In the Bleak Mid-Winter

Okay, so the post date for this blog indicates that we have not yet arrived at the winter solstice date, the darkest day of the year.  Also, there is no indication of frozen ground nor a white Christmas around the corner; only more of the same gray rainish West Michigan weather.  It's bleak outside.  It's also bleak around our nation as it mourns for the Sandy Hook Elementary School community in Connecticut.  Grief. Questions. Why? And so come the flood of religious responses from gay-bashing Christians naming this bleak tragedy as God's punishment or those asking why God would allow this to happen, and even President Obama inferring God's action in calling these innocents "home".  We want answers as to how this can happen.  We want information about how a troubled young man can act with such violence and no one is prepared.  We want labels to put on such situations  to calm our fears.  If we can name this tragedy and the cause of it we can control it, yes?!?!

(interrobang)

Its Advent.  Its Chanukah. Its happy holiday spirits cheery and bright. Where is the comfort and joy? Can there be comfort and joy when we continue to make space for a violent culture? a culture that gives way to ecological, economic, political, and yes religious violence? one that assumes there must be winners and losers? one that maintains "freedom" laws that keep assault weapons available?

I am trying to listen to the prophets again this season. To Malachi and Zephaniah, to Micah and Isaiah.  I am trying to look for the light; light of God's righteousness, light that shines in darkness.  Did Isaiah have it right that this light could not be overcome by the darkness?  Is this the same light that burned for Judas Maccabeus after his resistance to the imposing empire of religious, economic and political oppression, a resistance came through violence in Judas, the Hammer, hero and man of God.  I look for the starlight guiding those Sages from the east whose return home by a different way led to a massacre of the innocents by insane King Herod. Violence used over and against another for the sake of power, out of insanity, or for righteous causes still remains violence; and so much that is innocent suffers in its wake.  What does this promise of a Prince of Peace mean? Where is this ruler of peace? Scripture itself often conveys a seemingly violent God, a jealous and intolerant God, depending on how one interprets the text.  Where do we look for truth?  THE truth? Is there absolute truth?  How can we know it? share it? agree upon it?  Where is the light of truth?

So many questions, wonderings, wanderings.  Where are the answers?  Is Jesus the answer to all the questions as some suggest?  Is it that easy? What would Jesus say and do about December 2012?  Are there questions that we simply need to reside with, living the questions in the unknowing?  Richard Rohr says, "When we look for answers, we're looking to change the pattern.  When we look at the questions, we look for the opening to transformation." (from Everything Belongs)  Perhaps our questioning that seeks comfort and joy invites us toward our own transformation.  Can we be renewed in care-full mindfulness as we pay attention to being transformed ourselves?  Can we attend to the ways we participate in violence? of speech or thought or intent disguised by acts of niceness?  Can we begin to transform our thoughts and hearts, our motives and actions to be full of mercy and kindness, to be rooted in love?  Is it possible that the truth, the true light that enlightens all might be the wisdom of love in the flesh and begins within me?

May we be receptive to messages and messengers of God's grace that all may live and love and laugh and be according to whole and holy peace.  May there be peace on earth, good will to all and may we be instruments of that holy peace.

Covenantal God - 5 A New Covenant by Jeremiah

A series on the covenants of God

Jeremiah 31:31-34;  Ps 51 & 119:9-116  (Ezekiel 36:23-28f)

In the book of Jeremiah we find the 5^th covenant of God in the Hebrew scriptures; 1. Noah and the earth, 2. Abram and Sarai, 3. Moses and Israel, 4. David and his lineage, and now this “new covenant” through the prophet Jeremiah.  These covenants, initiated by God, span centuries and tell of the evolving relationship between God and those who are invited to respond to God. Or perhaps, these covenants more accurately describe the evolutionary theology of God’s people.  Perhaps God is not the evolving one as much as humanity’s evolving perceptions of Holy intent.

