December 24, 2017 Chapters 17A and 18 The Light Has Come (Christmas Eve) Sharing Gifts (Sunday on or after Christmas Day)
Note: this post will cover two weeks. My next post will be January 8
Blessed Christmas Everyone:
This past Wednesday at The Longest Night Service that was held this year at Sellersburg United Methodist Church, Pastor David Neuen talked about the time as a kid when he celebrated his birthday. One year his grandmother baked him a cake and put candles on it. When he went to blow them out, they went out for a minute and then relit...This process repeated itself a couple of times before his grandmother explained that these were trick candles. Most of us have seen those candles. They can be a lot of fun on an unsuspecting recipient.
He went on in his message to make the point that Jesus is the inextinguishable light. Try as he might Herod could not put out the light. Try as he might Pilate could not put out the light. Try as they might the Emperors of Rome could not extinguish the light.
It would be nice to think that people have stopped trying, but they haven't. As McLaren points out anyone who works in darkness would be quite happy if the light of Christ were extinguished today. "From pickpockets to corrupt politicians, from human traffickers to exploitive business sharks, from terrorists plotting in hidden cells to racists spreading messages of hate, they don't welcome the light..." (page 79)
The light began small...a child in a stable. The light began powerless...a child in a stable. The light began innocent...a baby born to poor parents in a tiny, obscure village.
Today, however, the light is large. Today the light gives life to all who embrace him.
On Christmas we celebrate that light. McLaren also focuses his attention to exactly for whom that light has come. Foreigners came to see the light. Egyptians helped shelter the light. Why are we so quick to dismiss the foreigner, be that the foreigner by nationality or the foreigner of a different religion? Perhaps the magi and the Egyptian do represent that the light calls us beyond our safety net of country and creed to reach beyond to find aliveness wherever truth lives.
May God bless you and yours this Christmas Season.
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Monday, December 18, 2017
Monday, December 18, 2017 Chapter 17 Surprising People
It has always been interesting to me when someone points out something new about the genealogies found in the Luke and Matthew.
I was especially intrigued by the phrase "Adam, son of God" of which McLaren writes, "to be the son of is to "find your origin in."
Adam finds his origin in God and so do we. We are all created Imago Dei--In the image of God. That Jesus is also the son of God...that Jesus also finds his origin in God is, as McLaren points out, a new Adam. And all of us who climb life in him are part of that new creation.
Like the women who appear in Matthew's genealogy, we too are the surprising people of today...not always good....but always redeemed through Christ.
All of this challenges me to live as a child of God, to live in God's image.
It has always been interesting to me when someone points out something new about the genealogies found in the Luke and Matthew.
I was especially intrigued by the phrase "Adam, son of God" of which McLaren writes, "to be the son of is to "find your origin in."
Adam finds his origin in God and so do we. We are all created Imago Dei--In the image of God. That Jesus is also the son of God...that Jesus also finds his origin in God is, as McLaren points out, a new Adam. And all of us who climb life in him are part of that new creation.
Like the women who appear in Matthew's genealogy, we too are the surprising people of today...not always good....but always redeemed through Christ.
All of this challenges me to live as a child of God, to live in God's image.
Monday, December 11, 2017
Monday, December 11, 2017 Chapter 16 Keep Herod in Christmas
One of the things I like about a religious writer is when they can take something quite complex and make it simple enough for me to understand. I thin McLaren does this in this chapter. On page 72 beginning with the last two paragraphs, he writes:
Herod--and Pharaoh before him-- model one way: violence...
The baby whom Herod seeks to kill will model another way. His tool will be service, not violence.
In many ways this is the simple message of Christmas. God invites us, through His son, to a new way of living. The "us" I talk about is not just "us Christians", not just "us as individuals" but the "collective us"--us as humankind.
Keeping Herod in Christmas is a reminder that we are made for more. And that this more will come only when we choose to service over violence.
One of the things I like about a religious writer is when they can take something quite complex and make it simple enough for me to understand. I thin McLaren does this in this chapter. On page 72 beginning with the last two paragraphs, he writes:
Herod--and Pharaoh before him-- model one way: violence...
The baby whom Herod seeks to kill will model another way. His tool will be service, not violence.
In many ways this is the simple message of Christmas. God invites us, through His son, to a new way of living. The "us" I talk about is not just "us Christians", not just "us as individuals" but the "collective us"--us as humankind.
Keeping Herod in Christmas is a reminder that we are made for more. And that this more will come only when we choose to service over violence.
