Today's Scriptures
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (NRSV)
Psalm 62: 1: "For God alone my soul in silence waits; truly, my hope is in him" BCP p. 669
Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
In a nutshell, what the Benedictine Vow of Stability is about, is that we take off the masks that prevent us from being exactly who we are before God and the world. God wants everything that is good and not so good about us to grounded in God. Even if one is not trying to become a Monk, the call of God on our lives to walk humbly with God as we are and to do justice is the call of all Christians.
The readings for this Sunday call us to repent, follow, welcome and reconcile. This is what Jesus invites us to to help us heal those broken relationships.
Repentance means more than admitting we are wrong. It means changing directions. To repent means to seek another alternative. If we find ourselves yelling at someone who does not appear to be listening, it is not enough to say we are sorry while we keep yelling. At some point we need to stop and think that perhaps our yelling is what is keeping us from making progress. Instead of yelling, try a quiet dialogue with some coffee and danish between you. We all need to try to listen to one another better. We all need to prefer non-violence and clean conversation as opposed to constant verbal attacks and name calling. Imagine what Presidential debates would look like if candidates stopped bashing the people of different races and income levels who need food stamps, and talk about how to change the system that keeps racism and poverty happening in our nation. Imagine a Church and society that not only apologized to women, LGBT people and immigrants for despicable rhetoric and constant rejection, but found ways to receive them and provide opportunities to be treated as equal human beings. Does it sound like I am wishing for too much? In a Church (and by this I mean the whole Church, not just one particular body or denomination) that insists on using the Bible and their teachings to keep diversity out and uphold wealth and power, yes that is wishing too much. But, hope for repentance so that one day the Church will look better than it does even now, that is something that can be accomplished. To get there we must repent of our prejudices and stop making peace with oppression.
Who or what are we challenged to follow? In today's Gospel Jesus calls the first of his disciples to follow him and become fishers of people. It is easy to immediately say: "We follow Jesus Christ according the Infallible Word of God." Oh really?
People suggesting that we must elect more radical right wing people into our government so that the United States can continue to target Muslims, immigrants and LGBT people to be put in prison or executed, does not reflect a heart and life that wants to follow Jesus Christ. The reality that Bishop Gene Robinson still has to wear a bullet proof vest beneath his vestments wherever he goes, tells me that many Christians are conflicted about what following Jesus Christ means.
It is not enough to say "yes" when Jesus calls us to follow him. We have to be willing to follow Jesus as God the Holy Spirit literally rips open the Pandoras Box we put God, others and ourselves in. We have to be ready to look beyond our own opinions and ideals. Even our own ways of talking about God has to change if we are to talk to a world of people who have been turned off by the prejudice and violence that Christians have submitted themselves to in the name of the Bible.
If Christians are to be a part of making the Church and the world a better place, we have to do more than say "yes." We have to become a welcoming to all of God's people. Christian or not. Straight or lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual or metro-sexual. Male, female or transgender. White or black, copper skinned or what ever skin color. Caucasian or Native American, Asian, Latino, Somali. Whether we speak and write in English or another language. Completely healthy and able to do just about anything and those who have challenges on all levels of their being. The point is, the Church and the Christians who worship and work within our faith communities need to reach beyond ourselves and welcome those who are different than ourselves. We must reverence the presence of Christ in everyone. Every person is the very image of God and has been redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even those who do not see our faith or theirs the way we do. She/he is a person of great value because of the stamp of God's unconditional and all inclusive love imprinted and made alive in every human person. Even those who do not act the way we want them to. Even in that someone that I just cannot get along with. Sometimes we do have to reverence the presence of Christ in someone, by welcoming her/him and then leaving them alone with God for a while.
We must also be willing to seek reconciliation. In short the word reconciliation means to make things right.
Reconciliation means not only playing a role in healing what hurts, but changing the system that causes the hurts in the first place. The prejudice and violence that causes so much hurt in LGBT people who are victims of "spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse" must be stopped. It is not enough to just get angry listening to audiences in South Carolina rise to their feet in thundering applause as Newt Gingrich speaks blatant racism. We have to be willing to do something about the racism that allows that kind of violence to continue. We can complain about the harmful affects of Citizens United on our politics all we want. Unless we get involved with doing something about the system that puts Supreme Court justices in place to make such rulings, things will never change. We can get angry about all the so-called "pro-lifers" protesting Roe v. Wade today all we want. Unless we are willing to work to change the male privilege that legislates the access of women to affordable and safe reproductive health care, and change the laws that protect those who sexually assault and rape women, nothing will change.
If Christians want to be an example of repentant people who follow Jesus Christ, then we must be willing to welcome every child of God and work to make the Church and the world a better place for everyone.
Prayers
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (NRSV)
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
Psalm 62: 1: "For God alone my soul in silence waits; truly, my hope is in him" BCP p. 669
Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea-- for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Blog Reflection
In a nutshell, what the Benedictine Vow of Stability is about, is that we take off the masks that prevent us from being exactly who we are before God and the world. God wants everything that is good and not so good about us to grounded in God. Even if one is not trying to become a Monk, the call of God on our lives to walk humbly with God as we are and to do justice is the call of all Christians.
