Thanks to all who commented on my previous post, particularly John.
"Community" is an overused word that has come to be almost meaningless -- which is why I used the phrase "covenanted community". As Christians, we are incorporated into the one invisible Church by baptism (evangelicals would substitute conversion for baptism, but that doesn't change my point). In order to live healthy Christian lives, we must also become part of particular expressions of church -- in parishes, small worshipping communities, religious orders, etc., which may in turn be part of other expreessions of church -- jurisdiction, denomination, etc. Now, in order for any group of people to function, there are certain common rules, laws, regulations that must be established -- otherwise chaos will result. That is where the "covenant" comes in -- the agreements that communities make in order to function. Without the depth of commitment to such relational covenants, true intimacy and authentic "community" will not result.
While I am an outspoken advocate of indie priests offering solitary masses if no congregation is available, I don't think it is healthy for such liturgy to be the only expression of prayer. Corporate worship is a necessary part of the Christian life, and without it, one falls into the danger of an idiosyncratic, eccentric spirituality that is not grounded in the incarnational reality that worshipping with others offers. And to get the full benefit of corporate worship, one must establish a relationship with a particular praying community -- worshipping with different congregations without settling down is a sign of immaturity.
But existence as a regular congregation does require sacrifice, and rules, and lots of mundane things that many "spiritual" people may prefer not to deal with. If nothing else, there is the at-least weekly sacrifice of an hour or more for worship (and hopefully, also, fellowship). It may seem spiritual not to deal with money, but in an incarnational religion such as ours, there are hymnals and vestments and bread and wine to purchase. Conflicts will arise, and compromises will occur, and the music won't satisfy everyone's tastes, and not every sermon will meet one's needs, and the text of the liturgy may be too traditional or too modern -- and yet, it is to such a human community, with human problems, that one must commit -- not merely a collection of friendships, but an actual community, that can make some demands on one's life (and vice versa).
Hopefully, local communities will have some connections with other local communities, which may lead to jurisdictions or other arrangements, or may not. But without entering this covenant of community, one risks a spirituality cut off from the incarnation.
Balancing Community and Individual Needs
John Plummer has an interesting post today entitled "Running Free". In it, he elaborates on a theme that he has expounded before, especially in his book The Living Mysteries -- the idea that the church and jurisdictions and organized communities are unnecessary, as the priesthood and the sacraments are the important thing.
Indeed, many churches have caused a lot of harm -- one need merely think of the persecution of the Jews by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and other denominations (Martin Luther was shockingly bigoted in his anti-Semitism); the endorsement of racist slavery by the Southern branches of the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist denominations in the United States; the denigration of women inherent in denying them the opportunity for full participation in the church's life; or the current vicious attack on lgbt families by many denominations, with an anemic response by most "liberal" mainstream denominations (the United Church of Christ being the shining exception). There are many other examples that could
be offered. And John is absolutely correct in pointing out the ridiculousness of many independent jurisdictions.
Yet, there are also many examples of how unbridled individualism can lead to great problems as well -- especially in our movement. While there are many holy people doing good work in our movement, there are also a lot of people who want quick ordination with no demands to feed their egos -- and while John points to jurisdictions that feed this, I think abolishing this for a "free" priesthood would only exacerbate the problem, since it would remove all accountability.
Individualists can point to unhealthy and abusive communities and say, "See? Everyone is better off on their own, with complete freedom!", with justification. Communitarians can point to unhealthy, abusive, and eccentric individuals and say, "See? Everyone is better off in community, with accountability!", again with justification. In fact, God has created us with a hunger for community, so that we cannot be fulfilled human beings without being in deep, intimate, covenanted relationships, as well as creating us as individuals with deep longings of the Spirit demanding that we express them, even if we go against the grain and march to the beat of a different drummer (if I may be forgiven for mixing metaphors).
Healthy priesthood can only exist within covenanted communities that honor and encourage healthy individual development -- and it is this search for balance that we must pursue, rather than recreating unhealthy communities or establishing unaccountable "free" priesthoods.
Indeed, many churches have caused a lot of harm -- one need merely think of the persecution of the Jews by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and other denominations (Martin Luther was shockingly bigoted in his anti-Semitism); the endorsement of racist slavery by the Southern branches of the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist denominations in the United States; the denigration of women inherent in denying them the opportunity for full participation in the church's life; or the current vicious attack on lgbt families by many denominations, with an anemic response by most "liberal" mainstream denominations (the United Church of Christ being the shining exception). There are many other examples that could
be offered. And John is absolutely correct in pointing out the ridiculousness of many independent jurisdictions.
Yet, there are also many examples of how unbridled individualism can lead to great problems as well -- especially in our movement. While there are many holy people doing good work in our movement, there are also a lot of people who want quick ordination with no demands to feed their egos -- and while John points to jurisdictions that feed this, I think abolishing this for a "free" priesthood would only exacerbate the problem, since it would remove all accountability.
Individualists can point to unhealthy and abusive communities and say, "See? Everyone is better off on their own, with complete freedom!", with justification. Communitarians can point to unhealthy, abusive, and eccentric individuals and say, "See? Everyone is better off in community, with accountability!", again with justification. In fact, God has created us with a hunger for community, so that we cannot be fulfilled human beings without being in deep, intimate, covenanted relationships, as well as creating us as individuals with deep longings of the Spirit demanding that we express them, even if we go against the grain and march to the beat of a different drummer (if I may be forgiven for mixing metaphors).
Healthy priesthood can only exist within covenanted communities that honor and encourage healthy individual development -- and it is this search for balance that we must pursue, rather than recreating unhealthy communities or establishing unaccountable "free" priesthoods.
Fr. Chris Tessone
I am very happy to report that Fr. Chris Tessone, author of the blog Even the Devils Believe and pastor of Our Lady of Peace Independent Catholic Church in Durham, NC, is in the process of incardinating into the Independent Catholic Christian Church and has been accepted as a postulant in the Augustinians of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Chris is very prayerful and a very well-read theologian, and I know he will make great contributions to the Independent Catholic Christian Church.
