Friday, July 30, 2004
If You See Me Walking On Water
This sermon was originally preached on Sunday, August 4, 1996.
Gospel Text
“Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart, it is I; have no fear’.
And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water’. He said, ‘Come’. So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me’. Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘O man of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’.” [MT.1422-33]
* * *
I have a few announcements to make before today’s sermon.
First of all, if you see my daughter, or any child for that matter, acting up in church, teach her – them – how to pray. We come to church on the Lord’s Day to pray. There’s a whole week in between to learn behavior and behave. Here, let’s pray. (The same thing goes for adults.)
If you see me with a frown on my face, forgive me. It speaks more of my sins than it does our relationship. If you’ve time, help me out. A smile alleviates a frown every time.
If you want more things in church: more activities, more fellowship, church school supplies, carpet – whatever it may be – give more money. That’s just the way it works.
Want more people in church? Invite them.
If you see me sinning, don’t encourage me. Like a child in need of attention, I’ll often show off in a rather ill manner. Perhaps your loving me, in spite of myself, will help to exorcise the demons with whom I’m all too familiar. Besides, if you join me in sin, we’ll be doubly miserable.
If you catch me entering gossip, stop me. For I pray each day "forgive me, O Lord, the same way I forgive others.” You’d be a great help to me, yourself, and everyone if you’d lovingly hush me up.
If you see me feasting on Wednesday, Friday, or during Seasonal Fasts ... forgive and reprove me with love. For in so doing, I show my kinship with Judas and those who crucified the Lord Jesus. Yet, with your help, I can repent and experience the God of Resurrection and Light.
Please don’t sit throughout the Liturgy unless you have a physical ailment that requires it. We’re a lazy people in this modern age, but true prayer has always been hard work. All able bodies should stand in remembrance of the Resurrection & the Day of Judgment. Let us attend.
By all means, if you hear me speaking heresy – please, quail my tongue with love. For the Saviour has sacrificed too much for me and my salvation for me to forfeit the Kingdom with lying lips. God forbid that I should drag you with me.
If you observe me being patient in a time of trial, give thanks to God for it is His Spirit that guides me.
If, however, you see me being impatient, forgive me. I come by it naturally, even from Adam and Eve.
If my way of life is not the same as yours, it does not mean that we are not of the same Christian family. It just means that God in His wisdom has fashioned us in a unique manner – yet, with the same Lord as God and Father of all.
If you know that I’m in need, help me. For God surely will bless those who bless Him.
If you find my attitude, my words, my every way of life leaves you cold, please don’t abandon me. I’m lonely. Perhaps your presence, love, forgiveness, and long-suffering will help to melt my frozen heart.
If you think you have sacrificed enough, it is often at that very moment that God asks the most of you.
If you’re not tithing to the church [giving at least 10% of your income], please don’t complain. Because God Himself answers our plea with a challenge “Give me 10%, and I’ll fill your storehouses.” (By the way, for some reason, those who tithe complain less.)
If you make a mess, clean it up. Otherwise you manufacture enemies as well.
If you notice someone absent from church, call them. They may need you.
Most of all, if you see me walking on water, help me back into the boat. For, by myself, I shall perish.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The boat represents the Church, the disciples represent all Christians. The stormy sea is our life. We are in the Church, the boat, because Christ commands us to be there. Disciples are obedient. Christ comes to us in times of danger. Notice that Christ did not command Peter to come to him. Rather he permitted the act. Peter was not acting out of obedience, but boldness. Peter became frightened, his faith was shaken. Why? Chiefly because of his foolishness in leaving the boat, the Church. Thus, our first lesson here is do not leave the safety of the boat, the Church. Christ commands them to get into the boat! When we do find ourselves outside the ark of our salvation (boat/Church), we must, like Peter, cry out “Lord, save me!” And He will. Christ not only commands us to enter the Church, He also has mercy upon us when we are disobedient, leading us back to the calm haven of our salvation the Church. It is in the confines of the Church that we [like Thomas] recognize Jesus as our Lord and God. It is in the Church that we, like the disciples in the boat, worship Him.
So, I repeat:
If you see me walking on water, help me back into the boat.
For, by myself, I shall perish.
Even if my sins and pleas are seemingly self-centered,
do not be as I ... reach out and grab hold of my hand.
For this, Christ died ... we live.
Help me, my brothers and sisters in Christ,
for I need you -- we need each other -- in this storm tossed sea.
* * *
| Link
Gospel Text
“Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart, it is I; have no fear’.
And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water’. He said, ‘Come’. So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me’. Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘O man of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’.” [MT.1422-33]
* * *
I have a few announcements to make before today’s sermon.
First of all, if you see my daughter, or any child for that matter, acting up in church, teach her – them – how to pray. We come to church on the Lord’s Day to pray. There’s a whole week in between to learn behavior and behave. Here, let’s pray. (The same thing goes for adults.)
If you see me with a frown on my face, forgive me. It speaks more of my sins than it does our relationship. If you’ve time, help me out. A smile alleviates a frown every time.
If you want more things in church: more activities, more fellowship, church school supplies, carpet – whatever it may be – give more money. That’s just the way it works.
Want more people in church? Invite them.
If you see me sinning, don’t encourage me. Like a child in need of attention, I’ll often show off in a rather ill manner. Perhaps your loving me, in spite of myself, will help to exorcise the demons with whom I’m all too familiar. Besides, if you join me in sin, we’ll be doubly miserable.
If you catch me entering gossip, stop me. For I pray each day "forgive me, O Lord, the same way I forgive others.” You’d be a great help to me, yourself, and everyone if you’d lovingly hush me up.
If you see me feasting on Wednesday, Friday, or during Seasonal Fasts ... forgive and reprove me with love. For in so doing, I show my kinship with Judas and those who crucified the Lord Jesus. Yet, with your help, I can repent and experience the God of Resurrection and Light.
Please don’t sit throughout the Liturgy unless you have a physical ailment that requires it. We’re a lazy people in this modern age, but true prayer has always been hard work. All able bodies should stand in remembrance of the Resurrection & the Day of Judgment. Let us attend.
By all means, if you hear me speaking heresy – please, quail my tongue with love. For the Saviour has sacrificed too much for me and my salvation for me to forfeit the Kingdom with lying lips. God forbid that I should drag you with me.
If you observe me being patient in a time of trial, give thanks to God for it is His Spirit that guides me.
If, however, you see me being impatient, forgive me. I come by it naturally, even from Adam and Eve.
If my way of life is not the same as yours, it does not mean that we are not of the same Christian family. It just means that God in His wisdom has fashioned us in a unique manner – yet, with the same Lord as God and Father of all.
If you know that I’m in need, help me. For God surely will bless those who bless Him.
If you find my attitude, my words, my every way of life leaves you cold, please don’t abandon me. I’m lonely. Perhaps your presence, love, forgiveness, and long-suffering will help to melt my frozen heart.
If you think you have sacrificed enough, it is often at that very moment that God asks the most of you.
If you’re not tithing to the church [giving at least 10% of your income], please don’t complain. Because God Himself answers our plea with a challenge “Give me 10%, and I’ll fill your storehouses.” (By the way, for some reason, those who tithe complain less.)
If you make a mess, clean it up. Otherwise you manufacture enemies as well.
If you notice someone absent from church, call them. They may need you.
Most of all, if you see me walking on water, help me back into the boat. For, by myself, I shall perish.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The boat represents the Church, the disciples represent all Christians. The stormy sea is our life. We are in the Church, the boat, because Christ commands us to be there. Disciples are obedient. Christ comes to us in times of danger. Notice that Christ did not command Peter to come to him. Rather he permitted the act. Peter was not acting out of obedience, but boldness. Peter became frightened, his faith was shaken. Why? Chiefly because of his foolishness in leaving the boat, the Church. Thus, our first lesson here is do not leave the safety of the boat, the Church. Christ commands them to get into the boat! When we do find ourselves outside the ark of our salvation (boat/Church), we must, like Peter, cry out “Lord, save me!” And He will. Christ not only commands us to enter the Church, He also has mercy upon us when we are disobedient, leading us back to the calm haven of our salvation the Church. It is in the confines of the Church that we [like Thomas] recognize Jesus as our Lord and God. It is in the Church that we, like the disciples in the boat, worship Him.
So, I repeat:
If you see me walking on water, help me back into the boat.
