Posts
Today we reach the time on the Christian calendar known as Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday. This is a very significant day for several reasons. Many churches hold special services on this evening. Some include footwashing (as a remembrance of Jesus' washing of the disciple's feet at the Last Supper), some observe Holy Communion (since Jesus instutitued this sacrament at the Last Supper with the sharing of the bread and wine and his instructions to the disciples) and some with a very moving service that includes removing items from the sanctuary (called "stripping the altar), such as candles, Communion elements, etc., draping the cross in black or gray fabric, and gradually lowering the lights until darkness is achieved, as a remembrance of the suffering of Jesus in his arrest and death on the cross, with everyone leaving the church in silence. The altar remains barren until Easter morning. It's a powerful service.
For me, Maundy Thursday is a day for somber reflection. I often think of the ways I have failed to honor the sacrifice of Jesus. How have I failed to love myself? How have I failed to love others? When have I missed an opportunity to serve those less fortunate? How have a squandered the earth's resources? It sounds gloomy, doesn't it? But, it's not really. I don't beat myself up, but I do offer up an honest apology to God for those times that I have failed to be the person God created me to be. I do think about the fact that God became a human being, and lived on this earth to teach us more about God's own nature, and gave us lessons on how to live, and yet we still don't get it right. We still put Jesus on the cross because that message of radical love and service was so threatening that we couldn't hear it then and we have trouble with it now because it flies in the face of everything else that the world promotes. And I let my heart break for Jesus' suffering, and for the ongoing suffering of the world, and hope that this will be the year that I get it right....or more right. Today I let myself feel grief - grief for the death of Jesus and grief for our human failures. I can't get to Easter and the forgiveness and hope of the resurrection until I honor what has gotten us to that day. Too often we skip right from Christmas and the birth of Jesus right to Easter and the promise of new life without stopping to think about all that happened in between. Then, to me, it's a "false spring."
So, today, allow yourself to feel pain and loss and sadness as you remember what we did to Jesus, who only came to us in total love. And remember that on Sunday, we will gather to celebrate the fact that no matter how dark the day, God gives us the gift of forgiveness and love and hope.
Teresa
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Cheating during Lent
We've looked at why some people choose to "give up" something during Lent, and other to "take on" something during Lent. But, what happens when we "cheat" during Lent? Let's say you've given up honking your horn at other drivers for Lent, but this morning, during the thunderstorm, you discovered your usual route was blocked by downed tree limbs, so you had to take an alternate route, and it was CONGESTED with drivers like you who don't normally take that route. There was confusion and frustrations ran high, and before you knew it, you hit the horn at that driver on their cell phone who caused you to have to sit through the light because of their lack of attention. What now?
Welcome to humanity! We are not perfect people, and the purpose of Lent is not to make us perfect. Rather, Lent affords us the opportunity to examine our lives and make a concentrated effort to be better people and live in kinder, gentler ways. We are not God, we are simply endeavoring to become more like God in the way we treat ourselves and others. So, while you should be aware that you have broken your Lenten promise, it's not a matter of life and death (unless you scared the other driver so much you caused an accident!). Just use the opportunity to observe in yourself what you did and resolve to not let it happen again. Lent is a journey and sometimes the path forks alongs the way. Just keep your eye on where you want to end up (a loving and peaceful person who is part of a loving and peaceful world) and if you get off track, just get back on!
Welcome to humanity! We are not perfect people, and the purpose of Lent is not to make us perfect. Rather, Lent affords us the opportunity to examine our lives and make a concentrated effort to be better people and live in kinder, gentler ways. We are not God, we are simply endeavoring to become more like God in the way we treat ourselves and others. So, while you should be aware that you have broken your Lenten promise, it's not a matter of life and death (unless you scared the other driver so much you caused an accident!). Just use the opportunity to observe in yourself what you did and resolve to not let it happen again. Lent is a journey and sometimes the path forks alongs the way. Just keep your eye on where you want to end up (a loving and peaceful person who is part of a loving and peaceful world) and if you get off track, just get back on!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Hunger
Yesterday we looked at gratitude, particularly as it regards food. Today, I want to look at hunger. It goes without saying that there is a lot of hunger in the world. Some of this hunger is for basic nourishment. We sometimes think of the hungry and starving people in developing countries, or in homeless camps in our cities, and we are called, as Christians, to try to alleviate hunger in the world. No one should ever have to go to bed with an empty belly. Many of us make an intentional effort to focus on this type of hunger during Lent and often make special donations to feed the hungry. This is something we should and must do during Lent and year round.
However, today I want you to reflect on a different type of hunger. I know all of you, so I think I can safely say you all have plenty to eat. But we all have a hunger inside. What do you hunger for? What is missing in your life? Do you long for something you can name? Or is your longing nebulous and frustrating?
