Which Shepherd?

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for [the shepherd], and the sheep hear his voice.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.  They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.”  Gospel of John 10:3-5

What is most disturbing about the 2016 presidential race is not the unusually harsh rhetoric or the “Twitter wars” or even the juvenile name-calling.  What is most profoundly disturbing are the many Christians who rabidly claim one candidate or another *or* the many more Christians who gleefully slander the opposing candidate with misinformation, half-baked information, or downright false information, all the while feeling perfectly justified while doing so.

Even this, however, is not nearly as disturbing as the profound silence from the Church universal.  Oh, we hear plenty from churches (little “c”) and various denominations, but the Church (big “C”) does not speak boldly with a prophetic voice on behalf of the Only One who can save, the Only One who can truly shepherd a people.  Churches are speaking to specific social issues (for or against), but few are truly speaking on behalf of The Great Shepherd Himself.

There is a key component of Jesus’ discourse in John’s Gospel we Christians would do well to pay closer attention to, and that is this grossly misunderstood statement: “They [the sheep] will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers”. 

Christians may have convinced themselves they more clearly recognize the voice of the Shepherd; but if Christians and churches (again, little “c”) are doing more speaking for a particular candidate than they are for The Great Shepherd, which is truly “the stranger”?  Too many are so diligently following one candidate or the other that it seems clear (at a glance, at least) whom is being followed.  Sadly, it isn’t Jesus they are hearing and responding to.  Rather, in our public political discourse, Jesus Himself appears to be “the stranger” from whom these are running.

This is not to say Christian citizens should not vote their own consciences or ask hard questions and demand reasonable answers from their chosen candidates.  Indeed we all must, but this isn’t about exercising responsible civic duty.  This is entirely about what it means to be disciples of Christ, members of the Body of Christ in which Christ Jesus alone is the Head, the Holy Church united not in foreign or domestic public policy but united in doctrine, in purpose, and in mission to share the Gospel of The Lord and make disciples who are equipped to make disciples themselves.  If we are not fully devoted to Christ, we are something less than Christian.

St. Paul wrote to the Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (3:28).  If this same apostle were to write a letter to the Church in America, surely he would also state “there is neither Republican nor Democrat … for you are all [supposed to be] one in Christ, not in Trump nor in Clinton …”

This is also not about whether one is “saved”; it is entirely about whether one is “faithful” … and to whom we are being faithful.  Publicly slandering anyone is not faithfulness; it is foolishness.  The only “foolishness” Christians must be privy to and engaged with is the “foolishness of the Cross”, (1 Corinthians 1:18).  For all the talk about those who are “perishing”, it may well be the churches (maybe even the Church) perishing under the weight of its own disobedience and faithlessness.

It is a safe bet The Lord has not ordained anyone with such filthy mouths and deceptive practices to “shepherd” the Church in the United States.  We have but one Shepherd who has already given all He had to give in order to lead us to blessedness and safety and security and prosperity.  Hear Him before hearing others, and soon come to know who the real “stranger” is and who the real “Shepherd” is; for anything less than “Life” (John 14:6) is death.

4th Sunday of Pentecost: Of Sacred Worth in Sacred Trust

1 Kings 21:1-20

Luke 7:36-50

“We affirm (rather than “assign”) that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God.”  ¶161, Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church

When we are baptized we are set apart from the rest of the world, having been claimed exclusively by The Lord and brought into His Covenant, His Church.  Baptism, then, is much more than a mere rite of passage.  As a Sacrament of the Church, we understand baptism to be an initiation into something broader and more fully encompassing than even we realize.  It takes a lifetime to live into what baptism truly means – a lifetime of more than mere devotion to self.

The challenge of baptism for us, however, is that nothing on the surface really seems to change so much.  The world is still pretty much as it always has been.  There is still plenty of heartache, exploitation, injustice, hunger for food and fellowship and comfort and peace, and it seems clear few really care that we are baptized, reborn by “water and the Spirit” (John 3:5) into a relationship that can never be fully understood in the context of the world into which we are born nor can it be understand as strictly “personal”.

What’s more, the Bible reads like a fantasy book filled with stories of the poor, the weak, the marginalized coming out on top in the end; and those who would exploit these weak, poor souls finally get what’s coming to them.  The stories express hope in The Lord, comfort in His Covenant, and peace in the world which is to come.  Yet it is this world we must contend with.  It is the stories in the daily news we read as the reality we seem stuck with; stories which seem to prove the good die young, and the wicked always come out on top.

By faith we know our God is always going to get the last word when the wicked and the greedy take unfair advantage to get what they want, but we do not always get to see the final outcome.  I do not know that we ever will.  Maybe there will come a time when we will rest in the “bosom of Abraham” (Luke 16:22) and see those on the other side begging Abraham for mercy, but we must also consider the possibility that someone else – someone we victimized, someone we stepped over, someone in distress we overlooked and never made peace with – will be looking down upon us.

For the contemporary notion of what it means to be “saved”, I think maybe we do not give enough thought or attention to the reality that being baptized and confirmed into the Holy Covenant imparts to us a “Sacred Trust”, rather than a personal privilege; a Sacred Trust that requires more from us than we realize or can even fully appreciate if we allow the moment to pass as only a “church practice”, a “thing” it is time to do. 

“We Americans have to unlearn some of the ways of individualism that we absorb uncritically, and we must relearn the craft of community living.”  Writer Rod Dreher made this observation in an article published in “The American Conservative” about the so-called “Benedict Option”.  Though the “Benedict Option” cannot be fully understood in a single statement, the idea that “we Americans have to unlearn some of the ways of individualism that we absorb uncritically” is thematic to the whole of the Option.  That is, we are baptized into a Body, a community, what is known in the Greek as the “ecclesia”, the congregation of The Lord.  We enter into a community, a covenant of shared responsibility.  “To each his own” has no place in this community.

What is revealed in this simple statement is the reality that we have become so enculturated to the American Ideal of “rugged individualism” we have “absorbed so uncritically” – that is, with little or no thought - that we have lost our sense of who we are in the larger context of the community, the Church, the Holy Covenant.  We have become so “personally” saved that we don’t really give a rip about anyone other than ourselves.  It is that very shallow notion of “saved-ness” that allows us to hate others with a clear conscience.

