Being faithful in a world of many faiths

“Continue to live your lives in Christ, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

Colossians 2.6-7 (New Revised Standard Version)

            As the Christian faith spread from Jerusalem throughout the Mediterranean world, its missionaries carried the good news of Jesus Christ from city to city: it was mainly an urban movement. One of the cities that became a center for this growing faith was Colossae, in what is now the country of Turkey.

            Several hundred years before the birth of Christ, Colossae had been a city of some importance. But thirty years after the death of Christ, it was recognized as a place of faded glory. Nevertheless, a Christian community gathered there, and one of Christianity’s great missionaries, Paul, maintained close ties with the congregation’s leadership. It is possible that Paul was in prison in Rome when he received word that this infant community of faith had developed a problem. A group of unknown size in the congregation believed that Christ was critical to their faith, but could not be relied upon to enable faithful living in all situations. In other words, he needed to be supplemented. So this group of ‘spiritual elites’ tried to convince their brothers and sisters in the faith that they needed to take on extra disciplines in order to navigate the challenges of living faithfully in the world. Apparently these disciplines included a special diet, worship of angels, and the keeping of certain festivals and holidays.

            Paul’s concern, expressed through his Letter to the Colossians, argues that Christ is sufficient for all the demands of living. In Christ, argues Paul, we see the fullness of God (“in him the whole fullness of God dwells bodily”) and all that God provides for faith, hope and love. When it comes to our relationship to Christ, no supplements are needed! Furthermore, Paul must have been concerned that some of the Colossians were confusing the indispensable with the optional, and if Christ (truly indispensable for faith) became an optional extra, then Christianity would lose its heart and soul. He encouraged the Colossians to “continue to live your lives in Christ, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

            We do not know how the Colossians responded to Paul’s letter. And if this letter was written from Rome, and had to travel all the way to the other side of the Mediterranean, a great deal of time may have passed between the writing of the words and a public reading in the community of faith. Maybe no one knew what Paul was talking about by the time they received this letter. And maybe this brief letter has as much, or more, to say to us as it did to its original audience.

Paul raises questions that are important for us as we think about what it means to be faithful in a world of many faiths. How can we be truly rooted and established in one faith, and still be open to the claims made by people of other faiths? How can we be confident in the power of Christian faith to bring healing energy to a wounded world, yet humble enough to believe that other traditions also bring wisdom and practices that are necessary for the creation of a hopeful future? Have we added so many ‘supplements’ to local church life that we can no longer find the center of our own spiritual traditions?

As we think and pray together about living faithfully in a multi-faith world, it is important to hear Paul’s concern that we remain rooted and established in Christ. To be rooted in Christ is to be nurtured in a unique way of life that fills us with a longing for God, the power of forgiveness, the passion for justice, and compassion for the most fragile among us. But we need to embrace with understanding those people in the Colossian church who wanted to explore the resources of other religious traditions. If we really respect people of other faiths, we may find that their wisdom and prayer and passion can strengthen our faith instead of threatening it. A partnership with our brothers and sisters of other faiths may help us to see our own beliefs in a fresh way. It may even help us to see the weaknesses as well as the strengths in our religious traditions. With confidence and humility we can be rooted in Christ, and open to the movement of God through the faith traditions of people across the world. 

Welcome to the wilderness!

Psalm 32

Romans 5:12-19

Matthew 4:1-11

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness

to be tempted by the devil.”

Matthew 4:1 (New Revised Standard Version)

I grew up in the last house on a dead end road, in a small town in upstate New York. Beyond our house the world seemed to be a wilderness: dense forest occasionally opening up into meadows, followed by more forest. It was an exhilarating and sometimes frightening place for a young boy.

The wilderness can be desert, vast woodland, a mountain range, or even an experience of life which feels uncharted and unexplored. It can seem to be a harsh and forbidding landscape, and yet can also be a place where we learn new skills, discover inner strength, and come to know ourselves supported by unseen hands. Christianity, Judaism and Islam were born in the wilderness spaces of the Middle East. It was into the wilderness that Jesus went before he taught and healed and loved the world with his fierce and tender truth. It was a place of testing and discernment: an experience of settling into his devotion to God.

Throughout life we may experience the wilderness in many forms, sometimes as a beautiful though forbidding landscape, and sometimes as a journey of profound transition. The good news of the gospel is that throughout all of these experiences, God is with us and for us. In marvelous and unforeseen ways, we are strengthened to walk in faith, with love, and energized by hope.

 

God of steadfast love, we give you thanks that you are known to us in the wilderness journeys of our lives, and pray that you will guide and strengthen us as we navigate the uncharted regions of faith, hope and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Do not be afraid

Isaiah 11:1-10

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

Matthew 3: 1-12

“They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full

of the knowledge of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea.”

Isaiah 11:9 (New Revised Standard Version)

 

When our children were very young we would sometimes be awakened by the sounds of their footsteps coming down the hallway in the middle of the night. Then we would hear a little voice: “Mommy, Daddy, I had a bad dream. I’m scared.” After a time of reassurance and comfort, our children would (usually!) return to their beds, and sweeter dreams.