Sometimes I wander into the kitchen at night and just open the refridgerator or the pantry and stand there and stare into them. I want something, but I can't always put my finger on what it is I want. Sometimes I know I want something sweet. Othertimes salty. Most times I have no idea. I usually end up settling for something that ends up being unsatisfying.
Lent is an excellent time to figure out what it is you hunger for. Do you long for a creative outlet? Do you hunger for a passionate relationship or for renewed passion in your existing relationships? Are you wandering about from volunteer job to committee to organization and yet you find your work unsatisfying?
Often we know something is missing, but we can't quite put our finger on what it is that we want. Reflect for a time today on what it is you hunger for, and then ask God to open the doors that will lead you to satiation. Then resolve to stop using your resources and precious energies on those things that bring you no satisfaction, and focus on the thing that you really hunger for.
However, today I want you to reflect on a different type of hunger. I know all of you, so I think I can safely say you all have plenty to eat. But we all have a hunger inside. What do you hunger for? What is missing in your life? Do you long for something you can name? Or is your longing nebulous and frustrating?
Sometimes I wander into the kitchen at night and just open the refridgerator or the pantry and stand there and stare into them. I want something, but I can't always put my finger on what it is I want. Sometimes I know I want something sweet. Othertimes salty. Most times I have no idea. I usually end up settling for something that ends up being unsatisfying.
Lent is an excellent time to figure out what it is you hunger for. Do you long for a creative outlet? Do you hunger for a passionate relationship or for renewed passion in your existing relationships? Are you wandering about from volunteer job to committee to organization and yet you find your work unsatisfying?
Often we know something is missing, but we can't quite put our finger on what it is that we want. Reflect for a time today on what it is you hunger for, and then ask God to open the doors that will lead you to satiation. Then resolve to stop using your resources and precious energies on those things that bring you no satisfaction, and focus on the thing that you really hunger for.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Spiritual Disciplines and Gratitude
I've tossed around the term "spiritual discipline" a few times during this Lenten season, so I'd like to clarify what I mean. A spiritual discipline is any habit or activity done with intention that helps us be more "in touch" with our spirituality and with God. During Lent, many of us choose one discipline (like fasting, prayer, self-denial, service to the marginalized, etc.) to focus on in order to try to integrate it into our lives in order to become more spiritually connected.
It really matters not which of the disciplines you choose for your Lenten focus. What matters is that you practice it on a consistent basis for the 40 days of Lent. One discipline that I have found to be particularly meaningful for me is the practice of giving thanks for meals. This does not have to be done in a public or showy way, in fact scripture specifically instructs that our prayers should be private, however it is important that it be done with intentionality. You don't have to bow your head or join hands at the table (although there is certainly nothing wrong with doing those things and in fact, that can be a lovely and meaningful moment with those with whom you are sharing your meal) or make a big deal about it, just offer up a word or thought of gratitude.
I think it's great to be thankful that we have food on the table, but what I really connect with is the realization, at each meal, that there are many people who are instrumental in delivering this food to me. I try to remember to be grateful for the farmers who grow the food, the workers who harvest the food, nature for supplying the sun and the rain to nourish the food, the people who process and package the food, the truck drivers who ferry the food to the store, the workers in the store who stock the food, the clerk who puts the food in the bag, etc., even the government workers who try to keep our food supplies safe. A meal becomes almost a song of praise to God for the beautiful system we have here in the US for food. Of course it's not flawless, but there are lots of people who work in beautiful concert to feed us, and saying thanks before a meal should encompass something greater than just being thankful that you are not hungry. Now, I don't necessarily go through that entire list of people in my mind every time I pray my thanks at mealtime, but I do try to be conscious and aware of how many people are involved in getting my food to the table, and I am grateful to them.
So tonight, as you sit down to your meal, offer up a little prayer of gratitude not only for the abundance of your food, but also for all the folks who get it to you. If you do this for the period of Lent, it will grow in your heart an appreciation for others who help to provide nourishment for your body, and this in turn, will nourish you on your spiritual journey.
With a grateful heart.
Teresa
It really matters not which of the disciplines you choose for your Lenten focus. What matters is that you practice it on a consistent basis for the 40 days of Lent. One discipline that I have found to be particularly meaningful for me is the practice of giving thanks for meals. This does not have to be done in a public or showy way, in fact scripture specifically instructs that our prayers should be private, however it is important that it be done with intentionality. You don't have to bow your head or join hands at the table (although there is certainly nothing wrong with doing those things and in fact, that can be a lovely and meaningful moment with those with whom you are sharing your meal) or make a big deal about it, just offer up a word or thought of gratitude.