We have become so caught up in taking care of ourselves and getting our own way that we have all but forgotten (assuming we ever knew) our Holy Charge; that Sacred Trust which acknowledges the biblical reality that “to whom much is given, all the more will be required” (Luke 12:48).  That is, we have been given much in this world because there is much to be done for the World To Come.

King Ahab had no real concept of what it meant to be Israel’s king (1 Kings 21).  To him, it was about power and personal privilege.  He had no idea about the enormous responsibility that came with such a Sacred Trust.  The same can be said of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50).  He believed himself to have been put in a position of authority as a teacher and enforcer of the Torah, the Law.  Indeed he was in such a position of authority, but the fuller meaning of Divine Law had clearly been lost on him so much so that he did not even think to offer to Jesus the very basic of cultural courtesy which was due a guest in his home.

Each of these persons of authority – and even King David in the murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 11, 12)!! – lost all sense of all they had been entrusted with and why they were so entrusted.  They “absorbed uncritically” (without thoughtful introspection) all they had at their disposal that they became overwhelmed with a sense of personal privilege.  Within that Sacred Trust they had no concept of the Sacred Worth assigned to the entire human race created in The Divine Image – even the “sinners”! 

I have no doubt most of us believe we really are doing the very best we can do with whatever we have at our disposal, but I also think we do not “critically” consider how much we really have.  We measure ourselves and our worth according to cultural and social standards that are incompatible with covenantal standards. 

We live in an age in which those who lack have somehow been convinced they have been cheated out of what they are entitled to, never “critically” considering … well, anything.  Caught up especially in an election year in which it is customary for politicians to promise all things to all people, we have allowed this shallow narrative to convince us we are coming up short through no fault of our own.

Some are coming up short, but not always in the way they think because they are listening to the wrong narrative.  Public policy debates even within the Church pertaining to doctrinal disputes have become so loud, so bitter, so resentful, so malicious that we have forgotten the Sacred Trust inherent to the Holy Covenant. 

We have forgotten that the Sacred Worth assigned to us is the same Sacred Worth assigned to all by the God who “shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34).  I will grant that we sometimes get pushed to our limits, especially when the nature of sin itself is not always “critically” considered and respected for its destructive power more than it is considered something personally offensive to us.  We only use the Bible incidentally to make our own case without fully understanding the holy nature of the Sacred Trust. 

This, I think, is what Simon the Pharisee was being called on.  He was so caught up in the woman’s sin and the response he expected from Jesus to back him up that he failed to look upon the woman as a human being of genuine Sacred Worth, the worth measured by The Lord rather than by humans.  He could only see her sins for which she was apparently well known, and he expected Jesus to do the right thing, the cultural thing, even the religious thing; to shun her for the sinner she was, unworthy of any human consideration.

We’re pretty good at this; a little too good at it, I’m afraid, for our own spiritual well-being.  We are so caught up in our own “saved-ness”, our own self-righteousness, that we are virtually incapable of seeing others with anything less than with disdain and contempt because they do not fit our preconceived cultural molds of what is proper.  Yet when The Word calls on our contempt and our narrow vision, we often become even more resentful, more contemptuous than before!  Repentance is for “them”!  Not for us.

As baptized Christians confirmed in the faith, however, we must not lose sight of the Sacred Trust which comes with baptism in discipleship.  I think if we were more aware of the The Lord’s Covenant and put less emphasis on “personal” salvation, we may get a better sense of the Sacred Worth of others within the Sacred Trust placed upon us.  And when we are able (and willing!) to do this, we will get a better sense of the Body we truly are a part of, the Body of Christ; and “church” won’t be quite the dirty word it has become in our society.

If we truly desire a transformed society, it must begin within the Body of Christ – not within the US Congress or the White House.  Let us therefore strive to become more aware of what we are called into rather than what we think we have been “saved” from; for when we are more aware of who we truly are, we will become more aware of who our “neighbors” are also in Christ.  Only then will the transformation begin.  Amen.

Where We Are - 3rd Sunday after Pentecost

Ezekiel 3:1-9

1 John 3:10-15

John 15:18-25

“There are just some kinds of people who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.”  Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

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It has been said there are two important moments in every person’s life; when we are born, and when we finally come to know why we were born.  That idea has been attributed to Mark Twain, but I heard it in the introductory monologue to the series, “Roots”, which played on the History Channel this past week. 

I cannot wrap my mind around the idea of being captured when we could not really know we should have been running, branded as livestock to eliminate any sense of self, and then thrown chained and shackled into the hold of a ship with no idea of what was to happen next – certainly with no real idea about why any of this was happening.

White Europeans had been coming to trade in western Africa for at least a couple hundred years prior to the 18^th century, so white men were not so strange to these Africans.  Some had even learned to speak some English but only for the purposes of trading.  How did this friendly trade relationship morphed into an idea of buying and selling human beings on so large a scale? 

The reality is slavery had been around for a very long time – the nature of which usually revolves around power and dominance.  Rival clans not only gained power by trading members of other clans for guns; they also gained territorial power by simply getting rid of rival clan members who posed a potential threat to them.

So author Alex Haley had been trying to make sense of this whole thing by wondering if the capture of “Kunta Kinta” and so many millions of other Africans could serve any useful purpose beyond the profit.  Later in America when “Kunta Kinte” was whipped to within an inch of his life for refusing to embrace his new American name, his friend and mentor “Fiddler” was tending to his torn back.  While he was dressing the deep wounds, he told “Kunta”, “This ain’t your home, but it’s where you got to be”.

How could something so evil ultimately serve a useful purpose, even a Divine purpose?  Recall that Joseph, Isaac’s beloved son, the “dreamer” had been sold by his own brothers and for much the same reasons!  They got a little coin but more importantly perhaps, they got rid of this nuisance who kept dreaming that one day his family would be paying homage to him!  Power.  Dominance.  Doing whatever is necessary to eliminate a potential threat.

Joseph came to know later it was The Lord who had a hand in everything in keeping Isaac’s family from starving to death, The Lord protecting His Covenant with Abraham.  Coming to know this, Joseph was able to forgive his brothers for having done this terrible thing to him.  He came to fully appreciate that while Egypt was not his home, it was still where he had to be: to serve a much greater purpose beyond himself. 

Because it was not about Joseph.  It never was.

