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Category: Spiritual Life

An Element of Faith

Mon, February 20, 2017 Published by

A humble wardrobe was given magical significance by the story telling of C. S. Lewis. Aslan, the White Witch and a whole cast of creatures have delighted readers ever since the Chronicles of Narnia were published in the 1950s.

Although I love the world of Narnia, my favorite of Lewis’s works are not his fiction, but his writings about finding faith. A more correct description of them might be “his writings about trying not to find faith, but eventually giving in”. During the 1920s he wrote as a convinced atheist. He then went on a journey of intellectual wrestling, finally kneeling down in his room at Magdalene College, Oxford, describing himself as “the most reluctant convert in all England”.

His spiritual struggles and doubts did not end that night on the floor of Magdalene College. Far from it. Although he became a highly respected theologian, he also wrote books like A Grief Observed. In its pages he described the aftermath of the death of his wife, saying that his prayers seemed to be met with stony silence, and that when he needed Him most, God felt horribly absent and unresponsive.

I find Lewis’s honesty very reassuring; it gives me a sense that I can trust his writings on spirituality as he’s sharing his full story with all of its ups and downs, rather than just a handful of positive sound-bites. Sometimes, presentations of faith can lack this, and instead feel like meeting a salesperson who is over-selling a product that will apparently “never go wrong” and promises to “make life perfect”. I am far more convinced by people like Lewis who admit that the journey of faith is always a work in progress.

As German theologian Paul Tillich put it: “Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.” Uncertainties can be positive catalysts that add energy and prevent faith from becoming static and fossilized. Thomas in John’s Gospel was famously honest about his reservations. I’ve often felt it unfair that he’s become known as “Doubting Thomas” as it sounds so negative. Perhaps instead he should be named “Authentic Thomas”, for bravely owning up to his uncertainties. Maybe it’s time to give his reputation a re-brand and hand him some belated credit.

Those following in Thomas’s footsteps today, and I count myself among them, honestly acknowledge the black, white and difficult gray aspects of faith. On that journey of authentic spirituality there are few better guides than C.S Lewis and the writings he leaves behind.

Random Acts of Kindness

Tue, February 7, 2017 Published by

A woman in a car pulled up to the toll booth at the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. “I’m paying for myself and the six cars behind me.” she says with a smile.

One after another, the next six drivers arrive at the booth, money in hand. “Some lady up ahead already paid your fare,” says the collector. “Have a nice day.”

The woman, it turned out, had read a note taped to a friend’s refrigerator: “Practice Random Kindness.”

The message from the door of that refrigerator is spreading, on bumper stickers, walls and business cards. And as it spreads, so does a vision of guerrilla-goodness.

A passer-by may plunk a coin into a stranger’s meter just in time. A group of people with pails and mops may descend on a run-down house and clean it from top to bottom while the elderly owners look on, amazed. A teenager shoveling snow may be hit by the impulse and shovel his neighbor’s driveway too.

Senseless acts of beauty spread. A man plants daffodils along a roadway. A concerned citizen roams the streets collecting litter in a supermarket cart. A student scrubs graffiti from a park bench. It’s a positive anarchy, a gentle disorder, a sweet disturbance.

They say you can’t smile without cheering yourself up. Likewise, you can’t commit a random act of kindness or beauty without feeling as if your own troubles have been lightened – because the world has become a slightly better place.

And you can’t be a recipient without feeling a pleasant jolt. If you were one of those commuters whose toll was paid, who knows what you might have been inspired to do for someone else?

There are times in our lives when we look around us and are disheartened by what we see. Sometimes we might feel as though we are powerless to make an impact on the situation, but as Mother Theresa once said “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

Like all revolutions, guerrilla-goodness begins slowly, with a single act.  The question is, what are you going to do today?

