Easter
April 9, 2023
Show up
These words are often, perhaps falsely, attributed to Mother Teresa, who is quoted as saying,“Just show up and things will happen.” Regardless of who coined them, the words were further spun by Woody Allen when he said, “Eighty percent of success in life is showing up.”
John 20:1
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw
that the stone had been removed from the tomb.
Mary showed up. The other apostles didn't. The rest is Christianity.
Easter 2
April 16, 2023
To err is human; to forgive (is) divine
Alexander Pope's 1711 poem, An Essay on Criticism, contains these words. Without any context, he appears to stand down on whether this is to be forever to be the case or if it is possible that this chasm be bridged. In fact, a few lines prior, Pope writes, “Contending Wits becomes the Sport of Fools,” implying that humans are generally debased and incapable. These words are followed with, “in Noble Minds some Dregs remain,” implying that we are never pure and that our humanity impedes our ability to forgive. Yet further into the poem, Pope writes, “Be silent always when you doubt your Sense,” implying that, if not a universal truth, the human default is judgment and separation rather than forgiveness and unity. Credit could be given to St. Augustine, Cicero and others who spoke similar words. The phrase is often used in the abbreviated form, "To err is human."
John 20:21-23
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them;
if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
These verses make it clear that forgiveness is a power that comes from God, and humanity is empowered to share it. It is not that humanity ascends to the Godly quality of being able to forgive. These three verses agree with Alexander Pope but go beyond the short phrase that is so commonly known. The great chasm between our ability and God's ability to forgive is not denied, but it is reconciled through God's initiative.
Easter 3
April 23, 2023
Love means never having to say you are sorry
You guessed right if you said this phrase became popular as the last line in the 1970 movie Love Story. What most of us don't recall is that the phrase is actually used twice in the movie. It said to Oliver by Jennifer earlier and so he is repeating it when he speaks to his father at the end. The movie follows the novel where this quote appears in both chapter 13 and in the final chapter, 22. It implies that forgiveness is implicit in a loving relationship. An earlier expression of a similar sentiment could be read into the line "the cut worm forgives the plow" from Blake's Proverbs of Hell. This rather rich image can send in many directions. Since the cut worm becomes two worms, in spite of the great injury, there is thankfulness for the new lives allowing forgiveness to follow. One can say then that since the vulnerability love leads to injury, we too can be thankful from the growth that comes out of that injury and as the worm does, forgive others for the hurts that led to our growth.
Luke 24:25
Then he said to them,
Oh, how foolish you are,
and how slow of heart to believe
all that the prophets have declared!
Jesus decries the failings of the apostles but he neither asks them to apologize or say that they are sorry. He loves them. Saying words like "I love you" or "I am sorry" are really not primarily about giving information. If saying "I love you" was about conveying information, then we would only ever need to say it once and information is conveyed. I prefer to see it as an act of celebrating, to announce one's love is to celebrate it. To announce one's forgiveness is to celebrate it. While saying "I am sorry" may well be something you never "have" to do, it seems more like something one would "want" to do and find joy in doing. It is a celebration of the truth that "love covers all" wrongs and offences. Just because love and forgiveness “cover all wrongs” does not mean that it cannot be announced.
Easter 4
April 30, 2023
One day at a time
This sage advice has served many. The adage is a common bumper sticker and a sign on the walls at AA meetings. For many,these words offer the only way to deal with grief or disaster. A friend took it even further when his wife died in a tragic accident, saying he and his daughters lived one minute at a time for the months that followed. It is also the way many people face and live through long term incarceration. Twenty-five years can only be served one days at a time, before any chance for parole. Seen as a whole, it looks impossible. One day at a time is the only possible way. Very early in my ministry, I was reminded that "preaching is cumulative.” In other words, you don't have to say everything in every sermon. Not only do you not have to be exhaustive, you ought not to be. With one sermon at a time you help your congregation build their theology and spiritual base. Sermons are oral moments, meant for the day they are offered. They are to be heard – one day at a time – as well.
Acts 2:46-47
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple,
they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,
praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.
