Putting Faith First…hardly

All too often, when scheduling events, public schools and other family oriented civic entities show little, if any regard for families who desire to participate in the life of the Church.  As it seemingly happens each year, I will miss my daughter’s school Spring Musical which is scheduled for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.  When I became a pastor, I knew there would be such challenges, but does this need to be the norm year in and year out?  I think not.  Below is my message to the school leadership voicing my displeasure and frustration as the Christian faith is once again put on hold by our public schools.

Dear________________

Since the time you arrived at [our school] I have been very well pleased with the direction the school has been pointed.  You have brought a level of integrity to this school that had been lacking for several years.  Before going further, I must apologize for not voicing such satisfaction until now.  Sadly, we parents tend to contact school administration only when something occurs that causes adversity.  This I truly regret.  Your presence at our school is certainly a blessing.

I am, however, completely aghast that the school [Spring Musical] is scheduled to take place during one of the most holy Christian observances.  Holy Thursday (aka Maundy Thursday) and Good Friday are sacred days for Protestant and Catholic Christians, compelling families to spend time together in worship and reflection, considering Christ’s saving grace and his death upon the cross.  I don’t need to explain the importance and centrality of this time for Christian families to gather together in worship.  Year in and year out, as school district events are scheduled, such disregard for allowing families to participate in holy observances is yet one more evidence of our society’s degeneration, especially when it comes to expressing the Christian faith.

With the scheduling of this performance, Christian families are yet again put in the position of choosing faith over academics and explaining to children why it is so important they attend worship rather than perform in a musical.  Further, this sort of disregard for faith matters only serves to put children in a terrible position by once more having to face the option of choosing “fun” over faith.  Regardless of their participation, many families (especially the children) are put in the middle of a situation that should have never occurred.

I know that money has been expended, schedules are tight, and there is little hope of rescheduling.  Yet, as a Lutheran pastor and a Christian leader of the community, I understand the importance of making a stand when it comes to core beliefs while making room for families to participate in civic events.  I only wish secular public leaders, at all levels, would occasionally consider taking similar stand when it comes to families participating in activities of faith.

At the moment of welcoming families and guests to the productions on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, you have the option of acknowledging regret for the unfortunate scheduling and thanking those who would otherwise be gathered for worship for their support of the students and school programs and perhaps allowing a moment for silent reflection.

Being a pastor who will miss his daughter’s performances, and as an act of good faith, I will offer public prayer during our evening worship service on Maundy Thursday for all public schools and especially for families who are not able to attend services due to such civic events.  My prayers and support continue to be with you as you provide leadership for our school.

Faithfully and respectfully,

The Rev. David W. Nuottila

Turning the Tables

March 11, 2012

3^rd Sunday in Lent

Union Lutheran Church – Salisbury, NC

John 2: 13-22, Exodus 20: 1-17

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

As it is so often when we meet someone new, we want to get to know them, and further yet, we want our new friends to get to know us as well.  One of the ways we do this is by sharing pictures of our lives.  It’s fun sharing pictures and stories of our past with others who seem interested in getting to know us.  So invariably, we pull out the family album.  These books tell our story.

One of the books I show people from time to time is a photo album of my days in the navy.  I also have an album my parents gave me from when I was young.  Other pictures we share are standards for getting to know someone and allowing others to get to know us.  For instance, if you are married you are likely to share the pictures from your wedding.  We share pictures of our kids with relatives and those whom we haven’t seen in a while.  And if you’re not careful, someone might even come up with an embarrassing picture of you when you were either very young, or very unaware that there was a camera nearby.

We all have those pictures in our past.  Really, you think you know someone until you see some of those candid photos taken when they least expected it.  You know the type, shots taken them by surprise, with a mouth full of food, or striking a superman pose.   That’s when you get a glimpse of who a person really is.  Do you suppose Jesus might have had fun sharing such pictures of his life?

Think about it.  We all have seen countless pictures of Jesus.  Some at church, some in our homes, and still others in magazines, newspapers and books.  Most of the pictures we see of Jesus are rather pleasing.  Jesus as a baby lying in a manger.  Baby Jesus with his mother Mary.  Jesus the Good Shepherd, Jesus blessing the children.  There are also pictures of Jesus working miracles.  Feeding the five thousand, calming the storm, walking on water, and even Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead.

