Author: lakewooducc

Today is the first day of Hanukkah. This is a special Jewish religious festival. It dates back to the second century BCE. The Syrians had taken over Judea and taken possession of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. An altar was built to Zeus and pigs were sacrificed in the Temple. There was a Jewish revolt and the Temple was reclaimed in 165 BCE. The Temple then had to be cleansed and reconsecrated. When it was time to rededicate the Temple, there was only oil for the flame to burn for one day, but the fire lasted 8 days which was enough time to make and consecrate more oil. So, the festival of Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights and the Feast of Dedication to commemorate these traditions.

We see that Jews were celebrating Hanukkah long before Jesus; long before Christianity; and long before Christians were celebrating Christmas. There is even a reference in the Gospel of John to Jesus celebrating Hanukkah [John 10:22, Festival of the Dedication]. Of course he celebrated Hanukkah, he was Jewish.

While Jesus is the foundational figure for Christianity, we must remember that Jesus was Jewish. We are even told in the New Testament that Jesus was a rabbi. Therefore, there is absolutely NO place in any expression of Christianity or in any Christian teaching for anti Semitism. To be condemnatory of Judaism in any way is to be unChristian and even anti Christian.

Ok, so there is no room in Christianity for anti-Jewish sentiment because Jesus was Jewish, but what about other religions? Is it within the scope of Christianity to condemn other religions like Buddhism, Islam, or Hinduism? Again, let’s go back to Jesus. Jesus lived in a time when from the Jewish perspective there were basically Jews and “others” who were of other religious and cultural persuasions. Jesus was a Jew. Did he condemn those “others”? There are stories of Jesus healing “others”, feeding “others”, and forgiving “others”. But there are no examples of Jesus condemning the belief systems of the “others”, or condemning the “others” themselves. This shows us that there is no room in Christianity for condemning or attacking other religions or people who are not Christian. The increase in Islamaphobia in the US is decidedly unChristian.

When we think about God’s intention for Wonder-Full peace in the world, we know that there must be peace between people of differing religions. As Catholic theologian Hans Kung tells us, “No peace among the nations without peace among the religions.” All major world religions teach acceptance and tolerance of different religions. All major religions also have extremists who ignore these teachings and foment conflict and contention between religions through disrespect and even violence.

Christianity is a religion of peace. Jesus teaches us to be loving to all people including those of different religions. Because we are Christian, we are compelled to seek peace with people of other religions and no religion. We can start by wishing our Jewish friends a Happy Hanukkah!

Think of a time when you were exposed to an expression of religion other than Christianity. What common ground was there in that experience for you as a Christian?

Prayer: God is beyond all religions and within all religions. May we be true to our religion, Christianity, by loving all people and respecting all religions. This is our calling as followers of Jesus. Amen.

In the recent movie, “The Martian,” there is not much overt religion. At one point, somewhat apologetically, the main character, Mark Watney (Matt Damon) has to resort to using a wooden crucifix to start a fire. It gives a different twist to the idea, “Jesus saves.” But otherwise there is really not much of a religious nature in the movie. Then, Watney faces the most traumatic devastation of the entire movie. I won’t give away any of the details, but at this, the lowest point in the narrative, Watney cries out one word, “God.” It is a moment of ultimate terror. And that is the one word that is said. There could have been other words – the f-word, for instance. But the word used for the nadir of human experience is God.

Whether we are religious or not, there is a human sensibility to something beyond. Something more than. Something greater than we ourselves, yet within us. Humans fundamentally have a connection to a larger reality. And at the height of elation, such as at the birth of a baby, and at the depth of the most devastating tragedy, we intersect with this greater reality. This something more. This mystery within and beyond. And many of us name this God.

As we think of our deep desire for peace, as we become desperate for peace in the face of heinous violence, we know that we must connect this longing with something greater than ourselves yet within us. The moment when we have no choice but to cry out, “God,” is the moment we may find a deeper connection to peace.

Is there a time when your feelings were so intense you felt the power, the mystery, the beyond of God? What was that like for you?

Prayer: While we may cry out to God in the extreme experiences of our lives, we pray that we remember that our connection to the Divine, the power and peace of God, is there all the time. May we learn to trust that connection day in and day out so that we may know greater peace and be agents of peace in the world. Amen.

San Bernardino. Just the mention of the location and we know what we are referring to. A mass shooting. Another mass shooting. There have been at least 355 mass shootings in the US in 2015. That’s more than one a day. It is clearly too late to prevent this from becoming a “thing” because it is already a “thing.” It’s a thing with many causes. A thing with many potential responses. And while there may be differing views on how to address this thing, I think that almost everyone agrees that we want to be rid of this thing. We don’t want to live in a country with a reputation for mass shootings. We don’t want to come to terms with the reality that most of these mass shootings are done by people who seem just like the people we see in the store, or at work, or at a sporting event. We don’t want to feel unsafe.

Doing nothing is not an answer. We must concern ourselves with the causes and conditions that lead to these horrific events. We need to apply our best and brightest capabilities to addressing these problems. And we must do this even though it will take time for implementation to yield results. It won’t be a quick fix in time for the next election cycle. But still, we need to act.

But that is not the end of the story. This is the season of Advent. This is the time we prepare for the celebration of a birth. It is a time to remember that in the worst of times, a baby was born; a person who continues to impact the world in significant ways even over 2000 years after his coming. Who would have expected that baby to have such an effect? We think about it now as God breaking into human history in a surprising way with an unforeseen result. It is something no one could have predicted.

Was that the last of God’s surprises? Do we no longer expect to be astounded by unforeseen events? Will we limit the scope of God’s influence?

