Shining Spirit

This is a day like no other.
It is not yesterday, not tomorrow.
The breath you just drew keeps
you alive…and this one…and this one.
Take nothing for granted.
Receive everything as gift.
Savor the flower instead of sniffing.
See the person beside you instead of looking.
Mean what you say, say what you mean.
Join the dance, even if in your mind.
This is a day like no other.
Don’t let it go by unnoticed.
It won’t come this way again.

Press on with open minds,
open hearts and open arms.
Receive. See. Rejoice.

The next time you take a bite of that wonderful grilled salmon, say a word of appreciation for the fisherman and the hard work he or she endured in order to put that fish on your plate. While you’re at it, think gratefully about all those little fishing boats that fight rough seas. But even more, remember that you and I would never have our delicious seafood without fishermen, boats and that little invisible thing that controls the entire process. It is the unseen but absolutely critical rudder that guides the boat that holds the fishermen who catch the salmon that fills the plate before us.

Small sailing boats to enormous cruise ships, it’s the rudder that guides the boat. And the rudder is never seen. It stays submerged in the water. And you can’t leave port without one. So it is with a rudder-less life, no mechanism to guide thought and action. We call the life-rudder by many names: values, principles, relationship. Yes, relationship with the life and teachings of one who claims your absolute allegiance, who calls out the highest good. Today, spend a few minutes thinking about the rudder in your life. What guides you through the rapids and the smooth waters? What motivates, challenges?

I encourage you to consider that the best rudder for a personal life is not a “what” but a “who.” Guided by the wonder and the wisdom of The Spirit, you and I can brave any sea and find our way to home port. We all have rudders. What or who guides your actions in this good day?

This news story appeared recently in the Jerusalem Journal. The headline read: “Grain Pickers Caught On Sabbath.” Several disciples of the increasingly popular Jesus of Nazareth were observed picking grain from a local field during the hours of Sabbath. Temple leaders and Law Teachers observed the serious violation of Sabbath rule and reported the violators to local authorities. It is unclear what punishments will be leveled against the traveling religious group, but, when interviewed at the scene, the young leader, Jesus of Nazareth, defended the actions of his people.

“We are hungry,” he told his accusers. “We’ve been traveling and when we saw the field, it is very inviting. But as for breaking the law that says our grain picking was ‘working’ on the Sabbath, our accusers seemed to have forgotten our ancestor David’s law breaking when he went into the Temple and ate sacred bread that was reserved for priests. Why? Because he was hungry. Furthermore, the Temple leaders who call us law breakers conveniently overlook the actions of priests and scribes who break the Law everyday and are exempt from punishments. Does being a Temple “authority” mean you can do anything you want.”

Jesus concluded his remarks by warning that “…something greater than the Temple is here.” We were not made to be slaves of Law. No, the Law was given to help us draw closer and closer to the Creator, he added. It is foolish to insist that hungry people remain hungry when food is available. Picking the grain is not a violation of the Sabbath work law; it is an act of thankful praise for the graciousness of Yahweh. In his final comment, Jesus said: I tell you again, something greater that the Temple Law is among you. Compassion always comes first.

Jesus’s direct challenge to Temple authority in the name of Compassion has not gone unnoticed by significant religious and political leaders. It is reported in some villages and towns that large numbers of people are clamoring to meet him and listen to his teachings. His popularity appears to be a vote of confidence by the average citizen. Perhaps related to this popularity phenomenon, attendance at Temple services is dropping and offerings to the Temple treasury are declining. Asked to comment on this situation, a highly placed Temple ruler said: “He won’t get away with this behavior. We have ways of stopping this sacrilege.” He refused further elaboration. No final comment was available from the Jesus Group which was last seen leaving the city carrying bags of grain and followed by a very large crowd of admirers. A bystander was heard to say: “He’d better watch his step. Those Temple rulers don’t like competition.” This newsworthy episode is only one occurrence of many involving Jesus and his followers in their challenge to the meaning and purpose of religious law. It does appear that his leadership and actions are heading toward a major conflict with Temple guardians in the near future. It is likely that the fate of Jesus and his followers lies somewhere within this fundamental question: Were we made for the Sabbath Law or was the Sabbath Law made for us?

