Hoping Against Hope

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Acts of the Apostles, go deeper within, Jesus, John, love, Ordinary Time, St. Paul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

We are moving swiftly toward “Ordinary Time” – the season after Pentecost when we are left to our own devices, when Jesus leaves the earth for good and tests our trust in the Holy Spirit for faith and inspiration. The lectionary readings today are full of “foreshadowing” and are mixed between miracles with St. Paul in prison (Acts16) and Jesus in his disturbing message to the apostles (JN 16) where he says things like: “It is better for you that I go.” I can hear myself responding to that with “NO! You can’t go! What will we do without you? How will we know how to live in this confusing time?”

As I wrote that last part, I was reminded of the commentary on the news last night on MSNBC about all the unbelievable political issues and the violence in the world. So I ask again of Jesus: “How are we to live without your presence?” and I get the same difficult answer: Go deeper. Love as best you can and trust that I am with you. You need to find me in your best selves, in the evidence around you: the light that returns every morning without fail, the burgeoning of springtime, the kindness of strangers…everything that speaks of the good in the world.

Think of the best person you know and consider why that person is “best.” Make a list of all the good things in your life. Watch internet videos of babies interacting with one another…Do anything that shows the goodness in life. And trust in God, hoping against hope that God is, in fact, truly with us. And never stop doing your best to love one another as Christ loves us.

Settling In

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abide, Jesus, John, settle in, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

In today’s gospel, the single verse, (Jn. 15:4), contains the verb “remain” eight times. John could have substituted something like “as I DO” for at least one or two of those repetitions to smooth out the message of Jesus, but he didn’t. It makes me think that he was trying to push the point. In a commentary from The Little White Book, the author gives us lots of possibilities about the use of the word “remain” – like “abide with” or “dwell.” Then there is a suggestion of “settle in” with the following comment.

“There are some people (probably not too many) with whom I am completely ‘at home.’ I’m glad to see them and be with them. I ‘settle in’ and relax with them. When I settle in with someone, I don’t have to be talking all the time. It’s just plain good to be together. I’m at ease, at home with them. I don’t have to prove anything, show off. We’re together and all is well. If we do talk, we can talk about anything. And sometimes we do.”

Then the author asks two questions that I think are worth a day’s reflection:
1. Do I settle in with the Lord?
2. I wonder if I allow the Lord to settle in with me. Do I?

Reasonable Questions?

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apostles, critical questions, Jesus, resurrection, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, troubled

I think it must have been difficult for the disciples in the period between the resurrection of Jesus and the time when He was no longer present on the earth. In Luke’s gospel this morning we hear Jesus saying, “Why are you troubled? Why do questions arise in your hearts?” (LK 24:35-48)

They were just simple fishermen, not used to the miraculous. Maybe they had seen healings during the time that Jesus was with them, but rising from the dead?? Not so simple. I wonder if I would believe in a resurrected master even if my longing would want it to be true. And Jesus was rather selective about those he appeared to during the post-resurrection time. My question to God sometimes is: Why wouldn’t I be troubled or have questions?

Today might be a good day to try to put myself in the place of the disciples at this time, taking the opportunity to answer their questions: What might it feel like to be in this state that swings from desperate loss to amazing recovery of faith in seeing Jesus again in the flesh—and back again to a time of loss? See how long you can stay there, what it feels like and then what causes you to still believe as you do without seeing him…I think that might be an instructive time for all of us…

Always A Solution

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creativity, Jesus, loaves and fishes, openness, possibility, problem solving, solution, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

The gospels are replete with stories that teach a lesson. Sometimes I just have to smile at what looks like a “throw-away sentence” but is really a clue to the way Jesus functioned and a lesson that he was offering to his followers. Today, for example, we have one of the “feeding of the 5,000” stories—the one that Jesus uses to challenge the creativity of his followers by asking a question. “Where shall we buy bread for all these people?” he asked Philip. We get a clue to his purpose as the gospel then says, “He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.” (I would have hated to be in Philip’s shoes as creativity is not my best gift…and I’m not fond of being tested like that.) Philip couldn’t get his mind around a possible answer to the question so it was a good thing that there were others more creative in the band. Andrew’s answer of 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish from a boy in the crowd was clearly not a solution but it got the miracle going.

Sometimes we don’t have to have the solution to a problem all by ourselves; it’s good to have companions who can add to the solution. I have always been amazed at what can happen if a group comes together with a willingness to help and an openness to possibilities—even if some of the suggestions seem impossible, because sometimes that’s all that’s needed to get the creative juices of the group flowing. Jesus knew that and he trusted the group he had gathered. It’s up to us to do the same, letting go of wanting to be in charge but willing to add what we can to a solution. We may not be able to feed 5,000 people in the end but if the love generated in the group takes over, it can be a beautiful thing to see what God can create in us.

