Sunday, January 22, 2006
Lectionary readings :
Genesis 15:1-6
Hebrews 11:1-6
Luke 17:5-10 (but please read from the beginning of the chapter)
A bit messy, particularly since the original (held Sunday) is very much based on some proverbial phrases and puns in my native language.
Sometimes I need to read more than just the lectionary-reading to get a handle on what the texts of the day is about. This is the case today.
And if I do that, 3 rather heavy subjects come up :
Faith
Forgiveness
Servitude
... try coupling them with
Faith
Hope
Charity
Fairly good match, eh :-)
To me these 3 (both sets) are Christian duties.
You have a duty to forgive, when you are asked to do so ! If someone sins against you, you and regret that, and ask your forgiveness, you have a duty to forgive them, because you are God's, and God does forgive trespassers who ask forgiveness.
You have a duty to trust in God. To believe that you are something, because you are God's, and whatever is God's is most certainly not worthless.
You have a duty to serve God, because you are God's creation, God's creature, God's child.
So, the short-hand version could be :
You are not your own, you are God's
And that can be quite hard to know and to live.
To know that you have a duty, at all times, to strive to be what you are ... God's
Not strive to be God or to be god-like. You are created more God-like than you think in ordinary life, seeing that you are created in the image of God :-), no, the duty I'm writing about here is the duty to do as you are told and say "Thank you " afterwards.
Because that is what a servant has to do.
What s/he is told.
Go about your life and your duties, Christian and secular, in the best way you can.
And that really doesn't fit into the 21st century very well.
"I deserve ..."
"I'm entitled to ..."
"I want ...."
... And frankly, its not fair to expect me to just give and give. I have rights you know !
... rights ?
Aren't all your rights founded in the most unreasonable, un-fair ... fact of them all ? That you are alive ! That you are a living soul !
Did you deserve being born ?
Is your being alive a right that you have earned ?
Have you paid for just one of your heart-beats ?
No. You haven't have you :-)
You just take it for granted .... as most of us do most of the time.
But that shouldn't make us forget that life itself is something we have been given freely in the first place.
Just because it is to our advantage, it doesn't mean that it is fair and just :-)
And then there is love.
"No-one ever loved me !" cries the wo/man in despair.
But that is not true !
Someone loves you.
Present tense.
And He has loved you so much, that He took on flesh and blood and became all human.
For you !
He loved you so much, that He lived a full, human life.
For you !
And He died, because He was fully human. And His death was cruel and painful. Not so that you should suffer, or feel bad about putting Him through suffering, no, He did it to set you free from suffering.
He lived and died, and broke the gates of Death, so that you can know that you are loved !
He lived and died, and broke the gates of Hell, to give you the means to open the gates of Heaven.
For your neighbour and for yourself.
... life and love ...
Not exactly things of little or no matter.
But they are, what your duties are founded in.
That you have been given.
... naturally, life and love isn't exactly trendy, and you can't get a new one in 3 months when this one becomes unfashionable ... on the other hand, I find them somewhat more useful in the long run than a new pair of jeans or the accessory of the month.
So, the un-fairness that the duties of Faith, Forgiveness,and Servitude (or Faith, Hope and Charity) are founded on, is the un-fairness that you have been given.
Life, love and eternity.
... perhaps not the height of fashion, but still ... it is something, isn't it :-)
God bless you
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Readings :
Jeremiah 17:12-14
1st Letter of John 2:28-3:3
Gospel of John 4:5-26
- - -
"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
- - -
It is told, that when everything began, the earth was emptiness and nothing. But God brought a spring of water forth, and it watered all of the earth.
And God planted his own garden there, at the spring. The garden we call Paradise. East of Eden. And from this spring and this garden the 4 rivers of life went to all the corners of the world and brought life.
Because life and water belongs together.
And that is why creation cannot flourish and grow without the river that carries the water of life.
- - -
It is also told, that when the patriarch Jacob had finished his two times 7 years of servitude with his wifes' father, his uncle Laban, he longs for home.
The home of his father.
But ... there is a teeeeeny tiny problem.
