Lent - Day 11

Lent - Day 11

Each Saturday of the Living Well through Lent 2015 guide provides a time to reflect on what you have read and experienced this past week. What thoughts and insights did you have? Did a word or a conversation with someone -- or with God -- stand out for you? Is there something you did this week that you wish to remember or would like to continue doing?

The guide invites you to reflect especially on your weekly resilience practice of embodying Hope How did that practice go for you? Is there a thought, word, or deed relating to embodying Hope that you wish to note and carry forward?
--from the Living Well through Lent 2015 guide

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From Duane: my embodying Hope journey for Lent 2015 involves reducing worrying in my mind and heart. Worry seems like a natural, human thing, which it is, except the Bible exhorts us to "worry not".  Trusting God seems so unnatural to the human mind, but like learning a new sport or new skill at work, it takes practice. We have to develop our trust muscles!

Embody Hope. Embody trust. May the Lord be with you!

Lent - Day 10

Lent - Day 10

It Is By Jesus Christ That We Are Saved

(from biblegateway.com Lenten Devotionals)

Today’s Prayer

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
For all the benefits thou hast won for me,
For all the pains and insults you have borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I know thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
And follow thee more nearly:
For ever and ever.
— Richard of Chichester

Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Today’s Quote

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ on the deck,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
— from the prayer of St. Patrick

Something to Think About

When people hear your words or witness your actions, do they see a reflection of Jesus Christ? If somebody were to eavesdrop on your everyday interactions at work, school, and home, would they want to know more about the Savior you serve?

Lent - Day 9

Lent - Day 9

from Living Well through Lent 2015

Living Well with All Your Strength

We are all familiar with the term body language as it applies to nonverbal communication.  An additional meaning of body language is to listen to what our bodies  are saying to us right now. This past Sunday's reflection suggests that "people who embody Hope exude a particular kind of presence in their energy, in ways they relate, and in the words and actions they choose."

What kind of energy is your body currently experiencing? What kind of energy is your body communicating right now to yourself? to others? As you assess the energy your body is both experiencing and communicating, is there anything different you want to do to change or enhance your energy?

Duane's note: We have a program a work called "Energy for Life"where we take time to evaluate how we use our personal energy, what are our priorities and how should we be using our energy based on our goals. It has been very interesting to focus my attention on how much energy I waste on unimportant things that don't really matter to me (or at least I say they don't).  I feel this relates to the passage about "don't worry, God adorns the flowers in the fields, won't he take care of you?" (paraphrase).

Lent - Day 8

So we completed the first week of Lent 2015! How are you doing so far? I hope this compilation of different Lenten devotionals is making your Lent more special this year. The topic today from Biblegateway.com is a difficult one for me and for most folks. Let us pray and meditate on forgiveness today, even if it is for only a minute or two.  May the Lord be with us!

Forgive Your Enemies

Today’s Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, who commanded us to love our enemies and all those who insult and hurt us, and to pray for them and forgive them; you yourself prayed for your enemies, who crucified you. Give us, we pray, a spirit of Christian reconciliation and meekness, so that we may forgive every injury and be reconciled with our enemies. Grant us Christian meekness and true love of our neighbor. Give to our enemies true peace and forgiveness of sins; and do not allow them to leave this life without true faith and sincere conversion. Help us to repay evil with goodness. — adapted from the Orthodox "Prayer for Enemies"

Today’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 25:3-9

No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous without cause.

Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
    and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.

Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
He guides the humble in what is right
    and teaches them his way.

Today’s Quote

Today’s Quote is from the famous Easter hymn "Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended," a powerful reflection on our own guilt and role in Jesus' crucifixion. You can learn more about this hymn at the Center for Church Music.
Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.
Who was the guilty—Who brought this upon Thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone Thee.
'Twas I, Lord, Jesus, I it was denied Thee!
I crucified Thee.
For me, kind Jesus, was Thine incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and Thy life's oblation;
Thy death of anguish and Thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.
Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay Thee,
I do adore Thee, and will ever pray Thee,
Think on Thy pity and Thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.

