Musings from the Abbess

Welcoming Strangers? (Epiphany 4 Year B)

2012-01-30T11:25:00.000-05:00

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit, throwing him into convulsions and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Mark 1:21-28.

Demons

What does that word convey to you?

What springs to mind when you hear the word demon?

Today the reading in Mark is about Jesus’ encounter with a man possessed by a demon (unclean spirit) which he cast out. The author of Mark placed this story right at the beginning of the gospel . . . setting the stage to show Jesus’ authority.

However, today, I don’t want to think about authority I want to think more about demons and welcoming those who are different.

The scriptures are full of demons. So is our world, a popular work of fiction is entitled Angels and Demons. In our culture there is continuous fight between good and evil. The idea grips everyone regardless of religious persuasion. Video games and Hollywood are full of it.

What do we make of demons in Jesus’ time?

It is fairly clear when we read the accounts of demon possession throughout the gospels that we would perceive many of the situations differently. If the events happened in the twenty-first century we would see people with epilepsy. We would recognize people with various physical and mental illnesses. We would not immediately talk about demons. Our society would like to think that we would seek medical and psychiatric help for the people.

When I read the story in Mark the thing I noticed and started to ponder was that this “demon-possessed” man was in the synagogue. I also thought of the use “us” as he talked to Jesus. This passage has often been interpreted as meaning there were multiple demons in the man. Yet, I wonder if it wasn’t multiple people. Perhaps the “demon-possessed” man was speaking for a small group of outcasts. Outcasts who were in the synagogue hoping for help, healing and acceptance.

We will never know for certain . . . that is just the image I have. A small band of outcasts lurking in the Synagogue. Perhaps they became concerned as they listened to Jesus’ teaching. Worried they would have to leave the synagogue. Their experience led them to expect scorn and rejection. Instead Jesus offered healing.

I wonder if things are much different now. We may not talk about demons as readily, yet how do we treat the outcasts? Have things really changed? Or do “outcasts” still lurk in corners hoping for help, healing and acceptance?

Statistics show that people with mental illnesses fill the prisons. Of all youth leaving foster care between a quarter and a third end up on the streets homeless. (Just Google the various categories) Also see http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/who.html

And mental illness/homelessness is just the tip of the iceberg when we talk about those society may consider outcasts.

I have no answers just a couple of questions for reflection.

How can we be as Christ to those perceived by society as “outcasts”?

How can we hold out help, healing and acceptance?

How can we welcome strangers?

+Ab. Jane

Good News! (Advent 2 Year B)

2011-12-05T10:49:00.000-05:00

Good News!

The gospel of Mark opens with these words. Good News!

Don’t we all love these words? Good News! If someone comes to us and says I’ve got some good news to tell you it immediately engages us. We usually start to feel happy, maybe even a little excited. We give the speaker our full attention. We listen in anticipation. After we have heard their good news it often leaves us with a sense of wellbeing.

Immediately before writing this I was glancing at the English newspapers online. It seems to me that they are filled with bad news. Today, I read about financial disasters, soldiers getting killed, child abuse, legal and governmental corruption to mention just a few. I’m sure good things do happen but the focus always seems to be on the bad stuff!

I imagine it was the same in the first century. I doubt if human nature has changed much. So Mark opens the gospel with the words good news and not just one event, an ongoing state. “This is the beginning of good news”. What a way to get the readers attention.

It served as a salient reminder to those believers who were suffering persecution and hardship. By the time the gospel was written Jesus had already been dead more than 30 years. For those disciples it must have felt a long time, perhaps memories of the events were starting to feel old. Perhaps a little hopelessness was setting in.

Then the reminder is given . . . “This is the beginning of good news”. The gospel was written and must have been a light to them, a chronicle of good news.

Perhaps, that is how we should view advent. It is a light to us. Reminding us of what is important. Indeed, the beginning of good news.

Bad news seems to loom strongly at this time of year. There seems to be a lot of extra pressure on our time and finances. It can be a stressful time. With the rushing and the busyness it is sometimes hard to remember what it is all about.

I do love the advent wreath and the lighting of the candles each week. The candles representing hope, peace, joy and love culminating with the Christ candle to welcome the Christ child. They are our tangible reminders of what advent is about: the beginning of good news.

So as we continue to journey through advent, take a moment to light those candles and remember what the season is all about. Good News!

+Ab. Jane

Reading parables (Proper 23 Year A)

2011-10-30T10:56:00.000-04:00

Today’s parable (Matt 22) talks about a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. The invited guests did not come so he invited those from the streets to come. When they did so, one was without a wedding garment and thrown into the outer darkness.

This parable is another interesting one. It is the last parable in a little series of three. The other two being entitled (in my Bible) the parable of the two sons and the parable of the wicked tenants. (Matt 21).

I want to look at this parable in my usual way. That is to take God out of the leading role. I do not think the king is a picture of God.

Look at how he is described. One who becomes enraged, who sent out troops to destroy people and property and, finally, sent a poor person from the streets bound hand and foot into “outer darkness”. This is not a picture of God

Likewise, last week in the parable of the tenants. I don’t think the landowner is a picture of God either. Landowners were not liked, actually we could be as strong as to say they were often hated. They were seen as those who kept most of the people in poverty. The economic system was such that the landowners were very rich. They usually lived away from their land in the cities. They paid the workers very little so that they were completely dependent on the landowners for sustenance. The workers were often continually in debt to the landowners as there was no relief if the crop should fail or be poor. To the landowner only profit was important, not the people who worked the land.

Further more, although not always clear in our various biblical translations, the opening starts “there was a person (anthropos), a king”. Although it can be said that this was a typical Aramaism, we also have to consider that maybe Matthew was simply emphasizing that this was a human being not God. Interestingly, the same opening was used in last week’s parable about the landowner, “there was a person (anthropos), a landowner”.

I think these parables were simply a comment on the classist system of the day.

The king is a powerful person who expected people to do his bidding. Perhaps, he was something of a tyrant. He was obviously not well like, friendless, none of the invited guests attended his son’s wedding. When he didn’t get his own way he sent in troops to cause harm and hardship. Then he demanded that the people in the streets were commanded to attend the wedding. They had no choice.

The poor had to do the bidding of the king. They were helpless and voiceless. They had no control over their own fate. Think about the person thrown into outer darkness. This person had no wedding garment, probably beyond the means of a poor person. Yet the king had no compassion, no provision for the poor one. This person had no voice. That is often the situation of those trapped in poverty.

Why was just one chosen? When one reads the story it sounds like many of the ones compelled to attend were poor, so, perhaps, a little unrealistic to assume only one was improperly clothed.

I, also, want to cast a glance at the responses of the Pharisees (although that probably encroaches on next week’s reading). After these parables they plotted to trap him. Interestingly, their minds went immediately to Ceasar and paying taxes. But I will leave that for you to ponder!

The same with last week’s reading. The passage comments that the chief priests and Pharisees realised Jesus was speaking about them. Perhaps, they saw themselves not as those who did not receive the servants and son of the landowner but as the ‘landowner’ in the parable. They were being exposed because of their unjust economic dealings with the populous.

Therefore, I think one way of reading these parables is that they were a comment on the social system of the day. Jesus was exposing the injustice of the system to chief priests and Pharisees. Jesus was exposing how desperate, angry, helpless and voiceless the poor were feeling.

May we be as Christ to all we meet.

May we help the desperate to find justice

May we help the angry to find peace

May we help the voiceless find a voice.

Blessings +Jane

Fairness (Proper 20 Year A)

2011-10-30T10:44:00.000-04:00

If the parables were intended to cause us to pause and think about the complexities of life this one has certainly succeeded.

We have the story of a landowner who hired people to work in his vineyard. The landowner hired a group of workers early morning for an agreed wage. Then as the day progressed the landowner saw people who had been unable to find work still standing around waiting. They were also hired, some at 9:00, some at mid-day, some at 3:00 and, finally, some at 5:00. Then at 6:00 he paid each of them the same wage. Those who had worked all day received the same amount as those who had worked only an hour. There was, of course, grumbling amongst the workers especially those who had worked the longest. The landowner reminded them that they had been paid the agreed wage.

