Tomorrow's not just Easter Sunday

Tomorrow is more than Easter Sunday. It's also Transgender Visibility Day, a day to celebrate the Transgender people among us. And this year, it's even more important to recognize and support our trans folk because they are coming under attack by politicians who want to win votes from their ultra-right wing, anti-trans supporters.

The thing about ultra-anything and anti-anything folks is that they define themselves by judging others different from themselves for one reason or another, and scapegoating them rather than accepting their differences. (Good Friday was all about scapegoating...) But celebrating diversity and inclusion enriches our world.

I know there are a few Trans Day of Visibility events planned for March 31, but I am having a hard time finding details -- perhaps because, since the Premier of Alberta's declaration against the Trans Community two months ago, Trans folks are not wanting to draw attention to themselves for fear of reprisals from ultra- and anti- folks. They're celebrating quietly. Even so, I do want to acknowledge the day because I happen to love my own trans child, and I want our society to come to a place where everyone is accepted and encouraged to be who they are.

I want to believe that we can all work together to find common ground, and to listen -- to offer each other curiosity and compassion rather than become entrenched in fear and in demonizing those who see life differently than we do.

I hadn't given the people hiding behind divisive issues much thought until I read this article about a counter protest I attended in September. There was very little dialogue or discussion there because it was too loud to even have a conversation.

These kinds of disagreements play into the hands of divisive powers (like the aforementioned Premier) who prefer that we are so engaged in arguing with each other that we don't see how the people  with power are fomenting more and more fear and rage -- which keeps us feeling anxious, hopeless, and powerless rather than working together to discuss and address the issues that are most critical. And often those critical issues are making the powerful even more powerful -- to our detriment. (I saw a post somewhere yesterday that said the top 1% of the world's wealthy have 44 trillion dollars among them. If that isn't sinful, I don't know what is.)

So I guess I'm calling all of us, especially anti- and ultra people, to curiosity, compassion, and conversation rather than judgment and condemnation of people who are different. And I want to celebrate Trans people who are making a difference, like Captain Beatrice Gale, the first openly Trans chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces, who appears in the video below. 

And I am saying to the trans community that I see you, I know and love some of you, and you are wonderful just for being who you are. Happy Trans Day of Visibility!

Sunday Reflection: Mountaintop hospitality

Fences to keep out the homeless...

Today's reflection is brought to you by 

Mark 9:5.

I've always liked Simon Peter. So many of his responses to the wonder of walking and working with Jesus make sense to me.

Today's Gospel reading (Mark 9: 2-10) is another case in point. Jesus, Peter, James, and John have climbed a mountain where Jesus is shown in dazzling white glory, and they are joined, quite miraculously, by Moses and Elijah. 

I can see Peter, standing in total awe of the moment, mouth open in amazement, thinking, "Wow! This is incredible! And so beautifully unexpected!" So his offer of hospitality for the three holy men he is with makes absolute sense in terms of resting in the moment and enjoying each others' company. Not to mention how he would have loved a chance to kibbitz with the holy men of old. How cool would that be?

But most of the sermons I've heard on this reading have been somewhat unkind to Peter. They don't give him any credit for his willingness to truck back down the mountain and bring back tents for Elijah, Moses, and his Rabbi, not to mention the other trappings required for hospitality -- food, water, wine, and bedding for the night. Peter was willing to go the extra mile for a heavenly camp out.

My own city isn't so hospitable. People living in poverty in downtown Edmonton have been pushed elsewhere, fences have been erected all over the inner-city to prevent camps from reappearing, and our police chief and provincial politicians are congratulating themselves that they no longer have daily reminders of the struggling poor who have no place to live. The officials have done their utmost to soothe their own consciences without lifting a finger to put permanent roofs over anyone's heads.

The provincial government is patting itself on the back for serving 300 people so far at the "reception centre" it opened a month ago for people who have been displaced. That's maybe 10 people per day who have moved into temporary shelters, when we know that there are probably 1500 more people than shelter mats available. Besides, downtown social service agencies were already doing the same work more effectively when they knew exactly where to find the folks in the camps who needed their help. Now it's much harder with folks spread throughout the city.

... and more fences...

What's really terrible is that sheriffs and clean up crews are still working daily to disrupt the lives of those who prefer to live outdoors among friends they trust than in overnight shelters where they are surrounded by strangers who might steal their few possessions. Clearly, shelter mats are not the solution to homelessness. Permanent, supportive, and affordable housing is the only answer (and costs less than the daily wages of so many ruthless sheriffs and cleanup crews!)

So today, I'm inviting St. Peter to pray with me, and you can too, if you like:

Creator,

thank you for this life you have given me.

As Peter said, it is good to be here.

Rabbi Jesus, 

as Peter enthusiastically asked 

to make dwellings for you, Moses, and Elijah,

I ask that you inspire government leaders

to make many dwellings

where people who lack

... and more fences......

the kinds of homes that work for them

may live in safety, warmth, and dignity.

Give your spirit of compassion

to those who are blind 

to all but their own needs,

who try to soothe their consciences

by choosing to hide their faces from

poverty 

in its many forms

rather than heal it.

Inspire those of us who have homes

to do what we can

for those who do not. 

Help us all

to work together to build

beloved community

by ensuring that no one is excluded

and that everyone

is cared for.

Knock down all our fences,

O God.

+Amen

P.S. My friend, Glen, wrote an excellent piece for a national paper this week. You can find it by clicking here.

