Greetings!
In many ways our past lived experience and our heritage serves to define who we become; how we act (or react) as people. For example, if we grew up receiving affirmation, we will tend to affirm others; if we grew up with ridicule and shame/blame or violence, unless we strive to break that cycle, we too may carry that mindset into our relationships. Our lived experience also shapes how we respond to change. Again, our individuality, personal experience, and heritage play a huge rose in how we grieve changes - ALL changes, even the positive ones. Change = loss...even positive change! Let's consider the young adult graduating from high school. He or she soon leave for college and, while his or her parents are very proud of their child, they in some way grieve the loss of that child from physical presence in their daily lives (the empty nest syndrome). At the other extreme, the death of someone close - a spouse, a parent, a dear friend - propels us into heart-wrenching grief and change that we did not ask for, do not want, and it can literally turn our world upside down. All the experts on grieving agree on some key points: the path of grief does not run a straight course, how we have grieved past losses/deaths will become evident in how we perceive present and future losses, one should not expect to be "over it" in one year (there is no hard and fast timetable to the grieving process), and any given number pf people (even those within the same family) will be at different places in their grief at any given time.
Today, as we continue to move through our various and individually unique way of grieving more recent changes, it may just serve us well to ponder those last 2 key points in the context of our community of St. Thomas. We as a community, well, actually four communities at the start, have navigated great change over the course of your years together - beginning with merging into one faith community. For many of us, there were at least initially feelings of anger, denial, frustration, intense sadness, even devastation. And everyone did not have the same feelings at the same time. We didn't simply "get over it"; we moved through it...together, remembering it is not we but Christ who is our center; God who is our source of life; the Spirit who guides and moves and renews us!
As Moses reminded the people (Deuteronomy 2-3; 14-16), we too must remember our faith heritage and experience: It is God who sustains us, who feeds us, who guides us, and who deeply and relentlessly loves us.
Peace on the Journey
25 May 2008
18 May 2008
18 May 2008
Greetings!
As if life isn't busy enough for all of us in one way of another, this time of year begins yet again a time of added activities on top of our day-to-day busy lives. The months of May and June bring graduations (congratulations to all who are graduating this year) and many weddings and baptism celebrations. Even though we may not have any of our children or grandchildren, or other relatives graduating, getting married or celebrating baptism this summer, there is near certainty we will receive an invitation to two (or three or more) invitations to attend these wonderful celebrations of life. The very act of celebrating is faith-filled. When we celebrate with another the movement through through their significant "phases" of life, we celebrate life itself! We celebrate the Life that has been given to us by the grace of God though our very creation.
I just returned from a short (in my estimation) vacation to Florida during which I had the opportunity to celebrate my friend's birthday with her. We spent a few days at the beach soaking up the awesome vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, taking long walks along the shore, asking the Spirit to refresh and renew us, and listening for God to reveal a kernel of wisdom. True to all my past experiences at the wonder-filled place, that kernel of wisdom did eventually reach my heart: God did not create us to be unhappy. That simple yet profound piece of revelation rings true in our Scripture readings today.
The writer of John's gospel tell us "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world" (John 3:17). God became flesh in the person of Jesus so that we may have life to live it abundantly with joy. Oh yes, there are circumstances, twists and turns, that cause us sorrow, pain, frustration,and a myriad of emotions, some of which are the result of our own choices and some that are beyond our ability to change. And yet through it all, we are called to celebrate life - our own and the life of those around us. God has received us as God's own and walks with us every moment of our life. We are always loved deeply and passionately by God and we are infused with the Holy Spirit - even when we are not conscious of that divine love or that movement of the Spirit in or life or our world. The promises of God remain constant. Wow! What an awesome thing to celebrate and to share with those we encounter.
May we celebrate with joy the abundant Love and Life God has given us in all we do and are!
Peace on the Journey
As if life isn't busy enough for all of us in one way of another, this time of year begins yet again a time of added activities on top of our day-to-day busy lives. The months of May and June bring graduations (congratulations to all who are graduating this year) and many weddings and baptism celebrations. Even though we may not have any of our children or grandchildren, or other relatives graduating, getting married or celebrating baptism this summer, there is near certainty we will receive an invitation to two (or three or more) invitations to attend these wonderful celebrations of life. The very act of celebrating is faith-filled. When we celebrate with another the movement through through their significant "phases" of life, we celebrate life itself! We celebrate the Life that has been given to us by the grace of God though our very creation.
I just returned from a short (in my estimation) vacation to Florida during which I had the opportunity to celebrate my friend's birthday with her. We spent a few days at the beach soaking up the awesome vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, taking long walks along the shore, asking the Spirit to refresh and renew us, and listening for God to reveal a kernel of wisdom. True to all my past experiences at the wonder-filled place, that kernel of wisdom did eventually reach my heart: God did not create us to be unhappy. That simple yet profound piece of revelation rings true in our Scripture readings today.
The writer of John's gospel tell us "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world" (John 3:17). God became flesh in the person of Jesus so that we may have life to live it abundantly with joy. Oh yes, there are circumstances, twists and turns, that cause us sorrow, pain, frustration,and a myriad of emotions, some of which are the result of our own choices and some that are beyond our ability to change. And yet through it all, we are called to celebrate life - our own and the life of those around us. God has received us as God's own and walks with us every moment of our life. We are always loved deeply and passionately by God and we are infused with the Holy Spirit - even when we are not conscious of that divine love or that movement of the Spirit in or life or our world. The promises of God remain constant. Wow! What an awesome thing to celebrate and to share with those we encounter.