This is one of those parables that somehow makes us feel uncomfortable. Actually, as we read, part of us wants to say that is not fair! Even using a definition of fairness that says that fairness is not equality but ensuring that everyone gets what they need, it still feels unfair. These vineyard workers were only paid subsistence wages and even a day’s illness would cause much suffering and hunger for a family. A little extra was always needed.

One of the things I always do with parables is take God out of the central role. Often parables are interpreted as if the main character is representative of God. Then one has to try to interpret the parable in such a way as to give the character God-like virtues ignoring or twisting the text to explain away when the central character behaves in a very un-Godlike manner! So this is not a story to be interpreted as the landowner represents God. This is simply a story about a landowner and some workers. That allows us the freedom to look honestly at the story and say maybe the landowner was unfair.

I just want to interject at this point that as I read this and the other parables in this section, one of which John talked about last week. I wondered how much they were redacted. Clearly, last week’s was. There was talk about the “church” in a parable supposedly spoken pre-crucifixion. I wondered if maybe this was influenced by Paul and the early apostles, who had not physically been with Jesus and witnesses to the Easter event, trying to justify that they were worth as much. Anyway, no more on that thought!

Let’s get back to fairness. We see this scenario played over and over again in our society. The concept in this parable is not strange or unfamiliar to us. It is not new. Look at your places of work. I know where I work most people work really hard, usually even through breaks and lunchtime. Yet, some get paid lots of money, others a pittance often with equally good college degrees and qualifications especially in the current economic climate.

The Realm of God is not some distant utopia where in the words of C.S. Lewis “wrong will be right”. (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) It is our reality now. As people of faith we are living in the Realm of God. Maybe unfairness is what we have and what we see around us. This is the world we live in. (If I wanted to talk on a global scale the problem is more acute.)

So what do we do with this unfairness? That has got to be the key consideration. We live in a society where some have more and some have less. Some get sick, some stay well. Some live safely some face disasters. That is simply the way it is. Often it is circumstantial we don’t get a choice.

Remember the workers who didn’t get hired weren’t lazy or work-shy. Actually, they showed amazing perseverance. I don’t think I would have stood from 6:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the evening hoping for work. Maybe, that is where we can see God, in the character of the workers who didn’t get hired until 5:00!

This parable twists and turns, maybe the ones who didn’t get hired initially thought it was unfair that others got a full day’s work!

So what do we do with this parable? What does it teach us?

I think it is just simply that sometimes life seems fair and sometimes it doesn’t seem fair. It is often beyond our control. Where we get a choice is how we live . . .

“To be as Christ to those we meet, to find Christ within them”

+Ab. Jane

If you love me ... (Easter 6 Year A)

2011-10-30T10:40:00.000-04:00

Acts 17:22-31, Psalm 66: 8-20, 1 Peter 3: 13-22, John 14:15-21

Today’s lectionary readings have several interesting passages. We could have looked at the promise of the Holy Spirit or Paul revealing the unknown god to the Athenians.

However, the phrase that caught my attention was “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” A very simple, yet very strong statement. Love has an outworking and that is keeping the commandments as interpreted by Jesus . . . Love God, Love neighbour.

It is the second of this couplet that I want to talk about. How do we love our neighbour?

As I pondered this another familiar phrase kept running through my mind. Well-known by all who have worked or do work within the medical field

“Primum non nocere” First, do no harm.

Love neighbour . . . First, do no harm

As I was thinking about these two statements they seemed to become connected and interwoven. If I love my neighbour I will first do no harm.

In the global climate we live in this has far-reaching implications. Our neighbour is no longer the person next-door or even someone living within the same village. Our neighbour is the whole of humankind. In the last few years we have seen how something that does harm in one part of the world effects another part.

Of course, individually we can’t do everything. We can’t help everyone. We can’t support every charity. We can’t be advocates for every cause.

But we can all do something!

Personally, loving neighbour/seeking to do no harm has led me in a number of directions . . .

Advocacy for women’s rights

Supporting and welcoming gay and lesbian friends

Fostering children who have been neglected and abused

Vegetarianism . . . unspeakable harm is done to our animal friends

Trying to be careful of the planet by using all non-harmful products, recycling and composting.

Each person’s journey of how to love neighbour will be different. These are our callings, our vocations In Lindisfarne we can support each other as we seek to walk our own paths of loving neighbour/doing no harm.

Perhaps some may want to share their journey as they seek to love neighbour/do no harm.

Blessings +Jane

Re-reading the Emmaus Road (Easter 3 Year A)

2011-05-15T16:29:00.000-04:00

Luke 24:13-35

This week’s lectionary contains a familiar post-resurrection story. Two disciples are walking on the Emmaus Rd, a third person joins them who is ultimately revealed as the risen Christ.

I want to mention very briefly three things about this story.

1. Who were these two disciples?

I know many of you have heard me talk about this before. However I think it bears repeating. As I looked at various commentaries, articles and pieces of art about this passage I was, again, amazed how many times I read the phrase “these two men “.

How do we know it was two men? Quite simply . . . we don’t! Scripture only names one of these two disciples, Cleopas, the other remains unknown. The only thing we know for certain is that it was not one of the eleven. Scripture tells us that these two disciples returned to give the eleven news that they had met the risen Christ.

Therefore I want to challenge the patriarchal reading of the scripture that immediately assumes that an unknown disciple must be male.

Personally, I think the strongest contester for the position of the unnamed disciple is Cleopas’ wife. She was one of the women at the foot of the cross. (John 19:25, Cleopas is the Greek form of the name whilst Clopas is the Aramaic.) Personally, I find it hard to imagine that she would have been left behind, much easier to think of this as a couple returning home, saddened by the events of the previous few days. These two disciples obviously shared a house as they invited Jesus to stay in their home.

However, we cannot definitely know who it was. As I already said I simply want to challenge the patriarchal reading of scripture that immediately assumes that an unnamed disciple must be male and open our minds to other possibilities.

2. Not recognising Jesus

It is interesting how in the post-resurrection stories Jesus remains hidden until a moment of revelation.

I want to think about recognising Christ. It is another of those themes that we have talked about many times in our community. That we learn to recognise Christ wherever we are, whoever we are with and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.

I think in this story there are two keys to recognising Christ . . . conversation and hospitality. I think these are useful keys for us as we meet people in our daily lives.

Conversation . . . Christ initiated the conversation, Christ went to them. C an we take time to converse with those who are different, those we would not normally bother with, those who are wandering down a road feeling sad, scared and a little lost?

Hospitality . . . opening our homes, inviting in the stranger, risky, yet, as in this case, the risen Christ may be revealed to us.

3. Eucharist

Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it.

“This four fold action is the paradigm of Jesus’ life, the way he would have us interpret his life. It is his life that God chooses to take, bless, break and give. This self-giving of the Parent of the universe, for us humans and our salvation, ought to just astonish us.”

(Jeff Krantz, “Preaching Peace Online”. 2008 http://www.preachingpeace.org/)

I wondered if we should make this the model for our lives and for our community. Lives dedicated to the service of God and God’s creation

Should we ask God to take our lives, bless our lives, break our lives and give our lives following this Eucharistic pattern? In being broken our lives can be shared with others.

Hopefully, in living our lives in this model, the risen Christ will be revealed to those we meet.

+Ab. Jane

Christ is Risen (Easter Sunday Year A)

2011-05-01T10:24:00.000-04:00

As I ponder the Easter events I have a question:

How does the resurrection affect me today?

The account of the resurrection in John is, perhaps, my favourite. The author of John writes that the empty tomb was discovered by Mary Magdalene, she then went and told Peter and another disciple. They returned with her, saw the empty tomb and left to go home. Mary remained and Mary met the resurrected Christ.

This holds the promise of full life and experience to women. Mary, here, is portrayed as an apostle. The apostle to the apostles. One sent by Christ to bear witness to the empty tomb. In a culture where women could not even give testimony in a court of law, a woman was used to bear testimony to the resurrection. The author of John is indeed showing that women can play a full and equal part in the community of believers. I am glad for us in Lindisfarne that is a reality.

