Baptismal Service

Here is a copy of the baptismal service I use. Some have expressed some interest. Feel free to copy and modify for your use. If you have any suggestions, additions, comments, etc that would be helpful for the community of readers, please share them in the comments section for all to see and use.

THE ORDER FOR HOLY BAPTISM

Pastor: We welcome the following child her parents and her sponsors for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

 Name

And her Parents and sister:
And her Sponsors:

Pastor: We have all gathered as God's community around the waters of new life. The word of God comes to us through the prophet Ezekiel: "I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean."

Congregation: "I will give you a new heart. I will put my spirit within you. You shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God."

Pastor: In the sacrament of Holy Baptism we are set free from the power of sin and death and are joined to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as God's faithful people have always gathered in the name of God, we gather at the waters of life and remember the strong name of our God who creates life, Jesus who calls us to new life, and the Holy Spirit who sustains life! Here we are reborn children of God and welcomed into the family of believers, the Body of Christ, the church.

Congregation: Through baptism, we are ushered into the family of God where we find forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit and eternal life.

Pastor: Parents, you have been called to a life of active grace by participating as sojourners at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church where we are inspired by God’s love to Praise, Nurture and Serve. As we gather in this community we come together to Praise God in worship, song and prayer, delight in the diversity of all of God’s children, support one another through the love of Christ, gather to grow through God’s grace and reach out, serve, and incite miracles. Will you encourage these signs of the Kingdom in the life of this child? If so, please respond, "We will!"

Parents: "We will!"

Pastor: Sponsor, you who have been chosen as sponsor for this child are making a significant commitment to reflect the love of Christ in her life. I ask you, will you pray for her, love her, encourage her spiritual growth and continue to do all you can do so that she may grow in faith in Christ? If so, please respond, “I will with God's help."

Sponsor: "I will with God's help."

Pastor: Let us come together as a community of sojourners in faith as we state our beliefs in the words of the Apostles Creed.

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit , the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Pastor: Do you stand by the words of the creed we just confessed? If so, please respond, "We do!"

Parents & Sponsors: "We do!"

Pastor: Let us pray.

All: Lord Jesus Christ, you are the resurrection and the life and You call us into a new life in you. You have sent us forth into the world to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe your loving commands. Bless this child with the gift of new life in Christ through the waters of Baptism.

Pastor: Whom do you present for Holy Baptism?

Parents: We present Name for the sacrament of Holy Baptism.

Pastor: Name, you are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Name, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. Amen.

Congregation: We give thanks for the gift of new life. We welcome you and commit ourselves to growing in faith with you. After Jesus was baptized, as he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Child, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life." Today, God claims you Name as a Child of God, marked by love and set apart for a life of service in this world. We pledge ourselves to be your faithful friends and fellow sojourners as we journey with you in this adventure called life.

Pastor: As a Congregation, we give you this candle as a sign of our partnership with you in the ministry of Jesus Christ who is the light of the world. We encourage you to light this candle each year on the anniversary of this baptism as a reminder that you are to let the light of Christ shine brightly in you always. Let us pray.

Congregation: Gracious God, you make light to shine in the darkness, by your power you give new life for all eternity. Walk with us as we reach out to this child so that as Name grows in faith she will come to know you as her Lord and Savior and how, on this day, water and word touched her spirit and gave her new life. Amen.

Prayers of the People

Pastor: Let us pray for those who are affirming their Baptism, and for all the baptized everywhere, that they may be redeemed from all evil and rescued from the way of sin and death. Lord in your mercy,

Congregation: hear our prayer!

Pastor: That the Holy Spirit may open their hearts to your grace and truth:
Lord in your mercy,

Congregation: hear our prayer!

Pastor: That they may be kept in the faith and communion of your Holy Church: Lord, in your mercy,

Congregation: hear our prayer!

Pastor: That they may be sent into the world in witness to your love: Lord, in your mercy,

Congregation: hear our prayer!

Pastor: That they may be brought to the fullness of your peace and glory: Lord, in your mercy,

Congregation: hear our prayer!

Pastor: Dear Lord, I ask that you would be with the people gathered this day as we bring our prayers before you.

Pastor: Today, God has called, cleansed, and commissioned this child for a higher calling and a deeper walk with Jesus Christ. What is our response and commitment to her?

Congregation: (The person being baptized is brought into the center of the congregation where those present come out of their seats and lay on hands while they say) Name, we welcome you to the Lord’s family; we receive you as a fellow member of the Body of Christ and worker with us in the Kingdom of God. We are the collective voice of God saying, You are our child, whom we love; with you we are well pleased, and with you we will journey through life together, brothers and sisters in Christ. We welcome you as a fellow sojourner as we live out God’s calling for our lives at this time through our combined ministries at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church.

SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
AND
DISTRIBUTION OF THE WELCOME FOLDERS

Following the passing of the peace, we will distribute our welcome folders. Please sign your name and check what may apply to you or your family. Also in the welcome folder are our prayer dots. You may place one on the face of your watch to remind you to pray during the week for your church and the concerns we share as a community. We would also ask that you place one on your credit card and debit cards and check book so that with every purchase, you are reminded that all that we have comes from God and True Value is found only in Christ. If you will be praying for someone this week, list the name and address in the "Prayer Request" section; we will send a post card letting the person know someone is praying for him or her. You will also find Prayer Bracelets which remind us that we are called to Praise, Nurture and Serve. You may write the name of the person or persons you are praying for and either wear them for the week or take them home and start of form a prayer chain as a reminder to pray for these people. If you have a specific prayer request, you may also write that in the "Prayer Request" section. After you have signed a folder, please pass it to the next person in your row, and after it reaches the end of the row, pass it back again.

