And So It Begins

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conversion of hearts, good deeds, Hebrew Scriptures, Jesus, Joel, love, Matthew, repentance, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

The prophet Joel wrote a very brief but compelling addition to the Hebrew Scriptures. We hear him today very much in a hurry to move people to repentance. After his affirmation of God’s willingness to forgive what seems a serious period of disregard for good behavior (“Even now“, says the Lord, “return to me with your whole heart…”) Joel blasts forth imperatives to call all the people to attention. “Blow the trumpet. Proclaim a fast. Call an assembly. Gather the people. Notify the congregation. Assemble the elders. Gather the children. Let the bridegroom quit his chamber…” Clearly, Joel sees this moment as paramount for salvation.

In Matthew’s gospel this morning we find advice of a quieter kind. Jesus says, “Do not blow a trumpet before you…” and “Don’t let your left hand know what your right is doing” as you go about doing good. The time is past for us to be showy about our good works but the day is just beginning for the necessity of greatness of heart. Look for nothing in return for your good deeds. Just turn to Jesus as a model and practice what he preached. Make this Lent about conversion of heart in small ways which will result in a transformation that may be imperceptible each day but will lead to a grand celebration of the Easter mysteries when we will know Christ in a deeper beating of our hearts. Love is always its own reward.

Even Now…

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A Sleep of Prisoners, Christopher Fry, divine heart, fasting, holy season, Joel, Lent, love, renewal, repentance, soul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Valentine's Day

As the curtain opens on another season of Lent and we gear up for repentance and renewal, the prophet Joel is way out ahead of us announcing God’s invitation. “Even now,” God says…”Even now,” the poet Christopher Fry writes in the play, A Sleep of Prisoners, “when wrong comes up to face us till we take the longest stride of soul we ever took…”

I am so captivated by those two words that seem to offer so much hope in a dark time. Even now…I begin reflecting on the world situation to find what needs to be redeemed by the poet’s words but I’m quickly thrown back to the personal as Joel continues. “Rend your hearts,” he says, “not your garments.” It’s a necessary course correction that has been needing attention for some time. Winter can be such a lazy season if we are not careful. We can slip into a listless, sluggish round of tasks that lulls us into the mediocre land of February, the “after-the-holidays” let-down that is not our best moment.

Then Joel comes along calling for a fast. “Blow the trumpet in Zion!” he commands. In other words: “Wake up! Get busy! There’s a lot to do before the flowers bloom.” It’s up to us to hear the word of God and act on it. Oh, and coincidentally, today is Valentine’s Day – just another reminder of the kind of God we have who longs for our love even as a greater love is pouring from the divine heart into our own!

So let us be about this holy season – starting now…yes, even now.

 

 

 

 

 

Even Now…Come!

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God's presence, heart, Joel, open arms, Psalm 95, return, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Between the prophet Joel and Psalm 95 this morning, I find it impossible to resist the invitation I hear from the God who never gives up on us. Come, sings the psalmist, calling us to be in God’s presence. Come and bow in worship before the one who made us and guides us as a shepherd. And as if that were not enough, verse 8 pleads with us: Oh, that today you would hear God’s voice! Harden not your hearts…! It’s as if God is saying, “Yes, of course I know everything: the good, the bad and the ugly! Your past is totally open to me, but I can’t resist you, can’t let you go! Even in your darkest moments, I have loved you and you belong to me.  So in this present moment, come!”

It’s Joel that seals the deal with those two enticing words. When we feel at our lowest, least lovable, Joel speaks God’s message: Even now, return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful.

This season of Lent is one that has traditionally called Christians to repentance for past failings and to a “firm purpose of amendment” – actually something we ought to commit to every day of the year. This determination is not, however, something that should depress us because of our lack of perfection but rather encourage us because God’s expectations are probably more reasonable than our own. Waking up each morning to a God whose first word to us is “Come!” ought to be enough to move us toward the day with a heart full of gratitude and hope, of longing and confidence toward the God who turns toward us with open arms.

 

 

 

 

 

Today Is the Day

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Ash Wednesday, bigheartedness, clean heart, determination, hear his voice, heart, honest intention, Joel, Matthew, motivation, psalm 51, Psalm 95, spirit, St. Paul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, truth, whole heart

There’s an urgency running through the Scripture readings this morning that calls us to recognize this moment. It’s as if we are crouched at the starting line of a race, having registered late, maybe, but waiting for the gun to signal: “GO!” The prophet Joel starts it off with his initial words: Even now, declares the Lord. St. Paul picks up the theme telling us that now is the acceptable time and Psalm 95:8 (the gospel acclamation) chimes in with the familiar line: If today you hear God’s voice…These are the prompts that get us from “READY” to “SET” but what will start us running?

It’s all about the heart, you see. This season of Lent could be called “Forty Days of Big-heartedness.” Joel says it doesn’t matter how bad you’ve been because even now, declares the Lord, return to me with your whole heart! Rend your hearts, not your garments. (JL 2:12-13). Harden not your hearts, Psalm 95 adds. So how are we to accomplish this softening inside in order to draw closer to God?

