Hope Is Alive...

...so vast, it's overwhelming - and yet, so elusive at times, it's a bit scary...

The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Word:
2 Kings 4:42-44 (Elisha's receipt of the first fruits of harvest are shared with the people; there was some left, as God willed)
Psalm 145:10-18 (The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs)
Ephesians 4:1-6 (Paul calls for unity of the spirit through the bond of peace)
John 6:1-15 (The Bread of Life Discourse, Prologue: Jesus feeds the multitudes on five barley loaves and two fish)

and: (UMC) Romans 5:1-11 (In justification through Christ we are given hope, which does not disappoint because the love of God is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit)

Sign for Our Times:

Bang Your Head!
 

Thankfully, you won't find this one along the road. Today I have to be thankful for the creative person who had enough time on his or her hands to come up with this!

The lesson I have brought home from the weekend's 'worship experiences' (a term I have to consider carefully, as it could easily be taken improperly) is...is that I'm very human.

I also admit I was wondering where I would go with this, considering I'd already dealt with the Bread of Life Discourse right after Easter. After I'd finally said "Done!" to the daily musings I'd posted during Lent and Eastertide, I realized that this is something that I wanted to continue doing, as it was a way to sort out mundane life and find the better moments in them.

Theologically, I'm sure most readers will have read or heard it all before - Jesus feeds thousands on five loaves of bread and two fish. This leads to the lengthy discourse that it is not merely physical hunger that Jesus is satisfying. But it is in the way that this miracle is described by John that strikes me as important today.

It's clear that the disciples lack the resources to feed such a large group. When asked, Philip says that even two hundred days' wages - 7-1/2 months of labor - would not be enough to feed everyone more than bread crumbs. It's also clear that these men - all considered adults (with the possible exception of John), couldn't seem to think outside the box. When a boy offers the five loaves and two fish, Andrew comments what is plainly evident - that this isn't going to be enough.

It's the boy's humble offering, though, that makes all the difference in the world. Through this act of selfless charity and innocence, all are fed to the full, with a dozen baskets of excess to boot. It is not what is given, but what is behind the act of giving that makes all the difference.

There's a lot to learn from this, stuff that I as yet still see just moments too late.

As I made my way home with my son this morning, I discovered that one of the tires on my car needed air. I stopped to take care of this, having my trusted gauge - an inexpensive item no motorist should be without, as many air stations don't have the built-in gauges. As I was attending to my low tire, another motorist pulled into the station. He asked me if the unit had a built-in gauge, and I answered that unfortunately it didn't. About thirty seconds later it came to me that it wouldn't take that much time to offer the man the use of my gauge and simply wait while he attended to his car. By that time, though, he had left.

And that's just a small thing. Place on top of that so-called 'conventional wisdom' when it comes to dealing with anything out of the 'ordinary': caring for an aging parent who can't take care of him/herself the way s/he once did; struggling with raising a child with autism or any life-changing condition; even struggling to make healthy choices regarding diet and physical activity. These challenges in life are answered with hope through the Bread of Life.

The constant reminders of what is wrong in our world numb us to the point where we begin to give up hope. Yet hope is indeed alive. Hope will rarely let adversity take the upper hand. Hope opens the door for inspiration, for thinking outside the box, to make possible that which seems utterly impossible.

My dear wife practices Reiki - in a simplified nutshell, she is a spiritual healer. Today she confided in me that she is compelled to reach out to people in deep need, even when she knows well enough that their track record most likely got them to this low place. She said it makes her crazy doing so (her words), but the compulsion is too great to walk away. She 'gets it', though, where many others do not. She doesn't go to lengths to explain it; she just does it. The explanations can come later for the interested.

That's what Jesus would do - and what the next four Sundays will address - the explanation of how he makes possible what would otherwise be a dream, left to die without hope of fulfillment.

The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Sheep

The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Word:
Jeremiah 23:1-6 (RC - "Woe to the shepherds who have misled and scattered the flock of God's pasture...I will raise up a righteous shoot to David")
2 Samuel 7:1-14 (UMC - "Should you build me a house to dwell in?")
Psalm 23 (RC - The Lord is my shepherd)
Psalm 89:20-37 (UMC - He shall cry to me, 'You are my God, who brings me victory')
Ephesians 2:13-18 (RC; 2:11-22 UMC - Christ is peace and hope to all)
Mark 6:30-34 (RC; +6:53-56 UMC - Jesus had pity on the people assembled, for they were as sheep without a shepherd)

Sign for Our Times:

Motorists traveling through parts of Arizona may encounter this "Sheep Crossing" sign.