SONG FOR BAPTISM
Borning Cry wov #770

2nd Sunday in Lent

Luke 13:31-35

Always the world
always trying
always pushing
always demanding
---- it’s way
NOW!!
and we are expected to
JUMP
through the hoop
---- held by the system
---------- someone
who cares not for us
---- our hopes
---- our dreams
---- our passions
but only for power
to say
JUMP!!

Christ brings new life
---- new hopes
---- new dreams
---- new passions
that move in their own world
God’s world
where we may still
Jump
---- if we want to
even through a hoop
---- if we think best
but in the end
we KNOW
Christ came into this world for
us
that forgiveness and life may be
ours
and all of life here
is seen in a new way

2nd Sunday in Lent

Luke 13:31-35

O Jerusalem
We cry to you
To stop your killings
(now)

The prophets have all given
(let)
Their lives
That the world might hear
Your word
O God

Your son Jesus
(your servant)
Came and gave
His life
That you
That we
May hear and live

And always
We tried to run it
(depart)
By our agenda
By our priorities
And never heard your voice

Your voice that call us
(in peace)
To you
In love for us
Your children

And we now cry
(Amen)
Blessed are those
Who come in the
Name
Of the Lord

Fear not, connect with the promise

Sunday February 28th, Genesis 15 : 1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." 2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." Oh, the promise of God is great and sure, but it is for me!?!?!?! It can’t really be for me! There has to be some mistake!!!! I know who I am, surely God must know what I am like deep down inside!! We all get stuck in this practical, pragmatic, three dimensional world from time to time, a world with limits and shortages and needs that seem to outweigh abilities. The promises of God are great and all that, but how about three squares and a roof in the midst of an economy where I don’t even know if I will have a job tomorrow. While we are at it, let’s make it a nice roof, and maybe another cabin or house with a nice roof on the river for vacations, and a nice truck to pull the boat I will need for the river at the cabin, and a nice car to drive when I am not at the cabin, Oh, and don’t forget the big screen HDTV so I can watch shows that tell me what reality is and, and, and, and, and, and…….. In the midst of all of our “Yah but” excises in life, God continues with the promise and the call. Our job is to connect with the promise once in a while and live this life accordingly, our call is to reach out to others and tell them of, and be a part of, that same promise.

Fear not, resist the temptation of terra firma

Monday March 1st, Genesis 15 : 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. 7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it." 8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?" Sometimes even in the midst of all the promises of God and all the blessings of God in our lives, we still have our doubts. We all have the capacity to, as the song says, stand on the promises of God with one foot, but we want the other foot firmly planted on what we perceive as terra firma. With that foot on terra firma, we can feel we have a bit of control and we tend to feel we can trust God more completely when we don’t completely trust God. We can look back on all the times that God has been with us in our life with that blessed assurance, but we still have doubts while looking ahead. Our prayer is for God to give us a clear vision of Kingdom. Keeping the vision of the Kingdom in our sights is what keeps us on the path, but we still want a man made map in our hands. Loosing site of the Kingdom while looking at the map is what causes us to veer off into the quicksand of this world. When we find ourselves sinking into that terra not so firma we know we have once again seemingly wrestled control from God. It is not true, but we are still able to think that as long as we are still sinking.

Fear not, it is ok to change

Tuesday March 2nd, Genesis 15: 9 So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon." 10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. God did not need animal sacrifice any more that God needs many of the traditions and rituals and liturgies in our worship. We have them because We Need them to help us see and know and feel and hold onto the promises of God. As we change over time, our needs, and correspondingly our traditions and rituals and liturgies in our worship change. We no longer feel the need for the sacrifice of heifers, goats and rams, but each generation does get a bit uneasy when the hymns change into the language of the next generation. When we realize that all these things are just props to help us grasp the wonder of the grace of God, when we begin to realize our sacred hymns and rituals, our ancestors hymns and rituals, and our childrens hymns and rituals are all gifts from God to help us grasp the enormity of God’s grace, it is easier to let others have their props also. Most church fights are about the props, perceptions and last generation’s sacred cows, not the promise. When I talk about the issues of GLBT clergy, my children look at me as if I am a dinosaur, and say “Dad, you do realize that our generation doesn’t even care we are so far past that, don’t you?” that I realize that God’s idea of grace is far beyond my ability to grasp also. The promise is for me, but it is also for my children, grandchildren, and the generations yet to come, and all my sacred cows are simply chattel to be consumed in the passing of the torch.

Fear not, focus on the cross

Wednesday March 3rd, Philippians 3: 17 Christian sisters and brothers, live your lives as I have lived mine. Watch those who live as I have taught you to live. 18 There are many whose lives show they hate the cross of Christ. I have told you this before. Now I tell you again with tears in my eyes. 19 Their god is their stomach. They take pride in things they should be ashamed of. All they think about are the things of this world. The ones Paul is talking about would include some of us all the time and all of us some of the time. We do tend to get overly concerned about how we are going to make it in this world and a bit underly concerned about the calling of the next. We are not alone. When Jesus died on the cross, he died alone and forsaken, all had fallen away. Keep your eyes on the cross, sooner or later we all get there, the gift is walking with Jesus along the way. When we divert our eyes on all the cares and concerns of this world, we lose sight of the cross, we lose sight of Christ. When we are so blinded by politically partisan or ecclesiastically partisan fights, it is simply the tempter trying, and succeeding in turning out eyes away from the cross, away from Christ. Keep your eyes and your heart and your soul focused on the cross, on Christ and you will not lose your way, and along the road, your enemy will become your brother or sister.