Sunday reflection on compassion and solidarity

This Sunday reflection comes out of a conversation this morning with my friend, Jim, who told me about two young orphans from Cameroon who helped him to pass out water bottles in the inner city this week. Where the young ones come from, no one is left to fend for themselves as our homeless people do in Canada... their Cameroon community, though considered poor by our standards, gave them homes and raised funds for them to come to Edmonton, where they have new family and community...

Listening to the news this week, I was very aware of the many ways that our Christian judgments of "who is worthy" and "who is not worthy" have created many dangers for our family members who are homeless, dealing with addictions and mental health issues, our immigrants, refugees, trans people and others in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and the many BIPOC Canadians who live here. Basically, people who do not look like me or choose to live or love differently than I do are facing dangers I don't have to face... and so I pray:

O Christ,

please change our hearts.

We are so quick to judge, 

and our judgments divide us from one another.

You came to show us

how to stand 

in radical solidarity

with every person.

From the rich young man

to the most impoverished leper,

centurions, prostitutes, tax collectors,

no matter their circumstances,

you loved everyone.

You love us all.

If we are your disciples,

if we are to follow you

in spirit and truth,

we must

also stand 

in radical solidarity

with every person,

recognizing that all people are

our kin,

whether we agree with the way they live

or not.

Help us to be as loving and supportive as possible

even of those we don't understand.

Help us to recognize

how our privilege blinds us

to the needs of those around us.

Remove our hearts of stone, of apathy

and give us your heart of compassion and

solidarity.

+Amen.

Wisdom and serenity for our present circumstances

The video below is full of hard truths about the cost of progress and our denial of the many problems we face as a human race... and offers some helpful suggestions for how to move beyond them. It's also quite liberating in the way it demonstrates that human short-sightedness is, quite simply, something that's centuries old, something we cannot blame on each other in our present day, something we have to forgive ourselves for, and about which we need to continue to be compassionate towards others. Had human civilizations understood, as many of our Indigenous communities do, that reciprocity with nature rather than its exploitation is the only way to sustainable living, we wouldn't be facing so many crises now.

There are always more questions than answers when it comes to the future, but the real trick is to move forward just doing our best -- and drawing the best out of each other. Grow a garden, grow community, grow kindness, do what we can to care for the planet (love-in-action) and leave the rest. Grieve, adapt, and change as best we can, and encourage others to do the same.

If you haven't heard of Michael Dowd, I recommend checking out his website, postdoom.com. There's a heckuva lot of wisdom there...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFGHdOyyx74

A prayer for bridges

On this so-called historic day when the American people are determining their future, I am thinking, once again, about bridges. 

On Friday, my husband and I took a gorgeous but windy walk along the Old Man River in Lethbridge. We were in the southern Alberta city to visit his parents, as it was his dad's birthday. While the folks had their afternoon naps, we drove to the river bottom near Fort Whoop Up and enjoyed a nature walk that took us across two vehicular bridges and under the world's highest and longest train trestle bridge (which I have moodled about before).

On the east side of the Old Man, we wound along the paths of the Helen Shuler Nature Reserve, where the trees sheltered us and the sun was warm.

When we were crossing the Highway 3 Bridge, the wind was almost gale force. It was a relief to cross to the west side and see the High Level Bridge from a different perspective, where coulee hills sheltered us.

Our neighbours to the south have been buffeted by some pretty strong winds since their last election four years ago. Today, I am praying for peace, and for their electoral choices to bring about a place of calm from which good decisions can be made for their future and the future of our world as a whole. May the next four years be a time of building bridges between the hearts of all those who live in the United States, that they may work together to create a country that is founded on justice and peace. Only when all its people are cared for will freedom truly be meaningful.

An Election Prayer

Creator Spirit, Great Wind,

you desire neither suffering nor distress

for all that you have made.

Please guide the hearts of the American people

to remember that they are all one in their desire for a great country.

Show kindness to all who love you and follow your will.

Open the doors that have been closed,

raise the voices of those who have been disenfranchised,

be shelter for those who are poor, imprisoned, blinded by prejudice,

or otherwise downtrodden.

Please, help the citizens to bridge their differences. 

Be the Good News of compassion

to guide the United States

and help its people to be Good News for each other.

+Amen.

Guest Moodler: Seeing beauty, seeing God

This past week -- well, all summer, really, I have been struck by the beauty of the world around me... the bumblebees in the bee balm and the hummingbird at the honeysuckle vine... the children riding past on their bikes... the cloudscapes in the sky... the perfection of purple beans hanging from their vines or blanching on my stove... the wonderful people in my life... and those in need of compassion who can benefit when we see their beauty and reach out to them...

My best friend spoke about this beauty at her church a few weeks ago when they began six Sundays of reflection called Beguiled by Beauty, and I have been internally moodling (musing and doodling) on her words ever since. Cathy graciously allows me to share her reflection here. 

Where are you beguiled by beauty, God's visible and invisible presence in your life? I invite you to Stop, Linger, Observe and Wonder at God's marvels wherever you may find them this week, but especially, in the marvel of your own soul...

Beguiled by Beauty

Cathy Coulter

God is beguiled or charmed by beauty. But what kind of beauty are we talking about? This is more than our superficial definitions of pretty. This is about the sacred worth of things that we become aware of when we sense the divine. We have all had experiences of this. I was visiting my brother and family in Cranbrook last weekend I came across a photo of my nineteen year old niece as a new baby and I was so moved by the beauty of of her newborn face. When I showed it to my niece, she said, “Ack!”, not impressed. I told her some day she would know how beautiful she is. I hope that day is not too far in the future.

