocking things have happened in my peer group here in Chicago this past week. I spent a lot of time this week feeling hurt and betrayed...
Last night, I went back to the same friend that I had spoken to a few weeks ago. This time it was I who was cynical. But, like a good friend, he repeated back to me the same sentiments that I had not allowed him to forget... that people are good... resurrection is all around us... love is real... peace will prevail.
I am lucky enough to have relationships with people who will hold me accountable for humility/hope at those times when cynicism seems like the easiest way to cope. I am learning that developing these relationships is absolutely necessary if we are truly committed to becoming saints... especially for us turtles who consistently fall down and struggle to get back up.
Please pray for me. I pray for you daily! Peace turtles!
I have recently become convinced that this journey between cynicism and humility/hope (sainthood) is a dominant feature of life in this world. In order to cope with life in the world, we must either whole-heartedly affirm or completely deny the existence of Goodness.
A friend of mine was dealing with some difficult things a few weeks ago. I went to him to provide counsel and quickly recognized a sickening amount of cynicism developing in him. I spent about an hour sharing my belief in the goodness of people... in resurrection... in love... in the inevitable possibility of peace in our world. I hoped that my convictions would comfort him. They did.
A number of very stressful and shocking things have happened in my peer group here in Chicago this past week. I spent a lot of time this week feeling hurt and betrayed...
Last night, I went back to the same friend that I had spoken to a few weeks ago. This time it was I who was cynical. But, like a good friend, he repeated back to me the same sentiments that I had not allowed him to forget... that people are good... resurrection is all around us... love is real... peace will prevail.
I am lucky enough to have relationships with people who will hold me accountable for humility/hope at those times when cynicism seems like the easiest way to cope. I am learning that developing these relationships is absolutely necessary if we are truly committed to becoming saints... especially for us turtles who consistently fall down and struggle to get back up.
Please pray for me. I pray for you daily! Peace turtles!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Tucson
The shooting in Tucson has been weighing heavily on my mind, and hopefully yours, for quite some time now. But what I have found more disturbing is the media coverage and blog commentaries that have surrounded the story. What was the motivation for the shooter? Is anyone to blame for inciting him? Could it have been prevented? All of these questions have been speculated upon ad nauseum.
But in my opinion, the most horrifying discourses have been those that attempt to justify the use of violent rhetoric used by politicians and media personalities in the last few years. Did Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh cause the shooting in Tuscon? OF COURSE NOT. But does the fact that they were not the cause, in any way, justify their use of violent and hateful speech aimed at "motivating" the public? OF COURSE NOT. Their comments, and the comments of so many others on both sides of the aisle, are disgusting... and it is a shame that it's taken a tragedy of this magnitude for most of us to stand up and say so.
The closest parallel that I can make to this phenomenon is the shooting at Columbine High School. In the aftermath of the tragedy many people wondered: Were violent movies and video games to blame for this? Were the young people brainwashed by violent lyrics in their music? Looking back, we now know that the Columbine shootings were not caused by a violent pop culture. But many parents still, prudently, limited their children's' exposure to violent media images regardless. Nobody ever stood up and said, "It's okay, keep exposing your kids to violence! The shootings at Columbine were simply acts of senseless violence!" Again, it took a tragedy for people to realize-- and become horrified by-- the amount of violence surrounding them.
Should politicians and media personalities be held accountable for the hateful and inflammatory remarks they make? ABSOLUTELY. Does it matter if this current tragedy is the motivation for the public finally standing up and saying, "ENOUGH." I don't think it matters at all. I doubt that the victims of the shooting would mind either, especially if we used their suffering to go out transform the world into a more peaceful place. In fact, is there anything more fitting that we could do to honor their sacrifices?
There is only one thing that this tragedy has taught us for sure... we are surrounded by too much violence. Some of it is senseless, as perhaps this shooting was, but most of it is under our direct control. The young man responsible for the shooting may have been mentally unstable and out of control... but most other's don't have that same excuse. Some violence can be controlled, and when it is not, I have no problem holding people responsible. Peace turtles!
But in my opinion, the most horrifying discourses have been those that attempt to justify the use of violent rhetoric used by politicians and media personalities in the last few years. Did Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh cause the shooting in Tuscon? OF COURSE NOT. But does the fact that they were not the cause, in any way, justify their use of violent and hateful speech aimed at "motivating" the public? OF COURSE NOT. Their comments, and the comments of so many others on both sides of the aisle, are disgusting... and it is a shame that it's taken a tragedy of this magnitude for most of us to stand up and say so.