Fear not, seek ye first the Kingdom

Thursday March 4th, Luke 13: 31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you." Good practical advice from those who only had Jesus’ best interest at heart!! Herod was a brutal and power hungry ruler and Jesus was bound to be in trouble with the authorities if he stayed. The trouble was that their solution gave more glory to the strength and brutality of Herod than to the promise of God. It was a practical, but not a promise solution. How much time and focus do we put on the practical not the promise solutions in our life? Our political sphere seems to be driven by fear. The message comes from the Tea parties, death panels, and all the hype on the far right that carries the message of fear. Perhaps focusing on the grace of promise (seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness) over the practicality of fear will put everything into clear focus (and all these things will be added unto you, alleluia)

Fear Not Lutheran Church

Friday March 5th, Luke 13 : 32 He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' 33 In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! This is an example of Eye on the Kingdom life. It’s a new definition of “No Fear.” Instead of an X games slogan, it should be a church slogan. NFLC, No Fear Lutheran Church, I like it! It was the word of God from the cradle to the cross. It was the word of God from the time the angles spoke to the shepherds out in their fields by night, to words to the thief on the cross with Jesus, fear not, the Lord is with you; today you will be with me in paradise. It was the word spoken to the disciples and the people, Fear Not, you have a little bread and some fish, you feed them. Come on out of the safety of the boat and take a few steps. I know Saul used to kill Christians for a living, but he is one of mine now. Take and eat and don’t call anything I have made unclean, don’t be afraid of what you think always has been. Fear Not, and live a Kingdom focused life.

fear not, stay under the wings

Saturday March 6th, Luke 13 : 34"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" There is a church not far from the garden of Gethsemane that looks out over Jerusalem, the mosaic on the altar is a hen spreading her wings over some young chicks, the window holds the cup and bread symbol of God’s continued presence with us in communion, the shape of the building is reminiscent of a tear drop. The church supposedly marks the spot where Jesus cried out these words. God’s plan for our life is always much grander than the reality of our individual or corporate lives. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory God has in store for your life. Come, live your life under the wings, the protection, the love, and the call to fear not, of God. Live the promise, and don’t let the foxes scatter you, the wings of the one who loves you will protect you.

Psalm 27, opening litany

Pastor: The LORD is my light and the one who saves me, why should I live in fear? It is the LORD who protects my life; therefore I will not be afraid.

Congregation: Those who are evil may try to destroy my body, enemies and those who hate me attack me, but they are overwhelmed and defeated in their purpose. Even if an army surrounds me or a war breaks out, I will not be afraid, I will trust in the Lord.

Pastor: I ask only one thing from the Lord; let me live in the Lord's house all my life. Let me see the Lord's beauty and look with my own eyes at the Lord’s Temple.

Congregation: During times of danger the Lord will keep me safe and sheltered in the Holy Tent and on the high mountain of God high above those who would do me harm. I will therefore joyfully offer sacrifices and sing praises to the LORD.

Pastor: Lord, hear me when I call; have mercy and answer me. My heart calls from within and so I come before you, to worship you O Lord. I call upon your mercy O Lord to not turn away from me in anger but to stay near me and help me in my time of need O Lord.

Congregation: Even if my father and mother and friends are to leave me, I will not be alone, I know the LORD will be near me. LORD, teach me your ways, and guide me to do what is right in the midst of the enemies that surround me, and that dwell within me.

Pastor: I truly believe I will live to see the Lord's goodness.

Congregation: We will be strong and brave and wait for the LORD's help.

Ash Wed. Error, Oh, what a world

video of Ash Wed. Error.

British TV host Kay Burley Wednesday mistook Vice President Joe Biden's Ash Wednesday ashes for a bruise on his forehead.

"What's happened to his head?" Burley asked on Sky News. "I'm sure that's what everyone's asking at home...it looks like he's walked into a door!"

Her co-host speculated that he may have fallen on the ice at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Shortly thereafter, Burley apologized and said she realized it was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent and the day when Catholics receive ashes on their foreheads.

"I know that I am a very bad Catholic," Burley said. "I know now that it is Ash Wednesday and I know that those are ashes on his forehead. I hang my head in shame. I'll be back in just a moment."

The Choice....Medicare Part E or a 39% rate Hike?

From Thom Hartman's blog
http://www.thomhartmann.com/

Does the 39 percent rate hike in Anthem Blue Cross's health insurance price for many Californians predict future costs in healthcare? Wellpoint, which owns Anthem Blue Cross, says no, and blames the economy plus they say only a few policies are affected. But that's only a part of the story. The real truth is that the hike only applies to individual policies, not coverage through employers. These hikes impact a huge number of Americans who no one wants to talk about- the 46 million with no insurance at all. For people who don't get insurance through their jobs, often the only option is the individual policies like the ones in WellPoint's just raised by 39% at the same time its parent company was declaring a quarterly profit of over two thousand million - that's two billion - dollars. Medicare Part E - E for everyone is what we need. This blows up all the rumors about death panels and grandma and everything else: everybody knows what Medicare is. Those who scorn it can go with United Healthcare and it's $100 million/year CEO, or Anthem/Wellpoint and its $2 billion quarterly profit. Those who like Medicare can buy into Part E. Simplicity itself. And it could be passed by reconciliation with 51 votes in the Senate.

Opening litany based on Psalm 91

Pastor: Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD: who alone is my refuge, my place of safety; my God in whom I trust.

Congregation: For the Lord will rescue you from every trap and protect us from that which brings death. Our Sheltering God will cover with her feathers and shelter us with caring and protective wings. The faithful promises of God are our armor and protection.

Pastor: Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday for though a thousand may fall at your side or ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you for you are never alone. Open your eyes and see how those without the knowledge of God feel so alone at these times.