It is hard for us to see our own beauty. This seems to be the human condition as we lose our innocence and experience the hurts and traumas of life. But we are told that we are created in the image and likeness of God. We are worth all that God is worth and we have a value that cannot be measured. No one can diminish or destroy that value because it belongs completely to God. There is that in you which no one, including yourself, can trash talk. St. Teresa of Avila describes our soul as a castle made of diamond. In the centre of that castle is God waiting for us to come near. Teresa says, “Where would the King of Kings rather be than in the middle of us. That is the most beautiful place in all of creation!”

Life would be so much easier if we realized this, that we are good and beautiful. That we don't have to prove ourselves to be better or worse than others. That there is nothing we have to accomplish to be worthy of being simply here, on earth as part of creation. If we all knew this it would be like being in heaven. Our soul is God’s heaven but we don’t realize it. Jesus knew it, and he knew it about everyone and everything he saw. And just like Jesus, when we know it about ourselves, we will know it about others. And others will see it in themselves, mirrored by us.

Compassion springs from this well of divine love within us. We access this well by slowing down and paying attention to what is right in front of us. When we slow down, God can catch up to us and show us glimpses of that divine beauty. We’ve all had experiences of this too. Moments when you’re caught off guard in the ordinariness of life when you have a moment of spaciousness and wonder and gratitude. It might be in nature, it might be with your loved ones. It might be among the pots and pans. It might happen when you’re walking down the street and see a stranger or when you’re sitting in church and a word or piece of music touches your heart. Maybe tears arise, or maybe you blink and the moment is gone. These are moments that God is sharing with us, moments of beguiling beauty. God is sharing God’s very self with us.

How can we be someone who God doesn’t have to run after so hard? I saw a nice little practice on the internet the other day. A 5 minute retreat called SLOW...S..L...O...W. Stop, linger, observe and wonder. I tried it out on a walk when I was feeling more like getting my walk in than stopping and lingering. I stopped in the presence of a beautiful acacia tree that has caught my eye more than once. I actually set the timer on my phone for 5 minutes and I stood in the shade and lingered. I felt a little silly but I focused on observing the tree. I gradually relaxed and noticed all the dragonflies floating around, and the sharpness of the blue sky against the yellow-green leaves. I gradually developed a sense of wonder which stayed with me as I continued on my walk, for a few more minutes anyway, until my thoughts began to chase each other around again. That’s a very intentional practice. But the moments that catch us off guard can also be times to practice SLOW. Stop when you notice you’ve become absorbed in something beautiful. Linger in that space. Observe what is happening inside you. Allow a feeling of Wonder to arise. Bit by bit, God’s grace will allow you to know the beauty of yourself, and of others and of all things. Pretty, unpretty... all beautiful.

This well of divine love that we can access when we become aware of these moments of beauty are the springs that nourish that cedar tree in Ezekiel (31:3-7). 

You are like mighty Assyria,
    which was once like a cedar of Lebanon,
with beautiful branches that cast deep forest shade
    and with its top high among the clouds.
4 Deep springs watered it
    and helped it to grow tall and luxuriant.
The water flowed around it like a river,
    streaming to all the trees nearby.
5 This great tree towered high,
    higher than all the other trees around it.
It prospered and grew long thick branches
    because of all the water at its roots.
6 The birds nested in its branches,
    and in its shade all the wild animals gave birth.
All the great nations of the world
    lived in its shadow.
7 It was strong and beautiful,
    with wide-spreading branches,
for its roots went deep
    into abundant water.

You are that tree giving shelter and shade to others. You are majestic in your beauty with your spreading boughs, your roots reaching deeply into an abundance of water.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Sunday reflection: From non-necessities to needful things

This Sunday reflection is brought to you by

Ezekiel 37:12-14.

You open our graves,
O God,
though we don't realize
the many ways we have died.

You bring us up from our graves,
and we begin to see
how we have exiled ourselves
from the good you want
for us.

Suddenly
we begin to understand
how we have chosen
other spirits to lead us
instead of your Spirit
within us.

Our lives have been filled
with non-necessities:
self-importance,
busy work so that we can impress others
by our useful lifestyles,
needless activities and possessions,
and many other things
that ultimately do not matter.

But you choose this time
to put your Spirit within us
and to ground us
in the needful things:
compassion,
connection
(from the appropriate social distance)
and appreciation of basic necessities and
all that we have received from you.

You promise that
your Spirit
gives us life,
and that even in this time of struggle
you speak and act
through our love for each other.

Stay with us,
O God,
and keep us grounded
in you.

+Amen

* * * * * * *

I love how on this Lazarus Sunday, the fifth Sunday of Lent, we are told the story of Jesus' interactions with his three friends from Bethany at a time when they are in crisis... how he grieves with Mary and Martha, and turns their sorrow to joy by returning their brother to them.

In this time of Covid-19, we may be feeling like so much of what we have known and loved has been laid in a tomb, but we are called to keep the faith that resurrection will come. We are to continue to support each other in whatever ways we can (don't forget your local farmer's markets and other small businesses), and to share our resources with those who are coming up short (also remember our charities who are helping many in need). 