Sunday, December 3, 2017
Monday, December 4, 2017 Women on the Edge
I want to break away from my reflection on the chapter and share on one of the questions found at the end of the chapter.
Question number 2 invites us to share a story about a woman in your life who had a powerful influence. Of course, there are a lot from my own family: my grandmother Clegg ( who would be 107 today if she were still living), certainly my mom and any one of my four sisters. All of them were powerful influences on my life.
But perhaps more than any of them, Sr. Barbara Fiand, SNDdeN, has had the most influence on me as a priest. Sr. Barbara was my spiritual director in seminary. I was fortunate in many ways to go to a seminary that allowed women to serve in that capacity. According to the rules of seminary formation, spiritual directors had to be other priests. I guess the rationale was that only a priest could really help a young seminarian know the day-in day-out struggles, joys, heartaches of being a priest. However, Sr. Barbara was a person who understood people. She was challenging when I needed to be challenged. She was gentle when I needed her to be gentle. She would never let me be complacent and always challenged me to be the very best person I could be. More than anyone else, she helped me to be the person I am today and the priest I am today. I was blessed to have her in my life.
What about you? Who are some of the women who have influenced you in your life?
I want to break away from my reflection on the chapter and share on one of the questions found at the end of the chapter.
Question number 2 invites us to share a story about a woman in your life who had a powerful influence. Of course, there are a lot from my own family: my grandmother Clegg ( who would be 107 today if she were still living), certainly my mom and any one of my four sisters. All of them were powerful influences on my life.
But perhaps more than any of them, Sr. Barbara Fiand, SNDdeN, has had the most influence on me as a priest. Sr. Barbara was my spiritual director in seminary. I was fortunate in many ways to go to a seminary that allowed women to serve in that capacity. According to the rules of seminary formation, spiritual directors had to be other priests. I guess the rationale was that only a priest could really help a young seminarian know the day-in day-out struggles, joys, heartaches of being a priest. However, Sr. Barbara was a person who understood people. She was challenging when I needed to be challenged. She was gentle when I needed her to be gentle. She would never let me be complacent and always challenged me to be the very best person I could be. More than anyone else, she helped me to be the person I am today and the priest I am today. I was blessed to have her in my life.
What about you? Who are some of the women who have influenced you in your life?
Monday, November 27, 2017
November 27, 2017 Chapter 14: Promised Land Promise Time
We begin the second part of We Make the Road by Walking. McLaren set the book up so that part two would correspond with Advent. Normally Advent is about 4 weeks (depending on when Christmas falls). This year, however, because Christmas falls on a Monday, the fourth week of Advent is all of one day. So we are beginning this reflection this week (before Advent begins) to give us a full four weeks until chapter 17a which we are to read on Christmas Eve and chapter 18 which we are invited to read Christmas Day.
I like the season of Advent because it is a hope-filled time. At Thanksgiving, I discovered that one of my nieces is expecting her second child. It was fun to listen to the family talk about the new baby, each of my siblings giving their best argument for why the baby should be named after them. Advent is a lot like a pregnancy--full of expectation and hope.
When McLaren talks about Isaiah he says on page 64, "The prophet saw deep spiritual corruption and complacency among his people and warned them that this kind of behavior would lead to decline and defeat." I wonder if we aren't in a deep period of complacency in our Churches today. We see people leaving the faith in alarming numbers. When asked what religion they profess, a full 23% of Americans now say "none." The "nones" are rising but we don't seem alarmed, or if we are alarmed, we don't care enough to figure out why or how we might stem that tide.
There are lots of books on this subject (from a Catholic perspective): Rebuilt; Divine Renovation; Forming Intentional Disciples. In spite of that, there does not seem to be a lot of change in the status quo.
Perhaps this Advent we need an extra dose of John the Baptist...the wild hair, the strange diet...the persistent call. The call to make ready the way for the Lord...to prepare God's path. That is the message of Advent. That is the message of Hope.
We begin the second part of We Make the Road by Walking. McLaren set the book up so that part two would correspond with Advent. Normally Advent is about 4 weeks (depending on when Christmas falls). This year, however, because Christmas falls on a Monday, the fourth week of Advent is all of one day. So we are beginning this reflection this week (before Advent begins) to give us a full four weeks until chapter 17a which we are to read on Christmas Eve and chapter 18 which we are invited to read Christmas Day.
I like the season of Advent because it is a hope-filled time. At Thanksgiving, I discovered that one of my nieces is expecting her second child. It was fun to listen to the family talk about the new baby, each of my siblings giving their best argument for why the baby should be named after them. Advent is a lot like a pregnancy--full of expectation and hope.
