Lessons from a Funeral

I know I haven't written in a while. Once you take a break from something ... even if it's a good for you something ... and even if you are thinking you will take a break only for a day or a couple of days ... it's easy for it to turn into a week and then two weeks and then a month ... and before you know it, you don't even think about that good something anymore and the thought of starting up again, starting over seems daunting.

Well, I am starting over today. Why today? Because Farrell Mason wrote a post today that reminded me of what our lives are about ... following Jesus and loving as He loves us. Yes, loves ... present continual tense. Never stopping. Never giving up. Present continual.

I read her post right after our morning devotions here at HoneyRock where we prayed Philippians 1 over the new folk joining us today. We prayed "that your (their) love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you (they) may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God." - Phillippians 1:9-11

Think about that prayer of Paul for the Phillippians as you read Farrell's post ... and then "walk in love as Christ loves us".

Lessons from a Funeral, Farrell Mason

The Master restores with gold ... Kintsugi

Plate restored by Kintsugi.

Just read about Kintsugi on Farrell Mason's blog Bread and Honey. So worth the quick read.

As the redeemed of the Lord we are all restored with His Gold. Lovely thought for today.

Who is my neighbor?

http://www.art4god.com/html/?go=product&id=gsam

My friend, Rick Lobs, gives an excellent runimation on today's gospel reading from Luke: The Good Samaritan (10:25-37). One of the things that caught my attention was the fact that Jesus and his disciples had recently visited a Samaritan village. The Samaritans, neighbors to Israel, had rejected them, and James and John were so ticked at them for this, they want to call down fire from heaven to consume them! (Truly, their names are "sons of thunder" for a reason!) So, the disciples wanted to pour coals of fire upon their "neighbors".

At then end of Rick's rumination, he challenges us with a list of "who is our neighbor" questions. I quote his blog:

Are both George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin neighbors?

Are Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Qaida neighbors?
Are Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson neighbors?
Are the folks at liberal MSNBC our neighbor? How about conservative Fox News?
Are those bishops responsible for the bleed out of the Episcopal Church neighbors?
Are illegal aliens, the undocumented, neighbors?
Is Edward Snowden our neighbor?
What about the guy or gal at the intersection with the “God bless” sign?
Is the homosexual couple down the street our neighbor?
Is President Barak Obama our neighbor? What about President George Bush?
Is the Pope our neighbor?  Southern Baptists?
Are Liberals our neighbor” How about the Tea Party?

I repeatedly looked through this list of questions and "ruminated" about how often I might be called upon to be their neighbor. It's not very likely for most of those listed. For me, my neighbor lives down the hill in the projects.* Yes, my neighbor lives down the street but also right next door. And, even closer, my neighbor lives in the same house. When I think of showing mercy to "my neighbor" I may not be called on to pick them up and carry them to a hospital, pay for their medical bills, and go back to visit them and make sure they're OK. In reality, I do not have the means to do that. But, I do have within my means the way to show mercy: forgiveness. Do I, will I ... forgive my neighbor ... as I have been forgiven. Oh, my. Not easy ... especially when the neighbor lives in the same house and is a member of our family! Our hearts may want to go immediately to those hot coals! Yet, we can train our hearts to go to forgiveness. Forgiveness shows the mercy and loving-kindness that we have received so freely, abundantly, more than we can ask or imagine ... from our Father. Are we not to give as we have received?

Those people that Rick asked if they are our neighbor ... I may never meet them or see them on the side of a road, but I do meet them all the time in the paper, on the news, or on the internet. Will I step over them onto another article? Will I pass by them onto another webpage? Or, maybe ... will I send up a prayer to my Father in heaven, "God bless N. May God intervene and interfere in N's life and by the power of His Holy Spirit bring and keep N. in right relationship with Him, to change N's  character and destiny. AMEN.**" That is being a Good Samaritan.

*Why did we ever name a community a "project"? Not a name that instills hope or success. But, that's another post.
**"God bless you" definition by Dr. Nancy Heche

How Iconography re-"writes" my outlook on life...

Two weeks ago I wrote about painting or "writing" the Archangel Michael. Last week my Iconography class painted Abba Moses of Ethiopia and St. Mary of Egypt. Here's what happens when I paint or  "write" the icon of such saints: I get to know them and I begin to realize who I want to be in Christ.

With every new pattern applied and with every stroke of detail ... especially the fine detail lines of the features ... I remembered or heard new stories of their life and commitment to The Lord and as I meditated on that, my heart gave thanks for their example, repented of my own (or sometimes our own, meaning the Church today) selfishness and sinfulness, and then, sought for God's Kingdom and righteousness to be that present in my own life.

Abba Moses of Ethiopia

For example, here is one story from Abba Moses: A brother in the monastery was caught in a sin (I don't know what one, but it doesn't matter for the point of the story) and all the brothers needed to be present to assign penance. Abba Moses was sent for but did not come. He was sent for again and this time he came carrying a leaking bag of sand on his shoulder. When the brothers asked him what he was doing Abba Moses replied, "My sins run out behind me and I do not see them, but today I am coming to judge the errors of another." When the brothers heard this they forgave their brother and all left the matter behind them. 

How many times I have wanted to punish another for something he/she has done to me or to another or to the church? Abba Moses reminds me that following Jesus is the way of forgiveness ... in the manner that I have been forgiven. Some would ask, "But, what about correction and accountability?" Yes, I understand that need within the bonds of Christ's love. And yet, I ask myself, "I wonder* how that brother who stood waiting for penance responded when he heard Abba Moses' words and saw the other brothers walk away in forgiveness?" Is there a possibility that he brazenly lived on in that community, thinking he got away with something? Maybe. If so, what was that life really like for him? Did he really get away with something? I don't think so. He would still have been carrying his own bag of sand. I think rather he turned and sought to live more like Abba Moses ... like Jesus ... in humble service to his brothers. 

May we all be strengthened by God's Holy Spirit to live the same.

*Are you Godly Players smiling that I still "wonder" about stories?