So here we are in 21^st-century America, often wishing we were back in the 1950’s when things seemed so idyllic.  In post-war America, families went to church.  Men were men, women were women, and many families made do on one salary.  Children were not latchkey kids.  They were supervised and protected even by neighbors.  Gangs and gang warfare were the stuff of big cities, and it was almost unheard of to see a teacher’s photo and name splashed across the front page of the daily newspapers for having had an inappropriate relationship with a student.

And we seem to have lost all that as the “Greatest Generation” slowly fades.  What they helped to build is crumbling around us, and it seems beyond our control to do anything about it.  Perhaps we wonder if we will somehow be destroyed along with everything and everyone else. 

Why can’t The Lord just end it all, take all us “saved” folks Home where we think we belong, and restore all things as The Word has assured us will one day certainly happen?

We are more compelled to ask, however: why should He?  Why should The Lord intervene when we won’t?  Why should The Lord concern Himself with the “greater good” when His own people are concerned only with themselves?  Indeed how could The Lord intervene if we won’t, we being concerned only with having a “good life” and protecting what we think is “ours”?  

In Jesus’ discourse with His disciples in John’s Gospel, it may have occurred to at least a few of them to ask why they must stay if things really are going to be as bad as Jesus tells them it would be.  So when we talk about pain and suffering and fear and helplessness and uncertainty, asking the unanswerable question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”, we fail to make the connection between what Jesus told His disciples then … and what He still tells His disciples now. 

The disciples then had a purpose that would extend beyond Jesus’ time on this earth and certainly beyond themselves as individuals.  How have we managed to convince ourselves we should somehow be immune from what they had to endure?  Because we think we’re “saved”??

“Saved” for what?

Their world was falling apart, too.  They could not seem to round a corner without the potential of meeting up with “Judiazers”, maybe even coming face to face with the likes of Saul of Tarsus himself.  And I have no doubt they all, at one time or another, questioned why.  Why do things have to be so bad for “me”?  Why does my family have to live in fear?  What is the point of my “salvation” if it gets me nothing in this world?

All these, of course, are the wrong questions for a disciple to ask.  There is nothing, absolutely nothing written in the whole of the Bible to suggest in any way that we should expect to be immune from what the disciples before us endured – not strictly because they were “Christians” but because they were active witnesses to something greater than any moment, greater than any person, greater than any personal desire or demand.  They were “testifying” to what they knew beyond this world, not demanding this world to respect their “rights”.  It wasn’t about “me” then, and it isn’t about “me” now.

It is ok to pray for peace.  It is even ok to pray when we are afraid, but above all else is our duty to pray for clarity.  We are where we are – and when we are – for His purposes.  Though there are certainly unplanned pregnancies, there is no such thing as an accidental or incidental life that serves no holy purpose … not in Christ, and certainly not by the Hand of the One who created us so “fearfully and wonderfully”. 

I think, though, the reason we get so caught up in all that’s wrong is because we are almost completely oblivious to all we must be doing that could be so right.  It is the atheist who believes his life has no meaning, no purpose beyond himself.  It is how “children of the devil” (1 John 3:10) are revealed – when they are only concerned with themselves.

Yet we “must not be astonished that the world hates us, for we [should] know we have passed from death to life because we love one another” (1 John 3:13-14).  We are not “victims”.  We never have been, and we never will be as long as Christ is in us and we in Christ.  “We ain’t home, but we are where we got to be”. 

Because our Holy Father needs us here.  Because the world and those who live in darkness have been entrusted to our care.  It is why we are born, and it is why we are here.  To the Glory of Almighty God and for the sake of His Eternal Word.  Amen.

The Weakest Link as the Point of Strength

Isaiah 1:16-20
Romans 14:14-23
Luke 7:1-10

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”  Mother Teresa of Calcutta

We have surely heard the adage, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”  And we know this to be true because the point of weakness is where the chain will break when stressed.  The overall strength of the chain to serve its purpose can only be measured at its weakest point.

The very same must be said of any community, any sort of congregation of people regardless of their purpose for gathering.  We may have convinced ourselves that our strength is measured by individual might or wealth, by military power or political connections, or by any number of other measures of value in the secular world.  But “Do not, for the sake of food [or other weakness], destroy the work of God” (Romans 14:20).

There may indeed be a measure of power in these things - temporal thought they may be – but the hard truth is we as a community, as a congregation of the people of The Lord, can only be as strong as the weakest and most frail among us – because the true strength of any community, any congregation, any nation is measured in how we treat the weakest among us – even if they are not directly a part of “us”.

What is so revealing in Luke’s Gospel is not the miracle of Jesus healing the centurion’s slave without actually touching him.  It is most revealing in understanding that the centurion, a Roman military commander, was not actually considered a part of the community, the congregation of the people.  Even though he was considered friendly to them, he was still an outsider, a “foreigner”.  So, too, was his slave.

Now we may be tempted to think the Jewish elders agreed to go to Jesus with this request from the centurion because of “quid pro quo” – returning favor for favor – and there may be some merit to this; but we may also consider that since Jesus had come “only” to the House of Israel (Matthew 15:24), going to this Roman was out of line. 

Yet we should also consider something much broader and with much more depth than “getting saved” as the only reason to have an encounter with Jesus, “the Word which became flesh”.  We are compelled not only to know and appreciate The Word in its fullness; we are compelled also to consider that order to lift up the entire congregation of the House of Jacob, it would be necessary to reach out to the very weakest among them.  And I doubt there were many who would be considered much weaker or more worthless than a sick slave – and a slave to a Roman at that!

In Deuteronomy 24:17 it is written: "You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan [outsider OR insider, both in a position of weakness] … .”  Yet the prayer of the psalmist also reads: “O Lord, You will hear the desire of the meek; You will strengthen their heart, and You will incline Your Ear to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed so that those from earth may strike terror no more” (Psalm 10:17-18).

We are often quick and sincere to pray The Lord’s mercy on those who are marginalized, who are weak and frail, who are unable (but not unwilling) to fend for themselves.  We pray for justice and we certainly pray for mercy for ourselves and for our loved ones; yet The Lord Himself seems to say, according to His commandments (The Word) and affirmed through His prophets, that justice and mercy, acts of true righteousness and faith, must come from the hands and the hearts of The Lord’s people.  This is how justice is done rather than wished for.  This is how mercy is shown rather than hoped for.