For, by myself, I shall perish.
Even if my sins and pleas are seemingly self-centered,
do not be as I ... reach out and grab hold of my hand.
For this, Christ died ... we live.
Help me, my brothers and sisters in Christ,
for I need you -- we need each other -- in this storm tossed sea.
* * *
| Link
Thursday, July 29, 2004
T-Shirt: "I Had An Abortion"
By now you may have heard of -- or seen -- the new T-shirt being sold by Planned Parenthood. There's been some discussion of it over at Orthodoxy Today.
Sad. Nutty. Demonic.
| Link
Sad. Nutty. Demonic.
| Link
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
The "N" Word
"Ain’t Skeered!" is a Southern takeoff on the once popular "No Fear" emblems paraded on sweatshirts and automobiles. Yet, when it comes to certain words, I am afraid. We live in an age when using the wrong word could mean the end of one’s good reputation, career, or, at least, our God-pleasing relations with others. It’s sort of like the ol’ joke: "What’s the last words out of a redneck’s mouth?" – "Hey y’all, watch-isss!" Our words often precede our demise. For instance, using a certain "A" word might be lethal. So, instead, I’ll stick with some humane "A" words while talking about the "N" word: Noitroba.
When the Archangel Gabriel appeared to a young virgin in Nazareth, she was sore afraid. She was scared. Yet, even though he had some truly frightening news for her, she found comfort in these words "Do not be afraid." Then he told her she was with child. Do not be afraid. Then he told her that the father of her child was none other than God. Do not be afraid. The son she was to bear would be king forever. Do not be afraid. And when she was bewildered as to how all of this -- including the news that her aged and barren cousin Elizabeth was with child -- could happen, the Archangel said these words "For with God nothing will be impossible." [Luke 1:37] But, the world continually speaks backwards to us "Be afraid! Be very afraid!" Wanting a quick fix for everything the worldly mantra rings out "No pain! No struggle! No accountability!"
Fidelity to God is the first requirement of the people of God. If we are God’s people, we are marked first and foremost by our allegiance to Him. It’s not simple. If it were, God would not have had to command such allegiance: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" [Exodus 20:3]. Of the Ten Commandments, this is the first. Then, a few rules down, there is another commandment "Thou shalt not kill." We lose a bit in the translation from Hebrew to English. These words actually mean "Thou shalt do no murder on the innocent." Humanly speaking, there is nothing -- nothing -- more innocent than the babe in the womb. All life belongs to God and those whose individual actions lead to the destruction of innocent life place themselves before God. This transgresses the first commandment, not to mention the sixth! It’s another version of the Serpent’s words to Adam and Eve "Eat this fruit and ye shall be like gods." Heeding this backwards advice has continually led mankind into every sort of abomination.
Ever since the Fall of Adam and Eve, mankind has been held captive to the ways of the world and the lie of the Serpent. Yet God, in His mercy, sent the Law and the Prophets as an aid. In the fullness of time, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, (born of a woman), as the Saviour. If you are a Christian, you’re probably saying "Well, yeah. I know this and this I believe." Good. Then, I must ask you: Why do some Christians follow the backward ways of the world and utter such words as, "I’m Pro-Choice?" There is no choice in Pro-Choice. There is only the murdering of innocent life. For the people of God, should never be an option. It is backwards thinking. It is an abomination. Christians must first look to the Lord and His ways in order to act according to His commandments. We must also take care in what we say.
We don’t come by these things naturally. For example, loving and honouring one’s parents is difficult. It does not come naturally. God had to command us to do it. "Honour your father and your mother" [Exodus 20:12a]. But, even though many people grow up with strained parental relationships, I’ve never heard anyone say, "I’m Pro-Choice" when it comes to whether one should struggle to love their Mom or not. Even though we may fall and utter words which we shouldn’t, I’ve never heard anyone say, "I’m Pro-Choice" when it comes to taking the Lord’s name in vain. And although adultery is as old as the hills, how many Christians ever say "I’m Pro-Choice" when it comes to sleeping around? "I’m Pro-Choice" when it comes to pornography?
Words mean things. We should choose them carefully. As stated earlier, we live in an age when using the wrong word could mean the end of our God-pleasing relations with others. In our Christian witness, we should struggle to never lead someone astray. The backwards thinking that noitroba is merely a political issue is wrong. It is a moral issue that, unfortunately, has been politicized. The backwards thinking that noitroba is a woman’s right is wrong. It is a painful, life-scarring sin. Just ask most any woman, or man, who has borne the wrongs of this "right." The backwards thinking that being "Pro-Choice" is anything other than being Pro-Sin, murder of innocent life, is a fallacy. The backwards thinking that noitroba is ever a God-pleasing alternative is just plain demonic.
We must struggle to love one another and, when necessary, to reprove others in Christian love. We can begin by using the words allegiance and accountability the next time the abominable topic of the "A" word comes up. Aside from being backwards thinking, noitroba ain’t even good spelling. We should be able to spell it like it is. But, I was afraid that if I did, some of you might not read this article. Just as I used to be afraid that if I publicized a Pro-Life event from the pulpit someone might be offended.
Regardless of my fear back then, our faithful prayed in front of the FemCare Clinic one rainy Saturday morning. I was particularly praying for the sidewalk counselor who was speaking into the small sound system words of help and assistance to those who were entering the killing place. She told them that we could help them to let their baby live. She did not condemn them. Rather, she was the only one there who was truly offering them a choice. Once inside the killing place, no choice would be offered. It’s commerce. It’s big business. Outside, the words of the Archangel could still be heard: Do not be afraid. For with God nothing will be impossible. Thank God there was someone there to say it.
Christians should not be afraid to speak the truth in love. Actually, where God is concerned, truth & love are synonymous. Many people in our communities, male and female, have been scarred by bad decisions and backwards thinking. Being judged and condemned by their fellow Christians resembles the ol’ joke about the fiery preacher’s message: "I’ve got the good news! And the good news is ... you’re going to hell!" Rather, our message must be tainted with another "A" word, agape. Our Pro-Life witness should include all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We’re all scarred by sin. When one suffers, we all suffer. We’re all scarred by the sin of noitroba. But backwards thinking – past, present, future – is a dead end. Who knows? With love and God’s grace, our witness may be able to move someone away from backwards thinking toward Life. Don’t be afraid to proclaim the Good News that was once announced to a virgin in Nazareth. Do not be afraid. For with God nothing will be impossible.
| Link
When the Archangel Gabriel appeared to a young virgin in Nazareth, she was sore afraid. She was scared. Yet, even though he had some truly frightening news for her, she found comfort in these words "Do not be afraid." Then he told her she was with child. Do not be afraid. Then he told her that the father of her child was none other than God. Do not be afraid. The son she was to bear would be king forever. Do not be afraid. And when she was bewildered as to how all of this -- including the news that her aged and barren cousin Elizabeth was with child -- could happen, the Archangel said these words "For with God nothing will be impossible." [Luke 1:37] But, the world continually speaks backwards to us "Be afraid! Be very afraid!" Wanting a quick fix for everything the worldly mantra rings out "No pain! No struggle! No accountability!"
Fidelity to God is the first requirement of the people of God. If we are God’s people, we are marked first and foremost by our allegiance to Him. It’s not simple. If it were, God would not have had to command such allegiance: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" [Exodus 20:3]. Of the Ten Commandments, this is the first. Then, a few rules down, there is another commandment "Thou shalt not kill." We lose a bit in the translation from Hebrew to English. These words actually mean "Thou shalt do no murder on the innocent." Humanly speaking, there is nothing -- nothing -- more innocent than the babe in the womb. All life belongs to God and those whose individual actions lead to the destruction of innocent life place themselves before God. This transgresses the first commandment, not to mention the sixth! It’s another version of the Serpent’s words to Adam and Eve "Eat this fruit and ye shall be like gods." Heeding this backwards advice has continually led mankind into every sort of abomination.
Ever since the Fall of Adam and Eve, mankind has been held captive to the ways of the world and the lie of the Serpent. Yet God, in His mercy, sent the Law and the Prophets as an aid. In the fullness of time, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, (born of a woman), as the Saviour. If you are a Christian, you’re probably saying "Well, yeah. I know this and this I believe." Good. Then, I must ask you: Why do some Christians follow the backward ways of the world and utter such words as, "I’m Pro-Choice?" There is no choice in Pro-Choice. There is only the murdering of innocent life. For the people of God, should never be an option. It is backwards thinking. It is an abomination. Christians must first look to the Lord and His ways in order to act according to His commandments. We must also take care in what we say.
