Shining Spirit

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.” Perhaps you will recognize that famous line as the 11th verse of chapter 13 in the New Testament writing called 1st Corinthians. Wouldn’t it be a different world if that was true? Maybe it was true for the writer, Paul of Tarsus, but he’s the same man who, in a different letter to a different church, described himself as a “wretched man,” torn between right and wrong, good and evil. He describes the contest within his mind: I do things I don’t want to do and I leave undone the things I should do. Want and should.

“Tommy, when you play in the sandbox with Billy, you should be thoughtful and kind to him.” “I guess so, Mamma, but he has a toy that I want.” Maybe Tommy will develop a higher moral system when he grows up; maybe he will be introduced to something called a “conscience,” that inner voice that someone once called “the representative of God.” Let no one say, though, that it’s easy to live by the “should” and ignore the “want.” When “want” is out of control, power and greed and popularity become delicious poisons whose lethality is not limited to the one person. Many are infected. Many suffer.

When adult human beings insist on acting like childish human beings, when bragging, boasting and bravado become virtues, those who still hear that inner voice of conscience are faced with tough decisions. Moral decisions. Ethical decisions. Spiritual decisions. Paul of Tarsus, probably in despair, threw up his hands and exclaimed: “who will save me from this body of death?” Who will rescue me from the collision of conscience and childishness? And Paul concludes: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God? Intervening? Solving our problems while we watch? No, but speaking to our hearts, whispering in our minds, calling us to be who we claim to be. The moral imperatives of conscience still exist in good people; they are in the DNA of human beings.

For the welfare of nations and for the benefit of the least among us, we need to listen to the still, small voice. From the integrity of who we are, we need to listen and respond to the highest calling, the welfare of all creation.

You’ve heard of “How To…” manuals? How to fix this or how to solve that…you know the term. With that in mind, here are three things, combined from one resource, that you can do to make your life better, more satisfying, and more meaningful:

Trust steadily in God. Steadily, not occasionally, not when necessary, not when you run out of other possibilities. Steadily, which might also mean constantly.

Hope unswervingly in God. Unswervingly, focused, constant, without wandering.

Love extravagantly. Extravagantly, without limits, over-the-top, exceeding the bounds of reason, beyond what is deserved.

These three words appear in the last verses of 1 Corinthians 13, Paul’s wonderful letter to the church meeting in Corinth. Trust (or Faith in some translations), Hope and Love. Is one more urgent that the others? Yes, but I’ll leave that for your reading. Find your Bible and have a look. It’s a life changer!

May this fine day be filled with moments of trusting, hoping and loving, and tonight, when you reflect on this day, may your heart be filled with gratitude and peace. Press on.

When she caught the school bus that morning, everything seemed fine. Homework done. Good mood. A long weekend coming up for a national holiday. Everything was fine when she left home, but not so when she returned. Her Dad looked up as she came into the family room, dropped her overloaded backpack on the floor and slung herself onto the sofa. “Bad day, huh?” “Yeah, you might say that,” came the reply. Then remembering that his daughter had played a soccer game after school, Dad asked the inevitable question: Did you win the game? From that moment on, the conversation went downhill.

You see, if you don’t win, then by definition, you lose. May as well ask: Did you lose again? She stared into her Dad’s eyes for a full minute before breaking down in tears. Yes, a loser again. What Dad didn’t know is that his daughter had scored two goals in defeat. It seemed that winning was all that mattered.
But not all of us are winners, are we? Sometimes it seems like the value of good, honest, hard work is wasted if we don’t win. But wouldn’t it be refreshing, and thoughtful, to affirm each other’s efforts and not just the outcomes. Did you give it your best? Did you try hard? Are you happy with your part in the game? It’s like the dissertation the college student wrote that was taken apart by the review committee. Maybe it wasn’t the most profound academic attempt in the history of the school; maybe it could have been written better. But there’s more to living than winning or losing.

A kind and generous heart affirms the person, even if the outcome is not an A+. So, be generous with your affirmations. The value of a moment is not determined by winning or losing, but by how we have tried with effort, values, principles, integrity. Let’s go out of our way to affirm each other and not calculate success on the basis of winning or losing. Press on, but do so with a compassionate heart.