The tone is set early on in Isaiah as The Lord chastises His people for their empty religious ceremonies, assemblies, and offerings.  This is very strange since Exodus and Leviticus are chock full of regulations and rules for worship and sacrifice offerings.  They are not recommended; they are required!

Yet The Lord declares through His prophet, “What to Me is the multitude of your sacrifices … I have had enough of burnt offerings … I do not delight in the blood of bulls or of lambs or of goats … I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity [that is, the presence of sin]” (Isaiah 1:11-13).

So how can there be sin in the midst of doing all the right worship stuff?  We follow the rules of our traditions.  We show up for worship.  We participate in the prayers.  We offer our tithes and other offerings.  We receive the Sacraments of the Church.  We do all the right “religious” things, but something is clearly lacking, says The Lord.  “Remove the evil of your doings from before My eyes.  Cease to do evil, learn to do good.  Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, and plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:16-17).

It would seem, then, that for all the praying we do in asking The Lord to watch over those who cannot fend for themselves, The Lord is tapping His fingers on the arm of His Throne and wondering when we are going to get busy going about His work in looking out for one another.

This is not to say the religious practices are not important.  They are very important for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the very worship of The Lord Himself.  Yet it is impossible to please Him or to offer to Him anything at all if everything we have and everything we do is tainted with the lack of care and concern for the well-being of the whole community.  Not only those we happen to like, or only those who are like us, or only those who can return a favor – but perhaps especially for those we do not particularly like and certainly especially for those who absolutely cannot return a favor.

In Isaiah’s context it would seem only the well-to-do were offering anything at all, effectively trying to buy The Lord’s favor by slaughtering only the best of the livestock (as the regulations require).  Even those who thought perhaps they were only giving what they believed they could spare would not be immune from the Divine Judgment that stated very clearly that no gift, no offer, no sacrifice would be accepted if those who could not participate – for whatever reason - were excluded in any way – not just excluded from the worship gathering but who were excluded from the attention of the community.

The community was failing right before The Lord’s very eyes, and throughout the prophets we get a sense of a very slow degradation of society in general not because no one was giving – but perhaps because so many were only giving to the Temple and to worship but were ignoring the clear social component of Torah, what we call “Law”, in looking after the “least” among them – even the “aliens”. 

What we commonly refer to as “The Law” (what we Christians have been convinced we are excused from) is much more than a list of “thou shalt not’s” – and there are many more than just ten.  The entire Law (Torah) rests on the two Great Commandments to love God and neighbor (Matthew 22:40).  Even St. Paul sums up the entire Law as loving neighbor (Galatians 5:14).  We Christians, however, have marginalized the Divine Law and have reduced the Gospel itself only to “getting saved” or having a “personal” Savior.

We all get a little overwhelmed with need because we can clearly see the needs around us are so great.  Many of us have convinced ourselves we do well to tithe at all, assuming we can actually reach the tithe level.  And the political climate in this country right now is such that we are much more concerned about keeping “outsiders” out for safety’s sake, not realizing or even caring about those who are being categorized unfairly.

We are more acutely aware of potential danger than we are of our own Divine Authority to act in the Holy Name.  We are not a people of Faith; we are a people of Fear.  In this mindset, we harm the very neighbor we are commanded to love as ourselves – and we cheat the community (including ourselves) out of its real strength, the strength found only in wholeness, in holiness.

It is written, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  Before we try pasting that bumper sticker on our cars, maybe we should actually try doing “all things” before we boast about any Christian privilege.  For our privilege AND strength are not in quoting favorite Bible passages … but in living them.  For Him who strengthens us … for those whose strength has faded or has been taken from them.  Only then will we know our true strength.  Amen.

An Open Letter to Open Letter Writers

“Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.  Do not add to His words lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.”  Proverbs 30:5-6

Following the United Methodist General Conference 2016 in Portland OR, there have been “Open Letters to …” written by those who mean to lift up and encourage some but to chastise and perhaps shame the “other” – whomever that “other” may be.  Some “open letters” have been informative perspectives while some have been downright condescending; and regardless of which side (orthodox or not-so-orthodox) one happens to agree with, it has been clear that all the talk of unity in the United Methodist Church is just that: talk. 

We will never be able to shame “others” into agreeing with us nor will we help the conversations along by giving those of our particular camp “ammo” to fire back at those with whom we disagree.  Accusatory language will not go far with those we mean to denigrate since such language usually only steels the resolve of those being accused, and our case will not be made by human reasoning.  As the Teacher maintains in the Proverbs, the purity of our chosen words comes only from the mouth of The Lord. 

We all have something to say, and we all have a right to say it within reason.  As it is often said, however, yelling “fire” in a crowded facility just for giggles is not protected speech, and the reason is simple: people are likely to get hurt in panicked stampedes.  Do we do any less harm in our feeble attempts to slander or shame those we cannot agree with? 

Kenneth L. Carder, in his book, The United Methodist Way: living our beliefs, wrote: “Preachers could, a few decades ago, attract a following through denominational chauvinism.  Condemning other churches and extolling the superiority of one’s own denomination could build churches.  Such a message today receives but isolated response.”

Those decades have long passed us by.  The idea of making others look bad in our feeble attempts to make ourselves look good simply does not wash (sadly, however, it is still the way of electoral politics).  Thinking and reasoning people today demand more, and rightly so.  If they are going to choose to go along with us, they must be shown the virtue of our chosen way rather than the vice of the “other”.  It is not enough to tell people how bad or awful or unjust or ignorant or unenlightened the other may be (in our own opinions, of course), but we can be sure that those who are attracted by such language are themselves bad and awful and unjust and ignorant and unenlightened – taking perverse delight in character assassinations. 

Especially pertaining to theological reasoning (holy language with holy intentions) while claiming to speak in The Lord’s Name, our reasoning must be much more closely connected to the “pure word of God”, recognizing the intimate connection between Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience.  Not “one or another”, but rather “all/and”.  Beginning first with Scripture as the “pure word of God” and the necessary foundation, then we evaluate Tradition AND THEN Reason AND THEN Experience – all within the scope of our Holy Scriptures.  The Church’s tradition is steeped in the Holy Scripture.  Indeed can there be any Church as the biblically defined “Body of Christ” which is substantially disconnected from the very Word which became Flesh?  The same Scripture Jesus Himself came to “fulfill” rather than to do away with?