A second way it affects me is, perhaps, the one I need to practice more often. In the text we are told the disciples went home, yet Mary remained. She was the one who took time to linger and she was the one who met the risen Christ. In our culture lifestyle is so rushed. It feels like my life is always busy. There is always so much to do. I would probably have rushed home to clean the house or do the ironing. In the business world busyness and productivity are often seen as signs of success. Yet, maybe we miss so much. We don’t want to be so busy that we miss the Christ.

Lastly, the way I am affected by the resurrection is influenced by the practice of finding God in everything. At Easter tide there is . . .

Joy rippling through the universe

Energy pulsating through the earth

A tiny green shoot pushing through the dark, cold earth

A small ray of sunlight peeping through the dark clouds

The dawn breaking

The birds singing

Resurrection Life bursting forward with all the promise and hope that brings

Christ is Risen . . . Christ is Risen Indeed.

Easter Blessings, + Jane

Light and Darkness (Lent 4 Year A)

2011-04-03T15:31:00.000-04:00

Today the gospel reading is the story of the person born blind. This story is carefully placed in the Gospel of John and serves as an illustration for Jesus’ declaration. “I am the light of the World” which is one of the seven predicate “I am” sayings in John.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

The Jewish hearers would have understood the significance of this. Jesus was announcing that he was the fulfillment of the Jewish festival of the Tabernacles where light is a major part. It would also reference Jewish scriptures (for example, Isa 9:1-2, Zech. 14:7-8). Can you imagine the effect such a statement would make?

One of the motifs of John’s gospel is light and darkness. As part of the prologue the author wrote “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5) Jesus was declaring that he was that light.

Then into this understanding came the illustration of the blind person. A man blind from birth. One who had never seen the light. The author furthermore uses this passage to allow a discussion of sin.

Was the person’s blindness a result of sin? Was it generational sin?

The passage then tells the reader that the man was born blind to allow God’s work to be revealed. (This poses a huge question for us and one for which there is no answer is given in the passage . . . the question about the relationship of Divine will and suffering.)

In the passage there follows a long discourse which, as well as the disciples, includes the man’s family and neighbours and the pharisees. I don’t want to detail all the nuances of the discussion but will give the conclusion Culpepper reaches in his book The Gospel and Letters of John.

“Sin lies not in being born blind but in refusing to see when one is confronted with light . . . Sin consists of not being born unbelieving but in refusing to believe when one has seen the power of God at work.” (178-9)

I want to consider also some of the implications of light and darkness for us as we continue our own spiritual journey.

The question I want to pose (and, hopefully, let each of you consider) is what are we in darkness about today? Where do we need more light and truth to shine? It may be a different answer for each person. Although we gather companions along the way our journey is our own It is personal to us.

I know as I have walked my journey there have been many moments of revelation. The light shines and something is revealed to me. It is an “Eureka” moment and it changes me. Such a moment often determines the direction my journey will go. There are lots of twists and turns along the way as we follow the path God has laid out before us.

For me, such significant moments have included:

1. The place and treatment of women in the church. I rejoice in knowing that women are not barred from leadership at any level. Women can enter fully into whatever role they are called to.

2. Finding God in all things and all people. As Sarah Breuer says, “We cannot be light to the world until we can see that light in the eyes of beggars in our town . . . welcoming that light as Christ's presence among us and receiving each bearer as a neighbor, a brother or sister with a face and a name."

3. Rejecting the the marginalisation of people because of their sexuality orientation. All are equal in God’s sight and should be free to serve in any role in the church and world.

4. Embracing vegetarianism as a concern for our fellow non-human beings. Eating animals was a result of the fall. Redemption should include our speaking for those who have no voice.

These challenged me, changed me and caused me to rethink previously held positions. I can say I was blind but now I see. I hope each of you have had and will continue to have such moments. Perhaps you have some you would like to share with us.

In Lindisfarne we want to affirm each person’s individual journey as we each move towards greater light. Yet we also want to move as a community towards the light together. Can the community be a shinning light showing people the way out of the darkness of prejudice and hatred?

Or perhaps another way of saying it . . . can we be as Christ to all me meet?

Blessing +Jane

The Mountaintop (Last Epiphany Year A)

2011-03-06T15:02:00.002-05:00

Andy on Wansfell, Summer 2009

Matthew 17:1-9

Today is the Sunday before Lent. Our gospel reading is the story of Jesus and three of the disciples going up to a high mountain and having an amazing experience.

Mountains are wonderful. One of our great pleasures when we lived in England was going to the Lake District and climbing the hills there. Even the names evoke many memories, Conniston Old Man, Blencathra, Hellvelyn, Skiddaw! On a clear day the mountain top views are breathtaking. Yet even in the mists, wind and rain (so often present in the Lake District) there is something very special. A new awareness of the elements, a borderland experience where everything is somehow more real.

Yet, most of our lives are lived in the valley. That is how it needs to be. Historically, towns grew up in valleys. Most of the time our lives are filled with the mundane. We get up, we eat, we work, we have leisure time, we care for others, we sleep. None of these are bad things. They are the elements of our lives and they can be part of a rich, fulfilling life.

Yet, we long for the time when we return for a brief moment to a mountain top.

The transfiguration was such a moment for Peter, James and John who accompanied Jesus. It must have been a tremendous experience. What a privilege!

It showed the disciples that the realm of God is beyond human imagination. It is beyond anything they could have dreamt of. It transcends physical limitations and time. They could not capture it in human structures and keep it for ever.

Maybe we all try to do that. I enjoy photography. I have hundreds of photographs most of them trying to capture mountain top experiences. Yet, at the best, they serve only to aid memory, to help one relive special moments. Perhaps, we are not so different from Peter!

I’m sure this was one of the moments that kept Peter, John and James going throughout their lives. It was like a little snap shot of resurrection life. They saw Moses and Elijah, the greats of their faith who represented the law and the prophets. And they weren’t dead, gone for ever, but alive and talking to Jesus. What a hope for those three disciples!

Do you think they remembered this day at the end of their lives? James as he was being killed with the sword, one of the earliest Christian martyrs. Peter as he was crucified on his cross. John, an old man, exiled on the isle of Patmos.

Of course we know that the voice from heaven directed Peter, James and John not to look to Moses and Elijah but to Jesus. However, I’m still sure that it must have been a tremendous hope and encouragement to them.

So I want us to be thankful for all the high spots on our journey. Those we could term mountain top experiences. The high spots in our lives which create memories that stay with us for ever. Don’t try to separate which experiences are spiritual and which are secular. I believe that all our life is lived in God’s presence. Every experience is a gift from God. A time that sustains you and equips you for future service.

My hope is that we will all experience those times that break into our ordinary, everyday lives, memorable times, mountain top experiences.

There is one interesting thing about this story that I want to add. In Luke’s almost identical version he talks about the conversation between Jesus, Moses and Elijah. They were talking about Jesus’ departure. The word Luke used is ‘exodus’.

I think this word was carefully placed by the author. I don’t think it was random, or coincidental. Here was Moses and the talk was of 'exodus’. A journey into freedom. If we look at all the texts following the transfiguration, they can be read as stories of freedom. Therefore, I don’t think the transfiguration story should be read as a conclusion. It is not a proof text to Peter’s declaration that Jesus is indeed the Christ. It is a prelude, the opening chapter of Jesus’ own exodus story.

The exodus story which leads humanity into a new freedom, where all are welcomed.

Choose Life (Epiphany 6 Year A)

2011-02-13T18:13:00.000-05:00

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 119:1-8

1 Cor. 3:1-9

Matt. 5:21-37

Some challenging verses today.

When I first read them I thought how depressing! On the first reading they all seem to be so negative, so full of judgment and jealousy and a hell of fire.

Yet they also speak of choice. Deuteronomy urges us to “choose life”. Two small words yet they jump out of the text, “choose life!”

Two questions immediately came to mind.