Something to Think About

1. Forgiveness is an integral part of the Easter story. Who in your life needs to be forgiven today? Who do you need to ask for forgiveness? This week, consider extending the hand of forgiveness to somebody who needs it.

Lent - Day 7

Lent - Day 7

excerpt from Living Well through Lent 2015 - Living Compass Faith & Wellness Ministry

The past Sunday's reflection describes some of the attributes of people who embody Hope. One description offered is that a person who embodies Hope "shines with the love of an awakened heart."  Take a few moments today to reflect on a time when you knew that you were shining with the love of an awakened heart.  What caused you to feel this way?  In what ways were you "shining"? How could others tell that you were radiating hope? How might you be in that place more often?

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You are a success in God’s kingdom if you are faithful where He has placed you. - Our Daily Bread

Lent - Day 6

Here is the Lenten devotional from Biblegateway.com for today:

Christ Suffered For Us

Today’s Prayer
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. — Book of Common Prayer

Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Today’s Quote
The Lord, though he was God, became man. He suffered for the sake of those who suffer, he was bound for those in bonds, condemned for the guilty, buried for those who lie in the grave; but he rose from the dead, and cried aloud:

"Who will contend with me? Let him confront me. I have freed the condemned, brought the dead back to life, raised men from their graves. Who has anything to say against me? I," he said, "am the Christ; I have destroyed death, triumphed over the enemy, trampled hell underfoot, bound the strong one, and taken men up to the heights of heaven: I am the Christ."

"Come, then, all you nations of men, receive forgiveness for the sins that defile you. I am your forgiveness. I am the Passover that brings salvation. I am the lamb who was immolated for you. I am your ransom, your life, your resurrection, your light, I am your salvation and your king. I will bring you to the heights of heaven. With my own right hand I will raise you up, and I will show you the eternal Father." — Melito of Sardis, 2nd century church father

Something to Think About
As we begin the second week of Lent, what is on your heart? Has God placed on you any special concerns, convictions, or reminders?

Lent - Day 5 - First Sunday in Lent

Lent - Day 5

excerpt from Living Well through Lent 2015 - Living Compass Faith & Wellness Ministry

Mark 1:9-15 NIV

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[a] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Jesus Announces the Good News
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

In today's gospel, we gather in the wilderness with Jesus and John for a baptism on the banks of the Jordan. Mark directs our attention to the experience of Jesus in that moment when he rises from the waters to receive his identity as the Messiah, the embodiment of God's new people being born in a new exodus of hope.

People who embody Hope exude a particular kind of presence, in their energy, in the ways they relate, and in the words and actions they choose.

Lord knows if there were a time when we needed to embody Hope to our congregations and communities, it is now

Why not practice claiming your baptism? This Lent be Hope and reveal to the world like never before your true identity in Christ.


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We are far from perfect, but despite our mistakes and our sins, we will never abandon the Lord and he will never abandon us - adapted from a statement about Abraham from the EfM Training Guide

Lent - Day 4

Lent - Day 4

This devotional is from the Living Well through Lent 015 devotional by Living Compass Faith & Wellness Ministry

II Cor 6:6-7
6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;

The New Testament reading from Ash Wednesday lists many of the core practices of an authentic Christian life. Included in the list are "...patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love" and "truthful speech." Read the passage above again slowly. Reflect on how well you are living out these core Christian practices. Is there one of these practices that you would like to enhance in your daily life? If so, which one, and what is one thing you can do to strengthen this practice?

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From Duane: For me, I would like to be more patient and kind, especially in my dealings with others at work.  Being more deliberate in applying the THINK principal before opening my mouth would be great!  