Back then, he fled his home, in mortal fear for his older brother... quite reasonable fear ... seeing that he had cheated his elder brother out of everything : heritage and blessing. Actually, Jacob is a cheater ... and a heel (the name "Jacob" can mean "heel" ... interesting, eh ?)
But he leaves, packs up his wifes and concubines, children, servants and animals, and leaves.
And as the caravan draws closer to home, he becomes increasingly ... afraid.
So, he splits up the caravan.
Sends animals and servants in several contingents to his brother to soften him.
Takes what is left and split up in two, sends one set with one wife, the other set with the other. And at last he stands alone.
Stands at the brook of Jabboq and has to cross the river.
Everything he fears is on the other side ... but so is everything he loves.
And he stands, poised between fear and longing. Debating ... perhaps even battling within.
And finally, as the sun sets, he sets foot in the water and prepares to cross.
But halfway over, he is stopped.
Someone stops him, prevents him from crossing.
And finally, his object is clear. He will cross !
And so ... they fight.
They fight all night. And during the fight, Jacob realize that this is no ordinary man. This must be an angel !
And when dawn comes, the angel tries to leave ... but Jacob holds him. Hold on to him for dear life.
"I will not let you go until you bless me !"
And the angel strikes Jacob. Hard. So hard, that he will limp for the rest of his life, and still, he does not let go.
And it works. He gets his blessing ! ... and a new name.
And as the sun rises, Jacob comes out of the river, out of the water. A new man. He has fought the hardest adversary of them all : himself and his own, inner deamons and fears. He has fought a messenger of God. And he has won.
A new blessing.
A new name.
A new life.
- - -
It is also told, that a man walked in the desert. A mad man. A wild man. Preaching repentance. Preaching salvation. And baptizing. He takes people and submerge them in water, symbolically drowning what was there of evil and sin. Bringing them up again, cleansed and ready to start a new life.
He worked at the river of Jordan and we know him as John. John who baptize. John the Baptist. And one day, a man comes to him, who wants to be baptized. A man, who wants to be drowned and reborn, ordained to a new life.
And John recognizes the man.
Not because he sees him as cousin Jesus from Nazareth, but because he sees the son of God, his Saviour. And John sinks down, whispering : You should baptize me. I cannot ordain you.
But Jesus just smiles and says : Let that happen which should happen.
And they go into the river, together. And John takes Jesus down, under the waters, and when He comes up, a light bursts out from Heaven, the Spirit of God comes down, in the shape of a dove, and a voice is heard saying : This is my beloved son.
In the imperfect baptism of John, Jesus is acknowledged as the son of God, and He takes on the burden of being that. Of being our life in both life and death.
- - -
And then we arrive at our own baptism.
I know that this is one of the bones of contention between the many versions of Christianity that abounds, and for that reason, I will not go into details or imply that one is "the right one" and that the others, therefore, are wrong.
Just a few notes, that I hope will be ... in-offensive to most that call themselves Christian :
The "ordinary water", which in my corner of Christianity is whatever comes out of the tap that day, is transformed into the water of life when we use it to baptize. Not through magic, but through faith.
The watermark that is put on the person baptized, be it a baby or a grown-up, is for life. It can never be taken off !
When we are baptized, we are marked, for eternity, by the spring of life.
When we are baptized, the little seeds of our faith are watered, and can grow into big trees ... given time :-)
When we are baptized, we are given access to that well of water which gives life.
Here and forever more.
God bless you
Readings :
Jeremiah 17:12-14
1st Letter of John 2:28-3:3
Gospel of John 4:5-26
- - -
"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
- - -
It is told, that when everything began, the earth was emptiness and nothing. But God brought a spring of water forth, and it watered all of the earth.
And God planted his own garden there, at the spring. The garden we call Paradise. East of Eden. And from this spring and this garden the 4 rivers of life went to all the corners of the world and brought life.
Because life and water belongs together.
And that is why creation cannot flourish and grow without the river that carries the water of life.