Do you think that if we were able to sit with Jesus and share his photo album that he would show us the candid shots?  What about the ones we don’t want to see?  A picture of him taken after 40 days in the wilderness?  Or how about Jesus rebuking Peter or cursing the fig tree?  Then we turn the page and see the picture of today’s gospel text, Jesus, with a whip in his hand, driving out the money changers and the animals from the temple.  What would we say to Jesus when we came across that one?  Would we ask him about it, or would we just pretend we didn’t see it and quickly move on?  The trouble is, we can’t ignore it.  It’s there, plain and simple, we do see it.  The real question is, would we ask Jesus what happened to make him so mad?  Or would we be too afraid to ask?

John, the apostle, doesn’t hesitate to bring it up.  In fact, even as Matthew, Mark and Luke include this event in telling of Jesus’ final days, John puts it up front.  From the very opening verses of his gospel account, John is helping us get to know Jesus.  Not just the Jesus in the nice pictures; John is introducing us to Jesus, the Word made flesh, the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  And already in chapter two, John leaves little doubt concerning how Jesus feels about sin.

Just this morning, only a few minutes ago, we heard the story of God giving Moses the Ten Commandments.  Ever since the fall when Adam and Eve bit the forbidden fruit, we humans have strayed from the precepts of God.  Following the Exodus, as a gift and model for living a godly life, God handed to us his Law, his teaching, his instructions.  God set boundaries for humans to live by, not as a rule to keep us under control, but as a gift that we might turn away from sinful behavior and live as God intends.  Yet, throughout history, throughout the history of the Bible and throughout the history of our lives, we can see where we have fallen short of God’s expectations.  Try as we might, we cannot keep even Ten Commandments, let alone live according to the totality of God’s Law.

The first commandment our heavenly Father gives to us calls us to have no other gods.  We are to worship and trust the One True God, the maker of all things.  Yet, when Jesus came to Jerusalem and saw that the temple had been turned into a market place, he was angered at the fact that even in the holiest of places; humans had replaced worship with greed, and trust with contempt.  It is of little wonder that Jesus, God’s Word made flesh, Emmanuel, God with us; it’s of little wonder that his response to such sinfulness was to turn over the tables and drive out those who made God’s house of prayer into a den of thieves.

Jesus came to turn the tables on sin.  He came to redeem that which was lost.  Jesus came to save people from their sins, so he scattered the animals meant for sacrifice and became the sacrifice himself.  During this time of Lent, as we continue to turn the pages of Jesus’ photo album that is the gospel, we soon come across the most difficult picture to look at.  Jesus at Gethsemane, Jesus before Pilate, Jesus being whipped himself, and finally, Jesus lifted up on the cross.  Such images of Christ are not the ones we choose to look at, but they are the ones we need to see.

Seeing such images during this time of repentance causes us to consider what tables in our lives Christ might turn over.  What is about our lives, our homes our churches that displease our Lord so much that he would take up a whip and drive them out?  Which of these Ten Commandments do we fail to keep most often?  How many “other gods’ do we put in front of the One True God?  When we speak of our neighbors, do we always cast them in the  most favorable light, or do we at times resort to bearing false witness in order to get our way?  Do we take only what is ours, all of the time, or are there instances when we take advantage of loopholes or get around the system for our own benefit?

The most interesting thing about looking through Jesus’s photo album is that, as we look deeper into the text, we begin to see ourselves.  As we get to know Jesus better and better, we also get to k now our own person, our own self.  We realize our need for a savior, and we come to realize the love of God as he gives us one in the person of his only Son Christ Jesus.

People of God, the lessons of Lent are heavy.  The texts we read and preach are such that as we study them, we see the complete picture of who we are, and more importantly, who God is.  Ours is a God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  Ours is a God who waited until just the right time to invade our world, dwell with his people, and serve as our example of Godly living.  He is the God who delivered his people from bondage, gave them the gift of his law as a guide, and when it became necessary, turned over the tables ridding his temple of sin and taking up the cross as the final atoning sacrifice for the sins of all.

It won’t be long until we turn one more final page in Jesus’ photo album.  On that day we will behold the most glorious of pictures of our Lord and Savior, there before the empty tomb, early in the morning while it is still dark, we will once again behold the Risen Christ.

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

There’s No Place Like Home

So many of us can picture the scene near the end of The wizard of Oz where Glinda the Good Witch tells Dorothy all she has to do is close her eyes, click the heels of the ruby slippers and say “There’s no place like home.”  After a few repetitions, and some early twentieth century special effects, Dorothy is home.  The message?  No matter where you are, no matter how far one may have wandered, there really is no place like home.