In spite of all the uncertainties we are facing, I can't help but feel that with this opportunity to re-prioritize our lives, moving from the non-necessities to the needful things, we are learning to live as God has wanted us to live all along, in a greater communion with each other and all of creation.

* * * * * * *

I'm taking a bit of a break from Laudato Si Sunday reflections for the time being, but encourage anyone who has some time to read through it and come to an understanding of the kind of world we might create when we emerge on the other side of this pandemic. Past Laudato Si reflections can be found here, and the Encyclical itself can be found here. Happy reading!

Sunday reflection: Love's holy harvest

Today's reflection is brought to you by
Philippians 1:3-11.

O God,
it's easy to thank you
for the people we love,
to pray with joy
for the ones
with whom we see
eye-to-eye.

It's easy to believe
that you are working
in those we agree with,
and to pray for their success.

But the real challenge is
to be grateful for
and loving towards
those
who frustrate us at every turn,
who do things we can't condone,
who demand our attention or our pity,
who are not as pure and blameless
as we imagine ourselves to be.

And then there are the strangers
who want to lay claim to our homeland.
If they seem to be
stealing our jobs,
turning our neighbourhoods into ghettos,
using our resources,
refusing to speak our language
or abide by our values,
how are we supposed to love them?

You,
O God,
are witness
to all the ways we love
or not.

And you love us all
equally.

All that we have
is free gift from you,
not to be hoarded.

So if we are to be
your hands,
heart
and feet
on this earth,
if we are to reap
a holy harvest
by embodying your love,
our willingness to share
your blessings
must overflow to all who cross our path.

Most especially strangers,
widows and orphans.

Show us where your grace is to be found
in the compassion and generosity
we show
to all your people,
especially those
we find most challenging
to love
with your love.

We are all your beloved.

+Amen

Sunday Reflection: To be like you

This reflection is brought to you by
Hebrews 5:1-6.

Though you are God,
O Christ,
you don't hold yourself above us.

You are the one who walks among us
and who acts as our liberator,
the high priest
who offers himself
in place of the poor gifts we can give.

Because you lived our life
and understand human fragility,
you are compassionate,
gentle,
and forgiving of our weaknesses.

And we are called to be like you:
compassionate,
gentle,
and forgiving.

Not only to others,
but also, to ourselves.

It's not easy to be like you.

Please help us.

+Amen.

Guest Moodler: Sermon on Wisdom

Six years ago today, I posted a sermon on the Bread of Life, delivered by my best friend, Cathy, in her United Church. Today I have the pleasure of posting another of her sermons -- this time reflecting on the very same readings, but with a different theme. Being a little older and wiser, I have to say I really appreciate her sharing about wisdom today, and am grateful to her for allowing me the privilege of posting it here. Enjoy!

Older and Wiser??

August 19, 2018

             
            When I saw the reading for this week on Jesus as the bread of life something twigged that I’ve done a sermon for this reading before. And sure enough. August 19, 2012… the exact same reading and the exact same date! What a coincidence! I talked about food, it was 9 minutes long and we left church early that day. Some have suggested I just repeat the sermon but I decided to do something new because six years on, I’m older and wiser. Well maybe.

             In our first reading Solomon, a new and very young king of Israel asked God for Wisdom when God was handing out wishes. God was very pleased that Solomon had asked for something so, well, wise. He hadn’t asked for riches or power but something more valuable. “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” it says in Proverbs (16:16). 

             Wisdom does sound like a good thing to have. But what is wisdom and how do we get it? According to those who study such things, wisdom has three factors: Cognition, reflection and compassion. Cognition is what we know and how we think. Experience certainly teaches us a lot. We look back on our youth and say, if I only knew then what I know now. That’s experience. But wisdom is more than just knowing a lot. Being able to reflect on our experiences and gain insight into them and then use that understanding to help ourselves and others is what turns our experience into wisdom. 

             When I was working in nursing homes 20 years ago, I remember being surprised at the number of elderly people I met who did not seem wise. To be honest, there were many who were silly, exasperating and annoying. Don’t get me wrong. I loved them anyway. I learned then that people often carry entrenched patterns of behaviour and personality throughout their lives, and older and wiser doesn’t always apply. But one woman I cared for I remember particularly and thought of as wise. What was the difference? Florence had a multitude of physical ailments: crumbling bones, pain, a tremor, and a heart condition. But whenever I had to take her medication or provide care I would always sneak in some extra time with her. I felt good in her presence. I loved to chat with her. She radiated a quality of peacefulness despite her considerable challenges. She was gracious, grateful, had a good sense of humour, and a genuine interest in others. 

             What I read about wisdom from the definitions I found on the internet may explain the wisdom I found in Florence, the nursing home resident. Wisdom is maintaining positive well-being and kindness in the face of challenges. Florence certainly displayed those qualities. It’s not like she never complained or expressed pain but she did not allow the hardships to define her. But to get to that point we have to look within. As well as the hardships in the world around us we have to see and acknowledge what is negative within ourselves and own it. We have to accept our negative qualities, learn from them and forgive them, which leads us to have greater empathy for others. Wisdom is characterized by a reduction in self-centeredness. Wise people try to understand situations from multiple perspectives, not just their own. But it is understanding ourselves more fully that allows us to see things through others’ eyes. 