In the almost-light of early morning,
I lift my hands and my heart in prayer.
I hear life waking in my neighborhood,
the sounds of cars rolling over concrete,
I see a light shine in a window across the street,
my friend walks his dog in the cool morning air.
I look to the mountain in the distance
and I wait for the intensity of day to increase,
light breaking over a sleepy city
and over the gift of myself 
to the work of Your
kingdom here on earth.  
Use me, Lord, in ways that 
will make a difference 
in someone's life and
cause me to grow in
strength and faith.
Amen

It was true then, and it’s certainly true now: a 12-year-old child is not capable of coping with, understanding, or surviving in a complex, often hostile environment. Lost or abandoned children are in deep trouble. So, I can understand Joseph and Mary’s anguish when they discovered that their child was missing from the caravan. As told in Luke 2, the parents searched frantically, talked to all the family members, did everything they could to locate Jesus. Don’t you know their anxiety quickly moved to heart-pounding fear. He’s just 12-years-old. Back they go to the major city called Jerusalem, the place from which their caravan had departed several days earlier. They searched everywhere for their boy. For three days they lived in the ice cold grip of fear. Imagine the conversation that Joseph and Mary had when they tried to sleep at night, knowing that their son was huddled in a shadowy back street, or taken by someone who would harm him. So many parents have shared those feelings over the centuries. So many children have cried alone in the night.

Our story has a happy ending. Not all do. They find their boy in the Jerusalem Temple, sitting among wise teachers, listening to their wisdom, even asking questions that seemed rather advanced for a pre-adolescent child. Now comes an exchange of words between anxious parents and surprised son. “Child, why have you treated us like this?” Look at us! Our clothes are stained with tears. Why did you do this to us? I hope they hugged him first. I hope he felt their tears drop onto his shoulders as they embraced in relief and love.

I know the Gospel writer Luke is sending us a message about who Jesus is. The linking of Jesus with Temple, wisdom, spiritual insight, reveal Luke’s intention. The words the child speaks are obvious. My observation, limited by the scant words Luke gives us when the three are united, is more about how we sometimes treat those who have wandered off and gotten themselves lost. The range of responses is wide: scolding, demeaning, accusative…look what you’ve done to us…all the way to wild rejoicing when one coin is found, or one lost lamb, or one wayward son, or one 12-year-old boy. Lots of lessons can be gleaned from a story like this, legitimate lessons. Mine is simply this: love before you lecture. Love might save the day and the relationship. Love might make a tomorrow possible. Tomorrow is a day for lessons. Today is a day for embracing.

Before turning out the light last night, I reached for the pad of sticky notes. Let’s see, what am I planning for tomorrow? Oh, yes: call the auto shop about a tune-up, remind my neighbors about going to Costco at 10, fix that door that doesn’t shut properly, find out how C is doing in the hospital, think of a topic for Shining Spirit, finish the slides for the Friday night program, buy more sticky notes.

And then someone tapped me on my shoulder and said: You forgot three important notes; write this in big letters: Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk humbly with your God. In fact, write several identical notes and stick one on the bathroom mirror, one on the refrigerator, one on the coffee pot, one of the TV screen. These three items are not suggestions about things to do when you run out of things to do. What does the Lord REQUIRE of you? Be just. Be loving. Be aware of the Presence by your side. Remember these three things when someone picks up the last package of towels before you can get to it, or when the car won’t start, or that slamming door slams again, or when life happens.

Required, not suggested. Advice worthy of a yellow sticky note. The price and joy of being a follower of His way.

“I spend less time putting myself
into a place where I
can find God
and
more time putting myself
into places where
God can find
me.”

From The Endless Practice
by Mark Nepo

Years ago, when I rode my bike in an El Tour de Tucson, I looked at the race route the day before to become familiar with Turning Points, key locations where “significant change occurs.” Turn right. Turn left. Ignore Turning Points and you might end up in Eloy wondering where the other bikes are. Turning Points.