Sheep raising is more prevalent in the western US than in other parts of the country. It's even bigger in other parts of the world - New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland come to mind as places where sheep might outnumber the human population in places.

That said, it is often hard for us suburban and city folks to identify with all these shepherding references in the Bible. Even though we're savvy enough to understand that this was a steady profession at the time of Jesus, we can't easily wrap our brains around the concept.

Today I heard those references put in a context that I most readily understand - music.

It's really quite simple - God is the Composer; Jesus, the Conductor; and we are the musicians; members of the band, as it were. If the band's supposed to be playing a ballad and the guitar starts 'rocking out' (or the piano player gets rather funky), Jesus is going to leave the band on stage and go after that wayward musician. And if the singers don't harmonize well? The sound produced is not very good. But when there's good harmony? Oh, what beautiful music we can make! (Thanks, Father Dennis!)

Do we listen to each other? Do we listen to God? Do we have an ear trained to understand that some of us are meant to be drummers, and others more suited to the clarinet, the glockenspiel, or the French horn? Or, as Isaiah writes, Are we like sheep gone astray; every one to his or her own way?

It's the director's (or conductor's) mission in music to interpret what the composer has written and assure that Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony indeed sounds pastoral. Yes, music is a subjective area - and many a contemporary artist has tried 'updating' a classic piece of music, putting a different spin on the original composition. Those who are successful at this do so without removing the feel and overall ambience of the original. In another context, while improving the wheel it's not reinvented.

At this point in the cycle of readings, the stage is being set for one of the greatest of Jesus' presentations of God's eternal concert. He will speak to the assembly at some length; and then, being as considerate as he is, will feed the large crowd - not just with words, and not just with food; but with his very essence. Beginning next week and for the next five weeks, we will once again consider Jesus as the Bread of Life and the Cup of Hope, Promise, and Salvation.

Prayer: God, you created us with such great potential - and yet, many times, we act much like sheep in the pasture. Help us to see Your will, your plan, your composition for life and the part we play in it. And may the music we raise truly be a worthy song in praise of Your glory, power, wisdom, and love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

When The Going Gets Rough...

The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Word:
Amos 7:12-15 (Amos, a shepherd and 'dresser of sycamores' is chosen to serve God as a prophet)
Psalm 85:9-14 (Justice shall walk before God, and prepare the way of His steps)
Ephesians 1:3-14 (In Christ God has given us every spiritual blessing)
Mark 6:7-13 (Jesus sends out the Twelve to preach: "Whatever place does not welcome you...leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them")

Sign for Our Times:

Between the long winter, the wet spring, the uncertain summer thus far, and the lack of resources, it doesn't take much to feel that just about every road has become rough.

Life's road can be pretty rough at times, too.

There are times, it seems, that the road that leads to Heaven isn't even paved; let alone the condition of the pavement where it is in need of work.

On Saturday I came to another level of understanding that the road ahead for several people I know and love is going to be even rougher than they've experienced up to now. And by the very fact that I know this adds the probability of several rough places I will have to make my way through carefully.

The "Rough Road" sign warns of two things. First, it tells the traveler that he/she must use extra care and safe practices to traverse this stretch safely. Second, it's a warning to "use at your own risk." If a safer route is available, it might be in your best interest to alter your route.

Sometimes, though, there is no choice. You might have to get to somebody who lives on that sorry stretch of road - or you might live along it yourself. And you really think it's about time that the appropriate jurisdictional authority would get over here and fix the road, making it safer for travel once more; but it just doesn't want to work out that way. If you were one of those types who knew the roads "like the back of his hand" you'd pray that they'd just close the road altogether; but as long as somebody lives there, the road - with its many bumps, dips, and potholes - has to remain open, regardless of how desolate it looks or how impossible it seems to have to use it.

If you're a person who's never experienced a rough spot in your life, you are indeed blessed and hopefully thankful. But I'd venture a guess that the vast majority of adults have traveled at least one rough road in life's journey, and usually more. Some have never known the joys of a smooth ride through any part of life. And no matter how optimistic an outlook you have on life, our best guess is that the location of our golden years is far from the idyllic utopia we mapped out in the dreams of younger days.

Whether we're an unlikely prophet like Amos, or pressed into service such as the Apostles, or just trying to make it through another day, we're all on a journey. Yesterday's events for me were a reminder that the journey gets a little rougher along the way. It's a blessing to know that this journey is not one you travel alone. A firm sense of faith, a hefty helping of hope, and lots of love go a long way to smooth out the rough spots. Please pray with me today for those people in your life who are going down a rougher road. Most likely they did not choose that route deliberately. Please also pray for the people whose rough lives and situations are known only to God who, as the prophet Isaiah writes, can exalt every valley, level the mountains and hills, straighten the winding road, and make the rough places plain.

