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Big sin? Little sin? When we commit a “big” sin, we know it. When we commit murder, adultery, theft, or something else “big”, we know we have done something wrong. Leaving out the legal side of things, when we commit a “big” sin we have a religious procedure to follow in the aftermath. We know we have done wrong. We know we have to make things right. We confess our sin before God. We repent. We ask for forgiveness from God and those we have wronged. If we can, we make restitution in some way. We try to reconcile our relationship with God, with ourselves, and with the other person or people involved.

The religious process of atonement can lead to the restoring of the relationships that have been damaged or betrayed. We work to rebuilding trust. And in this process there is forgiveness, freedom, and new life.

But what about the “small” sins? The little things day in and day out that betray our highest good and the common good? What about these seemingly negligible habits and weaknesses that are hardly earth-shattering? First, these are harder to identify than “big” sins. That means they are harder to confront and redeem. Yet the combined weight of small sins, even a small sin repeated over and over, can be debilitating like a slow progressive disease. Perhaps so slow and subtle, that we don’t even notice what is going on. Yet these small sins can hold us captive. We can become prisoners to these seemingly small behaviors and choices that are slowly killing us, or at least deadening our spirits.

If we are serious about growing spiritually this Lenten season, this is a time to intentionally examine our lives looking for the “small” sins – those habits, assumptions, and actions that are undermining our best selves and the good of the wider community and world. And then, to atone, to repent, to change direction, and do what we can to make restoration to ourselves, God, and others.

Prayer: We are grateful for the opportunity that Lent provides to seek spiritual growth and freedom. May we have the courage to be honest with ourselves and others and truly seek reconciliation for our sins – large and small. As Jesus forgave ALL sin, so may we. Amen.

In recent months I have had a series of acute structural health problems that have been extremely annoying. The last one was, according to my doctor, a “wry” neck. I simply could not turn my head and it felt like I was being stabbed in the back lower left quadrant of my skull. The pain was so bad, I told my husband, “If I was standing on the Skyway bridge, I would jump.” During the office visit with the doctor she looked over my chart: Tendonitis in the fall. A knee problem in January. The “wry” neck in February. After recounting these recent health issues, she looked at me and said, “This is how it is.” The implication was that from now on, I should just expect an acute, life-disrupting, painful structural physical problem every few months. I am 53 years old and live an active life. I cannot accept that, “This is how it is.” I am very grateful that I don’t have any severe health problems or diseases or conditions, but I still can’t accept that these minor “breakdowns” will keep occurring for the “duration.”

Our faith calls us to hope and dream and work for better things. We believe people can change. We expect society to change and become more just and peaceful. We have faith that the environmental crisis can be reversed. We work for healing and wholeness in individual lives, communities, and the life of the world. Our Christian faith is a religion of hope. We never give up on anyone. No one and no situation is beyond transformation and conversion. That is the dream at the heart of Christianity. Again and again Jesus reaches out to those whom society and religion have given up on. He does not give up on anyone, except maybe, the religious leaders.

Tomorrow is an election day in St. Petersburg and the surrounding area. It is a special election to fill the seat of Congressman Bill Young who died recently. A low voter turn out is expected. It’s a one time election with just the one contest, so not many people are expected to participate.

As Christians who believe in change and transformation, voting is one way that we have to make an impact on the wider world. It is an opportunity to act on our hopes and dreams for our life together as a society. This does not mean that we want to impose our religion on others, but it means that we want to involve ourselves in society in ways that serve the common good and voting can do just that.

Not only will I vote tomorrow, but I will also work at the polls because I want to be sure that everyone who wants to work for the common good has the chance to do so.

Prayer: We are grateful that we live in a country and a community in which we have the power to work for the common good. There are many ways that we can help make life better for others. May our involvement in the community be guided by what is best for all. Following the example of Jesus, may we be especially aware of serving the needs of those who are poor and outcast. In the spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.

As I write this, Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370 is still missing. There are more questions than answers about what happened to the airplane and the 239 people on board en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Two days have gone by and there are no conclusive explanations about the missing flight. Every moment must seem like eternity for the families and loved ones of those who were on board. Experts say it may take months or even years to determine the fate of the flight. This kind of not-knowing can be agonizing for those involved.