While we work for peace in our country and pursue ways to end the mass shootings and all shootings, let’s remember the theme for this Advent season at LUCC: Wonder-Full Peace. Let’s not forget the wonder. The mystery. The awe. The jaw dropping surprise. Breaking in. And changing the game. For good. Peace IS possible.

Take a moment to think about something that has happened that has taken you by surprise. It could be something in society or in your own life. Did you ever expect there would be an African American president in your lifetime? Did you think you would live to see gay marriage?

Prayer: In this season of watching and waiting, may we be open to God’s surprises. May we not limit the scope of the power of Divine Love. May we trust that love to heal the horrible pain suffered by the loved ones of those killed in San Bernardino and of all other victims of violence. Amen.

On May 25, 1961, in a special joint session of the Congress, President John F. Kennedy announced that the US would send an American safely to the moon before the end of the decade. And, on July 20, 1969, the goal was accomplished. It took 8 years. And the resources and personnel needed were dedicated to the task. This story is a reminder that we can do what we want to do.

International leaders are meeting in Paris to discuss climate change. The world waits with hope and anticipation for a dramatic outcome. An inspiring goal. A binding commitment of resources needed for fulfillment.

Global warming is not just an environmental issue. A “green” concern for tree huggers. It is a peace concern. Drought, lack of access to clean water, decreasing food supplies, lack of clean air, flooding, sea level rise, these consequences of global warming lead to social disruption, economic turmoil, and conflict. To pursue peace, we need to address climate change in bold ways.

Even if the Paris talks fall short, what’s to stop the US from creating its own dramatic, inspiring goals on climate change? We could commit to zero carbon emissions within a decade, like the goal of reaching the moon. Then we could help others to do the same. Oh, but that would take the government and politicians today seem to have more money than brains so not surprisingly, we don’t expect much from them.

But what do we expect from ourselves? In the absence of drastic action from visionary politicians a la Kennedy, our system of government is designed for people to take matters in hand and create the change they want to see happen. So, what are we doing?

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we remember that Jesus was not a top down leader. He had no aspirations to hold office or have a position of high status. He was not the head of a corporation, or a state, or a diocese. In the eyes of society, he was a nobody. And yet he managed to inspire other “nobodies” in a movement that continues to change the world today. Jesus empowered regular people to use their power for good in the world. How are we willing to use our power to create the drastic changes needed to slow global warming so that we as well as our neighbors near and far can thrive on this beautiful planet we have been given? We can’t expect a “President Kennedy” to do this for us.

Take a moment to think about a time when you used your power for good in the world. What did you do? What was the impact?

Prayer: In this season of giving gifts, we remember that we have been given the gift of power. And Jesus has been given to us to inspire us to use our power for good. May we honor Jesus by using our power to protect this precious Earth that we have been given as our home. Amen.

I recently had the occasion to be inside the sanctuary of another church. There were chairs in rows. There was a dais or platform with microphones, sound equipment, and a plexiglass lectern. I looked for a cross. No cross. I looked for an altar or communion table. Nothing like that either. To me, it just did not feel like a church.

The experience surprised me. I don’t consider myself “high church” by any means. I get just as lost in a Catholic or Episcopal service as someone who has never been to church. I have never been a fan of pomp and circumstance. So I have never thought of myself as attached to the symbols one often finds in a church sanctuary.

As for the cross, yes, I believe that Jesus was crucified on a cross, but I don’t believe that it was God’s plan so that we can go to heaven, or that this was the price God extracted to pay for our sins. These ideas are often associated with the cross, so I don’t think I was unsettled that there was no cross in the sanctuary of the church I visited.

After some thought, I concluded that what bothered me the most, was the absence of an altar or communion table. To me, the table represents community and sacrifice. We come together at the table, a table set before us in the presence of our enemies as well as our beloved friends. The table symbolizes the human family, all of whom need to eat and all of whom are provided with physical as well as spiritual food as part of the divine plan of creation. The sense of giftedness and oneness that the table represents is a core aspect of a church for me.

In addition, historically the altar is the place where people made sacrifices and brought their offerings. Today in church we put the offering plates on the altar as a sign of our making an offering, a sacrifice, to the God of love. This idea of sacrifice is not something bloody and morbid to me. It is a sign of our willingness to personally give something up for the greater good. It shows our commitment to something bigger than ourselves. To me, this is also a core aspect of church.

In this Advent season, we are thinking about Wonder-Full peace. We all want peace on Earth. We want peace in our homes and neighborhoods. We want peace in our schools and society. We want peace between nations and peoples. But, like everything else that is important and desired, peace has a price. Peace involves sacrifice. We have to be willing to give something up for the greater good. You can’t be selfish and spoiled and have your way about everything and still have peace with everyone. Maybe what we have to give up is an attitude, or a behavior, or certain language, or power, or control, or, yes, even some money or wealth. But to experience wonder-full peace, something has to be given up.

Jesus was always showing people how to give things up: their harmful ways and ideas, their assumptions and habits, their judgments and prejudices, their privilege and control, as well as their possessions and wealth. He shows people how to give things up so that they can have peace. When our sacrifice is truly for the greater good, there is deep joy in our self giving.

The altar and the cross are reminders of these truths of the way of Jesus.

Consider a time when you made a sacrifice for a greater good. Remember the joy of that experience.

Prayer: The divine intention for the cosmos is peace. May we see our generosity and self giving as but a small offering for the riches of wonder-full peace. Like Jesus, may we love peace so much that no sacrifice is too great. Amen.