Since mid-January, I have been living in my new home town of Salisbury, North Carolina.  Coming to a new Lutheran Church (NALC), serving a new congregation (Union Lutheran Church) and living in a rental house has certainly been an adventure.  Not necessarily on the scale of Dorothy’s trip to the land of Oz, but certainly there have been many wonderful and unexpected surprises.  All in all, I have come to really enjoy my new surroundings, but there is one part I would change if I could.  My family will not join me here until the school year in South Carolina is over.  So for the time being, we are a bi-locational family.

During their most recent visit, my wife asked me, “Does it feel like home?”  I had to think about that one for a bit.  I wasn’t sure what she was getting at.  In my response I told her that the house we are renting feels more like a motel.  I am comfortable in the living room, it seems like a place where I belong but it isn’t really mine.  I also feel comfortable in the bedroom at night.  In these two rooms I have furniture from our house in SC so there is a sense of belonging.  The rest of the house though is different.  I don’t enter the two other bedrooms belonging to my daughters when they visit, those rooms are just there right now.  The stove in the kitchen is still a little tricky when it comes to cooking, and overall I know this is a temporary situation.  So, given the unfamiliarity of the house, and the absence of my family, my answer to her question was, “It’s comfortable, but no, it doesn’t feel like home.”

Of course, being a man, I completely missed what she was getting at.  My wife’s question to me was, “Does the town of Salisbury and the church feel like home?”  Once it was clear what she was getting at, there was little thought needed.

I have fallen in love with Salisbury, especially since there are so many reminders of the town in Michigan where I grew up.  On Main Street there is a deli – ice cream shop just like the one I used to go to as a kid.  There are mom and pop shops that offer small town shopping experiences, and there is even a small lunch counter where a person can stop in and get a hotdog and a drink to enjoy at the counter, or the wooden table outside.

The landscape near the church is also a reminder of where I grew up.  There are hills, trees, and ponds at nearly every turn’ something the Charleston area didn’t offer.  There are large fields dotted with farm houses, barns, horses and cows.  There is a golf course reminiscent of the one across the street from my aunt and uncle’s farm at Six Mile and Sheldon, and I’m sure, if I look hard enough this fall, I’ll find a cider mill within acceptable driving distance.

As far as the church and congregation go?  I have also fallen completely head over heels in love with my new flock.  There are so many wonderful people eager to learn more of God’s will for our church.  The children of the congregation love being at the church and in the presence of their Lord Jesus, and the joy of Christian worship as expressed through the music of the church is so uplifting.  So many members of the congregation have welcomed our family and made us part of their family.  Certainly, God has blessed us all with the power of his love and the presence of the Holy Spirit where we can all look forward to the possibilities and ministry opportunities God has placed in front of us.  Even though I have been here for a short time, it feels as if I have belonged here and my family is also eager to be a part of this family in Christ for a long time.  So yes, for all these reasons it feels like home.

I have no ruby slippers, and there is no yellow brick road leading to the Emerald City.  But I can click my heels and give thanks to God for the blessings of this new place.  It is true; a house is not a home.  Home is much more than bricks and concrete. Home is following God to the place he would have you be.  Home is being a part of a loving family, following our Lord Jesus and being guided by the power of the Holy Spirit.  In this place, even as our family is currently occupying two separate houses, we are at home.  And there truly is no place like home.

The Remembrance Table

There is a tradition within many Christian churches of setting out photos, artifacts and other personal items on what is known as the Remembrance Table.  Such tables are usually used on days such as the Festival of All Saints and perhaps other times during the year.  Often times remembrance tables are used during a time of mourning, especially at funerals and memorials.  In my particular case, I have such a table set up in my office that I shared with the children of the church while having lunch with them on Saturday.

Let me preface the rest of this post by pointing out that I have recently begun a new chapter of my ministry. In January I accepted a call to Union Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC.  Of course this meant that I had to leave my former congregation in Charleston, SC.  Leaving a church family is never easy, but in this particular circumstance, taking a new call meant leaving the congregation where I first served as pastor.  You’ve heard it said that one never forgets their first love.  Well, there is truth to that statement, and it applies to so many relationships other than that of romance.  To be sure, a pastor never forgets his/her first congregation.