The truth is, we don’t do very well with unanswered questions. We don’t like inconclusive speculation. We pretty much hate to wait for the facts. We like the answers and we like them sooner rather than later. Even if it is bad news, we would rather have the facts than languish in the unknown. The adage, “No news is good news” is no longer accepted to the degree that it once was. It seems the more we know, the less we like the unknown.

We see this trend in religion. Through the ages, religion, in its many expressions, has embraced a fairly high degree of mystery. There have been many unknowns associated with religion. God was largely defined as mystery. When inexplicable things happened, they could be attributed to the mystery of God. As the human community has advanced in terms of science, technology, and understanding of the world around us, humanity has come to expect more conclusive answers. And this desire has spilled over into religion. People want religion to have conclusive answers as well. We see this in the rise in fundamentalist expressions of all religions. It is very clear in the conservative/fundamentalist expression of Christianity in America. There are churches that will gladly give you most of the answers to life’s questions, whether you ask them or not! While people seem to want answers from their religion, many scientists find that the more we find out, the more questions there are. So the mysteries keep unfolding and compounding. It may be easier to find a scientist who will say, “I don’t know,” than a church goer willing to say, “I don’t know.” In centuries past, people of faith readily admitted, “I don’t know,” and were accustomed to attributing the unknown to the realm of God.

These days of Lenten exploration are an opportunity to ask ourselves how we feel about mystery. What degree of mystery can we accept with our faith? Can we feel comfortable saying, “I don’t know”? To feel comfortable with mystery involves a high degree of trust in our faith and in God however we may define God. To embrace mystery involves giving up control. We may discover how controlling we are by considering how willing we are to accept mystery.

Jesus and other religious figures of stature embody the ability to accept a high degree of mystery. When we know that Love is the center, the reason, the reality of existence, then our fear of mystery melts away. May we increase our ability to accept mystery this Lenten season.

Prayer: The season of Lent invites us to ask many questions that may never be answered in this life. May we learn to trust God, the author of Creation, the source of Love, so that we can live with an ever greater degree of mystery in our lives. We seek to be grounded in God so that we may be truly free to live with mystery and ambiguity. We share our compassion and concern for the families and loved ones of those on the missing airliner. May they know the embrace of Divine Love. Amen.

Thanks to the generosity of the Florida Orchestra, teachers may attend concerts with a guest for $10 each. Since my spouse is a teacher, we go to most of the Masterworks Concerts. This is something that we enjoy and look forward to. It is often the highlight of the weekend, after going to church, that is!

It is amazing to see this group of people join together to create a masterful performance time and time again. When we go to the concerts, there are the musicians on stage doing their part. But for the experience to be complete, the audience must also do their part. If I am really tired or distracted, I have noticed that I don’t fully appreciate the performance. But when I am attentive and concentrating on what is going on, it is enthralling.

When it comes to preaching, we are taught that what the preacher does is only part of the preaching event. The congregation is also needed to participate by being attentive and engaged. It takes energy from both parties for the experience to be uplifting and illuminating. This is similar to the dynamic with the orchestra.

Often worship is portrayed as a kind of spectator event. The pastor and musicians, etc. put on a performance for the congregation. There is some audience participation but mainly there are the performers and the spectators. It can be thought of like an entertainment event.

I think there is another perspective worth considering. When we gather for worship, we are all participating. We are all taking part. It is as if leaders and congregation and musicians and others are the different sections of the orchestra all working together to create a dynamic experience. And what, then, of the audience? God is the audience. God is the observer, the watcher, the spectator, the recipient. We all come and participate for God’s pleasure. So when you come to church, in whatever capacity – congregant, liturgist, usher, teacher, parent, preacher, driver – you are invited to be there for God. To perform your part for God. To be engaged and participating for God’s delight. You are needed to play your part!

See you in church.

Prayer: We are used to being entertained. We like to be served. We are so often spectators. This can be a passive role. May we remember that when it comes to worship, all have an active and vital role to play. May we work together to create an experience that is enthralling to God each and every Sunday. Amen.