40 Words of Lent: Mask (2/27/2021)

 

During college, as a theater major, we used costumes, makeup, props and set pieces to help establish the characters and setting of particular plays.  In one production (Lysistrata by Aristophanes), we used masks that we each created for our particular parts (this was my one lead part as Lysistrata).  In Greek theatre, the use of masks helped to exaggerate particular characteristics in each character.  They also allowed for an actor to play different roles in the same play.

While masks in these plays helped to reveal something about a character in a play, the "masks" that we wear today are more about hiding part of ourselves.  Do you find that you behave differently in different situations or experiences (for instance, were you seen as a well-behaved child in school or church, but your parents didn't always experience you in the same way).

Some of our masks are more pronounced than others.  In this age of the "selfie", often people will want to present the very best of themselves or at least how they want the world to see them (which can be a far cry from the reality).   We don't always share our full selves with others - only that which we think might be acceptable or worthy or recognition.  

Sometimes these choices of  how much we share is based on what is expected in particular settings (for instance, I'm not going to wear my grubbiest clothes to worship, but save them for doing work at home).  We have to discern what and when we are able to remove our masks and share more of ourselves with others.   When we do remove them, it is often in relationships where we have begun to trust the other person.

No matter what our masks look like, what we try to present to the rest of the world - God sees us behind our masks.  God knows what is keeping those masks in place, what  lead to their creation.  While we may be reluctant to remove our masks before others, we are invited to trust that God loves us for whom we are and sees us only as beautiful and beloved.  God does not judge based on what the world says is acceptable or lovable.   God sees God's own reflection in us....and as I often say: "God don't make no junk".

Remove your mask in the presence of God.  Present your whole self to Christ, trusting that you are loved with an ever-lasting love!

40 Words of Lent: Lock (2/26/2021)

 

The first congregation that I served as pastor - St. John's Lutheran (Elma, NY) did not lock their building.  In fact, I did not even have a key for most of my time there. [this changed when a secretary who was from a more populous area got spooked to find someone she didn't know in the building when she arrived; we changed our policy so that she could lock the building when she was alone, but unlock it when she left)

Part of the reasons for this open door policy was that most of the people who lived near the church were members of the congregation.  They kept a close eye on the comings and goings.  It is a small town and on a less traveled road.  It felt safe.

In contrast, a church I attended for a little while in Albany, NY (another St. John's ) was locked up tight and felt at times like a bit of a fortress.

Some of the differences in these two St. John's were about size and about location.  The communities around the buildings differed.  The main characteristic is that there were the relationships within the wider community and the congregation.  They either knew each other or not.  

There was an investment in the mission and ministry in Elma that touched the community around them (primarily through the preschool).  The congregation in Albany eventually shuttered the doors in Albany and now meet at another location in the suburbs. (please note: there were many factors that went into that decision).

While we could compare the realities of location & size as the reason for these differences, there is a sense in which it was just as much about the attitude and perspective about where and with whom the congregation lived.  

We do lock our doors here at Trinity.  Here you also need to ring a bell or make arrangements to enter the building.  (the above example only serves as a contrast in point).  

Today's reflection is less about the physically locking of our buildings and more about what it means to be "unlocked" in relationship to the community in which we live.  It is easy to separate ourselves and focus solely on what happens within these walls to the people who consider themselves part of the church.  Many churches do focus on that - often out  of fear of closing and potential loss.

Our fears can lock up hope.  Our uncertainties restrain us from seeing possibilities.  Our anxieties prevent us from moving forward.

            What are some of the fears, uncertainties and anxieties that have "locked" you up, prevented you from doing something different, taking a risk, hoping?

          

To be the church is to open ourselves up to the ways in which God moves us beyond those things that lock us up.  It is to see the ways in which God's love for us can bring us the strength we need to try something new.  It is to rely upon the grace of God that helps us when we fail, knowing that even in our trying, we are seeking to live faithfully.  It is to find the God guides us along those unknown paths to bring us to something new.

 We are to open ourselves to the possibilities of how God is inviting us to share the love of Christ both within these walls as well as in the community around us.  The love and grace of Christ is the key that unlocks our hearts so that we may live together as God's people in this time and place!

40 Words of Lent: Generous (2/25/2021)

 

Do you live with a sense of Scarcity or Abundance 

In an article by theologian Walter Brueggemann (The Liturgy of Abundance, the Myth of Scarcity), he shares how throughout the Biblical story we hear about the abundance of life that God shares with his people again and again.  

And yet , "We who are now the richest nation are today's main coveters. We never feel that we have enough; we have to have more and more, and this insatiable desire destroys us. Whether we are liberal or conservative Christians, we must confess that the central problem of our lives is that we are torn apart by the conflict between our attraction to the good news of God's abundance and the power of our belief in scarcity -- a belief that makes us greedy, mean and unneighborly. We spend our lives trying to sort out that ambiguity.