Congregation: If we make the LORD your refuge and the Most High our shelter, no evil will conquer us; no fear will come near our home for we will be surrounded by angels who will protect us wherever you go.

Pastor: They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. The LORD says, “I will rescue all whom I love and will protect those who trust in my name.

Congregation: The Lord says that when we call the Lord, the Lord will answer. “I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation,” declares the Lord.

1st Sunday in Lent

Luke 4:1-13

Sometimes we know
We just know
And yet we strive for all that is in us
For those things
------------- thoughts
----------------- directions
that will lead us down
-------- the path
-------------- we wish not to go.
That will lead us to the one
-------------- we wish not to serve,
but we are drawn
by all the humanness within us
we are drawn
until
we find the strength
---- somehow
and the presence of mind
---- from somewhere
to say
Hear my people
---- The Lord is our God
---- The Lord is One
and in that moment
we know
---- we just know
all the power
---- prestige
-------- and glory
the world has to offer
---- are only fleeting
a moments spotlight
---- exchanged
--------- for the joy
that comes from the God who created all the Joy
--------------------------------------------- life
and calls us to put down our walls
of glory
for the joy of life
lived to its fullness
in Christ

Wall street, main street or pearly gates street

Sunday February 21st, Deuteronomy 26: 8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O LORD, have given me." Living with recognition that all you have comes from God keeps ever before us the idea that we are gifted for a purpose. That purpose is for others and for the Gospel, or as Jesus put it, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and your neighbor as yourself. There is no self made man or woman, either on Wall street, main street or pearly gates street, we are all gifted for a purpose. All is gift. Oh how far we have come from that idea, and with such devastating results. Live your life with the graciousness that comes with knowing it is all a gift. Live your life with the graciousness that comes with knowing why you have been given that gift to share with others. Live your life graciously. It is then you will find that life begins to sparkle as it becomes closer to what God had intended. Live your life. Live!!!

Levites and the aliens among you

Monday February 22nd, Deuteronomy 26: Place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him. 11 And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household. The gift of God’s grace is for you, and you, and you, and you, and you. That includes the aliens among you. There is nothing here about fences and armed patrols to keep the aliens out, nothing about taking our jobs or going to our schools, or going to our hospitals. In God’s world view, there is no “our” jobs, schools, hospitals or anything else, it is all a gift from God. In God’s kingdom, no one is an illegal alien. The only act of illegality is the act of trying to deny the kingdoms, God’s in heaven and God’s on earth, to other. Every act of exclusion in this world is a rejection of God and God’s love. It doesn’t work, end the end God even loves you. So open your hearts to others and perhaps it will help open your eyes to God.

a spark

Tuesday February 23rd, Romans 10: 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. We are moving into lent. Soon it will be Easter and we will have among us all those CEO’s (Christmas, Easter Only) For those of us in the church it is easy to lament, “Where are they the rest of the year?” and feel very self righteous about our ranting. And yet, the fact that they show up at all is a testimony that there is indeed something in the hearts of all that draws us to God. The word is near and they feel it as do hopefully, you. Something brings them to worship, something speaks to their hearts, and God gives us once again an opportunity to proclaim a word of faith and be the people of God. Perhaps this year we will move beyond “our” traditions and speak to the word in their hearts, speak the word they have been longing to hear, but have not heard it from us as we are too busy taking care of our own. That is when the Gospel truly becomes the Good News and comes back to heal the whole family of God, including you and I.

God's world view

Wednesday February 24th, Romans 10: 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." In God’s view there are no second class citizens, no one deserving of “minimum” wage, no one to be denied the right of marriage, no don’t ask or tell, no one we can indiscriminately drop bombs on or hope the drones aim correctly, no one who is an “other.” For Christ there is no difference. All are richly blessed, all are our brothers and sisters, our children and grandchildren and all are called to the kingdom. Some respond in ways that are different than our ways and we can debate the merits of these ways, but to deny that we all are on the way is sheer folly and the ones making that claim are the one who suffer with its diminished world view and diminished kingdom view.

bread & circus

Thursday February 25th, Luke 4: 1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'" The Romans knew the secret of calming the masses, it was called “bread and circus.” Give them a little something to eat and the first century version of reality TV in the arena and with this little bit of distraction, the government can get away with murder, literally. Not much different from our cry for more tax cuts (for which only the truly wealthy prosper) lack of regulation (for which only the truly wealthy prosper) and war (for which only the truly wealthy prosper and the rest of us offer the lives of our sons and daughters) at our tea party meetings (which the truly wealthy never attend unless they are paid). As long as the war machine and lack of regulation turns a good profit on Wall Street for those at the top, and the rest of us can buy the illusion that we too can get there someday if only these other little people don’t take it away from us, the world goes on and the devil remains in control of the conversation. Jesus’ refusal to turn the stones into bread is a call for us also to return to the Word of God for our sustenance and in the process break the stranglehold of the one who tempts us all.

easy and dull

Friday February 26th, Luke 4: 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours." 8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'" Just think, no war, no famine, we would all get along, dumbly following along like a herd of animals. There would be no free will and no ability to hate. There would also be no ability to love, no ability to hoard and therefore no ability to share. The cost to Jesus and to humanity would be denying that we are created in God’s image, which is what allows us to love, give, care and be a child of God. Once again, Jesus turns our heads from our own self destructive desires to the word and world of God and the hope, faith, love and caring it brings into the world. We were created but a little lower than the angels, free to love because we are free to hate.