1. How do we choose life in our contemporary society?

2. What sort of life do we choose?

1. How do we choose life in our contemporary society?

In some ways contemporary society is obsessed with life and avoidance of death. Look at the number of tests doctors want you to have, even when you are well!

However, I think the writer of Deuteronomy had so much more in mind than simply prolonging physical life. Life is defined as loving God, obeying God and holding fast to God. I think life is to be lived in the fullness of God’s presence. Choosing life is for now. Every moment being seen as a gift not to be wasted.

2. What sort of life do we choose?

These verses also made me think about the twelfth understanding as this week we are considering what that means to each of us. So I want to read these passages in that light. It is somewhat simplistic as each verse could be studied in depth. However for today I want to measure the passages against the opening phrase “we are called towards a generous, self-giving lifestyle.” Life is to be lived in the service of others, nothing is to be held close or hoarded.

If we live that way it takes care of a lot of the problems that are brought to our attention in the epistle and gospel. What are these problems and what are the answers?

Jealousy and quarreling about which leader they support. . . live a generous, self-giving lifestyle, recognize everyone’s gift and contribution.

Murder and anger . . . live a generous, self-giving lifestyle, be quick to be first to reconcile.

Adultery and lust . . . live a generous, self-giving lifestyle, receive everyone as a wonderful person created in God’s image not an object to be lusted after.

Blessings Jane

The Lamb of God (Epiphany 2 Year A)

2011-01-23T12:12:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 49: 1-7

Psalm 40: 1-12

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

John 1:29-42

We are still in the season of Epiphany . . . revealing, making known . . . where the God of Glory is revealed to humankind.

In some way each of our passages, this week, talk about this revealing of the God of Glory. However, I’m going to focus on our gospel passage. The revelation of Jesus as the lamb of God . John the baptiser proclaims, “here is the Lamb of God”.

Our interpretation and understanding of the phrase “the Lamb of God” is key to understanding how this proclamation reveals the God of Glory.

Typically, this has been tied to crucifixion, a lamb led to the slaughter, using imagery from Old Testament sacrificial law. Pictures (even those we make up in our own heads) always depict a pretty little lamb, happily skipping along to be sacrificed without a struggle or a murmur.

(This is not really true. If you want to know about the fear and resistance put up by God’s creatures as they are forcibly taken to be murdered ask Andy to recommend some of his animal rights’ videos like Meet your Meat)

This portrait of lambs, peaceful and calm is an image we have projected back onto our scriptures. We prefer it to the more truthful picture of violence and pain. Sometimes it is easier not to face the reality of the things depicted in the O.T.. Sometimes they are so out of our experience that they are impossible to imagine.

So we have to wonder about how those listening would take this title “Lamb of God” and see it as the revelation of God’s glory. John’s disciples were waiting for a strong leader, one who would stand up against the oppression and domination system they were under. How disappointing it would have been to see the mighty saviour revealed as a lamb. They wanted a revelation of power and strength not meekness and sacrifice! It would have been a bit disappointing for them

So, I want to read against the grain. That is when we look at the text and ask if there is another way of looking at the passage than the traditional way. I want to look for an alternative interpretation of the phrase “Lamb of God”. One that would make much more sense to me of how the revelation of Jesus as the Lamb of God would impact the people of that time. The impact was such that they would leave jobs, spouses, families etc. to follow him.

So I want to offer an interpretation that I actually found in several sources.

We must first understand how important watching the night sky and reading the constellations was to the people of the time. It was God’s way of revealing important events. At the beginning of Epiphany we read about the Magi following a star, reading the signs of the birth of the Messiah in the stars.

I want us to think specifically of the constellation, Aries. Both Jews and Greeks understood this as representing a male lamb.

Quote . . . “It is important to note that Aries is the first created, cosmic being, the first constellation in the zodiac, the centre and head of the cosmos as the astronomers say. Nigidius Figulus, first-century C. E., called Aries "the leader and prince of the constellations"; the Scholia in Aratum (545) relates that “the Egyptians say Aries is the head”; Nonnos says Aries “is the centre of the whole cosmos, the central navel of Olympus . . .”

This is taken from a large document which can be read here.

Also, it is worth noting that the passover was celebrated in their first month when Aries ruled the sky (high in the sky)

So, if we take our phrase “Behold the Lamb of God”, and read it in the mindset of the importance of the night sky we get a whole different set of imagery.

“Lamb of God” not a meek and mild sacrificial lamb but a rising, powerful, leader, centre of the universe, etc.

Perhaps this was what the followers of John immediately thought of when they heard John’s declaration. The God of Glory was being revealed. Their great hope of a powerful leader was being fulfilled. This hope would not only be for the Jewish people but would span many cultures.

I would want to add that this is a very male image. In some aspects could be thought of as almost warlike. Therefore we would need to continue to read against the grain other passages. Those which show that the power of Jesus was a very different sort of power. However, for today, I want to note that right at the beginning of the gospel, the author of John gives hope to the people. The Lamb of God is rising!

The Magi (Epiphany 1 Year A)

2011-01-23T12:10:00.002-05:00

Matthew 2:1-12

We are now in the season of Epiphany.

The word Epiphany has the sense of making known, revealing. The commonest understanding of our passage is that the visit of the Magi showed Jesus as the one who would reveal God to humankind.

The Magi were visitors from the East. Although tradition now gives us three of them, our reading makes no such claim. It is interesting that for Matthew this is one of the significant events surrounding the nativity . . . no stories of the actual birth of Jesus, no mention of the stable, no shepherds watching their sheep by night. Interestingly, Matthew simply records the prophecy to Joseph that the child Mary is carrying will be the Messiah followed immediately by the Magi confirming this.

So who were these Magi?

The Encyclopedia Britannica says

magus plural Magi, member of an ancient Persian clan specializing in cultic activities. The name is the Latinized form of magoi (e.g., in Herodotus 1:101), the ancient Greek transliteration of the Iranian original. From it the word magic is derived.

Various theories have them travelling from Babylon (Iraq), Persia(Iran) or Arabia. They would not have wandered randomly to reach Bethlehem, but would have come via the ancient trade routes. Probably using horses initially and switching to camels for the desert. It was a journey of about a thousand miles and would take some considerable time. The infant Jesus would certainly have been well over a year old by the time they arrived.

As I read, again, the story of the visit of the Magi I see the values of inclusion and hospitality. (We will visit these concepts as we continue our journey through the Understandings)

This would have been an amazing occurrence . . .

God was doing something new and strangers were pointing the way.

Matthew, writing for a Jewish readership, tells how “outsiders” revealed the Sovereign One who was the God of glory.

This is a radical message the Magi are presenting “all are welcome”

To ponder . . .

if we had been present, would we have welcomed a bunch of strangers from Iraq or Iran even ones bearing gifts?

How would we have reacted . . .

Would we have been like Herod and wanted to kill them?

Would we have been like Mary and invited them into our home?

Hospitality is one of our community values. However, when I read this passage I realised our view is often too narrow, too small. It is not just about welcoming those who we know and like, but those who are radically different, total opposites. Those who we may consider ‘outsiders’ (Outside our faith, outside our values, outside our standards, outside our way of life, etc., etc. ) Yet, we never know, they may come bearing valuable gifts!

So we are here at the beginning of 2011. The years seem to be going by so quickly.

I pray that for each of us Jesus will be our star throughout this year. The one we follow, the one who guides and leads us. The journey may not be easy, may have some hazards along the way. (We may meet a Herod!). The journey may have unexpected turns and pauses. We may be given gifts by strangers. (Let us be like Mary and welcome them!)

My prayer is that we will all enjoy our journey and recognise those unexpected gifts in whatever way they are brought to us.

Will you recognize the Christ Child? (Advent 1 Year A)

2010-11-28T10:28:00.003-05:00

Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44.

Advent is always an interesting season for me. It is a time when I try to get my head around the theme of the twofold coming.

1. We are preparing our hearts for the birth of Christ. It is traditionally a time of fasting and self-examination. We are reminded of the advent themes as we light the advent wreath each week. Hope, Peace, Joy and Love and finally, the Christ candle which is lit at midnight on Christmas Eve when the time of celebration begins.