May we celebrate with joy the abundant Love and Life God has given us in all we do and are!
Peace on the Journey
11 May 2008
11 May 2008
Greetings!
In what feels like a very short time, the way we live has become, well, more cautious It wasn't all that many years ago when we did not have to lock our cars when running into the grocery store for a few things, we did not have to lock the doors to our homes even when going next door to talk with our neighbor, and many people did not lock their doors even at night. We password protect our computers and documents. Even our identities can be stolen. These days, it just isn't safe any more to leave things unlocked; unprotected. This is certainly a matter of safety and security, but I wonder if it also a matter of fear. Fear that we may lose something of value, fear that our privacy will be invaded, fear that a stranger will enter into our lives.
It is striking that the very first line of today's gospel is so up front in telling us the disciples were behind locked doors because they were afraid (John 20:19). Cannot we resonate with that in our own lives? And yet, Jesus breaks into their midst saying, not once, but twice: "Peace be with you". What a gift - to break the chains of fear with four simple, but profound, words!
God give us the grace to unlock our doors - the doors to our hearts - and be a people who recognizes that we are all part of the same body - the People of God - and that there really are no strangers among us in faith. Although we are each different/unique individuals, it is in our collective humanity and through our baptism that we are united - not as strangers, but as beloved children of God.
May we continue to welcome all who enter the doors of St. Thomas with the spirit of graciousness and warmth that is the hallmark of our community.
Peace on the Journey
In what feels like a very short time, the way we live has become, well, more cautious It wasn't all that many years ago when we did not have to lock our cars when running into the grocery store for a few things, we did not have to lock the doors to our homes even when going next door to talk with our neighbor, and many people did not lock their doors even at night. We password protect our computers and documents. Even our identities can be stolen. These days, it just isn't safe any more to leave things unlocked; unprotected. This is certainly a matter of safety and security, but I wonder if it also a matter of fear. Fear that we may lose something of value, fear that our privacy will be invaded, fear that a stranger will enter into our lives.
It is striking that the very first line of today's gospel is so up front in telling us the disciples were behind locked doors because they were afraid (John 20:19). Cannot we resonate with that in our own lives? And yet, Jesus breaks into their midst saying, not once, but twice: "Peace be with you". What a gift - to break the chains of fear with four simple, but profound, words!
God give us the grace to unlock our doors - the doors to our hearts - and be a people who recognizes that we are all part of the same body - the People of God - and that there really are no strangers among us in faith. Although we are each different/unique individuals, it is in our collective humanity and through our baptism that we are united - not as strangers, but as beloved children of God.
May we continue to welcome all who enter the doors of St. Thomas with the spirit of graciousness and warmth that is the hallmark of our community.
Peace on the Journey
04 May 2008
4 May 2008
Greetings!
In Jesus’ prayer reflected in John’s gospel today, it is so very evident Jesus knew exactly who he was, who his disciples were, and to whom he and they belonged – to God! (John 17:1-11)Both he and they – and we – are God’s beloved. And while Jesus was soon to ascend to his Father, his disciples throughout the ages would remain in the world to continue Jesus’ work – serve, teach, pray, tend, and above all love. This is not always easy work. Sometimes we forget if but for a little while, who we are and what we are to be.
As a community of faith, we have navigated through many changes but we have also grown so very much during our short years together as St. Thomas the Apostle. The key is that we have done so together. We have grown because we have felt a deep connection with one another and with those in the wider community and the world. We have welcomed the stranger with open arms, offering those who are weary a safe place to rest and refresh. We have heard the voices of the vulnerable and have been their advocates. We have formed ourselves into a community of faith marked with wisdom and a spirit of humility and joy. And we have grown in the knowledge that we are all branches destined to bear much fruit on the vine that is Christ. This has become our identity; one might even say our uniqueness, as a faith community. Let us always remember who we have grown to be as a community and whose we are – God’s beloved.
Peace on the Journey
In Jesus’ prayer reflected in John’s gospel today, it is so very evident Jesus knew exactly who he was, who his disciples were, and to whom he and they belonged – to God! (John 17:1-11)Both he and they – and we – are God’s beloved. And while Jesus was soon to ascend to his Father, his disciples throughout the ages would remain in the world to continue Jesus’ work – serve, teach, pray, tend, and above all love. This is not always easy work. Sometimes we forget if but for a little while, who we are and what we are to be.
As a community of faith, we have navigated through many changes but we have also grown so very much during our short years together as St. Thomas the Apostle. The key is that we have done so together. We have grown because we have felt a deep connection with one another and with those in the wider community and the world. We have welcomed the stranger with open arms, offering those who are weary a safe place to rest and refresh. We have heard the voices of the vulnerable and have been their advocates. We have formed ourselves into a community of faith marked with wisdom and a spirit of humility and joy. And we have grown in the knowledge that we are all branches destined to bear much fruit on the vine that is Christ. This has become our identity; one might even say our uniqueness, as a faith community. Let us always remember who we have grown to be as a community and whose we are – God’s beloved.
Peace on the Journey
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