Hooray! Alleluia! And thanks to Bishop John Plummer for ordaining him.
Hooray! Alleluia! And thanks to Bishop John Plummer for ordaining him.
Annotation of http://jesuscreed.org/
Click here to view an annotation of http://jesuscreed.org/
What do you think about how we do church??
What do you think about how we do church??
Prayer that Overcomes
All Christians have their own circle of those who have requested them to intercede on their behalf, or people for whom for various reasons they know they have been called upon to pray. First of all, this circle will include those with whom they must live every day. With this we have advanced to the point at which we hear the heartbeat of all Christian life together. A Christian community either lives by the intercessory prayers of its members for one another or the community will be destroyed. I can no longer condemn or hate other Christians for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble they cause me. In intercessory prayer the face that may have been strange and intolerable to me is transformed into the face of one for whom Christ died, the face of a pardoned sinner. That is a blessed discovery for the Christian who is beginning to offer intercessory prayer for others. As far as we are concerned, there in no dislike, no personal tension, no disunity or strife, that cannot be overcome by intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer is the purifying bath into which the individual and the community must enter every day.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer -
from Life Together 89
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer -
from Life Together 89
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
Forms of fear
The psalmist proclaims, " When I am afraid, I will trust in you" (Psalm 56:3). This is what I was meditating on this morning. Of course, my mind wandered to that song "You are my Hiding Place" from Psalm 32 and the chorus, "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you."
Fears take on many forms. Children are afraid of the dark, of the absence of their parents. We as adults fear losing those we love through distance or divorce. My greatest fear right now is that my words and actions might discredit my Lord. The past couple of weeks at work have been difficult for all of us. Last week I raised my voice in response to my supervisor. At lunch I wept over my lack of self control. I had read and meditated in the morning on that portion of scipture, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight..." (Psalm 19:14). I was so far off in left field from that. As that day progressed, perhaps my words were better (at least less), but the meditations of my heart were quite another matter.
I had to face the ugliness of my sinfulness and repent. Would I have treated the Lord like that? I truly find hope and encouragement in Luther's theology of "simul justus et peccatore," of the Christian being simultaneously saint and sinner. It prevents me from beating myself up too much. What are the fears you are dealing with? "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you" (Psalm 56:3).
Fears take on many forms. Children are afraid of the dark, of the absence of their parents. We as adults fear losing those we love through distance or divorce. My greatest fear right now is that my words and actions might discredit my Lord. The past couple of weeks at work have been difficult for all of us. Last week I raised my voice in response to my supervisor. At lunch I wept over my lack of self control. I had read and meditated in the morning on that portion of scipture, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight..." (Psalm 19:14). I was so far off in left field from that. As that day progressed, perhaps my words were better (at least less), but the meditations of my heart were quite another matter.
I had to face the ugliness of my sinfulness and repent. Would I have treated the Lord like that? I truly find hope and encouragement in Luther's theology of "simul justus et peccatore," of the Christian being simultaneously saint and sinner. It prevents me from beating myself up too much. What are the fears you are dealing with? "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you" (Psalm 56:3).
Aristocratic Title
Thanks to Mother Laura Grimes at Junia's Daughter for this fun exercise:
 | My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Imperial Majesty Timothy the Recumbent of Leper St George Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title |
Visit from Chris Tessone
This past weekend, I was fortunate to have a visit from Chris Tessone, the Andrew Sullivan of Independent Sacramental bloggers (not in ideology, but rather in rate of prolific writing), whose blog, Even the Devils Believe, is always interesting and thought-provoking. We had many interesting conversations, and we made a pilgrimage to the grave of the Prince de Landas Berghes, about which he blogs. It was also great for him to join us in worship and fellowship at St. Mary of Grace parish on Sunday night.
Not to beat a dead horse, but unity in our movement will NOT be achieved through the Grand Uniting Organization that people propose setting up on a twice-weekly basis (almost never with any clear idea of what, exactly, the organization is supposed to do, or what resources will be required or where they will be obtained, and usually there is the ridiculous notion that such an organization will cause Rome, the Episcopal Church, the Union of Utrecht, or the little green bishops that inhabit the planet Mars to "recognize" us finally -- because, really, we are absolutely nothing until "someone" [fill in the blank] "recognizes" us -- but I digress). In fact, far more will be accomplished if more people in our movement will take the time to visit each other, get to know each other, worship and eat together. And visiting the graves of our forebears can't hurt!
As I mentioned on Chris' blog, I do plan, in the near future, to produce holy cards with third-class relics of the Prince de Landas Berghes, who brought the Arnold Mathew line to this land, and will make them available to anyone to wants them and sends me a SASE. Stay tuned!
Not to beat a dead horse, but unity in our movement will NOT be achieved through the Grand Uniting Organization that people propose setting up on a twice-weekly basis (almost never with any clear idea of what, exactly, the organization is supposed to do, or what resources will be required or where they will be obtained, and usually there is the ridiculous notion that such an organization will cause Rome, the Episcopal Church, the Union of Utrecht, or the little green bishops that inhabit the planet Mars to "recognize" us finally -- because, really, we are absolutely nothing until "someone" [fill in the blank] "recognizes" us -- but I digress). In fact, far more will be accomplished if more people in our movement will take the time to visit each other, get to know each other, worship and eat together. And visiting the graves of our forebears can't hurt!
As I mentioned on Chris' blog, I do plan, in the near future, to produce holy cards with third-class relics of the Prince de Landas Berghes, who brought the Arnold Mathew line to this land, and will make them available to anyone to wants them and sends me a SASE. Stay tuned!
But the Lord hid them.