We don’t come by these things naturally. For example, loving and honouring one’s parents is difficult. It does not come naturally. God had to command us to do it. "Honour your father and your mother" [Exodus 20:12a]. But, even though many people grow up with strained parental relationships, I’ve never heard anyone say, "I’m Pro-Choice" when it comes to whether one should struggle to love their Mom or not. Even though we may fall and utter words which we shouldn’t, I’ve never heard anyone say, "I’m Pro-Choice" when it comes to taking the Lord’s name in vain. And although adultery is as old as the hills, how many Christians ever say "I’m Pro-Choice" when it comes to sleeping around? "I’m Pro-Choice" when it comes to pornography?
Words mean things. We should choose them carefully. As stated earlier, we live in an age when using the wrong word could mean the end of our God-pleasing relations with others. In our Christian witness, we should struggle to never lead someone astray. The backwards thinking that noitroba is merely a political issue is wrong. It is a moral issue that, unfortunately, has been politicized. The backwards thinking that noitroba is a woman’s right is wrong. It is a painful, life-scarring sin. Just ask most any woman, or man, who has borne the wrongs of this "right." The backwards thinking that being "Pro-Choice" is anything other than being Pro-Sin, murder of innocent life, is a fallacy. The backwards thinking that noitroba is ever a God-pleasing alternative is just plain demonic.
We must struggle to love one another and, when necessary, to reprove others in Christian love. We can begin by using the words allegiance and accountability the next time the abominable topic of the "A" word comes up. Aside from being backwards thinking, noitroba ain’t even good spelling. We should be able to spell it like it is. But, I was afraid that if I did, some of you might not read this article. Just as I used to be afraid that if I publicized a Pro-Life event from the pulpit someone might be offended.
Regardless of my fear back then, our faithful prayed in front of the FemCare Clinic one rainy Saturday morning. I was particularly praying for the sidewalk counselor who was speaking into the small sound system words of help and assistance to those who were entering the killing place. She told them that we could help them to let their baby live. She did not condemn them. Rather, she was the only one there who was truly offering them a choice. Once inside the killing place, no choice would be offered. It’s commerce. It’s big business. Outside, the words of the Archangel could still be heard: Do not be afraid. For with God nothing will be impossible. Thank God there was someone there to say it.
Christians should not be afraid to speak the truth in love. Actually, where God is concerned, truth & love are synonymous. Many people in our communities, male and female, have been scarred by bad decisions and backwards thinking. Being judged and condemned by their fellow Christians resembles the ol’ joke about the fiery preacher’s message: "I’ve got the good news! And the good news is ... you’re going to hell!" Rather, our message must be tainted with another "A" word, agape. Our Pro-Life witness should include all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We’re all scarred by sin. When one suffers, we all suffer. We’re all scarred by the sin of noitroba. But backwards thinking – past, present, future – is a dead end. Who knows? With love and God’s grace, our witness may be able to move someone away from backwards thinking toward Life. Don’t be afraid to proclaim the Good News that was once announced to a virgin in Nazareth. Do not be afraid. For with God nothing will be impossible.
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Sunday, July 25, 2004
Blog Your Prayer Requests
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
How Do Orthodox Christians EVANGELIZE?
A small business owner once told me of a guaranteed way to get rid of pesky telemarketers. "Whenever the salesman calls and immediately goes into his sales pitch," he said, " interrupt him and ask, ‘Are you a born again Christian?’ If he replies ‘No,’ you say, ‘Well, I am and I don’t deal with people who aren’t’ – and hang up. If he replies ‘Yes,’ you say, "Well I’m not and don’t deal with people who are’ – and hang up. It works every time."
A couple years passed before I was quick enough to remember the story during one of those frequent dinner-time phone interruptions. As the pitch began I said, "Are you a born again Christian?" The caller, stunned, asked: "What am I supposed to say?" I said, "Just answer the question. Are you a born again Christian?" "No," he replied. I said, "Well I am and I don’t deal with folks who aren’t!" I hung up. Forgive me, but my wife and I had a good laugh. Before the chuckles faded the phone rang again. "Hello?" The voice on the other end shouted, "I am! I am! I am!" (Ha! Talk about a coversion!)
"How do the Orthodox evangelize?" The question was posed by a Methodist layman while visiting our church. It’s not a question I’m used to answering. I was stumped. My sinister side wanted to blurt out: "Not very well!" But this is not true. With thousands of Evanglicals and Episcopalians, including myself, coming home to Holy Orthodoxy, something evangelical is going on. Honestly, other than poorly, I don’t remember how I answered the question.
The fact that we live in a culture that is still fairly familiar with Jesus Christ should not prevent us from humbly and boldly imparting the fundamentals of the Faith – over and over again – even to the faithful Chrisitans around us. The fundamentals, the basics, mere Christianity: this is what our society thirsts for, this living water. The popular social knowledge of our Lord has become something other than truth. Jesus is made out to be a mere buddy or pal who is there in our times of trouble, like an insurance company. ["Nationwide (i.e., Jesus Christ) is on your side."] We who share in the fullness of the Faith are bound to share this treasure with those around us. Along the way, as you will see below, there’s ample opportunity for error and missed opportunities.
An Orthodox Christian friend of mine is constantly bothered by Protestant and sectarian missionaries in Jacksonville, Florida. One evening he decided to have a bit of fun. Two young men were fervently trying to him to the glories of guaranteed salvation. He took them on a tour of his home. He introduced them to all the icons populating his walls. When he got to an icon of the Theotokos holding Christ, he said, "This is Mary and ... uh ... Mary and ... oh, gosh ... uh." One of the Bible thumpers dubiously gasped, "Jesus?" "YES! That’s it! Jesus!" Jim replied. They quickly exited stage right and have not returned.
There used to be a Baptist minister in the Asheville area with the same name as me. On occasion, we’d gotten each others phone calls. One evening an Orthodox Christian called long distance from a pay phone. He reached the Rev. Huneycutt instead of me. He decided, what the heck, to have a conversation with the preacher. Eventually the minister started asking questions about Orthodoxy. True to form, he finally asked my friend, "Do you know the Lord?" The caller replied, "Yes, I know the Lord, his Father, and his Mother!" This is where the conversation broke down.
There is much work to be done if we are to introduce True Christianity into this wayward society of ours. Yet if we’re too full of zeal to convert out neighbor, chances are we’ve neglected God in the process. Christ said, "Love God. Love your neighbor." Some have interpreted this to mean, "Convert your neighbor and God will love you." We must begin with God’s love and love of God. Before we do anything else, we must love God above all. St Seraphim of Sarov said, "Find inner peace and thousands around you will find their salvation." Salvation is the Good News of God’s love that has consumed our very being. This consummation is the beginning of salvation. We must bring our will into accord with God’s will in order to be a Christian and bear Christ to the world. The Theotokos is our model for this fundamental step.
While working in a local hospital some years ago, a man approached me and wanted to pray. Afterwards, he began speaking of his faith and I listened and wondered where this was all leading. I soon figured out that he thought I was a Roman Catholic and he was intent on converting me to Jesus Christ. After I told him about Orthodoxy, he was much more interested in me as a fellow Christian. He even wanted to know the location of the church. Thinking I’d "won" this little faith skirmish, I smiled, gave him my card, shook his hand, and turned to leave. "You don’t pray to Mary do you?" he asked. Whoa! "What?" I pretended. "Y’all don’t pray to Mary do ya?" What to say? Knowing of his bias I asked, "You mean like the Roman Catholics do?" "Yes," he replied. "No, we don’t have the rosary," said this silly Orthodox priest. Okay, okay! I realize I blew it! But listen to what comes next. He smiled and said, "Good! Because Mary scares the hell out of me!" I was tested ... and failed.
