Mother

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph….And he said, “, “Blessed are you among women, the Lord is with you!” Luke 1:26-28.

“A good wife who can find? She far more precious than jewels….Her children rise Up and call her blessed….” Proverbs 31:19, 28a

John Killinger's book Lost in Wonder, Love, and Praise includes the following affirmation which I wanted to use for our final Bread this week as we enter Mother’s Day weekend…

I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God,
who was born of the promise to a virgin named Mary.

I believe in the love Mary gave her Son,
that caused her to follow him in his ministry
and stand by his cross as he died.

I believe in the love of all mothers,
and its importance in the lives of the children they bear.

It is stronger than steel, softer than down,
and more resilient than a green sapling on the hillside.

It closes wounds, melts disappointments,
and enables the weakest child to stand tall
and straight in the fields of adversity.

I believe that this love, even at its best,
is only a shadow of the love of God,
a dark reflection of all that we can expect of him,
both in this life and the next.

And I believe that one of the most beautiful sights
in the world is a mother who lets this greater love
flow through her to her child,
blessing the world with the tenderness of her touch
and the tears of her joy.

Blessings Always in All Ways,

Steve
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Upon This Rock (Sandstone?)

And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Peter! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.” Matt. 16:17-18

“Simon, are you sleeping!? Could you not watch one hour?” Mk. 14:37
“…He rebuked Peter, saying, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God but the side of men!” Mk. 8:33
“I do not know this man…! And immediately, the cock crowed the second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus said to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And Peter broke down and wept.” Mk. 14:66

Undoubtedly you ran across the news blurbs just prior to Easter (what a coincidence in timing, huh?) from the National Geographic Society about the ancient “Gospel of Judas” manuscript. As one digs into this and begins the internal dialogue about Judas, it’s hard not to think about Peter as well. They both “sold out” Jesus. One for thirty pieces of silver, the other by consistent shortcoming and outright denial.

Judas hanged himself. Peter is the “Rock” upon which Jesus built His Church. Huh?

Peter fell asleep when Jesus was focused in blood-wrenching prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mk. 14:33,37).

Peter rebuked Jesus when Jesus foretold His sufferings and Jesus called Peter “Satan!”

You think Peter’s frailty was a surprise to Jesus? Not at all. He foretold, “You all will become deserters, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.’ “ (Mk 14:27)

Was Peter “there” when Jesus needed him? As they led Jesus away, history records Peter followed Jesus …”at a distance(!)” (Mk. 14:54). What a guy.

And, as we know, after Peter denied even knowing Jesus…and denied it again….and denied it again…he broke down and wept (Mk. 14:72).

Yet, there now is a grand cathedral in Rome erected to St. Peter (he’s a saint, too, you know). And, as our Risen Lord said, upon that rock Christ has built His Church.

I guess it’s all about our willingness to let the Risen Christ work through us rather than allowing our own frailties, shortcomings, and sinfulness to dominate.

To Christ be the Power…and Glory…forever….and ever…amen!

Blessings Always in All Ways,

Steve
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Shepherding-Part II: “The Challenge”

“Jesus said, ‘I am the Good Shepherd, I know mine and mine know me, just as the father knows me and I know the Father.” John 10:14-15

“This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:12

I appreciate all Christian expressions of the faith. I see them as a multifaceted diamond. Some days, I like the “high” liturgy. Other times, I like a semi-formal service that offers some flexibility and interaction. And other times, I like an unstructured, free, “move by the Spirit” expression of our faith. Beyond an actual worship service, as I consider various Christian groups I feel some are too “vertical” and others too “horizontal.” That is, some focus entirely on the individual’s direct relationship with Christ, and nothing else. Others seem to focus entirely on our “brotherly/sisterly” humanitarian efforts, using Christ as simply a reference point---the ultimate role model.

My belief is, the true understanding of Christ’s message to us is represented in the Cross: a proper relationship with Christ has an intense private, one-on-one, relationship with the Risen Savior…and simultaneously, an intense reaching out to our fellow human beings out of sincere, selfless love.

As yesterday’s Bread affirms, it’s great to know there is Someone who truly cares for us. There is Someone who is ever-listening, One who will defeat Evil in our lives for us. The next step is: who feels that way about you? Are we in touch with Christ’s love for others through us? Do we truly care about anyone else? Do we care simply for their own good, not because we can benefit from them? Does anyone really, really know down deep inside them that we are there for them simply because they are a valuable person to us? Do they feel…not just know…but feel…that we are alert to their hurts, and concerns, and fears, and wishes? Do they feel our presence of Love at all times and have the assurance that we are thinking of them, praying for them, and ever-ready to do what is needed for their good?