Thermometer or Thermostat

Tue, January 24, 2017 Published by

Are you a thermometer or a thermostat?  It’s a question Jesus would ask even though they didn’t have them in that day.  How many say thermometer?  Thermostat?  How many say what the heck am I talking about?  A thermometer reflects its environment; it shows what the temperature is – if it’s hot outside, it says it’s hot; if it’s cold, it says it’s cold.  A thermometer is in a constant state of fluctuation. It can be “up” and “down” within hours. It is a reactionary instrument. It is informational, relaying valuable news to the reader, but lacking the ability to change that news. It exerts no influence on what’s around it – rather it is influenced by it.  It doesn’t take much to be a thermometer—all you have to do is be agreeable.  All you have to do is to go along with what everyone else wants.  All you have to do is think of your own comfort and ease.  When others around you are joking – all you need to do is to be quiet, to not make waves – you may even join with them in a gentle put down.  How many times are we caught up in thermometer life? God did not intend us to be mere thermometers.  Paul said, “Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  He knew how easy it is to just reflect the world around us, allow our lives to be influenced by life’s temperature around us. A Peanuts cartoon shows Peppermint Patty talking to Charlie Brown.  She says, “Guess what, Chuck.  The first day of school and I got sent to the principal’s office.  It was your fault, Chuck.”  He says, “My fault?  How could it be my fault?  Why do you say everything is my fault?”  She says, “You’re my friend, aren’t you Chuck?  You should have been a better influence on me.”  Peppermint Patty has a thing or two to learn about personal responsibility but she has a point.  We do have an influence, for good or bad, on our friends, on our family, on those around us.

There is value in gauging and knowing what the temperature is around you; what people are thinking and saying. It can be helpful to know the current conditions that influence our society. But we are not just in the news reporting business. We can make news and create history. We  can be thermostats, take initiative in changing what is wrong in the world.  A thermostat has power, it sets the temperature, it changes things.  Someone who lives a thermostat life is an influencer. It is well connected and cannot function alone. It has a power source to activate it and sends electronic messages to a furnace that supplies enough heat to raise the temperature in the room. The thermostat is set to a determined temperature regardless of room environment. It is in partnership with a furnace that can cause real change.  We can be influencers or we can simply speak of how bad things are.  We can lament the state of things and do nothing or we can become a catalyst for real and lasting change.  Are you a thermostat or a thermometer?

 

The Stories Of Our Faith

Tue, January 17, 2017 Published by

Researchers at universities in Durham, UK, and Lisbon, Portugal, recently suggested that the origins of the stories of Beauty and the Beast and Rumpelstiltskin stretch back four thousand years. When the Brothers Grimm began to compile such fairy tales in the nineteenth century, their project fostered a unity between the various German speaking states. The notion that deep in the woods was a boundless store of common stories affirmed the emerging identity of what became a united German people.

That’s how a bunch of stories combine to form a powerful narrative. When the people of Judah found themselves in exile in Babylon, they looked deep into their collective soul to discover how they’d come to be there. They looked at their collection of chronicles; of how God created the world, called a people, saved them from famine and slavery, made a covenant with them, and gave them land, king, and temple, before things then went astray.

But then, as with the Brothers Grimm, came the crucial moment: the exiled people of Judah looked at those accounts together and witnessed a faith which taught that God would save them as before, and that, most remarkably of all, they were as close to God in exile as they had been in the Promised Land. When the early Christians compiled the New Testament seven centuries later, they discovered the same truth, that God had found a way to save them again and they came to see Christ’s suffering, not as God’s abandonment, but as the closest humanity had ever come to God’s heart.

When I say I’m a Christian, I’m naming the story of which I believe I’m a part, and in which I find meaning, truth and purpose. I don’t pretend to believe that everyone shares my convictions. I’m not too interested in people telling me what they don’t believe, but rather in what they do believe – what story they feel a part of, and most importantly, how that story converges to clarify their identity and purpose.

Story turns to faith when people believe that God has entered their story. Faith turns to life when people say, ‘There’s a part for me in that story too.’

Third Class Ticket

Mon, November 28, 2016 Published by

Back when the West was being settled the major means of transportation was the stagecoach – we have all seen them in western movies. What you might not know is that the stagecoach had three different kinds of tickets: first-class, second-class, and third-class. If you had a first-class ticket that meant you could remain seated during the entire trip no matter what happened. If the stagecoach got stuck in the mud, or had trouble making it up a steep hill, or even if a wheel fell off, you could remain seated because you had a first-class ticket.

If you had a second-class ticket you also could remain seated…until there was a problem. In case of a problem, second-class ticket holders would have to get off until the problem was resolved. You could stand off to the side and watch as other people worked. You did not have to get your hands dirty. But second-class ticket holders were not allowed to stay on board. When the stagecoach was unstuck you would get back on and take your seat.

If you had a third-class ticket, you would definitely have to get off if there was a problem. Why? Because it was your responsibility to help solve the problem. You had to get out and push or help lift to fix a broken wheel or whatever was needed because you only had a third-class ticket.  I believe that God intended for us all to have 3rd class tickets because we all need to be a part in helping to solve the problems in this world.  Those who feel they have 1st class tickets can bemoan the state of our country and complain about what’s happening and they sit there watching everyone else do the work.  2nd class ticket holders can stand on the sidelines as well, passively marking the passage of time until the train starts again.  3rd class ticket holders are co-creators with God getting the job done. How are you participating in bringing heaven to earth?