I once stood outside a hospital elevator, dressed in my cassock, with the Sacrament hanging around my neck. I was there to give communion to an Orthodox Christian. A young woman approached the elevator, burst out laughing, and asked: "What are you?" Caught off guard, I replied, "I’m an Orthodox priest. What, may I ask, are you?" "Well, I’m Baptist," she boasted. "Good," I said as we entered the empty elevator. On the way up she said, "We believe in Jesus Christ." "That’s good," I stammered, "we do too." "Huh! I thought y’all believed in Mother Mary," she snorted. "Yes, we believe in the Lord’s Mother as well ..." Before I could continue she announced: "We believe in the blood of Jesus!" Without even thinking I caressed the tabernacle and said, "That’s exactly what I have right here." Just then the elevator doors sprang open – as did her mouth – and she virtually ran out of the elevator down the hall. End of discussion.
We don’t like to be rejected. No one does. Yet, Christ’s disciples should expect to be rejected and even hated:
When we run from rejection, hatred, scorn and derision, we are no different than the disciples that fled the scene when it included crucifixion. But they changed. They were converted. We, too, must convert – be willing to die for the Faith – before we can evangelize. Now you might say, "Gee, that sounds a bit extreme." I agree with you. But the Faith is not something that we make up. The Faith is not something that necessarily soothes us. The Faith is a precious gift from God that requires ALL of us: mind, body, and soul. We may have to die many "little deaths" before the big one that terminates our earthly sojourn. For now, Christ calls us out of the world – He consumes us – and sends us back with fear of God and full of the Holy Spirit to bring in the harvest. We must die for Him to live in us. We must allow our pride to die; our greed to die; our wants to die; our wills to die; our dreams to die; our feelings to die – we must die. Death is the first step in evangelism.
Like St John the Forerunner, we must say of Christ: "He must increase, but I must decrease" [John 3:30]. In taking up our cross daily we crucify our sinful selves only to be raised up to glory and thereby become co-workers with God for the salvation of the world. This is the promise, this is the mission. Evangelism begins with death. We are not to slay our brother for the sake of the Gospel. Rather, it is ourselves who must be slain. This is the Way of Evangelism.
In conjunction with the first step is the second: Prayer. We must spend time with God. Sure God is everywhere and available at all times. But we aren’t. Our busy lives usually serve up schedules where we know neither if we’re coming or going. We need to spend time just plain standing: Standing in the presence of God in prayer. This presence with God is Incarnational involving the Sacraments of the Church. It also entails time alone or with family in our icon corners.
The next step in evangelism is social. We have to be around other people in order to bring them the Good News. This, being in contact with people, happens each and every day in ordinary ways. The day’s fleeting moments are often unrecognized as evangelism’s finest hour.
Back when I was just starting out as a missionary priest, an experienced priest told me: "Pray God sends you people. Pray you recognize the people God sends you." Living this principle is much more difficult. Oftentimes I feel as if I’m responsible for "converting" everyone who smiles toward Orthodoxy. I get my hopes up when a new face darkens the church door. Too many times I’ve allowed myself to count unhatched chickens. This can lead to mental and emotional exhaustion.
We have to be present with God and present with others. The operative word here is present. If we’re not living in the present, we’re not residing in God. We reject what the French mystic, Jean Pierre de Coussade, calls the sacrament of the present moment. This "sacrament" God offers each moment. Yet, most of the time, we reside not in that moment, but in the past or future – the land of worry, doubt, fear, and concern. This is not to say that most of us have never tasted this precious sacrament of God’s grace. We have. However, this joy is often quickly discarded only to be replaced by our will: future, past, pride, sloth, worry.
This moment that God offers us is not an individual right. It involves personal relationships. It begs us to be the "God bearer" to the world around us. It begs us to recognize Christ in others. Living in the present necessitates love and forgiveness. For there is no other way for us to reside in the will of God than to be living, loving, and forgiving in the present moment.
We evangelize by:
1) dying to self
2) being present with God
3) being present with others
If we do these things we fulfill the commandments of Christ to love God and our neighbor. This sounds simple. It is simple. God is simple. For fallen humans, it is terribly hard. It is much easier to spout doctrine, judge our neighbor, be puffed up with pride – and hide.
Orthodox evangelism is not a matter of endless programs, workshops, revivals, audio and video tapes, etc. Like training wheels, these can be helpful, but they are not the end nor are they necessarily the best means. Christ said there is one thing needful. Remember St Seraphim: "Find inner peace and thousands around you shall find their salvation." The one thing needful, the inner peace – Christ – leads us to act. As St Paul writes to Timothy:
God forbid that we Orthodox un-shoulder the burden that God has placed on us. Rejection of our calling equals rejection of the Kingdom. We have a calling to share this precious Faith with the world for its salvation. This salvation was purchased by the Blood of the Lamb. This Faith has sprung from the blood of the martyrs and the prayers of the saints. This Faith, this Church, the gates of hell shall not prevail against. We are the people of God; the time is now. Let us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Let us struggle to die to self and to be found in the presence of God and others.
The final step in evangelism is trust. In dying to self, being present with God and others, we trust. We trust that through our imperfect and unworthy efforts, God will bless the increase and the Holy Spirit will lead others into the Church.
| Link
A couple years passed before I was quick enough to remember the story during one of those frequent dinner-time phone interruptions. As the pitch began I said, "Are you a born again Christian?" The caller, stunned, asked: "What am I supposed to say?" I said, "Just answer the question. Are you a born again Christian?" "No," he replied. I said, "Well I am and I don’t deal with folks who aren’t!" I hung up. Forgive me, but my wife and I had a good laugh. Before the chuckles faded the phone rang again. "Hello?" The voice on the other end shouted, "I am! I am! I am!" (Ha! Talk about a coversion!)
"How do the Orthodox evangelize?" The question was posed by a Methodist layman while visiting our church. It’s not a question I’m used to answering. I was stumped. My sinister side wanted to blurt out: "Not very well!" But this is not true. With thousands of Evanglicals and Episcopalians, including myself, coming home to Holy Orthodoxy, something evangelical is going on. Honestly, other than poorly, I don’t remember how I answered the question.
The fact that we live in a culture that is still fairly familiar with Jesus Christ should not prevent us from humbly and boldly imparting the fundamentals of the Faith – over and over again – even to the faithful Chrisitans around us. The fundamentals, the basics, mere Christianity: this is what our society thirsts for, this living water. The popular social knowledge of our Lord has become something other than truth. Jesus is made out to be a mere buddy or pal who is there in our times of trouble, like an insurance company. ["Nationwide (i.e., Jesus Christ) is on your side."] We who share in the fullness of the Faith are bound to share this treasure with those around us. Along the way, as you will see below, there’s ample opportunity for error and missed opportunities.
An Orthodox Christian friend of mine is constantly bothered by Protestant and sectarian missionaries in Jacksonville, Florida. One evening he decided to have a bit of fun. Two young men were fervently trying to him to the glories of guaranteed salvation. He took them on a tour of his home. He introduced them to all the icons populating his walls. When he got to an icon of the Theotokos holding Christ, he said, "This is Mary and ... uh ... Mary and ... oh, gosh ... uh." One of the Bible thumpers dubiously gasped, "Jesus?" "YES! That’s it! Jesus!" Jim replied. They quickly exited stage right and have not returned.
There used to be a Baptist minister in the Asheville area with the same name as me. On occasion, we’d gotten each others phone calls. One evening an Orthodox Christian called long distance from a pay phone. He reached the Rev. Huneycutt instead of me. He decided, what the heck, to have a conversation with the preacher. Eventually the minister started asking questions about Orthodoxy. True to form, he finally asked my friend, "Do you know the Lord?" The caller replied, "Yes, I know the Lord, his Father, and his Mother!" This is where the conversation broke down.
There is much work to be done if we are to introduce True Christianity into this wayward society of ours. Yet if we’re too full of zeal to convert out neighbor, chances are we’ve neglected God in the process. Christ said, "Love God. Love your neighbor." Some have interpreted this to mean, "Convert your neighbor and God will love you." We must begin with God’s love and love of God. Before we do anything else, we must love God above all. St Seraphim of Sarov said, "Find inner peace and thousands around you will find their salvation." Salvation is the Good News of God’s love that has consumed our very being. This consummation is the beginning of salvation. We must bring our will into accord with God’s will in order to be a Christian and bear Christ to the world. The Theotokos is our model for this fundamental step.
