Looking for God

It had been a tough Sunday morning.  I had woke up irritable; everything and everyone was making it worse.  The hymns were to slow and unfamiliar.  The liturgy, dry and predictable.  The priest’s sermon forgettable.  It was with all this going on that I walked up to the communion rail.  I lifted my hands up to the receive the wafer, ate, and drank from the cup.  Then, I felt the overwhelming presence of God.  I heard God say even when you are irritable, I still love you.  I’m here at the table every week.  I’ll be here next time you come.

Come to the table and see God.

The Persistent Patient God

Alright, this Lenten fasting thing is already getting old and we are only in the beginning of week two.  My spiritual director encouraged me this Lent to follow the Eastern Church Lenten fasting guidelines.  It involves a vegan diet with simple little meals.  For lunch yesterday it was a bowl of vegetable soup.  Supper was stir-fried vegetables and rice.  Yesterday, we had our monthly cup of tea and conversation.  I mentioned that I seemed to be getting tired easily and seemed to be getting grumpy easier. He gave me that little smile he gives me and said yes.  He said whenever we deny the body something it wants it rebels and demands it way.  Apologize and ask forgiveness for any offenses you caused by being short but persevere.  Then, he said enjoy the fast and look and see what God is trying to tell you and point to you through the fast.  All you are feeling is normal.  Join the rest of us.

Today’s reading includes the story of the Prodigal Son.  The father in the story is God.  Just like the father in the parable, God waits for us to come home.  God stands there on the front porch, looking, waiting for us.  This morning some dots connected for me.  God is standing on the porch waiting for me as travel the road back to him during this Lenten fast.  Enjoy the fast; enjoy the journey.  God is waiting with a great big embrace.

Eikons

The Greek translation for the Hebrew word image is eikon or icon.  When ever I read or hear the word icon I think of the icons that hang on the wall in the study at the house or the icon on my desk at work.  The wikki definiton of an icon is “it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it either concretely or by analogy.”  The icons of Jesus, the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) and St. Benedict are there to remind me of their presence; to remind me to love God and to love others.

In the book 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed Scott McKnight reminds us we are icons.  We are created to love God, love others, love ourselves,  and love the world God has given to us.  We were created to reflect and manifest God to the world around us.  We become the icons we were meant to be when we love, when we live the Jesus Creed.

The hard part for me is to be aware constantly that the reason I’m created is to be an icon.  That is what Lent is for; to remind me to live as an icon for 40 days or at least to be aware I should be living that way.  Some days I get it, other days well….

Loving Others

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself”  - Mark 12:31

I’m pretty good at loving others until its a person who annoys me or I have to rearrange my schedule.  One of the points of the Parable of the Good Samaritan is as followers of Jesus we are called to love our neighbor no matter who they might be.  No picking and choosing allowed.

But for me maybe my biggest problem is seeing and hearing the needs of my neighbor and trying to figure out how and when to respond.  It seems to never fail.  I have a page and half of things to do, appointments on my calendar, and it starts.  People start walking into church needing help in some way.  As I walk out to meet them my mind starts to grumble about how this is an interruption in my busy day.  More often than not I can help pay part of their utility bill or rent, but I take the information and send them on their way.  On those days, I never stop to listen to their story on how they got where they are or if there is anything else or any other resources I might have access to to help them.  Often times, the person who needs help with a bill needs more than a check from my benevolence fund, they need me to listen.

On those rare good days when I am listening and seeing the needs of my neighbor, I remember the ancient prayer that goes “help me to remember, O Lord, that the interruptions of the day are sent by you.”  You never know.  Some have entertained angels unaware.

The Jesus Creed

“Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.  The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no other commandment greater than these.”  Mark 12:29-31

Sounds so easy.  Then, I get out of bed.  What changes am I going to have to make to love God and neighbor completely during these 40 days? What changes are you going to have to make?  You never start a journey that doesn’t change you along the way.  These 40 days of Lent will be a time of challenges and growth if we let the Spirit teach us how to love God with all of ourselves and then love the people God is going to put in our way for us to love completely.

Shrove Tuesday

Today is Pancake Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday.  It is the day you are suppose to use up all your sugar, fat, and eggs.  These items were traditionally banned during Lent which starts tomorrow.  Most of us know this as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.  One last big blow out before the fasting of Lent begins.  Here at St. John’s we will eat pancakes and sausage while listening to a jazz band.

Tomorrow some people will begin their Lenten fast and others will have pancakes and sausage again for breakfast.  We, at least the the we in the United Methodist Church have lost the concept of fasting.  It is not a Wesleyan concept although John Wesley expected the people called Methodists to fast.  It is actually a Jesus thing.  Jesus said when you fast, not if.  So what happened?

I think we lost the meaning of what asceticism is.  The word asceticism comes from the Greek word ascesis which means training for a vocation, or an athletic event or challenge.  St. Paul tells us to press on to the prize; to fight the good fight; to be like an Olympic athletic that practices self-control.

Fasting is meant subdue the our selfish impulses while honoring the body which is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.  We have made it into a game.  What are you giving up for Lent we may ask.  We get the answer kale and brussel sprouts.  (Tehehe, we snicker.)  Like we even like kale or brussel sprouts.  ”The goal of fasting, the goal of asceticism is to become a spiritual athlete, in whom, all the desires of body and mind have been purified, simplified, and united around the indwelling of God.  (Federica Matthewes-Green)

Lent starts tomorrow.  Are we going to use it to become spiritual athletes by using the spiritual practices of prayer and fasting?

Introduction

So how did I come up with the name Benedictine Methodist. The name comes from the two steams of Christianity that have had the most influence on me. The Methodist part is easy. As an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church I had studied alot about John Wesley in seminary. I have to admit it was more of an academic exercise then. But as I have gotten older I have taken Wesley’s teachings on “social holiness and vital piety” and incorporated them into my life. It is more than some historical, theological premise. It has become a way of life for me. It is about loving Jesus and loving others around me. It is not a church thing but a way of life. What helps me to love God is the Benedictine part. One of the the key parts of The Rule of St. Benedict is balance and how to live out this faith in community.

This blog has begun as way for my congregation, St. John’s United Methodist Church in Santa Fe, NM, to talk about the Lenten study we are going to do on the book 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed by Scott McKnight.  I’ll respond to the readings and hopefully we will create an online dialogue as we learn together how to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and body and our neighbors in the same way.

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