And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
How did the early church thrive? Day by day! One day at a time! As if to say, enjoy the moment but do not expect it to last forever, and endure a difficult moment for the same reason. In fact, its use within AA has precisely this double meaning. One does not have to sort out a lifetime of sobriety in a flash. The invitation is to build the new sober life one day at a time. In the same way, years and years of sobriety makes no guarantee of the next tomorrow.
Easter 5
May 7, 2023
Bad to the bone
This is a common phrase used to describe someone with few or no redeeming qualities. The MTV generation might remember George Thorogood's 1982 hit by the name. The video, in which Thorogood plays eight-ball-pool with his idol an inspiration, Bo Diddley is also well remembered. The lyrics are "over the top" comical in the 1982 with a man describing being bad from birth, particularly in how he relates to women. In 2016, many would consider the spirit of the song unacceptable. Karl Barth is reported to have said "Men have never been good, they are not good and never will be good" in Time Magazine on April, 24 1954. For theologian Barth, it is not just a character in a song that is bad to the bone, but all of us.
Acts 7:59-60
While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died
Even as St. Stephen died an unjust death he was forgiving. He did not see those who killed him as being bad to the bone. The Bible is replete with images of humanity's fallen state. As a whole, through the Augustinian notion of original sin they give rise to the doctrine of Total Depravity, which I will leave without comment. Rather than a thorough explanation I will open a door with a brief quote from C.S. Lewis's The Problem of Pain. “I disbelieve that doctrine [Total depravity], partly on the logical ground that if our depravity were total we should not know ourselves to be depraved, and partly because experience shows us much goodness in human nature."
Easter 6
May 14, 2023
When in Rome, [do as the Romans do]
St. Augustine, in what is known as Epistle 36, includes the following phrase, "When I am here I do not fast on Saturday; but when I am at Rome I do: whatever church you may come to, conform to its custom, if you would avoid either receiving or giving offense." It is possible that the phrase predated his use but this takes it back to the year 396. He goes on to say that his mother "is satisfied" with his advice but then later encourages people to follow their bishop rather than him on this matter. The advice offered, while in reference to a theological point, is generally about being a gracious guest when visiting other churches and is often extended to visiting anywhere. Similar advice for travelers can be found in the writings of Confucius, Euripides, Sophocles and the Talmud.
Acts 17:22-23
Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said,
“Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way.
For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship,
I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’
What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
The verse might aptly echo the idea of "meeting people where they are at." This can also be described as finding common ground, rather than reasons to differ. The verse and phrase dovetail nicely. Perhaps an even closer passage is 1 Corinthians 9:20-22 in which Paul goes beyond "doing in Rome" to the teaching to "be all things to all people." The counter cultural approach implied here ought not be missed. Many people expect their own familiarity and comfort to travel with them.
Easter 7
May, 21, 2023
Expect the unexpected
Various people are credited with applying this concept in settings as diverse as sports, politics and business. An ancient source is Heraclitus and while the entire quote varies depending on how the Greek is translated, the essence is that failure to expect the unexpected will cause you to miss or fail to recognize the unexpected, even when it is presented directly to you.
Acts 1:6-7
So when they had come together, they asked him,
"Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods
that the Father has set by his own authority.
But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
These are the last words spoken by Jesus before his ascension into heaven. Perhaps he gave rise to Lord Byron's poetic words, “All farewells should be sudden.” This central message for the life of faith goes beyond “Expect the unexpected.” While the unexpected, in this case, is limited to “times and dates,” there is a sense that, for humans, all things are always unexpected. To pretend otherwise is a lie. What's more, our task in faith is not only to expect the unexpected but to embrace the unexpected as gifts from God, and to be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Pentecost
May 28, 2023
One love, one heart
The song continues "Let's get together and feel all right." Bob Marley wrote and recorded these words in 1965 but it wasn't until a decade later that the song One Love/ Better Get Ready became the ubiquitous anthem that it remains today. Within the song he asks "Is there a place for the hopeless sinner, who has hurt all mankind just to save his own beliefs?" and solidifies his urgent call to "getting ready" through repentance with the words "There ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation."
1 Corinthians 12:12
For just as the body is one and has many members,
and all the members of the body, though many,
are one body, so it is with Christ.
Yet another verse that speaks of radical inclusion that speaks to the Church that is often anything but. The gift of Pentecost is the ability to hear, understand and develop relations with people who are different from ourselves.