             Someone wrote to me the other day that we really need more sermons on when life doesn’t work out. And I’m aware that in the midst of heartache, broken dreams, devastating illness or loss, fears about the state of our world and its future, that this road map to become wise I’ve just outlined is small comfort. When you have an experience, reflect on it, turn that insight into compassion and you’ll be wise. Poof! No problem. Easy peasy. But while that’s an important formula, I think there is more to it than that.

             There is a wisdom in the world that is deeper than the psychological processing of our minds and behaviours. We see this in children who come up with surprising gems of wisdom. The same can be said for people we would describe as unsophisticated or “simple”. I spent years working with people with intellectual disabilities who taught me more about being real than I ever taught them. There is the wisdom of nature: the amazing world of animals, and how plants and insects and other species find a way to thrive and survive. And there is the deep wisdom of your own being. You know there have been times in your life when you acted on wisdom from within yourself that steered you in the right direction at the right time. I think of the two times in my life, twenty-five years apart, when I experienced an overwhelming urgency to come home while living or vacationing abroad, and cutting my plans short and getting home in time to be with my parents when they needed me most even though I had no idea beforehand. In the first case, my Mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer 10 days after I moved home, and in the second, this spring, I cut my vacation short to go to my Dad, who died 3 days after I arrived, much, much sooner than anyone could have predicted. 

             If there is this deep wisdom flowing through the universe and us, and I believe there is, then I think it is that wisdom that sustains us through the difficult times and ultimately changes us for the better. 

             How can we trust and cultivate that wisdom from God? How can we grow in the wisdom we need to make a difference in the world and in our own ability to cope with the challenges of life? I do think we have to work at it and the first step is to desire wisdom and to ask for it. 

             Solomon was not older and wiser when he became King. But he had the wisdom to know what to ask for to be the kind of ruler that was needed and that he wanted to be. He knew he needed more wisdom and God blessed him with that and more. We might be in position where we have a steep learning curve ahead. Or we recognize things aren’t working for us and life is full of dissatisfaction, and we might think there’s got to be a better way and cry for help. This is a cry for wisdom. Or we are visited by tragedy and the suffering leaves us unable to imagine going on, and shaking our fists at God in anger and asking why. That honest response can be a call for wisdom. And when we call for wisdom, wisdom answers. Hear from Proverbs, which are the Proverbs of Solomon: “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honour you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a fair garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” (4:7-9)There is a line in one of our hymns that God is wiser than despair. We too can be wiser than despair. And what a gift to the world we can be when we are. 

             So there is working on ourselves to gain wisdom and there is asking for wisdom. But there is another beautiful way we become wise, and that is by being with wise people. Richard Rohr, a wise man and author, says, “Transformed people transform people.” What that means is by being in the presence of someone wise, holy or transformed, we are changed ourselves. The reverse also applies. If you do your own inner work and gain wisdom, others you are with will gain something from you that you don’t even realize you are giving. Think of the wise people in your life… grandparents or other relatives, teachers, people in this church. Remember how it felt, or feels to be around them. I think of one of my grandmothers. My memories with her are coloured by a sense of unconditional love, safety, wonder, and desire to learn and become my best self. When we hang out with wise people they hold up a mirror of positive acceptance which helps us discover our potential for wisdom within. I think of all my nursing mentors, including my own mother, who showed me the art of nursing with compassion and intuition. Not only does a mentor like this give us a model to emulate but they too give us the encouragement to believe in our own abilities. 

             I think of all the farmers I grew up with who seemed to be wise by absorbing the wisdom of the land and the cycles of nature and I think of my own farmer father who faced his death earlier this year with such grace and wisdom that I have rarely seen. 

             I think of the people of this church. When I sit up in the choir, I am surrounded by the wisdom of those other choir women. Their collective life experience, their joy (we laugh a lot) and their compassion inspire me constantly. I have so many examples of women I want to be when I grow up. We need wise elders as models for our own aging. And I think of the many members of this church whose lives I’ve been privileged to share in a deeper way in my role as Parish Nurse, hearing their amazing life stories and seeing their compassion and humility in the face of living through incredibly challenging times like a world war, or the loss of a child. I am humbled and inspired by the people of this church every day. 

             Finally, we as a church are inspired and changed by the wisdom of Jesus. We know the stories of Jesus and have a template for a moral, compassionate life. But there is something more here, something deeper than pretty stories. 

             In our reading from John, Jesus talks about being the bread of life, the living bread that came down from heaven. Then he tells his disciples that the bread is his flesh and they must eat it and drink his blood to have life. Talking about eating flesh and drinking blood is too gross for me. Too many horror movie images. But eating bread, I can think about that. I love bread. And bread as body works symbolically. That’s why I made the little bread bodies for the children. And of course there is the sacrament of communion, the ritual that Jesus gave us. When we eat bread or anything else we take it into ourselves. It becomes us. We chew on it and chewing on something is a metaphor for thinking things over, reflecting and processing, one of those steps of wisdom I mentioned at the beginning.        
           
             Jesus wants to pass on his wisdom which he received from his Father, our God. Eat me, Jesus says. I am the bread you want that satisfies, that gives life. Take me in, chew on me. How do we do this? By spending time with him. We do this when we come together in worship. We do this when we read the bible, not just reading the stories but chewing on them, taking them in through repetition and study. We spend time directly with the wisdom of Jesus in the mystery of silence and in prayer. And we do this indirectly as well, by spending time with those who have taken the wisdom of Jesus into their own cells. We have a library here in our church of good books, of spiritual wisdom just waiting to be feasted upon, wisdom from the path of Jesus and from parallel paths of other faiths. There are wise people in your own life to remember and give thanks for. There are wise people around us on every side whose wisdom will rub off on us. There is the created world to spend time in and absorb its wisdom. There are sources of wisdom all around us if we have an open heart and eyes to see and the desire to eat some good bread. 

