Transfiguration Sunday
February 11, 2024
If you love someone, set them free
Millions of posters offer this advice, which is attributed to various advice givers. It is advice given to people who fear the end of a relationship. These words, often followed by a promise of return are meant to give strength to the crestfallen. The counsel is to trust in fate and give up any desire to control loved ones. Of course, phrases such as "I would do anything for him" or “I would go to the end of the earth for her” provide the opposite advice. Such phrases encourage every effort to be exhausted and never to admit defeat. Many a love story creates this arc of relentless pursuit that eventually pays off or in some cases takes a very demented path.
John 20:17
Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and say to them,
"I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "
It is not we who catch God, but God who catches us. Here, Jesus makes this point to Mary. Jesus is never to be her commodity. He is not to be “held on to” nor should he ever appear to “fit in our pocket” or be “at our beck and call.” A similar idea presents in this story of the transfiguration where Jesus wants to hold on to his mountaintop experience by building houses for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. (Mark 9:5) Clearly, God's intention was not for them to rest comfortably in this "spiritual high" but to use it for momentum to come down the mountain and set towards Jerusalem where Jesus would die. Christ asked his closest friends to “set him free” rather than “hold on to him” and they did!
Lent 1
February 18, 2024
Decisions aren't forever
This is another slogan that has some traction in the Twelve Step community. On the surface, it seems to encourage people to be open to changing their minds. As information and circumstances change, so ought decisions. Put in a positive light, this quote says, “Keep an open mind.” It also echoes the wisdom of living “one day at a time.” It is a reminder that any decision does not have to make sense for infinity, but rather, just until there is good reason to reconsider it. This could be a long time or a short time. This paradox can be expressed like this: Faith is comprised of the seemingly self-contradictory “tentative absolutes.” I find it a gift to spend time around young people, who seem to easily grasp the wisdom of this phrase.
Genesis 9:16
When the bow is in the clouds,
I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant
between God and every living creature
of all flesh that is on the earth
The story of Noah includes this promise that God has made a decision to never “flood the entire earth” again.Perhaps the advice that “decisions are not forever” does not apply to God. Or, perhaps some decisions should last forever. Likely, the phrase “Never say never” is the closest we can come to an answer that admits we don't really know.
Lent 2
February 25, 2024
Lead, follow or get out of the way
My father used to use a slightly enlarged version of this phrase. It is commonly attributed to General George Patton and, when done so, often begins, “We herd sheep, we drive cattle, [and] we lead people.” Patton’s words also come with the more personal wording, “Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.” While I have no particular reason to doubt its authenticity, I do wonder how many were on the list of people that Patton invited to lead him. Others, from Thomas Paine to Ted Turner are credited with this phrase and several authors have written books explaining how to follow the advice.
Mark 9:2-4
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John,
and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no one on earth could bleach them.
And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses,
who were talking with Jesus.
I believe you see Jesus do all three things in these few verses. First, Jesus follows the lead of God and goes up the mountain. He takes Peter, James and John with him, leading their way. Then, once they are there, he gets out of the way so Elijah and Moses have a chance to speak. Jesus may not have preached these exact words, but he did practice them.
Lent 3
March 3, 2024
Small is Beautiful
This is the title of a book by economist Ernst Schumacher. The fact that it was quoted in Latin in the 1700s suggests it likely has ancient beginnings. Another phrase that encourages us to think this way is "less is more." Schumacher's book, among other things, spoke of "voluntary simplicity" before its time. His claim stands directly in opposition to oft used phrases like "bigger is better" and "the more the merrier."
Exodus 20:17
You shall not covet your neighbor's house;
you shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey,
or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Acquisitiveness and affluenza mark our society. The latest claim is that 62 people control half of the world's wealth. Small may be beautiful but it is not our way. If we reduce the Ten Commandments, in particular these commands at the end, to simple moral standards we do ourselves a grave injustice and we do so at our own peril. Our economy, our social structure and our foreign policy which influences social structure and economy all over the world lay the seeds for covetousness. You could even argue that every single advertisement we hear, see or read is trying to get us to want more than we have and to want what others have. This is a problem for humanity not just for greedy folk. Small is beautiful when the desire for smallness is based on reducing the temptation to covet by "living simply so others can simply live."
Lent 4
March 10, 2024
Just be yourself
These words are given as advice in many situations. A common use is helping someone who is nervous about something such as speaking in public, interviewing for a job, going on a first date or being interrogated by the police. We do not need a clinical diagnosis to be aware that we each have many “selves” depending on the given needs of a particular situation. We are naïve, however, to think that we can be aware of all of ourselves in every circumstance.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are what he has made us,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
The same challenge that comes with the simple advice “be yourself” comes in reading this text as well. In describing the transition from “lost” to “found,” Ephesians 2:9, prior to this verse, makes the point that we are saved by faith and not works. Verse 10 implies that our true self is that which God gives to us, rather than that which we construct ourselves. We may well have intimate knowledge of our own words, thoughts and actions, and still not be able discern that within us which is from God and that which is ego or false self. This leads to the paradox that anyone who claims to have transcended their own ego almost certainly has not done so.