When McLaren talks about Isaiah he says on page 64, "The prophet saw deep spiritual corruption and complacency among his people and warned them that this kind of behavior would lead to decline and defeat." I wonder if we aren't in a deep period of complacency in our Churches today. We see people leaving the faith in alarming numbers. When asked what religion they profess, a full 23% of Americans now say "none." The "nones" are rising but we don't seem alarmed, or if we are alarmed, we don't care enough to figure out why or how we might stem that tide.
There are lots of books on this subject (from a Catholic perspective): Rebuilt; Divine Renovation; Forming Intentional Disciples. In spite of that, there does not seem to be a lot of change in the status quo.
Perhaps this Advent we need an extra dose of John the Baptist...the wild hair, the strange diet...the persistent call. The call to make ready the way for the Lord...to prepare God's path. That is the message of Advent. That is the message of Hope.
Monday, November 20, 2017
November 20, 2017 Chapter 13 The Great Conversation
It seems as if McLaren is setting us for something today. As we close out part one of his book he is already preparing us for part 2. He tells us a little bit of the history of the Israelites, but more than that he takes us through how that history effects their understanding of their God. "As the people changed and evolved, their understanding of God changed and evolved." (page 57)
It seems that this is true for us collectively but it also needs to be true for us individually. I can remember as a child always believing that God was there to keep me in line, to make sure I would do the right thing. As I got older, I began to see God as this great power that caused me to feel wonder and awe. Today I see God as the "other" that I long for...that I desire to be with. Perhaps that is why my appreciation for Eucharistic Adoration has grown. I'm not sure who the Saint was but he/she was asked what they did in adoration and they replied something to the effect, "I look at Him and He looks at me, and we are both happy."
I believe that perhaps this is where McLaren is leading us as we move out of the first quarter of the book and into the second, which deals with the life of Jesus. We will see. But for me this was a good reflection on how I have seen God throughout the different times of my life. What about you? Has your understanding of God changed throughout your life?
It seems as if McLaren is setting us for something today. As we close out part one of his book he is already preparing us for part 2. He tells us a little bit of the history of the Israelites, but more than that he takes us through how that history effects their understanding of their God. "As the people changed and evolved, their understanding of God changed and evolved." (page 57)
It seems that this is true for us collectively but it also needs to be true for us individually. I can remember as a child always believing that God was there to keep me in line, to make sure I would do the right thing. As I got older, I began to see God as this great power that caused me to feel wonder and awe. Today I see God as the "other" that I long for...that I desire to be with. Perhaps that is why my appreciation for Eucharistic Adoration has grown. I'm not sure who the Saint was but he/she was asked what they did in adoration and they replied something to the effect, "I look at Him and He looks at me, and we are both happy."
I believe that perhaps this is where McLaren is leading us as we move out of the first quarter of the book and into the second, which deals with the life of Jesus. We will see. But for me this was a good reflection on how I have seen God throughout the different times of my life. What about you? Has your understanding of God changed throughout your life?
Monday, November 13, 2017
November 13, 2017 Chapter 12 The Stories That Shape Us
Whenever I teach a session on the Bible I always encourage participants to ask the question: what does this story tell me about my relationship with God? McLaren seems to take that a good bit farther with his three-fold approach of critical research, the artist's eye, and a humble, teachable heart. In many ways I think it is that last one that might be the most important for me.
This past weekend at the 11:15 a.m. Mass, my fourth Mass of the weekend, I heard something in the first reading that I had missed at not only the other three Masses, but also each time I had read that reading in preparation for my homily this weekend. What I heard was this...not only does God invite us to search for wisdom, but wisdom is searching for us at the very same time. Somehow I had missed that. Wisdom is searching for us...
I tell that story because it reminds me of the need for a humble, teachable heart. You see, too often I gloss over the readings as I prepare to preach. I'll look at a reading for the next weekend and I'll read a couple of lines and I'll think to myself, "okay, I know that story..." and I'll stop reading. It is as if I already know all there is to know about that story. My heart is not humble nor do I allow it to be teachable...because I think I already know the story.
It is challenging to let the stories come alive again. It is challenging to think that a reading I have read and heard literally hundreds of time still has something new to teach me. And yet it does and it did this past Sunday.
I pray that I can have a humble, teachable heart!
Whenever I teach a session on the Bible I always encourage participants to ask the question: what does this story tell me about my relationship with God? McLaren seems to take that a good bit farther with his three-fold approach of critical research, the artist's eye, and a humble, teachable heart. In many ways I think it is that last one that might be the most important for me.
