Remeber me as you pass by - a sermon for all hallows eve/all saints/ all souls/ Day of the Dead

A common Gravestone in the 17^th and 18^th centuries reads;

Remember me as you pass by,

As you are now, so once was I,

As I am now, so you must be,

Prepare for death and follow me.[1]

Today we honor those who have passed on before us. We are celebrating the Day of the Dead/ all saints day/all souls any and any other name it may go by.

Richard Feynman was one of the best-known and most influential physicists of his generation. Bob points out that he is often referred to by Sheldon cooper in the big bang theory. In the 1940s, he played a part in the development of the atomic bomb; in 1986, as a key member of the Rogers Commission, he investigated the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and identified its cause; in 1965, he and two colleagues were awarded the Nobel Prize “for their fundamental work in quantum electrodynamics, with deep-ploughing consequences for the physics of elementary particles.” He was also an incredibly likeable character, and made countless other advances in his field, the complexities of which I will never be able understand. [2]

In June of 1945, his wife and high-school sweetheart, Arline, passed away after succumbing to tuberculosis. She was 25-years-old. 16 months later, in October of 1946, Richard wrote his late wife a heartbreaking love letter and sealed it in an envelope. It remained unopened until after his death in 1988.

October 17, 1946

D’Arline,

I adore you, sweetheart.

I know how much you like to hear that — but I don't only write it because you like it — I write it because it makes me warm all over inside to write it to you.

It is such a terribly long time since I last wrote to you — almost two years but I know you'll excuse me because you understand how I am, stubborn and realistic; and I thought there was no sense to writing.

But now I know my darling wife that it is right to do what I have delayed in doing, and that I have done so much in the past. I want to tell you I love you. I want to love you. I always will love you.

I find it hard to understand in my mind what it means to love you after you are dead — but I still want to comfort and take care of you — and I want you to love me and care for me. I want to have problems to discuss with you — I want to do little projects with you. I never thought until just now that we can do that. What should we do. We started to learn to make clothes together — or learn Chinese — or getting a movie projector. Can't I do something now? No. I am alone without you and you were the "idea-woman" and general instigator of all our wild adventures.

When you were sick you worried because you could not give me something that you wanted to and thought I needed. You needn’t have worried. Just as I told you then there was no real need because I loved you in so many ways so much. And now it is clearly even more true — you can give me nothing now yet I love you so that you stand in my way of loving anyone else — but I want you to stand there. You, dead, are so much better than anyone else alive.

I know you will assure me that I am foolish and that you want me to have full happiness and don't want to be in my way. I'll bet you are surprised that I don't even have a girlfriend (except you, sweetheart) after two years. But you can't help it, darling, nor can I — I don't understand it, for I have met many girls and very nice ones and I don't want to remain alone — but in two or three meetings they all seem ashes. You only are left to me. You are real.

My darling wife, I do adore you.

I love my wife. My wife is dead.

Rich.

PS Please excuse my not mailing this — but I don't know your new address.

“First I need to tell you that Dr. Feynman was an atheist, for him there was no supernatural world for him to access his wife.  But his love for deceased wife continued. Almost every human being has experienced the continued bond of love or friendship after someone has died. We all find ourselves there sometime in love, grief of love lost and closeness giving away to physical absence.”[3]

 “In almost every culture there is a belief that the dead should be honored, be it out of respect or a fear of ghostly retribution. In some cultures there are holidays set aside specifically to commemorate the dead, which vary from reserved veneration to a killer party.”[4].

The Inuit people believe their ancestors would visit them and appear as the northern lights. The Lakota people hold the tradition that the dead ones spirit lingers for a year after passing and “a special place is set up for the spirit, who is fed every day.  Members of the family and community can come and visit, eat, and sit with the spirit and family.  After a year the spirit is released.”[5]

The Japanese celebrate the Obon festival, “the Japanese believe on the interconnection and interdependence of almost everything on earth from humans, nature, the elements and including the spirits. They give honor and express their gratitude not only to their immediate relatives who have recently passed away but also to their earliest human ancestors who lived decades, centuries and millenniums ago.

The Japanese believe that at the start of Obon, the spirits of their relatives and ancestors come back to the physical world and visit them. Aside from offering prayers and holding memorial services at Buddhist temples, individual houses and establishments hang lanterns believing that their lights will guide the spirits. And on the last night of Obon, people send off the spirits back to their world with the help of floating or paper lanterns, candles, bon fires, etc.”[6]

So we are about to celebrate hallows eve, all souls day, all saints day there is obon in Japan, Chuseok in Korea, Gaijatra in Nepal, QingMing in China, Pitru Paksha in Hindu Tradition, [8] Just to name a few.[7]

Our God is the God of the Living!  From long before Christianity to faith traditions all around the world there is an inherent knowledge that there is life beyond this plane of existence.  There is a promise of something more and not just something more but a place where we are united with those who have gone before us, a communion of saints if you will.

The way people view the afterlife has evolved over time

“Our afterlife conceptions and theologies have been impacted by our modern cosmology, the story of the universe. Traditionally, the address (referring to our opening letter) was understood as God’s place as heaven, purgatory, and hell. It was this world, Earth, transitory illusory, sinful, and fragmented. The next world is real, eternal, and whole.  Heaven was envisioned in sky with clouds, and that was where Jesus ascended to be with God. Hell was imagined as a place of fire underground.  Heaven, hell, and purgatory were understood to be physical places until the 20th century. Because of death, in this this old model, we become cut off from the cosmos, for death separates us from time and space. God’s space is envisioned separated from the universe, above or outside of the universe.” email form bob

This hierarchical concept of heaven, hell and purgatory left us disconnect from our loved ones. This concept of heaven and hell as separate places where one is judged and sent left us with trepidation and fear.  It really was not all that comforting. The church would celebrate all saint’s day to remember and honor those who have gone before and assuredly entered into heaven.  The day after was all soul’s day when we recall "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven…. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. ( Cf. 1 Cor 3:15; 1 Pet 1:7)”[8]