- - -
It is also told, that when the patriarch Jacob had finished his two times 7 years of servitude with his wifes' father, his uncle Laban, he longs for home.
The home of his father.
But ... there is a teeeeeny tiny problem.
Back then, he fled his home, in mortal fear for his older brother... quite reasonable fear ... seeing that he had cheated his elder brother out of everything : heritage and blessing. Actually, Jacob is a cheater ... and a heel (the name "Jacob" can mean "heel" ... interesting, eh ?)
But he leaves, packs up his wifes and concubines, children, servants and animals, and leaves.
And as the caravan draws closer to home, he becomes increasingly ... afraid.
So, he splits up the caravan.
Sends animals and servants in several contingents to his brother to soften him.
Takes what is left and split up in two, sends one set with one wife, the other set with the other. And at last he stands alone.
Stands at the brook of Jabboq and has to cross the river.
Everything he fears is on the other side ... but so is everything he loves.
And he stands, poised between fear and longing. Debating ... perhaps even battling within.
And finally, as the sun sets, he sets foot in the water and prepares to cross.
But halfway over, he is stopped.
Someone stops him, prevents him from crossing.
And finally, his object is clear. He will cross !
And so ... they fight.
They fight all night. And during the fight, Jacob realize that this is no ordinary man. This must be an angel !
And when dawn comes, the angel tries to leave ... but Jacob holds him. Hold on to him for dear life.
"I will not let you go until you bless me !"
And the angel strikes Jacob. Hard. So hard, that he will limp for the rest of his life, and still, he does not let go.
And it works. He gets his blessing ! ... and a new name.
And as the sun rises, Jacob comes out of the river, out of the water. A new man. He has fought the hardest adversary of them all : himself and his own, inner deamons and fears. He has fought a messenger of God. And he has won.
A new blessing.
A new name.
A new life.
- - -
It is also told, that a man walked in the desert. A mad man. A wild man. Preaching repentance. Preaching salvation. And baptizing. He takes people and submerge them in water, symbolically drowning what was there of evil and sin. Bringing them up again, cleansed and ready to start a new life.
He worked at the river of Jordan and we know him as John. John who baptize. John the Baptist. And one day, a man comes to him, who wants to be baptized. A man, who wants to be drowned and reborn, ordained to a new life.
And John recognizes the man.
Not because he sees him as cousin Jesus from Nazareth, but because he sees the son of God, his Saviour. And John sinks down, whispering : You should baptize me. I cannot ordain you.
But Jesus just smiles and says : Let that happen which should happen.
And they go into the river, together. And John takes Jesus down, under the waters, and when He comes up, a light bursts out from Heaven, the Spirit of God comes down, in the shape of a dove, and a voice is heard saying : This is my beloved son.
In the imperfect baptism of John, Jesus is acknowledged as the son of God, and He takes on the burden of being that. Of being our life in both life and death.
- - -
And then we arrive at our own baptism.
I know that this is one of the bones of contention between the many versions of Christianity that abounds, and for that reason, I will not go into details or imply that one is "the right one" and that the others, therefore, are wrong.
Just a few notes, that I hope will be ... in-offensive to most that call themselves Christian :
The "ordinary water", which in my corner of Christianity is whatever comes out of the tap that day, is transformed into the water of life when we use it to baptize. Not through magic, but through faith.
The watermark that is put on the person baptized, be it a baby or a grown-up, is for life. It can never be taken off !
When we are baptized, we are marked, for eternity, by the spring of life.
When we are baptized, the little seeds of our faith are watered, and can grow into big trees ... given time :-)
When we are baptized, we are given access to that well of water which gives life.
Here and forever more.
God bless you
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
This is born from some correspondence that came after the first "real" post on this re-surrected blog ... and Martha, this is "your fault" really :-)
With my former post in mind, are are we now throwing ourselves to the floor, screaming "I wanna !!! " ?
Probably not.
It is such an ingrained (and important) part of our identities as Christians, that we should "do unto others ..." and that we must "love our neighbour" ... and that we should show proper humility
And this is where the message gets really tangled.