I think it's great to be thankful that we have food on the table, but what I really connect with is the realization, at each meal, that there are many people who are instrumental in delivering this food to me. I try to remember to be grateful for the farmers who grow the food, the workers who harvest the food, nature for supplying the sun and the rain to nourish the food, the people who process and package the food, the truck drivers who ferry the food to the store, the workers in the store who stock the food, the clerk who puts the food in the bag, etc., even the government workers who try to keep our food supplies safe. A meal becomes almost a song of praise to God for the beautiful system we have here in the US for food. Of course it's not flawless, but there are lots of people who work in beautiful concert to feed us, and saying thanks before a meal should encompass something greater than just being thankful that you are not hungry. Now, I don't necessarily go through that entire list of people in my mind every time I pray my thanks at mealtime, but I do try to be conscious and aware of how many people are involved in getting my food to the table, and I am grateful to them.
So tonight, as you sit down to your meal, offer up a little prayer of gratitude not only for the abundance of your food, but also for all the folks who get it to you. If you do this for the period of Lent, it will grow in your heart an appreciation for others who help to provide nourishment for your body, and this in turn, will nourish you on your spiritual journey.
With a grateful heart.
Teresa
Monday, February 18, 2008
What difference does Lent make?
So we've been focusing on some of the "tools" used during Lent to assist us in introspection about ourselves and our part in the global and universal good, but really, why does it matter? Can one person really make a difference in this world? You may be thinking, "Sure, if you are Mother Teresa or the president of the United States, or someone really important, but just the average person? Nah." Well, I disagree.
There have been a few people in my life who had a tremendously positive influence on me. I'm sure you can think of a few in your own life if you try. Sometimes I think about how my life might have gone if I had not had those people in my life, or if they had not been the positive and loving influences they've been, and I think I can say with confidence that the world would have been a very different place if those people had not interacted with me the way they did.
It's like a ripple effect in a still pond. If you toss a pebble in the middle of the pond, no matter how small the pebble, you'll see rings ripple out all across the surface of the pond. Fish are darting, tiny single-celled creatures are activated. Maybe one of those fish that darts away from the disturbance of the ripple sees an insect on the surface of the pond and eats it. The insect's life is forever changed! Maybe the insect is a mosquito. Since it was eaten, maybe it never bites the man standing by the pond. Maybe the mosquito carries West Nile virus. Since it never bites the man he doesn't get sick. I can continue, but I think you get the point. One person can and does make a difference in the life of others. We don't even always know how or what we do, but what we do matters. That's why it's so important to take an inventory of who we are and how we act with others, and to strive to be the best we can be all the time. Because you just never know.
I'll give you a for instance from my life. As a young wife several years ago, I was thrilled to find out that after months of trying, I was pregnant. However, things did not go well, and after a long hospitalitzation, I gave birth to a son who died very shortly thereafter. For weeks a young female minister from my church had been visiting me in the hospital. Sometimes she would just sit with me and we would talk about nothing really. Other times we would talk about my fears and frustrations with the pregnancy. She officiated my son's funeral on a cold, rainy December day - just me, my husband, and Louise. She said the only real words of comfort I had during that dark time in my life, and even though we would go our separate ways and it would be 15 years before our paths would cross again, she had a profound impact on my life without even being aware of it. When I graduated from Emory with a master's in theology, I wrote to tell her what she had meant to me, and to thank her. I am a minister today partly as the result of her influence. She had no idea. You just never know when your kindness, your patience, your advice, your listening skills, your donation of money, etc., are going to save a life or radically change a life.
That's why it's so important to keep a "holy Lent" where you give sincere and conscious effort to becoming the loving member of this world that God wants. You just never know.
Be blessed, and be a blessing to others.
Teresa
There have been a few people in my life who had a tremendously positive influence on me. I'm sure you can think of a few in your own life if you try. Sometimes I think about how my life might have gone if I had not had those people in my life, or if they had not been the positive and loving influences they've been, and I think I can say with confidence that the world would have been a very different place if those people had not interacted with me the way they did.
It's like a ripple effect in a still pond. If you toss a pebble in the middle of the pond, no matter how small the pebble, you'll see rings ripple out all across the surface of the pond. Fish are darting, tiny single-celled creatures are activated. Maybe one of those fish that darts away from the disturbance of the ripple sees an insect on the surface of the pond and eats it. The insect's life is forever changed! Maybe the insect is a mosquito. Since it was eaten, maybe it never bites the man standing by the pond. Maybe the mosquito carries West Nile virus. Since it never bites the man he doesn't get sick. I can continue, but I think you get the point. One person can and does make a difference in the life of others. We don't even always know how or what we do, but what we do matters. That's why it's so important to take an inventory of who we are and how we act with others, and to strive to be the best we can be all the time. Because you just never know.