I did professional chaplaincy training at Children’s Hospital.  I do not care how Catholic any family is I am not using this bad theology to try and comfort a parent grieving over the loss of a child and definitely not using this to teach a child how to grieve over the loss of a parent.  We would employ stories to help parents and children grieve much like the water bug story I shared. Or the story of “The fall of Freddie the Leaf” written by Leo Buscaglia”

“The most sense (of bridging the gap with the dead) is presence. Sometimes the presence is undifferentiated, a feeling of “something there,” but just as often the sense of presence is quite specific, as in one bereaved parent’s report, “I just knew that Jim was watching over me through all that.” Memory is a special kind of presence. Often the living recalls the words or deeds of the dead as guidelines for present behavior. At other times memory is reverie in which the time becomes more plastic so that past and present can merge.  Living people also maintain contact with the dead through linking objects. Being near the object evokes the dead’s sense of presence. The objects can be physical—for example, an article that belonged to the deceased—or nonmaterial—for an example, a song that deceased liked.”[9]

“Presence can appear or become real in physical absence. Christ is present in the remembered ritual of breaking bread and sharing the cup, yet he is physically absent. He is simultaneously present and absent like our beloved dead.”[10] The simplest act can bring back a fond memory.  Just writing this sermon has brought so many of my friends back living and deceased. As I recall one who has passed I also recall times we spent together with each other and lives we shared with others. So as we celebrate the day of all saints/all souls/ the day of the dead, how about if we share some facts.

“1. It’s not celebrated on the same day as Halloween

Contrary to what a lot of people seem to think, El Día de los Muertos is traditionally celebrated on Nov. 2. However, it is part of a multi-day sequence of festivities that usually begins on the evening of Oct. 31. Collectively, the entire celebration is sometimes referred to as the Days of the Dead.

2. The day before is dedicated to remembering dead children

El Día de los Muertos is meant to honor the spirits of deceased adults. On Nov. 1, however, families gather to remember the spirits of children who passed away prematurely. This is called either El Día de los Inocentes (the Day of the Innocents) or El Día de los Angelitos (the Day of the Little Angels).”

Interstingly enough the days of this tradition have been moved;

“3. It’s really, really old

The Day of the Dead isn’t just different from Halloween, it’s also potentially much, much older, too. Historians trace its origins back as far as 3,000 years to ancient Mesoamerican festivals dedicated to the goddess of the Underworld, Mictecacihuatl. These festivals were traditionally held in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, which roughly corresponds to August. However, in an attempt by Spanish conquistadors to make it a Christian holiday, it was moved to the end of October and beginning of November to coincide with the Catholic All-hallow-tide triduum (basically, a fancy word for a three-day holiday): All Saints’ Eve on Oct. 31, All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1 and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2”

5. It’s a day to celebrate, not a day to mourn

Ever notice how even the skeletons look like they’re having a party in Day of the Dead art? It’s a far cry from how many Western cultures view death, but Mexican culture take this lightness very seriously due to the belief that spirits who come to visit would be insulted if they found everyone in mourning. So instead, Day of the Dead is meant as a celebration of life. Family members get together to tell funny stories about deceased relatives and remember how they lived, not feeling sorry for them.

7. Altars to the dead show they haven’t been forgotten

Probably the main component of the Day of the Dead decorations is the altars, or more accurately, “offerings” (ofrendas in Spanish). Contrary to what the term “altar” implies, these are not for worship. Instead, each family assembles one as a way of paying tribute to the dead, with every part of the altar symbolizing something related to either the holiday or the dead ancestor/family member it’s dedicated to. This includes orange and yellow marigolds (cempazuchitl), copal incense, candles, pictures of the deceased, salt and water, traditional Day of the Dead foods and other things that might be specific to the individual person (favorite treats, toys for children, fashion magazines, etc.).

. The flowers attract ghosts

Cempazuchitl, the official flowers of the Day of the Dead, are used in massive quantities to decorate the graves and altars — a practice that has its roots in pre-Columbian traditions. These flowers (nicknamed el flor del muerto – “the flower of the dead”), sometimes said to represent the sun and rebirth, are also believed to help guide the spirits back home. In English, they are known as Mexican Merigolds.

9. Monarch butterflies are returning ancestors

Every year during the week of Nov. 2, parts of Mexico are swarmed with monarch butterflies that travel a staggering 3,000 miles all the way from Canada. The belief that the spirits of the dead could return in the form of hummingbirds or butterflies goes back all the way to the Aztecs, so it’s not hard to see why the monarch would become a key decorative motif.

17. Failing to celebrate can be dangerous

If this all sounds like a lot of time and energy and money, well, just remember, not celebrating could be even more costly. According to tradition, if the dead return home and find that their family has failed to build them a suitable altar, they sometimes get revenge. That can manifest in a variety of ways, including sickness and even death.

18. Day of the Dead isn’t a one-time deal

Unlike Halloween or all saints day, which was thought to be a special time of year — the one night when the dead were allowed to return to the world of the living — the Day of the Dead isn’t a special, once-a-year event for spirits. According to traditional beliefs, the dead come and go all the time, stopping in to visit living family members on a frequent basis. Instead, the Day of the Dead is more like Christmas: It’s meant to remind the living of things they should be trying to remember all year round.[11]

remembering the deceased all year around is a good practice.  As the time moves on from one’s death the pain becomes softer and the good memories and the joyful life remembered becomes sweeter. often times we find ourselves laughing and loving as if the person was right here with us and who knows/…they just may be

And so with all this chatter of death and loss, amid these days of the dead celebrations, I want to share two quotes one from The fall of Freddy the leaf.

One of my favorite quotes from this book asks;

“then what has been the reason for all of this?” Freddie continued to question. “why are we here at all if we only have to fall and die?” Daniel answered in his matter of fact way “It’s been about the sun and moon. It’s been about happy times together.  It’s been about the shade and the old people and the children.  it’s been about colors in the fall.  It’s been about seasons. Isn’t that enough?”[12]

And the last quote form Garth Brooks

Looking back on the memory of

The dance we shared beneath the stars above

For a moment all the world was right

How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye

And now I'm glad I didn't know

The way it all would end the way it all would go

Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain

But I'd have to miss the dance[13]

I hope we all get to remember how we enjoyed the dance.