I will follow you IF

Saturday February 27th, Luke 4: 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" 12 Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Those opportune times come again and again in the life of Jesus. There is Peter on the mountain, “let us build three booths.” The soldier at the cross, “If you are the Christ, then come on down from there.” The home town crowd, “do for us as you did in Capernaum.” And from you and I, “if only you do this for me, I will follow you.” Jesus doesn’t lead us away from life, but into it where we find the opportunity to “be” the body of Christ. Bread and Circus can dull our eyes and our hearts for a while, but in the end, it is being a part of the body of Christ that sustains life, here and now and in the life to come.

Ash Wednesday

Matthew 6:1-16

Is my hair straight?
How about this tie
---- does it match
the rest of the image
---- (help me)
I wish to present?
------------ an image
I sometimes make a show
for the world
--------------- so busy making shows
yet
-------- I long for something more
-------- (Lord)
-------- I long to uncork
------------- that stream
-------- of passion
------------- within me
that passion
----- that draws me toward the light
----------- and illumines
---------------- my innermost
---------------------- Yes I dare let go
----------------------------- self
------ (to place)
protected now
by the walls of expectation
built on the unfulfilled dreamings
of what should be.

But there are those times
when
------- for some reason
------------- beyond me
I live in a world filled with people
-------- alone
----- (my trust)
and in those brief glorious moments
I become
----- whole
----- (in)
and cry
----- for no reason
----- seeing no eyes upon me
----- and I Thank You
----- (You)
--------- Lord

The Transfiguration of our Lord

Luke 9:28-36

In the Joy filled intensity of our excitement
we look up and catch a glimpse
-- of something unseen
---- (This)
beyond the realm of all we know
----- and feel
--------- and hear,
beyond the encounter of those special moments in life
when every part of existence
------------------------------ is focused
on the here and now,
and for a brief moment
---------------------------- all is just right,
beyond even the pureness of joy
that comes in the perfection of religious expression
----- amid the rising voices
---------- and the spine tingling timelessness
---- of our worship
---- (is)
into this came an almost moment in time
rising from the mist of exhausted ecstasy
---------- on a high mountain top
---- (My)
apart
---- from a world seething in hunger and pain
longing
---- to see that to which they have turned
------------- a blind eye.
Here
---- in the almost place and time
comes the light
---- (Son)
that can burn through even the blindness
------------------ of not looking
---------- or looking too hard
with our eyes focused on that unseen moment
that we almost notice.
Here at this time
The Son of God leads us down
------------------------------------ into
--------------------------------------- the world around us
to see
the glory of God
in the poor and lost in the midst of our world,
to see the pureness of unbounded timelessness
in the moment of love expressed
to one who knows not love
to see
---- by not trying to focus on that faint glimmer
--------------------------------------------------- off high
------------------------------------------- in the distant mist
---- (Listen to Him!)
Christ
---- in those around us!

control

Sunday February 14th, Exodus 34: 29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. When we come into contact with the Holy, we are changed. When we come into a relationship with the Holy, we are changed. When we spend time with the Holy, we are changed. This can be a bit frightening for those around us, frightening because they are scared they might be changed also, and in the process loose all the control they have worked so hard to get (original sin). This control is an illusion of course, ask anyone who has been in an accident, been diagnosed with a life altering or terminal illness, or even tried to lose weight or quit smoking. Control is just the illusion we share as a society. Giving up that control to the Holy is both that which we seek and that which we fear. Across the threshold of this fear is life.

the killing fields of ?????-mart

Monday February 15th, 2 Corinthians 3: 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. There are more slaves in the world today than in the day the song “Amazing Grace” was written. Young women sold into prostitution, women and children working in sweat shops so we can get a good deal at ?-Mart (don’t want to get sued you know) Sing “Amazing Grace” this Sunday and visit www.amazinggracesunday.com for more information related to the song and the movie from 2007. You can also visit http://www.freetheslaves.net/Page.aspx?pid=183 for more information on the ongoing institution of slavery, including slavery in the U.S. Help bring this scourge on humanity to an end. And for God’s Children’s sake, stop buying things at ???-Mart or anyplace else that uses sweatshop labor. Is your savings really worth a child's life?

clay jar

Tuesday February 16th, 2 Corinthians 4: 1 Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. It is easy to lose heart, to get discouraged. It often is the result of trying to do it all ourselves instead of working with and through God. There have been times when I get done with a sermon and think, well, I sure blew that one, it was awful. Then at the door I will be met by someone with tears in their eyes and they are telling me how much they needed to hear what I said. It is then that I smile and remember that if it is not God’s ministry, it is not ministry at all, it’s just tooting my own horn. Be a clay vessel today and let God work through you.

who do you say... with deeds

Wednesday February 17th, Luke 9: 18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?" 19 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life." 20 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God." We use a public confession of faith in worship, but if it is not personal, it means little. Who do “You” say that I am? Peter was caught off guard and spoke from the heart. It is the confession on which the church is built. Later Peter would have time to think things through and stumble, but for this moment, Peter connected with that kernel of truth deep within. He knew that this Jesus Was the Christ, for him personally and always would be. We all would do well to connect to that moment in our lives when the realization became for us the reality. And then begin to live it a bit more day after day.

mountain top

Thursday February 18th, Luke 9: 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31 appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." After all the talk of going to Jerusalem and crosses, Peters confession began to take on some personal calculation. Mountain top experiences are wonderful gifts given to us by God. Trying to stay on the mountain top is just another way of denying the confession that brought us to that mountain top in the first place. God’s calling is to take that confession down into the realistic experience of the streets and not leave it in the surrealistic experience of the mountain top. Mountain tops are about “me,” the highways and the byways are about the kingdom. Child of God, come on down!! It is time to do that, to live that, for which you were called.