While working in a local hospital some years ago, a man approached me and wanted to pray. Afterwards, he began speaking of his faith and I listened and wondered where this was all leading. I soon figured out that he thought I was a Roman Catholic and he was intent on converting me to Jesus Christ. After I told him about Orthodoxy, he was much more interested in me as a fellow Christian. He even wanted to know the location of the church. Thinking I’d "won" this little faith skirmish, I smiled, gave him my card, shook his hand, and turned to leave. "You don’t pray to Mary do you?" he asked. Whoa! "What?" I pretended. "Y’all don’t pray to Mary do ya?" What to say? Knowing of his bias I asked, "You mean like the Roman Catholics do?" "Yes," he replied. "No, we don’t have the rosary," said this silly Orthodox priest. Okay, okay! I realize I blew it! But listen to what comes next. He smiled and said, "Good! Because Mary scares the hell out of me!" I was tested ... and failed.
I once stood outside a hospital elevator, dressed in my cassock, with the Sacrament hanging around my neck. I was there to give communion to an Orthodox Christian. A young woman approached the elevator, burst out laughing, and asked: "What are you?" Caught off guard, I replied, "I’m an Orthodox priest. What, may I ask, are you?" "Well, I’m Baptist," she boasted. "Good," I said as we entered the empty elevator. On the way up she said, "We believe in Jesus Christ." "That’s good," I stammered, "we do too." "Huh! I thought y’all believed in Mother Mary," she snorted. "Yes, we believe in the Lord’s Mother as well ..." Before I could continue she announced: "We believe in the blood of Jesus!" Without even thinking I caressed the tabernacle and said, "That’s exactly what I have right here." Just then the elevator doors sprang open – as did her mouth – and she virtually ran out of the elevator down the hall. End of discussion.
We don’t like to be rejected. No one does. Yet, Christ’s disciples should expect to be rejected and even hated:
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." [John 15:18-19, 20b]
When we run from rejection, hatred, scorn and derision, we are no different than the disciples that fled the scene when it included crucifixion. But they changed. They were converted. We, too, must convert – be willing to die for the Faith – before we can evangelize. Now you might say, "Gee, that sounds a bit extreme." I agree with you. But the Faith is not something that we make up. The Faith is not something that necessarily soothes us. The Faith is a precious gift from God that requires ALL of us: mind, body, and soul. We may have to die many "little deaths" before the big one that terminates our earthly sojourn. For now, Christ calls us out of the world – He consumes us – and sends us back with fear of God and full of the Holy Spirit to bring in the harvest. We must die for Him to live in us. We must allow our pride to die; our greed to die; our wants to die; our wills to die; our dreams to die; our feelings to die – we must die. Death is the first step in evangelism.
Like St John the Forerunner, we must say of Christ: "He must increase, but I must decrease" [John 3:30]. In taking up our cross daily we crucify our sinful selves only to be raised up to glory and thereby become co-workers with God for the salvation of the world. This is the promise, this is the mission. Evangelism begins with death. We are not to slay our brother for the sake of the Gospel. Rather, it is ourselves who must be slain. This is the Way of Evangelism.
In conjunction with the first step is the second: Prayer. We must spend time with God. Sure God is everywhere and available at all times. But we aren’t. Our busy lives usually serve up schedules where we know neither if we’re coming or going. We need to spend time just plain standing: Standing in the presence of God in prayer. This presence with God is Incarnational involving the Sacraments of the Church. It also entails time alone or with family in our icon corners.
The next step in evangelism is social. We have to be around other people in order to bring them the Good News. This, being in contact with people, happens each and every day in ordinary ways. The day’s fleeting moments are often unrecognized as evangelism’s finest hour.
Back when I was just starting out as a missionary priest, an experienced priest told me: "Pray God sends you people. Pray you recognize the people God sends you." Living this principle is much more difficult. Oftentimes I feel as if I’m responsible for "converting" everyone who smiles toward Orthodoxy. I get my hopes up when a new face darkens the church door. Too many times I’ve allowed myself to count unhatched chickens. This can lead to mental and emotional exhaustion.
We have to be present with God and present with others. The operative word here is present. If we’re not living in the present, we’re not residing in God. We reject what the French mystic, Jean Pierre de Coussade, calls the sacrament of the present moment. This "sacrament" God offers each moment. Yet, most of the time, we reside not in that moment, but in the past or future – the land of worry, doubt, fear, and concern. This is not to say that most of us have never tasted this precious sacrament of God’s grace. We have. However, this joy is often quickly discarded only to be replaced by our will: future, past, pride, sloth, worry.
This moment that God offers us is not an individual right. It involves personal relationships. It begs us to be the "God bearer" to the world around us. It begs us to recognize Christ in others. Living in the present necessitates love and forgiveness. For there is no other way for us to reside in the will of God than to be living, loving, and forgiving in the present moment.
We evangelize by:
1) dying to self
2) being present with God
3) being present with others
If we do these things we fulfill the commandments of Christ to love God and our neighbor. This sounds simple. It is simple. God is simple. For fallen humans, it is terribly hard. It is much easier to spout doctrine, judge our neighbor, be puffed up with pride – and hide.
Orthodox evangelism is not a matter of endless programs, workshops, revivals, audio and video tapes, etc. Like training wheels, these can be helpful, but they are not the end nor are they necessarily the best means. Christ said there is one thing needful. Remember St Seraphim: "Find inner peace and thousands around you shall find their salvation." The one thing needful, the inner peace – Christ – leads us to act. As St Paul writes to Timothy:
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside by fables.
But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. [2 Timothy 4:1-5]
God forbid that we Orthodox un-shoulder the burden that God has placed on us. Rejection of our calling equals rejection of the Kingdom. We have a calling to share this precious Faith with the world for its salvation. This salvation was purchased by the Blood of the Lamb. This Faith has sprung from the blood of the martyrs and the prayers of the saints. This Faith, this Church, the gates of hell shall not prevail against. We are the people of God; the time is now. Let us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Let us struggle to die to self and to be found in the presence of God and others.
The final step in evangelism is trust. In dying to self, being present with God and others, we trust. We trust that through our imperfect and unworthy efforts, God will bless the increase and the Holy Spirit will lead others into the Church.
| Link
Thursday, July 15, 2004
XXX Church - by Terry Mattingly
PHOENIX -- Anyone with the nerve to create XXXChurch.com
is going to get attention, especially if they keep calling it "the No. 1
Christian Porn Site."
"We're No. 1 because there really isn't a No. 2, which is a good
business plan if you think about it," said Craig Gross, co-founder of
the ministry in Corona, Calif.
Two years ago, Gross and partner Mike Foster opened their first booth
at the Adult Video News trade show in Las Vegas, handing out
anti-porn brochures to hardcore consumers and sharing their faith
with porn stars and producers. The youth pastors took their wives as
chaperones and to take turns inside their church's full-body rabbit
costume. The approach was goofy, but intrigued the Los Angeles Times,
ABC, Playboy and others.
This year XXXChurch.com teamed up with veteran pornographer James
DiGiorgio -- producer of videos such as "The Sopornos #3" -- to make
a surreal public service announcement called "Pete the Porno Puppet"
warning parents not to expose kids to explicit images. As it turns
out, "Jimmy D" is also a parent who worries about porn.
Now comes the hard part. Yes, the online ministry offers anonymous
education, counseling and prayer support. It has free X3Watch
software to help porn users form accountability groups. It has hip
media products for skeptics.
But a website is not enough, said Gross, speaking at the annual North
American Christian Convention. Sooner or later, church people will
have to talk about pornography.
Sadly, it's easer to discuss God with porn stars than pornography
with many pastors.
Why? A poll by Leadership magazine found that four in 10 pastors with
Internet access had visited a porn site and more than a third had
done so in the previous year. Many skeptical pastors said those
numbers were too low.
"If 37 percent of our pastors are looking at this," said Gross, "then
this is not a subject they're going to feel comfortable with in the
pulpit. ... Think about it. What is going through a pastor's mind if
he wants to look at online porn before he preaches on Sunday morning?
What's that all about?"
Many believers prefer to ignore such questions. Faced with a minister
who gets caught with porn, the typical church board will send the
offender packing -- quickly. Yet this kind of zero tolerance policy
will drive other addicts deeper into fear and denial, said Gross.
"What the church keeps saying is, 'Get out! We have no sin here,' " he said.
The goal is to take this secret sin seriously, while still offering
hope to broken people in pews and pulpits, said the Rev. Gary Rowe,
minister of pastoral care at the East 91st Street Christian Church in
Indianapolis. Nevertheless, churches that create ministries for those
struggling with pornography and other sexual sins will face unique
challenges.