Wandering Generality or Meaningful Specific?

Thu, November 3, 2016 Published by

aMy first call as a minister was as an Associate Pastor at a Presbyterian Church in Sun City.  I remember a couple who had recently retired and moved away from their life as it had been, their children were spread far and wide and they came to Sun City and settled into their new home, found our church and became church members.  For about six months that was great, they enjoyed the leisure time but the day I came to visit they told me they both were restless, they were getting on each other’s nerves being around the house so much and knew they needed to invest themselves in something else.  The best way to describe what they felt was in this intriguing question from salesman Zig Zigler:

“Are you a wandering generality or a meaningful specific?”

For this couple it wasn’t enough to wander around the house looking for something to do.  He became a handyman and she joined the sewing circle, and they both took the Laubach training to help people learn to read.

The Biblical story tells of the people of Israel who experienced God speaking to them in the wilderness of Sinai.  The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the children of Israel that if they will hear and obey my voice and keep my commandments, they shall be a special treasure to Me above all people.”  No longer would they be wandering generalities, but those called to a specific purpose—to love and serve God in the world.  Someone has said that a person’s greatness lies in that which has been given him or her to do. I believe God always gives us a purpose in life no matter how old or young we are, no matter what challenges we face—all that doesn’t matter.  We each have something to contribute, some way to make a difference. Love calls us from insignificance into significance, from wandering generality to meaningful specific.

I believe that it is part of our humanity that from the moment we are born we are always seeking to be a meaningful specific.  To love and be loved is to become a meaningful specific to our family and our friends.  We want to be a meaningful specific in our work; we don’t usually like it when we are just another worker bee.  The Beatitudes Campus seeks to be a meaningful specific in the community around us to make a difference in bringing purpose and hope to people.  You don’t have to be a missionary in Africa, or preach like Paul—there are a myriad of wondrous ways to serve your purpose and it can be as simple as being kind and loving.  YOU are a meaningful specific and we are grateful for what you bring to our community.

The Courage of Hope

Mon, July 11, 2016 Published by

Browsing through a British newspaper the other day, I came across an article online entitled “My Future Self.” Over a dozen young girls were asked what they wanted to do when they grow up. Each had then designed her own photo-shoot, posing in the role that she hoped to one day have. “Ever since we studied the solar system in primary school,” said Haja, “I would imagine myself up in the sky, discovering new things, and so I want to be an astronaut.”

I remember asking one of my nieces that same question “What do you want to do when you are older?” She thought about it for a moment, and couldn’t come up with an answer, but then at 9 she seemingly has all the time in the world to discern her future. She will do so living in a country at peace, with food, clothing and shelter, education and security.

In contrast Haja and her friends have, in the understatement of the article, “directly experienced conflict.” The girls questioned in the article were Syrians living as refugees in the North of Jordan. “Many people told me a girl can’t become an astronaut,” Haja continues, going on to say that she hopes, in the future, she will be able to “tell girls with dreams to not be afraid, to be confident and know where you want to go.”

Architect, surgeon, lawyer, photographer; the list of ambitions springing forth from these young people in such difficult circumstances is inspiring, but what is so very poignant about each of these girls is the vibrancy of their hope. We can barely imagine what trauma these girls have endured and what miseries they still face, and yet their dreams soar.

Hope might sometimes be misunderstood as irrational, or even lazy—merely buying a Lottery ticket and crossing your fingers! Hope might also be maligned and neglected- ‘Be realistic!’ says the sceptic—”Don’t get your hopes up. Manage your expectations.”

Remarking on recent world events, John Kerry said; “it’s all enough to make some people want to climb back into bed, pull the sheets over their head and wish that everything would disappear. But that’s not how you solve anything, folks, except maybe a hangover.” We have all felt the temptation to pull the sheets back over our heads, and for many people, hope in a brighter future seems to be founded on something pretty unlikely.

And how likely is it, on the face of it, that Haja will become an astronaut, and her friends become architects and lawyers and movie stars?

