Seeing (or Not) and Saying (or Not)

I'm spending a little more time today with one of my very favorite stories from the Gospel acording to Mark, about barTimeus. Yesterday's sermon focused on what we see (or don't) when Jesus calls us to serve someone.  We heard about how Plato's Timaeus (one of the must read books of that day) casts light on the plot.  If you want to dig deeper into this background, check out Gordon Lathrop's work in his own words, "Holy Ground."
But there's so much more to explore in this story! One of the great subplots is who says what.  Mark includes the Crowd as a character in the gospel.  I think its a cool way to let us imagine ourselves into what's going on.

As Crowd, I hear barTimaeus cry out to Jesus and then I turn with the others and tell him to "shut up!"  As Crowd, I hear Jesus instruct us to "tell him to come here." Its exciting to turn and change the message from "stop" to "go."

Once I've imagined myself into the story, I bring what I've seen back out with me.  Then it gets uncomfortable.  I have to ask myself, who have I really kept at an arm's length from Christ?  And who have I actually invited to come closer?
I'll never forget the first time this dawned on me.  As a newly wed in California, I worked behind the counter at a small bakery.  Most mornings I'd open while the wiry little baker of uncertain age and multiple stories produced tray after tray of fresh donuts. One very early morning, about 4:30 am , as I was shuttling trays of fresh donutes to the display cases, he stopped me and asked, "why are you always so happy and so peaceful?" I stopped dead in my tracks.  Trained not to make others uncomfortable by pushing my religous views on them, I finally said, "I guess I was just raised that way." Which is partially, but far from completely, true.  The joy in my life is, was, and always will be Jesus-source of everything good in my life.

Ouch.  I'd denied Christ and kept a seeking soul from him in one quick sentence.  Why is it so easy to throw that bushel down over the light and so threatening to let it shine?  Its easy to sing "Oh, How I Love Jesus" in church.  Why is so hard other places these days?  In "A Secular Age, the great living philosopher Charles Taylor describes how our shared environment (our marketplace, to use biblical language) has shifted from a norm that assumed religious practice to one that assumes doubt.  Most people still say they believe in God. But since doubt is the norm we assume other people don't want to hear about our faith, even when they ask a question that invites a straight answer, like my baker friend.
When I read Bartimaeus' story with my own eyes opened, I see that I cultivate blindness in more ways than I'd like to admit. Thank God I can still hear Jesus calling, "what do you want me to do for you?"  Today, my answer is, "help me find ways to authentically share your love with those who seek it."  What's yours?

United Methodist Economic Ministry Visit

Last Wed, I tagged along as Loren and Nancy Porr join the Bath/Brunswick/Limestone UMCs 2012 Mission Trip to the United Methodist Economic Ministry.  It was a GORGEOUS fall day, one of God's seasonal gifts.
Loren and Nancy picked me up at Kents Hill School, where I'd gone shopping to Sam's Club with Jeff Munson.  Hearing that the shelves were running low at the UMEM Salem food pantry, the UMC and Kents Hill School communities rose to the occassion with about $600 to spend, $75 to take to UMEM and assorted bags of nonperishable food items.  My prius was riding low as we transferred food to the Porrsmobile!

Prius low rider

making a difference

loading up

stocking UMEM shelves

 Arriving on site, the three of us unloaded then dispersed to join projects already underway at a total of 5 sites throughout the day:  porch repair, kitchen cabinet repair, entry, hall, bathroom floor repair, window replacement, more porch repair(s), and lots of good conversation and TLC with homeowners.  The day was complete with devotions led by Pastor Ellen Cleaves of Limestone and Wed. night community dinner with UMEM staff and neighbors.

Here is evidence of our adventure.  Be sure to ask Nancy, Loren, and I to share stories too long to tell here....

Marlyn checks out the new steps

progress

before

bonus porch

Loren at the right house

Irving's little helper

Mac & Loren talking it over

heading home

Salt covenant


"Let me tell you why you are here. 
You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth.                                                                                                        Compassion, Justice, Mercy, Wisdom,these are God flavors.  These are our flavors.     
If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?
Renew our flavor, Lord. Let us be your salt for the earth. 