So perhaps, O God,

evolution happens even covenantally –

but who is changing?

who is developing?

Is it you, God?

or is it your people?

us?  me?

This covenant-making thing of yours,

what is it about?

You bound yourself to the earth

with a rainbow-sign to seal the deal.

You bound yourself to a family

showering blessings, promising children – as many as stars,

assuring your presence, signed by circumcision.

You bound yourself to a people,

Israel’s children,

to lead and prosper them in a land of promise

this time requiring mindful obedience to your word;

a covenant cut in stone to last forever.

How strange of you, all-knowing God,

you should have known better.

Children always break the rules, going their own way.

Yet, you don’t give up, do you?

Not on the earth, not on individuals,

not when families or communities or

even nations run amuck.

You try a new way to bind

yourself to a people who continue

to break the ties that are meant to bind.

Why?

This covenant making thing,

what’s it all about?

We’re listening for a word from you.

The prophets speak – mouthpieces of Holy Wisdom –

“The days are surely coming…”

         yes, but when?

…when a new covenant is to be made

not like the others –

external and easily broken...

This new covenant speaks of hearts,

new hearts of flesh instead of stony ones;

hearts that “know the Lord”

having holy word written within every heart-beat.

Beloved David had prayed for

wisdom’s teaching in his secret heart,

to have a clean heart while offering his broken heart.

Did he know of your changing covenantal ways?

Covenant-Maker, once again you offer a way,

In pursuit of what?

a lasting covenant?  Is it all about contracts,

agreements, laws,

this covenant-making?

Listening with the heart’s ear

could we hear yet again a prophetic word?

         “Its all about love”

Is that what these covenants are?

the matters of the heart, where love resides?

Is it about Holy Love, from rainbow and stars,

to laws and lineage; is it all about love?

Heart of our own hearts,

Covenant Love-Maker,

teach us your wisdom in our secret hearts.

Mend our brokenness and

where we have become half-hearted.

Help us to love you with our whole heart,

with our undivided selves –

body, mind, spirit, heart, strength,

in all we are and all we do.

Enable us to see that your covenantal work

continues to be your desire to be known

as the One who is near and faithful,

whose love is from everlasting, to everlasting.

Tune our hearts to sing your grace.

May your goodness like a fetter

bind our wandering hearts to love you

as you love us.

O Love, that will not let us go,

what wondrous love is this?

Covenantal God - 4 David and his house

Covenant with David  II Samuel 7:1-17 (I Chronicles17:1-15)

When King David, the mighty giant slayer and nation builder finished building a fine palace of a house for himself to live in, he decide to honor the God who made it all possible for him to live in peace and plenty.  He will build a house for God.  As scripture reveals, however, the famous temple in Jerusalem was to be called "Solomon's Temple".  How ironic that even when God seemingly agreed to "reside" in a given place, that place became known as "Solomon's".
God remains the builder of people, of community, of grace and faith.  We are invited to be housed by God's presence who builds into us a holy dwelling place.

Holy, Ubiquitous, Elusive,

God of our beginning and end,

we confess that we really would

like to have you settle down,

move in next door,

give you an address that is familiar

to us.

We confess that we would like

to name and claim you for ourselves.

We confess that we would like

to design a nice space and place

that suits us

for you to live nearby.

Like David, your beloved,

we too want you to live

and move among us,

to be close enough to

stop by for a cup of coffee,

a cup of sugar, or a glass of wine.

But you, the one in whom we

live and move and have our being,

you can not be confined to our

neighborhood nor to our structures.

We might build a fool proof theology

for you to live in

but you will have none of it.

You do not need the security of

walls and roof to store your treasure.

You have called your people your treasure.

The whole earth and all creation is your home.

The vastness of the universe cannot contain nor

confine you

whose thoughts and ways

are beyond our comprehension.

Covenant maker God,

Builder of all that is,

help us

to allow you

to construct who we are

for your dwelling place is

within.