“This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Blessings Always in All Ways,

Steve
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Shepherding-Part I: “The Cry”

“Jesus said, ‘I am the Good Shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the father knows me and I know the Father.” John 10:14-15

We have three pets: a Dalmatian, Yorkshire Terrier, and, a cat. My wife, Debbie, I truly believe has sonic hearing. We’ll be sitting n the family room at any given time and she’ll suddenly yell out one of their names directing them to stop a specific activity. First of all, I usually don’t even hear anything. Second, when I do, I can’t distinguish any specific activity by the noise. (And they say the hearing is the last to go! Ut, oh…anyway…). It’s remarkable to me how she not only knows the animals by name, but by sound. Father Anad, a priest at my wife’s church, is from a small village in India. He was telling us of a friend who is a shepherd. This shepherd knows his sheep by name. He has more than three (like our small zoo) so that alone is remarkable to me. He also knows them by their sound. He can be in a removed setting and hear a sheep’s cry, knowing immediately which one it is! Now THAT’S remarkable! In fact, it’s rather hard for me to believe. But I believe it, because I know this priest and he’s trustworthy.

Progressing from Debbie…to this shepherd…to our Risen Lord. I can better understand and accept that Christ is believable and truly does know us intimately. When we feel lost in this chaotic, massive world, it’s comforting to know there is an Entity loves us very much and who knows us by the many particulars that make us different form others. He’s ever-listening. He’s alert. He cares. And He responds.

Fr. Anad goes on to tell about how this shepherd personally fights off wild animals that would attack his sheep. He actually sleeps at the gate of the sheep bin placing himself between any wild predator and his sheep: the wild beasts have to get past him to get to the sheep. Which, as we know, is how Jesus was paralleling His crucifixion when He said, “I lay down my life for my sheep.” I realize we understand this intellectually, but think about it: can you imagine!? I’ve camped in the mountains and know what it’s like to hear animals roaming around, especially in the dark. It can totally unnerving!

When we feel alone, lost, not understood, misunderstood…isn’t it remarkable to realize we have a Shepherd Who is listening, Who cares, Who knows us so very well as a unique individual, Who stands between us and evil?

Blessings Always in All Ways,

Steve
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The Power of Absence

“Now after the Sabbath toward dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher. And, behold, there was a great earthquake; an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone….His appearance was like lightening, his raiment was white as snow. The guards trembled and became like dead men. The angel said, ‘Do not be afraid for I know you seek Jesus who was crucified, HE IS NOT HERE! HE IS RISEN!’ ”
Matthew 28:1-6 (selections)

When we lived in England, we made sure to visit Westminster Abbey in London, renowned because it rests the bodies of many English notables. On vacation, we often visit Arlington National Cemetery which is revered as the final resting place for thousands of our American heroes. The pyramids of Egypt are famous because they contained the mummified bodies of ancient Egyptian rulers. But at the tomb of Jesus there is no epitaph etched in stone, “Here lies Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.” Jesus’ epitaph is in the words of angels, “He is NOT here!”….“He is risen!”

We want to live. It isn’t normal to wish to die. Death is more than that grand finale to the physical life. We die little deaths along the way, not just the final physical death. Death isn’t just a reality of life…it’s a reality of everyday living. The Risen Lord has defeated death, and He wants to share that power with us.

When we talk with a non-church-goer about participating in church, they are usually quick, and emphatic, to point out the church hypocrites. (There’s always the beloved come-back, “And there’s room for one more!” Or, the lapel button which I love that reads, “Christian Under Construction.”) Across the years church-goers…and church leaders have let us down. These things are true, and we need to be honest enough to admit it. But, as Paul Harvey says, there’s “The rest of the story”: that the focus should be on the Risen Son of God, not the fallen humankind. Every time we lower our sights to focus on people, and to put our hope, and source of happiness, and our sense of worth in a person…we’ll fall short. Jesus Christ is the answer. He has proven He overcomes death…our final physical death, and the many daily deaths like our shortcomings, our anxieties, our insecurities, our sins. Before someone falsely accuses Christ, and His Church, of being invalid, s/he needs to be honest about what they’re focusing on. Christ IS the answer and He will show us day after day after day….if we will let Him.

Blessings Always
in All Ways,

Steve
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