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[1] Gaitlin GD Hopkins, Vast Public Indifference, February 24, 2010, accessed November 28, 2017, http://www.vastpublicindifference.com/2010/02/remember-me-as-you-pass-by.html.

[2] wikipedia, Richard Feynman, accessed October 28, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Feynman.

[3] Rev, e-mail message to Reverend Joseph P. Shore-Goss, November 1, 2016.

[4] Carissa McDonald, 10 festivals that honor the dead, January 19, 2013, accessed November 2, 2016, http://listverse.com/2013/01/19/10-festivals-that-honor-the-dead/.

[5] Jack Eidt, Life and Death;, July 9, 2011, accessed November 2, 2016, http://www.wilderutopia.com/traditions/life-death-lakota-spiritual-practice/.

[6] Nathan Glover, The Japanese Festival of the dead: Obon, July 13, 2016, accessed November 2, 2016, http://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/buddhism/the-japanese-festival-of-the-dead-obon.

[7] McDonald, 10 Festivals That Honor the Dead.

[8] Fr. Randy Sly, All Souls Day- Joining them on the Journey, November 2, 2012, accessed October 28, 2017, http://www.catholic.org/homily/yearoffaith/story.php?id=48326.

[9] Robert E. Goss and Dennis Klass, Dead but Not Lost: Grief Narratives in Religious Traditions (Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2005).

[10] Rev, e-mail message to Reverend Joseph P. Shore-Goss, November 1, 2016.

[11] Jeff Peterson, “Entertainment22 htings you may not know about Mexico,s day of the dead celebrations,” Desert News, October 23, 2017, accessed October 28, 2017, https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900002727/22-things-you-might-not-know-about-mexicos-day-of-the-dead-celebrations.html.

[12] Leo Buscaglia, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All Ages (Originally published as Thorofare, N.J..C.B. Slack, New York, N.Y: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1982).  As Freddie experiences the changing seasons along with his companion leaves, he learns about the delicate balance between life and death.

[13] Garth Brooks, “The Dance,” in The Ultimate Hits (New York, New York: RCA/Legacy/Pearl Records, 2014).

And to God Give the things that are God"s Mathew 22:15-22

                                                                         

President Donald Trump signed an executive order back in May that was partly geared towards making it easier for religious leaders to preach politics — even though most religious Americans oppose that idea. Many people believe that the political arena is something the pastor should stay clear of.  I have heard people say we can get enough of that from television.  If I want politics I’ll read it in my newspaper.  Therefore, due to today’s gospel reading, there will be no sermon today.

Today’s gospel reading is the beginning of four tests put to Jesus.  One commentator states “here we                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           have four skirmishes, all a part of the bigger battle which is the cloud on the horizon. The first is a potentially lethal trap laid by the Pharisees, with connivance of the ‘Herodians’, unlikely bedfellows of the Pharisees, since they would be expected to support the Roman domination.”[1]

So who were the Herodians?

“At the time of Jesus, there were certain groups—the Pharisees, the Herodians, and the Sadducees—that held positions of authority and power over the people. Other groups were the Sanhedrin, the scribes, and the lawyers. Each of these groups held power in either religious or political matters. The Herodians held political power, and most scholars believe that they were a political party that supported King Herod Antipas, the Roman Empire's ruler over much of the land of the Jews from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39. The Herodians favored submitting to the Herods, and therefore to Rome, for political expediency. This support of Herod compromised Jewish independence in the minds of the Pharisees, making it difficult for the Herodians and Pharisees to unite and agree on anything. But one thing did unite them—opposing Jesus. Herod himself wanted Jesus dead (Luke 13:31), and the Pharisees had already hatched plots against Him (John 11:53), so they joined efforts to achieve their common goal.

The first appearance of the Herodians in Scripture is Mark 3:6, "Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus." Jesus had been doing miracles, which caused some of the people to believe in Him for salvation, and that threatened the power and position of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians. The Herodians again joined with the Pharisees to challenge Jesus, to see if they could trap Jesus in His words by a trick question, to either discredit Him or to get Him to stop preaching (Matthew 22:16).” [2]

Reverend Martin Dale reminds us that “In any other situation, these two groups wouldn’t have passed the time of day with each other.

The Pharisees were “devout” Jews. They were sworn enemies of the Romans and vigorously opposed Roman rule. And they stood against paying taxes to Caesar.

The Herodians, on the other hand, were the party of that Roman stooge, Herod. They were the wealthy and privileged class who gladly collaborated with the enemy - helping them rule the Jews - in exchange for status and power in society. So they would have no problems in paying taxes to Caesar!!

The adage: “My enemy’s enemy is my friend.” was certainly true that day

The enemies of Rome and friends of Rome were united in their opposition to Jesus.” [3]

Okay so now let us look at the setting if we read backwards Mathew 21:23 tells us Jesus is in the temple. He has given a few parables including one that stated many are invited to the wedding feast but few are selected…this is when “the Pharisees went and made a plan to set a trap for him. (matt.22:15)” So they ask Jesus a political and potentially volatile question.  “the tax issue is a perfect stratagem to entrap Jesus.  If he supports the payment of the highly unpopular poll tax he will lose standing with the people; if he rejects payment he runs the risk of being identified with Groups (such as those later known as Zealots) who were in more or less perpetual rebellion against Rome, and so presenting himself as a significant threat to peace and public order.”[4]

Basically, should Jesus answer one way he is discredited in front of his followers.  If he answers the other way he is guilty of encouraging rebellion. Of course this is exactly what he will be accused of in Luke 23:5 “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar.”

So Jesus calls them Hypocrite, which they are for they never work together but to discredit Jesus, and to prove that they were he asks them to produce a coin by which the poll tax would be paid…. Let’s stop right here for a minute. Remember when Jesus gets angry in the temple, which at this point hasn’t happened yet, but remember that??? What does he turn over?  What is the famous image showing us goes flying.  The change tables among other things. What is this fuss around a coin?