"Freedom's Just Another Word For Nothing Left To Lose"

The Fourth of July  - United States' Independence Day

Sunday's (7/5) Word:
Ezekiel 2:2-5 (God appoints Ezekiel as the next prophet to the "rebellious" Israelites)
Psalm 123:1-4 (Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy)
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (The Lord to Paul of Tarsus: "My grace is sufficient for you")
Mark 6:1-6 ("A prophet is not without honor except in his native place, and among his kin, and in his own house")

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose, and nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free...
--from Me And Bobby McGee (1969) written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster

Sign for Our Times:



(Hey, it looks patriotic.)

How can all this get tied together in a neat package? That's ultimately what I'm hoping for.

For openers, it is the second of the summer holidays here in the USA. On July 4, 1776, the representatives of the Second Continental Congress in essence told King George III of England and his Parliament: We're mad as hell, and we're not gonna take it anymore! And while they were at it, Thomas Jefferson gathered enough inspiration to write perhaps the single most important document this nation will ever have: the Declaration of Independence. The gentlemen of the Congress were not declaring war, even though they were more or less already engaged in one. After all was said and done, they recognized that they had nothing to lose by making a public and formal declaration of their grievances with their colonial masters.

I will guess that most of us neither fully understand nor appreciate what work it takes to achieve the sense of freedom we enjoy as citizens of the United States. There was certainly no vacation or picnic back in 1776. There were no scenic routes to travel; no "purple mountain majesty above the fruited plain." All that would come later as benefits, if you will.

Is it possible that we can become spoiled after 233 years of varying degrees of autonomy "from sea to shining sea?" Yes, definitely. One need look no further than a comparison of different periods of our nation's history. From the imperialistic nature of our Western conquest to the discrimination of people and cultures both within and outside our borders to the stranger stories of our present time; from the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam. It's all there.

But it's not unique.

Ezekiel was sent to the Israelites as God's prophetic messenger at the beginning of the Babylonian exile, some six centuries before Jesus. The nation had been taken captive; the temple in Jerusalem destroyed. The people and their leaders had come to take their freedom for granted. Their ancestors' deliverance from slavery in Egypt - the first Passover - and their subsequent exodus to the Promised Land was a distant memory. By the time of Jesus, some of that had changed - but some things had become worse in the fracturing and fissuring between Jewish sects. And for the ultimate freedom of all, Jesus gave himself. Humanity had lost just about everything, it had little else to lose.

While you are out and about this weekend along our highways and byways, visiting the sites and enjoying the sounds, whether it be in the open country or in one of the big cities that has added to this nation's fame and fortune, and everyplace in between, remember that the freedom we enjoy was not taken lightly by those who fought to gain it. More importantly, that we have freedom in the first place is a gift of God, and not limited to Western civilization. As many fight to gain freedom for others, it is not our way of life imposed upon another way; but rather, that all might recognize that they are truly blessed and that all may be truly free.

Prayer:
God, source of all freedom,
this day is bright with the memory
of those who declared that life and liberty
are your gift to every person.

Help all the people of this nation
 - from our leaders to those known only to You -
to continue a good work begun long ago.
Make our vision clear and our will strong:
that only in solidarity will we find liberty,
and justice only in the honor and dignity
that belongs to every life on earth.

Turn our hearts toward the family of nations:
to understand the ways of others,
to offer friendship,
and to find safety only in the common good of all.

We pray this be granted in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. -Amen.

--taken from Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers (1989)
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

A Sign Needed But Not Quite Planned

June 28, 2009

Today's Word:
Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24 (from the Apocrypha, see text below)
Psalm 30:2-13 (I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me)
2 Corinthians 8:7-15 (For the sake of equality, share from your abundance to assist those in need)
Mark 5:21-43 (Jesus heals two people based on their faith and that of their loved ones)

Note: The Book of Wisdom is one of the books of the Old Testament accepted into the Catholic canon of Scripture but not found in most Bibles used in other Christian denominations. As such, I am posting this reading as it is proclaimed at this weekend's Catholic services.

God did not make death,
nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.
For he fashioned all things that they might have being;
and the creatures of the world are wholesome,
and there is not a destructive drug among them
nor any domain of the netherworld on earth,
for justice is undying.
For God formed man to be imperishable;
the image of his own nature he made him.
But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world,
and they who belong to his company experience it. (Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24, New American Bible)

This week's sign for our times:

There were several sad stories that hit this last week in a relentless fashion. One story after another - sometimes without even enough time for one story to sink in before the next set in. To summarize:

Sunday 6/21 - It is announced that Walter Cronkite (the "Most Trusted Man in America") is gravely ill.