Sometimes a firm word becomes necessary toward those who have strayed, but a harsh word has been shown over and over to be counter-productive to making earnest disciples of Christ.  As it is written, “A harsh word makes tempers flare” (Proverbs 15:1).  It is no different from threatening fire and brimstone from the pulpit in an attempt to make people afraid of hell.  They may well be sufficiently afraid of hell, but neither are they fully on board with the Kingdom of Heaven.

So to “open letter” writers seeking to make a point at the expense of the “other”: enough.  If we set out to shame the “other” in the name of our God and try to pretend we are holier-than-thou and oh-so-enlightened especially by “adding words” to the Holy Scripture, we will not only fail to make our case on its merit; we will also be revealed as the “liars” we truly are – because our God, and our God alone, is Truth.  Anything less than this Eternal Truth is spoken only by “liars”.  

The Steward's Reward - 1st Sunday after Pentecost

Genesis 1:26-31
Romans 14:1-12
Luke 19:11-27

“Anyone who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and anyone who takes care of a master will be honored.”  Proverbs 27:18

The phone rang at a church.  When the assistant answered, the voice on the other end said, “I want to speak to the Head Hog at the Trough”.  Not being sure of what she thought she heard, she said, “Who?”   The caller again said, “I want to speak to the Head Hog at the Trough”. 

Very indignantly, the assistant said, “Sir, if you are referring to the pastor of the church, you will have to treat him with a little more respect – and ask for ‘The Reverend’ or ‘The Pastor’ – but you must not refer to him as the Head Hog at the Trough”. 

The caller answered back, “Well, I was thinking of donating $10,000 to the building fund”, to which the assistant replied (very quickly), “Hold on.  The Big Pig just walked through the door!”

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Before you begin thinking this may be a sermon about tithing, let me stop you there because a broader understanding of stewardship does not mean only tithing or giving money to a special church fund.  Tithing is very much a part of responsible stewardship, of course; but it is only one component of stewardship.  Stewardship encompasses much more than what we choose to put into the collection plate on Sunday.  Think about it like this: a tithe means 10%.  Would we suggest The Lord is only concerned with 10% of our money or only 10% of our lives? 

At the same time, stewardship principles challenge our sense of priority.  A priority list which puts The Lord first and then stair-steps downward may sound noble and even almost biblical, but it also implies there are segments of our lives and the choices we make that need have no bearing on our religious faith or our devotion to The Lord and His Church. 

That The Lord should come first is, of course, biblical as Jesus teaches us to “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33a), but that decision bears not only on a priority list but in every moment of life and living.  We need not worry about what comes 2^nd or 3^rd if The Lord really is #1. 

Jesus assures us we will be shown what we need to focus on, what will be pleasing in The Lord’s sight, and what will ultimately not only bring Him glory but will make possible for us a much fuller life than we can make for ourselves – “all these things [we truly need] will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33b).  Make no mistake, though; “full life” cannot – and must never - be measured subjectively by material or cultural standards.

So we are compelled to look more closely for a broader understanding of what “dominion” means in the Genesis context, what was intended from the very beginning.  In doing so, we may discover that our God-given “dominion” does not mean we “own” it; and it certainly does not give us license to exploit anything or anyone for personal gain just because we think we can.  Rather we may find that what we mistakenly think of as our own private domain - with no Divine Concern - is not personal privilege or blessing but complete, perfect, holy responsibility. 

Everything we have and everything we do must reflect our abiding faith in The Lord.  “Abiding”; to be completely and unreservedly “in” as Jesus “abides” in the Father and the Father in Him.  For as our Lord says, “The Father and I are One” (John 10:30).

Thus to have “dominion” over all of creation and even to “subdue” it, as some translations read, does not mean to claim it or to dominate it or beat it into submission as an owner would - but to tend it as a manager would for the Rightful Owner, to control it as we have ability, and to use it responsibly as if all has been entrusted to us for a short time for the sole purpose of bringing Him Glory rather than handed over to us to squander at our own discretion.

The responsibility of “dominion” takes on even greater meaning for the Church after the Ascension of The Lord.  Leaving the Church with Her “marching orders” to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19) and to “proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins” (Luke 24:47), and then empowering the Church on Pentecost to do these very things, we find ourselves large and in charge of all creation as in the beginning.  We are placed in The Lord’s creation in this time and space to “till it and keep it” just as Man was charged to do in Eden (Genesis 2:15).

So everything we see, everything we touch, and everything we acquire must be understood as much more than a personal blessing meant only to enrich our own lives.  The concept of personal blessing as opposed to having been entrusted with something much greater has given rise and traction to that false – or very misleading - prosperity gospel narrative that proclaims material wealth as a sign of Divine Favor.  

The seriousness with which we must acknowledge and accept this responsibility as a condition of our baptism and membership in the Holy Church as “slaves of Christ” is emphasized in Jesus’ parable of the “minas” (Luke 11:19-27; known as “talents” in Matthew 25:14-30).  In each, the “pound” or the “talent” are understood as measures of currency.  In reading each passage more broadly, then, we must learn to appreciate all The Lord has left for us to manage, to “keep and to till” until His return – however much or little.  I dare say 10% of what we only think is ours barely scratches the surface.

Now we might be tempted to think we would not really care to be put in charge of anything in the Kingdom which is coming, that we would be perfectly content with that little “corner of a mansion in Glory Land” as the old hymn goes, but that option was not offered to the third slave who did absolutely nothing with his entrusted portion of his master’s wealth.  In the end, that “wicked slave” was left with nothing – not even a little “corner”.  In Matthew’s version, that “worthless slave” was thrown into “outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (25:30).  He was thrown OUT of the master’s domain.

In Luke’s account, the “citizens” who chose to rebel against the “nobleman” do not even factor into the nobleman’s “slaves” whom he knew and trusted.  Understanding this concept on this Sunday following Pentecost, we should consider that the remarkable Gift of the Holy Spirit on that glorious day was, indeed, the “wealth” with which we are entrusted. 

It was then given freely and generously without reservation.  Not 10%, then, but 100% “with you until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). 

For us, then, there is the tithe which Jesus affirms (Matthew 23:23).  Yet Jesus also refers to the rest of our lives, the rest of our being and doing with, for, and to one another for the Glory of God and for the sake of the whole society on behalf of the congregation of the faithful as the “weightier” or more important matters of the Divine Law – NOT either/or … but both/and. 