Peter fluff

Friday February 19th, Luke 9: 34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. After Peters botched confession, comes God’s confession. “Peter, stop talking long enough to connect with what is going on, this is my Son (the Christ) LISTEN TO HIM!!!!” Even here in this moment the devils temptation to stay on the mountain top (Luke 4:5) and be worshiped (and in the process submit to the devils temptation) is here, and without the voice of God and the leading of Jesus, it is Peter who would have succumbed. Without the voice of God and the leading of Jesus, we find ourselves there also, up on the mountain top oblivious to those suffering below. The people of Haiti, although appreciative of our prayers and good wishes, need food and shelter. After all is said and done, it is less about how you feel or how inspiring your worship was, if it doesn’t lead to hope on the ground, it is only Peter fluff.

true confession

Saturday February 20th, Luke 9: 42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. Following God’s confession, Jesus does not leave Peter and the boys on the mountain top, but rather leads them down into the dusty highways and byways to be the presence of God in this world. The disciples could not heal the boy, they were too busy acting alone, Christ was not with them. When we find ourselves in the dusty streets, remember to make Christ a part of everything you want you do. Here is where confession leads to ministry and ministry to confession round and round. Remember, we are never alone.

Obama's speech before the prayer Breakfast

There has been some question as to whether Obama should speak at the prayer breakfast which is sponsored in part by the group "The Family" which has ties to individuals pushing a law in Uganda and Rwandan that in some cases calls for the execution of gays. Rather than avoiding the issue, Obama and Hillary strode in and confronted the issue. What follows is the full text of his comments.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you very much. Please be seated.

Thank you so much. Heads of state, Cabinet members, my outstanding Vice President, members of Congress, religious leaders, distinguished guests, Admiral Mullen -- it's good to see all of you. Let me begin by acknowledging the co-chairs of this breakfast, Senators Isakson and Klobuchar, who embody the sense of fellowship at the heart of this gathering. They're two of my favorite senators. Let me also acknowledge the director of my faith-based office, Joshua DuBois, who is here. Where's Joshua? He's out there somewhere. He's doing great work. (Applause.)

I want to commend Secretary Hillary Clinton on her outstanding remarks, and her outstanding leadership at the State Department. She's doing good every day. (Applause.) I'm especially pleased to see my dear friend, Prime Minister Zapatero, and I want him to relay America's greetings to the people of Spain. And Johnny, you are right, I'm deeply blessed, and I thank God every day for being married to Michelle Obama. (Applause.)

I'm privileged to join you once again, as my predecessors have for over half a century. Like them, I come here to speak about the ways my faith informs who I am -- as a President, and as a person. But I'm also here for the same reason that all of you are, for we all share a recognition -- one as old as time -- that a willingness to believe, an openness to grace, a commitment to prayer can bring sustenance to our lives.

There is, of course, a need for prayer even in times of joy and peace and prosperity. Perhaps especially in such times prayer is needed -- to guard against pride and to guard against complacency. But rightly or wrongly, most of us are inclined to seek out the divine not in the moment when the Lord makes His face shine upon us, but in moments when God's grace can seem farthest away.

Last month, God's grace, God's mercy, seemed far away from our neighbors in Haiti. And yet I believe that grace was not absent in the midst of tragedy. It was heard in prayers and hymns that broke the silence of an earthquake's wake. It was witnessed among parishioners of churches that stood no more, a roadside congregation, holding bibles in their laps. It was felt in the presence of relief workers and medics; translators; servicemen and women, bringing water and food and aid to the injured.

One such translator was an American of Haitian descent, representative of the extraordinary work that our men and women in uniform do all around the world -- Navy Corpsman Christian [sic] Brossard. And lying on a gurney aboard the USNS Comfort, a woman asked Christopher: "Where do you come from? What country? After my operation," she said, "I will pray for that country." And in Creole, Corpsman Brossard responded, "Etazini." The United States of America.

God's grace, and the compassion and decency of the American people is expressed through the men and women like Corpsman Brossard. It's expressed through the efforts of our Armed Forces, through the efforts of our entire government, through similar efforts from Spain and other countries around the world. It's also, as Secretary Clinton said, expressed through multiple faith-based efforts. By evangelicals at World Relief. By the American Jewish World Service. By Hindu temples, and mainline Protestants, Catholic Relief Services, African American churches, the United Sikhs. By Americans of every faith, and no faith, uniting around a common purpose, a higher purpose.

It's inspiring. This is what we do, as Americans, in times of trouble. We unite, recognizing that such crises call on all of us to act, recognizing that there but for the grace of God go I, recognizing that life's most sacred responsibility -- one affirmed, as Hillary said, by all of the world's great religions -- is to sacrifice something of ourselves for a person in need.

Sadly, though, that spirit is too often absent when tackling the long-term, but no less profound issues facing our country and the world. Too often, that spirit is missing without the spectacular tragedy, the 9/11 or the Katrina, the earthquake or the tsunami, that can shake us out of complacency. We become numb to the day-to-day crises, the slow-moving tragedies of children without food and men without shelter and families without health care. We become absorbed with our abstract arguments, our ideological disputes, our contests for power. And in this Tower of Babel, we lose the sound of God's voice.

Now, for those of us here in Washington, let's acknowledge that democracy has always been messy. Let's not be overly nostalgic. (Laughter.) Divisions are hardly new in this country. Arguments about the proper role of government, the relationship between liberty and equality, our obligations to our fellow citizens -- these things have been with us since our founding. And I'm profoundly mindful that a loyal opposition, a vigorous back and forth, a skepticism of power, all of that is what makes our democracy work.