             
Bon appetite! 

Let us pray. 
Jesus, we ask you for this bread of life, 
for wisdom, 
for life in all its fullness 
that we may be filled and give to others from that fullness. 

Amen.

Let all families be holy

I hate it when I end up crying through Sunday morning mass, and lately, it happens more often than I like. You see, God and I have what I would call a wonderful relationship. In fact, I can't get along without God. It's just that some of the people who speak for God make me cry, and that's painful, period.

Today, the last Sunday of the year, is the Feast of the Holy Family. Really, it's a liturgy that is all about love. We heard about love, respect, and honour among family members in scripture from the Book of Sirach. Paul's beautiful letter to the Colossians (3:12-21) reminded us to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, to bear with one another, to forgive each other and to love. And then we heard about loving parents Mary and Joseph taking their infant son to the temple at the beginning of his faith journey. All beautiful and inspirational words!

It was the first few lines of the homily that set me off. Family values are under attack, we were told, by gay marriage and transgender activism. And the tears began to roll down my cheeks. I grew up in a Catholicism that brainwashed me against homosexuality, even as several of my Catholic friends who were gay or lesbian struggled with depression and self-loathing because our Christian culture labelled them as "disordered." It seemed to be a direct contradiction to the adage, "God does not make junk." As a young performer in a travelling show, I became friends with peers of many different backgrounds, cultures, and sexual orientations, and my friendships forced me to question the anti-queer mindset I grew up with because of my faith.

In the years since, I have realized that God loves queer people every bit as much as God loves me. Otherwise, why would God have blessed them with their different orientations? They are oriented differently not to spite the world, but because they have to be true to who they are, just as I do. And judging them helps no one.

In the last few years, I have witnessed the love and marriages of many queer friends who are being true to who God made them to be. And for the life of me, I can't see how Greg and Roy's marriage undermines anything. Karly and Inge and their two sons are as loving a family as mine. Their marriage is more loving, balanced and blessed than any of my heterosexual divorced friends' marriages ever were. And my neighbours, Leo and Markus*, are excitedly planning their wedding for September with every bit as much joy and anticipation as Lee and I did. They are a loving couple who deserve to be together for life, heart and soul. We need to remember that many marriages are about a loving unity that doesn't include procreation.

Love is love. And God is love. And since nobody I know can actually tell us the exact thoughts of this God who is love, and who clearly creates so many different forms of love, how can we speak against these other kinds of love, sexuality or gender simply because our experience is different? God is in Leo and Markus' relationship too, I'm convinced! It's full of goodness, truth and beauty,

I wish our homilist this morning had simply focused on the holy family as a model of love, and talked more about the beautiful qualities mentioned in the readings and how they feed our souls. I suspect I'm not the only person who needs to hear how every family that does its best to love one another is a holy family, even through our struggles. Perfection isn't possible, but love is, and families with trans-gendered or otherwise queer members don't need to be judged as somehow undermining family values, especially when we are all doing our best to love and support one another just as Jesus, Mary and Joseph did. God made us all holy!

God of love,
Thank you for the billions of love stories
that brought us into being,
that surround us,
sometimes challenge us,
and always sustain us.

Open our hearts to your love in its many forms.

Help us to act always
with love,
respect,
and honour
toward all members of our human family.

Clothe us
with compassion,
kindness,
humility,
meekness
and patience,
to bear with one another,
to forgive each other
and to love everyone who crosses our path.

Bless those families who struggle,
and help us to reach out to those in need
just as you reach out for us.

Bless us in this new year of 2018,
and let all families be holy
by our sharing in your love.

+Amen.

*I have used pseudonyms in place of my queer friends' names. 

All we need is radical love

After listening to the reading of the Gospel (Matthew 5:38-48) this morning, my mind went off on its own homily. I couldn't help but reflect on how Christianity is failing. And I think the reason for its failure is that too many of its churches have turned into tribal councils or morality police more concerned with ensuring that their "own flocks" follow the rules than with how we need to work together for the common good of all.

Of course, it's not Christ's fault, he who said that we need to live non-violently, go the extra mile for our sisters and brothers on the margins, love our enemies, be perfect as God is perfect and a few dozen other basic things that we seem to have forgotten in our relatively comfy, privileged pews. It's a rough, raw, radical love that Jesus expects of us, one that takes a hit without hitting back and still moves forward in humility, generosity, patience and compassion. It's how he lived -- his kind of radical love reaches through the centuries -- otherwise we never even would have heard of a small town preacher and healer from a backwater town in the middle East.

The word radical comes from the Latin word for root. Radical love roots our lives in the important things in life so that we can ignore the inconsequential ones and live simply, out of love. The only way our world will survive is if we return to radical love for our planet, for others, for creation, and for ourselves. We need to work for the common good, to turn the other cheek, to give our life energies to goodness, to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us and do all the other radical things that Jesus himself chose to do right to the end.

A tall order. But we're seeing far too much radical hatred these days, and it's clearly not the way our world needs to go.

What acts of radical love will you engage in this week? They don't have to be anything heroic, just rooted in love.