Come, Covenant Maker

be who you will be

and reside with us again.

Amen.

Covenantal God - 3 Moses the 10, and a prayer

 based on  Exodus 19 & 20, Psalm 19 & other psalms

Freed from the bondage of their past, the Hebrew people set out into the wilderness, the unknown, into the future, headed toward the promise of the place of life.  Too much freedom without boundaries, however, results in chaos. A road map is necessary to find the way to be people called of God. Yahweh, God of the Covenant comes again, to Moses and the wandering children of Israel, to establish “a way” for life, a guide for faithful living in relationship both with God and with one another.  The Torah, which means “fence”, often referred to as the Law of God, was established to set boundary lines, markers, perimeters, guidelines.  Inside the boundary, or fence, is total freedom and security.  Crossing the boundaries, or disregard for the guide for faithful living, would create a breach in faithful relationships and cause insecurity.

We all need boundaries, guides to help us find our way in life and in relationships, and into the wilderness of life.  Jesus reminded his followers that we are to love God with our whole self, body, mind, and spirit, and love our neighbors even as we love ourselves.  In a word, love.  Love is the over arching boundary for life.  How can we love God and our neighbors?  The 10 Commandments were a start for the newly freed community of God.  As God’s treasured possession, a priestly kingdom, a holy nation, God calls us to life, guides us in a holy way, and promises again to be our God remaining faithfully present with us.

Guiding God,

come again to guide us in

photo - Hannah Bush

the wilderness before us

and lead us to life.

Freed from what lies behind

with little clear pathway

in the wildness of life

that lies before us,

we need you to lead us, O God.

Set clear paths before us,

may your words of wisdom be

light to our feet in the ways of shalom,

Keep our steps steady according

to your promise.

In boundary-less places

set the markers, fence lines,

the safe enclosures

to help define the way.

Like a shepherd lead us, guide us

along the way.

Like a seamstress hem us in

behind and before,

lay your hand upon us

so we are not frazzled or frayed

in life’s journey.

Guiding God,

come again to guide us in

the wilderness before us

and lead us to life.

Your boundary lines for our

life with you and one another

fall in pleasant places.

It is nothing too harsh or heavy.

Your law for life, for love,

is sweeter than honey

and more desirable than pure gold.

Covenant Maker,

as you did with the earth and Noah,

with Abram and Sarai,

with Moses and all the Hebrew people,

so also with us

you set your promise before us

to be our God, to lead us toward life.

You invite us to choose to follow

in your way of righteousness,

peace, and hope.

Help us to hear, to trust and to choose

to follow your instructions so we might

live faithfully as your people.

As your treasured possession

help us to choose life,

to step in faith with you

called to be your

covenant community of grace.

Guiding God,

come again to guide us in

the wilderness before us

and lead us to life.   Amen.

Covenantal God - 2

The Second Covenant made with Abram and Sarai

creating a covenantal relationship within family

         

Holy Covenant Maker,

you who come calling

us into being,

like Abram and Sarai, who

believed, trusted, risked, and walked

into the unknown with only your

holy promise in hand,

help us to hear your invitation

to step into your Holy Covenant

to be our God.

Holy Covenant Maker,

you come calling us into being.

You found Abraham and Sarah

and you find us.

You promised the world to them

to establish them as a family,

chosen to be blessed

by your goodness

and blessed to be a blessing

so that all families and all people -

the whole world might receive the promise

of life.           

Holy Covenant Maker,

do you know how lop-sided

your holy covenant is?

Did you realize you committed to

the greater burden of promise?

no 50-50 meet-in-the-middle agreement.

You promise to give.

We simply receive.

You promise to create a way.

We need simply believe and trust

and take one step at a time.

You promise to be present always.

Expecting your nearness we

forget to remain close

wandering and wayward –

and still

you come calling us into being.