Well you see the temple had a tax.  The temple tax was one third shekel per year. Originally in solomons time it was half a shekel. “Shekel was a weight—not a coin—equaling from ten to twelve grams, or less than half an ounce. It could be cast as either gold or silver in the form of bars, bracelets, and necklaces. In fact, kikkar, Hebrew for "talent" in the Old Testament, literally means "ringlike." People would wear their money!”[5]

Now as time went on coins eventually came into fashion, Stan Hudson has a bit of education for us around that:

At any rate, by the end of the second century B.C., coins were probably fully accepted in Temple services. From this time to the first century A.D. , Jews were not able to make their own silver coins, for political reasons—their Syrian or Roman rulers wouldn't permit them. So they chose the silver coins of the nearby city of Tyre, which enjoyed a special political status. Specifically, the coins chosen were Tyrian didrachms (twodrachma pieces) and tetradrachms (four-drachma pieces), which approximated by weight the Jewish half-shekels and shekels, respectively. First minted in 126 B.C., they appeared in large enough numbers and with good enough quality to end the real need of scales and weights (if they were still used). These coins were dated according to the year of the Tyrian dynasty, 126 B.C. being "yearone."

It is ironic that Tyrian coins bore the image of Melkart, the Phoenician equivalent of Baal, Israel's old enemy. This surely stirred a resentful thought or two from the pious Jew worshiping in the Temple. The reverse carried an Egyptian-styled eagle and the Greek inscription "Tyre the holy and inviolable." The date was to the eagle's left (Figures 2 and 3).

That Jews so soon after the religious revival of the Maccabees chose coins tainted with paganism for sacred service is based on two factors: (1) the liberal Hellenistic Sadducees had gained administrative control of the Temple, and (2) no one wanted to use Roman coins, such as the tetradrachms of Alexandria or Antioch. Apparently no one wanted "Caesar's image" around the Temple. Even Baal was better than Caesar! [6]

So Jesus asks these Good Jewish leaders to produce the coin of the poll tax , right there in the temple and well they do. What they show him is most likely a denarius which has the head of Tiberius on one side with an inscription that reads (“Caesar Augustus Tiberius, son of the Divine Augustus”), claiming that Augustus was a god. To have such a coin proves Jesus point that these men are hypocrites. Any one nearby may already be laughing in smiling at the irony that Jesus is bringing into view.

Then he says one of the most controversial things he could say.  Whose head is upon that coin?  Then pay to Caesar what is Caesar’s and Pay to God what is God’s. The Reverend Martin Dale asks;

“What can we draw from this today?

The problem is not such a hot potato in our society as it was in Jesus day. In the first century AD, the state and religion were closely joined. "The cult of the gods and the power of the ruler" went hand in hand (Matthew - Michael Green p. 232-233)

But it is a real dilemma in countries where the State (such as certain Islamic and Communist states) persecutes Christians and demands their religious allegiance away from Christ.

We all enjoy the benefits that the State brings. What would we do without electricity, roads, rail and running water.

As Michael Green has so succinctly put it: in Jesus day, the Jews benefited from "imperial roads, education, justice and freedom from invasion.... Jesus was saying that those who enjoy Caesar’s benefits should pay Caesar’s taxes" (Matthew - Michael Green p. 232-233)

We can, as Christians, be good citizens in a secular society provided what that society asks of us does not contravene our commitment to Christ.

“Render unto Caesar’s the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are of God” (Mt. 22:21)

cannot mean anything else.

For our ultimate loyalty lies with Jesus and our heavenly Father.

(Reverend Martin goes on to say) When I was preparing this talk, I was very taken by a thought of Michael Green’s. In Jesus’ response to the Pharisee, he used the Greek word "apodote" which is translated render or give back. "The coin bore Caesar’s image : give it back to him. You bear God’s image: so give yourself back to him." (Matthew - Michael Green p. 234)”[7]

One of my Professors at Christ Church points out that “We are to applaud his adroit response: ‘give to God what belongs to God’ – and what belongs to God, of course is nothing less than everything.”[8] I want to say that this is the very point.

We all have choices to make; What laws do we support, what leaders do we support, even what taxes we support that is all literally a matter of choice or perhaps, if you prefer, circumstance. What is the governments, belongs to the government, but when it comes down to it, even that, even that frustrating tax we have to pay by April the 15^th we must understand that over it all, our God reigns.

So, if we are to give to God what is Gods then amid frustration, in the midst of Grief, in the midst of anger and pain.  We are called to Give it to God.  Offering our circumstances, offering our lives, offering our pain, anger, and disappointment to God is not blaming God.  It is part of this life, we are spiritual beings who have chosen to live a human life and with being human comes… well… life. God chose to be human that the God self might know and understand our suffering.

God shares in our grief and suffering.

Unfortunately, many of us were taught that grief and suffering were to be done in private. We were brought up to believe that we are good when we serve others and we should keep our pain and suffering to ourselves. The author in a proverb of ashes shares this thought. “When I was in distress, I did not turn to my family or my church. In Both places, I had learned that personal need had no place. The good person cares for others, but if she herself is hurt, frightened, confused, or in need, these weaknesses are to be nursed in private, covered over, or solved without bothering anyone else.”[9]

This thing we are living through, these fires, gives us an opportunity to explore the way we are with God.  The God of all things.  How do we walk with God?  How do we talk with God? Do we acknowledge God in our lives properly? Are we okay in taking our grief and anger to God? Are we okay taking our Joys and surprises and successes to God?” You know It is funny but, we, as humans, are in the habit of asking why did God do this when things are bad and Didn’t I do Great when things are good.

Okay now for an Oprah moment.  This moment about to be about Praxis. Practice or dare I say …Prayer.