Lent 5
March 17, 2024
Pass it on
This phrase is somewhat different than “pay it forward.” Pay it forward implies an act where you do something and expect something similar in return. “Pass it on” is about what to do when we receive, and that is to share. No Christian campfire song might be as well known as the one by this name that uses the image of a fire's spark to describe God's love. I also think of these words from the “telephone game” we played as children where we had to repeat the phrase we heard in a whisper to the person and then tell them to “pass it on.” Usually by the time the phrase had made its way around a small circle, it had changed immeasurably.
John 12:20-22
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
This little game of telephone moves the story along. But, not in the way expected. The Greeks disappear immediately. Instead the disciples and the crowds hear Jesus predict his death and hear Jesus provide an account of its meaning. This leads to misunderstanding and fear, which in turn leads to the crucifixion. One could argue that by “passing it on” Philip and Andrew set the climax of John’s Gospel in motion.
Passion Sunday
March 24, 2024
If God is your co-pilot, switch seats
I read thousands of catchphrases while writing my book, The Things We Say. This is the only one that made me laugh out loud. While short enough to be a bumper sticker, it is also the title of a book on grace and miracles by noted author and speaker B.J. Gallagher.
Philippians 2:6-7
. . . who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
He humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death--
even death on a cross.
The humour in the quote comes from the notion that a co-pilot is the underling of a pilot, not an equal. As such, the oft used phrase “God is my co-pilot” is a little demeaning to the relationship between God and servant or follower. The biblical verse makes it clear that even Jesus considered equality with God problematic, so perhaps we should stay away from any co-pilot language! All this seems to challenge the way some talk of the Trinity. My mother in-law once told me she quit attending church because the parish priest gave her an inadequate answer when she asked him about the Trinity. The mystery of the Trinity makes my head hurt and verses like this one don't help. However, the verse does succeed in reminding me that, since we are not to grasp at equality with God, tidy apprehensions and explanations of God are best left off the table. A similar idea is put forward with this simple dictum: Do not try to put God in a box.
February 11, 2024
If you love someone, set them free
Millions of posters offer this advice, which is attributed to various advice givers. It is advice given to people who fear the end of a relationship. These words, often followed by a promise of return are meant to give strength to the crestfallen. The counsel is to trust in fate and give up any desire to control loved ones. Of course, phrases such as "I would do anything for him" or “I would go to the end of the earth for her” provide the opposite advice. Such phrases encourage every effort to be exhausted and never to admit defeat. Many a love story creates this arc of relentless pursuit that eventually pays off or in some cases takes a very demented path.
John 20:17
Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and say to them,
"I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "
It is not we who catch God, but God who catches us. Here, Jesus makes this point to Mary. Jesus is never to be her commodity. He is not to be “held on to” nor should he ever appear to “fit in our pocket” or be “at our beck and call.” A similar idea presents in this story of the transfiguration where Jesus wants to hold on to his mountaintop experience by building houses for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. (Mark 9:5) Clearly, God's intention was not for them to rest comfortably in this "spiritual high" but to use it for momentum to come down the mountain and set towards Jerusalem where Jesus would die. Christ asked his closest friends to “set him free” rather than “hold on to him” and they did!
Lent 1
February 18, 2024
Decisions aren't forever
This is another slogan that has some traction in the Twelve Step community. On the surface, it seems to encourage people to be open to changing their minds. As information and circumstances change, so ought decisions. Put in a positive light, this quote says, “Keep an open mind.” It also echoes the wisdom of living “one day at a time.” It is a reminder that any decision does not have to make sense for infinity, but rather, just until there is good reason to reconsider it. This could be a long time or a short time. This paradox can be expressed like this: Faith is comprised of the seemingly self-contradictory “tentative absolutes.” I find it a gift to spend time around young people, who seem to easily grasp the wisdom of this phrase.
Genesis 9:16
When the bow is in the clouds,
I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant
between God and every living creature
of all flesh that is on the earth
The story of Noah includes this promise that God has made a decision to never “flood the entire earth” again.Perhaps the advice that “decisions are not forever” does not apply to God. Or, perhaps some decisions should last forever. Likely, the phrase “Never say never” is the closest we can come to an answer that admits we don't really know.