Fear has its place in human life. The sensation of being afraid can put our senses on alert, and help us to read signs of danger that might otherwise be missed. But faithfulness can also mean the experience of fearlessness: the joy of living without the threat of being harmed. Jesus repeatedly encouraged his friends with these words: “do not be afraid.” Do not be afraid of the impossible, of what might never come to pass, or that we might not be up to the challenges of life.

The prophet, Isaiah, imagined a time without the necessity of fear. Children would play without regard for the dangers of wild animals. Lambs would not have not to be scanning the horizon for wolves. These are poetic ways of describing life without fear as a corrosive force. To realize this world we need a fearless faith that includes the courage to forgive, to welcome the stranger, and to speak of justice. It is faith that, no matter what, God is with us and for us.

 

Prayer: O God, help us to hear and receive the gentlest of commandments: “be not afraid.” And as we embody the power of fearlessness in our lives, help us to be experiences of comfort and reassurance for others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From the gift to the Giver

 

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back,

praising God with a loud voice.

Luke 17.15 (New Revised Standard Version)

 

The two most underused phrases in the English language are, “I’m sorry,” and “Thank you.” To apologize is to open the path for newness in the midst of a broken relationship. To be grateful for what we have received is to be thankful for the gift and even more importantly, for the giver of the gift.

When Jesus healed ten lepers, only one returned to give thanks. That act of thanksgiving was built upon several promptings. When the story tells us that the man “saw that he was healed,” it is indicating that he took time to savor the gift of health. Just as Jesus had gone out of his way to heal their disease, this leper, by turning back from his journey, went out of his way to acknowledge what had been done for him. By giving thanks to God, this individual understood that the power of the Creator’s life flowed through Jesus and into the world.

That world includes us. When Jesus told the healed man that “your faith has made you well,” he was pointing out that the same power of life flowed through this man as well. For that matter, it flows through us, too. Gratitude is the response we make to the God who is a constant gift-giver. By giving thanks to God we acknowledge the goodness of the gifts, and come into communion with the Giver.

 

Prayer: O God of abundance, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for your generosity. As we cherish all that we receive from you, may we in turn be generous givers. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

We give thanks…

Scripture lessons:

Psalm 111

Luke 17.11-19

Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,

in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Psalm 111.1

New Revised Standard Version

Americans are strong believers in the power of positive thinking, and with good reason. Looking on the bright side of life can bring a spirit of cheerfulness to even the dullest day.

But sometimes positive thinking is not a potent enough remedy for our ills. Sometimes the dark clouds of tragedy blot out with little difficulty the tiny sun of our happiness. And besides: when does Jesus, or St. Paul or the psalmist say, “Be Happy”? Rather, their advice to people with their backs to the wall is this: “Give thanks. Rejoice always. Lift up your hearts.” Why? Because unlike positive thinking, gratitude is the power not only to survive, but to endure while a new life—a new world—is born through our struggles for dignity and well being.

To give thanks to God is to recognize that another power—more resilient and trustworthy than human strength—is alive and at large in the world. Therefore, it was with great wisdom that the Spanish mystic, St. John of the Cross, said, “One act of thanksgiving made when things go wrong is worth a thousand when things go well.” For while gratitude will not diminish the need for struggle and patience, it will help us to look and long for the God who makes all things new: including us!

 

Prayer: O generous God, we give thanks for your energy and grace which work through us for the common good, and which give us the strength we need to be a sign of your peace on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Three Mile an Hour God

Scripture lessons:

Acts 2.14a, 36-41

Luke 24.13-35

 

“As they talked and argued Jesus himself came up and walked with them.”

Luke 24.15

New Revised Standard Version

 

Kosuke Koyama, a former teacher at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, once described Jesus as the “three mile-an-hour God,” for his ministry was exercised mainly as he walked through open spaces, villages, and cities. According to Luke, he continued to teach as he walked, even after his death and resurrection!

My guess is that Jesus used the ordinary practice of walking not only as a way to get somewhere, but also as a way to communicate his message. Perhaps he enjoyed walking, using it as a time to ponder God’s purposes, to befriend his companions, and to come into greater contact with human need. As Jesus walked, people noticed him, reached out to him, and were healed by him.

When Jesus walked with two disciples on the way to Emmaus he spoke to them of God’s hopes being fulfilled through ancient scriptures. Then he shared a meal with them. Through these Christian basics, two men had an experience of Christ.

As we ponder the will of God through our reading of scripture, and as we open ourselves to the presence of Christ when we bless food and share it with each other, we also walk with Christ, and receive the nourishment we need to be his disciples.

 

Prayer: O God, help us to absorb the vitality of your wisdom as we listen for your word through ancient stories and daily meals, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Gate of Heaven

Scripture lessons:

Genesis 28.10-19a

Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43

 

“Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land;

For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Genesis 28.15

New Revised Standard Version

 

The sun had set, and Jacob found a place to sleep. Using a stone as a pillow, he drifted into the land of dreams. His vision of angels ascending and descending a ladder has been a popular theme for artists across the ages. But my attention is drawn to Jacob when he awakened: in rousing he wakes up to the fact that he had been surrounded by the vitality of God, and not known it.