I remember first hearing of a Gratitude Journal on Oprah.  But this is a Good practice.  Keeping track of things we are grateful for.  Especially if we are in a time of tragedy and despair. “studies have traced a range of impressive benefits to the simple act of writing down the things for which we’re grateful—benefits including better sleep, fewer symptoms of illness, and more happiness among adults and kids alike.”[10]

“The basic practice is straightforward. In many of the studies, people are simply instructed to record five things they experienced in the past week for which they’re grateful. The entries are supposed to be brief—just a single sentence—and they range from the mundane (“waking up this morning”) to the sublime (“the generosity of friends”) to the timeless (“the Rolling Stones”).” [11]

There are studies that show that this practice is beneficial and others that so not so much but the key is just how you practice.  As with any prayer you need to be attentive to it.

Robert Emmons “a professor at the University of California, Davis, shared these research-based tips for reaping the greatest psychological rewards from your gratitude journal.

Don’t just go through the motions. Research by psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky and others suggests that journaling is more effective if you first make the conscious decision to become happier and more grateful. “Motivation to become happier plays a role in the efficacy of journaling,” says Emmons.

Go for depth over breadth. Elaborating in detail about a particular thing for which you’re grateful carries more benefits than a superficial list of many things.

Get personal. Focusing on people to whom you are grateful has more of an impact than focusing on things for which you are grateful.

Try subtraction, not just addition. One effective way of stimulating gratitude is to reflect on what your life would be like without certain blessings, rather than just tallying up all those good things.

Savor surprises. Try to record events that were unexpected or surprising, as these tend to elicit stronger levels of gratitude.

Don’t overdo it. Writing occasionally (once or twice per week) is more beneficial than daily journaling. In fact, one study by Lyubomirsky and her colleagues found that people who wrote in their gratitude journals once a week for six weeks reported boosts in happiness afterward; people who wrote three times per week didn’t. “We adapt to positive events quickly, especially if we constantly focus on them,” says Emmons. “It seems counterintuitive, but it is how the mind works.” [12]

Now to add to this to bring it back to this day this practice can be made sacred Simply by making a prayer out of the practice and living gratefully into the God of All things. We must choose to be grateful, I am not saying to be Pollyanna but to be truly grateful and in times of trouble that may be the smallest of things.  Even in Giving onto Caesar what is Caesars we can be grateful because, though it doesn’t always work as well or as quickly as we like our government is here in the midst of tragedy, helping those in need.  Providing shelter, water, food and fire fighters.

So Today For our first responders many and all we are Grateful. For our Police and forest service, we are Grateful and for this Community as we do our best to support the community arounds us we are Grateful! Amen!

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[1] Nicholas King, The Bible (Suffolk: Keving Mayhew, 2013), 1871.

[2] got questions ministries, Who were the Herodians, 2017, accessed October 21, 2017, https://www.gotquestions.org/Herodians.html.

[3] Reverend Martin Dale, Render Unto Caesar, October 18, 2002, accessed October 21, 2017, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/render-unto-caesar-revd-martin-dale-sermon-on-faith-51424.

[4] Brendan Byrne and SJ, Lifting the Burden (MN: Liturgical Press, 2004).

[5] Stan Harris, The Money of the Jewish Temple, September 1, 1984, accessed October 21, 2017, http://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1984/09/the-money-of-the-jewish-temple.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Reverend Martin Dale, Render Unto Caesar.

[8] King, The Bible, 1871.

[9] Rita nakashima Brock, and Rebecca Ann Parker, Proverbs of Ashes (Boston: Beacon Press, 2001), 23.

[10] Jason Marsh, Tips for keeping a Gratitude Journal, November 17, 2011, accessed October 21, 2017, http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_keeping_a_gratitude_journal.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.

All shall be well John 1:1-5

                                                                         

Who here has some sort of magical movie or tv special that just is guaranteed to bring a smile of Joy to your face.  Whether it be for nostalgic purposes, because it brings memories of sweet times or because it is a total escape, either one is legitimate.  I personally get a chill any time I see that first Harry Potter movie and Hagrid looks at young harry at simply states …” you’re a wizard harry!”[1]

This week I feel we all could use a little magic.  Just one word that will make this easier.  One word that would make the air clean again, replace homes and charred forest in an instant, and allow families to return to their beloved communities.  Unfortunately, there isn’t.  For many people, for many of our friends and families and even some of us. It will be a while before things start to look normal again.

Even those of us who have lost nothing physically will still be affected by these fires for a while.  Lines at the gas stations, the smoke and ash particles in the air.  Maybe you need some dental work, like I did this week. Well the offices are short staffed and cannot do anything till who knows. Our beautiful country side will not look the same for a while and if you use the medical facilities in Santa Rosa the street will not look the same.

Some may have lost long time visiting sites.  Places we went to get away or beloved parts of communities we visit.  We all know someone who knows someone who has been affected.  It is weird bit when the catastrophe is far off, another state or another country our hearts break and we do what we can.  But sometimes when it is in our own back yard it becomes overwhelming. 

There were four shelters in this area alone one minute we see a newspaper article that states here are a list of things needed the next day that list is no good they have too much.  The red cross needs volunteers and yet their phones are backed up and messages are full. Our hearts are broken for our neighbors and yet, many of us feel powerless to do anything. So, for now, we can hold our communities in prayer.

But here in the midst of fire and devastation I do want to clearly state, God did not do this. God did not allow this to happen.  I just don’t believe Gods works that way. And if you should hear of anyone saying so …ignore them.

Christopher Spatz writes of an experience with lymphoma;

“I never believed that God had bestowed this disease on me, nor did I believe it would be taken away because I asked.  The prayers I offered were for courage, strength, tolerance, a fighting spirit, and confidence in making the best decisions. I refused to be fearful or despair. Rather, I made a choice to live one day at a time and expect to be part of the future. I was open to and cognizant of loving and being loved, and aware of the care and compassion extended to me from many sources. I was humbled by sincere expressions of support from coworkers, acquaintances on social media, and friends and family. I learned that I was placed on peoples’ prayers lists most of whom I didn’t know.”[2]

Offering words of courage, offering strength when someone feels they have none, just being that calming presence to a friend or a loved one can help. Prayers, prayers bring comfort, prayers offer encouragement and hope to many people.  As it was stated above just knowing he was on prayers lists brought comfort.