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Living out of love for God and pleasing Him should be our heart’s desire. - Our Daily Bread

Lent - Day 3

Lent - Friday, February 20th (from biblegateway.com)

We Are Called To Humility

The Easter season is often marked by spectacular displays of art and public worship—we might sing beautiful Easter hymns at church, attend moving Easter pageants, or participate in public acts of prayer, fasting, or devotion. Today’s Scripture Reading reminds us that in the midst of these outward displays, however appropriate they are, we are called to humility, self-sacrifice, reflection, and quiet suffering.

Today’s Prayer

O Lord, who hast mercy upon all,
take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of thy Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore Thee,
a heart to delight in Thee,
to follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ's sake, Amen.
— Ambrose of Milan, 4th century bishop

Today’s Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:1-6,16-21

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Today’s Quote

"When your heart is thus established in Christ, and you are an enemy of sin, out of love and not out of fear of punishment, Christ's sufferings should also be an example for your whole life, and you should meditate on the same in a different way. . . . If a day of sorrow or sickness weighs you down, think, how trifling that is compared with the thorns and nails of Christ. If you must do or leave undone what is distasteful to you: think, how Christ was led hither and thither, bound and a captive. Does pride attack you: behold, how your Lord was mocked and disgraced with murderers. Do unchastity and lust thrust themselves against you: think, how bitter it was for Christ to have his tender flesh torn, pierced and beaten again and again. Do hatred and envy war against you, or do you seek vengeance: remember how Christ with many tears and cries prayed for you and all his enemies, who indeed had more reason to seek revenge . If trouble or whatever adversity of body or soul afflict you, strengthen your heart and say: Ah, why then should I not also suffer a little since my Lord sweat blood in the garden because of anxiety and grief?
"One can thus find in Christ strength and comfort against all vice and bad habits. . . . And they are called true Christians who incorporate the life and name of Christ into their own life, as St. Paul says in Gal 5, 24: "And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof." For Christ's Passion must be dealt with not in words and a show, but in our lives and in truth. . . . But this kind of meditation is now out of use and very rare, although the Epistles of St. Paul and St. Peter are full of it. We have changed the essence into a mere show, and painted the meditation of Christ's sufferings only in letters and on walls." — Martin Luther, "How to Contemplate Christ's Holy Sufferings"

Something to Think About

As Easter approaches, are your words and actions marked by humility? Whatever you're doing to prepare for Easter, are you doing it to honor Christ, or to be noticed by others?

Foodie Friday

I don't really follow the Lenten guidelines for Ash Wednesday and the Fridays in Lent, but I try to respect others in their journey. Here is a recipe for veggie lasagna that will hit the spot today!


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Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Lent - Day 2

Lent - Day 2 

The devotional I chose only publishes devotions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I didn't notice that when I read it yesterday. I found this site written by the rector at St Patricks that will post a short devotional each day

Thursday, February 19
          
The Prayer Book calls us to a Holy Lent asks a number of things of us: self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, self-denial and, reading and meditating on God’s Holy Word. I will write about each of these over the next few days; first, self-examination. “Humankind cannot bear very much reality,” so says TS Elliot.  And I would add, especially when it is unpleasant stuff about ourselves.  None of us is perfect, and never will be. But to face the unpleasant truths about ourselves opens a door to new opportunities.  When we know the truth about ourselves we are less likely to be shocked by our own behavior. And when we treat ourselves with the same sympathy and understanding we would extent to our best friend, there is actually a hope for change. So look into that mirror of personal and unpleasant truth, but do so with compassion.

Technology Thursday

My friends tease me about my fascination with gadgets and technology. I have been experimenting with robot vacuums the past few months. I found two used iRobot Roomba robot vacs on eBay. I have Rudy (yes, I named them...) running in the kitchen and entry way and Roscoe running in the bedrooms upstairs. They do a decent job of light cleaning.  I still need to do more indepth cleaning regularly, but these little marvels really help me out.  The coolest part of these little devices is that they find their way back to their home station after they complete their run and seat themselves on the charger again!  Cool!