The conflict between the narratives of abundance and of scarcity is the defining problem confronting us at the turn of the millennium. The gospel story of abundance asserts that we originated in the magnificent, inexplicable love of a God who loved the world into generous being. The baptismal service declares that each of us has been miraculously loved into existence by God. And the story of abundance says that our lives will end in God, and that this well-being cannot be taken from us. In the words of St. Paul, neither life nor death nor angels nor principalities nor things -- nothing can separate us from God." 

(full article: https://www.religion-online.org/article/the-liturgy-of-abundance-the-myth-of-scarcity/

We are told that we don't  have enough, that we are missing out, that we need more and to "keep up with the (proverbial) Jones"  We are subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) encouraged to "win", to have or be more than another person or group.  In these messages, we hear that we are not enough, that we are lacking, that the "other" will take it away so that we will be even less than.

Part of this is based in our consumer culture, but it is also about power and control.  If people live in fear and with a sense of scarcity, they will see others as enemies or competition.  They will live with a sense of pre-judgment or bias as they compare their lives to the other.

Yet, God is a God of generosity and abundance.  From creation when God provided all that we need to live fully to the abundant outpouring of love and grace on the cross.  God provides all that we need so that our cup overflows (Psalm 23) to the point that we share out of our abundance rather than out of fear or even obligation.

I invite you to read the following Bible passages to reflect on the generosity of God.  May you know of the true abundance of life given to you through Christ this day.

Exodus 16:4-8
Psalm 104 
Matthew 6:25-34
John 3:16-17

40 Words of Lent: Heaven (2/24/2021)

 

Video reflection:  https://youtu.be/obWFHuBnL_0

Posted on Facebook by Omid Safi

Earth, Venus, and Jupiter...as seen from Mars.

See that luminous dot on the bottom?
That’s us.
Everyone you’ve ever loved.
Everyone you’ve ever lost.
Every teacher, every artist
Every dreamer, every sage
Everyone you ever disagreed with
Everyone you’ve hurt
Everyone who has ever hurt you

Every joy, every heartbreak
Every year, every dream
Every leaf
Every fish
Every soaring bird
Every breeze
Every thunder
Every morning dew

All together
Luminous
One dot in a celestial heaven

Let us live in harmony 

40 Words of Lent: Treasure (2/23/2023)

 

To reflect on the word: TREASURE

Video https://youtu.be/eIxcMo9y_N8

Listen: "Earthen Vessels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAZhIw49ULc

   Lyrics: EARTHEN VESSELS by John Foley

Based on 2 Corinthian 4: 6-7 1 Corinthian 1: 27-29 ANTIPHON: We hold a treasure, not made of gold, In earthen vessels, wealth untold, One treasure only: the Lord, the Christ, In earthen vessels. 1...Light has shone in our darkness: God has shown in our heart, With the light of the glory of Jesus, the Lord. 2... He has chosen the lowly, who are small in this world; In his weakness is glory, in Jesus the Lord.

40 Words of Lent: Journey (2/22/2021)

 

I love the image of journey as it relates to my own life of faith.  It is an ongoing path through life that sees it level places, its rocky ridges and sometimes its rough and difficult terrain.  Some of these images come from a book written in 1955 by Hannah Hurnard called "Hind's Feet on High Places" which is based on the passage from Habakkuk 3:19: "God, the Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer (hind) and makes me tread upon the heights." 

This allegorical tale follows the main character "Much Afraid" as she encounters the Shepherd who invites her to a new way of life.  She is accompanied by Sorrow & Suffering; and yet it is through them and the Shepherd that she comes to see and experience life in ways previously thought impossible.  Her journey takes many twists and turns, sometimes seemingly heading in the wrong direction, hounded by Pride, Bitterness, Self-pity and others in the fearings community.

Life can be very much like this in all the moments of our lives.  Some days seem without conflict and even a bit mundane.  Other times, the terrain before us looks impassable even to the point of not wanting to go any further and just stay where we are.  

Yet, Christ is always beckoning us forward, walking beside us and leading us through the most difficult of times. (the dark valleys and still waters of Psalm 23).  The thing to remember always in our life's journey is that we are not traveling it alone.  God offers us the gift of one another to walk alongside us.  Christ reveals his face in those what walk with us. 

Who is walking beside you this day?  

     How have you shared and received the love and peace of Christ in your companionship?

In our hymnal, the one song that I keep humming as I think of today's word is "I'm going on a journey" (ELW 446) which gets to the heart of this image: 

I'm going on a journey and I'm starting today

my head is wet, and I'm on my way

Christ's mark is on me; its on your too;

it says he loves me and he loves you too

I'm becoming this day a saint of God

it really doesn't matter what roads I trod

wherever I go, God's been there too

God's love has touched me and will carry me through

There are other saints who have said amen

they'll keep me faithful to my journey's end

along the way I want to be 

the kind of person that God set free

                                                Text: Kenneth D. Larkin; Music: Edward V. Bonnemere

                                                (c) 1994 Amity Music

May you find on today's journey where Christ meets you, guides you and offers you peace.

40 Words of Lent: Fast (2/20/2021)

 

Fasting is one of the disciplines of Lent that I conveniently “forget”.  The thought of “going without” seems like more of a test of my willpower that I will fail more often than not.  It is probably why I never really got the idea of giving up something for Lent.  Why give us something like chocolate when come Easter morning, I would start to dismantle that chocolate rabbit as soon as I could.  It’s not like I would give up chocolate forever and it certainly had very little to do with my faith.