Today's reading from the Revised Common Lectionary is Jeremiah 36:11-26. Baruch the scribe, recorded the words of Jeremiah which were then reported to the king. The king responded by burning the scroll containing them piece by piece, later ordering the arrest of Jeremiah and Baruch. God's response? "But the Lord hid them" (Jeremiah 36:26b).
Psalm 46 beautifully speaks to this issue of the Lord's protection. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). In verse 7 , God is "the Lord Almighty...our fortress." Verse 10 is the key to the experiential knowledge of knowing this deliverance in our lives. "Be still, and know that I am God." Everything in our world seemingly demands our immediate attention. Let us turn our wholehearted attention to the One who deserves it.
Psalm 46 beautifully speaks to this issue of the Lord's protection. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). In verse 7 , God is "the Lord Almighty...our fortress." Verse 10 is the key to the experiential knowledge of knowing this deliverance in our lives. "Be still, and know that I am God." Everything in our world seemingly demands our immediate attention. Let us turn our wholehearted attention to the One who deserves it.
Weekly wonderings
It has been a week of being recreated from the inside and that is painful. God has brought me to the Spiritual Formation course through Regent University for "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).
The means of being taken apart and put back together by God has been spending more deliberate time in his presence by the use of an ancient method called lectio divina or divine reading. More about that in another post. Of course, living the truth God shows you is quite another matter. For me this week has been difficult at work. We had a staff meeting followed by individual meetings with our supervisor where we each got "our ears boxed" so to speak.
My prayer all week has been that God would make me more like Jesus. The means however, is through the school of hard knocks. The kicker was the verse I was meditating on yesterday, "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Ps 19:14). Ok, I tried REALLY HARD to be "good" all day, but that is something we who are simultaneously saints and sinners are completely incapable of doing in our own strength. I blew it and felt like a failure when all was said and done.
This morning in prayer and reading the problem became crystal clear. I felt self conscious, like I was under the microscope at work. That is the crux of the matter, being SELF conscious instead of being GOD conscious. Thanks be to God for his forgiveness and grace to carry on. Monday begins a new week at work and a new opportunity to manifest God's grace.
Blessings!
The means of being taken apart and put back together by God has been spending more deliberate time in his presence by the use of an ancient method called lectio divina or divine reading. More about that in another post. Of course, living the truth God shows you is quite another matter. For me this week has been difficult at work. We had a staff meeting followed by individual meetings with our supervisor where we each got "our ears boxed" so to speak.
My prayer all week has been that God would make me more like Jesus. The means however, is through the school of hard knocks. The kicker was the verse I was meditating on yesterday, "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Ps 19:14). Ok, I tried REALLY HARD to be "good" all day, but that is something we who are simultaneously saints and sinners are completely incapable of doing in our own strength. I blew it and felt like a failure when all was said and done.
This morning in prayer and reading the problem became crystal clear. I felt self conscious, like I was under the microscope at work. That is the crux of the matter, being SELF conscious instead of being GOD conscious. Thanks be to God for his forgiveness and grace to carry on. Monday begins a new week at work and a new opportunity to manifest God's grace.
Blessings!
Threat to Religious Freedom in New Hampshire
Representative Daniel C. Itse is attempting to suppress religious freedom in the state of New Hampshire with a proposed law (HB 69, oddly enough . . .) that would prohibit clergy and churches from performing religious marriages for same-sex couples. Civil marriage and religious marriage are separate institutions. Just as Roman Catholic clergy are not compelled by the state to marry couples where one or both have been divorced without an annulment, and just as rabbis are not compelled by the state to marry interfaith couples where one partner is not Jewish, so clergy (such as UU, UCC, Ethical Culture, Reform/Reconstructionist/Conservative Jewish, MCC, and Independent Sacramental, to name just a few examples) should not be prohibited from performing religious marriages, even if such a marriage is not yet recognized by the state.
This is a very dangerous bill, which I hope is swiftly defeated by the New Hampshire Judiciary Committee.
This is a very dangerous bill, which I hope is swiftly defeated by the New Hampshire Judiciary Committee.
Biblical interpretaton. What's for now.
This is an interesting post by Scot McKnight on his JesusCreed.com blog.
Women, Mary and Jesus Class 1
Filed under: Women and Ministry — Scot McKnight @ 2:20 am
On the first day of my new class — Women, Mary, and Jesus, we looked at pp. 14-15 of William
Webb, Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals. We read these verses and I asked the students to “vote” for
each verse: A, B, or C. That is, “A” means “universal and transcultural,” and “B” means “Christians
don’t agree” and “C” means “Cultural and not for Christians today.” Now it’s your turn.
(read more…)
We voted for each verse and then we got in groups and discussed group “C.” And we discussed “why”
we decided the “C” items were not to be practiced today, or why we thought they were “cultural” and
not “universal.” Try it yourself. Vote for each, and then ask yourself what leads you to see the “C”
verses as no longer the things Christians need to do. The reasons you give are essentially what the
“redemptive trend” is all about.
Now I’m curious: What do you think? What are your patterns of thinking when it comes to the verses
you assign to “C”?
1. ‘God. . . said to them [Adam and Eve], ‘Be fruitful and increase in number’ ” (Gen 1:28).
2. ‘Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and Nith all your strength”
(Deut 6:5).
3. ‘When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce. . . yOU shall give it to the Levite,
the alien, the fatherless and the widow” (Deut 26: 12).
4. “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (l Cor 16:20).
5. “Women should remain silent in the churches” (l Cor 14:34).
6. “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses”
(l Tim 5:23).
7. “Set apart for the LORD. . . every firstborn male of your herds and flocks” (Deut 15:19).
8. “If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are
discovered, he shall pay the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has
violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives” (Deut 22:28-29).
9. “Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period”
(Lev 18: 19).
10. “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman” (Lev 18:22).
11. “Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it” (Lev 18:23).
12. “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28: 19).
13. “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” (1 Tim 4: 13).
14. “Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material” (Lev 19: 19).
15. “Be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure” (2 Pet 1: 10).
16. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God
made man” (Gen 9:6).
17. “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s
feet” (In 13: 14).
18. “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of
Israel” (Mt 10:5-6).
19. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, . . . drive”out demons” (Mt 10:8).
20. “Sell your possessions and give to the poor” (Lk 12:33).
21. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your
God. On it you shall not do any work” (Ex 20:9-10).
22. “A woman. . . should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head” (1 Cor 11:6- 7).
23. “If a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him” (1 Cor 11: 14).
24. “Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife” (1 Cor 7:27).
25. “Every male among you shall be circumcised” (Gen 17: 10).
26. “Punish him [your child] with the rod and save his soul from death” (Prov 23:14).
27. “Do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Mt 5:42).
28. “Bless those who persecute you. . . . If your enemy is hungry, feed him” (Rom 12:14,20).
29. “Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget
their poverty and remember their misery no more” (Pro v 31 :6-7).
30. “Do not. . . put tattoo marks on yourselves” (Lev 19:28).
31. “Praise God with tambourine and dancing. . . praise him with the clash of cymbals” (Ps 150:4-5).
32. “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly” (Lev 19:32).
33. “You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals
and from sexual immorality” (Acts 15:29).
34. “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and
considerate, but also to those who are harsh” (1 Pet 2: 18).
35. “A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing” (Deut 22:5).
36. “If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him. . . the priest shall take some holy water in a
clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. . . . He is to have the woman drink
the water” (Num 5:12,17,26).
37. “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer. . . . I also want women to dress modestly. .
. not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes” (1 Tim 2:8-9).
38. “Do not take interest of any kind from your countryman” (Lev 25:36).
39. “Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him
with oil in the name of the Lord” (J as 5: 14).
Women, Mary and Jesus Class 1
Filed under: Women and Ministry — Scot McKnight @ 2:20 am
On the first day of my new class — Women, Mary, and Jesus, we looked at pp. 14-15 of William
Webb, Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals. We read these verses and I asked the students to “vote” for
each verse: A, B, or C. That is, “A” means “universal and transcultural,” and “B” means “Christians
don’t agree” and “C” means “Cultural and not for Christians today.” Now it’s your turn.
(read more…)
We voted for each verse and then we got in groups and discussed group “C.” And we discussed “why”
we decided the “C” items were not to be practiced today, or why we thought they were “cultural” and
not “universal.” Try it yourself. Vote for each, and then ask yourself what leads you to see the “C”
verses as no longer the things Christians need to do. The reasons you give are essentially what the
“redemptive trend” is all about.
Now I’m curious: What do you think? What are your patterns of thinking when it comes to the verses
you assign to “C”?
1. ‘God. . . said to them [Adam and Eve], ‘Be fruitful and increase in number’ ” (Gen 1:28).
2. ‘Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and Nith all your strength”
(Deut 6:5).
3. ‘When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce. . . yOU shall give it to the Levite,
the alien, the fatherless and the widow” (Deut 26: 12).
4. “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (l Cor 16:20).
5. “Women should remain silent in the churches” (l Cor 14:34).
6. “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses”
(l Tim 5:23).
7. “Set apart for the LORD. . . every firstborn male of your herds and flocks” (Deut 15:19).
8. “If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are
discovered, he shall pay the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has
violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives” (Deut 22:28-29).
9. “Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period”
(Lev 18: 19).
10. “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman” (Lev 18:22).
11. “Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it” (Lev 18:23).
12. “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28: 19).
13. “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” (1 Tim 4: 13).
14. “Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material” (Lev 19: 19).
15. “Be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure” (2 Pet 1: 10).
16. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God
made man” (Gen 9:6).
17. “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s
feet” (In 13: 14).
18. “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of
Israel” (Mt 10:5-6).
19. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, . . . drive”out demons” (Mt 10:8).
20. “Sell your possessions and give to the poor” (Lk 12:33).
21. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your
God. On it you shall not do any work” (Ex 20:9-10).
22. “A woman. . . should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head” (1 Cor 11:6- 7).
23. “If a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him” (1 Cor 11: 14).
24. “Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife” (1 Cor 7:27).
25. “Every male among you shall be circumcised” (Gen 17: 10).
26. “Punish him [your child] with the rod and save his soul from death” (Prov 23:14).
27. “Do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Mt 5:42).
28. “Bless those who persecute you. . . . If your enemy is hungry, feed him” (Rom 12:14,20).
29. “Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget
their poverty and remember their misery no more” (Pro v 31 :6-7).
30. “Do not. . . put tattoo marks on yourselves” (Lev 19:28).
31. “Praise God with tambourine and dancing. . . praise him with the clash of cymbals” (Ps 150:4-5).
32. “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly” (Lev 19:32).
33. “You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals
and from sexual immorality” (Acts 15:29).
34. “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and
considerate, but also to those who are harsh” (1 Pet 2: 18).
35. “A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing” (Deut 22:5).
36. “If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him. . . the priest shall take some holy water in a
clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. . . . He is to have the woman drink
the water” (Num 5:12,17,26).
37. “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer. . . . I also want women to dress modestly. .
. not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes” (1 Tim 2:8-9).
38. “Do not take interest of any kind from your countryman” (Lev 25:36).
39. “Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him
with oil in the name of the Lord” (J as 5: 14).