As I get older, I feel like the number of Turning Points in my life are increasing and the time between them is decreasing. Life speeds up as I slow down. And there’s the reality that sometimes a Turning Point is necessary but unwanted, maybe even a little scary. Perhaps you’ve had a Turning Point or two in your lifetime. Take a minute soon and make a list of the Turning Points you’ve experienced, those times of “significant change” in your own life. The “good” ones and the not so good ones. They all make up who you are and who I am.

So, here comes the point. You can flip a coin, or draw straws, or roll the dice when a Turning Point shows up; you can consult your friends or seek professional advice, but don’t overlook that still, small voice among the many. Your heart, your spirit or you soul is sending a little reminder: come to The Wisdom, listen to The Words of Your Heart. Don’t be afraid to ask: Master, Teacher, Companion what is the basic principle of Spirit that informs this situation, this moment in my life. What should I do? What would you do? What shall we do?

Then listen to your heart speak to your mind. It takes courage to face some Turning Points, and isn’t it nice to have a Companion Friend whose wisdom is available for the asking? Whose courage and compassion help us take the next step?

Final thought: If you don’t want the answer, don’t ask the question. If you do want it, He’s there.

The chicken or the egg?

When it comes to things of the Spirit, the question becomes: Do I understand in order to believe? Or, do I believe in order to understand? There is a difference. Think about it. Which comes first: faith or reason. In a world of scientific discovery, reason and logic rule supreme. Prove it and I’ll believe it. Prove it and it is true. But theology doesn’t work that way. What can be proved about God? So, many people walk away from religion because there is no empirical evidence, no proof. At the same time, others say faith doesn’t require proof…I guess that’s why it’s called Faith.

But while some of us are debating the question as if it is the most important issue in the world, people are walking away from the conversation and labeling it all “irrelevant”. A recent study by the Pew Foundation, reported widely in news broadcasts, projects that, if trends continue as they are today, by the year 2070, Christianity will claim about 37% of the U.S. population. Two decades will make a huge difference. And some people would say that a large part of the contributing factors in this decline is the matter of relevance. The “chicken-egg” debate is of some interest, but does it address the realities of living in a volatile, violent world?

The answer to this dilemma is to sit down with the one for whom Christianity was named and to ask: “Where did we go wrong?” And I think it’s likely that we will hear: when passion became power, when compassion became control, when self-sacrifice became self-interest. Perpetuating the program is not the first work of the church or religious institutions. It’s about people. All about people. Let’s put away the podiums of debate about who is right and who is wrong. In their place, let’s issue bowls and towels. While riding my bike yesterday I turned a corner to find a homeless woman stretched out across the path. She appeared to be unconscious, but in a moment she opened her eyes and adjusted the ragged clothes she wore. It was a frightening, sad moment. What was I to do? So, I asked her if she believed in the Nicene Creed. She didn’t seem to understand. The better choice was what really happened. I sat with her until help arrived, until caring hands began to minister to her needs.

Bowls and towels will overcome the potential drop to thirty-seven percent in the next two decades. But it’s not about survival, is it. It’s about serving in His name. And, it’s about time.

Lord, show me the road that takes me home.
I’m lost and afraid and very alone.
I long for the place where peace can be found.
Show me the way to my sacred ground,
a place made holy because you are there,
the quiet pasture of your love and care.

Lord, guide me to the path that takes me home.
I’ve lost my way; I’m on my own.
I need to feel the joy once more,
the kind that touches the deepest core,
the place where hope and healing meet,
where love and grace overcome defeat.

Is there room for me at the table there?
Is there space, do you think, for an extra chair?
I don’t deserve a welcome hand,
my life has not followed a sensible plan,
but today, for reasons I don’t understand,
I stand before you a different man.

I’ll take the chance that love lives still.
Is that the road, Lord, just over the hill?
To the left? To the right? I’ll follow your lead.
I’m finished with my arrogant, insistence greed.
I just want to knock on the front porch door,
and find the love that I knew before.

Lord, show me the road that takes me home.
I’m so very tired of being alone.