And we've seen actually some improvement in some circumstances. We haven't seen any canings on the floor of the Senate any time recently. (Laughter.) So we shouldn't over-romanticize the past. But there is a sense that something is different now; that something is broken; that those of us in Washington are not serving the people as well as we should. At times, it seems like we're unable to listen to one another; to have at once a serious and civil debate. And this erosion of civility in the public square sows division and distrust among our citizens. It poisons the well of public opinion. It leaves each side little room to negotiate with the other. It makes politics an all-or-nothing sport, where one side is either always right or always wrong when, in reality, neither side has a monopoly on truth. And then we lose sight of the children without food and the men without shelter and the families without health care.

Empowered by faith, consistently, prayerfully, we need to find our way back to civility. That begins with stepping out of our comfort zones in an effort to bridge divisions. We see that in many conservative pastors who are helping lead the way to fix our broken immigration system. It's not what would be expected from them, and yet they recognize, in those immigrant families, the face of God. We see that in the evangelical leaders who are rallying their congregations to protect our planet. We see it in the increasing recognition among progressives that government can't solve all of our problems, and that talking about values like responsible fatherhood and healthy marriage are integral to any anti-poverty agenda. Stretching out of our dogmas, our prescribed roles along the political spectrum, that can help us regain a sense of civility.

Civility also requires relearning how to disagree without being disagreeable; understanding, as President [Kennedy] said, that "civility is not a sign of weakness." Now, I am the first to confess I am not always right. Michelle will testify to that. (Laughter.) But surely you can question my policies without questioning my faith, or, for that matter, my citizenship. (Laughter and applause.)

Challenging each other's ideas can renew our democracy. But when we challenge each other's motives, it becomes harder to see what we hold in common. We forget that we share at some deep level the same dreams -- even when we don't share the same plans on how to fulfill them.

We may disagree about the best way to reform our health care system, but surely we can agree that no one ought to go broke when they get sick in the richest nation on Earth. We can take different approaches to ending inequality, but surely we can agree on the need to lift our children out of ignorance; to lift our neighbors from poverty. We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are -- whether it's here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda.

Surely we can agree to find common ground when possible, parting ways when necessary. But in doing so, let us be guided by our faith, and by prayer. For while prayer can buck us up when we are down, keep us calm in a storm; while prayer can stiffen our spines to surmount an obstacle -- and I assure you I'm praying a lot these days -- (laughter) -- prayer can also do something else. It can touch our hearts with humility. It can fill us with a spirit of brotherhood. It can remind us that each of us are children of a awesome and loving God.

Through faith, but not through faith alone, we can unite people to serve the common good. And that's why my Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships has been working so hard since I announced it here last year. We've slashed red tape and built effective partnerships on a range of uses, from promoting fatherhood here at home to spearheading interfaith cooperation abroad. And through that office we've turned the faith-based initiative around to find common ground among people of all beliefs, allowing them to make an impact in a way that's civil and respectful of difference and focused on what matters most.

It is this spirit of civility that we are called to take up when we leave here today. That's what I'm praying for. I know in difficult times like these -- when people are frustrated, when pundits start shouting and politicians start calling each other names -- it can seem like a return to civility is not possible, like the very idea is a relic of some bygone era. The word itself seems quaint -- civility.

But let us remember those who came before; those who believed in the brotherhood of man even when such a faith was tested. Remember Dr. Martin Luther King. Not long after an explosion ripped through his front porch, his wife and infant daughter inside, he rose to that pulpit in Montgomery and said, "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend."

In the eyes of those who denied his humanity, he saw the face of God.

Remember Abraham Lincoln. On the eve of the Civil War, with states seceding and forces gathering, with a nation divided half slave and half free, he rose to deliver his first Inaugural and said, "We are not enemies, but friends... Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection."

Even in the eyes of confederate soldiers, he saw the face of God.

Remember William Wilberforce, whose Christian faith led him to seek slavery's abolition in Britain; he was vilified, derided, attacked; but he called for "lessening prejudices [and] conciliating good-will, and thereby making way for the less obstructed progress of truth."

In the eyes of those who sought to silence a nation's conscience, he saw the face of God.

Yes, there are crimes of conscience that call us to action. Yes, there are causes that move our hearts and offenses that stir our souls. But progress doesn't come when we demonize opponents. It's not born in righteous spite. Progress comes when we open our hearts, when we extend our hands, when we recognize our common humanity. Progress comes when we look into the eyes of another and see the face of God. That we might do so -- that we will do so all the time, not just some of the time -- is my fervent prayer for our nation and the world.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

5th Sunday after Epiphany

Luke 5:1-11

day in and day out
I work
trying to make it in this world
trying to make a living
casting the nets into the water
waiting and hoping for the catch
that will make it all work
the catch that will put me on
easy street
the American dream
easy street
and the right lottery ticket
the right person
right job
and all will be
right
all will be as it should
until
the miracle comes
and the nets fill
or maybe not
but the miracle is what I see
the source
the creator of every blessing in my life
and I am left with no choice
and nothing but freedom
to follow

The Presentation of our Lord (2)

Luke 2:22-40

in the midst of our rituals
made up of what we feel
and our understanding
of what and who God is
we sometimes encounter
in spite of all that we place in the way
God
pure and simple
shining like a ray of joy
into our hearts
and our rituals
Our understandings
make sense in a new way
for we have seen
seen the one promised
to save the people
and bring life to the world
Anna and Simeon came to such a moment
a pureness of time
wrapped in a blanket
helpless
and they felt complete
so now dismiss you servant in peace
allow not this moment to lapse into a memory
for my eyes have seen salvation
prepared for all people
A light to guide all nations
for the glory of Your people
the memory
the moment
the world
Alive
and remembered.

Oh, I couldn't do that!!!