For it is really about faith and our relationship with God at the epicenter of any of the Lenten practices.  In scripture, fasting was a part of repentance as well as mourning.  Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days at the beginning of his ministry.  It is a way to move from our normal routines and draw closer to God, to realize our dependence upon God.

In a culture that values success and independence, to think instead of giving up and dependence is counter intuitive. Yet, as people of faith, we look to the One in whom we live and move and have our being.  We turn to the One who gives us every breath that we take, to the One in whose image we are created.  Fasting reminds us of our reliance upon God.

A few years ago, Michael and I fasted one day a week from electronics; fasting doesn’t always have to be about food.  It realigned our focus that one day to our relationship with God and with one another.  It helped us to take a step back and remember what is really important 

What has or might help you draw closer in your relationship with God?  What might you need to fast from?

May we find in these days, a greater awareness of Christ’s love that is all around us! 

40 Words of Lent: Heart (2/19/2021)

 

The word "heart" appears in the Bible 886 times (563 in the Old Testament; 164 in the New Testament).

Hebrew: lebab: inner man, mind, will, heart ( Original Word: לֵבָב)

Greek: kardia: heart, mind, character, inner self, will, intention, center. 

                 Original Word: καρδία 

In English, we have often limited it (beyond the physical organ) to love or the location of feeling or emotion.  

I like the biblical understanding of it being our intention, will or the center of our being.  It is our motivation for life and the ways in which we seek to live - to live by our heart.  There is still room for "love" in this understanding, but as more than just a feeling or emotion.  When we proclaim our love for another, we are also stating our intentions for that relationship.  To love another is about more than how we feel, but how we act in relationship to them.

This is exemplified in the greatest commandment:  We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind; and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27)  This passage is followed by the story of the Good Samaritan that reveals how this man's heart acts lovingly and with intention towards his neighbor.

In Matthew's Gospel, we hear "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (6:21).  What is it that we hold fast to?  What do we treasure in our lives?

In this past year, we have re-assessed what is "essential" and most important not just for our individual lives, but for our community as well.  How do our hearts reflect what is essential?  How does our character/will/purpose reveal our hearts?

Christ's heart revealed his purpose as Jesus set his face for Jerusalem and the cross.   His heart overflowed with his intention to give of his whole self in love for the sake of the world.

May the fulness of Christ's heart meet us this day and may we seek to live whole-heartedly as God's beloved people.

40 Words of Lent: Labyrinth (2/18/2021)

 

Today's reflection on the word LABYRINTH is a video: https://youtu.be/OlbN3aSJFPc

40 Words of Lent: Ashes (2/17/2021)

 

Today's reflection on ASHES is a video:  https://youtu.be/sjWPzYtHhao

40 Words of Lent

 

40 Words of Lent

You are invited this Lenten season to use a word a day to reflect upon using the following prompts if needed.  When you hear this word:

·         What Bible passages come to mind?

·         What images does it evoke?

·         What might God be saying to you in this word?

·         Find an artistic expression of this word (art, music, dance, etc.)

 

Each of these words will be posted daily (except Sundays) on our Facebook page.  You are invited to share comments, videos and the like with your own reflections.  

Pastor Jen will be sharing some of her own reflections on each of these words.  They will either be video (on Facebook) or written here (and shared to Facebook)

 1)      Ashes (2/17)

2)      Labyrinth (2/18)

3)      Heart (2/19)

4)      Fast (2/20)

5)      1^st SUNDAY in Lent (2/21)

6)      Journey (2/22)

7)      Treasure (2/23)

8)      Heaven (2/24)

9)      Generous (2/25)

10)   Lock (2/26)

11)   Mask (2/27)

12)   2^nd SUNDAY in Lent  (2/28)

13)   Share (3/1)

14)   Search (3/2)

15)   Family (3/3)

16)   Repent (3/4)

17)   Mind (3/5)

18)   Mystery (3/6)

19)   3^rd SUNDAY in Lent (3/7)

20)   Commandments (3/8)

21)   Know (3/9)

22)   Kingdom (3/10)

23)   Riches (3/11)

24)   Wisdom (3/12)

25)   Perfect (3/13)

      26)   4^th SUNDAY in Lent (3/14)

27)   Worry (3/15)

28)   Strive (3/16)

29)   Judge (3/17)

30)   Store (3/18)

31)   Abundant (3/19)

32)   Creation (3/20)

33)   5^th SUNDAY in Lent (3/21)

34)   Value (3/22)

35)   Memory (3/23)

36)   Precious (3/24)

37)   Sacrifice (3/25)

38)   Renew (3/26)

39)   Follow (3/27)

40)   PALM SUNDAY (3/28)

41)   Gaze (3/29)

42)   Pray (3/30)

43)   Reject (3/31)

44)   Meal (4/1)

45)   Darkness (4/2)

46)   Silence (4/3)

47)   RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD (4/4)