I'll give you a for instance from my life. As a young wife several years ago, I was thrilled to find out that after months of trying, I was pregnant. However, things did not go well, and after a long hospitalitzation, I gave birth to a son who died very shortly thereafter. For weeks a young female minister from my church had been visiting me in the hospital. Sometimes she would just sit with me and we would talk about nothing really. Other times we would talk about my fears and frustrations with the pregnancy. She officiated my son's funeral on a cold, rainy December day - just me, my husband, and Louise. She said the only real words of comfort I had during that dark time in my life, and even though we would go our separate ways and it would be 15 years before our paths would cross again, she had a profound impact on my life without even being aware of it. When I graduated from Emory with a master's in theology, I wrote to tell her what she had meant to me, and to thank her. I am a minister today partly as the result of her influence. She had no idea. You just never know when your kindness, your patience, your advice, your listening skills, your donation of money, etc., are going to save a life or radically change a life.
That's why it's so important to keep a "holy Lent" where you give sincere and conscious effort to becoming the loving member of this world that God wants. You just never know.
Be blessed, and be a blessing to others.
Teresa
Friday, February 15, 2008
Flaws
So after we've taken our "fearless moral inventory" what happens when we discover those actions, prejudices, and character flaws? Lent is the time to really focus on developing new habits and becoming better people in order to make the world better. In this way, we participate in the Kingdom of God, which is another way of saying the world in which God intends for us to live.
Today, pick one thing you do and focus on it. Maybe you have a quick temper. Maybe you drive aggressively or will never let anyone cut in front of you. Maybe you overspend then lie to your spouse about it. Maybe you work too much and don't spend enough time with those you love. Maybe you are critical of others. Whatever it is you feel you would like to change, pick that one thing and focus the next month on just that. This is a fairly common way to approach a Lenten discipline. Be mindful about your focus and try to proactively stop yourself from doing the offending action. Many people feel it is helpful to wear a rubber band around their wrist as a reminder of their commitment to change. Others pick a specific time each day (say on the hour) to spend a moment reflecting on their goal in order to strengthen their resolve. Some have a small coin bank and put in a specific amount of money each time they do the offence then donate the money to the church or a charity at Easter. All of these tools work and are merely ways to reinforce our journey to our goal. And remember...what is our goal? Our goal is to remember Christ's sacrifice for us, to strive to become more like Christ, and to participate as fully as possible in being the people God designed us to be. Love ourselves, love others, and love God.
Lent is a focused time to work on becoming the beautiful loving creations that God intends.
Today, pick one thing you do and focus on it. Maybe you have a quick temper. Maybe you drive aggressively or will never let anyone cut in front of you. Maybe you overspend then lie to your spouse about it. Maybe you work too much and don't spend enough time with those you love. Maybe you are critical of others. Whatever it is you feel you would like to change, pick that one thing and focus the next month on just that. This is a fairly common way to approach a Lenten discipline. Be mindful about your focus and try to proactively stop yourself from doing the offending action. Many people feel it is helpful to wear a rubber band around their wrist as a reminder of their commitment to change. Others pick a specific time each day (say on the hour) to spend a moment reflecting on their goal in order to strengthen their resolve. Some have a small coin bank and put in a specific amount of money each time they do the offence then donate the money to the church or a charity at Easter. All of these tools work and are merely ways to reinforce our journey to our goal. And remember...what is our goal? Our goal is to remember Christ's sacrifice for us, to strive to become more like Christ, and to participate as fully as possible in being the people God designed us to be. Love ourselves, love others, and love God.
Lent is a focused time to work on becoming the beautiful loving creations that God intends.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Detours
I'm taking a detour on the Lenten Meditation road today. I want you to use this day to really spend some time in deep self-reflection to try to identify those issues we've been talking about for the past week. Write down at least 5 things you want to change about yourself, or 5 negative "scripts" you let dominate your thinking, then rank them, beginning with the one that you feel would change your life most down to the least significant one. After you've done this, find a quiet place, practice your deep breathing, close your eyes, then go down your list one by one starting at the top and ask God to bless you with a new strength and clarity of purpose as you spend the next month focusing on redirecting your energy toward a more positive world in which YOU contribute your best self, your most holy self, to love and peace. Try to do this at least 3 times today. And on this day when we celebrate "romantic" love, remember that you cannot fully participate in romantic love, love of neighbor, love of stranger, or love of God until you really love yourself. So, ask God to guide you on this path, then do something nice for YOURSELF today. You are part of God's beautiful and loving creation. Celebrate that today!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)