But there are two things we can say for sure about Haja’s aspiration. Firstly, it’s not impossible is it? Who dares say she cannot reach the sky? Secondly, her dream is far more likely to be realized if she puts her trust in the hope that a better day will dawn—just like the rest of us. ★

Mandalas

Thu, June 16, 2016 Published by
Rev. Mae Hicks, resident, Beatitudes Campus

By Rev. Mae Hicks,
resident, Beatitudes Campus

Mandalas, what are they? The word Mandala means circle. A Mandala represents wholeness, a cosmic diagram reminding us of our relation to infinity, extending beyond and within our bodies and minds. The Mandala appears to us in all aspects of life – the earth, the sun, the moon and more obviously, the circles of life which include friends, family, and communities. Mandalas are circular designs reflecting that life is never ending.  The Hindus were one of the first people to use a Mandala as a spiritual tool.   The Buddhists followed with their creations of Mandalas which sometimes would be shaped in sand. Mandalas are used for meditation purposes allowing the person meditating to become one with God.   Creating a Mandala by coloring or drawing can have significant meaning, no matter one’s religious or spiritual beliefs.    You can symbolize your journey or bring peace to a troubled soul by using the art of coloring or drawing a Mandala.  Let the Mandala absorb all your attention.    Relax, let thoughts and feelings come to you as your hands are coloring the Mandala.

I have used the art of coloring for my meditation and have found it helpful for me.   As I think of our community here at the Beatitudes, I believe it would be good to have a time for prayer and meditation where we gather together in silence and with music for reflection as we do Mandalas and let God speak to us. Beginning Friday, July 1st at 9:00AM in Boardroom West, I invite you to join me to learn more about Mandalas and to begin to enjoy coloring and creating in a time of meditation, reflection, and friendship.  We will meet every Friday at 9 AM for an hour.  Materials will be provided for the first session and then information about where to purchase your own coloring book. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to call me, Rev. Mae Hicks (x5047) or Chaplain Peggy (x6109).

 

Photo from Drepung Gomang Monastery, courtesy National Geographic

Finding Common Ground

Fri, May 13, 2016 Published by
Nancy K. Splain is the Interfaith Outreach Ambassador at Beatitudes Campus

Nancy K. Splain is the Interfaith Outreach Ambassador at Beatitudes Campus

On Sunday, April 24th, Paul Carpenter, Una Thomas and I carpooled to the Islamic Center of North Phoenix (ICNP) to join a special tour planned and conducted by Azra Hussain, founder of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Arizona (ISBA). Upon arrival, we were each given an attractive carry-all bag inscribed “ISBA Faith Tour – Finding Common Ground” and invited into the mosque, built by the Bosniak community, to meet with Imam Sabahudin Ceman, his wife Alma and several members of their congregation. Imam Ceman noted that while we Jews, Christians and Muslims have some differences, we share much in common. Central to our three Abrahamic faiths is the “Golden Rule.” Therefore, he continued, we are called to respect one another, learn about our differences, and come together to build on what we have in common, noting that the Koran states, “We have created you male and female and have made you nations and tribes so that you may know one another.”

After our dialogue time, Imam Ceman invited us to a room across the courtyard for some “‘snacks.” The snacks turned out to be a full lunch with sandwiches, salad, dessert and a tasty Bosniak pastry filled with honey!

Then it was time to board our top-of-the-line tour bus (54 of us in all, including folks from the LDS community, Ascension Lutheran Church, The Fountains UMC, Temple Solel including their Rabbi John Linder, and Shepherd of the Hills UCC) to travel to our second mosque, Masjid Jauharatul-Islam in South Phoenix. Enroute, Azra shared that this mosque, founded by African-Americans, under the leadership of Imam Abdur-Raheem Shamsid-Deen, holds a special memory for her as it was the first mosque in which she worshiped upon moving to Phoenix years ago. Again we were warmly welcomed, given a short history of the mosque by Brother Farid, shared a Q&A time together, and served sandwiches, chips and other refreshments.

Then on to the third mosque, the Islamic Center of the East Valley (ICEV) in Chandler. Arriving during the afternoon prayer time, we removed our shoes and were invited to observe the prayers, after which Imam Sheikh Ahmed Moharram, originally from Egypt, and lay leader Ahmed Hashim, an engineer with Texas Instruments, met with us to share information about the mosque, conduct a Q&A time and offer us a bountiful table of food and refreshments.

On our bus trip back to the first mosque several of us urged Azra to plan another mosque tour later this year so that we can share this experience with other friends and family.
Back on our Campus, Paul Carpenter put it well: “When we arrived at each of the mosques, we were greeted with smiles of joy and one of the most heartfelt welcomes I have ever experienced. One could feel our people responding to our hosts’ enthusiasm with our own. Kudos to Beatitudes Campus and its Spiritual Life Department in reaching out to faith traditions outside of our Progressive Christian roots. On this tour, I spent one of the most pleasant and informative afternoons of my life.”

