Juxtaposition

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beatitudes, heart of God, justice, Matthew, mercy, obfuscation, reconciled, reconciliation, responsibility, right relationship, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unconditional love

Chapter 5 of Matthew’s gospel is so full of teaching that it provides a lifetime of material for reflection. The Beatitudes alone are enough! In today’s lectionary selection, however, there is a very important section on how we ought to treat those persons closest to us. (Jesus calls them our brothers, but we know he meant our sisters too.) It’s about the fact that we must be in right relationship with our neighbors before we approach God in our worship services. The very familiar text (vs. 20-26) tells us that if there is something separating us from another person we need to leave our gift at the altar to go and be reconciled. It’s that important. The interesting thing about this passage for me, however, is a simple twist in the way the recognition of our duty is expressed by Jesus. He doesn’t say, “If you recall that you have anything against your brother, go first and reconcile…” Instead, Jesus makes the job of reconciliation ours even though it is “if your brother has anything against you…”

It would seem unfair to say it is our responsibility to take the first step in such a case. It’s much easier to blame others for their misunderstanding of us or their unwillingness to come to us when we have nothing (maybe) against them. I think that Jesus is looking for two things from us here: 1. a willingness to look in a mirror to be sure that there is no obfuscation going on from our part and 2. a willingness to practice unconditional love in any situation – whether or not we share responsibility for the breach in relationship. Letting go of justice for mercy is a large-hearted step. Taking it goes a long way in moving toward the heart of God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telling the Truth, Honestly

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Ancient Songs Sung Anew, divine teacher, failure, gained, God, history lesson, lessons, meditation, psalm 78, self-esteem, success, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unconditional love, wandering, wisdom

I was in a conversation last evening about the difficulty of being honest if one is dependent on others for self-esteem. There are other reasons why people lie, of course – perhaps especially in business these days – but even in our everyday lives the challenge is to avoid linking our worth to success or failure in the eyes of others or even ourselves. As I write this, my thoughts come round to the conclusion that our image of God needs to be taken into consideration here. If the God I believe in is the God of unconditional love, I ought to be able to be honest about both my successes and failures before God and, in that assurance, not be so timid about speaking the truth in all situations.

Psalm 78 is one of the longest psalms. It is, according to one commentator, the retelling of the epic journey of Israel, both an interior and an exterior experience of wandering. It is the reflection of someone who wants to see clearly the realities, and who laments the mistakes of the past…He or she does not glorify the past (as most epic stories do), but tells it in stark detail, failure after failure…It is perhaps true that this is wisdom literature precisely because it refuses to do what other literature does: glorify the past and gloss over the failures in which lie the deepest lessons of wisdom. (Ancient Songs Sung Anew, p.199)

The first eight verses of the psalm tell of the purpose of recounting what is to come in the rest of the “history lesson” and it is these verses that appear in the lectionary today. I think it bears repeating.

Listen carefully, my people, pay close attention, all who belong to me. For I am about to speak as teacher, explaining the mysteries of old. I will teach you using parables drawn from ancient times. I will teach you many lessons you must know. And what you learn and come to hear, speak it to your children, so generations yet unborn will know God’s works and ways, how God taught ancient Jacob and Israel knowledge of the law; how it became a pathway, a teaching meant for all. It passed as holy wisdom to the people as yet unborn so as they lived their trust would grow upon the paths of God, and not rebel or learn so slow, as their ancestors before them.

The commentator asks questions for meditation which stood out to me as directive for today. 1. Where have you experienced the divine teacher in the midst of both success and failure? 2. What have you learned specifically from failure and sin, or disobedience to the best that you knew? AND What have you gained from mistakes made in ignorance?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just One

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all may be as one, heart-meld, Jesus, John, mind-meld, one, open our hearts, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unconditional love, union, visionary seeing, Wisdom Schools

We have a chant that we sing sometimes at our Wisdom Schools, especially when we are speaking about “visionary seeing” and although it’s better when sung, you will get the idea by just reading it. It says: You the one, one in all. Say “I am; I am you.” It’s very easy to sing – simple words, simple tune – but far from easy to grasp.

The deepest prayer of Jesus as he was departing this world (JN 17) pleaded with God: “Holy Father, I pray that all may be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, that they also may be in us…I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one…” As I was trying just now in writing those words to find a way to comment on it, I thought of Mr. Spock from Star Trek and the concept of a “mind-meld.” But the oneness Jesus is so earnestly desiring is not a simple mind-meld. Closer to the reality, I think, would be the concept of a “heart-meld.” How is it that we could come to be so united that it would be clear to all those who observe us that we are one with God? I believe the proof would be in the quality of our love, our unconditional love for one another and for all of creation. I slipped in that word unconditional because that is, I think, the key to everything. We often put conditions on our willingness: “I’ll be nice to her if she’s nice to me…” That doesn’t even get us in the door of “unconditional.”

We can only conjecture about the oneness quotient of the love Jesus had for God and the union it brought into being, but it would be a worthy subject for reflection on this Sunday. How might we open our hearts – even one step today – toward oneness? That’s probably all we’re asked – and that is certainly enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sinners All

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blessing. wisdom. humility, divine love, failures, frailty, Jesus, Mark, perfection, PopeFrancis, righteous, sinners, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unconditional love, wholeness

In today’s gospel (MK 2:13-17) when he is asked why he is eating “with sinners and tax collectors,” Jesus answers that “those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.” Just in case they don’t get the point he adds: “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” I always wondered how the people at the table felt when he announced to the Pharisees and the scribes (who were not the dinner guests) that he knew he was eating with sinners. Most of us would be horrified to be put in that category; we would much rather believe that our sins are well-hidden. My perspective has shifted on this point, however, as I’ve gotten older and practiced letting go of what I consider to be my failures. The recognition that perfection might be a goal for the end of life, but only if it means “wholeness” as some have come to define it, is much less anxiety producing. A more sensible way to be is to live in the present, accepting myself as I am and trying to accept others that way too.

Although this way of being is more easily said than done, Pope Francis has been quite helpful in the consideration. When he announced to the world, “I am a sinner,” some could have thought he was just trying to help the rest of us think better of ourselves. I have come to appreciate that what he was really doing was embracing the totality of the human condition and acknowledging that no one is exempt from failure to choose the good – and even to be downright mean on occasion. If this holy man who has electrified the world with his loving, expansive touch can admit his frailty with an honesty that makes me believe he means what he says, why would I not follow his example?

Today I pray a blessing on Pope Francis for his wisdom and humility and for the genuine expressions of love that he pours out in word and deed wherever he goes. And I ask God’s blessing on all of us who are, indeed, sinners – that we might know the embrace of a God who longs to lift us from our sins with the message that divine love is unconditional and that we are, indeed, enfolded in that love.

Life Lessons

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Jesus, Luke, Mary, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unconditional love, universal love

Today Luke’s gospel snippet (8:19-21) sounds as harsh as it is brief, but Scripture scholars interpret it differently. It’s the scene that takes place when Jesus is preaching to a large crowd and someone tells him that his mother and brothers are outside wanting to see him. In reply he says, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

My guess is that if it happened this way, Mary wouldn’t be at all offended by this remark because she understood her place in the mission and life of Jesus and what he was trying to teach about universal and unconditional love. For Mary, ego held no place in their relationship; her “yes” to God early on was lived out each day and she taught Jesus to be that kind of person too.