Our attitudes
The Worst of Sinners
One extreme statement must still be made, without any platitudes and in all soberness. Not consideringoneself wise, but associating with the lowly, means considering oneself the worst of sinners. This
arouses total opposition not only from those who live at the level of nature, but also from Christians
who are self-aware. It sounds like an exaggeration, an untruth. Yet even Paul said of himself that he
was the foremost, i.e., the worst of sinners (I Tim. I:15). He said this at the very place in Scripture
where he was speaking of his ministry as an apostle. There can be no genuine knowledge of sin that
does not lead me down to this depth. If my sin appears to me to be in any way smaller or less
reprehensible in comparison with the sins of others, then I am not yet recognizing my sin at all. My sin
is of necessity the worst, the most serious, the most objectionable. Christian love will find any number
of excuses for the sins of others; not only for my sin is there no excuse whatsoever. That is why my sin
is the worst. Those who would serve others in the community must descend all the way down to this
depth of humility. How could I possibly serve other persons in unfeigned humility if their sins appear
to me to be seriously worse than my own? If I am to have any hope for them, then I must not raise
myself above them. Such service would be a sham.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer -
from Life Together 97-98
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
from Life Together 97-98
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
Gifted for Leadership-a new women's resource.
I just got an email from Christianitytoday.com mentioning a new blog for women in leadership. the URL is: http://blog.christianitytoday.com/giftedforleadership/. There are a number of churches and denominations that do not encourage women in their callings unless it's motherhood. It looks like it will be a tremendous resource.
Fresh Air
This article really addresses much of what God has been laying on my heart lately. Enjoy!
The following article is located at:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2007/001/3.26.html
Fresh Air
3 practices to breathe life into your conversations with God.
Click here for reprint information on Today's Christian Woman.
January/February 2007, Vol. 29, No. 1, Page 26
The following article is located at:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2007/001/3.26.html
Fresh Air
3 practices to breathe life into your conversations with God.
 |
It's ironic. I used to call the time I set aside for God my "quiet time." However, those times, filled with words—the words I read, studied, wrote, or whispered toward the ceiling, wondering if God even heard—felt anything but quiet. They felt more like "doing" times—as in completing tasks on a list. And, truth be told, sometimes they also felt like "doing time," as in punishment or an obligation.
I knew Jesus offers us "life to the full" (John 10:10), but I wondered if that was possible. I tried to study my Bible, but I'd forget the words I read as soon as I closed the book. Or I'd think, I've read this all before. It seemed stale. But just when exhaustion and guilt made me ready to give up, God brought some people and books into my life that showed me ways to put the quiet back into my quiet times, old ways to revitalize my relationship with him that were new to me.
Maybe you too are looking for that full life Jesus promises instead of a life stuffed with too much responsibility and pressure. If Jesus is the one who promises that kind of life, it makes sense the way we access it is by spending time with him. But if you're thinking, I already do that, but it's beginning to feel a bit dry, a bit routine, don't worry. There's hope.
Here are three practices I've found to help me connect with God more deeply. I've been using them for more than a decade now. They're simply ways to spend time with Jesus so you can let him give you that abundant, full life.
1. Deep Listening
Christians have prayed and listened to Scripture through a practice called Lectio Divina (Latin for "Sacred Word") for centuries. You read a passage slowly several times, spending time in silence between readings, letting the words sink into your soul as you listen for the one word or phrase that touches you most deeply.
Lectio Divina is a way to meditate on Scripture by listening and then responding—breathing in God's Word, breathing out a prayer. Traditionally, this practice includes four parts: reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation. Deep listening to Scripture requires a focus on God's words rather than ours. In Lectio Divina, I listen to what God wants to say just to me through the text. I'm open to listening not just to general truth that's applicable to everyone, but for specific truth that applies to my unique circumstances.
In this practice, I read a short passage. For a month or more one summer, I kept going back to Psalm 27, reading a few verses at a time. I found myself drawn to verses 3-5, so for several days, I returned to that short section. I read it slowly, noticing how often I found myself drawn to the word "dwell." What did it mean for me to "dwell in the house of the Lord" (vs. 4)? Did I really believe I was "safe in his dwelling"? How could I truly dwell in his presence?
These verses became a love letter from God to me, an invitation to deeper intimacy with him. At the time, a work project had me feeling nervous —fearful I would fail, that I couldn't do it. God spoke through Psalm 27, telling me to trust, that he would keep me safe, he would dwell with me. I responded with prayer: Lord, help me to stay connected, to dwell with you, to notice you, and to trust you. As I slowly worked on the project, I'd think of that word "dwell" and knew he promised to be with me as I did what he'd called me to do. But he also reminded me that my work wasn't the most important thing; my intimacy with him was.
Try this: Read a short passage of Scripture slowly, noticing which word seems to jump off the page. Spend a few moments in silence. Do this several times, looking for God's invitation or encouragement in the word he seems to be highlighting. Reflect on the word or phrase; listen for God's invitation. Be quiet; let that word draw you into prayer, into wordless companionship with God.
2. Breath Prayer
A breath prayer is a short prayer that can be prayed in the space of one breath. It expresses your love for God and your desire for God's touch in your life. Usually a breath prayer combines a name for God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit with a deep desire of your soul, forming a single sentence you pray. It focuses on God but names your deepest need. Sometimes, it's a form of confession or self-examination. A classic breath prayer used for centuries comes from Luke 18:13: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner."
Breath prayer is a way of meditating on Jesus, letting go of distractions so you can be in his presence. Psalm 1:2 exhorts us to meditate on God's Word, to delight in it. Unlike Eastern meditation practices, which focus on emptying the mind, a breath prayer is a way of filling your mind—but filling it with God alone. It's like sitting in companionable silence with God, not having to talk but being aware of his company, and how his very presence meets your deepest needs.
Try this: Use a verse of Scripture or a simple phrase that expresses your deepest spiritual desire. In one particularly difficult season of my life, I carried the prayer "Peace and strength of Christ flow into my heart" through my days. I'd breathe in that peace and strength, then exhale my fear and tension. I silently prayed it for other people even as I talked with them. This practice soon began to change the way I felt and responded to others around me. I felt more peaceful, more aware of Christ. I think that's how he answered that prayer.
3. Being There
Have you ever read a biography or a great novel and felt so swept up in the story that the book's characters became real to you? As you read their story, you felt you actually were spending time with them?
Gospel meditation, or "being there," has traditionally been called the Ignatian Method, after Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556). He instructed his followers to spend time with Jesus by imagining themselves in the gospel story.