I found a Groupon deal for a newer model that also does light mopping on tile floors. That one should arrive in the next week or to. I will try Rudy on the hardwood floors in the family room or the tile floors in the basement.  

Yes, I can be a silly old geek bear sometimes!  

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As wise King Solomon said, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).

Lent Has Begun!

Lent Devotional (from Bible Gateway)

Lent Has Begun!

Lent has begun, and Easter is coming! Today, on Ash Wednesday, we begin the somber, reflective season of Lent—a time to repent of our sin and look ahead to the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through Lent (and on select special days throughout), you'll receive an email with Easter-themed Scripture, prayers, and/or other devotional reflections.

Today’s Prayer

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. — The Book of Common Prayer

Today’s Scripture Reading: Joel 2:1-2,12-17

Blow the trumpet in Zion;
    sound the alarm on my holy hill.

Let all who live in the land tremble,
    for the day of the Lord is coming.
It is close at hand—
    a day of darkness and gloom,
    a day of clouds and blackness.
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
    a large and mighty army comes,
such as never was in ancient times
    nor ever will be in ages to come.

Today’s Quote

The following quote is from an Easter sermon by Friedrich Schleiermacher, an influential 19th-century theologian known as the "Father of Modern Protestant Theology." This quote, on the necessity of putting to death the "old man" of our sinful nature, is appropriate for Ash Wednesday:
Thus, my friends, we know what is the new life that is to be like the resurrection life of the Lord. A previous life must die; the apostle calls it the body of sin, the law of sin in our members, and this needs no lengthened discussion. We all know and feel that this life, which Scripture calls a being dead in sins, pleasant and splendid as may be the form it often assumes, is yet nothing but what the mortal body of the Saviour also was, an expression and evidence of the power of death, because even the fairest and strongest presentation of this kind lacks the element of being imperishable. Thus with the mortal body of the Saviour, and thus also with the natural life of man, which is as yet not a life from God. — "Christ's Resurrection An Image of Our New Life"

Something to Think About

Many Christians opt to give up something for Lent—a particular habit, luxury, food, or activity. Are you giving up anything for Lent this year? Why or why not?

Wellness Wednesday
In keeping with the theme of Lent, why should we or shouldn't we give up something for Lent? There are a lot of articles out there on the subject. Some suggest that giving up something we like, such as chocolate or popcorn, helps focus or on our Lenten disciplines. We think about the season every day.

Another school of thought suggests adopting a good habit for the period, such as reading a Lenten devotional each day or reading the morning office (that's an Anglican thing...).. Whatever you decide, please pick something for this special season.

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For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.- Psalm 117:2

Bridges

Our Daily Bread
Bill Clinton visited Louisville, Kentucky during one of his presidential campaigns. In a stirring speech, he said something like "And together, we will build a bridge to the future...". Some of us laughed and thought "We can't even build a bridge to Southern Indiana!"  Ha! The much needed bridge was completed a few years ago and successfully redirects traffic away from a busy downtown interchange.

The devotional talks about followers of Christ being a bridge between God and unbelievers. Through our words and deeds, we share God's Word and God's love. We help them cross over from thinking only about this world to thinking about the things of God. As we live, consider this question -- are we building bridges to God for others or are we burning them?

Lord, you give us the tools to build bridges for others. Please help us use them.

Teaching Tuesday
We didn't have class last night because of the weather, but I thought a lot about the long, tedious chapter we had to read for Year 3 EFMers. It was about the period in history called the Dark Ages, highlighted by the Black Plague. Not exactly the feel good chapter of the year! Here is an interesting article about that period [article].

The chapter is interesting in the study of church history because of the implications of the Black Plague -- people questioned God and people wanted to know who was to blame for the plague! There were many theories. One theory I did not understand was folks blaming the Jews for the plague.  What?