It has been said for a long time that the writer of Matthew’s Gospel wanted his readers to view Jesus as the new Moses, and perhaps the most striking illustration of Matthew’s desire to link the two men is the telling of the mountain-teaching experience we have labeled the Sermon On The Mount. Begin at the fifth chapter of Matthew’s writing and read on until you come to the end of chapter 7 and you will have read a wonderful summary of the mind and heart of Jesus. Coincidence that Moses is on the mountain receiving the wisdom of God and Jesus is on the mountain dispensing the wisdom of God? No, Matthew wants us to make the connection between the two occasions. So why and what does it mean to link the two mountain moments? As Moses is the voice of God for a tribal people, so Jesus is the voice of God for the world. Huge crowds forced Jesus to go up the mountain and there he outlined the way life should be lived. Every person of faith should read these three chapters every day. Let your time of meditation, reflection, that quiet moment be spent soaking in the creative wisdom that Jesus brings to the world.

Just as Jesus gives the world some very practical guidelines in the Sermon On The Mount, ways to live a deep spiritual life, other voices of the ages join his in giving the world sacred wisdom. Two examples that address the spiritual life and the practicalities of living in shaky times: “The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.” The second: a one line commentary on an ancient concept that offers very practical wisdom for life: Amor fati (love of life) “is an ancient concept meaning accepting what happens in life and finding meaning in it.” This is not resignation or giving up. This is looking at realities you can’t change and finding a meaning, a direction, in them. The Sermon On The Mount is our roadmap to living a deeply spiritual life and other voices over the ages offer us additional insight and meaning. There is joy, peace and comfort in this world and you will find it when you go into His presence, when you climb that mountain and sit as his feet. May the peace and purpose of Christ fill you this day.

A couple of weeks ago, while out for my morning walk, minding my own business and enjoying the crisp air, I was passed on the sidewalk by a Goose, a Duck, a Turkey, and a Chicken. In that order. The Chicken was squawking: “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” I said: “Chicken, how do you know this to be true?” “Well,” replied Chicken, breathing heavily from the strenuous run, “I know because a piece of it fell on my tail.” It was then that I noticed a brown, wrinkled leaf stuck in Chicken’s tail feathers. But Chicken was flapping down the sidewalk before I could remove it. “It’s a leaf,” I called out, but he was off on his mission.

I later heard that Goose, Duck, Turkey, Chicken and a few other fearful fowls stopped by Fox’s den to alert him to the disaster, were invited in for shelter and safety, shown a big room where they could hide, and that the last thing they heard was the lock on the door clicking into place. Devoured by their fear.

Now, here’s a strange thing: Yesterday it was reported on various Social Media outlets that the sky is, indeed, falling. And, of course, it must be true since it came from Social Media sources. I hesitate to add this final observation: I did see two chickens running along Silverbell Road this morning.

Is it true? Is the sky falling? Maybe. I don’t know and you don’t know. If it is, running in a frenzy isn’t going to stop it. When the house is on fire, yelling doesn’t put it out. Strong feelings might result in positive steps, thoughtful responses, but passion should not produce pandemonium. My counsel to the alarmed Chicken: check your sources, refuse to respond in kind, stand instead of cowering, remember who you are and to whom you belong. “Greater is He that is in me than He who is in the world.” We’ve been saying that for a long time in prayers, sermons and hymns of trust. Now we may have to actually live it. “Fear not…” Jesus used to say. Do the right, the good, the just and never accept a dinner invitation at Mr. Fox’s house. Jesus didn’t say that last part, by the way.

(Acknowledgement to Joseph Jacob who is thought to have been the author of Chicken Little)

Sometime today, make an appointment with yourself. Find a quiet corner or a place that has special meaning for you. Sit quietly for a while and then focus on three things: A beautiful friendship and why it’s beautiful. Or, someone you love deeply and why you love that person. Or, something that is good in your life right now. An everyday dose of Gratitude will do us all good. Let a new bloom of Thanksgiving open in your heart. May peace find full expression in your life today. You are capable of love and you are loved. What else is there that really counts?

I’m so sad. It’s Valentine’s Day and I forgot to buy a card for you. Can you forgive me? What? It’s your birthday, too! Oh, no! What can I do? I know! I’ll make a card for you and this is what it will say on the inside: “You add light to life, as only you can. And I, my dear, am one lucky man.” So, I announce to all the earth: “This is the day of my beloved’s birth. Let bells ring out across the land. Stand up and give her a birthday hand! And, while you’re at it, some chocolates, too. Poor thing, today she has the flu!”

Note to reader: If you came here today to find a Shining Spirit, you’ve found one. Now, if you’ll forgive me: I have to go. It’s time for the Tylenol. Thank God for all whom we love in this life and thank God for those who love us back.