And Then the Blazing Sun…

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apostles, blinded by the light, Jesus, light, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, transfiguration

It was 7:43 EDT this morning when I saw the outline of the sun through the trees on our back hill. I don’t know whether to call it a mountain or not. It seems very high and I don’t know what it would take to scale it—or how to get around it and where I would be if I found myself on the other side. I often think about that but go no further than my thoughts because if I asked someone and got an answer of how to get around it, the mystery would be gone and I would not know what to do without the wonder of it all. This way, the way of not knowing, was swallowed up this morning in a blaze of glory as the full sun moved into focus and became the only light. The brilliance was all I could see and the shining was all that was left. Normally I (and others) would pull a curtain to minimize the light—but I have no curtain hanging there now as I’m in the midst of shifting elements of my bedroom. (And really, why would I ever want to miss anything happening outside?) I could have moved my chair but that would call for more shifting and still the light might obscure everything.

So I just sat until the sun had moved past the perimeter of the window (knowing, of course, that it is I who was moving as the earth moves around the sun). It was a metaphor, to be sure, and I have often been “blinded” by the sun. Today, however, I sat and consciously experienced what was happening as I sat surrounded by darkness. The shimmering brilliance was all that I could see and it was difficult to stay in it—in the way we are told not to look directly at the sun without special glasses during an eclipse. I thought about all the places in Scripture that speak of apparitions: the Transfiguration of Christ on the mountain, for example, where Peter, James and John were blinded by the light and when they looked up, they saw “only Jesus.” Can I say I am changed by this experience of light? Will I remember how nothing else was visible but darkness in the presence of that light? Who can say what awaits…maybe if I ask about or try to scale the mountain. What might I learn to see then?

A Nice Quiet Dinner…

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compassion, Jesus, Judas, Lazarus, Martha, Mary, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Knowing what we do about this week in the story of Jesus, I was happy to see the gospel for today that began this way:

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him…(Jn 12:1-11)

I’m always glad to be reminded of the fact that Jesus had a family that extended to some of his closest friends and that—as in “normal” days in our lives—Jesus had celebratory meals with those people and got a chance once in awhile to “put his feet up” and relax. This scenario was enhanced with Mary’s desire to make Jesus more comfortable by anointing his feet with an expensive oil, adding a lovely fragrance to the house and a restful ambiance to the gathering. It was, I think, a telling “moment” about relationship for Jesus. Unfortunately, the feeling was shattered by the shift caused by Judas, complaining about the cost of the oil. Thus did the lovely moment pass and we are thrown back into the scene that is unfolding as a precursor to what is to come.

I choose today, however, to pause and consider this scene. It’s mostly conjecture, as we don’t have much to go on except Mary’s willingness to give such a generous gift to the Master. But who were the other people, named or not, whom we believe to have been in attendance at this meal. We know, at least, Jesus, Judas, Mary, Martha, Lazarus. Clearly we are familiar with all those people to whom we have already assigned roles: Judas holds the role of money-changer and is what we might call “a skinflint.” (There is clear evidence from the text that he is seen as “a thief.”) Martha is, as usual, in charge of the kitchen and Mary takes care of Jesus, making him as comfortable as possible. There are perhaps other friends as well, since it seems as if they are always together. And then there’s Jesus who speaks on Mary’s behalf with a striking statement after Judas complains about the money spent on the oil. Jesus says, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you but you do not always have me.” (Undoubtedly a foreshadowing of what is to come.)

I suggest creating the scene: the people, their placement in the room, their movements (mostly those of Martha, the always-busy one), the interactions of Mary and Jesus…Whose feelings can you imagine? The frustration of Judas and, perhaps, of Jesus…the compassion and tenderness of Mary…the surprise of everyone at the words of Jesus….

See what happens if you begin with some silence and then recreate the scene. Do you learn anything new about anyone? Can you put yourself in the scene? How does that change things—for you or the others gathered there? There are only days before the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. Can you feel the tension building?

It’s All About Love

Tags

accepting, Jesus, love, Mark, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Jesus is very clear this morning about the most important of the virtues. It is, of course, love. So much over the centuries has been written—in poems, stories and human interest pieces in newspapers—that we couldn’t miss the importance of love, even if we tried. The answer that Jesus gave when the scribe asked him about the greatest commandment (MK 12:28-34) always presents to me an image of an adult with a child. The adult says things like: “I love you to the moon and back!”—while hugging the child—or hugs the child so tight that the child protests saying, “Stop! I can’t breathe!” There’s also the truth that love springs from inside us, often unbidden, when we least expect it. Love is difficult to explain and more likely to be left with the words, “It’s complicated!” And so it is.