The end of the chapter was interesting because it talked about Erasmus. Read about him here. The section in the book was both inspirational and confusing as it talked about Erasmus. There is also some discussion by historians about Erasmus being gay because of some letters he wrote to a fellow seminarian. The book was very clear in stating the Erasmus never let his passions affect him again for the rest of his life. For me, there are so many more things I want to know about when I meet God that the sexual preferences of Erasmus are a very low priority!

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“The highest pinnacle of the spiritual life is not happy joy in unbroken sunshine, but absolute and undoubting trust in the love of God.” = A. W. Thorold

Our biggest little problem

Our Daily Bread
Those of you that have been around me more than thirty seconds or so know that I am smart, witty.... and that I tease folks... a lot. It doesn't matter who. Sometimes friends and family. Sometimes folks I have never seen before at the grocery or at Target. The tongue that forms the words to encourage and inspire can also rip someone to shreds.

There is a song by Hawk Nelson called Words.  Here is an except from those lyrics:
Words can build you up
Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

Let these words be our prayer today and every day. Especially me. I need this.  ;-)

Lord, our words reflect how much of you is inside us wanting to get out!

Movie Monday
I have been catching up on movies the past few weeks. Here are two more recent releases that I saw.

Vice
Vice is a scifi thriller about a special city by the same name that sells "experiences" that you can't get in normal society. They had a city of clones that were illegal everywhere in the world except for the Vice "resort".  There were some cool scifi kinds of things in the movie, but most of the "experiences" were hostile acts against women. That part was NOT cool at all. I was interested in the movie because Bruce Willis was in it, though it was only a cameo part.

I give it one bear paw.

Taken 3
This is hopefully the last of this series.  Seriously, please let it be the last!  I watched to see if they would do anything different. Yes, they did, but it was pretty much a lot of the same stuff from the first two movies. Forrest Whitaker was in this one and added some interest.

I give it two bear paws for all the action scenes.

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Tolstoy once said; “Where there is faith, there is love;
Where there is love, there is peace;
Where there is peace, there is God;
And where there is God; there is no need.”  Can your faith in God move you beyond your own needs and seek a way to live in this broken world and serve the children of God?  - J. PerezTolstoy once said; “Where there is faith, there is love;
Where there is love, there is peace;
Where there is peace, there is God;
And where there is God; there is no need.”  Can your faith in God move you beyond your own needs and seek a way to live in this broken world and serve the children of God?  - J. Perez

Sermon #2: Mark 9:2-9

Title:  Mountain top

Last month, two men finished their quest: they were the first to free climb the Dawn Wall to the summit of the 3,000-foot rock known as El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The Dawn Wall has been considered to be too steep and lacking enough cracks or seams in the rock for free climbing.  I saw a picture of the rock they climbed and it looked scary!  

Free climbing is not the most difficult or the safest style of climbing. It is much safer than free solo climbing, which doesn’t use climbing gear at all. In free climbing, the climbers use their hands and feet to ascend a rock’s natural features, using ropes and other gear only to stop a fall. The climbers map out the climb into “pitches” or rope lengths, based on the cracks and seams and other features.  The Dawn Wall had 32 rope-lenghts or pitches of climbing. They use equipment such  as camming devices, expansion bolts, carabiners and rope to create protection points, basically a network of ropes, as they ascend.  If they use the equipment correctly, they should never fall lower than the last protection point. This is a very important safety precaution especially when climbing a rock no one has ever successfully free climbed!

I thought about asking the Altar Guild if I could set up a little demonstration of how this works on the beautiful wall behind our altar. I thought better of that idea…  Instead, I had a different idea for a visual representation — my trusty laser pointer! A free climber evaluates the rock as much as possible to plan the ascent, starting HERE for example. it can be like a puzzle as the climbers ascend each pitch, creating protection points at appropriate places during the climb. Even though climbers plan as much as they can, there are always unexpected challenges. During the Dawn Wall ascent, one of the climbers “hit a wall” so to speak on pitch 15. He tried conquering that challenging pitch over and over. He and his climbing partner were concerned that they would have to split up and not finish the climb together.  After seven days, he finally made it! The team was able to finish the climb together.