The journey to ordained ministry is a long one, so I decided to set up a remembrance table in my new office so that I could be reminded each day of the saints who have had an impact on my ministry over the years.  On this table I have photos of family members and fellow church members from my past.  I also have items such as rocks from the Kasilof River in Alaska which help me to remember my father-in law as we fished together, clay pottery made by my daughters, three nails used as props from a Lenten service a friend once led, and of course a gift from my former confirmation students which they affectionately called “Pastor Nuttly.”

Pastor Nuttly has a story behind it which I won’t go into just now, but it is a gift that I cherish.  The student /Pastor relationship I shared with these young people is still very meaningful to me.  They were my first confirmands, the first students whose faith formation I was directly responsible for.  They are great kids who loved their pastor, and I loved them as well.  When I left St. Barnabas, one thing they asked was that I reserve for “Pastor Nuttly” a special place in my new office so that I remember them.  This I promised to do.

Upon my arrival in Salisbury, the children of our congregation had several surprises for me, one of which was a homemade picture frame with a group photo inside.  Around the border they all wrote messages of welcome.  I have come to really enjoy these kids, and their faith is nothing short of amazing.  Once again, Pastor and the children are forming a strong bond and together we are learning the things God is calling us to learn.

During our lunch together in the fellowship hall, I decided to take the kids on a field trip to my office so they could see some of the things I have set out.  Immediately their eyes turned toward my remembrance table and they began asking questions about the stuff on display.  I told them about the rocks.  I told them about the pottery and the photos.  Finally, one child pointed to Pastor Nuttly and asked “what is that?”  As I told them about the kids I served and taught in Charleston, they understood just how much I loved them and how I miss them.  Then another child pointed out something to the rest; Pastor Nuttly was placed on the table directly in front of the photo frame they had made for me as a welcome gift.  Immediately the comment was made, “He loves us too!”

I am so thankful for all the saints whose memories reside on my table.  Each one has had significant impact on my life and ministry as a pastor.  But most of all, I am so grateful for the children of my new congregation and the love they show toward their pastor, and also for the love and the gift from the children at my former church in Charleston.  Through the gift of Pastor Nuttly, I am able to remember each of them in a special way.  I have many items that rotate on and off of my remembrance table, but since my lunch with the children last week, and the connection that was made to the children of Charleston, Pastor Nuttly and the picture of the kids at Union have become permanent fixtures on the remembrance table.

Silent Conversation

People who know me well may think the following is a miracle of sorts.  It is nearly noon and I just realized that I have not spoken one word.  Not one single syllable, none.  Several thoughts raced through my mind when I first realized this, least of which is the fact that I don’t necessarily feel like I have anyone to talk to.  Normally by now I would have made several phone calls, been to the office to pick up something I had forgotten, or gone out for a morning walk and coffee somewhere,  but not today.

Friday is my day off, my Sabbath as it were.  It is the day I set aside for rest, study, and simply enjoying a bit of peace.  What is different about today is that it is the first full Friday I have spent in Salisbury since accepting my new call and moving.  My wife and kids are still in South Carolina, and each weekend they have either come up here or I have traveled there.  In either case, I have not had a Friday all to myself such as this in a very long time.  And it is quiet and surprisingly pleasant.

This morning, I have enjoyed a bit of spiritual reading, mostly on other Lutheran blogs and church websites.  I have also done a bit of sermon writing, and reading for our Lenten Bible study on Mondays.  Lastly, I have worked a little bit on the book I have been writing for what seems like ages.  In fact, the morning is about over, only a few more minutes, and I have had no human contact except for the local news on TV and a few moments of ESPN.  However, strange as it may sound, these are not the only voices heard in my home this morning.

Alone in my thoughts, I have had a wonderful conversation with God.  Through my reading and writing, God has spoken throughout the morning.  He has guided my study for Sunday’s sermon when I had questions,and he even asked questions of his own as I prepared for Bible study.  While reading blogs and visiting church websites, God has told me at least a dozen times that he loves me, and he has also shared with me the fact that so many others also love me and support me in ways too numerous to count.  It really has been incredible, this morning of silence.

Sadly, the time to venture out into town is fast approaching.  In a few moments I will find myself leaving the sanctuary of my living room and taking my place in line, at the stop light, or filling a cart with groceries and other needed items.  The prospect of all this brings about several other questions. (Hey, I’m a pastor, I’m supposed to think like this.)  Who will be the first person I speak to today?  Will I speak them in love?  What words will be the first uttered in conversation?  So much to consider when wondering how I will break today’s silence.