Our friend Azra Hussain had called her ISBA Faith Tour “Finding Common Ground.” And we had. *

Surrender Through Gratitude

Mon, April 11, 2016 Published by

Resident, Jane Malek, went in last Tuesday for an “evisceration” of her left eye. Basically, she had her eye removed from its socket and she will soon get a prosthetic eye to replace it. Jane made what is a difficult loss into an opportunity for gratitude. She had a going away party for her eye a few days before the surgery with a cupcake and a candle. She said, I wanted “to thank my eye for all the help it has been to me over the years and reminisce about all the great things it has helped me to see.” She also asked a former pastor of hers if he had an appropriate prayer she could use for the occasion. The Rev. Dr. Steve Wayles is now retired from a long career in ministry and social justice work, and he has given me permission to share this prayer which he wrote for Jane:

“Loving God – who sees us and all things in ways that we can only begin to comprehend, thank you for making us in your image – and for giving us the gift of our eyes to see. We know that we are mortal, and that we are temporary and that each part of our bodies functions miraculously, but for a time. So we thank you for the time that we have to live – and for the time that each of our intricate body parts does its job. Help us as each of those parts wears down or wears out to let it go with gratitude that we had it for so long. Help us to grieve the loss of each part or faculty, but keep us from any bitterness that might diminish our life or the gift we have enjoyed for so many good days. As Jesus said of his whole life, that which we must all one day pray, “Into thy hands, O loving God, I commend my Spirit,” help me now to say “Into thy loving hands, O God, who made and gave me this eye, I yield it back to you. Thank you for all it has helped me to see in my work of healing as a nurse, in my calling to be a good mother, in my beholding the people I love and have loved, in my seeing injustice so I could work on its correction, in beholding the beauty of your creation. Thank you. Now that its function has ceased for me – receive it back, with my thankfulness for all you have done for me through it, and in every other way. Help me to adjust and to see in new ways, until at last you receive me to yourself. In the name of Jesus who made the blind to see. Amen.” (copyright©. Used by permission)

Steve is considering writing a book of prayers of surrender and gratitude and I know those prayers, like this one, will give hope and comfort to many as we all experience losses of parts and faculties. And thank you to Jane for sharing how she is so graciously handling the surrender of her eye. *

The Easter Laugh

Tue, March 29, 2016 Published by

arkOne of my favorite pictures is of Jesus throwing his head back in a glorious laugh so I love the old Easter custom begun by the Greeks in the early centuries of Christianity – “Holy Humor Sunday.” For centuries in Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant countries, the week following Easter Sunday, including “Bright Sunday” (the Sunday after Easter), was observed by the faithful as “days of joy and laughter” with parties and picnics to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Churchgoers and pastors played practical jokes on each other, drenched each other with water, told jokes, sang, and danced. The custom was rooted in the musings of early church theologians (like Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa, and John Chrysostom) that God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. “Risus paschalis – the Easter laugh,” the early theologians called it.

In 1988 the Fellowship of Merry Christians began encouraging churches and prayer groups to resurrect Bright Sunday celebrations and called it “Holy Humor Sunday,” with the theme: “Jesus is the LIFE of the party.” Many times, I believe our worship and faith would benefit from a bit of levity and joy for we are often too straight-faced and straight-laced! The Lord’s Supper ought to be more like a celebration than a funeral service. When “Family Circus” cartoonist Bil Keane first began putting religion into his work in the 1960s, some religious conservatives took offense at the irreverence of mentioning God in the funny pages. Later, when one of his young characters reinterpreted a commandment as “Humor thy father and thy mother” or threatened to tell his mother that a sibling at prayer is “goin’ over her head,” he got accolades from the same group. The English writer G.K. Chesterton once said, “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. Never forget that Satan fell by force of gravity.”