Sunday February 7th, Isaiah 6 : 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." Most of us feel inadequate to go do the work God has called us to do. At least that is the excuse that is used when asked to do something. And then there are those who do feel up to the task, many of whom either have no idea what they are getting into, or are suffering from some sort of delusional state. But as in this text, the getting ready for the task is not something we are left out on our own to do; what we are called to do is allow God who is getting us ready to do God’s work within us. That doesn’t mean there is no work on our part. We still have the studying, planning, praying that goes into any good task to take care of. What this does mean however, is that there are no excuses for not going to do the work God has called us to do. It is less a matter of ability and more a matter of faith.

good day for an adventure

Monday February 8th, Isaiah 6 : 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" I don’t think Isaiah was all ready to go any more than you or I would have been. He had not reviewed his contract, who his contacts would be, what the job expectations were, his timeline, a budget, etc….. All those things we need to have in place before we do some large task. And let us not forget those study groups to study the feasibility of the ministry task, what committees would be needed and what their tasks would be. He just said “Here am I. Send me!” and that, as opposed to all the structure we tend to build around a task, is what God can work with. I think all that other stuff is just a polite way of giving God the brush off or worse. The next time you get the call, just try to say, OK, and watch where God takes you. As a certain hobbit would say, it’s a great day for an adventure.

stumps and fresh starts

Tuesday February 9th, Isaiah 6: 12 until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. 13 And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land." Sometimes when you leave a stump in the ground and give it time, a new sprout appears. Not just sometimes, but often, when God wants us to do something, the first thing that needs to happen is to unlearn all the ways “we” think it should be done. Is our current style of church the best way to do church? Do we have to meet on Sunday morning, or even Sunday? Do we have to follow the lectionary? Do we have to sing, and or hear music, and or have a worship leader, or meet in a building, use bulletins or not use bulletins, etc? All those things that occupy “church” are really up for grabs. If you don’t throw a monkey wrench into once in a while, it simply becomes a club where people gather to do what they always do so they can feel good that they have done it. Perhaps sometimes you need to chop down the tree to allow the Gospel to grow fresh and new. Perhaps the decline in denominational attendance has more to do with God’s calling us to do something differently than our guilt of doing what we are doing poorly. And perhaps not! There are two ways to find out and they go hand in hand, prayer and conversation. If your institution if falling over, perhaps it is not a bad sign, just a new calling.

You want Who??

Wednesday February 10th, 1 Corinthians 15 : 3-9 The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he presented himself alive to Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred of his followers all at the same time, most of them still around (although a few have since died); that he then spent time with James and the rest of those he commissioned to represent him; and that he finally presented himself alive to me. It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don't deserve to be included in that inner circle, as you well know, having spent all those early years trying my best to stamp God's church right out of existence. God chose Paul as a missionary. Paul, by any standard I can think of was not a good choice. He had spent his life trying to kill the budding church, and not figuratively, but literally!! But God’s plans often include unimaginable change, change in the person God has chosen, and change in the way others view the person God has chosen, and therefore change in the world. If God can use Paul, just think what could happen if you and I simply said Yes wholeheartedly to God’s calling? It is less about being ready than it is about being willing. The ready part God will provide.

alive

Thursday February 11th, 1 Corinthians 15: 10-11 But because God was so gracious, so very generous, here I am. And I'm not about to let his grace go to waste. Haven't I worked hard trying to do more than any of the others? Even then, my work didn't amount to all that much. It was God giving me the work to do, God giving me the energy to do it. So whether you heard it from me or from those others, it's all the same: We spoke God's truth and you entrusted your lives. God calls, God equips, God provides the task, and sometimes, we even respond. When we do find ourselves responding, we say things like, “What a wonderful day” or “I feel so alive” or “I feel so blessed.” When we say those things, those whom God has placed in our path are saying something similar, what a wonderful day, what a blessing. The world becomes alive with hope. And once in a while, we even become aware of the connection and thank God for that wonderful day, that wonderful blessing. Feeling a bit down lately, a bit on edge and grumpy? Try saying Yes to God’s calling and see what happens.

Oh, all right....

Friday February 12th, Luke 5 : 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." The scriptures don’t indicate it, but I would love to see the expression on Simon Peter’s face. Old fishermen often think they have the edge, the knowledge, the secret that makes them a better fisherman than most. All you have to do is ask and you will get an earful of try this bait, in this way, in this place at this time etc that is a certain guarantee for the big one. I imagine when Jesus gave fishing advice you could see some rolled eyes, some slight shaking of the head, and a deep sighing breath and then the exhausted reluctant turn toward the boat. I think it is similar to the look on my face when God asks me to do something I already have a bloody forehead over from beating my head against a brick wall. Sometimes we have to let go of the “me” in order for our nets to fill up. Sometimes it is less a matter of what we do than for whom we do it.

something smells

Saturday February 13th, Luke 5: 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. I imagine a hot summer morning, the sun is beating down, a slight breeze is blowing and someone is taking a nice relaxing stroll along the beach. They round a small hill and come face to face with a large stinking mass of rotting fish, boats up on shore, the net laying there and wonder if perhaps they are in the twilight zone. Ever wonder what the stuff you leave behind to follow Jesus would look and smell like in the light of day? Perhaps you don’t smell it now because you are used to it. Try the fresh air of yes.

The presentation of our Lord

Luke 2:22-40

I sit and wait
wait for when the time will be
that I too may know Lord
that I too may feel
may see
what this life is all about
the reason for our life
and why we are here
to see, know, feel the existence
of every person’s struggle
called life
some search the mountains
some the valleys
some search for the truth in their heads
some in the cosmos
in the end they al
we all
wait
until
we have exhausted all our own
(Lord)
looking no more to our selves
our books
our minds
our cosmos
or the other among us
(not let thy servant)
finding nothing
(depart)
to see the all
(in peace)
among us
Emmanuel