August 30, 2018 Chapter 37: An Uprising of Partnership
I have to admit that I struggled with this chapter a bit. I liked the "placing ourselves in the scene" in the first part of the chapter when McLaren spoke about the growth of the early "ecclesia." But then I struggled with how that tied into the story of the disciples in prison. And then it hit me.
The growth of the Church was because of the witness of the disciples. Paul and the disciples simply witnessed to the faith by not fleeing the jail. They witness to the faith by not letting the jailer harm himself. They witnessed to the faith by staying put when they could have fled. They stayed put precisely because they knew that in staying put they could witness to the faith. It was almost as if they were saying, it doesn't matter if there are chains or not, we will stay here because this is where God put us.
I've been asking myself lately the question of how well do I witness to my faith. Can people see in me something different? Is my witness real and is my faith authentic enough to attract non-believers or people who have walked away from their faith?
This weekend's Gospel is the vine and the branches story (John 15:1-8). At our mission a couple of weeks ago David Wells told how a grapevine is one of the few plants that you can cut off a piece of the vine that is dying in one area and graft it into another piece of the vine somewhere else and it will thrive in this new location. Much like we do medically with a skin graft. That thought made John 15 come alive for me. Our job as a a church is to help people graft into Jesus. And it is in that grafting that we find life again.
Monday, April 30, 2018
Sunday, April 22, 2018
April 23, 2018 Chapter 36 An Uprising of Worship
One of the things I like about this book is that McLaren will often invite us to imagine ourselves in the world of Jesus or those early followers of his. Today's chapter is an example of that. He invites us to imagine a table fellowship where all are treated as equal. The rich and the poor dine together. The slave and the master eat from the same table. The woman and the man drink of the one cup. And because of this "awe came upon everyone." Acts 2:42
Why is it that Christianity fails to "awe" today. Have we simply become so routine, so mainstream that people don't see us as different. What would a truly Christian community look like?
Our parish has been through a tough few weeks. I'm not sure how well we would pass the Jesus test. Some among us have sought to exclude others not because of anything they have done but simply because they are a little bit different. I'm not sure anyone would be in awe over that.
We have a ways to go, we Christians...we have more journeys that we need to walk.
One of the things I like about this book is that McLaren will often invite us to imagine ourselves in the world of Jesus or those early followers of his. Today's chapter is an example of that. He invites us to imagine a table fellowship where all are treated as equal. The rich and the poor dine together. The slave and the master eat from the same table. The woman and the man drink of the one cup. And because of this "awe came upon everyone." Acts 2:42
Why is it that Christianity fails to "awe" today. Have we simply become so routine, so mainstream that people don't see us as different. What would a truly Christian community look like?
Our parish has been through a tough few weeks. I'm not sure how well we would pass the Jesus test. Some among us have sought to exclude others not because of anything they have done but simply because they are a little bit different. I'm not sure anyone would be in awe over that.
We have a ways to go, we Christians...we have more journeys that we need to walk.
Sunday, April 15, 2018
April 16, 2018 Chapter 35 The Uprising of Discipleship
The word disciple and the term missionary disciple has been bantered about the last few years. St. John Paul II began the discussion and Pope Benedict continued it. Pope Francis too has made it a central theme of his preaching and teaching. It is the vision I have for our parish as well. We are a community of disciples.
I like McLaren's definition of disciple as "a follower, a student, an apprentice, one who learns by imitating the master." (page 179)
What does that look like in real life? I think it means finding ways to grow one's faith. I think it means not being content with the status quo especially in our faith journey. In many ways I think in means waking up to God's action in our lives and feeling a need to respond to that action.
I'm always touched to listen to another's story. It is especially exciting when that story involves a "catching fire" for God. I think we need to find ways to share that in our Catholic churches. We need to find ways on Sunday mornings for people to be able to witness to their faith and the ways God is acting in their lives. It is not enough for disciples to hear it from the priests. They expect to hear it there. They also need to hear it from one another.