What wondrous promise is this,

Covenant Maker God,

that you do not give up

on our faltering steps?

even when like Sarai we

might laugh in your face -

unconvinced.

Still,

you come calling us into being,

changing our name from

wander-er to faithful,

from doubter to trusting one.

What amazing faith you

have in your chosen.

What amazing grace you give.

You are the faithful

Holy Covenant Maker,

calling us into being,

choosing us to be the objects

of your faithful promises.

Like Abraham and Sarah,

whose names you changed, who

believed, trusted, risked, and walked

into the unknown with only your

holy promise in hand,

change our names to be

faithfulness, friend of God,

ones who seek your face.

Help us

to hear your invitation,

and receiving your Holy Covenant  

walk in trusting faith

with our God.

Covenantal God - 1

The First Covenant made with Noah and the Earth         

see Genesis 6-9:17

Pine Ridge Reservation by Bekah Bush

Covenantal God,

Holy Remember-er,

all the earth gives thanks and praise

that you do not forget.

The heavens declare your glory!

The trees of the field clap their hands!

Earth’s fullness and beauty in

bird songs and flowering fragrance

proclaim life and hope.

Rainbow signs of promise

remind of loving faithfulness

initiated by earth’s

God of the Covenant

Holy Remember-er of

steadfast love.

Covenantal God

of second chances and

do-overs,

when all creation groans

laboring for new life

waiting for its renewal

and restoration,

send forth your Spirit

and renew the face of the earth!

May your bow in the heavens

not only serve as your reminder

but also as ours,

remembering you are near

and you are faithful.

Holy Remember-er

come and fill the hearts of

the faithful again.

Kindle within the fire of your love

so that we may join in

your remembrance of love and

care for all the earth.

As your co-creators

honored with the call to be servant

within creation’s well being

help us be holy remember-ers

and faith-filled stewards

of your eternal covenant to all life

in all the cosmos so loved by you.

Universal Health Care

(Lectionary passages from II Kings 5 and Mark 1 included in reflections)

In this election year of 2012, with all the issues and agendas that make for argumentation, its not my intent to address the political and social tensions between Democrats and Republicans, nor create a platform for presidential preferences.  Many would urge to keep politics out of the church, while at the same time pushing for prayer in school.  So, politicking aside, let’s simply listen for how God might be speaking from both ancient Hebrew stories and the life of Jesus, and let that word invite us to be undivided in our faith and practice within the world.

The 2 scripture passages designated for this day, from the book of Kings and from the Gospel of Mark, recall stories of men who had leprosy.  In biblical times, prior to modern science, any kind of skin disease or blemish was called “leprosy”.  It included the severe skin-eating disease we now call leprosy as well as various kinds of rashes, hives, psoriasis, or chicken pox. 

Let’s look at II Kings 5:1-14 (and following)

In the book of Kings, a faith-perspective of the history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, we find the story of Na`aman, the 5 star-general in charge of all the military operations for Aram, or present day Syria.  Na`aman was a great man, highly regarded by the King of Aram because, as scripture says, YAHWEH had given victory to Aram through Na`aman.  (Did you get that, this foreign country was granted victory by Yahweh.)  This mighty warrior, however, “suffered” from some sort of skin disease.  It didn’t keep him from battle, but he suffered.  Now it just so happened that he had servant girl.  She was from Israel.  On one of Na`aman’s military raids into neighboring Israel, this young girl had been taken captive and was now a servant, enslaved to Na`aman’s wife.  Imagine that.   This young nameless girl remembered there was an amazing prophet back home.  She told her mistress about the prophet who could heal her captor.  Her mistress believed her and told  Na`aman who believed her and told his “master”, the King of Aram who then sent Na`aman over to Israel, their unfriendly neighbors, to find healing.  Na`aman went loaded down with cash from the King: 10 talents of silver, 6,000 shekels of gold, and 10 sets of garments.  He also carried a letter from the King of Aram to the King of Israel which read:  “I have sent to you my servant Na`aman that you may cure him of his leprosy.”  (Who is master of whom here?)  Imagine the shock of the King of Israel, that the neighboring raiders, would send their top general with lots of cash and ask for healing.  Naturally, the King of Israel went ballistic, tearing his clothes apart, pulling his hair out, anxious that this neighboring enemy was setting him up for a battle he could not win.  “Am I God to give death or life that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?”  He was convinced an international crisis was brewing.