How to avoid cruel and unusual punishment

It was bad enough getting my teeth cleaned by a less-than-gentle dental hygienist, ouch. What made it worse was the television on the ceiling of the room that was playing the U.S. President's press secretary speaking to the media while my teeth were scraped and scaled. When I told a friend about this morning's experience of being a captive audience in a dentist's chair, she laughed and said, "double cruel and unusual punishment, for sure!"

Like many people, I'm trying my best to find some good in Donald Trump -- or at least trying not to get into rants about him. I grew up hearing Thumper the Rabbit's voice (in Bambi) saying, "If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say nuthin' at all," though I now temper that phrase with Edmund Burke's "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing." My best theory about this whole situation is that perhaps the Holy Spirit is allowing the present president to teach the world that we can't wait for presidents to make the world a better place; we also have to engage in improving ourselves and the situations where we can make a difference, and speak up for those without a voice.

So far I've managed to avoid signing the many on-line petitions of complaint against the man (what will they prove, really?) and I'm watching what I say about him because I believe that all the nasty badmouthing of both sides in the last year or so seems to be what got us here in the first place. But with all the negative and fear-based things happening in the first few weeks of this presidency, it's really difficult not to continually assume that the worst will happen, especially when so many lies are flying around (and so many refugees who have already gone through "extreme vetting" and have valid visas are waiting for the U.S. borders to reopen).

When I first saw the video below, I was put off by the negative and mocking tone of the speaker -- but a few days further on, I'm thinking he makes some valid points, especially after seeing this morning's press conference. If the President continues to use the media to market and push some of the lies he's using to support his agenda the way he has been, it's definitely within the media's rights to push back -- to "pause the tape" and do some fact-checking so that the truth may be heard (more than) twice as often as the lies. Some of the world's present problems lie in the fact that so many people accept whatever the loudest or most "official" voice says. We can't even hear the truth any more.

But truth, if it is true, doesn't have to be loud and pushy. It is clearly "official" because it manifests itself in beauty, goodness, generosity, kindness, and understanding. If we don't want to live with at least four more years of this "cruel and unusual punishment," of lies and the backlash they create, we need to move into a more positive place. So how do we convince each other of the truth? Not with the angry voices of the President or Keith Olberman in the video, but maybe with some honest facts coupled with a lot of compassion -- and plenty of action to reveal lies for what they are.

What do you think?

A cure for January blues

January is a strange month. It's the start of something new... and a time when many are blue.
Christmas has passed, the decorations are down, and our spirits sometimes go that direction too.

It didn't help that this work week began with news from five of my colleagues who had lost a friend or relative over the weekend. I've heard it said many times that people often hold on through the Christmas season for one last celebration with loved ones, and then succumb to illness or old age once all the feasting and festival is over. I'm not sure that's really the case with all the deaths I've been hearing about this week, but I know that it's made for a more sombre atmosphere at work. We are saddened by our friends' sorrow.

So this morning, our L'Arche Day Program decided to do something to lighten the burden a bit. We were all invited to join our core members to pray for those who had died and for those who are grieving. And it's safe to say that the little impromptu prayer service lifted all our spirits a little. I was especially touched when Mariette began her prayer: "I'd like to pray for my wonderful friend, Thomas, and my wonderful friend, Lucy, and my wonderful friend, Sandy, and my wonderful friend, Darren..." and on it went, as she looked around the circle and prayed for all present -- a simple, heartfelt naming of each of us to God.

I wonder, in this strange month of January, how much our spirits might lift if we would simply remember all the people who bless us, day in and day out, by their presence in our lives. Maybe Mariette is on to something -- the real cure for January blues.

Simple Suggestion #239... Get to know an immigrant or refugee

The Syrian refugee crisis finally hit home this week for some of us. The picture of a little child washed up on a beach woke many people up. The outrage and tears over the photo are all over the internet and TV. But have our hearts really changed?

The world has always known immigrants and refugees. Because of war, disaster and climate change, it always will. But until we know these people as our brothers and sisters, until we recognize that their children are our children, until we understand that we are all one and that what affects one affects all, pictures will come and go, outrage and tears will wax and wane. We have to make their troubles personal. But how?

My Burundian sister, Alice, opened my eyes to the horrors of the genocide more than any book or movie ever could. Her story of fleeing with her 8-month-old son from killers who spilled into Burundi from Rwanda opened my eyes to the suffering of refugees. I am often afraid to ask for updates from my Syrian sisters, Rima and Maria, because I know that some of their family members are still in danger. But fear is no excuse -- it's more important to offer a hand in friendship, and to find out if there is anything I can do to help them in their efforts to bring their families and friends to Canada. Today I wrote a letter to my Prime Minister, Member of Parliament, and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration asking for an opening of Canada's borders to allow more refugees now, before the October election (!), and for the cutting of red tape preventing groups ready to support our brothers and sisters who are looking for lives far from war and persecution. There are many church groups and individuals just waiting to help, and they need us now.

But today's actual challenge is to notice those around us who have come from other places, to open our hearts to their stories, and to abandon our fears about reaching out to help in whatever ways we can. If you want to join me in writing a letter or three, that would be good, too. We need to remember that we must all sing with one voice if we are to survive this world's crises.

Another good one to send forward...

Remember Monica Lewinsky? What a mess her life became, all because, at 22 years of age, she fell in love with her boss, who happened to be the President of the United States. (Who didn't fall in love with the wrong person at age 22? I'm thinking of Charlie, ten years older than me, the kind of guy who would never grow up...) I'll admit I didn't give much of a thought to what Monica's life was like because of the mistake she made at age 22, but she has to think about it every day. (I mostly forget about Charlie, thank heavens.)