The Jesus most of us learned about in our faith-formative years was gentle, kind, loving, and compassionate. He held children in his lap and made sick people well. He taught and demonstrated what real love was about. While not diminishing these characteristics and actions, there is another aspect of his life that didn’t get the same emphasis. Jesus was confrontational. He never flinched from challenging what he knew to be wrong, unethical, or damaging to the human race. Jesus knew how to say “NO” and to say it with emotion and courage.

No! to those who said the Sabbath laws and rules took precedence over human need.
No! to the Roman occupiers by staging a “different” entry into Jerusalem on “Palm Sunday.” A direct challenge to the Roman Emperor.
No! to economic abuse when he attacked the moneychangers in the Temple
No! to Pilate when he was arrested and told to retract his statements about the Kingdom of God.
No! to looking away from human need.
No! to the idea that we live in scarcity by feeding thousands of people from God’s abundance.
On and on it goes: to his own disciples who wanted social privilege and special favor by getting reserved seats in the Kingdom; to hypocrites who painted the outside pure and white while being corrupt on the inside. This is a Jesus we don’t hear about very often. This is the Jesus who said “NO!” to priests, politicians, the powerful, and the proud.

This is the Jesus I would like to meet on the street today. If I did, do you know what he would say?
“So, what are you waiting for? You can say “NO!” just like I did, “NO!” to power and greed that hurt people, to any government, institution, organization, or individual who wraps him or her self in a flag of self-righteousness with no regard for the welfare of God’s beautiful creation. As people of Christ, there is only one throne we are meant to kneel before and it is not in a state or national capitol. “Yes” is a wonderful word, but so is “No!” when it is spoken from the mouths of people who have the courage to live by spiritual, moral, and ethical convictions.

Where the “Yes” affirmation of God’s love is spoken, let there also be “No!” from priests and pastors who tend the altar of His sacrificial mercy and justice.

That little thrust of ocean water on the Oregon beach used to be a powerful wave that crashed over huge underwater stones and roared toward the shoreline. And that powerful wave used to be an enormous swell in the ocean, churning and rolling toward land before it met the underwater obstacles. Now look at it. Weak and spent from all its tumbling life, the thin layer of once strong ocean wave slows and slows until it finally stops.

And then. And then it begins to retreat in the direction from which it came. It picks up speed as it hurries toward the ocean. The little wave, exhausted, goes back home. A side thought: I like the word “return” better than “retreat” because retreat has the feel of failure about it whereas return suggests a reasoned thoughtfulness. The tired wave goes back to the ocean, back to its place of strength, back to the source of its very nature. It returns to be reshaped, refreshed and renewed.

I wonder how life would be different for many of us if we copied the wave? When life gets hard and I am spent from various efforts, worn out, depleted, what if I intentionally went back to the Source? What if I stopped the struggling and rested in the Sacred? “Come to me, all of you who are tired and carry a heavy load.” Come.

What if?

Hercule Poirot is a very unusual character. Do you know the name? Yes, that’s the one. Agatha Christie’s famous and fictitious, “little Belgian” detective who always solves the mystery and does so in an elegant way. Poirot is the one sitting on the beach while wearing a perfectly pressed white suit, large straw hat to protect his stylish mustache. The actor David Suchet portrays Poirot perfectly, throwing little quips and comments to impress the “lesser” folks like me. In a very dated but interesting episode, after solving the murder when the incompetent police could not, Poirot turns to an amazed bystander and says: “Poirot is as magnanimous in defeat as he is modest in victory.”

Lift that phrase out of the TV drama and slip it into the puzzle of today’s culture. Think of it as a possible guidepost for how one might act in the face of defeat or victory. In a winner takes all, do anything you can to get ahead, truth and character don’t matter, society, perhaps being modest in victory is not a bad idea. Perhaps being magnanimous in defeat would be better than blaming and name calling. The word means “generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness.”

In our faith tradition, Jesus used to talk about forgiveness and a generous spirit. He endorsed both ideas: forgive as you are forgiven; be generous in both words and actions. He wasn’t suggesting, he was teaching a new way of living, a mandate. So, today, when defeat or victory touches your life, think of Hercule: magnanimous and modest. Then remember the real reason to respond in these ways to life’s ups and downs: the One who loves you most and calls you to his side, Jesus, the Christ of God, is the voice of the universe while at the same time a deeply personal guide to abundant life. He calls us to demonstrate magnanimous spirits of love and modesty in all things, a life lesson for those on the journey to the fulness of God’s kingdom. Press on!