Monday 6/22 - Jon & Kate Gosselin (parents to 8 kids, chronicled on TLC) announce that they are separating; Kate files for divorce. TLC announces that their TV show is going on hiatus until August.

Tuesday 6/23 - Ed McMahon, longtime sidekick to Johnny Carson, host of the TV show Star Search and assisting master of ceremonies to Jerry Lewis' fundraising Muscular Dystrophy telethon dies at age 86.

Wednesday 6/24 - Chicago news anchor John Calloway (longtime host of WTTW's Chicago Tonight) dies in Racine, Wisconsin; of a heart attack, at age 72.

Thursday 6/25 - Actress Farah Fawcett, long remembered for her role in the 1970s series Charlie's Angels, dies at age 62 after a nearly three-year battle with breast cancer. This is eclipsed that afternoon with news of the death of pop music icon Michael Jackson at age 50, of cardiac arrest.

Of course, there are many who suffer losses, and many more who die, on a daily basis. In the chronicles American history, the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the loss of life on September 11, 2001 far outweigh what's happened in the last week. Still, that this has all happened in a relatively short timeframe when other weeks had nothing this notable was enough to prompt me to bring out the "Dead End" sign.

There are two distinct things about this particular sign. The obvious meaning, along with its partner, "No Outlet", should remind us that we may find ourselves stuck in a situation where there is no way out other than to retrace our steps, or acknowledge our failures. To keep traveling where there is no roadway is usually futile and dangerous.

But the "Dead End" sign, in the light of the passage from the Book of Wisdom and in the context of the noted events of the last week, acts as a reminder that one day we will all face that sign.

Now wait a minute...didn't Jesus Christ conquer and vanquish death? Why yes, that is what Christians believe.

But we still die, don't we? Yes, we do...at least the human body which is the temple, the dwelling place of the spirit, will one day cease to exist.

Christ conquered death and turned it into the bridge between a life veiled from God's presence - although God is most certainly here - to a life where the veil is removed and all wisdom and understanding is brought to light. The sacred author writes that God does not rejoice in the destruction of the living. But in receiving the gift of free choice, humanity chose that very thing. God's love and protection wasn't enough; humanity chose to play God. Through the greed and dissatisfaction of many came suffering. We have proven in so many ways that we are often our own worst enemy.

When the ultimate end comes for people we know and have admired, be it the famous or our own friends and family, we recall what these people gave us and pray that God has indeed gathered them unto Himself. We try to peer into that veil and silently wonder what it is like just beyond it. Ask ten people among the living and you'll likely get ten different answers.

Life, no matter how long or short yours or mine will be, is a precious gift. Each day is filled with potential. Carpe diem. Take the day, and find the sacred in it.

Prayer: O Lord, my God, you are with me always. May your presence reassure me in difficult times, and may I never forget you in happy moments. May I rest assured that you will meet me at the only "dead end" that I must traverse.

Signs and Wonders on the Road That Leads To Heaven

Summer is here, and people are planning trips here and there. Some will vacation to favorite places far away, some will visit extended family, and others will make trips to local attractions they may have passed up before. It means people will travel through places that aren't as familiar. Even some of the familiar places will look different as roadway improvements change the landscape and  landmarks.

When I visited Holy Hill last April, I found a book that interested me. Called Signs of Faith, it's a series of short devotionals taken from common traffic signs. It's published by Traveling Word - you can find out more about their products at their website, www.travelingword.com. (In addition to Signs of Faith they offer another devotional book: Agape Latte - An Invigorating Cup of Love, in the shape of a coffee cup designed to fit in the cup holder of your car.)

The thought of a series of devotions based on everyday signs impressed me enough that for the next few Sundays I will post such an offering here. So I don't infringe on any copyrights, I'll avoid using the signs that the Traveling Word folks used. (If I use any I'll mention it and approach the devotional from a different perspective.)

With that in mind, here's my first attempt.

Verse: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7).

When you see an "Information" sign or kiosk in your travels, remember that God holds the answers to all life's questions, even those most difficult. I'm also reminded of a common secular proverb of our time: The only stupid question is the one that is not asked. When life seems to bear more questions than answers, or when answers are elusive, take this to God in prayer.

Prayer: Lord, my God, may your Holy Spirit guide me in your ways to help me when I have questions or am looking for information.

Until next time, May God be with you...