In this powerful video below, Monica talks about how the internet and our society have created a culture of humiliation and shame that devastates too many lives. It's too easy to make anonymous judgments, and too many of us jump to nasty conclusions that we air online. We forget the old piece of wisdom that we heard as children, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Negativity only breeds more negativity, shame, and humiliation, but every living being on this earth deserves compassion, regardless of her or his mistakes. Monica says it well, and I admire her for standing up and saying it, especially given her past hurts, which had to be huge.

The thing is, we are all part of the solution. The next time I run into negative comments, I'm going to throw in a positive one if I can. Thanks, Charleen, for sharing another good one, one that I'm sending forward as definitely worth watching. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_8y0WLm78U

Neither satire nor revenge needed

I just don't understand. Can someone explain to me why it's necessary to poke at our brothers and sisters of different faiths by publishing ugly cartoons that make fun of their beliefs? And can you help me to understand why it would be necessary to take revenge for those cartoons when killing people is so clearly against any valid belief in the God who loves us and calls us all her/his children no matter our belief? And since when does belief need to avenge itself?

I guess it's been happening since the dawn of time, but I still don't understand it. Clearly, these people who choose to settle small differences with guns are using religion as an excuse for their own inability to love the way God loves, the way God calls us all to love. And the only response to such behaviour is forgiveness and a deeper love that reaches out to quell hatred of all kinds.

Compassion, in other words. From all sides to all sides, until there are no sides.

This song has been running through my head since the attacks on Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday. Of course, the video maker has chosen a lot of lovey-dovey pictures, but I like to close my eyes as I listen to John Lennon's voice and his simple piano melody (which I once learned to play) and think about love between all peoples of all faiths, so that neither satire nor revenge are necessary in our world. Then the song becomes a prayer that we can all pray together. Join me?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRyZ9Oe0uaE

Sunday reflection: More on Compassion

I know, I missed moodling here on Thursday this past week... because it's just a busy season. With garden and volunteering and our L'Arche AGM on my plate, lately it's hard to find time to turn on the computer. So I'm moodling in my head, and perhaps I'll get some of my ideas down here as usual once there are fewer weeds and work-related items on my plate.

For today, I'd like to return to the idea of compassion. I'm supposed to be reading Karen Armstrong's book, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life. It's the most recent book choice for Charleen's book club, of which I'm a member, and it turns out that my best friend in BC is doing a little course on the same book. Unfortunately, for me, at the moment, other stuff is getting in the way of books about compassion. Even so, I've enjoyed the video below, where Karen Armstrong talks about her dream of the Charter for Compassion. So here it is for this Sunday's reflection...

Wisdom, Truth and Reconciliation (Day 4): Remembering the Children

There's another full day of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission today. Events can be found by clicking here. This evening around 6 p.m. there will be a gathering of people at the Shaw Conference Centre who will walk in solidarity (as I understand it) to the Alberta Legislature to wrap up the TRC. All are welcome.

For today, I close with the prayer with which our volunteer training began on Thursday morning, which I think originated with Anglican Church leaders on the 2008 Remembering the Children tour across Canada....

Remembering the Children

God of our Ancestors,
who holds the spirits of our grandmothers and grandfathers
and the spirits of our grandchildren,
Remembering the Children,
we now pledge ourselves to speak the Truth,
and with our hearts and our souls
to act upon the Truth we have heard
of the injustices lived,
of the sufferings inflicted,
of the tears cried,
of the misguided intentions imposed,
and of the power of prejudice and racism
which were allowed to smother the sounds and laughter of
the forgotten children.
Hear our cries of lament
for what was allowed to happen,
and for what will never be.
In speaking and hearing and acting upon the Truth
may we as individuals and as a nation
 meet the hope of a new beginning.
Great Creator God
 who desires that all creation live in harmony and peace,
Remembering the Children
we dare to dream of a Path of Reconciliation
where apology from the heart leads to healing of the heart
and the chance of restoring the circle,
where justice walks with all,
where respect leads to true partnership,
where the power to change comes from each heart.
Hear our prayer of hope,
and guide this country of Canada
on a new and different path.
Amen.

Click here to see Day 1...
Click here to see Day 2...
Click here to see Day 3...

Wisdom, Truth and Reconciliation (Day 3)

Day 3 was my day to volunteer, so I didn't get to listen to very many sessions. But there were experiences worth remembering...

... a man whose painful past made many of us cry... and add our tissues to the collection for the sacred fire...

... a woman who said, "I forgive my abusers, not because they deserve my forgiveness, but because I deserve to be free of the pain and hatred. I am free!...

... Terry Lusty, whose poems I appreciated yesterday, telling me that once he became a teacher, he taught in a First Nations school that burned down, and it was forced to relocate to an old Residential School... he never thought he'd have to enter a Residential School again, and here he had to teach in one. It must have been difficult beyond imagining... I wish I had asked him how it was for him...

... two women chuckling at class pictures they found in the archives (where I was volunteering) over the expressions on their faces, and the faces of their friends...

... looking around the tables at the archives area where so many people were poring over photo albums and feeling it was, in a way, like a big family reunion... except for the pain...

Click here to see Day 1...
Click here to see Day 2...
Click here to see Day 4...