Because if we act like a greedy, screaming 3-yr old, we are not being humble and we are most definitely not acting in a way that will endear us to our neighbours :-) and we might be demanding something that isn't ours.
First : Loving our neighbour and dealing with others as you would like them to deal with you, and being humble doesn't mean lying down on the floor, imitating a door-mat !
Neither does it mean that you should try to become invisible.
Second : You are not demanding something that isn't already yours ! And God has enough love to go around. Trust me (or rather : trust Him) on this. Love, Christian Love, the kind that Paul calls agape in Greek (and which is usually translated into "charity") isn't used up or worn out by spreading. Quite the contrary. It isn't a piece of soap that becomes smaller and smaller the more you use it.
So, are you afraid to tell God, "I'm here. You know that, but I'm just finding out. Please show me the Gate of Heaven." ? because that will be too .... demanding ?
Or because "someone else" might go without if you get ? And really, you can manage ...
Or is it because you are actually afraid that you WILL get ? and you feel that you don't deserve it ?
Don't be afraid :-)
You are not depriving anyone, by asking God to give you what is already yours.
You are not cheating by asking to know, in your soul, what you have already been given.
You are not greedy, if you ask for clarification.
You don't have to say "I know others might need this more".
And, most importantly, do you really want to question God's wisdom ?
If God sees fit to give you, shouldn't you just open yourself, heart and hands, eyes and spirit, and say "Thank you" ?
Frankly : You need, what God wants to give you.
What is more : Others need your faith and your love !
Just as they need the love of God.
So ... go for it :-)
God bless you.
With my former post in mind, are are we now throwing ourselves to the floor, screaming "I wanna !!! " ?
Probably not.
It is such an ingrained (and important) part of our identities as Christians, that we should "do unto others ..." and that we must "love our neighbour" ... and that we should show proper humility
And this is where the message gets really tangled.
Because if we act like a greedy, screaming 3-yr old, we are not being humble and we are most definitely not acting in a way that will endear us to our neighbours :-) and we might be demanding something that isn't ours.
First : Loving our neighbour and dealing with others as you would like them to deal with you, and being humble doesn't mean lying down on the floor, imitating a door-mat !
Neither does it mean that you should try to become invisible.
Second : You are not demanding something that isn't already yours ! And God has enough love to go around. Trust me (or rather : trust Him) on this. Love, Christian Love, the kind that Paul calls agape in Greek (and which is usually translated into "charity") isn't used up or worn out by spreading. Quite the contrary. It isn't a piece of soap that becomes smaller and smaller the more you use it.
So, are you afraid to tell God, "I'm here. You know that, but I'm just finding out. Please show me the Gate of Heaven." ? because that will be too .... demanding ?
Or because "someone else" might go without if you get ? And really, you can manage ...
Or is it because you are actually afraid that you WILL get ? and you feel that you don't deserve it ?
Don't be afraid :-)
You are not depriving anyone, by asking God to give you what is already yours.
You are not cheating by asking to know, in your soul, what you have already been given.
You are not greedy, if you ask for clarification.
You don't have to say "I know others might need this more".
And, most importantly, do you really want to question God's wisdom ?
If God sees fit to give you, shouldn't you just open yourself, heart and hands, eyes and spirit, and say "Thank you" ?
Frankly : You need, what God wants to give you.
What is more : Others need your faith and your love !
Just as they need the love of God.
So ... go for it :-)
God bless you.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Good Sunday afternoon.
Today's blog is a short sketch of a sermon ... a skeleton, you might say.
Today's readings in my corner of Christianity was :
Psalm 8
Collossians 1:15-19
Mark 10:13-16
- - -
Now, in this corner of Christianity, we baptize children, and we read the passage from Mark every time. It's part of the baptismal readings. This means, that both I and the regular church-goers think we know all about it.
But think.
Unless you receive the Kingdom of Heaven like a litltle child, you won't be admitted at all !
This makes it quite ... essential to find out what sets a child apart from adults ... apart from size and physical development.