As the immediate, passionate response calms down there will be needs arising.  The immediate response was overwhelming and great but this is not a thing that gets fixed quickly or easily. Just as there are stages to grief, there are stages to recovery. But the first thing anyone needs is compassion and empathy. But we cannot offer that unless we ourselves are in a good place.

We need to be present.  Be present to yourself.  In the midst of all this, things are changing and that change is frustrating, scary, sad, makes us angry, and can leave us hurt. The stress of just wondering if the fires may move in our direction at any given moment, being constantly on edge because we can smell fire. Just the aroma of fire, in our minds consciously or not, means danger and puts us on edge.

So, check in with yourself. What is your emotional state?  How are you feeling?  Have you been finding it hard to sleep?  Are you more tense than usual?  Maybe you find yourself with a short temper.  This is all normal we are living in a very stress filled situation this week.

One thing we can all do is try to relieve some of that stress.  Now it may be hard.  It means taking time out to first acknowledge your emotional state.  We have to pause and just see how we are feeling. Right now, I would encourage you Four times a day find a quiet place. I do not care if this is on a bench on the sidewalk, in your office or if you have to lock yourself in a bathroom for a few minutes.  Find a quite space. 

“Tune into your body. Your body often sends physical cues about how you’re feeling. Perhaps your shoulders are tense, you’re walking quicker than normal, or your heart is racing. Perhaps you’re sitting more slumped than normal, you are talking less in a meeting, or your muscles are heavy and tired. Notice these physical cues, and let them serve as a reminder to check in with yourself.”

Our bodies are fantastic things and they give us signs on just how we are feeling.  When you pause just notice what you are physically feeling. Do not judge your body or its aspects, pay gentle loving attention. Do not dismiss anything as arbitrary.  This is time to say what is that pain, what is that tension, oh my I actually have a headache.

 “Take a deep breath. Take a slow and full breath, taking your time to notice your deep inhale and your deep exhale. This helps to slow down your mind, reduce distractions, and focus you in on your experience.”

This needs to be a moment just for a you and a deep breath helps to you pause and according to Harvard health “Deep abdominal breathing encourages full oxygen exchange — that is, the beneficial trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, this type of breathing slows the heartbeat and can lower or stabilize blood pressure.”[3] 

This deep breath also centers you and establishes that this moment in time is just for you. 

“Ask the question. Use the simple question, “How am I feeling?” Make it even more specific by tagging what you are doing at the moment to the end of question. For example, “How am I feeling as I’m walking down the hall?” “How am I feeling as I’m driving to work? “How am I feeling as I climb into bed?” Adding the action, you’re currently doing will help focus your brain on this moment.” 

The key question is How.  How am I feeling is a non-judgmental practice.  You are not taking this time to pass judgement on yourself.  This isn’t why am I feeling this way?  Or I don’t have time for this emotion right now.  This is about being honest with ourselves. How am I felling while I am in the midst of this day at this time and place?

You then answer 

“Use descriptive words to capture how you feel in the moment. … the concept of using specific, tailored, and detailed words to describe your experience is incredibly important when doing emotional check-in.”[4]

 I am sure we all know descriptive words here are a few that we often may not think of:

Abandoned, Afraid, Agitated, Alarmed- fear is a natural response to the unknown but we can see that expressive words may help us discover better descriptors of our emotional state that we have not considered before.

Baffled, Betrayed, Bewildered, Blissful -confusion is a normal response to stressful situations but at this moment, when you pause, perhaps you have had some good news or fun and you are blissful.  There can be joyous moments in the worst of times and acknowledging that and allow yourself to experience joy. Joy is perfectly Good.

“Repeat daily. Then twice daily, then three times daily. The more you practice, the easier this process will be, eventually becoming a habit. 

Remember, the more we know what we’re feeling in a given moment, the more we can do something about it.   Emotional awareness of what’s happening in the current moment provides an opportunity that we can do something to feel very different in the next moment.”[5]

This simple practice is empowering.  It allows you to not only be aware of your emotions but it is a way to make sure that your emotions are not controlling you in negative ways. This helps you to ease into where you are spiritually at any given moment.

Wait I thought we were talking about emotions but now you just said spiritually. 

Like most everything healthy, emotional check ins take some time and effort at first. It may not feel natural or easy, and that’s ok. Pick an activity you do daily and connect your check in to that activity, keeping yourself accountable. You may want to set an alert on your phone or keep a sticky note nearby to serve as a reminder. Continue to practice. You will start to notice a difference, an increased level of awareness. A powerful opportunity to do something different.

Now you may be thinking why is our pastor giving us this touchy-feely tool.  This practice some of you may be aware of as called mindfulness. “Mindfulness meditation is the practice of bringing gentle, accepting attention to present moment thoughts, emotions, and body sensations. While the immediate goal is not to change or improve what’s happening, the practice of bringing friendly awareness to our internal experience can decrease stress and improve coping with challenges.”[6]  And I would add connect us to God.

As we acknowledge our emotions and check in with ourselves, no matter what state we are in, we can always consciously acknowledge that God is here or even ask ourselves where is God in this and wait for an answer to come…or not, because sometime the answer is silence. Sometimes the answer doesn’t come. Sometimes the silence is the answer.

I want to leave you with a long quote from a great mystic whom I am fond of. Her most famous quote is on the cover of the bulletin. Julian of Norwich (c. 8 November 1342 – c. 1416) was an English anchoress and an important Christian mystic and theologian. Her Revelations of Divine Love, written around 1395, is the first book in the English language known to have been written by a woman. Julian was also known as a spiritual authority within her community, where she also served as a counsellor and advisor. I have always found great comfort in her words;

Thus, in our true Mother, Jesus, our life is grounded,

In his own foreseeing Wisdom from without beginning,

With the high Power of the Father

And the high supreme Goodness of the holy Spirit.