First, we have to take stock of our lives – not necessarily an exhaustive search for what needs correction, but just an honest look in the mirror that will start us on the humble road to conversion. Then we have to ask for God’s help, as with anything we do. Psalm 51 gives us a way to start. A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Lastly, we might turn to today’s gospel for a detailed way to pray that makes concrete that humble turning that we wish to achieve. Just a few words of Jesus from the text (MT 6:1-6, 16-18) will give us the idea.

Jesus said to his disciples: Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them…When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you…do not let your left hand know what your right is doing…When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret…When you fast…anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting…

It’s easy to get the point about honest intention, motivation and determination, i.e. working from the inside. May your Lenten journey begin today with attention to the beating of your heart for the good of all you encounter. And may the love you share during this season make you stronger in the knowledge that, in truth, it really is all about the heart.

Even Now…

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Ezekiel, God waits, gracious, Joel, John, Lazarus, merciful, regrets, Roman Catholic, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, time

Once again this Sunday there are two sets of readings in our lectionary in recognition of those people preparing to join in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. And once again, from all possible choices, it is a small phrase from the verse before the gospel that sets my mind on a path of reflection. As God’s messenger, the prophet Joel cries out: Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful. No matter if you are the woman caught in adultery (JN 8:1-11) or if you are already dead (EZ 37:12-14) or Lazarus (JN 11:1-45)…Even now it’s not too late for God to act.

Several times lately I have had conversations about how quickly time seems to be passing and often those conversations include a quiver of disbelief about how old we are at present. Sometimes those musings are tinged with regret about what we have left undone or how slow and undisciplined we are in achieving daily or long-term goals. How reassuring, then and always, it is to hear God’s voice saying (more gently than the prophet’s cry) Even now, return…even now, I wait for you…even now I love you completely…even now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

70 X 7

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forgive, forgiven, forgiveness, gracious, innumerable, Jesus, Joel, merciful

There are two strong statements in today’s Scripture passages, one from the Book of the Prophet Joel that appears as the gospel acclamation and one from Jesus in the gospel. As is often the case, I am taken by a few words or a phrase, today being the introductory phrase of each citation that gives strength to the message.

The gospel is really about the wicked servant that is forgiven and yet does not forgive his colleague a debt. This parable is occasioned by the question to Jesus that says: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how many times must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answers: “I say to you, not seven but seventy-seven times.” There’s no question that forgiveness is necessary since the questioner doesn’t ask, “do I have to?” but “how many times must I forgive?” Jesus responds beginning with the frequently used, “I say to you” which often appears in the Scriptures as counter or more emphatic to a former statement of law, or to assure that listeners are really getting the point. And we know that “seventy times seven” means “innumerable” in Scriptural terms.

Reading backward from the gospel to its introductory verse, we hear Joel remind us: “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful.” That message floods me with relief from the first two words, telling me that past behavior can always be forgiven if I am willing to turn my life around now. Even at this late date, God is still hoping for my return, no matter what came before. That is certainly enough to convince me that forgiveness of anyone in my life for anything they have done is the right thing for me to do. If God is willing, so must I be – 70 X 7.

Our Lenten Journey

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40 days, Ash Wednesday, Christ's journey, consciousness, Corinthians, devotion, disciplines, God's voice, grace, harden not your hearts, humility, Joel, Lent, practices, psalm 51, St. Paul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

For many Christians around the world, today is like another New Year’s Day. We are full of enthusiasm for making resolutions at the beginning of Lent, this season of pilgrimage dedicated to reflection on Christ’s journey toward Jerusalem that culminates in his passion, death and resurrection. Readings for this Ash Wednesday are full of instruction on how to act during these 40 days. The prophet Joel starts us off with a clarion call from God saying: Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart…Rend your heart, not your garments and return to the Lord, your God. Psalm 51 chimes in with this: A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me…a willing spirit sustain in me. St. Paul is his usual ardent self as he urges the Corinthians: Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says, “In an acceptable time I have heard you and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time…” The verse before the gospel is as familiar as it is instructive: If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.

Finally, all of these hints of how to act culminate in a message of Jesus that is full of true devotion, humility and mature practice for our actions and our prayer. Take care, Jesus says, not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them. (This is a good place to stop and think as it holds a great temptation sometimes. We all want to be well thought of, after all.) But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret…When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites…But…anoint your head and wash your face so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden…(No drama, just sincerity.)

You can see by all the ellipses that I have chosen just the snippets that serve my purpose which is to look at a deeper way to consider not just the practices that we choose as Lenten disciplines but rather at the underlying purpose of them. It is all about the heart, you see. All about our movement toward the heart of our striving, which is entrance into the heart of God. So if it is chocolate that you give up for these 40 days, do it to remind yourself each time you reach out for a piece that God is the sweetness that you truly desire. If you take a daily trek to Church, make that your inner room where you and God can be alone, in communion. Above all that we can take along on this pilgrimage, let one of our companions be a consciousness of how Jesus walked his journey in his full humanity, carrying out his mission of love and surrender to the God in whose heart he lived every moment of every day. And let us do the same, together.