Our Lord asks much more from those to whom He has entrusted the Entire Kingdom for the sole purpose of “making disciples” in “proclaiming repentance and the remission of sins”!   It is a BIG JOB no one can do alone.  This, I think, is exactly why even Jesus teaches that we must all “count the cost” (Luke 14:28) before we decide whether we are all in or not at all in.  There is no middle way or third choice except that which we’ve created only for ourselves to justify ourselves and our godless choices.

We must not misunderstand the comparisons, though we must understand that as burdensome and inconvenient as discipleship may sometimes seem (as a careless and empty man-made gospel tries to imply that we don’t “have to” do anything), our Lord assures us the rewards for the faithful are immeasurable by human standards.  And through it all, though our Lord asks much from us, He promises us even more.  But first must come our willingness to trust Him and take Him at His Word.

Let us consider, then, that our Lord truly is The Lord of our whole life and not just a small percentage of what we choose to offer to Him.  At Gethsemane, Jesus made His own decision to be all in to include even His very life.  Dare we offer any less than our whole life?  Amen.

What about Portland?

There is a lot of hand-wringing and anguish over what has (not) happened at the United Methodist General Conference in Portland OR.  It has been reported there were over one hundred pieces of legislation to be considered at GC regarding human sexuality (code for whether or not homosexuality will be affirmed as “incompatible” with Christian teaching and tradition or, as some might hope, declared … ok?), but all have been tabled for future consideration after a period of prayer and discernment. 

Coupled with so many of the articles being written by various news outlets are the comments from those who oppose, who affirm, and who simply do not care one way or the other.  There are the many who are threatening to leave the UMC if the language is retained or changed regarding “that issue”, and there are the many who have already left the UMC because the Church cannot or will not resolve to do as it declares.  The General Conference is the only entity which can officially speak for the United Methodist Church, but the truth is United Methodists have been speaking for themselves for quite a long time.

Even the general agencies of the UMC which should be a reflection of the will of the General Conference have not always been faithful to the most basic tenets of United Methodism, and yet no one has been called to account for their choosing to go in another direction.  This, to me, is a much greater problem not accounted for because the secular media assume that if, say, the Church and Society agency is actively lobbying the US Congress for expanded abortion rights or gay rights – all in violation of the General Conference of the Church – only a few lone voices cry out.  The United Methodist Church itself is largely silent.  The agency is acting independently.

As the United Methodist Women (UMW) organization (not all United Methodist women) actively engage in a working relationship with NARAL (formerly known as the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, then the National Abortion Rights Action League, and later the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League), there is hardly a peep except from a few isolated corners of the Church.  Though the agency is doing its own political thing, the United Methodist Church as a whole remains silent.

Lotteries and casinos have proliferated in the United States and gay marriage has been declared by the US Supreme Court as a fundamental “right”, and I dare say many United Methodist Christians participate (especially those who make headlines).  The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, as a covenant of doctrine and accountability from top to bottom, is largely unknown to many (perhaps most) United Methodist Christians (except for “that issue”) because it is seen as a “rule book”.  Very uninteresting and largely irrelevant to local United Methodist Churches.  Or so it seems.

The list goes on, but the picture seems clear.  What has (not) happened in Portland pertaining to “that issue” that gets everyone so stirred up, however, cannot be the end-all-or-be-all to local churches.  And because local accountability seems to mean only those cliques or persons with money, what has (not) happened in Portland really is of no consequence in Magnolia AR or Memphis TN or … or … well, you get the idea, because quite frankly, few will abide by or protest General Conference terms anyway unless, of course, a particular agenda is served or a headline is to be made.

Everyone is welcome in the United Methodist Church, saints and sinners alike.  The narrative on one side or the other may suggest some do not feel particularly welcome because “that issue” makes some feel unwelcome, but the official doctrine of the United Methodist Church is that all are welcome to worship, all are encouraged to learn more about the Gospel of The Lord. 

What should be equally clear, however, is that not all will get to have their own way.  Not all will be allowed to serve as pastors, deacons, board or committee chairs for one reason or another.  Not all will be allowed to railroad others just to get their own way, and inactive members who have fallen away or have chosen to follow the latest fad outside of the Church (Christian or not) should not expect to be retained as “members”.  Those with the most money do not always get to call the shots, and the whims of a few cannot push an appointed pastor out.  In other words, “rights” to certain agencies or certain positions are not absolute.

What we are all allowed – even encouraged, commissioned, and charged – to do is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ”.  This is the biblical charge to the Church universal and is the mantra of the United Methodist Church, a recognition that this is entirely, solely, completely what the Body of Christ exists to do.  Nothing more, and certainly nothing less.  There are, of course, expectations.  Respect - for existing rules, existing doctrine, existing expectations - is required; and if this respect is not forthcoming, regardless of circumstances, one must not expect to be allowed to continue in the relationship.

So what does Portland have to do with Magnolia?  Or Memphis?  Or Albuquerque?  What does Portland have to do with our collective charge to “make disciples”?  Some may suggest Portland has everything to do with our charge, that since the law-making Body of the United Methodist Church cannot agree on even the most basic, most fundamental component of our being because of “that issue”, it all rolls downhill to affect (or infect) the local churches.

I will still be trying to work this all out long after I click the “publish” button because, you see, I am a licensed pastor, a second-career person who has been granted this enormous responsibility and profound honor to serve as a pastor of a United Methodist Church.  Unlike the elders, however, I have no “rights”, no “privileges”.  I am completely as the mercy of the bishop, the appointive Cabinet, and the District and Conference Board of Ordained Ministry – any one of which can discontinue my appointment at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all.  I have no “rights”; only duty.

So why do I persevere?  Why do I continue to live with anxiety from one appointment year to the next, not knowing if I will even have a job?  Because Someone much larger than I compels me to, Someone more infinitely powerful and authoritative than any human body will ever be.  And for as long as it lasts, I will do the best I can to faithfully preach the Holy Scripture and the doctrine of the United Methodist Church.  Integrity requires no less.  And through it all, guaranteed nothing at all, I will continue to march.