For example, it's hard to promote small-group sessions for porn
abusers without listing the times and locations in the weekly church
bulletin or on a web site, he noted, during another session at the
convention in Phoenix. This sensitive issue must be openly discussed
in the pulpit and in church education efforts, yet without violating
the privacy of those involved.
It's also important to learn that the most effective ministry may not
begin with the men.
"We had eight guys come forward when we started this work," said
Rowe. "But we immediately had calls from 100 women, looking for help
with a husband or a child who was involved with pornography. That
really impressed us."
Gross agreed that wives almost always cry out for help before
husbands. It is also important for church leaders to ask questions
about pornography in premarital counseling and in parenting classes.
Youth pastors have to realize that the teen years are crucial, since
that is when most boys first come into contact with sexually explicit
media.
The trick is to pull this subject out into the open with little or no warning.
"You can't come right out and say, 'We're having a men's breakfast
and we're going to talk about pornography," said Gross. "Guess what?
If you do that, nobody's going to be there. You are going to have
lots of pancakes left over. ...
"We're at the stage where you're going to have to ambush people."
Terry Mattingly (www.tmatt.net) teaches at Palm Beach Atlantic
University and is senior fellow for journalism at the Council for
Christian Colleges & Universities. He writes this weekly column for
the Scripps Howard News Service.
| Link
is going to get attention, especially if they keep calling it "the No. 1
Christian Porn Site."
"We're No. 1 because there really isn't a No. 2, which is a good
business plan if you think about it," said Craig Gross, co-founder of
the ministry in Corona, Calif.
Two years ago, Gross and partner Mike Foster opened their first booth
at the Adult Video News trade show in Las Vegas, handing out
anti-porn brochures to hardcore consumers and sharing their faith
with porn stars and producers. The youth pastors took their wives as
chaperones and to take turns inside their church's full-body rabbit
costume. The approach was goofy, but intrigued the Los Angeles Times,
ABC, Playboy and others.
This year XXXChurch.com teamed up with veteran pornographer James
DiGiorgio -- producer of videos such as "The Sopornos #3" -- to make
a surreal public service announcement called "Pete the Porno Puppet"
warning parents not to expose kids to explicit images. As it turns
out, "Jimmy D" is also a parent who worries about porn.
Now comes the hard part. Yes, the online ministry offers anonymous
education, counseling and prayer support. It has free X3Watch
software to help porn users form accountability groups. It has hip
media products for skeptics.
But a website is not enough, said Gross, speaking at the annual North
American Christian Convention. Sooner or later, church people will
have to talk about pornography.
Sadly, it's easer to discuss God with porn stars than pornography
with many pastors.
Why? A poll by Leadership magazine found that four in 10 pastors with
Internet access had visited a porn site and more than a third had
done so in the previous year. Many skeptical pastors said those
numbers were too low.
"If 37 percent of our pastors are looking at this," said Gross, "then
this is not a subject they're going to feel comfortable with in the
pulpit. ... Think about it. What is going through a pastor's mind if
he wants to look at online porn before he preaches on Sunday morning?
What's that all about?"
Many believers prefer to ignore such questions. Faced with a minister
who gets caught with porn, the typical church board will send the
offender packing -- quickly. Yet this kind of zero tolerance policy
will drive other addicts deeper into fear and denial, said Gross.
"What the church keeps saying is, 'Get out! We have no sin here,' " he said.
The goal is to take this secret sin seriously, while still offering
hope to broken people in pews and pulpits, said the Rev. Gary Rowe,
minister of pastoral care at the East 91st Street Christian Church in
Indianapolis. Nevertheless, churches that create ministries for those
struggling with pornography and other sexual sins will face unique
challenges.
For example, it's hard to promote small-group sessions for porn
abusers without listing the times and locations in the weekly church
bulletin or on a web site, he noted, during another session at the
convention in Phoenix. This sensitive issue must be openly discussed
in the pulpit and in church education efforts, yet without violating
the privacy of those involved.
It's also important to learn that the most effective ministry may not
begin with the men.
"We had eight guys come forward when we started this work," said
Rowe. "But we immediately had calls from 100 women, looking for help
with a husband or a child who was involved with pornography. That
really impressed us."
Gross agreed that wives almost always cry out for help before
husbands. It is also important for church leaders to ask questions
about pornography in premarital counseling and in parenting classes.
Youth pastors have to realize that the teen years are crucial, since
that is when most boys first come into contact with sexually explicit
media.
The trick is to pull this subject out into the open with little or no warning.
"You can't come right out and say, 'We're having a men's breakfast
and we're going to talk about pornography," said Gross. "Guess what?
If you do that, nobody's going to be there. You are going to have
lots of pancakes left over. ...
"We're at the stage where you're going to have to ambush people."
Terry Mattingly (www.tmatt.net) teaches at Palm Beach Atlantic
University and is senior fellow for journalism at the Council for
Christian Colleges & Universities. He writes this weekly column for
the Scripps Howard News Service.
| Link
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Orthodox and Baptist Trade Places
Real Men Dis Mary?
Leon Podles makes some excellent observations over at Touchstone regarding sexuality & churchmanship. I was working on a project my senior year of seminary tentatively titled "Marian Devotion and the Homosexual." I ended up taking reading credits and not writing a paper. As they say, "What he said."
| Link
| Link
Friday, July 09, 2004
God is Young
A child kicks its legs rhythmically through excess, not
absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality,
because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they
want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it
again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is
nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to
exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough... It is
possible that God says every morning, "Do it again," to the
sun; and every evening, "Do it again," to the moon. It may not
be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike: it may be
that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired
of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of
infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is
younger than we.
G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936), Orthodoxy [1909]
Stolen from an email from a friend
| Link
absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality,
because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they
want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it
again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is
nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to
exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough... It is
possible that God says every morning, "Do it again," to the
sun; and every evening, "Do it again," to the moon. It may not
be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike: it may be
that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired
of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of
infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is
younger than we.
G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936), Orthodoxy [1909]
Stolen from an email from a friend
| Link
ALMOST ... All generations will call me blessed
A former coworker, a Protestant, with all sincerity and goodwill, gave me a book by Max Lucado, God Came Near. Never having been a fan of Prot Pulp Lit, I'd never heard of the author. Gosh, was I ever shocked! I had no idea that mainstream Christians would accept such irreverence. Even President Bush consults the man! For instance, Lucado, speaking of St Joseph's struggle with Mary's pregnancy, writes: "He [St Joseph] took cold showers for nine months so the baby could be born of a virgin." When I read that sentence, I put the book aside. Crossed myself. Tried to breathe. I felt like I had sinned by reading those words. Crossed myself again.
I remember the first time I ever prayed to Mary, the Theotokos. I was an Episcopalian seminarian going through the process toward ordination in the Diocese of Western North Carolina. The bishop, in hopes of changing my mind about women's ordination, had my wife and I to spend a weekend with a "clergy couple." The idea was that through experiencing a woman as a priest, I would better understand and, the hope was, accept.
The husband & wife were both very nice, very hospitable. Though we disagreed on much, our time with them was pleasant. On Saturday night, while we were clearing the table, the priestess asked me to serve in the altar the next day. I tried my best to humbly decline -- in fact, that's exactly what I did. But, she said, "I'm sure that's why the bishop sent you here." I told her that the bishop was not able to enforce my service in the altar nor reception of communion. I kept trying to convince her that it was nothing personal, but I just couldn't. I hated to do it, but had to tell her: "I can't receive tomorrow." Well, the honeymoon was over.
Having relented and accepted that I was not going to serve (though it was printed in the bulletin as such), she served in the altar with her all-female staff of acolytes while my wife and I did our best to look invisible. It was the tiniest church I'd ever been in. It had the seating capacity of thirty-seven -- 37! So when everyone took communion and there were two who refrained ... We were very visible.
I struggle with people-pleasing and that situation called for an extra dollop of stress. For whatever reason, for the first time, I asked the Mother of God to help me. I thought she would understand. I was desperate. While begging her aid -- almost immediately -- I felt a warm and comforting feeling that was both head & heart. She "said" everything was going to be alright. I put "said" in quotation marks because it was more of an overall body sense than mere cognizance. I almost wept. There I was, just moments earlier, having a major Maalox moment which became transformed by a Mary moment. I became devoted from that moment on. It was a wonderful blessing and gift -- not exactly, I suspect, what the bishop had planned. The Lord works in mysterious ways! :)
Back to Lucado. I guess I should be more forgiving of my Protestant brother. He may not know any better. Yet, his Protestant forebearers-- Luther, Calvin & Zwingli -- sure did!
