Preparing for Holy Week Part 2

 

Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver.  And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.  Matthew 26:14-16

 

Then one of the 12, one who had traveled with Jesus, wept with Jesus, laughed with, learned from, and loved Jesus betrayed him.

 

This is so painful because it didn’t just happen, it is happening.  It happens to you.  You had that moment when you confided in a friend who turned around and gossiped to another.  You had that boss who took credit for all your long hours.  You have that family member who blocked you on social and never sends you a card.  You have that person right now who pushes all your buttons and sets the tiny vein in your neck pulsating with loathing.  To be sure, rarely does someone betray us to death, but these betrayals can feel like a thousand paper cuts to our souls – causing a different kind of death.  There is an ache that can turn to an anger that we feed and fuel each day by reminding ourselves of how that person wronged us.  We can continually wish that person ill will.  As the saying goes, such a way of life is the same as you drinking rat poison and expecting the rat to die.  While anger is an emotion ~ an energy that stirs within us ~ often this arises because a value has been violented.  I know I am angry that beloved children of God are being discriminated against because of who God created each to be.  I believe God loves diversity and longs for equity no matter the color of their skin, who they love, or how they decide to present to the world.  I know I am angry that food rots in garbage cans or warehouses or fields while children starve.  I know I am angry that every day I get another email in BOLD letters telling me “they” are the problem.  Fear is a narrative we seem to never tire of, even though it is not the gospel medicine of a gracious God (see meditations from March 17).  1 John 4:18 says, “there is no fear in love, but perfect (whole) love drives out fear”.  To be sure, I am human size loved by God with all my boneheaded, broken, betrayed/betraying and beautiful self (see Buechner quote from yesterday).  Where is there a Judas size ache in your life that needs the balm of a “Hosanna”?  Where have you worn Judas’ sandals and betrayed another, even though you clung to the thought that you were doing the right thing?  Continue to pray “Hosanna” as we move deeper into the holiest story of our faith.  Amen.

Preparing for Holy Week Part 1

 

Next Sunday, April 13, we join in the Palm Sunday parade and welcome Jesus with the word, “Hosanna”!!  This is more than cheering or a hip, hip, hooray!  Hosanna means, “save us”.  We all live in the gap between where we are and where we want to be.  This is true financially, emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and relationally.  The gap between the you that stares back from the mirror that you who is reflective of the image of God in which you are continually recreated (resurrected) day after day.  The gap between what is and what your mind/heart/ soul longs to be.  In that gap there is the beautiful/tragic reality of life.  Fredrick Buechner puts it this way, “The grace of God means something like: "Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are, because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It's for you that I created the universe. I love you.”

 

Where does your heart need saving?  Not just another self-improvement book or zoom session or herbal remedy that promises to cure you. 

Where does your soul need saving?  Not by pious prayers or some morning meditation, but through a grace that comes unexpectedly.

Where does your life need saving?  Not by buying another planner or planning a destination vacation to some exotic location.

 

Now, what is saving your life right now?  Remember grace shows up disguised as your life.  Grace comes unbidden at the time we are unbound, unaware, unexpectant, un-showered with only Cheez Whiz in the cupboard to serve God because we haven’t been to the store.  Richard Rohr says, “Grace is not something God gives; grace is who God is. Grace is God’s official job description. Grace is what God does to keep alive—forever—all things that God has created in love.”  Grace comes in songs, a hot meal, a hand held in yours, a silent moment, a walk, music blaring or silently sitting.  Grace comes in petting the dog, laughing, watching a good show, dancing, and texting.  Grace comes in the form of a savior on a donkey riding down a dusty pathway to the prayerful pleas of peasants at the same time many believe Caesar’s army was parading in the front door of Jerusalem in a show of power.  Palm Sunday didn’t just happen, it is happening.  Every time the pomp and circumstance of power is paraded around in a show of strength.  Every time leaders decide that war and violence is better than conversation and compromise.  Every time leaders berate and belittle, dehumanize others as political scapegoats.  Every time we take to social media to tell off that friend whose politics or beliefs or posts offended us - thinking somehow these tweets make a difference.  Every time we bash another verbally or gossip, even if we do end it by saying, “Bless his heart.”  Every time we let the color commentary in our mind berate and belittle ourselves for some bone headed mistake.  We need saving.  You and I pray the word, “Hosanna” every day in a thousand small ways.  Where does your heart, soul, mind, life, family, community, country, creation, world long for space for Jesus to ride on, ride on in majesty right into your life?  May that question swirl and spin and swim in your heart all week long.  Amen. 