2. Yet, at the same time we are looking forward to the completeness of the Reign of Christ when in the words of C.S. Lewis “all wrongs will be righted” (Narnia series)

I think these two aspects of advent can be summed up in one small phrase . . .

Christ is coming.

However, today I don’t want this phrase to stand alone I want to couple it with questions

Christ is coming . . . Will we recognize the Christ child?

Christ is coming . . . Are we prepared?

We have talked many times about finding God in all things and in all people.

I believe this is the message of advent. It is preparing our hearts and minds to recognise Christ wherever Christ is.

A brief look at the readings . . .

The Psalm and Isaiah both speak of peace. Isaiah is a tremendous passage, no more war, no more strife between nations. Yet, it doesn’t just happen. The message is actively seek peace, pray for peace, turn instruments of war into instruments of peace which encourage growth and new life. Peace will signify the presence of the Christ child. Seek peace in our homes, in our work, in those we meet. Peace will usher in the Reign of Christ.

On September 9, 1997 in Judiciary Square, Washington DC a crane lowered a four-ton sculpture to its permanent cement base. The sculpture is entitled "Guns into Plowshares". It is a 16-foot-high steel structure made from 3,000 handguns welded together to form the distinctive shape of a plough blade. Artist Esther Augsburger and her son, David worked for two and a half years with the Metro Police Department. They molded handguns that had been surrendered by local residents. (see photo below) Sadly, earlier this year the sculpture was removed and is seeking a new home.

(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/18/AR2010051805012.html)

Romans and Matthew both speak of preparation. Self examination, looking at our lives. This shouldn’t be done as a burden. It is not to depress us or see how inadequate we are. Self-examination should be done with excitement and anticipation. I think it is like when we have a party or guests for a meal or a weekend stay. We look around our home, we see what needs to be done to get ready. We put time and effort into the preparation. Then we are ready to greet our guests, to spend time with our guests and to enjoy our friends company. We need to be ready so we will recognise the Christ child. Enjoy the preparation!

Additionally, Romans and Matthew both convey a sense of urgency. Constantly, we hear or read of illnesses or accidents which remind us that life is short. Our time on earth is limited, let’s not waste it.

So as we journey through Advent 2010 let us look for the Christ child daily in all we do, in everyone we meet, in all the circumstances we encounter. Let us not be so busy and preoccupied that we miss the Christ Child.

Christ is coming . . .

Will you recognize the Christ child?

+Ab. Jane

What makes you fearful? (Proper 27 Year C)

2010-11-07T12:47:00.003-05:00

Today I want to offer a few thoughts which came to mind when I read the passage in Haggai. Haggai is one of the three post-exhilic prophets speaking to the remnant of the people in the Babylonian exile.

The verse which catches my attention is “My spirit abides among you; do not fear”. I want to ponder this relationship between fear and the spirit of God abiding amongst us. I think we all experience this on a regular basis.

Of course, we might want to be “spiritual” and say that because we have faith we are never fearful. But I suspect that for most of us the experience of being fearful is something that we do experience and live with. We may not get taken from our homes and exiled but we are human beings, living ordinary lives and things happen that make us fearful.

If we were sat together I could go around the room and ask, “what makes you fearful?” What disturbs your peace? What are you worrying about?

I suspect I might get a variety of answers . . . loss of job, loss of income, sickness of oneself or family, elderly parent, child having problems, school, things going wrong with the house, moving, flying to visit family, I’ll never get this project finished in time, I need to confront my boss about this, etc., etc.

Yet, the prophet tells us that God’s spirit dwells amongst us so we don’t have to fear. That is quite a thought! How do we make that a reality in our lives? If anyone has the answer I would love to hear it!

I wonder if we need to find a way to hold the two in tension. I find it helpful to accept that as human beings we are going to fear, we are made that way. Our bodies respond to stressful situations and chemical responses happen. In my recent studies on communication I discovered that even if we are only faced with a conversation that makes us a little nervous our adrenal glands react. Adrenaline is pumped into our bloodstream, the brain diverts blood to our large muscles, (flight response). As the large muscles get more blood, the reasoning sections of the brain get less. Makes it harder to think reasonably about whatever situation we are facing.

So, to access the other reality, that God’s spirit is dwelling amongst us, I think we need to practice constantly the spiritual disciplines. We need to make them part of our lives. The when we get low and are facing situations that are hard, we have the resources to deal with them within ourselves. The habits are formed and are almost automatic responses.

It was always quite interesting that when we were teaching seminars the ones on spiritual healing, prophesy, the demonic and spiritual gifts were always well attended. The ones on spiritual disciplines were the least well attended. Yet are so important. These are the practices which will define our daily living and responses.

Richard Foster (Celebration of Disciplines) identified the twelve disciplines as meditation, prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. Others could be added nonattachment, mindfulness, etc. I’m sure each of you could think of others.

As always, the Celtic saints and Desert Fathers and Mothers can be helpful in aiding us explore these disciplines.

Michael Mitton (Restoring the Woven Cord) cites Patrick as an example of prayer. Mitton quotes from Confessions, “ . . . in one day I said about a hundred prayers and in the night nearly the same.” (123).

Mitton again, talking about the Celtic saints and simplicity says, “many who are wearied by pressures and demands of this restless world will find themselves washed up on such islands where they can be reminded of another world which in its simplicity is full of abundant life.” (21)

Gregory Mayers in Listen to the Desert has a great chapter on nonattachment. He illustrates it with examples from the life of Abba Macarius. Mayers says, “Nonattachment is the attitude that comes from the acceptance of the fact that everything about my life and in my life comes and goes in its own time regardless of my preference or aversions.” (935)

I could include many more stories of how the spiritual disciplines were part of the lives of these early Christians but this is long enough. Maybe someone else has a favourite story to share with us.

I will end with one of my favourite stories the journey of Brendan. The story is one that can be found in Celtic Spirituality collaborated by Oliver Davies. Actually, I’m sure C.S. Lewis used these stories as the inspiration for The Voyage of The Dawn Treader. On his travels Brendan faced many fears and hardships yet drew strength from the rhythm of spirituality which was part of his daily life. I hope we can all find that same relationship between fear and spirituality

Journeying and Resting (Proper 18 Year C)

2010-09-05T12:15:00.002-04:00

Jeremiah 18:1-11

Psalm 139:1-5, 12-18

Philemon 1-21

Luke14:25-33

This week a phrase from the Psalm was especially notable for me. The phrase is in verse two, "You trace my journeys and my resting places". Perhaps, it was because we have spent some weeks journeying this summer that this got my attention.

I started thinking about my personal journeys and the amount of preparation needed. Sometimes I am just going a short distance, minimum preparation. Othertimes, as this summer, I was going to be away for several weeks. Then much more preparation was needed. I had to consider how I was going to get there, what I needed to take and what I was going to do about the dogs and kids. The longer the journey the more preparation is needed. Yet always some preparation is needed.

In the passage in Luke Jesus is preparing the people for a journey. It is a journey into discipleship. Jesus is telling them to be prepared. In a number of different metaphors Jesus urges them to look at the journey and make sure they can make it. Quite a preparation is expected . . . give away possessions, consider the cost, might even lose family!

Then I turned my thoughts to resting places. Resting places are necessary if a journey is to be successful. Actually, most of our preparation this summer was focused around resting places. I chose motels and cities for coffee breaks. All carefully calculated with mileage and driving time taken into consideration. I wonder how did people plan journeys without “google”!

I thought of resting places in two ways . . . planned or unplanned.

Planned are those resting places which we choose to visit. We choose to make a stop. For example, we left Atlanta in the mornning, stopped for coffee in Birmingham, Alabama, stopped overnight in Memphis Tennessee. It helped to break the journey in this planned way. We even had an approximate idea of the times we would stop. Although not in today's readings, the scriptures give us several examples of Jesus choosing to rest. A time to regain energy, a time to consider the next leg of the journey. Paul also talks about times of rest.