Jacob called his dream-place “the gate of heaven.” And those gateways that lead to the sacred are all around us. One day we look into the eyes of our beloved, the same face we have seen for years, and suddenly realize the uniqueness and preciousness of the other person’s features. We travel the same road over and over, until one day our attention is drawn to the magic of trees in the late afternoon light, and we wonder why we had never noticed before. A biblical passage, heard countless times, suddenly shimmers with new meaning when seen from a new point of view, and the gate of heaven swings open.

“I am with you and will keep you wherever you go,” said the Lord to Jacob. Amid all the ordinariness and repetitiveness of daily life, the gate of heaven can spring open at any time, filling us with awe, inspiring us to live with greater commitment. May it be so for you.

 

Prayer: Gracious God, give us the vulnerability and awareness to discern your presence where we are least inclined to look and listen, until even the stones can be heard to whisper your promises and sing your praises; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Sycamore Tree

Scripture lesson

Luke 19.1-10

“Zaccheus ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, because Jesus

was going to pass that way.”

Luke 19.4

New Revised Standard Version

Some years ago a friend gave me a book of prayers and reading that had been compiled by small community of Christians living in Pennsylvania. It was entitled, The Sycamore Book, and on the first pages were these words: “This book is dedicated to all those who, like Zaccheus, need and seek out a proverbial sycamore tree in order to get a better view of Jesus today.”

I think Zaccheus reminds us that faith in Jesus often begins with a fascination with Jesus: a desire to know more about him, to explore the sources of his energy, to develop a deep curiosity about his mission and ministry, as if we always meeting him again for the first time. Though Zaccheus may have been ‘short in stature,’ he was long in curiosity, and that curiosity brought him closer to Jesus and made him a disciple of his way.

Perhaps the surest way to refresh our faith is to cherish the example of Zaccheus and to find that sycamore tree which can grant us a better view of the Lord of life. A loving encounter with friend or stranger, a time of meditation, a prayer for the wider world: all these experiences, and many more, can be the sycamore trees which afford us a better view of the way that leads to life.

 

Prayer: O God of life, help us to see and seek the life and hope of Jesus where we meet people and make decisions, and having met him in those places, enable us to follow him with great hope and endless curiosity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pray On!

Scripture lessons:

James 5.1-13

Mark 9.38-50

“Are any among you suffering? They should pray.

Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.”

James 5.1

New Revised Standard Version

For most of her adult life a series of illnesses forced Dottie to do much of her living from her bed. Although her physical movements were restricted, nothing could confine her dynamic spirit. Dottie believed that she had essential work to do: the work of prayer. So her bed was scattered with devotional pamphlets, a Bible, writing paper, an address book, and a telephone directory. These were the tools she used to send messages and prayers of encouragement to family, friends and her church. I knew that she prayed for me, and that knowledge energized me for my daily work.

In the Letter to James, the author asked his readers: “Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.” These are words of encouragement from someone who understood prayer to be a first priority, and never a last resort. Furthermore, the writer was convinced that prayer–an ongoing, intimate relationship with God—is essential for all the seasons of life, in times of joy as well as distress.

The great scholar and teacher, Karl Barth, urged that our prayers “be an uprising against the disorder of the world,” filling the world with the love of the Creator and nurturing us to be as loving as God, as alive as Jesus, and as creative as the Holy Spirit. Like Dottie, you and I can learn to be part of such an uprising.

 

Prayer: O God, help us to persist in our prayers, so that we may grow in relationship with you, and become signs of your love for all of creation; in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessed and Muddy Waters

 

Scripture lesson:

2 Kings 5.1-14

“Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of

Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” said Naaman.

2 Kings 5.12 (New Revised Standard Version)

 

Over the years I have known people who traveled to some of the world’s most glorious attractions, only to report later that they were disappointed by what they had seen. The mountains were not as tall as the brochures depicted, nor the villages as quaint as promised. Disillusioned by the gap between expectation and fact, they missed the glory of what was there, however humble or unspectacular it may have seemed.

When Naaman journeyed to Israel in search of healing for his leprous skin, he thought a prophet would make this ‘visit to the doctor’ a public event. But Elisha did not even address the commander in person; he simply instructed Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River, and emerge with healthy skin. Naaman was disappointed by this simplistic approach and initially refused to take part in such an unceremonious process. Fortunately for him, his servants helped him to exchange his pride for a bathing suit, and his dunking in the Jordan cured him of his leprosy.

Naaman dismissed the Jordan as an insignificant river; Elisha saw it as powerful medicine. One person sees a few loaves and some fish; Jesus sees food for thousands. Faith in God invites us to look at the common things of life and to recognize their incredible potential for healing and nourishment.

 

Prayer: O God of health and wisdom, help us to see your power at work in the things of the world; the ordinary and the spectacular, the polished and the unrefined. And may we, though fragile and sometimes wounded, show forth your glory in our lives; in the name of Jesus. Amen.