 

Because salt’s essence does not change,

With it we seal our steadfast commitment to God.

Because salt preserves,

With it we claim the eternal truth of God’s love for us and for the world.

Because salt blesses,

With it we ask God’s blessing on this house of worship, all who enter here, and all who are touched by our outreach.

Because salt purifies,

With it we claim God’s power to make us a new creation, pure and holy.

Because salt sustains life,

With it we claim this community’s life giving potential.

Because salt may also destroy,

We will take care to love one another as the very Body of Christ.

Because salt is found in every corner of this earth,

We remember Christ came that all may have abundant life.

Because in many times and places salt has symbolized wealth,

We pledge our resources to God’s holy work through our faith community.

Because from the earliest days, the people of God sealed their sacred covenants with salt,

We will be God’s people and will live in covenant with God and each other.

AMEN

Torsey Red

What a beautiful day it was to be on the water Tuesday. I ducked out (pun intended) between wind gusts and found myself chasing red.  Red leaves caught in the paddles eddies, red branches glimpsed across the way. There were even red cats waiting for me in the window sill when I got back to put on a cup of african red leaf tea.  It's grand that the season of Pentecost gets this boost as we head firmly into fall!

slips of the tongue-openings to the soul

I occasionally suffer from "flying fingers syndrome."  Last week I realized that my email signature, "In Christ's Joy," was transposed "Im Christ's Joy."  That feels like kind of a bold statement, little touch of hubrs there. So I changed it back.  But the typo stayed with me.  Why shouldn't I claim God's promise to delight in me?  Who was it that used to say, "God doesn't make junk?"  That simple letter switch teased out an opening in my soul and made me admit I dismiss God's handiwork way too easily.
You'd think I'd learn.
BUT yesterday, signing off on a message in a rush I shortened the greeting to "Im Christ."  That's a whole new level of typo.  The soul door slammed shut again and again the typo stayed with me.  I am not Christ.  But I now from experience that the evidence of Christ in my life may be the first glimpse someone gets. And.....don't I claim to be part of the Body of Christ.  What about all the years spent trying to "put on Christ?" The opening into my soul slipped open again.
I found myself remembering one of my favortite seminary classes.  We were asked to proclaim Jeremiah chapter 9 with a creative art project. This is a tough passage.  God speaks through the prophet's voice, "O that my heard were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night for the slain of my people.  O that I had inthe desert a travelor's lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them......"  I'll let you visit Jeremiah and read God's accusations for yourself.  (Its a great companion to James chapter 3's teaching about what comes out of our mouths.)
My project became a simple tent of indigo died sheer cotton, ribbon tears of intercesory prayer streaming from the top of the pole.  It was just big enough for one person to sit inside.  When you entered the tent, you sat on a surface of newspapers with their own witness to the violence we inflict on each other and the ways we tear at God's heart.
Being in Christ is not always easy.  Most of the time we'd rather run ahead and dare God to catch up.  But I'm Christ's Joy.  I'm (in) Christ.  In the rush of living, if we don't risk letting Jesus live in and through us who will?

before

Rising From the Task
                     (draft)
Rising from the task,
unbending arms
and legs
and neck
muscles,
seeing the objects,
removed from my hands,
I wonder.

Was the time spent
gripping red mottled carcasses,
cracking thirty backs,
scrapping knuckles,

Were three hours of
breathing salt, wet & dense,
picking legs,
tossing shells,
holding cats at bay,
worth it?

We'll know this winter.

I just came across this poem.  How perfect for harvest season and right in keeping with recent scripture readings in worship!  Being and Doing-in balance.  That's the art of living.

Let every word
be the fruit
of action and reflection.
Reflection alone
without action
or tending toward it
is mere theory,
adding its wieght
when we are overloaded with it already.
Action alone
without reflection
is being busy
pointlessly.
Honor the Word eternal
and speak
to make a new world possible.
           -Helder Camara