The Church's teaching and devotion concerning Mary, the Mother of God, was originally part of the dogma. By dogma I mean "family secret." The kerygma (Good News of Christ) was preached on the street corners; the dogma was entrusted to those who had been initiated into the Faith. Today, we live in a different world. I wish I could help Max Lucado appreciate the fullness of the Faith. I'd like to introduce him to Mary, the Mother of God -- even to her most chaste spouse, St Joseph the Betrothed.
Much like when you get a Christmas present that you really don't want, I was speechless when I was given Lucado's book. Lacking better words, I said: "Oh! Okay. I'll give you a complete book report!" [I never did.] But, if by chance my [former] coworker stumbles onto this blog post: "Thanks! You've helped me remember who I am and from whence I came."
Most Holy Theotokos, pray to God for us that our souls may be saved!
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I remember the first time I ever prayed to Mary, the Theotokos. I was an Episcopalian seminarian going through the process toward ordination in the Diocese of Western North Carolina. The bishop, in hopes of changing my mind about women's ordination, had my wife and I to spend a weekend with a "clergy couple." The idea was that through experiencing a woman as a priest, I would better understand and, the hope was, accept.
The husband & wife were both very nice, very hospitable. Though we disagreed on much, our time with them was pleasant. On Saturday night, while we were clearing the table, the priestess asked me to serve in the altar the next day. I tried my best to humbly decline -- in fact, that's exactly what I did. But, she said, "I'm sure that's why the bishop sent you here." I told her that the bishop was not able to enforce my service in the altar nor reception of communion. I kept trying to convince her that it was nothing personal, but I just couldn't. I hated to do it, but had to tell her: "I can't receive tomorrow." Well, the honeymoon was over.
Having relented and accepted that I was not going to serve (though it was printed in the bulletin as such), she served in the altar with her all-female staff of acolytes while my wife and I did our best to look invisible. It was the tiniest church I'd ever been in. It had the seating capacity of thirty-seven -- 37! So when everyone took communion and there were two who refrained ... We were very visible.
I struggle with people-pleasing and that situation called for an extra dollop of stress. For whatever reason, for the first time, I asked the Mother of God to help me. I thought she would understand. I was desperate. While begging her aid -- almost immediately -- I felt a warm and comforting feeling that was both head & heart. She "said" everything was going to be alright. I put "said" in quotation marks because it was more of an overall body sense than mere cognizance. I almost wept. There I was, just moments earlier, having a major Maalox moment which became transformed by a Mary moment. I became devoted from that moment on. It was a wonderful blessing and gift -- not exactly, I suspect, what the bishop had planned. The Lord works in mysterious ways! :)
Back to Lucado. I guess I should be more forgiving of my Protestant brother. He may not know any better. Yet, his Protestant forebearers-- Luther, Calvin & Zwingli -- sure did!
The Church's teaching and devotion concerning Mary, the Mother of God, was originally part of the dogma. By dogma I mean "family secret." The kerygma (Good News of Christ) was preached on the street corners; the dogma was entrusted to those who had been initiated into the Faith. Today, we live in a different world. I wish I could help Max Lucado appreciate the fullness of the Faith. I'd like to introduce him to Mary, the Mother of God -- even to her most chaste spouse, St Joseph the Betrothed.
Much like when you get a Christmas present that you really don't want, I was speechless when I was given Lucado's book. Lacking better words, I said: "Oh! Okay. I'll give you a complete book report!" [I never did.] But, if by chance my [former] coworker stumbles onto this blog post: "Thanks! You've helped me remember who I am and from whence I came."
Most Holy Theotokos, pray to God for us that our souls may be saved!
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Wednesday, July 07, 2004
The Two Trees (33 of 33 - final)
[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]
On the Way ...
Yes, we are trees, bearing fruit. Like the Tree in the Garden, we can bear sinful fruit: Pride, Anger, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Avarice, Sloth. “Pale Gas” we call it. Fitting.
Or, if the seeds planted within us are done so by the Sower on the Hill, we bear fruit of a different kind: Humility, Patience, Chastity, Contentedness, Temperance, Liberality, and Diligence.
The knowledge gained in the Garden is self-serving and, therefore, self-condemning.
Deadly.
In the Garden, we learn how to place ourselves above others by putting them down. We are raised up at the expense of our neighbor.
On the Hill, we learn humility. This knowledge is God-serving. Therefore, it is life-giving. God is Life, God is Love. We learn how to serve our neighbor. In so doing, God is glorified. By our cross-bearing humility, we shall be raised up with Him at the Last Day.
There are still questions.
One has been entertaining us all the day long.
Was the Tree made for man? Or was man made for the Tree?
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On the Way ...
Yes, we are trees, bearing fruit. Like the Tree in the Garden, we can bear sinful fruit: Pride, Anger, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Avarice, Sloth. “Pale Gas” we call it. Fitting.
Or, if the seeds planted within us are done so by the Sower on the Hill, we bear fruit of a different kind: Humility, Patience, Chastity, Contentedness, Temperance, Liberality, and Diligence.
The knowledge gained in the Garden is self-serving and, therefore, self-condemning.
Deadly.
In the Garden, we learn how to place ourselves above others by putting them down. We are raised up at the expense of our neighbor.
On the Hill, we learn humility. This knowledge is God-serving. Therefore, it is life-giving. God is Life, God is Love. We learn how to serve our neighbor. In so doing, God is glorified. By our cross-bearing humility, we shall be raised up with Him at the Last Day.
There are still questions.
One has been entertaining us all the day long.
Was the Tree made for man? Or was man made for the Tree?
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UNITY, SAINTS & DIALOGUE
Jim Kushiner, editor of TOUCHSTONE, has some interesting comments on the recent meeting of the Ecumenical Patriarch & the Pope. Scroll down to July 4th.
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The Two Trees (32 of 33)
[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]
On the Way ...
The blood doesn’t stain us. In fact, it seems to wash us. The fruits from the Garden are washed away by the Fruit of the Hill. The tree that we bear is our defense against the enemy, the evil one. We used to think him beautiful.
We now know ... better.
Knowledge. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Much of the experience of the Garden is knowledge. Where did it get us? Deeper into the Wilderness, farther from the Light, in the opposite direction of the Hill.
“Satan,” they call him. He is very beautiful. Very sincere. Very attractive.
Very disguised.
And the fruits? They’ve been there always ... in the Garden. The Tree, however, is not that of Life. For, the Life-giving Tree is on the Hill. The Tree in the Garden is the same one that tempted Adam & Eve. The same Tree tempts us all. For the Tempter can always be found thereon.
They are not actually “fruits” at all ... but, seeds.
Seeds of evil.
When planted within us, we bear fruit. We, too, are trees.
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On the Way ...
The blood doesn’t stain us. In fact, it seems to wash us. The fruits from the Garden are washed away by the Fruit of the Hill. The tree that we bear is our defense against the enemy, the evil one. We used to think him beautiful.
We now know ... better.
Knowledge. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Much of the experience of the Garden is knowledge. Where did it get us? Deeper into the Wilderness, farther from the Light, in the opposite direction of the Hill.
“Satan,” they call him. He is very beautiful. Very sincere. Very attractive.
Very disguised.
And the fruits? They’ve been there always ... in the Garden. The Tree, however, is not that of Life. For, the Life-giving Tree is on the Hill. The Tree in the Garden is the same one that tempted Adam & Eve. The same Tree tempts us all. For the Tempter can always be found thereon.
They are not actually “fruits” at all ... but, seeds.
Seeds of evil.
When planted within us, we bear fruit. We, too, are trees.
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Tuesday, July 06, 2004
The Two Trees (31 of 33)
[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]
On the Way ...
A new path. The Wilderness reversed? The Garden is now to our right, the Hill to our left. We have turned around. We are following.
He did live. He did die. He now lives. We follow him ... out of the Wilderness.
We can go back to the Garden anytime.
We might be found under the Tree on the Hill from time to time.
He has warned us that the Garden leads to death. The beautiful creature is Evil Incarnate and a liar.