JesusThe Fellowship of Merry Christians publishes a Joyful Noiseletter and here are some samples from it. * A paramedic said his most unusual 911 call came from a church, where an usher was concerned that an elderly man had passed out in a pew and appeared to be dead. What was so unusual about that? “Well,” the paramedic said, “we carried out four guys before we found the one who was dead.” * A good sermon should have a good beginning and a good ending, and they should be as close together as possible. A few years back, North Bay Community Church in Clearwater, FL, celebrated Holy Humor Sunday. The Rev. Daniel McDonald said, “Laughter releases tension, and we have enough of that these days. I think we all need to stop taking ourselves so seriously. We need to recognize that this is really God’s world, and He has so much in store for us. We put too much emphasis on what’s wrong and what’s bad with it.” That Sunday Rev. McDonald “gave one of the world’s shortest sermons. He announced that the focus of his talk would be on sin. ‘Don’t do it,’ he said from the pulpit. ‘Amen.’ Then he sat down.” I think I’ve got my sermon for this Sunday! Rejoice and be glad this week, my friends, and be sure to have some fun and laugh! *

 

 

 

 

 

Great Romances and Great Love

Wed, February 10, 2016 Published by

He first saw her in Sunday school when he was six years old and she was just five. “She had golden curls and beautiful blue eyes,” he recalled. They graduated from high school together in 1901, but went their separate ways — he moved to Kansas City and she to Colorado for a year — until becoming reacquainted nine years later. It was then that Truman, who once wrote of Bess, “I thought she was the most beautiful and the sweetest person on earth,” began his first and longest campaign — to win the heart of Bess Wallace.

On January 10, 1845, Robert Browning wrote to Elizabeth Barrett for the first time, after reading her volume of poetry, Poems. He was a little-known thirty-two-year-old poet and playwright, she was an internationally renowned poet, an invalid, and a thirty-nine-year-old spinster. “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett — I do, as I say, love these verses with all my heart,” the letter said. Over the course of the next twenty months, they would write each other close to six hundred letters — one of the greatest literary correspondences of all time. The pair’s last letter was exchanged on September 18, 1846, the night before the two left for a trip to Italy, and two weeks after their secret marriage. Their romance, which she would eventually credit with saving her life, lasted for fifteen years and spawned some of the world’s most beautiful poetry.

The world has seen many great romances and as we look to another Valentine’s Day this week we celebrate all the things that bring us together in loving relationships. I would contend, however, that it is even more important to celebrate those things that keep us together year after year, for 50, 60, 70 plus years. St. Paul spoke of loving another patiently, attentively, unconditionally—moment by moment, day by day. Love encourages, it builds up, it comes alongside and affirms the other. Love is much more than the chemistry of our feelings at any given moment–sometimes love is taking out the garbage and working that second job to pay the bills. Dostoevsky said, “Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams is greedy for immediate action, rapidly performed and in sight of all…But active love is labour and fortitude.” Let us celebrate the many couples on our campus who have lived out that active love of labour and fortitude together for many decades. Let us celebrate love in all of its marvelous manifestations! Roses and chocolates, candy hearts and valentine’s cards are important but let us celebrate labour and fortitude, patience and forbearance, forgiveness and compassion, trust and hope, and all the things which make up the stout fabric of which a lasting love is made. *

Moveable Feast

Mon, February 1, 2016 Published by

Not so long ago back in Britain, I was rushing along the road when I passed a food truck which made me chuckle—it was called ‘A Moveable Feast’. Its marketing worked, and I pulled off the road and enjoyed an unexpectedly delicious meal of Fish-&-Chips and a cup of tea. Perhaps, I began to ponder as I sat there enjoying my typically British roadside snack, the owners were especially well versed in the terminology of religious calendars, where certain festivals such as celebrations of Passover and Easter are ‘moveable’, and that is how this van got its clever liturgically based name. It was at that point I realized I was being quite ridiculous, but it was nice to daydream for a moment.

This year our ‘movable feasts’ of Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week, Passover and Easter occur earlier than usual in our calendar. Ash Wednesday is on February 10th and marks the beginning of the season of Lent. For centuries, Ash Wednesday has been a day for Christians to have our foreheads marked with ashes as an acknowledgement of our mortality, and to reflect in penitence on our mistakes. Residents and staff are welcome to receive the ashes and spend some time in prayer and contemplation in the Life Center, 9:00AM-1:00PM, or at the regular Rosary gathering held at 10:00AM in the Plaza View Lounge. The forty days (excluding Sundays) which follow Ash Wednesday are known as the season of Lent. During this time many people make a conscious effort to focus on turning their hearts and minds back towards God. Sometimes people do this by practicing a little self-denial, perhaps by giving up a favorite food or treat (something I’m not very good at!) as a reminder to focus instead on our spiritual nourishment. Rather than giving something up for Lent you might like to undertake something new and will join us for our next Bible Study, looking at the ‘I am’ statements of Jesus found in John’s Gospel, beginning on Wednesday February 17, 1:00PM in the Boardrooms, led by Chaplain Peggy and myself.