It is now past noon and time to get on with the business of the day.  As I said earlier, I find it strangely refreshing that I have not uttered one word until now.  A morning such as this is a blessing, it allows me to  consider the ways I communicate with others, and how I choose the words I say.  Even as I write these final words of this post, God is speaking.  He too is asking, “What are your first words for today?”  He also has provided me the answer.  As you come to the conclusion of today’s post, consider speaking the words God has placed on my lips that shall be my first of the day:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory; forever and ever.

Amen!

Finding Stillness

Psalm 46 tells us to be still and know that God is God, but when you are swamped with work, how can one find stillness? Lately, things just seem to be go, go, go.  There hasn’t been much time to be still. Even when there seems to be stillness, my mind has been racing at 200mph.

Most of us, if not all have gone through weeks such as this, so it isn’t news and it surly isn’t an experience all to myself. I read blogs where people write about how their weeks are jammed with so many activities of the church, that it is hard to come up for air or make room for family. I know several ministers who read this blog and all have full lives in which there is little time to settle down and just be still. It is a struggle for someone working in ministry to slow down when people are suddenly in need, when they mourn, or want to share their joys as well.  Let the record show, by the way, we ministers would not have it any other way.

Others whom I know that are frequent readers of these pages have admitted to me that they often catch up with me late at night or on the weekends.  Their days are jam packed with activity and responsibility.  Finding time to read blogs and such is low on the priority list.  Still, if one cannot find time to be still, even if only for a moment or two, how can he or she be able to listen for God’s voice and direction in their life?

During lunch yesterday, I noticed the sun was bright in the sky and the temperature was unseasonably warm.  I don’t know where the notion first came from, but I took my salad outside along with a book and simply enjoyed a time of quiet…a time of stillness.  Watching the cars go by, birds fly overhead and even the occasional walker following the path encircling our church cemetery gave me respite from an otherwise busy schedule.

I was reading from Henri J.M. Nouwen’s Home Tonight: Further Reflections on the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  What I found during this time was a stillness that I hadn’t felt for a while; a calm in the midst of the whirlwind if you will.  I recognized this as holy time, time alone with my Father in heaven.  Little did I know before hand, it was just what I needed.

It is difficult to find stillness. It is difficult to find a peaceful place to be alone for a while with God and allow the loving Father to care for and reassure the busy child in all of us. But it is important to find stillness. It is important, if even for only a few minutes that we take time to slow down and simply rest in Christ.  Spiritual practices such as devotional reading, meditative prayer, or listening to sacred music are all ways one can escape from busy schedules and make time to be still with God.  Such a healthy habit…such a wonderful experience to know that God is always with us, no matter how fast the current of the river of life seems to sweep us along.

it takes discipline

Discipline.  Just the word itself seems intimidating enough without us having to talk about it.  But spiritual discipline is what the season of Lent calls for, and it is what Christians the world over hope to achieve.  Through the disciplines of prayer, reading Holy Scripture, repentance, worship, fasting, works of love and giving alms, we hope to draw closer to God and strengthen our relationship with Christ Jesus.  Through such practices as these, we hope to enhance our faith and grow as disciples of our Lord, following his example of servant leadership for the sake of others.

During this season of Lent, I find myself serving a new congregation in a new place.  One year ago I couldn’t have imagined being where I am today.  Yet, even as the scenery has changed and there are new names and faces to learn, the focus of Lent remains the same; understanding my need for God’s forgiveness and mercy, and leading my flock to grow in their understanding of the same so that we can be a powerful witness of God’s love through Christ Jesus to the world around us.  How do I, and how do we do this?  Discipline.

Becoming a disciple of Christ Jesus isn’t easy.  Accepting Christ’s call to follow him and become fishers of people means Christians must become living reminders of God’s love for his people.  In order to become such followers of Jesus, Christians must draw closer to God, strengthening their faith and relationship with Christ Jesus on a daily basis.  The disciplines of Lent are the tools for building such faith.