This past weekend at the 11:15 a.m. Mass, my fourth Mass of the weekend, I heard something in the first reading that I had missed at not only the other three Masses, but also each time I had read that reading in preparation for my homily this weekend. What I heard was this...not only does God invite us to search for wisdom, but wisdom is searching for us at the very same time. Somehow I had missed that. Wisdom is searching for us...
I tell that story because it reminds me of the need for a humble, teachable heart. You see, too often I gloss over the readings as I prepare to preach. I'll look at a reading for the next weekend and I'll read a couple of lines and I'll think to myself, "okay, I know that story..." and I'll stop reading. It is as if I already know all there is to know about that story. My heart is not humble nor do I allow it to be teachable...because I think I already know the story.
It is challenging to let the stories come alive again. It is challenging to think that a reading I have read and heard literally hundreds of time still has something new to teach me. And yet it does and it did this past Sunday.
I pray that I can have a humble, teachable heart!
Monday, November 6, 2017
November 6, 2017 Chapter 11 From Ugliness, A Beauty Emerges.
It’s always been somewhat of a struggle for me to reconcile parts of the Old Testament with the message of Jesus in the New Testament. I like how McLaren weaves the story together as one story. I guess I’ve always know that to be the case but I think his way of explaining it makes a lot of sense. The beauty of the life of Jesus was born from some of the ugliness of the Old Testament story.
I think we also see it played out in our world today. Unfortunately, far too often it involves tragedies like Las Vegas or Orlando or 9/11 where heroes emerge amid tragedies. A stranger pushes someone in a wheelchair to safety: ugliness to beauty. A man falls on a stranger to protect her from bullets: ugliness to beauty.
The more I think about it the more I realize that maybe it happens all the time and we just don’t notice it. The other day I witnessed an accident and four different people stopped to offer assistance: from ugliness to beauty. At the All Saint’s Day Mass last week, a time in my parish where we remember those who have died in the last year, I saw a woman crying as she grieved the loss of her loved one. She was sitting by herself until another parishioner noticed and went over and sat next to her: from ugliness to beauty.
Perhaps this week might be a time for us to be more attuned to it. Perhaps you could share a story of where you have witnessed it in your day to day life.
It’s always been somewhat of a struggle for me to reconcile parts of the Old Testament with the message of Jesus in the New Testament. I like how McLaren weaves the story together as one story. I guess I’ve always know that to be the case but I think his way of explaining it makes a lot of sense. The beauty of the life of Jesus was born from some of the ugliness of the Old Testament story.
I think we also see it played out in our world today. Unfortunately, far too often it involves tragedies like Las Vegas or Orlando or 9/11 where heroes emerge amid tragedies. A stranger pushes someone in a wheelchair to safety: ugliness to beauty. A man falls on a stranger to protect her from bullets: ugliness to beauty.
The more I think about it the more I realize that maybe it happens all the time and we just don’t notice it. The other day I witnessed an accident and four different people stopped to offer assistance: from ugliness to beauty. At the All Saint’s Day Mass last week, a time in my parish where we remember those who have died in the last year, I saw a woman crying as she grieved the loss of her loved one. She was sitting by herself until another parishioner noticed and went over and sat next to her: from ugliness to beauty.
Perhaps this week might be a time for us to be more attuned to it. Perhaps you could share a story of where you have witnessed it in your day to day life.
Monday, October 30, 2017
October 30, 2017 Chapter 10 Getting Slavery Out of the People
Greetings Fellow Pilgrims:
Several things strike me about the readings for this week and it might seem a like a bit of hodgepodge.
Thought 1: Beginning with the scripture reading from Exodus...When I went to my Bible to look up this reading (normally I go to my phone), I had written a note in the margin of chapter 19 verse 7...which says, "...Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God..." At one time it struck me that part of their problem in the Exodus story is contained in that verse. Why did they have to go out of their camp to meet God? Why wasn't God in their camp? I think that one way out of slavery and into freedom is to make sure God is living with us in our "camp."
Thought 2: On page 42, McLaren writes: "We must remember that the road to freedom doesn't follow a straight line from point A to point B. Instead it zigzags and backtracks through a discomfort zone of lack, delay, distress and strain." I see this as a continuation of his comment that he often used in the last chapter...happily ever after right? Wrong. We never reach happily ever after on this side of heaven....there is always another road to walk, another journey to embrace.
Thought 3: McLaren writes (pg. 43) "Through the ten plagues, we might say, God led the people out of slavery. Through the ten commands, God got the slavery out of the people." I tell people all the time the 10 commandments are not given to us to keep us in line, but because when we follow them we are happier people. We are free.
