Choose Life (Epiphany 6 Year A)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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