April 9, 2023
Show up
These words are often, perhaps falsely, attributed to Mother Teresa, who is quoted as saying,“Just show up and things will happen.” Regardless of who coined them, the words were further spun by Woody Allen when he said, “Eighty percent of success in life is showing up.”
John 20:1
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw
that the stone had been removed from the tomb.
Mary showed up. The other apostles didn't. The rest is Christianity.
Easter 2
April 16, 2023
To err is human; to forgive (is) divine
Alexander Pope's 1711 poem, An Essay on Criticism, contains these words. Without any context, he appears to stand down on whether this is to be forever to be the case or if it is possible that this chasm be bridged. In fact, a few lines prior, Pope writes, “Contending Wits becomes the Sport of Fools,” implying that humans are generally debased and incapable. These words are followed with, “in Noble Minds some Dregs remain,” implying that we are never pure and that our humanity impedes our ability to forgive. Yet further into the poem, Pope writes, “Be silent always when you doubt your Sense,” implying that, if not a universal truth, the human default is judgment and separation rather than forgiveness and unity. Credit could be given to St. Augustine, Cicero and others who spoke similar words. The phrase is often used in the abbreviated form, "To err is human."
John 20:21-23
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them;
if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
These verses make it clear that forgiveness is a power that comes from God, and humanity is empowered to share it. It is not that humanity ascends to the Godly quality of being able to forgive. These three verses agree with Alexander Pope but go beyond the short phrase that is so commonly known. The great chasm between our ability and God's ability to forgive is not denied, but it is reconciled through God's initiative.
Easter 3
April 23, 2023
Love means never having to say you are sorry
You guessed right if you said this phrase became popular as the last line in the 1970 movie Love Story. What most of us don't recall is that the phrase is actually used twice in the movie. It said to Oliver by Jennifer earlier and so he is repeating it when he speaks to his father at the end. The movie follows the novel where this quote appears in both chapter 13 and in the final chapter, 22. It implies that forgiveness is implicit in a loving relationship. An earlier expression of a similar sentiment could be read into the line "the cut worm forgives the plow" from Blake's Proverbs of Hell. This rather rich image can send in many directions. Since the cut worm becomes two worms, in spite of the great injury, there is thankfulness for the new lives allowing forgiveness to follow. One can say then that since the vulnerability love leads to injury, we too can be thankful from the growth that comes out of that injury and as the worm does, forgive others for the hurts that led to our growth.
Luke 24:25
Then he said to them,
Oh, how foolish you are,
and how slow of heart to believe
all that the prophets have declared!
Jesus decries the failings of the apostles but he neither asks them to apologize or say that they are sorry. He loves them. Saying words like "I love you" or "I am sorry" are really not primarily about giving information. If saying "I love you" was about conveying information, then we would only ever need to say it once and information is conveyed. I prefer to see it as an act of celebrating, to announce one's love is to celebrate it. To announce one's forgiveness is to celebrate it. While saying "I am sorry" may well be something you never "have" to do, it seems more like something one would "want" to do and find joy in doing. It is a celebration of the truth that "love covers all" wrongs and offences. Just because love and forgiveness “cover all wrongs” does not mean that it cannot be announced.
Easter 4
April 30, 2023
One day at a time
This sage advice has served many. The adage is a common bumper sticker and a sign on the walls at AA meetings. For many,these words offer the only way to deal with grief or disaster. A friend took it even further when his wife died in a tragic accident, saying he and his daughters lived one minute at a time for the months that followed. It is also the way many people face and live through long term incarceration. Twenty-five years can only be served one days at a time, before any chance for parole. Seen as a whole, it looks impossible. One day at a time is the only possible way. Very early in my ministry, I was reminded that "preaching is cumulative.” In other words, you don't have to say everything in every sermon. Not only do you not have to be exhaustive, you ought not to be. With one sermon at a time you help your congregation build their theology and spiritual base. Sermons are oral moments, meant for the day they are offered. They are to be heard – one day at a time – as well.
Acts 2:46-47
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple,
they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,
praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.