Friends, family and reporters awaited them at the summit.  What an amazing accomplishment! Will the two men climb again despite all the challenges they faced during this 17 day adventure on the Dawn Wall?  They both said they would keep climbing!

I liked the comment left by a reader named Juli Thomas on the National Geographic web site about their accomplishment:
"Amazing story of teamwork, problem solving, perseverance, skill, patience; all of the big stuff.  Thank you for overcoming all obstacles and being an inspiration to the world and being nice guys on top of it, which is the most important thing of all."

The Gospel lesson today is traditionally called the story of the Transfiguration. I have heard many sermons on this passage over the years.  They all seemed to focus on two main themes: linking the past (Moses and Elijah from the Old Testament) to the Messiah, Jesus; and, linking Jesus’ baptism to the Transfiguration to reinforce who He really was.  Let me talk about those briefly as they are both important, then I will explain my view of the passage.

To link the past and present, the following activities repeated from other experiences in the Old Testament: 

• Jesus clothes were as white as could be, like the face of Moses when he came down from the mountain where he experienced God.  The disciples could relate to this reference.

• Moses and Elijah appearing and conversing with Jesus is seen by some theologians as Jesus being the fulfillment of the Law. This was important since Moses and Elijah are considered leading Old Testament characters in Israel’s history.  They both lead Israel in ways few other leaders ever did.  The disciples also knew these things.

The second theme was to reinforce who Jesus really was when the voice from heaven echoed the same message from Jesus’ baptism in Mark 1. A voice came from heaven in that passage that affirmed the identity of Jesus. Theologians  use these passages as “proof” that Jesus is the Son of God. 

How did the disciples react? Well, this is one passage where an angel DID NOT say “be not afraid!” though it would have been appropriate.  I don’t mean to be disrespectful to the disciples, specifically to Peter, but he says some odd things sometimes.  To give him the benefit of the doubt about the “building” comment, he may have been referring to the Jewish tradition of the Festival of Booths. I chuckled when writing this section of the sermon of how Peter might react if this event happened today. I can imagine him trying to take a selfie with Moses, Elijah and Jesus and posting it on Instagram. I can also hear him suggest building dwellings... out of Legos. Those are cool.  yeah…

I have a little different view of the Transfiguration passage that I developed after reading The Interpreters Bible commentary and several other sources.  It is my opinion that the Dawn Wall climbing story and the story of the Transfiguration can represent something special, something very personal in our spiritual lives — mountain top experiences and the struggles we sometimes have to overcome to experience them. In this sermon, I define “mountain top experiences” as any time you feel very close to God or you feel God is close to you.

I think mountain top experiences can be our expansion bolts, camming devices, carabiners and ropes, our tools to help us overcome the sometimes difficult climb of our spiritual lives. They can be our protection points that can help prevent us from falling too far when we lose our grip during our spiritual climb. Like one of the Dawn Wall climbers, we can “hit a wall” at times. We can’t seem to make progress or accomplish the goals we seek. We may feel that we don’t feel God’s presence in our lives even though we have the strong ropes of God’s Love securing us during our climb. Climbers use carabiners or springed hooks sort of like this (but much sturdier) to connect the ropes to the protection points, or what I would liken to our spiritual friends, family, rector, or others that help lock us in to our protection points.  We are always connected as we climb together.

I thought of several possible mountain top experiences that we might use such as:

• Lenten services

• Church activities such as EFM, Church choir, or womens' retreat

• A walk in nature

• Crucio or Walk to Emmaus

• maybe attending church each week to experience the Eucharist can be one for us. Just like Peter said during his experience “It is a good thing for us to be here.”  