We are More - Pentecost Sunday

Acts 2:39-45
Romans 8:12-17
Matthew 5:1-16

“The Holy Spirit is not a blessing from God.  The Holy Spirit is God.”  ~ Colin Urquhart

“The counting [of 50 days from Passover to Pentecost in Judaism] is a reminder of the important connection between the two holy feast days.  Passover freed Israel physically from bondage, but the giving (not receiving) of the Torah at Sinai [which is the celebration of Pentecost/Shavu’ot] redeemed Israel spiritually from bondage to idolatry and immorality.  (www.jewfaq.org, “Judaism 101”)

They were shown that they are “more”.

Even in Christianity, Pentecost is still the Jewish feast of Shavu’ot.  It is not a brand-new holy day created by Christianity, for the day still belongs to The Lord.  He revealed Himself in His Covenant at Mt. Sinai in His instruction to His people Israel, and He had revealed Himself yet again in Jerusalem.  And in that Holy Moment, Pentecost became “more”.

So it is too bad this same important connection expressed in Judaism is not more widely felt for the Christian celebration of Pentecost as much as for Easter or Christmas because the Pentecost is yet another Divine Promise fulfilled when our Lord assured His Church: “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). 

So following the celebration of Messiah ascending into Heaven’s Glory, this is an important consideration for the Church today – especially in answering the false notion that The Lord does not care for His creation and does not interact in history or ministry … or in the Sacraments of the Church.  “I am with you always”.

Because we live in a largely post-Christian society (greatly diminished Church influence coupled with Church pandering to secular values in a vain effort to be culturally relevant or “popular”), taking note of these important days, how they are connected in perpetuity, and what they mean to the entire world become all the more important to us who are called to be “more”. 

Pentecost, then, cannot be just another Sunday on the Christian calendar because it is the fulfillment not only of Divine Promise as with Christmas and Easter but also of Holy Purpose, as our Lord Jesus assured His disciples this Day would come: “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).

On this day some 2000 years ago, on the Jewish feast of Shavu’ot (Pentecost), the Church was breathed into life for one reason, and one reason only: “That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).   

We are shown in the Acts of the Apostles that thousands were convicted and drawn to the communal spirit of the Church.  They did not get “personally saved” and then go on about their business as if nothing happened.  They become “more” than an individual.  Even in the periods of great persecution, though many were forced into hiding, they hid together, protected one another, and continued to worship; and people were still coming to answer the call of the Holy Spirit not just to join but to become an active part of this new “Way”, a Way like no other before or since. 

As it is written, “Day by day, as they spent much time together in the Temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.  And day by day The Lord added to their number those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47).  

I submit to you that numbers of new believers being added “day by day” happened not only because of the Power of the Holy Spirit but also necessarily because of the faithfulness of the peoples’ response in “having the goodwill of all the people”.  That is, actually possessing Divine Love in their hearts for God and for one another.

The only way this cannot have meaning for us today is if we do not understand – or reject altogether – the Holy Purpose of the Church.   Do you notice that we often disagree as to exactly what this Day looked like (‘tongues of fire” or “speaking in tongues”) while we overlook completely what came as a result of this sudden rush of the Holy Spirit, the very Presence of the Holy God Himself. 

The highest ideals of the Kingdom.  Commonality.  Accountability.  Connectedness.  A shared sense of being in Holy Purpose.  Genuine care of and concern for neighbor so much so that all they had and all they owned was put into one common pot so that no one would go without the basic necessities of life and living – the most profound and most basic necessity of all, of course, being fellowship, being connected, being cared for, being loved, and knowing rather than being stabbed in the back, someone had your back.

We don’t have this so much today.  In fact I submit it does not exist at all except in theory and maybe in very small, very exclusive groups.  Within the greater Church universal as well as within the individual churches, there is a dominant “to each his own” mentality and mindset.  Oh, there are sub-sets of groups who may look out for one another and maybe will extend beyond a group as long as it is no real inconvenience, but on the grander scale this idyllic notion of community and Holy Purpose is a thing of a very distant, almost unrecognizable past.

There is often only the curse of eternal condemnation toward those who will not agree or go along with “us”.  There is a good talk about unity among the political party loyalists and even such talk as at the UM General Conference.  Unity among humans according to strictly human behavior and human desire, however, is a myth.  We can seem easily to agree to a common enemy, but common purpose is lacking because within us as a Body there is lacking the very Substance of who we really are; “for all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Romans 8:14).

*IF* we are “led by the Spirit”.

We United Methodist Christians have our Book of Discipline which is our covenant (not strictly “rules”) with and to one another.  It is the covenant we freely join as members and as clergy.  We expect (demand?) our bishops to uphold certain portions of that Discipline (especially the parts pertaining to that issue), but on the local level we almost completely reject those other portions of this same United Methodist Covenant which demand accountability to our vows and care for one another. 

In all this human frailty and imperfection there is the Divine Promise to those who live and love and witness according to The Lord’s Holy Purpose.  This is unconditionally true regardless of our individual responses because this Divine Promise is not according to human will, and it is certainly not according to conditional human involvement or desire.

In spite of these divisions among us, “we are more”.  Those who choose to live in covenant and in peace are more than those who choose not to.  Even those who choose not to are more than even they realize; but they will not know this unless or until it is brought to their attention and they are held accountable.  United Methodist Christians only seem to be fixated on that issue because of the secular media, but in reality we are much more than just that single issue that haunts us every four years.  

We are more than the empty promises of predatory “something for nothing” lotteries; and we are more than a single moment of escape in drugs, alcohol, or inappropriate relationships.  We are more than even this great nation of ours, and yet we can be no more than the cry of a hungry child, the lament of those who are imprisoned, or the hopelessness of those who have no home to rest in.  We are no more than the Gospel of the Lord, and yet the Gospel is precisely what we must become.

We are more than the constant bickering and infighting that seem to be the hallmark of the Church universal today.  We are much more than our petty differences, and we are more than even our most profound disagreements.  We are more than our notions of individual salvation.

It all began at Pentecost.  In The Lord’s giving of His Covenant and Holy Law at Sinai and in The Lord’s giving so fully of Himself in Jerusalem on this blessed and glorious Day, we are surely more than we have often settled for!  And because we often settle for less rather than to reach for more and live for more, we defy the Eternal Word which is Christ Jesus and we cheat ourselves and our neighbors out of the fullness of joy and blessedness that is the Divine Promise given – but not always received - on this blessed Day throughout the generations.