Friday Prayer

 

Today, as we close out the week in prayer, I invite you to read (or better yet go and listen) to Josh Groban’s The Prayer.  Let these words soak and saturate your life: 

I pray You'll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don't know

Let this be our prayer
When we lose our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with Your Grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe

La luce che to dai
I pray we'll find your light
Nel cuore restero
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarchi che
When stars go out each night
L'eterna stella sei
Oh, ho

Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c'e
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with Your Grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe

Sognamo un mondo senza piu violenza
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace e di fraternita

La forza che ci dai
We ask that life be kind
E'il desiderio che
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amore
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a se
Another soul to love

Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Just like every child

Needs to find a place
Guide us with Your Grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe

 

May God’s love enfold and hold you each and every day this month. Amen.

Pardon the Dust

 

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about building our lives on the firm foundation, the rock, of God’s presence and possibility.  So, I wonder, if you could add one additional space to your current house (or transform one room) what would you do? 

 

For me, I don’t know if I would add to our house, as much as pick out a different color paint or add some wonderful new decorations or find softer lightening.  Why don’t I do this?  Great question, probably because I am frugal or tell myself this is frivolous.  Philip Simmons says our lives are the unfinished house in which we live.  Look around at the place where you call home.  What do you love about your home?  What frustrates you?  One of the things that annoys my wife, and I, is that our brand-new refrigerator makes strange noises.  I know this is a First-World problem.  What we love about our house are comfy chairs that we sink and settle in on Friday nights after working all week.  Look around, what do you love and where would you like to remodel your home?

 

Now, let’s ponder this metaphorically, if you could clear out the clutter and chaos in the cobwebbed corners of your soul, what would you do?  For me, I would add more space for prayer ~ to breathe and be.  Why don’t I do this?  I could blame the Protestant work ethic that tells me my worth is based on what I accomplish.  I could look in the mirror at my own addiction to work.  I could confess that my ego likes to be noticed for being busy.  That is some of what is in the cardboard boxes shoved in the cobwebbed corners of my soul.  I long for space and place to be.  And the truth is, this doesn’t cost me a dime.

 

The questions we ask help us awaken to realities (past/present/and future) of what we are lugging in the luggage of our life ~ why we are feeling the way we are physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally (go back to Monday’s Morning Meditation).  Hold your thoughts today next to the fun you had on Tuesday.  Connect this question with the one from yesterday to give yourself a gift of resting in God’s presence this day in holy and healing ways.  Amen.

The Gift that Keeps Giving

 

So far this week, we have checked in with ourselves in mind, body, and soul.  Yesterday, I invited you to let loose your inner-10-year-old, who still resides and lives in you, in a holy way of hilarity.  The two prayer practices so far this week are not one and done, they can be returned to and repeated often!

 

Today, I wonder, what is the best gift you’ve ever been given?  Who gave it to you?  What was the occasion?  It may not be something tactile or tangible.  It could be the gift of an experience or encounter.  Please note, I am not asking about the gift you gave, but the one you received.  This is uncomfortable for us in a culture that demands and decrees control.  Many of us don’t like to feel in debt or beholden to someone.  When someone gives us a plate of cookies, we want to return that plate with a loaf of banana bread. 

 

I think about this because a month ago I was given the gift of additional time away, vacation.  As someone who struggles with over-functioning and can get enmeshed, the gift of stepping away and remembering that I am not defined or confined by my work.  What I do with our church is not where I get my worth.  My worth comes from God whose love is unconditional and unceasing and entirely uncontrollable by me.  Or I think about the gift of an upcoming vacation with my college-age young adult children.  This is a tremendous, holy, gift.  Or I think about the daily gift of time with my wife.  To be sure, don’t think that you only must limit yourself to one gift.  Name and notice the ways God’s love has shown up in your life through others.  And, you may want to call the person who gave you that gift today, to catch up and check in.  May the One who offers us a gift of presence and peace and possibility, be with you today.  Amen.