Lent 2
February 25, 2024
Lead, follow or get out of the way
My father used to use a slightly enlarged version of this phrase. It is commonly attributed to General George Patton and, when done so, often begins, “We herd sheep, we drive cattle, [and] we lead people.” Patton’s words also come with the more personal wording, “Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.” While I have no particular reason to doubt its authenticity, I do wonder how many were on the list of people that Patton invited to lead him. Others, from Thomas Paine to Ted Turner are credited with this phrase and several authors have written books explaining how to follow the advice.
Mark 9:2-4
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John,
and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no one on earth could bleach them.
And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses,
who were talking with Jesus.
I believe you see Jesus do all three things in these few verses. First, Jesus follows the lead of God and goes up the mountain. He takes Peter, James and John with him, leading their way. Then, once they are there, he gets out of the way so Elijah and Moses have a chance to speak. Jesus may not have preached these exact words, but he did practice them.
Lent 3
March 3, 2024
Small is Beautiful
This is the title of a book by economist Ernst Schumacher. The fact that it was quoted in Latin in the 1700s suggests it likely has ancient beginnings. Another phrase that encourages us to think this way is "less is more." Schumacher's book, among other things, spoke of "voluntary simplicity" before its time. His claim stands directly in opposition to oft used phrases like "bigger is better" and "the more the merrier."
Exodus 20:17
You shall not covet your neighbor's house;
you shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey,
or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Acquisitiveness and affluenza mark our society. The latest claim is that 62 people control half of the world's wealth. Small may be beautiful but it is not our way. If we reduce the Ten Commandments, in particular these commands at the end, to simple moral standards we do ourselves a grave injustice and we do so at our own peril. Our economy, our social structure and our foreign policy which influences social structure and economy all over the world lay the seeds for covetousness. You could even argue that every single advertisement we hear, see or read is trying to get us to want more than we have and to want what others have. This is a problem for humanity not just for greedy folk. Small is beautiful when the desire for smallness is based on reducing the temptation to covet by "living simply so others can simply live."
Lent 4
March 10, 2024
Just be yourself
These words are given as advice in many situations. A common use is helping someone who is nervous about something such as speaking in public, interviewing for a job, going on a first date or being interrogated by the police. We do not need a clinical diagnosis to be aware that we each have many “selves” depending on the given needs of a particular situation. We are naïve, however, to think that we can be aware of all of ourselves in every circumstance.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are what he has made us,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
The same challenge that comes with the simple advice “be yourself” comes in reading this text as well. In describing the transition from “lost” to “found,” Ephesians 2:9, prior to this verse, makes the point that we are saved by faith and not works. Verse 10 implies that our true self is that which God gives to us, rather than that which we construct ourselves. We may well have intimate knowledge of our own words, thoughts and actions, and still not be able discern that within us which is from God and that which is ego or false self. This leads to the paradox that anyone who claims to have transcended their own ego almost certainly has not done so.
Lent 5
March 17, 2024
Pass it on
This phrase is somewhat different than “pay it forward.” Pay it forward implies an act where you do something and expect something similar in return. “Pass it on” is about what to do when we receive, and that is to share. No Christian campfire song might be as well known as the one by this name that uses the image of a fire's spark to describe God's love. I also think of these words from the “telephone game” we played as children where we had to repeat the phrase we heard in a whisper to the person and then tell them to “pass it on.” Usually by the time the phrase had made its way around a small circle, it had changed immeasurably.
John 12:20-22
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
This little game of telephone moves the story along. But, not in the way expected. The Greeks disappear immediately. Instead the disciples and the crowds hear Jesus predict his death and hear Jesus provide an account of its meaning. This leads to misunderstanding and fear, which in turn leads to the crucifixion. One could argue that by “passing it on” Philip and Andrew set the climax of John’s Gospel in motion.
Passion Sunday
March 24, 2024
If God is your co-pilot, switch seats
I read thousands of catchphrases while writing my book, The Things We Say. This is the only one that made me laugh out loud. While short enough to be a bumper sticker, it is also the title of a book on grace and miracles by noted author and speaker B.J. Gallagher.
Philippians 2:6-7
. . . who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
He humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death--
even death on a cross.
The humour in the quote comes from the notion that a co-pilot is the underling of a pilot, not an equal. As such, the oft used phrase “God is my co-pilot” is a little demeaning to the relationship between God and servant or follower. The biblical verse makes it clear that even Jesus considered equality with God problematic, so perhaps we should stay away from any co-pilot language! All this seems to challenge the way some talk of the Trinity. My mother in-law once told me she quit attending church because the parish priest gave her an inadequate answer when she asked him about the Trinity. The mystery of the Trinity makes my head hurt and verses like this one don't help. However, the verse does succeed in reminding me that, since we are not to grasp at equality with God, tidy apprehensions and explanations of God are best left off the table. A similar idea is put forward with this simple dictum: Do not try to put God in a box.