Thought 4: Referring to communion, McLaren writes on page 44: "Around this table, we remember where we've been, where we are, whom we're with, and where we're headed, as we make a new road by walking...together." I think this is why Eucharist is so powerful for me. Every so often, usually because I'm a little sick and don't want to spread germs, I'll sit for communion and have someone else distribute in my place. I love being able to watch others go to communion...I love to pray for others as they go to communion. It always reminds me that we are united around the table.
Those are my thoughts...what are yours?
Greetings Fellow Pilgrims:
Several things strike me about the readings for this week and it might seem a like a bit of hodgepodge.
Thought 1: Beginning with the scripture reading from Exodus...When I went to my Bible to look up this reading (normally I go to my phone), I had written a note in the margin of chapter 19 verse 7...which says, "...Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God..." At one time it struck me that part of their problem in the Exodus story is contained in that verse. Why did they have to go out of their camp to meet God? Why wasn't God in their camp? I think that one way out of slavery and into freedom is to make sure God is living with us in our "camp."
Thought 2: On page 42, McLaren writes: "We must remember that the road to freedom doesn't follow a straight line from point A to point B. Instead it zigzags and backtracks through a discomfort zone of lack, delay, distress and strain." I see this as a continuation of his comment that he often used in the last chapter...happily ever after right? Wrong. We never reach happily ever after on this side of heaven....there is always another road to walk, another journey to embrace.
Thought 3: McLaren writes (pg. 43) "Through the ten plagues, we might say, God led the people out of slavery. Through the ten commands, God got the slavery out of the people." I tell people all the time the 10 commandments are not given to us to keep us in line, but because when we follow them we are happier people. We are free.
Thought 4: Referring to communion, McLaren writes on page 44: "Around this table, we remember where we've been, where we are, whom we're with, and where we're headed, as we make a new road by walking...together." I think this is why Eucharist is so powerful for me. Every so often, usually because I'm a little sick and don't want to spread germs, I'll sit for communion and have someone else distribute in my place. I love being able to watch others go to communion...I love to pray for others as they go to communion. It always reminds me that we are united around the table.
Those are my thoughts...what are yours?
Monday, October 23, 2017
October 23, 2017 Chapter 9 Freedom
There have always been wisdom figures in my life. One such figure is a man named William Schaefer, Sr. I met Bill when I was pastor at Good Shepherd Parish in Indianapolis. Once, when we were talking about a project we were planning someone said, "We just need to 'let go and let God.'" To which Bill responded with this story. There was a man working out in his garden. It was a beautiful garden. Lush plants. Well trimmed. Just magnificent. Another man walks by, sees the garden and says, "My, what a beautiful garden God put here." To which the first man replied, "Yeah? You should have seen when God had it by himself."
Mclaren writes on page 37, "In other words, God gets involved by challenging us to get involved." There is a fine line between "Let go and let God," and "God helps those who help themselves."
One of the first truths of the Bible is that God works through the human person to create a world. We are privileged to be co-creators with God. First it was Adam and Eve given the right to name all of creation. Next it was Noah who assisted in humankind's salvation by building a boat. Followed that with Sarah and Abraham, parents of a great nation. Joseph and his role as reconciler with his brothers. And now Moses who renews creation by leading God's people to freedom.
God consistently chooses to work with us. The obvious question is: Do we consistently choose to work with God?
There have always been wisdom figures in my life. One such figure is a man named William Schaefer, Sr. I met Bill when I was pastor at Good Shepherd Parish in Indianapolis. Once, when we were talking about a project we were planning someone said, "We just need to 'let go and let God.'" To which Bill responded with this story. There was a man working out in his garden. It was a beautiful garden. Lush plants. Well trimmed. Just magnificent. Another man walks by, sees the garden and says, "My, what a beautiful garden God put here." To which the first man replied, "Yeah? You should have seen when God had it by himself."
Mclaren writes on page 37, "In other words, God gets involved by challenging us to get involved." There is a fine line between "Let go and let God," and "God helps those who help themselves."
One of the first truths of the Bible is that God works through the human person to create a world. We are privileged to be co-creators with God. First it was Adam and Eve given the right to name all of creation. Next it was Noah who assisted in humankind's salvation by building a boat. Followed that with Sarah and Abraham, parents of a great nation. Joseph and his role as reconciler with his brothers. And now Moses who renews creation by leading God's people to freedom.
God consistently chooses to work with us. The obvious question is: Do we consistently choose to work with God?
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