We all have specific events that mean a lot to us.  I think these "mountain top" experiences anchor us regardless of the challenges we face. They reinforce over and over who Jesus was and is. They remind us over and over where we have been.  They encourage us to keep trying even if we fall over and over.

A few chapters after this story, we read about how the disciples “fell” in their spiritual climb. We will also read about how their mountain top experiences lead them beyond those falls. We read about how their climb changed our world. They continued their oral tradition of telling the stories of their experience with God, which eventually were written down and compiled into the Bible.

While reading a chapter for EFM a few weeks ago, I found this quote from the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom that spoke to me:
"You were transfigured on the mountain, and your Disciples beheld your glory, O Christ God, as far as they were able; that when they saw you crucified they might know that your suffering was voluntary, and might proclaim to the world that you are truly the brightness of the Father.
The translations of the Greek are from The Divine Liturgy of Our Father among the Saints, John Chrysostom (Oxford, 1995), 75, 79.

I think that is a great example of expressing what a mountain top experience can mean to us and how they can spur us onward and upward.

Your homework for this week is to identify your mountain top experiences, whatever they are for you. Remember them. Write them down or share them with friends and family. I forgot to mention that the mountain top experiences of others can also inspire us to keep climbing, too.
Amen

Special ingredient

Our Daily Bread
I like to cook and I like to eat (as you might be able to tell from the second half of this blog entry). I used to cook for some "townie" friends when I was in college. They loved the way I made my spaghetti because it tasted great and was different than anything else they ever had. Of course, I used a "special ingredient" that I wouldn't divulge until one of the guys asked me for my recipe so he could give it to his new wife after they got married. Nice!

Restaurants often try to differentiate themselves with "special ingredients" or "special sauce" or other such things to differentiate themselves from the competition. Christians have a special ingredient when we read the scriptures and pray -- the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit acts as a binding agent to hold all those things in our hearts (cooks will understand what a binding agent is. Here is an explanation.)  When you read, when you pray, when you are serving God, pray for our binding agent to work in us!

Lord, we ask that your Spirit bind your Word and your love in our hearts and minds!

Foodie Friday
I tried a pizza place in Grove City recemtly called Tristanos. MMMMmmmMMMmmmmm, good! If you like deep dish pizza (like Giordanos stuffed crust pizza), then this is the place to go in the Columbus area. Homemade sauce and Italian sausage highlighted the pie. I thought the crust was maybe a little too much, but overall quality and flavor rivaled my favorite pizzas from Chicago and Louisville.

They also have thin crust pizza, other Italian dishes such as lasagna and some interesting sandwiches and appetizers.  Check them out on Facebook.

The restaurant is on Columbus Avenue near downtown Grove City. I am glad I don't live closer!

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 For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.- Psalm 117:2

Like a tree

Our Daily Bread
"I will not be, I will not be moved. I will not be, I will not be moved. Just like a tree...planted by the water... I will not be moved" are the lyrics to a popular church song when I was growing up. Like a tree with roots deeply anchored by a continuous source of water, we will not be moved from our faith in God.  Or maybe some were singing about not being moved from their favorite pew! I am not sure. ;-)

I like the way the Bible uses metaphors that we can all understand to enhance our understanding of our spiritual life and of God. We can easily see in pictures and in our personal experiences with nature how trees flourish when they have an adequate water supply. Trees planted in arid conditions may not live at all. If they do, they won't have the strong deep roots to anchor them.

How about you? Is your faith like a tree planted by the water? Or one that is planted in arid conditions?

Lord, we ask for your Living Water to ground us in our faith in you.