Then the prophet, Elisha, the protégé of Elijah, enters the story.  Upon hearing of the panic of the King of Israel, Elisha sends word, “Let the man, Na`aman, come to me so that he may learn that there is a prophetic voice for God in Israel.  So Na`aman goes with all his pomp and circumstance, his entourage and riches, right up to Elisha’s front door.  But Elisha does not even come out to meet him.  He simply sends word that Na`aman should go and wash himself 7 times in the Jordan River and he will be healed.  NOW an international crisis might develop, as Na`aman is enraged by the rudeness of Elisha, not even having the courtesy to come and look at him or pray over him.  To top if off he is suppose to go take a bath in the disgusting Jordan River that doesn’t hold a candle to the rivers back in Aram/Syria.  A military incident could have happened then and there if not for, yes again, the servants who once again offer the calm wisdom.  Na`aman’s servants gently remind him that directions for healing are simple.  They remind him that he would do anything of might and valor, why not do this simple thing?  To Na`aman’s credit, he listens again to the powerless people who support him.  After washing 7 times in the Jordan, he is healed so that his skin is like a young child’s.  Returning to Elisha to say thank you and to pay him for his services, Elisha again remains hidden and refused payment.  Na`aman becomes a worshiper of Yahweh, the only God who Na`aman will now believe in.  Elisha simply sends him on his way saying… “Go in peace”… go in wholeness, go in shalom, go in wellness. 

So, what’s the story trying to teach the Hebrew people of long ago, and us?  That Elisha was an incredible prophet?  That Na`aman was now a believer in Yahweh? and became an evangelist to Syria?  That the powerless ones have greater insight?  Perhaps.  Or perhaps the story teaches what it means to be part of the kingdom of God, where God reigns, where God’s Rule cuts through the systems of political and societal rules that would separate and keep out those we deem unworthy?  Perhaps the story’s inclusion in the book of Kings was to remind God’s people that they did not have exclusive possession of God nor of God’s generous way in the world.  Perhaps it was to say God has no boundaries: politically, socially, racially, economically, or religiously.  No political negotiations would heal Na`aman.  No amount of economic resources would heal him.  No personal encounter with the number one preacher in the land with a conversion first would heal him.  The “lords” of human systems were powerless.  Each person in the story approached their “lord”, the one with authority over them yet each of these “lords” was unable to relieve his suffereing.  Only The LORD, YaHWeH, healed. Yahweh ‘s way circumvented human systems.  With the Lord God, health, healing, wholeness, peace, and well-being was extended to all no matter who they were. Let the foreigner come.  Let the enemy come. Let him be made well.  Don’t extract money in exchange for grace.  Let him go in peace.  This was the Rule, the kingdom of God, where God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.  And all will be made well.

Emmet Fox, 20^th century spiritual writer and thinker, said that humankind is the “manifestation, or expression of God… it is our duty to bring more and more of God’s ideas into concrete manifestation… it is our essential nature to express God, to be ever about our Father’s business”.  (Around the Year with Emmet Fox) Scripture, as God’s word, invites us to seek first God’s Rule and emulate God’s way toward wholeness for all people. This was Israel’s task as a people of God and as a nation.  It is ours as well.

In the gospel according to Mark , Jesus came preaching the good news about God’s kingdom, or God’s Rule for faith and practice (Mk 1:15).  It was good news because Jesus’ understanding, teaching, and practice embodied and insisted on God’s inclusive, boundary-breaking ways of grace.  In the gospel of Mark Jesus helps us to understand the good news of God’s ways confronting and challenging  human ways, rules, institutions, and assumptions.