In the prayer we call the Magnificat, Mary says this: "The Almighty has done great things for me and holy is God's name." Luke 1:49 What are the great things that God has done for you that allow you to proclaim Holy is God's Name?
The word disciple and the term missionary disciple has been bantered about the last few years. St. John Paul II began the discussion and Pope Benedict continued it. Pope Francis too has made it a central theme of his preaching and teaching. It is the vision I have for our parish as well. We are a community of disciples.
I like McLaren's definition of disciple as "a follower, a student, an apprentice, one who learns by imitating the master." (page 179)
What does that look like in real life? I think it means finding ways to grow one's faith. I think it means not being content with the status quo especially in our faith journey. In many ways I think in means waking up to God's action in our lives and feeling a need to respond to that action.
I'm always touched to listen to another's story. It is especially exciting when that story involves a "catching fire" for God. I think we need to find ways to share that in our Catholic churches. We need to find ways on Sunday mornings for people to be able to witness to their faith and the ways God is acting in their lives. It is not enough for disciples to hear it from the priests. They expect to hear it there. They also need to hear it from one another.
In the prayer we call the Magnificat, Mary says this: "The Almighty has done great things for me and holy is God's name." Luke 1:49 What are the great things that God has done for you that allow you to proclaim Holy is God's Name?
Sunday, April 8, 2018
April 8, 2018 Chapter 34 The Uprising of Fellowship
The reading from John's gospel this week is the gospel reading each year for the Sunday after Easter. It is a recounting of "the evening of that first day of the week,"--that first Easter Sunday. Since it is the reading every Second Sunday of Easter, that means I have probably preached on this gospel passage at least 25 times. And in all 25 times I have focused almost exclusively on the person of Thomas. So much so that it had never really dawned on me the three things that Jesus does in the passage. McLaren points out those three things.
First, he offers them peace. This is huge. He doesn't call them idiots for not getting his words about his death and resurrection. He doesn't say I told you so. He doesn't call them cowards for running away in the garden the night of his arrest. He doesn't ask them why they couldn't be more like the women who at least followed him to the cross. Instead he offers them peace.
The second thing he does is remind them of their purpose. he gives them their orders. He sends them on mission. He hasn't given up on them. He hasn't said to them, "You're fired." He renews his trust in them.
Finally, he gives them a down payment of the Holy Spirit (which will come in its fullness at Pentecost). He breathes on them and gives them the power of forgiveness. I guess I've always thought of this as a general power to forgive sins. However, occurring as a post resurrection account it now seems obvious that Jesus is talking at least n part about the forgiveness of those who put him to death, those who fled his side, as well as those who didn't seem to care one way or the other.
Peace. Mission. Mercy. The gifts given that first Easter Sunday!
The reading from John's gospel this week is the gospel reading each year for the Sunday after Easter. It is a recounting of "the evening of that first day of the week,"--that first Easter Sunday. Since it is the reading every Second Sunday of Easter, that means I have probably preached on this gospel passage at least 25 times. And in all 25 times I have focused almost exclusively on the person of Thomas. So much so that it had never really dawned on me the three things that Jesus does in the passage. McLaren points out those three things.
First, he offers them peace. This is huge. He doesn't call them idiots for not getting his words about his death and resurrection. He doesn't say I told you so. He doesn't call them cowards for running away in the garden the night of his arrest. He doesn't ask them why they couldn't be more like the women who at least followed him to the cross. Instead he offers them peace.
The second thing he does is remind them of their purpose. he gives them their orders. He sends them on mission. He hasn't given up on them. He hasn't said to them, "You're fired." He renews his trust in them.
Finally, he gives them a down payment of the Holy Spirit (which will come in its fullness at Pentecost). He breathes on them and gives them the power of forgiveness. I guess I've always thought of this as a general power to forgive sins. However, occurring as a post resurrection account it now seems obvious that Jesus is talking at least n part about the forgiveness of those who put him to death, those who fled his side, as well as those who didn't seem to care one way or the other.
Peace. Mission. Mercy. The gifts given that first Easter Sunday!
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