In the taking of our human nature He restores life to us, and His

 blessed dying on the cross, he birthed us into endless life.

And from that time, and now, and until Doomsday,

He feeds us and helps us

Just as high matchless nature of motherhood wills

And as the natural need of childhood requires.

Fair and sweet is our heavenly Mother in the eyes of our soul;

Precious and loving are His grace-filled children in the eyes of our

Heavenly Mother,

With gentleness and humility and all fair virtues that are proper

To children in nature.

Furthermore,

By nature the child does not despair the mother’s love;

By nature the child does not take responsibility upon itself;

By nature the child loves the mother

And each one the other.

These are the fair virtues (with all others that are like them) with

Which our heavenly Mother is Honored and pleased.

I recognize no state in this life

Greater in weakness,

And in lack of power and intelligence than our childhood,

Until the time that our grace-filled Mother has brought us up to our Father’s bliss.

And then truly be made known to us His meaning in these sweet

Words where Christ says:

“All shall be well;

And thou shalt see for they self that all manner of things

shall be well.”[7]

In this quote from her long reflection she reassures us as children of our Heavenly Mother Jesus, we are in love. As Christians this reassurance even when we cannot comprehend all that is happening around us, even when there is despair, chaos confusion.  In our hour of need to do something when it seems all is out of our hands.  We have the Mother Jesus reassurance that we are loved and held in his loving grace..

“But Jesus (who in this vision informed me of all that I needed)

Answered by this word and said:

“…But all shall be well, and all shall be well,

And all manner of things shall be well.”[8]

Jesus doesn’t promise us all will be perfect.  Jesus doesn’t promise us all will be the same, Jesus doesn’t even offer us a quick fix.  But Jesus offers us compassion, Jesus offers us rest, Jesus offers us grace and Jesus offers us reassurance that All shall be well. So when things are overwhelming and you do not have a moment to take inventory or paused and find a quiet space.  I have always found comfort in her words and I often repeat them as a prayer…even out loud sometimes all shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Amen!

---

[1] J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (New York: Scholastic, 2013), 50.

[2] Christopher Spatz, “The Exhilirations of Lymphoma: A Year Int He Life,” Oneing an alternative Orthdoxy 5, no. 1: 79.

[3] Harvard Health, “Taske deep Breath,” Harvard university, May, 2009, accessed October 12, 2017, http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/take-a-deep-breath.

[4] Allison Niebes Davis, “The Power of Emotional Check Ins and 5 Steps to Help You Get Started,” Dr. Allison, 2017, accessed October 12, 2017, http://drallisonanswers.com/mindfulness/the-power-of-emotional-check-ins-and-5-steps-to-help-you-get-started.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Northeastern University, Mindfulness and Spiritual Practices, 2012, accessed October 12, 2017, http://www.northeastern.edu/spirituallife/mindfulness-and-spiritual-practices/.

[7] Father John Julian, A Lesson of Love (New York: Walker and Company, 1998), 166.

[8] Ibid., 61.

The Wicked Tenants; A Complicated Parable Matthew 21:33-36

                                                                           

This week we are examining what many consider to be a very complicated parable: the parable of the wicked tenants. This is a parable about Israel. It goes along with similar themes to the parable of the two sons and the parables of the wedding banquet and feast.

A mother ran into the bedroom when she heard her seven-year-old son scream. She found his two-year-old sister pulling his hair. She gently released the little girl’s grip and said comfortingly to the boy, "There, there. She didn’t mean it. She doesn’t know that hurts." He nodded his acknowledgement, and she left the room.

As she started down the hall the little girl screamed. Rushing back in, she asked, "What happened?"

The little boy replied, "She knows now."

The parable of the landowner and the wicked tenants continues the theme of Jesus’ conversation with the rich young man. “The last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matthew 20:16) this is a notion that challenged the general religious economy of Jesus’ era and continues to challenge that of our own time. The parable points a finger at the religious elite of Jerusalem. As the story unfolds, the Pharisees know that Jesus is speaking about the unfaithful history of Israel, Israel who refused the witness of prophets, Israel who killed God’s messengers, and now Israel who denies the witness of Jesus, whom some have called the Messiah. Now do not get me wrong this is not Israel the nation, so much as Israel influenced by a corrupt religious leadership.

The heart of the parable is the wicked and violent way that stewards of the law and the temple have failed through the centuries to acknowledge God’s clear message of justice and righteousness. Now the Son has come to give a clear message, and the attitude is still the same. These men of power will not stand much longer for this kind of teaching.

As with many parables, Jesus uses symbols in his stories that give a deeper meaning. This is where we need to be careful because not all things have deeper meanings. Sometimes a field is really just a field. But here we can deduce some likely meanings. I say likely here because sometimes these things are debated.

Symbolic Indicators

• The vineyard is Jerusalem

Here some say that the vineyard is all of Israel. I do not believe that this represents all of Israel because it is a narrative that is indicative of Jerusalem. Jesus paints the picture of a wall, a watch tower and a winepress. This combination most likely would have pointed to Jerusalem. The wall around Jerusalem, the watch tower would be the temple that is supposed to keep watch over the spiritual life of the people. The winepress would also point to the Temple but specifically the Temple authorities who were supposed to take care of the people, especially the financial responsibility of the poor, but Jesus is indicating that they had misappropriated the finances. No wonder the religious rulers were so upset.

Besides, the placement of this parable, the timing, in relation to Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and arrival at the temple makes it very clear who Jesus is accusing.

• The servants are the prophets

These are the Old Testament prophets many of whom were beaten and killed as God’s messengers. God sent them to all of Israel and to Jerusalem many, many times.

• The son is Jesus

In the parable the son is taken outside the vineyard then killed. Jesus would be very shortly taken outside the city walls and crucified. He was taken outside so that the city and the Temple would not be ritually defiled.

• The tenants are Israel’s leaders

Not just one generation but in general all of the Israelite leaders over the course of its history. I know that it can be especially tempting to continue allegorizing everything in this parable. However, other than these items, there is no clear indication that Jesus intended for his hearers to do so.