The closest parallel that I can make to this phenomenon is the shooting at Columbine High School. In the aftermath of the tragedy many people wondered: Were violent movies and video games to blame for this? Were the young people brainwashed by violent lyrics in their music? Looking back, we now know that the Columbine shootings were not caused by a violent pop culture. But many parents still, prudently, limited their children's' exposure to violent media images regardless. Nobody ever stood up and said, "It's okay, keep exposing your kids to violence! The shootings at Columbine were simply acts of senseless violence!" Again, it took a tragedy for people to realize-- and become horrified by-- the amount of violence surrounding them.
Should politicians and media personalities be held accountable for the hateful and inflammatory remarks they make? ABSOLUTELY. Does it matter if this current tragedy is the motivation for the public finally standing up and saying, "ENOUGH." I don't think it matters at all. I doubt that the victims of the shooting would mind either, especially if we used their suffering to go out transform the world into a more peaceful place. In fact, is there anything more fitting that we could do to honor their sacrifices?
There is only one thing that this tragedy has taught us for sure... we are surrounded by too much violence. Some of it is senseless, as perhaps this shooting was, but most of it is under our direct control. The young man responsible for the shooting may have been mentally unstable and out of control... but most other's don't have that same excuse. Some violence can be controlled, and when it is not, I have no problem holding people responsible. Peace turtles!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Do you know who you are?
A friend and I were talking about salvation the other day. It's so hard to wrap our minds around the possibility of being in eternal ecstacy. The alternative- eventually blinking into nothingness- is often such an easier thing to believe. But deep down inside I know that salvation exists... that Salvation is here. The Psalmist writes, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever (Psalms 23:6).” I'll let you in on a little secret... I believe him(her).
If any of us truly knew our own depth and worth... had our eyes opened to the incredible dignity and power that our God has created us with, we could never doubt that we are destined to be with God forever. But too many distractions prevent us from truly knowing ourselves. We ask "How could God love me?" without being able to answer the question "Who am I, really?"
It is amazing the depth that people will go to deny their own uniqueness and value. I once heard someone use the Bible to do this. She quoted Genesis 3:19 ("...you have come from dust and to dust you shall return") to prove that her life had no meaning. What a tragic place to stop reading the scripture!!! God doesn't make a covenant with Israel because God thinks that they are dust... God does so to save the world. God doesn't send Jesus to die for us because we are dust... God does so in order that we may live up to our full potential and spend eternity with God.
If you knew, even for a second, how incredible you are... and how incredibly much God loves you and those around you, it would be impossible to be a cynic.
I've had so many experiences in my travels as a minister that have resonated in my soul... experiences of incredible faith, healing miracles, and true worship. These experiences are not specific to places or persons, they permeate our world. Each of these experiences has shaken my soul and brought me more fully alive. Perhaps the foolishness of the Christian is that I refuse to accept when cynics tell me that these experiences are the product of psychology and fear... but I know that the world is charged with the Glory of God.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself... stop mourning your made-up worthlessness... go out there and become more fully alive.
If any of us truly knew our own depth and worth... had our eyes opened to the incredible dignity and power that our God has created us with, we could never doubt that we are destined to be with God forever. But too many distractions prevent us from truly knowing ourselves. We ask "How could God love me?" without being able to answer the question "Who am I, really?"
It is amazing the depth that people will go to deny their own uniqueness and value. I once heard someone use the Bible to do this. She quoted Genesis 3:19 ("...you have come from dust and to dust you shall return") to prove that her life had no meaning. What a tragic place to stop reading the scripture!!! God doesn't make a covenant with Israel because God thinks that they are dust... God does so to save the world. God doesn't send Jesus to die for us because we are dust... God does so in order that we may live up to our full potential and spend eternity with God.
If you knew, even for a second, how incredible you are... and how incredibly much God loves you and those around you, it would be impossible to be a cynic.
I've had so many experiences in my travels as a minister that have resonated in my soul... experiences of incredible faith, healing miracles, and true worship. These experiences are not specific to places or persons, they permeate our world. Each of these experiences has shaken my soul and brought me more fully alive. Perhaps the foolishness of the Christian is that I refuse to accept when cynics tell me that these experiences are the product of psychology and fear... but I know that the world is charged with the Glory of God.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself... stop mourning your made-up worthlessness... go out there and become more fully alive.
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