The ... traditional take on this passage, frequently makes me slightly nauseous. It's something with glittery pictures, and quite un-child-like children in clothes that stay clean and whole, and a Jesus who is slightly blonde with a good hair-day, well-coiffed sheep ....
I'm sure you get my drift.
This isn't even fairy-tale ! because fairy-tales know that children aren't necessarily good and obedient and well-behaved and ....
... well ... they aren't ... as anyone who has had any kind of close interaction with real children will know :-)
"The innocent ones" are selfish little buggers with a keen eye on what's in it for them. And that's not because they are evil. That's because they haven't yet acquired that thin layer of varnish which enables adults to have a hidden agenda.
A 3-yr old who wants an ice-cream can nag and scream and physically throw himself around to an extent which can be painful in the extreme to the parent, and most 3-yr olds knows in detail how long it will take for the parent to cave in. And believe me, if it usually takes 30 minutes, that's how long they will scream ! They aren't stupid ! ... and they know what they want.
And if we take this with us into today's Gospel, we get a picture which is very far removed from the traditional "pretty picture" version.
So, here's my suggestions, based on that reading :
Seek the Realm of God with the same, one-eyed determination that a 3-year old can use to get an ice-cream. Do not budge ! Shout, scream and DEMAND that you get access !
Because ... what's in it for you is good :-) and you know it !
What's in it for you is life, which is not measured in hours and days and years, but in heartbeats.
What's in it for you is the peace, which is not just absence of violence, but which is growth and joy. Creation at work with Creator. God and man re-conciled.
What's in it for you is love, comfort, grace, acceptance, help ... everything a child needs from a parent.
So ... storm against the gates of Heaven ! knowing that the answer to the childish question of "What's in it for me" is ... everything !
You are a child of God :-)
Be that :-)
God bless you.
Today's blog is a short sketch of a sermon ... a skeleton, you might say.
Today's readings in my corner of Christianity was :
Psalm 8
Collossians 1:15-19
Mark 10:13-16
- - -
Now, in this corner of Christianity, we baptize children, and we read the passage from Mark every time. It's part of the baptismal readings. This means, that both I and the regular church-goers think we know all about it.
But think.
Unless you receive the Kingdom of Heaven like a litltle child, you won't be admitted at all !
This makes it quite ... essential to find out what sets a child apart from adults ... apart from size and physical development.
The ... traditional take on this passage, frequently makes me slightly nauseous. It's something with glittery pictures, and quite un-child-like children in clothes that stay clean and whole, and a Jesus who is slightly blonde with a good hair-day, well-coiffed sheep ....
I'm sure you get my drift.
This isn't even fairy-tale ! because fairy-tales know that children aren't necessarily good and obedient and well-behaved and ....
... well ... they aren't ... as anyone who has had any kind of close interaction with real children will know :-)
"The innocent ones" are selfish little buggers with a keen eye on what's in it for them. And that's not because they are evil. That's because they haven't yet acquired that thin layer of varnish which enables adults to have a hidden agenda.
A 3-yr old who wants an ice-cream can nag and scream and physically throw himself around to an extent which can be painful in the extreme to the parent, and most 3-yr olds knows in detail how long it will take for the parent to cave in. And believe me, if it usually takes 30 minutes, that's how long they will scream ! They aren't stupid ! ... and they know what they want.
And if we take this with us into today's Gospel, we get a picture which is very far removed from the traditional "pretty picture" version.
So, here's my suggestions, based on that reading :
Seek the Realm of God with the same, one-eyed determination that a 3-year old can use to get an ice-cream. Do not budge ! Shout, scream and DEMAND that you get access !
Because ... what's in it for you is good :-) and you know it !
What's in it for you is life, which is not measured in hours and days and years, but in heartbeats.
What's in it for you is the peace, which is not just absence of violence, but which is growth and joy. Creation at work with Creator. God and man re-conciled.
What's in it for you is love, comfort, grace, acceptance, help ... everything a child needs from a parent.
So ... storm against the gates of Heaven ! knowing that the answer to the childish question of "What's in it for me" is ... everything !
You are a child of God :-)
Be that :-)
God bless you.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
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