The inheritance is a deeper relationship with God the creator. The fruit is the abundance of a growing community here on earth...  Then there are more generalized interpretations as in the message of the kindom and the productive living that follows. Specifics are not given by Jesus here about what entails productive living nor does Jesus give details on what the judgment looks like other than the wicked tenants will meet their deserved end.

So what message is Jesus trying to give us through this parable? It is really very simple for those who have ears to hear. The parable is a proclamation concerning the world to come, and Israel’s part in this present, but not yet realized world to come.

There is a Proclamation within this parable which is that

*The stewardship of this heavenly kindom will be taken away from one people and given to many people; taken away from the hypocritical judicial leaders of Israel’s history and given to the chosen people and those who lay beyond this concept of the chosen few.

God’s intention all along is that God has a people who are God’s own. But the boundaries that creates this people will not be based on birth or race or religious standing or economic standing or even social standing.

The rules for this new people is twofold.

• This new people are all those who respond to the fullness of God’s message for them and then bear fruit.

Both parts are essential: Responding to the message of the all loving God by bearing fruit through productive living. This living is based on the ways of God and the teachings received, for the Christian this is the teachings of Jesus. Productive living may not necessarily mean being a good citizen, being a good citizen is just enough but God and Christ have called us to more than that. It probably doesn’t mean being affluent economically. In fact, it probably means you will not be affluent.

• Blessings and gifts are not permanent possessions they come and go. So, as Christians, we should never feel comfortable, we should never feel we have done enough.

It is so easy to get caught up in false sense of security. The only security is through the continuing love relationship with Jesus, walking humbly as is taught through the Gospels. Degrees, promotions, bible studies, number of worship services, number of prayers and prayer meetings, number of meals served to the homeless are all great things and often beneficial to our own spiritual growth. However, they do not provide security. The security lies in striving to be what I am called to be. All actions should flow out of where we are at in our journey, what we are capable of doing but also, perhaps what we are challenged to do. Our actions need to flow out of a sense of calling and spiritual walk with God which may seem to call us beyond what we are capable of.

The only assurance that God is with us is by intentionally setting our hearts on God. God’s favor and blessings are permanent but, Jesus is giving Israel and us a warning that fulfilling religious responsibilities is not enough. He warns us that we may get to the end and find that we are spiritually bankrupt because we have been denouncing, ridiculing, degrading, and ignoring the very messengers that God has been sending us. Jesus is warning us also not to just simply go through the motions but to develop a spiritual life and a life that is rich and full.

There is no guarantee except what comes through the indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit. That is your security deposit. And that is not something that you give but receive and continue to be filled with and in turn are required to nurture, grow and seek out your spiritual edges… in return

• God does the unexpected.

Probably of all the things that God may be saying to us today through this parable is that God does the unexpected, the unexpected grace and love that is shown by those that love God and God’s ways. The unexpected provision that God gives sometimes before we realized we even had a need, the unexpected lesson that Jesus teaches us when we are wrapped up in ourselves.

Jesus gives us a proverb or saying at the end of this parable. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed. When we fall in complete and utter abandonment to Jesus who is the cornerstone, we may be broken but we are never crushed. Through the spirit and growing in Christ we often are broken and broken again for the love of Christ that can dwell in the heart will often cause it to break, break for the violence, break for the pain and suffering that exists in this world, break every time there is another storm. Our hearts break at another mass shooting and we feel helpless in its wake.

The amazing thing is that when we are broken before God, Jesus takes the broken pieces of our lives our mistakes those times when we missed the mark, our helpless ness, or our justified anger and unexpectedly transforms them. God takes people that many in the world might cast out as trash and creates a thing of beauty that allows the light of the spirit to shine through. Let me say that again; Jesus takes the broken pieces of our lives and unexpectedly transforms what many in the world might cast out as trash, as emotionalism, as foolishness and creates a thing of beauty that allows the light of the spirit to shine through.

The message is plain but not easy. Are you certain of your walk with God? Are sure that you are walking with Jesus? Do you love God and God’s ways more than anything else? Have you responded by living a life of abundant fruit? There are no barriers here today. The only barrier is the one inside of ourselves. Is the spirit of God calling us to go further, to be bolder, to act up or speak out?

Now I am not saying we need to be saints for God knows we are human. We are called to do our best to respond to the messenger, to follow Jesus, and live this abundant life that has been given us. We should guard against our pride less we convince ourselves that we are doing enough. We can always do more, spend a few more minutes in prayer or contemplation, spend an extra 15 minutes visiting a friend in need, volunteer a few more minutes somewhere.

This means seeking opportunity to enrich your spiritual life as well. Seeking out what feeds you spiritually to keep that constant connection.  The connection that goes up and down, God to me, me to God, is what makes it possible for me to make connections laterally. There are so many ways to feed the up and down; Journaling as prayer, walking meditation, the Jesus prayer, which is Lord Jesus Christ; have mercy on me repeated over and over till it is constant on your heart, the daily offices or book of Christian prayer. Arts and crafts can become prayer as perhaps you work in silence you offer a simple prayer per stich. I also strongly encourage you seek out a spiritual companion, a spiritual director.

Spiritual Directors international reminds us that throughout human history, individuals have been inspired to accompany others seeking the Mystery that many name God. Spiritual direction has emerged in many contexts using language specific to cultural and spiritual traditions throughout history. Stillpoint California a training program for spiritual directors states A Spiritual Director is a privileged witness in the spiritual unfolding of another person. The focus is on the relationship between the "directee" and God, much more than on the relationship between the director and “directee.” I always say that the Spiritual director is a companion on your spiritual path to help you notice things along the way you may not have noticed, rarely does a spiritual director direct more often than not they just pause and inquire.  Their purpose is help one grow in their spiritual journey.

The whole concept is you need to find what feeds you, what will keep your heart open to the beauty and the wonder that is God’s spiritual invitation to walk the path daily and as we grow spiritually the invitation is always to act upon it. Seek out the ways in which we can serve our congregation and our community around us.