Author: lakewooducc

Today is Pearl Harbor Day. December 7. A day that people in the US remember the Japanese attack in 1941 that led to the US entering World War 2.

On the radio this past week, I learned that in Germany there are memorials all over the country to the people who were killed in World War 2, particularly the people who were killed as part of the final solution. This remembering is part of the process of repenting, atoning, and transforming the culture so that such evil is never allowed to happen again in that country. And, indeed, Germany has made major strides in becoming a diverse, stable, and tolerant country. Even the number of Jews in the population is growing.

In the wake of World War 2, Japan also made significant efforts to come to terms with its heritage of war and conquest. There are peace memorials throughout Japan. The people have tried to demilitarize their culture.

These processes of transformation in Germany and Japan would have been unimaginable in the 1930’s. And yet these two countries have made vast changes in behaviors and attitudes. The changes and transformation have not only been internal. Today the US counts Japan and Germany among its strongest allies. Who would have expected that?

There are places in the world where age old conflicts continue. I think of the Balkans. And of the middle east. The examples of Germany and Japan and their relations with the rest of the world help to give hope that conflicts in other places can be resolved.

For reflection: Where do you see conflicts that look hopeless? Perhaps between countries, or groups of people, or individuals. Where are there signs of hope for peace and reconciliation?

Prayer: Jesus saw the best in people. He saw the possibilities that were there. He never gave up on anyone or on any situation. We pray for the courage and the strength to have that kind of faith and hope in ourselves and in others. May peace prevail on earth. Amen.

On Dec. 5, 1955, the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott was launched. Of the 50,000 blacks in the city, 30,000-40,-000 participated. These were people who commuted on the bus everyday. Who rode the bus routinely. And they stopped riding the bus. Not for a day or a week. But for over a year. For 54 weeks.

A bus boycott. Most of us who will read this probably haven’t ridden a bus in years. For many of us, we might equate boycotting the bus with boycotting our cars. Can you imagine living without a car for 54 weeks? Walking, taking the bus, riding a bike, etc.? It’s hard to imagine. I can’t think of the last time, if ever, that I have inconvenienced myself to that degree for something I believed in. To make a statement. To bring pressure to bear so that meaningful change takes place.

In this season, we sing about peace on earth, good will to all. We herald tidings of comfort and joy. We donate to charity. We pursue alternative gift giving – donations to an organization someone cares about, tickets to an event to give an experience. We want to be more gentle to the earth and know our consumption is taking its toll. This is all lovely.

But Jesus came to inaugurate major change. He came to redirect the river. He is about moving the mountain. What Jesus taught is not about tweaking, or even overhauling or re-branding. It’s about dismantling what was and constructing something new. These things take time, commitment, energy, passion, persistence, and sacrifice. More than 4 weeks. More than 54 weeks. Probably even more than a life time.

If we are so busy worrying about today and tomorrow and keeping on top of all of those commitments, we may never get to considering the big picture. So there will just be another Ferguson, and another Ferguson, and another Ferguson. We’ll get upset in the moment. And then worry about what to make for dinner.

I spoke with someone who was grief stricken about the killing of Eric Garner of Staten Island with the choke hold. There was a protest in the city the person is from. I asked if this person was going to participate in the protest. “I can’t. I’m too busy.”

Thankfully, Jesus wasn’t too busy to embody justice, healing, and peace. Thankfully, the people of Montgomery weren’t too busy to boycott the bus system for 54 weeks, because that initiative led to many others which snowballed into some of the major progress that has been made in civil rights in this country.

For reflection: What great themes of social transformation do you see in the teachings of Jesus? How can you/we embody those themes and invest ourselves in meaningful change? What is holding us back?

Prayer: Progress and transformation require sacrifice. Jesus gave his life. Others make sacrifices to devote themselves to scientific inquiry, or the arts, or social transformation. May we not be afraid to give our lives to a cause greater than ourselves. Then we will know peace, and comfort, and joy. Amen.

You are going to die. I am going to die. Everyone we know is going to die. Every person is born and every person dies.

The question is not will we die, but how will we die. A recent article in the paper gives the odds of certain causes of death. Are you afraid of flying? Apparently, there is a one in 8,335 chance that you will be killed in an airplane accident. So, maybe it is time to give up air travel? Maybe we are afraid of being struck by lightening. It happens, especially here in Pinellas County. Statistics tell us we have a 1 in 135,666 chance of being struck by lightening. So, maybe it’s time to stay in during a storm? It almost seems foolish to try to avoid something that is so unlikely.

What about guns? Are you afraid of being shot? Well, you have a 1 in 6,492 chance of being killed by an accidental firearm discharge. And a 1 in 355 chance of being killed in a firearm assault, and a 1 in 203 chance of being killed by a self inflicted gunshot. There is a way to prevent that. Don’t have a gun and you won’t die from a self inflicted gunshot wound. Gun control and gun safety measures could significantly decrease the risks of dying from a gunshot. So, there actually are ways to lessen the chances of a death involving a gun.

So, what are the most frequent killers? We have a 1 in 7 chance of dying from heart disease or cancer. We have a 1 in 30 chance of dying from a stroke. We have a 1 in 57 chance of dying from diabetes. These are all health issues that can be significantly addressed through diet, exercise, and medication. There are effective ways of lowering the chances of dying from these conditions.