And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
How did the early church thrive? Day by day! One day at a time! As if to say, enjoy the moment but do not expect it to last forever, and endure a difficult moment for the same reason. In fact, its use within AA has precisely this double meaning. One does not have to sort out a lifetime of sobriety in a flash. The invitation is to build the new sober life one day at a time. In the same way, years and years of sobriety makes no guarantee of the next tomorrow.
Easter 5
May 7, 2023
Bad to the bone
This is a common phrase used to describe someone with few or no redeeming qualities. The MTV generation might remember George Thorogood's 1982 hit by the name. The video, in which Thorogood plays eight-ball-pool with his idol an inspiration, Bo Diddley is also well remembered. The lyrics are "over the top" comical in the 1982 with a man describing being bad from birth, particularly in how he relates to women. In 2016, many would consider the spirit of the song unacceptable. Karl Barth is reported to have said "Men have never been good, they are not good and never will be good" in Time Magazine on April, 24 1954. For theologian Barth, it is not just a character in a song that is bad to the bone, but all of us.
Acts 7:59-60
While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died
Even as St. Stephen died an unjust death he was forgiving. He did not see those who killed him as being bad to the bone. The Bible is replete with images of humanity's fallen state. As a whole, through the Augustinian notion of original sin they give rise to the doctrine of Total Depravity, which I will leave without comment. Rather than a thorough explanation I will open a door with a brief quote from C.S. Lewis's The Problem of Pain. “I disbelieve that doctrine [Total depravity], partly on the logical ground that if our depravity were total we should not know ourselves to be depraved, and partly because experience shows us much goodness in human nature."
Easter 6
May 14, 2023
When in Rome, [do as the Romans do]
St. Augustine, in what is known as Epistle 36, includes the following phrase, "When I am here I do not fast on Saturday; but when I am at Rome I do: whatever church you may come to, conform to its custom, if you would avoid either receiving or giving offense." It is possible that the phrase predated his use but this takes it back to the year 396. He goes on to say that his mother "is satisfied" with his advice but then later encourages people to follow their bishop rather than him on this matter. The advice offered, while in reference to a theological point, is generally about being a gracious guest when visiting other churches and is often extended to visiting anywhere. Similar advice for travelers can be found in the writings of Confucius, Euripides, Sophocles and the Talmud.
Acts 17:22-23
Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said,
“Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way.
For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship,
I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’
What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
The verse might aptly echo the idea of "meeting people where they are at." This can also be described as finding common ground, rather than reasons to differ. The verse and phrase dovetail nicely. Perhaps an even closer passage is 1 Corinthians 9:20-22 in which Paul goes beyond "doing in Rome" to the teaching to "be all things to all people." The counter cultural approach implied here ought not be missed. Many people expect their own familiarity and comfort to travel with them.
Easter 7
May, 21, 2023
Expect the unexpected
Various people are credited with applying this concept in settings as diverse as sports, politics and business. An ancient source is Heraclitus and while the entire quote varies depending on how the Greek is translated, the essence is that failure to expect the unexpected will cause you to miss or fail to recognize the unexpected, even when it is presented directly to you.
Acts 1:6-7
So when they had come together, they asked him,
"Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods
that the Father has set by his own authority.
But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
These are the last words spoken by Jesus before his ascension into heaven. Perhaps he gave rise to Lord Byron's poetic words, “All farewells should be sudden.” This central message for the life of faith goes beyond “Expect the unexpected.” While the unexpected, in this case, is limited to “times and dates,” there is a sense that, for humans, all things are always unexpected. To pretend otherwise is a lie. What's more, our task in faith is not only to expect the unexpected but to embrace the unexpected as gifts from God, and to be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Pentecost
May 28, 2023
One love, one heart
The song continues "Let's get together and feel all right." Bob Marley wrote and recorded these words in 1965 but it wasn't until a decade later that the song One Love/ Better Get Ready became the ubiquitous anthem that it remains today. Within the song he asks "Is there a place for the hopeless sinner, who has hurt all mankind just to save his own beliefs?" and solidifies his urgent call to "getting ready" through repentance with the words "There ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation."
1 Corinthians 12:12
For just as the body is one and has many members,
and all the members of the body, though many,
are one body, so it is with Christ.
Yet another verse that speaks of radical inclusion that speaks to the Church that is often anything but. The gift of Pentecost is the ability to hear, understand and develop relations with people who are different from ourselves.