Also during Lent we will be holding our next Taizé Service on Saturday, February 20th, at 5:00PM. This style of worship offers an opportunity for reflective prayer and contemplation set amongst beautiful music, and so please join us as we gather together at that time amidst the beauty of holiness. It has been wonderful to see how the Jewish Prayer Service here on Campus has grown into such a wonderful gathering of faith and fellowship, and all are welcome to join that group as they continue to gather on the Second Monday of each month at 11:00AM in the West Boardroom.

Keep a look out for more information in the coming weeks as we tell you about our exciting plans for this year’s Passover Seder meal, Holy Week and Easter celebrations.
During these months of ‘movable feasts’ there are many opportunities here at the Campus to find some spiritual nourishment. All we have to do is remind ourselves of the need to sometimes pull off the roads that we rush along to pause for a moment and be fed. *

Be Still…

Mon, July 6, 2015 Published by

We all have a history and a story

I hope you all enjoyed the 4th of July celebrations? Commemorative and celebratory events like those which so many people have taken part in during the last few days are a wonderful way of reminding ourselves of our past, and they also help us to consider how we are living our lives now. The celebrations around Independence Day, with the words of the founding fathers echoing down to us through the centuries, provide a fixed point in the life of the nation to stop for a moment, to remember the virtues upon which its foundation is based, and in considering this, to reflect upon how well we are living up to that heritage in our own time.

Reflecting-Beauty-teddybear64-20015615-400-276The same can be said in our own lives as well, where there are certain days of the year which cause us to pause for a moment and re-evaluate ourselves. Perhaps for you that day might be your birthday or wedding anniversary. Perhaps it is Christmas, Easter or New Year’s. Whatever the day, and whatever that day’s significance to you, it is a good thing every now and again to pause and reflect.

We all have a history and a story. One of the most interesting aspects of my role here at the Campus is being able to listen as people tell me how the roads they have taken in their life have lead them, often in a very interesting way, to this place which they now call home. Just as our nation has done this weekend, it is good for each of each of us to reflect upon our own lives. Sometimes we can lose track of what is truly important to us as we get caught up in the bustle of our daily lives. Psalm 46 gives us some good advice- ‘be still’. Be still and know who you are. Be still and know that God loves you. Be still and reflect. Be still and remember all that you have accomplished. Be still and consider what makes you happy, and then think about whether you are doing that in your life today. Be still and pray for those you love, and those who love you. Be still and pray for yourself and your own needs.

The wonderful truth about our nation and our Campus is that each of our stories is so very different, with them all blending together to make for a vibrant and varied community. Sometimes in the midst of that we would all benefit from taking a moment of rest and reflection. Be still.
It is almost a year since I began working here at the Campus, and so I myself have been looking back and reflecting over the past year. I consider myself so privileged to walk alongside this community in its life and look forward to doing so in the years to come.

Taizè Worship

Mon, June 15, 2015 Published by

Though we are many, we are of one body in the one Lord.

As war was raging across Europe, Roger Schütz crossed over the border from Switzerland to France and settled in the small community of Taizè, nestled in the hills of Burgundy.

Sixty years later I also travelled to Taizè, but rather than finding a sleepy village, I was following in the footsteps of many others who had been drawn to what this place had become in the intervening years.

Gradually over time, from its founding in 1940, an ecumenical Christian community begun by Br. Roger has blossomed in that place, now comprising more than one hundred brothers from both Protestant and Catholic traditions, who originate from about thirty countries across the world. This community has become one of the world’s most important sites of Christian pilgrimage. Each year over 100,000 young people from around the world make pilgrimages to Taizè for prayer, Bible study, sharing, and communal work. Through the community’s ecumenical outlook, they are encouraged to live in the spirit of kindness, simplicity and reconciliation. Unity and diversity have become synonymous in this remarkable place, which truly exemplifies that ‘though we are many, we are of one body in the one Lord’.

Some of my most abiding memories of Taizè are of its distinct style of worship. Since its beginnings, the Taizè community has been known for its reflective and contemplative style of worship, allowing for people of any faith background to dwell within the presence God. The simple Taizè practice of prayerful silence accompanied by music with words taken from scripture doesn’t belong to any one denomination or group, and so the distinctions and differences of history are left at the door of the church. The differences between those worshiping is not what is important, for that place shows that there is far more that unifies rather than divides us.