Mark 1:40-45 is another story about a man who was a leper, having some sort of skin disease that made him “unclean”.  The religious institution of Jesus time was a powerful entity.  It had the power to declared whether or not one was fit for kingdom of God, was acceptable in the household of faith.  There were many rules regarding what made someone or something acceptable or unacceptable, clean or unclean: hand washing rituals, touching a carcass or a designated unclean animal or person, even a house could be declared unclean if there was mold growing in the corner, all part of the Torah, the law, the religious purity code.   

A nameless man came to Jesus, begging, pleading, perhaps falling on his knees before Jesus; if you choose, he says to Jesus, you can make me clean.  Notice in this story, he doesn’t ask to be “healed” but to be made clean, made acceptable.  Perhaps he wasn’t sick at all, but the religious authorities had declared him unacceptable and unclean for the household of God.  He was not fit for the community of faith.  If you choose, you can make me clean. Moved with pity*, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him and said, I do choose.  Be made clean!  Immediately the leprosy left him and he was made clean. 

Now we have to look at that word *pity as translated in the NRSV.  In other translations it says Jesus was moved with compassion, or moved with anger.  The Greek word is one full of intense emotion, not simply feeling sorrow for someone.  Passion, whether compassion or anger-passion, moved, or propelled Jesus to act.  Jesus was upset about this system that declared the man unclean.  He touched the man, which immediately made Jesus officially unclean also.  Jesus stretched out his hand across the taboos of religious propriety to embody God’s passionate love.  He touched the man.  Emulating God’s peace, shalom, wholeness, and wellness for all in need of it, Jesus was living the good news of God’s way, of God’s kingdom, of God’s Rule.  Angered by religious institutional exclusion, Jesus touched the man and said, yes, I choose to regard you as clean, as acceptable.  Angered by the religious institutional hoop jumping Jesus told him to go directly to the institution, do what is necessary to bear witness to his being acceptable and clean.   Like Na`aman, this man celebrated a whole new vision of God, and perhaps in his joy disregarded former systems of rule and practice, because in God’s way, no one is unclean or unacceptable or ought to remain outside the community of faith. 

Health care in God’s kingdom, according to God’s rule is universal.  Its healing, wholeness, peace, shalom is for everybody:  those who live across the border, those would-be enemies, those highly decorated military elite, those nameless beggars, those shunned by the religious institution, yes all of them receive the healing benefit of grace’s care in God’s kingdom.

So let us again pray… may your kingdom come and may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, dear Lord.  As Emmet Fox said, we are the “manifestation, or expression of God… it is our duty to bring more and more of God’s ideas into concrete manifestation… it is our essential nature to express God, to be ever about our [God’s] business”. 

If God’s business is for all people and all the earth to be made well, to be made clean of the dis-eases that diminishes the fullness of life no matter who one is or where one is from, how will we choose to embody God’s work in our world?  Who is unclean in your thought system?  the one who is different? the foreigner? the illegal immigrant? the Tea-Partier? the abortion doctor? the Democrat or Republican? the gay couple next door? the negligent parent? the disabled one in our midst?  the convict?  the Buddhist or Muslim or atheist over there? the one with whom you exchanged hurtful words yesterday?   or your next of kin with whom you have not spoken for a long time?  How will you emulate the good news of God’s Rule of grace, of justice, of healing and wholeness?  Who will you dare to stretch your hand out to in a clear choice to bring healing to the world as the embodiment of Christ? 

If we choose, we all can be made clean and whole by following Jesus, by stretching out our hands with God’s gracious touch.

May the good news of God’s Rule for healing continue to break down the barriers   that divide us in the hope that all may be well.  May God’s kingdom come.  May God’s will be done on earth… today, here and now, in and through us.