Finding Your Play this Lent

 

Yesterday, we checked in with ourselves.  How did that go?  Did you discover something hidden just beneath the surface that has been simmering there for a while?  Checking in with yourself is a profoundly beautiful way to begin any day.  Today, I invite you to get out the photo album of your life or the projector and slides of scenes from your childhood.  I wonder, what did you do for fun when you were ten years old? 

 

For me, I loved playing kickball as a lot.  I loved coloring with all the crayons in the box.  I loved listening to music ~ which was 80s rock!  I loved talking to friends.  I loved laughing.  I loved pizza and ice cream.

 

Today, as you remind yourself what caused your soul delight decades ago, I encourage you with as much pastoral love as I can, to go do that!  Get out the colors, blast the music of your youth, call a friend.  This is a holy, healing practice in Lent.  This might fill your soul with God’s love in a real, tactile and tangible way.  You have my permission, even in the season of Lent, to go have fun!  And even better, invite some others to join you.

 

May today your soul cry out with a joyful shout that God’s love is not some prize at the end of life, but a holy encounter in this life when we open ourselves to the creativity and care of our Creator.  Amen.

Breathe

 

As March winds down and wraps up, as we find ourselves in the messy middle of Lent, I wonder how is it with your soul?  Seriously?  Honestly?  Whole-hearted-ly?  I am not looking for you to say, “I’m fine” through clinched teeth and a tight jaw with your shoulders so tense they touch your ears while you are exhausted from not getting enough sleep last night ~ I can say that because I live that.  How is it with your soul?  When was the last time you checked in with yourself ~ physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally and mentally?

 

Take a breath.  Breathe in God’s grace that holds us and behold how you reflect God’s image. Breathe out all those messages your inner critic screams as your mind offers unsolicited color commentary on your life.  Breathe in God’s peace, wholeness or shalom, that seeks to gather all your parts ~ the beautiful and broken and ordinary into God’s embrace.  Breathe out all the striving and saving and fixing we try to do.  Breathe in the love of God that is unconditional and uncontrollable and unceasing.  Breathe out the carbon dioxide of choke us.  Let out a loud sigh.  Even louder so I can hear it where I am!

 

Now, take a piece of paper and check in ~ what is roaming around your mind?  Again, be honest and earnest in this ~ about the good, the bad and the ugly.  Where are you worried, where are you wondering, where are you wandering?  What concerns and celebration spin on the hamster wheel of your mind? 

 

Now check in physically, do a body scan from the top of your head to pinkie toe.  Where is there sore muscles, pain, or ache?  What do the soles of your feet feel like?  How about your stomach is it settled (in the rest and digest stage) or doing summersaults? 

 

Now check in emotionally and spiritually ~ ask, “How is it with my soul?”  It doesn’t have to be amazing or awesome.  You could have an ordinary, okayish, day.  You could be having a terrible, rotten, no good, awful day.  You could be confused or frustrated.  You could be doubting today and have endless questions for God.  Remember, there are no good emotions or bad emotions.  Emotions are energy is motion~ emotions point us in a direction, that we can take or not take.  Same with thoughts.  Both are data points.

 

How are you and God doing?  It’s okay if you are going through a rough and rocky patch with God.  It is okay if you need to lament that God isn’t swooping in and saving us from all the brokenness and pain.  It is okay to shake a fist and raise a voice.  It is okay if you are confused about where God is or what God is calling you to do ~ I often am.  Where you are is where you are ~ and you can only start right here.  Remember, your emotions and thoughts don’t need to be chased or acted on, sometimes they just need to be noticed and heard.

 

Who do you pray for today?  Maybe a friend is going through cancer treatment or having surgery or struggling.  Maybe for our church.  Maybe for your enemy not to be a jerk today or for you to be able to respond without your words dripping, drenched with sarcasm.  For people and places you do not even know or will never visit. 

Now breathe and slowly exhale.  Again, breathe and slowly exhale.  Breathe and be knowing who and whose you are.  Amen.