David Benner, author of The Gift of Being Yourself, writes, "Gospel meditation provides an opportunity to enter specific moments in Jesus' life and thereby share his experience. Shared experience is the core of any friendship. And Spirit-guided meditation on the life of Jesus provides this possibility."
Once I was reading in Mark 1:35-38, where Jesus tries to get some time alone. His disciples come and find him, saying, "Everyone is looking for you!" I imagined the scene, thought about how Jesus felt, and realized this: Jesus had his solitude time interrupted! Like me, he'd experienced interruptions, so he knew what I was going through when I had trouble finding time to be alone.
Try this: Choose a passage from one of the gospels. Read it slowly. Daydream about it, imagining you're there. Perhaps you're a bystander watching Jesus, or the person talking to Jesus. Try playing various roles in the scene. Use your imagination to add details. Put yourself into the story via your five senses: What do you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell? By being there, you're spending time with Jesus.
When I slowed down, used fewer words but took them deeper, I not only enjoyed my time with God more, I actually found myself thinking throughout the rest of my day about the things on which I'd reflected. I realized God continued to speak even after I closed my Bible. Or I found myself recalling a breath prayer, using it as a way to calm down and connect with God when I couldn't even collect my anxious thoughts.
This more contemplative approach may be just what you need to revitalize your quiet times. Try putting aside your current routine and substitute one or two of these practices just for a week or two. Play with them; experiment. My prayer is that they'll provide a breath of fresh air for your soul.
Keri Wyatt Kent, a TCW Regular Contributor, is author of several books, including Oxygen: Deep Breathing for the Soul (Revell). Learn more at www.keriwyattkent.com.
Copyright © 2007 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today's Christian Woman magazine.Click here for reprint information on Today's Christian Woman.
January/February 2007, Vol. 29, No. 1, Page 26
More on listening
Sorry, I'm posting so much at once, but with classes beginning again, it's been crazy.
to the task of speaking the Word. There is also a kind of listening with half an ear that presumes
already to know what the other person has to say. This impatient, inattentive listening really despises
the other Christian and finally is only waiting to get a chance to speak and thus to get rid of the other.
This sort of listening is no fulfillment of our task. And it is certain that here, too, in our attitude toward
other Christians we simply see reflected our own relationship to God. It should be no surprise that we
are no longer able to perform the greatest service of listening that God has entrusted to us - hearing the
confession of another Christian - if we refuse to lend our ear to another person on lesser subjects. The
pagan world today knows something about persons who often can be helped only by having someone
who will seriously listen to them. On this insight it has built its own secular form of pastoral care,
which has become popular with many people, including Christians. But Christians have forgotten that
the ministry of listening has been entrusted to them by the one who is indeed the great listener and in
whose work they are to participate. We should listen with the ears of God, so that we can speak the
Word of God.
The Ears of God
For Christians, pastoral care differs essentially from preaching in that here the task of listening is joinedto the task of speaking the Word. There is also a kind of listening with half an ear that presumes
already to know what the other person has to say. This impatient, inattentive listening really despises
the other Christian and finally is only waiting to get a chance to speak and thus to get rid of the other.
This sort of listening is no fulfillment of our task. And it is certain that here, too, in our attitude toward
other Christians we simply see reflected our own relationship to God. It should be no surprise that we
are no longer able to perform the greatest service of listening that God has entrusted to us - hearing the
confession of another Christian - if we refuse to lend our ear to another person on lesser subjects. The
pagan world today knows something about persons who often can be helped only by having someone
who will seriously listen to them. On this insight it has built its own secular form of pastoral care,
which has become popular with many people, including Christians. But Christians have forgotten that
the ministry of listening has been entrusted to them by the one who is indeed the great listener and in
whose work they are to participate. We should listen with the ears of God, so that we can speak the
Word of God.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer -
from Life Together 99
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
from Life Together 99
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
Listening
Here's a piece written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer on the importance of listening. This is an area of my life that God is really working on lately--being a better listener to people and to God. Enjoy!
is learning to listen to them. God's love for us is shown by the fact that God not only gives us God's
Word, but also lends us God's ear. We do God's work for our brothers and sisters when we learn to
listen to them. So often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is always to have
to "offer" something when they are together with other people. They forget that listening can be a
greater service than speaking. Many people seek a sympathetic ear and do not find it among Christians,
because these Christians are talking even when they should be listening. But Christians who can no
longer listen to one another will soon no longer be listening to God either; they will always be talking
even in the presence of God. The death of the spiritual life starts here, and in the end there is nothing
left but empty spiritual chatter and clerical condescension which chokes on pious words. Those who
cannot listen long and patiently will always be talking past others, and finally no longer will even
notice it. Those who think their time is too precious to spend listening will never really have time for
God and others, but only for themselves and for their own words and plans.
Listen
Just as our love for God begins with listening to God's Word, the beginning of love for other Christiansis learning to listen to them. God's love for us is shown by the fact that God not only gives us God's
Word, but also lends us God's ear. We do God's work for our brothers and sisters when we learn to
listen to them. So often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is always to have
to "offer" something when they are together with other people. They forget that listening can be a
greater service than speaking. Many people seek a sympathetic ear and do not find it among Christians,
because these Christians are talking even when they should be listening. But Christians who can no
longer listen to one another will soon no longer be listening to God either; they will always be talking
even in the presence of God. The death of the spiritual life starts here, and in the end there is nothing
left but empty spiritual chatter and clerical condescension which chokes on pious words. Those who
cannot listen long and patiently will always be talking past others, and finally no longer will even
notice it. Those who think their time is too precious to spend listening will never really have time for
God and others, but only for themselves and for their own words and plans.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer -
from Life Together 98
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
from Life Together 98
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
Conformed to His Image
Conformed to His Image
Kenneth Boa’s book, Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation, was unfamiliar to me until I had to start reading it for my Spiritual Formation course. It is a treasure trove of ideas and methods to help us be more like Jesus. I will periodically share portions of the book with you I’ve found particularly helpful, challenging and inspiring.