Technology Thursday
Elon Musk is a name you might of heard in the news. He has been compared to the Tony Stark character in the Iron Man movies. His ideas and implementation of those ideas are changing our world. One of his companies is called SpaceX.  NASA outsourced much of their space craft and space travel to SpaceX and one of it's competitors. Here is an article about the reusable space craft that SpaceX is building. article

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“The highest pinnacle of the spiritual life is not happy joy in unbroken sunshine, but absolute and undoubting trust in the love of God.” = A. W. Thorold

Spiritual recipe

Our Daily Bread
I like to cook. Sometimes I follow the recipe exactly, like when I make bread in my bread machine. Using too much of this or not enough of that can cause problems with the end product.

Our spiritual lives can be like that, too. God gave us the spiritual recipe of faith, prayer, Bible study, and serving others. Is it possible to screw up this recipe even though it is from God? We are human -- of course we can!  As Paul said, faith without works is useless.  Works without faith is also useless as well. Having balance in our recipe is the way to create a wonderful life that is pleasing to God and the closest thing that we will find to heaven on this earth!

You gave us the recipe, O God. Please help us live it!

Wellness Wednesday
There are some updated guidelines for eating well. Just like we have the ingredients and amounts of ingredients for the recipe for our spiritual lives, we need to have the correct foods in our diets for our physical lives!  Here is the article.

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Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you in her loving arms!

Do something

Our Daily Bread
There is a song by Matthew West called Do Something. Here is the video.

Doesn't this song sound very cool when put into context of Matthew 25:31-40?

Check out the Matthew passage, then watch the video. Yes, more homework for this week (see below).

Lord, you made us to be doers of your Word, not just hearers only.

Teaching Tuesday
We had an interesting lesson about belief last night in EFM. In short, we talked about the gap in integrating belief, behavior and doctrine in our multicultural world.  Very interesting stuff.

We asked ourselves a few questions based on the article:
What do I believe?
How do I believe?
Who do I believe?
How do I experience my belief?

At the end, we were asked to write a collect (a prayer) to express our beliefs.
Dear God...            (naming of God's aspects)
You ...                    (connect situation of the image to that aspect)
We pray that...       (petition of our hearts)
So that......              (result we desire)
Amen.

Here is mine:
Dear God of he Old Testament and the New Testament, of silence and experiences, of peace and justice,
You draw us closer if we let you.
We pray that we are open to your Holy Spirit
So you can fulfill your purposes in us.
Amen

Think about these things this week. Try writing your own collect.

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If you can take it, you can make it (from the movie Unbroken). I prefer to say, "If you forsake it, He will take it".

Mawwidge....

Our Daily Bread
Every time I read the word "marriage" I think about the wedding scene from The Princess Bride.  Yes, I am a silly old bear. I dream of the time when I can in front of a minister who would jokingly start my wedding ceremony that way!  Check it out for a few laughs 

I have been fortunate to know several couples over the years that have/had an enduring love. What a blessing! It took hard work and commitment to each other. It took other things that I guess I don't understand, but hope to some day. Let's say a prayer of thanks for those folks who inspire us to keep searching, keep working hard, keep loving. Amen!

Sometimes the love we feel at home helps us show love to others.

Movie Monday
I haven't had a lot of time for movies the past month or two, but I am trying to watch all the movies nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. I watched these over the weekend, both great movies about very smart men.

The Imitation Game
This is the story from the life of Alan Turing, who many consider the father of the computer.  It was an amazing performance by Benedict Cumberbatch, for which he received a Best Actor nod. Great movie that had you involved throughout. I read about Mr Turing and his sexual orientation. I didn't realize they would address it in the movie. It reminded me we have come a long way with LGBT rights. We still have a long way to go.

The Theory of Everything
I can understand why Eddie Redmayne received the Best Actor nod and why this movie the Best Picture nomination. Wow. Very good movie and from what I understand, a good representation of the life of Steven Hawking.  He is arguably one of the smartest men to ever live. His unbelievable achievements came after he found out he had Lou Gehrigs disease. He was given two years to live. He is still alive today against all odds. A mind is a terrible thing to waste.  He didn't!

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I got this -- God