I sometimes ask myself if I truly do love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, especially when I remember that the measure of that love is reflected in how we treat our neighbor as well. What might that mean? Perhaps it’s a question of acceptance. Do I allow every person a place in my heart or is that door closed to some for one reason or another? What are my criteria for letting someone into my life? How willing do I have to be? Do they always have to be pleasing to me or can I also accept faults and failings (maybe like my own…?) We might talk the talk but when push comes to shove how do we walk the walk in the manner of God’s love for us?

So many questions…with answers deeper than words.

The Chair of Peter

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beloved community, Chair of Peter, Jesus, St. Peter, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today’s feast could seem strange to people who are literalists. Why, when religious feasts are commonly associated with saints, would there be one (today – February 22nd), celebrating a piece of furniture: the “chair of Peter?” It really isn’t a difficult puzzle to solve but it does have an interesting story (too long for this post) that is an example of a “synecdoche (sin-NEK-da-kee), a figure of speech in which a term for a part of something refers to the whole of something or vice versa,”—e.g. the chair of Peter for the role of Peter in Christianity. (Language teachers love that one…)

I thought of that not only because St. Peter was so central to the growth of the Church. I was also aware of Peter’s relationship with Jesus. He certainly wasn’t perfect; the gospels are full of his missteps but that is another gift to the Church, I think. Jesus needed someone to lean on occasionally—or maybe more often…He needed a friend, someone to go with him up into the hills to pray with him when things got too much to handle…when people turned against Jesus or when they didn’t understand him. He needed support when people were wondering who he was and Peter was the only one who recognized the mission of Jesus early on.

Peter’s mission was that of companion to Jesus as well as representative of the “beloved community” that was building because of the presence of Christ in the world. We all need that. I think today that I will spend time reflecting on those generous people who have offered me friendship during my life and giving thanks to God for the gifts that I have received because of them. Won’t you join me in that endeavor?

Always Another Chance

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frustration, Jesus, Lent, Mark, one more chance, pandemic, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

It seems – in light of recent events – that there is no normal in our world and yet we continue to survive. We are in the midst of the most horrific pandemic our age that is taking lives wantonly…and yet now, less than a year into it, we have not one but at least three different vaccines that seem able to stem the tide of the disease. We have had four years of a government that had no preparation for governing, whose members floundered and then got replaced with others equally unqualified…and yet now we have a president prepared by almost four decades in national politics to repair what has been undone because he understands how to govern and is, in addition, a humane, upright individual who knows suffering and love and is willing to do his best for us all. It is as if we have been given “one more chance” and, when we fail to recognize it or to step up to the challenge, God says, “All right, I’ll give you another chance at paying attention…just one more time…”

When will we learn? The frustration of Jesus is seen this morning in Mark’s gospel (Ch. 8) when he says: “Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember?…”

Lent begins tomorrow. Today is Mardi Gras…Will there be wild dancing, eating and drinking – regardless of the rules about masks and social distancing? Will we pay attention and perhaps take the forty days to come asking ourselves the questions that Jesus asked today? Do you not understand or comprehend?…Will this time be different?

Invitation

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apostles, excuses, fishers of men, following, fulfillment, Jesus, the kingdom of God is at hand, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

The temperature outside could be construed as NOTHING. It reads 0 degrees F. Not too hot. Not too cold…just a perfect place to start building a day. (How ridiculous a mis-reading! One could easily get frostbite if not bundled up from head to toe.) The bluejays on the deck are already hard at work tap, tap, tapping away at the suet cakes. How they survive the day without broken beaks and roaring headaches is a mystery to me! Let me start again…

This time I could use the temperature outside as an excuse for inaction. It looks like a beautiful day outside. The sky is blue and the sun is shining…but it’s so cold as to make it impossible to move from my chair: a day to lament arthritic limbs and a headache at least serious enough for some over-the-counter drug…Excuses abound…

There is, however, a tiny beating sound inside of me that indicates discomfort with inertia. I can hardly hear the sound but I know there is more to this life than this chair and my rocking…rocking. I wonder if perhaps this is a moment like it was the day Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment: The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe…” It is Mark who is recounting this day when Jesus passed by the Sea of Galilee and seeing Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea, he said to them, Come after me and I will make you fishers of men. (MK 1) They left their nets that day and became the first apostles, following Jesus to the end. No more sitting around looking out the window, wishing it was warmer outside. No more watching the birds and wondering about their headaches, just getting out of their chairs and getting to work—following that voice that is the best invitation ever offered.