Many of us struggle with the concepts of solitude and silence. Many find it impossible to have a quiet moment alone. Our world is so noisy that we often find it difficult to concentrate if it’s too quiet. The following excerpt from Boa’s work challenged me in this. After lunch, as I worked, I consciously quieted myself.
Solitude and Silence
In solitude, we remove ourselves from the influence of our peers and society and find the solace of anonymity. In this cloister we discover a place of strength, dependence, reflection, and renewal, and we confront inner patterns and forces that are alien to the life of Christ within us.
Silence is a catalyst of solitude; it prepares the way for inner seclusion and enables us to listen to the quiet voice of the Spirit…Silence is at odds with the din of our culture and the popular addiction to noise and hubbub. This discipline relates not only to finding places of silence in our surroundings but also to times of restricted speech in the presence of others. [1]
If Jesus found it necessary to have times of quiet solitude perhaps, it is something we should try as well.
[1] Kenneth Boa, Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation (
Bonhoeffer for today
BONHOEFFER for MONDAY - JANUARY 8, 2007
God's Image
God does not want me to model others into the image that seems good to me, that is, into my ownimage. Instead, in their freedom from me God made other people in God's own image. I can never
know in advance how God's image should appear in others. That image always takes on a completely
new and unique form whose origin is found solely in God's free and sovereign act of creation. To me
that form may seem strange, even ungodly. But God creates every person in the image of God's Son,
the Crucified, and this image, likewise, certainly looked strange and ungodly to me before I grasped it.
Strong and weak, wise or foolish, talented or untalented, pious or less pious, the complete diversity of
individuals in the community is no longer a pretext for self-justification. Rather this diversity is a
reason for rejoicing in one another and serving one another.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer -
from Life Together 90
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
from Life Together 90
from A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer Carla Barnhill, Ed., HarperSan Francisco, 2005
Ephiphany's Promise and Challenge
Epiphany is a time of discovery, of revelation. Saturday was the feast of the Epiphany for those who follow the western church calendar. In addition to being “an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being” [1] it is also “(1): a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2): an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3): an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b: a revealing scene or moment” [2]
I was struck by a thought in a textbook for the Spiritual Formation course I’m taking this semester. Marcel Proust said, “the real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands but in seeing with new eyes.” [3] Isn't this what epiphany is really about? May God give us new eyes with which to see.
[1] Meriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, Online: http://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epiphany, [7 January 2007].
[2] Ibid.
[3] Kenneth Boa, Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation (
Pampering Yourself
| The following article is located at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2007/001/2.58.html |
Practical Pampering
29 ways to treat yourself right in the New Year.
Taking care of yourself doesn't need to be a costly or extravagant affair. A friend of mine says it's all in the lighting; anything can be pampering as long as you light a candle while doing it. For example, take a bath and light a candle. Make dinner and light a candle. Balance the checkbook and light a candle. (Well, maybe that last one is taking it a bit too far, but you get the idea!)
Lighting issues aside, pampering can be as simple as getting creative with what you have and giving yourself permission to do something special for yourself. Try some of these simple, inexpensive pampering pointers when you need a break from the race that is your life. And don't forget to light a candle!
1. Get a manicure at a local beauty school.
2. Give your walls a new look by checking out artwork from your local library.
3. Take a 20-minute nap under your softest blanket.
4. Buy one great bra that fits perfectly.
5. Check out a used CD store and find some favorite music from your high-school days.
6. Find a small group of women to eat out with once a month.
7. If you're signing kids up for soccer/dance/swim/music lessons, sign yourself up for a class too.
8. Write a letter to an old friend.
9. Buy one fresh cut flower to display on your desk. Buy another one for a friend. Or a kind stranger.
10. Have a girlfriend highlight your hair.
11. Check out one of your favorite books from childhood. Reread it alone, then share it with a child.
12. Shop for a super-comfortable sweater in your favorite color.
13. Give yourself a foot massage, then paint your toenails hot pink—even though it's the middle of winter.
14. Go through your box of memories—if you don't have one, decorate a sturdy shoebox and start one. Fill it with cherished cards, letters, pictures, ticket stubs, dried flowers—anything small that conjures up a special memory.
15. Relish a pint of the most expensive ice cream in your supermarket's freezer. Eat it with a silver spoon if you have one.
16. Send away for travel brochures from a far-off destination you'd like to visit someday.
17. Savor a smoothie.
18. Head to your nearest consignment/second-hand shop and find a fantastic $5 treasure.
19. Read one of Francine Rivers's short novellas about women in the lineage of Christ.
20. Rent and watch a classic (black-and-white only) movie—just you, the couch, and a box of tissues.
21. Visit Bath & Body Works and sample everything.
22. Buy Puffs Plus.
23. Call your mother and ask her about the day you were born.
24. Write a letter to a grandparent, describing special memories you have of him or her.
25. Start a journal of blessings. Write down something for which you're thankful every day.
26. Throw away all your socks with holes in them.
27. Begin a private quest to find the best park for viewing sunsets in your town.
28. Dial directory assistance and ask for the toll-free phone number of a resort in St. Tropez. Call and speak to the reservation clerk for two minutes just to hear his accent.
29. Spend some time in prayer with the One who loves you best.
Kimberly Neessen lives with her family in Iowa.
January/February 2007, Vol. 29, No. 1, Page 58
So, how do you pamper yourself?
What's in a Name? -- Homily for 12/31/2006
First reading: Numbers 6:22-27 Gospel: Luke 2:16-21
What’s in a name?