The readings for this Sunday call us to repent, follow, welcome and reconcile. This is what Jesus invites us to to help us heal those broken relationships.
Repentance means more than admitting we are wrong. It means changing directions. To repent means to seek another alternative. If we find ourselves yelling at someone who does not appear to be listening, it is not enough to say we are sorry while we keep yelling. At some point we need to stop and think that perhaps our yelling is what is keeping us from making progress. Instead of yelling, try a quiet dialogue with some coffee and danish between you. We all need to try to listen to one another better. We all need to prefer non-violence and clean conversation as opposed to constant verbal attacks and name calling. Imagine what Presidential debates would look like if candidates stopped bashing the people of different races and income levels who need food stamps, and talk about how to change the system that keeps racism and poverty happening in our nation. Imagine a Church and society that not only apologized to women, LGBT people and immigrants for despicable rhetoric and constant rejection, but found ways to receive them and provide opportunities to be treated as equal human beings. Does it sound like I am wishing for too much? In a Church (and by this I mean the whole Church, not just one particular body or denomination) that insists on using the Bible and their teachings to keep diversity out and uphold wealth and power, yes that is wishing too much. But, hope for repentance so that one day the Church will look better than it does even now, that is something that can be accomplished. To get there we must repent of our prejudices and stop making peace with oppression.
Who or what are we challenged to follow? In today's Gospel Jesus calls the first of his disciples to follow him and become fishers of people. It is easy to immediately say: "We follow Jesus Christ according the Infallible Word of God." Oh really?
"The Bible is the best and most trustworthy witness," writes Bishop Gene Robinson in his book In the Eye of the Storm, "but it neither replaces Jesus as the Word nor does it take precedences over Christ's continuing action in the world through the Holy Spirit. To elevate the words of scripture to a place higher than the revealed Word of God in Jesus Christ is an act of idolatry" (Page 22).
People suggesting that we must elect more radical right wing people into our government so that the United States can continue to target Muslims, immigrants and LGBT people to be put in prison or executed, does not reflect a heart and life that wants to follow Jesus Christ. The reality that Bishop Gene Robinson still has to wear a bullet proof vest beneath his vestments wherever he goes, tells me that many Christians are conflicted about what following Jesus Christ means.
It is not enough to say "yes" when Jesus calls us to follow him. We have to be willing to follow Jesus as God the Holy Spirit literally rips open the Pandoras Box we put God, others and ourselves in. We have to be ready to look beyond our own opinions and ideals. Even our own ways of talking about God has to change if we are to talk to a world of people who have been turned off by the prejudice and violence that Christians have submitted themselves to in the name of the Bible.
If Christians are to be a part of making the Church and the world a better place, we have to do more than say "yes." We have to become a welcoming to all of God's people. Christian or not. Straight or lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual or metro-sexual. Male, female or transgender. White or black, copper skinned or what ever skin color. Caucasian or Native American, Asian, Latino, Somali. Whether we speak and write in English or another language. Completely healthy and able to do just about anything and those who have challenges on all levels of their being. The point is, the Church and the Christians who worship and work within our faith communities need to reach beyond ourselves and welcome those who are different than ourselves. We must reverence the presence of Christ in everyone. Every person is the very image of God and has been redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even those who do not see our faith or theirs the way we do. She/he is a person of great value because of the stamp of God's unconditional and all inclusive love imprinted and made alive in every human person. Even those who do not act the way we want them to. Even in that someone that I just cannot get along with. Sometimes we do have to reverence the presence of Christ in someone, by welcoming her/him and then leaving them alone with God for a while.
We must also be willing to seek reconciliation. In short the word reconciliation means to make things right.
"It is not enough, for instance, to refuse to slander others; we must rebuild their reputations. It is not enough to disapprove of toxic waste: we must do something to save the globe. It is not enough to care for the poor; we must do something to stop poverty. We must be people who bring creation to life." (Sr. Joan Chittister, O.S.B The Rule of Benedict: Spirituality for the 21st Century, p. 12).
Reconciliation means not only playing a role in healing what hurts, but changing the system that causes the hurts in the first place. The prejudice and violence that causes so much hurt in LGBT people who are victims of "spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse" must be stopped. It is not enough to just get angry listening to audiences in South Carolina rise to their feet in thundering applause as Newt Gingrich speaks blatant racism. We have to be willing to do something about the racism that allows that kind of violence to continue. We can complain about the harmful affects of Citizens United on our politics all we want. Unless we get involved with doing something about the system that puts Supreme Court justices in place to make such rulings, things will never change. We can get angry about all the so-called "pro-lifers" protesting Roe v. Wade today all we want. Unless we are willing to work to change the male privilege that legislates the access of women to affordable and safe reproductive health care, and change the laws that protect those who sexually assault and rape women, nothing will change.
If Christians want to be an example of repentant people who follow Jesus Christ, then we must be willing to welcome every child of God and work to make the Church and the world a better place for everyone.
Prayers
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our
Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News
of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive
the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Book of Common Prayer, p. 215).
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815).
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen. (Prayer Attributed to St. Francis, Book of Common Prayer, p. 833).
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