When we look at these causes of death and the odds, we see that there are ways that we can significantly reduce the risks of death through our choices and behaviors. But, yes, there is still that 1 in 562,042 who will die from a spider bite.

Advent and the weeks before Christmas can be a very busy time. We can become overwhelmed by activities and tasks and gatherings that are supposed to be a source of joy. We can be stretched thin by the financial pressures of the season. We can become stressed by the many obligations and demands that we face. Now, don’t get me wrong. I have NOTHING against being busy. I agree with the saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” I like to be busy and active.

So for me, the question this season (and all year round) is not to be busy or not to be busy. I like to be busy. The area for reflection is more around what am I busy doing? Is it something I believe is important? Does what I am doing reflect my values? Am I occupied in ways that are consistent with my commitments and interests?

I may decide that I will not fly, to avoid being that 1 in 8,335 killed in an airplane crash. But wouldn’t my efforts be better spent on healthy diet and exercise to lessen the likelihood of dying from cancer or heart disease or diabetes?

For reflection: Do the activities you are involved in this season reflect your values and commitments? Are you involved in gatherings and events that reflect what is truly important to you? What can you do to avoid finding yourself in situations that are not consistent with who you want to be and what you care about?

Prayer: Life can be so rich and full. Every day is a gift. Opportunities for joy, delight, and service abound. We pray for the grace to be aware and discerning about what we do. May our choices be life-giving to us, to others, and to the world. This is how Jesus lived and we are grateful for his example. Amen.

For the full chart, “Which One Will Get You?”, compiled from a 2014 National Safety Council report, see the Tampa Bay Times, Nov. 23, 2014, Opinion.

I am sorry to keep you waiting. Waiting. No one wants to wait. We don’t like waiting. Can you think of times that you had to wait? Did you feel like you were waiting to get a driver’s license? Have you waited to get the results of a test? As students, it may be a grade on a test. As adults it may be waiting for the results of a medical test. Think about times that you have waited. I doubt many of us have positive associations with waiting.

In the beginning of the gospels, there is a lot of waiting. Elizabeth waits for her son, John, to be born. Zechariah waits to get his voice back. Joseph and Mary wait for Jesus to be born. John waits for Jesus to step on to the scene. The magi wait to find what the star is leading them to. Anna and Simeon have been waiting in the Temple for years. In the story of the flight to Egypt, Mary and Joseph wait until it is safe to return to Nazareth. There is lots of waiting at the beginning of the gospels.

Waiting just seems to be part of life. And we do a lot of waiting. But do we think about God and waiting? Did God wait for a woman who would finally say yes to giving birth to the Messiah? Did God wait until a certain time for the Messiah to come? Did God wait to see how Jesus would be received? Does God wait for people to catch on the the saving way of Jesus? Do we keep God waiting for our cooperation, our commitment, and our loyalty? Do we keep God waiting for our repentance?

Maybe we are not the only ones waiting. . .

For reflection: Think about some waiting experiences that you have had. What was it like to wait? Have you kept God waiting in some way? What might God be waiting for?

Prayer: We are grateful for patience. The patience that others have with us. The patience God has with us. And the patience we have with others and ourselves. It’s not easy to wait. But waiting can be a time of preparation, exploration, reflection, and re-creation. May we learn to wait with enough patience to be compassionate and with enough passion to be eager and ready. Amen.

Who would you be more likely to vote for? A liar? Or a cheat? When I worked at the polls last month on election day, an older gentleman approached our table. I said, “Good afternoon. Thank you for coming to vote.”

And he replied, “Well, I still haven’t decided who to vote for. The liar or the cheat.” (He was referring to the governor’s race.)

So often when I vote, I don’t feel enthusiastic about who I am voting for. It can feel like a choice between the lesser of two evils. Or a choice about who will do the least harm. Or I feel like I am voting for someone just because I can’t stand the opponent. Seldom do I feel I have the opportunity to vote for someone that I really believe shares my values and concerns and will do something.

This season we focus on the birth of Jesus and his life and ministry. Was he a liar? Not outright that we know of. Was he a cheat? Again, not that we know of, though those money changers in the Temple may think so. With Jesus there is no deception. There is no guile. There is no hidden agenda. There is no manipulation. There is no payback.

Jesus simply invites people to live in a way that creates just and caring community for all people. He shows us a path that does not create victims. He embodies generosity of spirit, of forgiveness, and of material resources. He is pure goodness. Pure compassion. Pure honesty. To hang your hat with Jesus is not to “settle.” It is to pursue our highest good.

Jesus invited people, all kinds of people to follow him. So, we do have a decision to make about Jesus. Are we going to entrust ourselves to him? Are we going to follow him? Are we going to let him be our guide in life?

Or will we follow a liar or a cheat? There are plenty of other people, products, values, and perspectives vying for our allegiance and our loyalty. Greed chases us down. Pride lures us. Ease and comfort seduce us. Individualism beckons to us. All of these are based on lies, deception, and delusion.

Can we believe that there is someone who is truly worthy of our whole heart? Our ultimate commitment? Our undivided trust?

For Reflection: Are there ways that we are resisting following Jesus? What are the costs of the choices we make that take us away from Jesus?

Prayer: We are thankful for this season in which we remember the gift of Jesus. He came to give abundant life to the whole world. He is peace and joy. He is reconciliation and hope. May we receive him as he is – good and true. Amen.