Fatherhood

Fathers' Day

Today's Word:
Job 38:1-11 (God addresses Job after his long series of trials, tribulations, and temptations)
Psalm 107:23-31 (God's power in nature is evident in a storm at sea)
2 Corinthians 5:14-17 (Whoever is in Christ is a new creation)
Mark 4:35-41 (Jesus calms the storm at sea)

(It's interesting to note that the passage from 2 Corinthians was featured last week at Cornerstone; and this week's passage from Mark's Gospel crosses my denominational fence - it's featured in both the Catholic and Methodist services. This post, however, may not have a connection with any of the readings or the pastoral themes which accompany them.)

Even though I'm a father, and have been one for over seventeen years, writing about fatherhood is not a simple thing for me.

President Obama has gone on record during his election campaign (and reiterated this last week) that more fathers need to get the message that their role in parenting is not minimal. I agree.

Mr. Obama's ideology in this regard comes from his background - his father abandoned him and his mother. I can't identify with that experience; my dad's been in my life as long as I've lived. Still, I can name other moms and kids who are growing up without the influence of a father. My dad lived without a father in his life from the time he was nine years old; his father died at that time in his life. And I also know others who live without the presence of a dad because they chose for some reason, to live for themselves rather than take on the sacrifices fatherhood demands.

I can't say my father and I are close. He couldn't make it to every last thing I was doing as a kid; he was working hard to support a family of six. He got involved in Boy Scouts as my brothers and I came of age - but he tended to take a back seat to all of what went on rather than one-on-one interaction. When I got into trouble, even though it was accidental, I got the interminal three-minute lecture about doing the right thing.

But even though I've had trouble seeing it, I know he's been there.

When I was ordained, he filmed the entire Mass and offered to make copies of the tape for my colleagues. When tragedy struck my wife and I, it was my dad who said I had "great faith." When our son was born, he was the first to arrive at the hospital to see his latest grandchild.

It's difficult for me to properly thank him, to demonstrate how I genuinely appreciate all he has done and continues doing. Words seem so hollow and empty, unable to express how deeply such feelings truly run. Would you like to know why?

We come to believe in God in a Trinity of Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Forget those sacred places of worship for a minute; forget all those ministers of the Church you refer to as "Father".  When you're growing up, and you're lucky enough to have a father's influence throughout your childhood, your father doesn't just represent God; let's face it, in those tender years your father is God. Then you reach some incomplete conclusions of what kind of work comes with the territory, and that the person you thought could withstand everything is vulnerable. And he's pushing you further toward adulthood and independence, even though it's too soon and not what either of you might want. And on top of all of it, he wants to remain in your life but doesn't - and can't - demand it of you.

My father taught me in his own way of example the basics to get me started in whatever path of life I wished to take. At first, like Luke's prodigal son, I went down paths that weren't so secure. But when love finally turned my life around, those basics were put to use.

It's not easy being a dad. Moms have this natural ability to nurture and bond with their children; dads have to cultivate this in their own way. We spend a lot of time wondering if our sons and daughters look up to us - and then have to do damage control when they realize you aren't God and can't give them their every desire (especially that video game or the Hannah Montana concert tickets they want more than anything else at the moment).

Make no mistake; even the best of us have wandering thoughts. But the 'real' man will not entertain such thoughts for more than a nanosecond. He will set all that aside. He will not force any agenda unless it is truly needed.

I posted back around Mothers' Day about the many sacrifices they make. Dads have to make sacrifices too; less obvious and made with little fanfare. Dads must work in concert and union with Moms who bear the brunt of raising the children. They must be ready to step in and do anything - even things in which they've had little practical experience - to build a strong sense of unity. Even if blessed with the 'traditional' role of 'the man of the house', he must listen closely to what his wife and children tell him, and at all times, strive to maintain a sense of compassion in all things.

To all of you dads out there, whether you know me or are just passing by, I hope you have acquired the stuff it takes to be devoted to this important vocation (or are in the process of acquiring it). I don't know anybody in real life who subscribes to the Homer Simpson model of fatherhood and is successful. Rather, it seems that the successful model requires a man of faith and prayer, especially when all seems most uncertain. He must be a rock of refuge and yet tender and compassionate at the same time. He must constantly work at looking at not only his own vision, but to see and accept that same vision in the eyes of his wife and children.

After seventeen years, I am far from an expert on fatherhood and parenting - and I am challenged by things many fathers will never experience. But I have experienced what it's like to be a dad. I wouldn't trade my life for anything. Thank you, Dad, for this blessed experience and for your love. It's that cultivated sense of love I am doing my best to share with my wife and pass on to my son.