On our long car journey our bodies told us when we need to find a resting place. We need fresh air and to stretch our legs. Happily, our careful planning was in sync with our bodies. Spiritually we need to be equally in tune with ourselves. We need to recognise when it is time to take a rest.

Then there are those resting places which I am calling unplanned. We didn't choose to rest it just happened through circumstances.

Perhaps the first example of this is the womb. Our psalm today talks about formation in the womb. The resting place of the womb, a time for growing and preparing for birth and life.

Yet, most of our iunplanned resting places can be frustrating. We didn't want to stop! We wanted to keep going, yet circumstances prevented it. Just how long is this traffic jam going to last!

Of course, some are much more serious than a traffic jam. Perhaps, sickness, or loss of a job or some other circumstances that cause us to halt the direction we were going in. These are the resting places that we need to learn to make the most of. We need to recognise them as a chance to recharge and to assess the direction we are going in rather than an irritation.

Paul had many experiences of unplanned resting places. He was often in prison or stuck on a boat. Yet he obviously used the time wisely, he wrote to the churches, he prayed and when direction was changed accepted that as God's choice for him.

Sometimes in our various areas of ministry we seem to reach a stop. We feel unproductive, things that were once fruitful suddenly seem to dry up. This can be a hard time. We need to change our thinking, not worrying about why things seem to have stopped, but seeing it as a resting place, a place and time to prepare for the next leg of the journey.

In Philemon we see the cyclical nature of this journeying and resting. We see how journeying and resting interact and weave in and out of each other. We see how we need each other in this dance of journeying and resting.

Paul was in an enforced resting place . . . prison

Onesimus was sent on a journey . . . to help Paul and tend his needs

Onesimus made another journey . . . into discipleship

Paul, in his resting place, prepared the way for Onesimus' next journey . . . the journey out of slavery and into freedom.

I think here we have a helpful pattern for each of our lives . . .

journey

rest

help others prepare to journey

. . . and like a circle we just keep going round and round this pattern.

A Significant Woman (Easter 6, Year C)

2010-05-16T09:33:00.002-04:00

Acts 16:9-15

Psalm 67

Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

John 14:23-29

I want to look briefly at the Gospel passage and then move on into Acts. Today our passages are about the spread of the good news of God’s Realm.

Picture the scene . . .

Jesus is sat with the disciples. It is their last meal together. Jesus has already modelled leadership in the new community of believers. He served them as a servant by washing dirty, dusty feet. Now it is a special time, Judas has left, the end is near. I’m sure even those who didn’t fully understand sensed something significant was about to happen. Have you ever felt that? A sort of spiritual unrest, like the whole of nature is disturbed.

Therefore these last words of Jesus are important. I’m sure the disciples were hanging onto every word. Jesus’ mission on earth would continue through them. These words would set the way for the church to grow and develop.

Already a new commandment had been given. It was nothing to do with how they behaved, how they lived, what they ate, etc. It was so simple “love one another”. Love as Jesus loved, serving and willing to lay down one’s life.

Then (in our passage today) Jesus passes something onto them.

What would you have expected? If you had been there, what would you have hoped for?

The ability to heal?

The ability to raise from the dead?

The ability to change water into wine

The ability to multiply food and feed the hungry?

These would have certainly been good things to have and, indeed, we do see that the disciples on occasion were able to do miracles.

However, that is not what Jesus left with them on this auspicious occasion. They were not the most important things. That was peace

Peace for themselves, what we would call inner peace today (Do not let your hearts be troubled)

Peace for others, peace to pass on (do not let them be afraid)

I think that is wonderful. The message for the spread of God’s Realm is love and peace.

Then the passage in Acts gives a specific example of the spread of God’s Realm.

Paul and Barnabas were travelling together. The reading tells us they got a very mixed reception, from being welcomed and received with joy to being stoned. Eventually Paul and Barnabas separate and Paul takes Silas and Timothy along with him.

Then during the night Paul has a vision. He saw a man saying come to Macedonia.

He was obedient to the dream and he went. They met Lydia and the women gathered for prayer.

I wonder if Paul’s vision had shown a woman he would have still gone. What do you think?

I wonder if meeting this woman after his vision of a man (aner) had the same effect on Paul as Peter’s experiences which led him to proclaim “I truly understand that God shows no partiality”

Lydia, a woman who worshipped God, a woman in charge of a household, a woman who was in business. Probably not what Paul expected, yet obviously Paul recognised God was in this and stayed at her home.

Here is another significant woman in the life and development of the community of believers in Acts. Perhaps this story is a little more well know than the one about Tabitha. Yet, her significance as the first believer (or at the very least first named believer) in Macedonia is lost.

I think it is really important that we recover a part of our Christian heritage that seems to have been lost. That is the significance women played in the history and spread of the gospel.

+Ab. Jane

The Inclusive Nature of the Church (Easter 4, Year C)

2010-05-16T09:30:00.001-04:00

Acts 9:36-43

Psalm 23

Revelation 7:9-17

John 10:22-30

Today Acts and Revelation both give us an example of the inclusive nature of the church.

Revelation talks about “a great multitude . . . from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages”

It is a great picture of the all-inclusive church. I love the picture C. S. Lewis gives us right at the end of The Last Battle. The mythical land of Narnia has ceased to be, the children are climbing the mountain to Aslan’s own country. Suddenly they are aware that people are streaming up the mountain from all sides. Different people, surprising people, even those they had thought of as enemies. It is a great picture. All finding their own way to God, all on different journeys yet all reaching the summit!

We could discuss the idea of all nations, all peoples, all tribes, all languages (a reversal of Babel) in much more detail. However, I want to move on to one specific example of inclusivity that we find in our Acts passage.

The author of Acts writes “There was a disciple”.

What a simple phrase, yet so full of meaning. A disciple . . . one who has dedicated their life to following Jesus. This disciple was a woman!

I believe one of the tasks of Feminist Theology is to bring to our collective consciousness stories of women which have, in the past, often been read over quickly and dismissed. I don’t believe that we should isolate such texts from the body of scripture but allow them to take their place within the whole. As Ann Thurston says, ‘my concern is to discover what energy there might be in these texts for the transformation of the Christian community today.’

I believe this is one such text. We need to consider it carefully and ask ourselves why is it placed where it is and what energy does it contain for us today. Therefore context is important.

This story is set within the middle of a series of chapters that contain a number of very significant stories. Key stories in the history of the church. They are stories that everyone who is a little familiar with the bible would be able to find easily. If I asked, I know you would all find them quickly. Yet, if I had asked, where is the text about the rising of Tabitha, I suspect most of us would struggle to remember where it is.

In this section of Acts we have Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch, we have the conversion of Saul, we have Aeneas and Tabitha raised from the dead, we have Peter’s great vision and Cornelius.

Then Peter began to speak and said, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality”

I encourage you to read the chapters preceding this statement and see what sort of people were included. You may be surprised!

However, I want to go back to Tabitha

It is clear from the text that this disciple was with others. Men and women who loved and respected her. Disciples who loved her enough to tend her in death. Men who cared enough to go and seek help and hope for her healing. In these few sentences we see a picture of the inclusive nature of the church. Women and men together, a woman’s life important and significant.

In this culture women were property, romantic love as we know it was not part of the picture, usefulness and childbearing (Or even we should say son-bearing) were important. Woman could easily be replaced. This story tells us that in the church the women were important, each was unique and irreplaceable. Tabitha was a special, needed person in the life of the church.

I hope that when Peter uttered that great statement, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality” that he was also remembering Tabitha (a woman) as one of those who is fully included.

I hope that we too can say with honesty that we truly understand that God shows no partiality. That when we reach out to those around us it is regardless of their gender, their sexuality, their race, their colour, their age, etc.

The gospel passage today tells us that ‘my sheep hear my voice’. Our lives and actions are God’s voice on earth today. I hope that in the Lindisfarne community we will all reflect the inclusive nature of the church. All are welcome, there are no exceptions!