The Hill, though resembling death, leads to Life.
As we follow him, we are not alone. Others have gone on before.
Something is holding our hand. Or ... are we holding it?
A cross. It is a cross. Although comforting, it is never familiar.
(The cross is never familiar.)
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On the Way ...
A new path. The Wilderness reversed? The Garden is now to our right, the Hill to our left. We have turned around. We are following.
He did live. He did die. He now lives. We follow him ... out of the Wilderness.
We can go back to the Garden anytime.
We might be found under the Tree on the Hill from time to time.
He has warned us that the Garden leads to death. The beautiful creature is Evil Incarnate and a liar.
The Hill, though resembling death, leads to Life.
As we follow him, we are not alone. Others have gone on before.
Something is holding our hand. Or ... are we holding it?
A cross. It is a cross. Although comforting, it is never familiar.
(The cross is never familiar.)
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Sunday, July 04, 2004
YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED FOR OUR MEN & WOMEN IN THE ARMED SERVICES
Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
O Lord God of hosts, O God of our salvation, O God who alone workest wonders: Do Thou look down with mercy and compassion upon Thy humble servants and, out of love for mankind, hearken and have mercy on us. Look with mercy, we pray Thee, O Lord, upon those of our sons and daughters who now serve in our Armed Forces and who in obedience to their superiors have, for our sakes, placed themselves in harm's way. Grant that those who request the protection of Thy right hand may be overpowered by no adverse force. And may the invited defense of Thy mighty power shield Thy faithful sons and daughters. Watch over them, O Lord, and bring them back safe to those who love them. Grant courage and steadfast faith to them and to those who long for their return. Bring a quick and bloodless end to these conflicts, and spare the lives of the innocents. Grant no increase to the numbers of widows and orphans, and relieve the privations of the bereaved and wounded, whether wounded in body or in soul. Restore peace in our day, O Lord, that Thy truth may go forth unhindered; for Thou, O Lord, art the Prince of peace and art ever glorified with the Father and the all-holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Remember, O Lord, Thy servants: (names of those in service)
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O Lord God of hosts, O God of our salvation, O God who alone workest wonders: Do Thou look down with mercy and compassion upon Thy humble servants and, out of love for mankind, hearken and have mercy on us. Look with mercy, we pray Thee, O Lord, upon those of our sons and daughters who now serve in our Armed Forces and who in obedience to their superiors have, for our sakes, placed themselves in harm's way. Grant that those who request the protection of Thy right hand may be overpowered by no adverse force. And may the invited defense of Thy mighty power shield Thy faithful sons and daughters. Watch over them, O Lord, and bring them back safe to those who love them. Grant courage and steadfast faith to them and to those who long for their return. Bring a quick and bloodless end to these conflicts, and spare the lives of the innocents. Grant no increase to the numbers of widows and orphans, and relieve the privations of the bereaved and wounded, whether wounded in body or in soul. Restore peace in our day, O Lord, that Thy truth may go forth unhindered; for Thou, O Lord, art the Prince of peace and art ever glorified with the Father and the all-holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Remember, O Lord, Thy servants: (names of those in service)
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Saturday, July 03, 2004
The Two Trees (30 of 33)
[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]
In the Garden ...
We’re here only for a brief stay -- just till we can clear our head and move on.
In the Garden, things make sense. In the Garden, all is rational, relative. We know that the dead don’t live. We are smarter than that. Sure, we seek the truth. But truth must make sense! Truth should not -- does not -- contradict knowledge. Rational.
The fruit is particularly tasty today. The color is a deep dark red. In fact, the fruit of the Tree looks like blood.
For a moment, our minds reel back to the Hill. We see OUR fruit in the palm of HIS hands. Nails!
We see him. We are no longer in the Garden.
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In the Garden ...
We’re here only for a brief stay -- just till we can clear our head and move on.
In the Garden, things make sense. In the Garden, all is rational, relative. We know that the dead don’t live. We are smarter than that. Sure, we seek the truth. But truth must make sense! Truth should not -- does not -- contradict knowledge. Rational.
The fruit is particularly tasty today. The color is a deep dark red. In fact, the fruit of the Tree looks like blood.
For a moment, our minds reel back to the Hill. We see OUR fruit in the palm of HIS hands. Nails!
We see him. We are no longer in the Garden.
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Friday, July 02, 2004
The Two Trees (29 of 33)
[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]
In the Wilderness ...
Once again, we’re uncertain of our location. We were on the Hill, preparing to enter the Cave, when all of a sudden our surroundings became hazy -- clouded judgment?
A voice behind us says “Turn back! You are lost!”
Ahead we hear, “Come.”
“He died. He never lived ....”
The familiar thoughts, doubts. We see a man dressed in white. He is very beautiful. “Whom do you seek?” asks he.
“The man. The man on the Tree .....”
“He died. He died. He died. He died. Dead.”
As if he, too, could hear our legion of doubts, he replies, “Why do you seek the dead among the living? He is not here. He lives.”
No.
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In the Wilderness ...
Once again, we’re uncertain of our location. We were on the Hill, preparing to enter the Cave, when all of a sudden our surroundings became hazy -- clouded judgment?
A voice behind us says “Turn back! You are lost!”
Ahead we hear, “Come.”
“He died. He never lived ....”
The familiar thoughts, doubts. We see a man dressed in white. He is very beautiful. “Whom do you seek?” asks he.
“The man. The man on the Tree .....”
“He died. He died. He died. He died. Dead.”
As if he, too, could hear our legion of doubts, he replies, “Why do you seek the dead among the living? He is not here. He lives.”
No.
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Thursday, July 01, 2004
The Two Trees (28 of 33)
[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]
Again on the Hill ...
“He did not die.”
It was but a voice, a thought. One not invited, but present nonetheless.
Of course he died ... we’ve seen it. We continue to see it. It is somehow connected with love. Love for us.
“It is a lie. He did not die. It is a myth. In fact, he never even lived. It is wishful thinking. Nothing more.”
For days now, these thoughts -- little demons, they are -- have been on attack. At the same time, we’ve discovered that if we do not wish to stay,he does NOT die. Well, not exactly ...
We’ve discovered that when we say, “Lord I want to stay here always” -- he says, “I love you,” and dies.
However, if we simply gaze upon his loving death on the Tree, we are filled with awe and wonder. We are filled.
Then, if we say, “Lord, I want to follow,” the scene is transfigured. The Tree is replaced by an Empty Cave.
It is then that the little demons attack, just as we prepare to take our first step forward toward the new image.
“He died. He never lived. He died. He never lived. He died ....”
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Again on the Hill ...
“He did not die.”
It was but a voice, a thought. One not invited, but present nonetheless.
Of course he died ... we’ve seen it. We continue to see it. It is somehow connected with love. Love for us.
“It is a lie. He did not die. It is a myth. In fact, he never even lived. It is wishful thinking. Nothing more.”
For days now, these thoughts -- little demons, they are -- have been on attack. At the same time, we’ve discovered that if we do not wish to stay,he does NOT die. Well, not exactly ...
We’ve discovered that when we say, “Lord I want to stay here always” -- he says, “I love you,” and dies.
However, if we simply gaze upon his loving death on the Tree, we are filled with awe and wonder. We are filled.
Then, if we say, “Lord, I want to follow,” the scene is transfigured. The Tree is replaced by an Empty Cave.
It is then that the little demons attack, just as we prepare to take our first step forward toward the new image.
“He died. He never lived. He died. He never lived. He died ....”
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The Two Trees (27 of 33)
[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]
On the Hill ...
An answer: “The key is not in the forgetting but in the forgiving.”
“This is too hard a thing for me, Lord. In the Garden, when I forget, I am able to live! Here, when I try to forgive, it seems that a part of me dies!”
Yes.
Patience. Long-Suffering. Peace. These live ...
It seems that, on the Hill, with death there is new life.
The more we give, the more we gain. Forgiving is for getting.
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On the Hill ...
An answer: “The key is not in the forgetting but in the forgiving.”
“This is too hard a thing for me, Lord. In the Garden, when I forget, I am able to live! Here, when I try to forgive, it seems that a part of me dies!”
Yes.
Patience. Long-Suffering. Peace. These live ...
It seems that, on the Hill, with death there is new life.
The more we give, the more we gain. Forgiving is for getting.
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