The late Henri J.M. Nouwen puts it this way:

“Discipline is the other side of discipleship. Discipleship without discipline is like waiting to run in the marathon without ever practicing. Discipline without discipleship is like always practicing for the marathon but never participating. It is important, however, to realize that discipline in the spiritual life is not the same as discipline in sports. Discipline in sports is the concentrated effort to master the body so that it can obey the mind better. Discipline in the spiritual life is the concentrated effort to create the space and time where God can become our master and where we can respond freely to God’s guidance.”  (Bread for the Journey)

The disciplines of Lent focus us on God’s saving act through Christ Jesus.  Daily prayer, Scripture reading, fasting and worship help us set boundaries where we can spend time with God so that we are able to heed Jesus’s invitation to follow and become disciples.

Sure, this year I am serving in a new place, but I still serve a congregation of God’s people who strive to be disciples of Jesus and witnesses to the power of God’s love.  Collectively, our congregation has embarked on a journey of Lenten discipline focusing on three of the spiritual practices listed above.  Prayer, daily reading of Holy Scripture and worship are the foundation of our pilgrimage to the cross of Good Friday.  Through these three disciplines, we look to experience the complete joy of the empty tomb of Easter.  I also urge all of our brothers and sisters in Christ to focus on the other four disciplines listed here.  As pastor, I invite our members and friends to experience the spiritual benefits of repentance and fasting, along with the joy of doing works of love and giving alms.

The goal of Christian life is to love God with all your heart, mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as Christ loves you.  Striving toward this goal requires a faith made strong through spiritual discipline.  Becoming a fisher of people means one must first become a disciple of our Lord Jesus.  Again, as Nouwen says, “Discipline is the other side of discipleship.”  You can’t have one without the other.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Every now and then I mention that I love reading books by Henri J.M. Nouwen.  Nouwen, a spiritual leader of the church, was someone who embodied the loving spirit of Christ in all of his actions and deeds.  One of my favorite devotional books written by Nouwen is his yearlong journal he kept entitled Bread for the Journey.  In this book are the reflections that Henri jotted down each day for an entire year, and then published them as a guide to help those who desire to live a spiritual life.  The following is an excerpt from the book.

 

Empowered to Pray

Prayer is the gift of the Spirit. Often we wonder how to pray, when to pray, and what to pray. We can become very concerned about methods and techniques of prayer. But finally it is not we who pray but the Spirit who prays in us.

Paul says: “The Spirit … comes to help us in our weakness, for, when we do not know how to pray properly, then the Spirit personally makes our petitions for us in groans that cannot be put into words; and he who can see into all hearts knows what the Spirit means because the prayers that the Spirit makes for God’s holy people are always in accordance with the mind of God” (Romans 8:26-27). These words explain why the Spirit is called “the Consoler.”

Sometimes, being alone in prayer it can be difficult to articulate one’s feelings in the form of a well composed prayer.  All too often, we try to put thoughts together in a logical order so as to pray a meaningful prayer.  The result is time spent concentrating on the words of the prayer instead of simply following the Holy Spirit’s lead and enjoying my quiet time with God.  Martin Luther teaches us that it is best to use simple language that captures the essence of our need and with his explanation of the third article of the Apostles Creed, Luther reminds us of the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

What does this mean?  I believe that I cannot come to my Lord Jesus Christ by my own intelligence or power. But the Holy Spirit called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as The Holy Spirit calls, gathers together, enlightens and makes holy the whole Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus in the one, true faith. In this Church, The Holy Spirit generously forgives each day every sin committed by me and by every believer. On the last day, he will raise me and all the dead from the grave. God will give eternal life to me and to all who believe in Christ. Yes, this is most certainly true!

 

When we come before God in prayer, we come as needy people; people who cannot approach God without the help of the Holy Spirit.  It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we enabled to meet God on such an intimate level.  We must understand that it’s not the words of our prayer that God receives with joy; rather, he knows our hearts and receives our prayers as faithful response to the gifts of the Spirit. In prayer, God receives us, the totality of our very being.  Through prayer we enjoy communion with the God who first created us, no matter how unworthy our words seem to be.

 

This Lenten season, one of the spiritual disciplines our congregation is dedicated to is living a life of prayer.  Learning to pray aright, understanding that in difficult times, the words do  not matter, for the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with sighs to deep for words (Romans 8:26-28).  What matters is that we follow the example of Jesus, spend time alone with God in prayer, and lift up before him the things that weigh on our hearts and minds.