+ Ab. Jane

Thomas’ Plea for Inclusion (Easter 2 Year C)

2010-04-15T11:57:00.002-04:00

Acts 5:27-32

Psalm 118: 14-29

Revelation 1:4-8

John 20: 19-31

Imagine the scene:

The disciples were locked together in a room. I imagine a variety of mixed emotions would be going through their heads as they ponder the events of that first Easter.

Fear . . . will the religious authorities think we have stolen the body?

Terror . . . will we be crucified too?

Excitement . . . Is it true what Mary told us? (Luke and Matt have more women)

Incredibility . . . . Mark tells us the disciples didn’t believe.

Hopelessness . . . only three years and it’s ended, it’s all over .

Confusion . . . What’s going to happen to us now?

Shock . . . think how traumatic the weekend has been

Guilt . . . didn’t we all scatter and deny Jesus

Regret . . . I wish I’d stayed at the cross

Suddenly Jesus appears and says “Peace be with you”

Wow, amazing, what an impact that must have had . . .

Jesus was once again amongst them.

Jesus understood their inner turmoil

Jesus understood their weaknesses but didn’t condemn

They may have abandoned Jesus but Jesus didn’t abandon them

Then Jesus breathed on them. The Holy Breathe was breathed on them and into them. And something happened. Suddenly they had direction and strength and purpose.

Jesus mission hadn’t died on the cross. They were going to carry it on.

I believe this is the Johannine account of pentecost. I think here is a perfect example of what James Dunn calls ‘Unity and Diversity’ in a book of the same title. This is John’s account of the giving of the Holy Spirit. It is not spectacular and noisy as in Acts but quiet and relational.

However, I really want to focus on Thomas. I want to rethink the image of Thomas. I want to shake off the doubting label that has been upon him for centuries

Not a doubting Thomas but a Thomas who is so desperate for inclusion, desperate to share the experience, desperate not to have missed out.

Can you relate?

Has anyone ever told you about a great spiritual experience they had and you wanted it for yourself? (Not in a selfish way)

Have you ever felt excluded on the basis of gender, race, sexuality, etc.?

Have you ever felt you missed out on something?

Maybe Thomas who represents all who have ever felt excluded.

I think we can learn from how Thomas behaved:

Thomas stuck around in spite of missing the initial experience.

Thomas didn’t need the same experience (he didn’t get to touch the wounds)

Thomas was included in his own way.

Thomas saw his own vision of the risen Jesus.

This way of viewing contains hope for all of us. Even though we might not get to see and experience Jesus in the same way as others we are still blessed.

Some questions to ponder:

Can we identify with Thomas? (Have we ever felt excluded, that we missed out?)

Can we be content to be included in our way rather than seeking another’s way?

Can we find our place amongst the Christian church?

Women, can we find our place without striving to be one of the men?

Two Final Comments on Thomas:

1. Thomas wrote a gospel. It is older than the gospels we have included in the Bible. Pheme Perkins, in Searching the Scriptures ed Elisabeth Fiorenza.

“ The sayings in the Gospel of Thomas presents a Jesus who reveals a hidden but timeless wisdom . . . Jesus is not an end-time judge who rescues believers from the wrath of God. Rather Jesus mediates the discovery of a wisdom that enables persons to recover the integrity of the human person as created by God”

A great resource for looking at the Gospel of Thomas, various translations and commentaries.

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/thomas.html

2. Thomas is supposed to have evangelized India

According to legendary tradition St. Thomas was invited by the King Gondophorus to India to build a palace for him. St. Thomas came and declared that he would build a heavenly palace instead and distributed the money among the poor. For this he was put into prison, but later pardoned. He evangelized the region of Malabar, then was martyred at Mylapore, near Madras. In 394 his remains were brought to Edessa. Another version that his remains are still in India at a place now called San Tome.

Lost and Found (Lent 4 Year C)

2010-03-14T12:35:00.001-04:00

Joshua 5: 9-12

Psalm 32

2 Corinthians 5: 16-21

Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32

On reflection, I wish that today’s gospel reading had covered the whole chapter and not jumped from verse three to verse eleven. Then we would have seen the story as part of a whole series of ‘lost and found’ stories.

So I want to briefly cast a glance at all three of the ‘lost and found’ stories. (The shepherd with the lost sheep, the woman with the lost coin and the parent with the lost child.) These stories were told as a response to the grumbling that Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them.

‘Eating with them’ is significant. This is more than just accepting sinners, this is a sign of real friendship. In almost every culture inviting people into your home, sharing food and eating with them is a sign of intimacy and true friendship.

In these stories Jesus is showing the value of lost things. Jesus is revealing the seeking and compassionate heart of God. A picture of God as represented by a shepherd, a woman and a father.

Even the order the stories are placed in is interesting. They seem to subvert the expected positioning. First it is 1:100, then 1:10 and then 1:2. Surely we would have expected it the other way round, ending with the message that even one out of a hundred is important. Even one in a hundred is worthy of care and consideration.

I want to look, firstly, at the man with two sons. (Two sons perhaps representing the two groups of people mentioned at the outset of the chapter — tax-collectors & sinners and Pharisees & scribes).

Right at the beginning of the story the reader (or listener) is alerted to something unusual about this story. The man divided his property amongst his two sons. Surely that wasn’t quite right. Surely the elder son was entitled to more (a double portion at the very least). Right here at the outset of the story is something that will challenge and need careful consideration. This is pointing to a generosity that exceeds law.

We all know the story. The younger son squanders everything until his poverty and desperation cause him to realise that he needs to go home.

I want to look especially at how he is received. His father sees him and runs to meet him. Look at the heart of compassion. Compassion with its root meaning in womb. A God of womb-like love and nurture.

We are told that the son is repentant, but the father did not know this. He merely sees his child in the distance and ran and welcomed him with a kiss. This is another reversal of the norm. Shouldn’t forgiveness follow after confession and repentance? Not here, this is unconditional love poured out. Forgiveness precedes repentance.

Anne Thurston in her book Knowing Her Place comments that “It is love which creates the possibility for repentance, for true metanoia ‘change of heart’. Conversion is not a condition but a consequence of God’s love.”

In addition, several commentators have pointed out that it would be shocking for the first century readers to hear that the father ‘ran’ to the son. This would not happen. It would be considered undignified. This would certainly cause a ripple of shock through the early readers.

It seems that in this story both the sons have missed the aspect of true relationship. The younger son had planned to return as a servant. His elder brother had talked about himself as working like a slave.

Thurston comments, ‘”The language of servant and master, the relationships of patriarchal household have been replaced with the offer of unconditional love, ‘all that is mine is yours.’”

The father throws a party and the invitation to celebrate is open to all. No-one is excluded. What a wonderful offer of unconditional love to all!

In conclusion I want briefly to glance at the other two ‘lost and found’ stories.

A shepherd responsible for 100 sheep leaves 99 to seek for one lost one . . . madness! Not at all logical. Why leave 99 sheep unprotected to search for one? That is not even good shepherding. It is another unexpected view. Then when the sheep is found the shepherd hosts a feast. Perhaps costing more than the value of the sheep.

Then the second parable, the woman with 10 coins. She is obviously a rich woman, a householder, responsible for her own affairs. She does all the correct things in seeking diligently. What a great picture of God, a woman seeking for that which was lost until it is found. Yet again, when the lost thing is found the woman threw a party to celebrate finding the coin. Again the party may have cost more than the value of the coin!

Thurston again, commenting on this second parable, “the woman diligently searching portrays God, who even when there is no urgency, goes out of her way to seek out the lost. The woman hosts the feast with the prodigal generosity of God . . . the idea of a woman hosting the feast, which suggests the eschatological banquet prepares the way for the final subversion of the patriarchal model of God which we saw in the third parable.”

I want to end with two thoughts to ponder . . .

Can these three stories of ‘lost and found’, sheep/coins/sons help us in re-imagining our view of God?

Can we receive people with unconditional love?