Here on this campus, we live amongst a colorful spectrum of faith. We have residents and staff who worship in communities and denominations across the Valley, as well as residents who worship alongside each other here on the campus. So wouldn’t it be a wonderful expression of our faith and love for one another to gather all of that diversity into a special act of worship! For that reason, the campus will be hosting a Taizè style prayer service on Saturday, August 1st, at 6PM in the Life Center. We are inviting members of our surrounding faith communities as well as all of our residents and staff to join together for this act of worship, where each and every person will be ‘at home’ in the presence of God. For many it will be something new, but for all, there will be an opportunity to abide in the love of God together as one family. I look forward to seeing you there.

The Garment of Jesus

Mon, March 16, 2015 Published by

In the ancient Roman world, when a man had been found guilty and was condemned to die, the centurion assigned four soldiers to carry out the execution. One of the benefits for the soldiers who were appointed to such a task was that they were given the clothes of the victim once he had been crucified.

The Jews normally wore five articles of clothing: sandals, a belt, a head covering, an undergarment, and an outer robe. Because there were four soldiers and five articles of clothing when our Lord was crucified, each soldier chose one article, leaving a final article to be divided: Jesus’ undergarment. The undergarment was woven in one piece, which meant that it was of some value, but not if it were torn into four pieces and evenly divided among the execution squad. Therefore, lots were cast to see who would get it. As John 19:23-23 says, “The garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. [Let’s not tear it, they said to one another. Let’s decide by lot who will get it.]”

In the early church, Origen taught that the seamless garment was a reference to the wholeness of Christ’s teaching. Cyprian thought it symbolized the unity of the church. Cyril believed it explained the virgin birth. In more recent times it has been understood as pointing to Christ’s perfect righteousness. While Christians can agree on the wholeness of Christ’s teaching, the unity of the church, the virgin birth, and Christ’s perfect righteousness, nevertheless, I believe John is teaching us something else in his gospel account. John wants to show how the prophecies of God were coming true and that scripture was being fulfilled in Jesus. John 19:23-24 quotes directly from Psalm 22:18: “This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, [They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.]”

John wants us to understand that all scripture is pointing to Jesus Christ. The Bible is much more than just a record of true historical events – it’s about salvation! It’s announcing to the hurting world that victory was accomplished for us at Calvary, for salvation is found in none other than the one who hung on that cross and whose victory over death we celebrate at Easter!

The Lenten Journey

Mon, February 16, 2015 Published by

On Wednesday, the season of Lent begins, and we are invited again on a journey to refocus our spiritual selves for inner renewal and reconciliation with God and others. The Lenten journey is a time of self-examination when we are encouraged to slow down, take a deep breath, and take stock of things. In the words of Pope Francis, “The purpose of Lent is to adjust your life.” We often associate Lent with giving up something, however, why not do something positive, too, instead of just removing the negative? Maybe this year resolve to spend more time volunteering, take time with your family, or write a letter to a dear friend.

lent wordThe 40 days begins this Ash Wednesday as you are invited to come and receive the imposition of ashes upon your forehead—a sign of humility that we all are in need of God’s grace. There are two opportunities to receive the ashes: Rosary and Communion in the Plaza View Lounge at 10:00AM, or anytime between 10:00AM—3:00PM, the Life Center will be available as a space for prayer and reflection with your Campus Chaplains offering the opportunity to be marked with ashes. Throughout the Sundays in Lent, worship opportunities are Catholic Mass at 10AM and the campus Vespers services at 3 and 4PM when the Chaplains will be preaching on the theme of “Characters of the Cross.”

There was Peter who denied Jesus three times, Judas who betrayed him, Pontius Pilate, the judge at Jesus’ trial, Barabbus, whom the crowd chose to be released instead of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene, who experienced the power of forgiveness. Or perhaps you might hear a reflection on one of the soldiers who mocked Jesus and took his clothes, or the two thieves who hung on the cross beside Jesus at the crucifixion. Then we come to Holy Week which will be marked by special services on Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. On Good Friday, the Life Center will be beautifully set up with the Stations of the Cross. And the culmination of it all, of course, is Easter Sunday, which celebrates the promise of the empty tomb as we meet our Risen Lord once again! Our Sunrise Service is at 7:00AM on the west walkway outside the Plaza Bistro, followed by a continental breakfast Catholic Mass is at 10:00AM, and there is a service led by the Chaplains at 3:00PM in Plaza View. Join us in this journey of Lent as we take time to be holy!