 

Living a life of prayer also means offering our thanks and praise to God at all times and in all situations.  Our heavenly Father is generous beyond human measure, and even in difficult times his mercy and grace endure.  For the love we receive, for the support of family and friends, for the air that we breathe and the food we eat, we give thanks for the many and wonderful blessings of our Father who meets our every need.

 

Loving Father, we give you thanks for the gifts of your Holy Spirit that we may come to you in prayer.  Continue to bless us with these gifts, and help us to be such blessing to others that they too may realize the power of Christ, through these same spiritual gifts.  We humbly pray for this and all that you see as good for us, through the precious name of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

pray to your father in secret…

Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21

[Jesus said] “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.  So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.  But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

  And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.  But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

 And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.  But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

Following our evening service during which we imposed ashes on the foreheads of our parishioners, I finally made it home for a time of peace before a late night of sermon writing and Facebook checking.  When I booted up the computer and pulled up my Facebook page, I was struck by the number of people who posted pictures of themselves wearing the ashes of repentance.  It was almost comical.  The words of Jesus, “don’t practice your piety in such a way…” slapped me in the face.

Now please, please, please don’t get the impression I am passing judgement.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The folks who posted pics with ashes are all faithful Christian people connecting with the community of Christ and sharing their common beliefs and reliance on God’s mercy.  I sincerely feel the ashes displayed were a method by which those separated by distance and time were able to gather as children of the Heavenly Father.  But still, the words of Christ were right there in front of all of our faces.

So how often do we Christians practice our piety in such a way as to call attention to our perceived level of faithfulness?  Though not intentional, do we lift up our particular brand of faith as a superior model for others?  Do we want people to see us and know we are Christians?  It’s something to think about as we enter this Lenten season.

I invite others to reflect on these texts as we consider how we practice our piety.  Leave your comments and let’s see where the discussion goes.

Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19 (NRSV)

As we enter this season of Lent we are reminded of our mortality and our need for God’s grace.  The 40 days of Lent are reminiscent of the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness before reaching the Promised Land, and also of the 40 days Jesus was alone in the wilderness, fasted and then was tested by the evil one.  Looking back on these two instances in scripture we realize that we are dependent on God for our very lives, and even in the most dire circumstances, it is God who walks with us.

We humans live lives through which we squander the richness of God’s blessing, ignore those who suffer, and continually find ways to distance ourselves from that which God has called us to be.  Still, it is God who comes near, calls us to repent and guides us by the Holy Spirit as we wander through the wilderness of our humanity.  By the power of Christ’s death and resurrection and through the waters of baptism, God enables us to love others and boldly share the good news of Christ with a world so desperately in need of God’s love and mercy.

The light of Epiphany first pointed the Magi in the direction of the Christ child born in Bethlehem.  Again the light shone in blinding splendor on the Mount of Transfiguration, revealing Jesus as God’s Son.  Now, as we begin the Lenten walk toward Easter, the light shines on the cross of Christ through which God reconciled the world through the blood of his Son.  May your Lenten journey be one that is guided by the light of Christ, in silent reflection of God’s life saving grace, of discipleship and love for all people. 

[Jesus said} “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.  But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”  Matthew 6:5-13 (NRSV)

Loving Father; You invite us to come to you in prayer.  You invite us to lay before you our lives fears and joys, sorrows, triumphs, today’s and tomorrows.  Enabled by our Lord Jesus Christ, we come humbly and fearfully before you as he instructed; in the quietness and silence of repentant hearts.  We come petitioning asking for help, seeking guidance, hoping for blessing.  Hear us when we pray.

You invite us to worship you; to proclaim our obedience to you, follow your teachings, obey your commandments, and bend to your will.  So as we gather in your name, we come to the altars of our churches and cathedrals in psalm and praise, singing your hymns, declaring our faith, chanting our beliefs, and giving you our thanks.  Hear us when we pray.

Yet you do not seize our audible praises, disdain ceremonies, ignore anthems, or tune out chants.  You are present in silences, felt in tears, heard in sighs and attendant in laments.  You call us into closets; invite us to find retreat, bid us to embrace quiet.  Help us to risk silence, grasp solitude, and entwine peace.  Hear us when we pray.

In silence, solitude and peace you meet us and you hear us; you love us and forgive us.  In the silence of our hearts, you refresh us and renew us.  In silence, solitude and peace you are there, we are heard, prayers are answered.  In silence, solitude and peace; hear us when we pray.  Amen.

Prayer inspired by The Rev. Stephan Brown, A Place for Prayer