+Ab. Jane

Power, Control and Service (Proper 24 Year B)

2009-10-22T20:51:00.003-04:00

Isaiah 53:4-12

Psalm 91:9-16

Hebrews 5:1-10

Mark 10:35-45

Today, I want to think about the passage from Mark. In Mark we have three passion predictions. Today’s passage follows immediately after the third and most detailed one. Jesus has told the disciples that “the Child of Humanity will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes . . .they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him, and after three days he will rise again” (Mark 10:33-34) (1)

Immediately Jesus is asked by James and John if they could have seats of honour in the coming realm. Jesus does not rebuke them as one would expect, but merely asks if they can stand firm in persecution. After they have replied in the affirmative Jesus told them that they would suffer persecution, but that positions were not Jesus’ to grant. We (and the readers of Mark) know that these two disciples would indeed suffer persecution and that James would ultimately be martyred.

This first section of the passage shows us that suffering does not earn us any rewards. Jt is not exalted as the way of discipleship. It is simply something that happens. A possible consequence of following Jesus. This is a challenge to any Christian (or Jewish) understanding that suffering is pleasing to God and will merit reward. It is worth noting the contrast with Mark 9:41 where giving someone a glass of water will bring reward! We are already seeing that the way of discipleship is service not suffering.

As the story unfolds the other disciples were annoyed with James and John. Markan Jesus uses it as an opportunity to contrast the way of power with the way of servanthood. And not only a servant but a slave! Slave status was despised and thought of as even lower than the poor peasants. Additionally, Jesus said they needed to be a slave to all. Each person was to serve as if they were the lowest of the low.

It is worth noting who Mark had Jesus speaking to here. It was the twelve disciples. Jesus was not speaking to the women disciples, nor to the children, nor to a crowd of poor peasants, servants and slaves. In other words he was not speaking to those whom society already considered should serve, but to the free men, those who already had some status and power.

Then Jesus uses his own life as example of life given in service. Mark does not see the death of Jesus as atonement but as the completion of Jesus life lived in service for others. It is martyrdom not sacrifice. Martyrdom was considered honourable.

Joanna Dewey says, “The disciples are encouraged to follow Jesus not only in preaching and healing but also in faithful behaviour in the face of persecution”1 . The disciples, too, may have to give their lives as they seek to follow Jesus in lives of service to others.

Henri Nouwen in In the Name of Jesus says, "The long painful history of the church is the history of people ever and again tempted to choose power over love, control over the cross, being a leader over being led." and “The way of the Christian leader is not the way of upward mobility in which the world has invested so much, but the way of downward mobility ending on the cross. . . . It is not a leadership of power and control, but a leadership of powerlessness and humility in which the suffering servant of God, Jesus Christ, is made manifest." (2)

This desire in humanity to seek power and success, seems to be part of the human make-up. It was present even with Adam and Eve as they sought to ‘be like God’.

As each of us seek to be disciples of God can we lay aside that human need for power and control and use our lives in the service of others?

(1) Joanna Dewey, “The Gospel of Mark” in Searching the Scriptures Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza (ed) 495 (I have followed her interpretation of this passage)

(2)Henri Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus (Crossroads: New York, 1996), 60

Genesis Reflections (Proper 22 Year B)

2009-10-04T15:48:00.001-04:00

Genesis 2:18-24

Psalm 8

Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12

Mark 10: 2-16

As I read the passages for this week I paused for a while with Genesis. I felt quite sad as I read those very familiar words. What was supposed to be a lovely story about the origin of the human race has been so often used to promote domination and abuse of both human and non-human animals.

Just before reading these verses I opened my e-mails one of which included details of the upcoming Walk for Farm Animals to promote ethical and compassionate treatment for the animals. Unspeakable cruelty is being done to animals every minute to produce food most of which we don’t even need. Nor is it just farm animals who are the victims of cruelty.

How did the human race get from the privilege of naming and caring for the animals to our present day situation?

Women, too, have been controlled and dominated by men who assume that these words give them the authority over them. In my opinion, these verses have been misinterpreted and misused. Partly, it is because of the change in language. Try reading the Genesis passage and substitute human being for man. It gives the passage a very different feel.

For anyone wanting to study the language in detail I recommend God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality by Phyllis Trible. I love her interpretation of the Genesis story. It makes the most sense to me especially in view of her knowledge and study of ancient languages.

Trible talks about how the first human being was “sexually undifferentiated (neither male nor female nor a combination of both)” p.98. Then after the second human being is created the human beings are sexually differentiated.

As Trible says,

“One is female, the other male. Their creation is simultaneous, not sequential. One does not precede the other, even though the time line of this story introduces the women first (2:20). Moreover, one is not the opposite of the other. In the very act of distinguishing female from male, the earth creature describes her as ‘bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh’ (2:23). These words speak unity, solidarity, mutuality and equality.” p99

Perhaps that last sentence of Trible’s is something to ponder as we consider how we treat others.

Another clue as to how we treat others can be found at the end of our final reading in Mark.

Here children are being brought to Jesus. The disciples rebuke those bringing them. It is so sad that discernment is already being made about who can be part of this new, evolving Christianity. Yet Jesus tells the disciples that it is “to such as these the Realm of God belongs”.

In a society where many children died young, where children had no legal rights, where children were considered the lowest of the low. I believe that in this scene Jesus is telling the disciples that the Realm of God welcomes all those who are outcasts and have been dominated.

A Revelatory Woman (Proper 18 Year B)

2009-09-07T09:11:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23

Psalm 125

James 2 1-10, 14-17

Mark 7:24-37

Some rich readings this week. James challenges us about our attitude to the poor. Perhaps a very pertinent reading for these weeks. As + Andy and I read it out loud I couldn’t help but inwardly change the last verse . . . ‘if a brother or sister is naked and lacks health care and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; Keep warm and stay healthy; and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that.’

Anyway, that is just a brief thought to ponder.

The verses that really excited me are the ones in Mark. A reminder, once again, of the important part women played in the life of Jesus and, indeed, in shaping the future and development of the newly emerging Christian faith.

I have many times in the past talked about revelatory women in the life of Jesus. Women who seem to challenge Jesus and open up new horizons to him. Here, in Mark’s gospel we meet another.

We meet the unnamed Canaanite (Syrophoenician) woman who came to Jesus asking for healing for her tormented daughter. In Matthew’s version of this story the disciples even begged Jesus to send her away. They did not want to associate with her.

Jesus spoke to her and told her that he was sent only to the Jews (the house of Israel). Then followed it with an insult . . . that the children’s food could not be thrown to the dogs. No cute pugs in this thought, no much loved family pets but scavengers hungry and a nuisance to all. The unnamed woman retorted that even the dogs were allowed to eat the crumbs. In the telling of the story Jesus recognised her faith and her daughter was healed.

We could read this as a nice story of faith. But I think it is so much more. This woman was used to reveal to Jesus that this newly emerging story was also for the gentiles. It was as if Jesus’ had his eyes opened through the prophetic voice of this woman. Forget waiting for Cornelius’ house to include the gentiles . . . this woman opened the door. Now was the time for the ministry to include the Gentiles. It was a gift which included all.

Blessings Jane

Musings from the Abbess

Welcoming Strangers? (Epiphany 4 Year B)

Good News! (Advent 2 Year B)

More Reading Parables Subversively (Proper 28 Year A)

Reading parables (Proper 23 Year A)

Fairness (Proper 20 Year A)

If you love me ... (Easter 6 Year A)

Re-reading the Emmaus Road (Easter 3 Year A)

Christ is Risen (Easter Sunday Year A)

Light and Darkness (Lent 4 Year A)

The Mountaintop (Last Epiphany Year A)

Choose Life (Epiphany 6 Year A)

The Lamb of God (Epiphany 2 Year A)

The Magi (Epiphany 1 Year A)

Will you recognize the Christ Child? (Advent 1 Year A)

What makes you fearful? (Proper 27 Year C)

Journeying and Resting (Proper 18 Year C)

A Significant Woman (Easter 6, Year C)

The Inclusive Nature of the Church (Easter 4, Year C)

Thomas’ Plea for Inclusion (Easter 2 Year C)

Lost and Found (Lent 4 Year C)

Power, Control and Service (Proper 24 Year B)

Genesis Reflections (Proper 22 Year B)

A Revelatory Woman (Proper 18 Year B)