Well, first, tonight we are celebrating the eve of the feast celebrated on January 1, and that feast has different names, depending on the era and tradition in which it was celebrated. For most of the church’s history, and still in churches following the Byzantine calendar, January 1 has been celebrated as the Feast of the Circumcision, since it is the eighth day of Jesus’ life if one celebrates his birth on December 25, and Jewish boys are circumcised on the eighth day of their lives. In the modern Roman Rite, returning to an ancient tradition, this day is celebrated as the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, even though the traditional gospel recounting the circumcision is still read. And our Anglican and Lutheran sisters and brothers celebrate the day as the Holy Name of Jesus, since it was at Jesus’s bris, or circumcision, that he received his name. Since our Independent Catholic tradition has roots in the Roman, Anglican, and Byzantine traditions – I propose that we celebrate all three!
In our first reading, we hear of the solemn blessing with which the priests blessed the people of Israel. Within the Jewish tradition, this blessing is still used to this day, given by those believed to descend from the family of Aaron, and the solemn blessing is one of the holiest moments of Jewish liturgy. God’s most sacred name, thought by scholars to have been pronounced something like “Yahweh”, is invoked, a name so holy that it came to be uttered only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, by the high priest in the temple. The rest of the time, whenever the sacred name appeared in the text, the term “the LORD” was substituted, as it was in the version we just heard. In most English translations, you can tell when the sacred name is used by the fact that “LORD” is in all capital letters. In time, even the Hebrew word for “Lord” came to be deliberately mispronounced by Orthodox Jews outside of prayer. And the name means “He/She causes to become”. So the One who causes all things to come into being is the one who blesses us, preserves us, and gives us peace – and the word for “peace” in Hebrew, shalom, is derived from the root for “whole” or “complete” – so the peace that the Source of all being grants is not merely the absence of conflict, but a state of wholeness.
In the gospel, we hear that Jesus is initiated into the covenant of Israel through his circumcision, and he is given the name “Jesus”, which is how we pronounce the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Yehoshua”, or “Joshua”. That name means “Yahweh is salvation”. And we as Christians believe, as the foundation of our faith, that Jesus is Yahweh, God, incarnate – that the One who causes all things to come into being chose to accept the limitations of becoming a human being subject to the limitations of time and space in order to give us salvation, to free us from those very limitations by giving us eternal life. And how better to express that than by being born to a couple too poor to afford a room in the inn, being born in a dirty stable?
And what should be our response to this salvation, this freedom from sin, death, and all of the other limitations of humanity? We hear that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in our heart”. Mary is humanity responding to God with a resounding “Yes!” to all of the ridiculously impossible things God offers, starting with the Annunciation. And she draws closer to God by reflecting on the mystery of the Incarnation, reflecting on it in her heart, or as another translation puts it – “pondering”. Let us also meditate on this great mystery of our faith, that God has taken on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. And let us know that it was not merely an event from 2,000 years ago – Christ is present in our midst, in our individual lives, in our community, most tangibly in the Eucharist. The One who causes all things to come into being is our salvation – Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus! and Happy New Year!
What’s in a name?
Well, first, tonight we are celebrating the eve of the feast celebrated on January 1, and that feast has different names, depending on the era and tradition in which it was celebrated. For most of the church’s history, and still in churches following the Byzantine calendar, January 1 has been celebrated as the Feast of the Circumcision, since it is the eighth day of Jesus’ life if one celebrates his birth on December 25, and Jewish boys are circumcised on the eighth day of their lives. In the modern Roman Rite, returning to an ancient tradition, this day is celebrated as the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, even though the traditional gospel recounting the circumcision is still read. And our Anglican and Lutheran sisters and brothers celebrate the day as the Holy Name of Jesus, since it was at Jesus’s bris, or circumcision, that he received his name. Since our Independent Catholic tradition has roots in the Roman, Anglican, and Byzantine traditions – I propose that we celebrate all three!
In our first reading, we hear of the solemn blessing with which the priests blessed the people of Israel. Within the Jewish tradition, this blessing is still used to this day, given by those believed to descend from the family of Aaron, and the solemn blessing is one of the holiest moments of Jewish liturgy. God’s most sacred name, thought by scholars to have been pronounced something like “Yahweh”, is invoked, a name so holy that it came to be uttered only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, by the high priest in the temple. The rest of the time, whenever the sacred name appeared in the text, the term “the LORD” was substituted, as it was in the version we just heard. In most English translations, you can tell when the sacred name is used by the fact that “LORD” is in all capital letters. In time, even the Hebrew word for “Lord” came to be deliberately mispronounced by Orthodox Jews outside of prayer. And the name means “He/She causes to become”. So the One who causes all things to come into being is the one who blesses us, preserves us, and gives us peace – and the word for “peace” in Hebrew, shalom, is derived from the root for “whole” or “complete” – so the peace that the Source of all being grants is not merely the absence of conflict, but a state of wholeness.
In the gospel, we hear that Jesus is initiated into the covenant of Israel through his circumcision, and he is given the name “Jesus”, which is how we pronounce the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Yehoshua”, or “Joshua”. That name means “Yahweh is salvation”. And we as Christians believe, as the foundation of our faith, that Jesus is Yahweh, God, incarnate – that the One who causes all things to come into being chose to accept the limitations of becoming a human being subject to the limitations of time and space in order to give us salvation, to free us from those very limitations by giving us eternal life. And how better to express that than by being born to a couple too poor to afford a room in the inn, being born in a dirty stable?
And what should be our response to this salvation, this freedom from sin, death, and all of the other limitations of humanity? We hear that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in our heart”. Mary is humanity responding to God with a resounding “Yes!” to all of the ridiculously impossible things God offers, starting with the Annunciation. And she draws closer to God by reflecting on the mystery of the Incarnation, reflecting on it in her heart, or as another translation puts it – “pondering”. Let us also meditate on this great mystery of our faith, that God has taken on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. And let us know that it was not merely an event from 2,000 years ago – Christ is present in our midst, in our individual lives, in our community, most tangibly in the Eucharist. The One who causes all things to come into being is our salvation – Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus! and Happy New Year!
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