We are more than anything this world can possibly offer because we are the “salt of the earth” and the “light on a lampstand” which must shine brightly and boldly.  We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven.  We are the people of the United Methodist Church and members of the Church universal.  And now that this time and Day has been named, it is time to claim it, and to live it – all to the glory of God our Father in Christ Jesus our Redeemer, our Savior, our Brother, our Friend.  Amen. 

Of Blessings and Duties - 6th Sunday of Easter

John 14:25-29

"All the blessings we enjoy are Divine deposits committed to our trust on this condition; that they should be dispensed for the benefit of our neighbors."  John Calvin

What brings us peace?  The kind of peace entrusted to us to be dispensed to our neighbors?  What does the Christian community embrace and celebrate as true and enduring, even empowering?  The kind of peace Jesus is referring to does not strictly mean the absence of all conflict; but, rather, striving for a higher end even within the presence of conflict.  This peace demands an enduring faith in something much greater than any single moment or any individual desire. 

It is entirely about the Mission of the Holy Church – not having our individual demands met.

Do you ever notice that when we think of peace, much in the way we think of Divine Will or blessings, we think almost exclusively in terms of what peace means to us as individuals, how we personally benefit?  That is, there will be no peace unless or until we get our own way, this measure of peace coming only on our own terms. 

The nature of this peace is entirely subjective to individual standards; and if these standards are not met, there is no peace nor even any desire for peace.  The sad thing is that too many Christians seem to be perfectly ok with this.  Pride is at the core of what can only be termed a power struggle – having our own demands met, things going our own way regardless of the cost or collateral damage to others.

For those of you who think I watch too much TV, too many gangster movies and irreverent cartoons (South Park!), I offer my most profound apology because a TV show/family drama brought to mind a common peace Christians and non-Christians alike can share.  It is that sense of “community” which reminds us we are not alone even when we choose to be.

This particular episode revolved around a baptism for an infant.  The dad and his family are not even a little religious but the mom and her family are very religious, so it was mom’s desire that the baby be baptized. 

The non-religious family went along with it and even participated without understanding or even caring what baptism means to the community of faith, but the dynamic of that non-religious family (which, incidentally, is being in each other’s business all the time!) expresses the very best of what baptism and membership in the Church mean to the Christian community. 

Even as this non-religious family did not understand the practice or the belief behind the practice, they were willing to respect the practice and the family members who desired this thing because, ultimately, is was (is) a family thing in more ways than only a biological or marital connection. 

I get it, though.  It is a TV show.  It isn’t real.  It could be.  It SHOULD be.  What is all too real, however, is that this kind of peace and fundamental respect are NOT forthcoming in the broader Christian community across denominational lines.  We get too caught up in our own individual or denominational notions of right time/right place/right practice of baptism so much so that we will not even offer the kind of respect which may more likely come from those who do not care about or understand baptism at all.

Even within the Church – which should ideally be a sanctuary against the conflicts of the world - things are sometimes messy and downright unholy.  I’ve heard from many that they “can’t stand” so-and-so, and thus they refuse to be a part of a particular church.  I’ve heard the same thing regarding myself; that my very presence is driving or keeping people away.  While staying away might provide some sense of temporal peace or even personal satisfaction, it does not scratch the surface of the kind of peace Jesus is referring to because the conflict these persons only think they are avoiding by avoiding these persons fail to realize the real conflict is within themselves.  Pride, however, refuses to acknowledge this possibility.

We may feel better about ourselves in the moment and may even feel some false sense of superiority in staying away or attempting to drive others out, but the peace Jesus alone is offering will still lacking – because the kind of peace Jesus is referring to has nothing to do with any individual demand or desire.  We may be successful in driving away those whom we blame for all manner of conflict and think we’ve resolved the conflict, but the heart of the conflict still remains and will inevitably involve others sooner or later when they find themselves on the wrong side of these persons.

When we get what we think may pass for peace when our own terms are met, it is the false sense of peace Jesus is referring to as what “the world gives”.  It is temporary at best, and by a wide margin it misses the mark of the peace Jesus is offering and advocating.  This peace goes to the very heart of what membership in the Holy Church really means: family, community, connection beyond ourselves, beyond our own agendas, certainly beyond vendettas – all of which are profoundly toxic to the Body of Christ and destructive to the community the Church is called to serve.

Pope Francis, in his remarks for the World Day of Peace on New Year’s Day 2016, stated that “Peace is both God’s gift and a human achievement.  As a gift of God, it is entrusted to all men and women, who are called to attain it ... Along these same lines, with the present Jubilee of Mercy, I want to invite the Church to pray and to work so that every Christian will have a humble and compassionate heart, one capable of proclaiming and witnessing to mercy ... Personal dignity and interpersonal relationships are what constitute us as human beings whom God willed to create in His own image and likeness.  As creatures endowed with unalienable dignity, we are related to all our brothers and sisters for whom we are responsible and with whom we must act in solidarity.  Lacking this relationship, we would be less human.”

I think, then, Pope Francis’ idea – and the Kingdom’s ideal – of peace rests on and revolves around mercy itself – for the absence of mercy is the absence of peace.  And mercy withheld from others is mercy withheld from us (Matthew 6:16).  As such, peace is a Divine Gift, its origin traced to its only Source – our Holy Father – and is given freely only by His Gracious Hand in Christ. 

As a “human achievement”, it manifests itself in our active participation when we recognize the foundation of our baptism: being brought into the community of faith and resting in the assurance that the community will fulfill its own vows to teach and to hold accountable to discipleship and the life of the Church all who call Christ “Lord”.

So it seems to be that if we are unwilling or unable to offer peace by offering mercy, it is because we are lacking peace because we have not yet known the Mercy of The Lord.  We cannot offer what we lack or have never known.  Now if we think we have known it and have experienced it and yet still refuse to share or offer it, we make ourselves “liars”.

As it is written (1 John 4:20): “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar.  For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”

Claiming faith in Christ while actively trying to do harm to another because of a difference of opinion or a misunderstanding is not compatible with the kind of peace Jesus is offering to His disciples, and the “peace which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) will not be found nor will it be offered to we who refuse to participate in mercy.

So before we offer our gifts, before we offer our prayers, before we dare approach the altar for the Supper of The Lord, let us not fail to understand that how we define our relationships to one another is precisely how our relationship is defined with The Lord.  Just as Christ cannot be separated from His Body the Church, neither can we be separated one from another.

Let there be peace by our determination to make peace; for it will come no other way.  Amen