Forgetfulness (#9)

Sometimes our forgetfulness results in publish embarrassment. During the evening Ash Wednesday prayer at communion I forgot what I was saying and flubbed the Words of Institution over the wine. It was puzzling more than embarrassing. How many times had I said that prayer aloud? I had just said it at the noon service. Knowing that Jesus, whose body and blood I was talking about at the moment, would forgive me, I simply paused and tried to start again. I worried about the folks in the pews, though. For some it would be their confirmation that the Interim Pastor is a nutcase. Others might have wondered if the blessing “really counted” for this communion. (Since Christ invites and shows up for the meal, I’m sure the wording was not an issue.) I’m not sure what happened during that prayer, but no real harm was done. There are times though, when my forgetfulness about what I’m doing or supposed to be doing as a Christian can get me into trouble, making me even less likely to reflect Christ’s light to the world (or myself). Folks who have not taken a Social Psychology class tend to think that attitudes strongly inform behavior. The research data suggests that attitudes have limited impact on our behaviors. Part of the problem is that we may not be thinking about our attitudes or values or behavioral intentions at the time when we’re acting. Remembering who we are and what we are about takes time and energy. Lent is a time to rehearse and review how we are called into service at baptism.

Making soap from ashes (#8)

Apologies to folks who heard much of this on Ash Wednesday. I mentioned the making of soap in another post and thought it wise to fill in the gaps... Sometimes people ask about the purpose of ashes on Ash Wednesday. The short answer is religious people have been marking themselves with ashes and wearing sack clothing for centuries as signs of penance. The longer answer is as dirty as ashes seem, they have played a huge part in making the world clean. Ashes are a key ingredient in the earliest known forms of soap making. I haven’t tried it and have no plans to do so, but making soap is supposed to be pretty simple. The details of making lye from ashes after processing animal fats was a bit, ah, revolting to me, so I’ll give you the quick version. You get some ash, mix it with cleaned fats, and boil them until you get soap. Some chemical process occurs that allows sooty stuff and animal fats to become cleaning agents--an excellent image for being made new again in Christ. Someone suggested that if we imagine Jesus as the agent that starts the chemical process in us, then we can imagine how our sinful natures are made clean through the use of everyday elements in the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. Lent is a season of renewal and reform. It’s time for searching out our sinful ways and using the strategies God has given us for cleaning up our acts. We begin our Lenten journeys with ashes, one component of the soap making process. Lent is a call to clean up our acts, to sort our dirty laundry, and to turn toward God for the ingredients to make things new again. Lent is also a call to action. God’s love is the agent that reminds us that good works are not done in vain. We are called to give to the poor, to fast from excesses of all kinds, and to seek only God’s approval in the process.

Incinerating Toilets (#7)

Over the last year or so I have developed an obsession with the Tiny House Movement. Check out YouTube videos of tiny houses, usually on wheels, or Google the Tiny House Movement and you will learn more than you ever wanted to know. [Yes, this is going somewhere related to Lent.] Individuals and families move into tiny homes for several reasons, but some of them involve reducing their carbon footprint and their dependence on traditional energy sources. The homes are usually mobile and much more affordable than paying rent or a mortgage on a larger home. In addition to savings in terms of natural resources and finances, individuals and families must reduce their personal belongings, which many find to be a spiritual process in itself. One has to ask, “What is really needed?” ”What is important to my health and well-being and the management of daily life?” Other people find that by worrying less about being burdened with large bills and a long-term commitment to a specific location they can enjoy life more. The expression “doing more with less” takes on new meaning. With fewer burdens on finances and location, many find they can pursue hobbies, spend on what really matters to them, and shape their lives around their values rather than their possessions and obligations. One of the interesting things about Tiny House living is the many and varied ways people choose to power their electricity and get rid of waste. Some models are designed for longer stays and have hookups to local electricity and sewage. Many models are also ready for travel. I’m learning a lot about solar energy, but I’m less knowledgeable about the sewage disposal options. Recently, I read about incinerating toilets. It’s a cool idea. In most cases no water is needed and periodically waste products are just burned away. There is an odor, of course, but talk about being cleansed in consuming fire! In the New Testament, chaff (dry protective parts of wheat or other grain) is burned in fire and the good stuff is set apart. Incinerating toilets burn away the waste products and leave a little bit of ash; and we already know that ash was frequently used in soap-making. [If you missed the Ash Wednesday service, stay tuned for more on post on making soap.]

More Ignoble Truth (#6)

Embodied beings are imperfect. We know humans are imperfect, and I like to remind myself that the imperfection of mortals extends to my beloved pets and the majestic wildlife around me. Imperfection, though, is not a sin; it is a state of being. Sin often creeps in when we pretend that perfection is possible. One of the many frustrating aspects of imperfection is the tendency to struggle with the same flaws again and again. Sometimes these struggles are fruitless because they are misguided. For example, cellulite is not the result of some personal cosmetic or dieting blunder, but rather the normal condition for 80-90% of post-adolescent females. [I don’t like using Wikipedia, but it readily provides the statistics I cannot recall.] Sometimes the struggles last a long time because trying to correct the thoughts or behaviors are important to our spiritual and emotional well-being. Each year we set aside 40 days to revisit the areas of our spiritual lives that need reformation.

Ignoble Truths (#5)

Buddhist’s teachings speak of Four Noble Truths. In brief, they are: life is suffering; suffering is caused by desire or hunger and thirst for things that show ignorance of one’s true nature; suffering (craving) can be ended; and there is an eightfold path to end the cravings that cause suffering. [By now someone is asking, “Why is she telling us about Buddhism during Lent?] Even more briefly, the eight ways to end cravings are using: right perspective, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. If you’ve paid attention to sermons or written reflections during Lent, you’re likely to recognize the parallels between these “rights” and the call for prayer, almsgiving, self-sacrifice, moderation, fasting, and repentance. I fear that one reason Christianity in general and Lenten practice in particular get such bad names (and little attention) is that we tend to phrase our truths in negative ways. “Thou shall not” is a good example. When we focus on Christ’s great commandment though, we can see the positive side of things, the way forward in our thinking and behaving: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). This quote also appears in Matthew, and Jesus speaks the words in response to a question about the greatest commandment in the law. In Luke, however, the truth is spoken by “an expert in the law.” The man asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus turned the question back to him and asked, “What is written in the Law? The man quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 or 10:12 and Leviticus 19: 18. The questioner knew what was right, but was trying to trick Jesus. Their conversation continues with a discussion of who qualifies as a neighbor and the parable of the Good Samaritan, which is another example of right perspective, right action, and right effort. So, one of our ignoble truths is that we frequently know right from wrong because we learned it at home or our houses of worship and we still question rather than acting on righteous wisdom.

Absolut-ion (#4)

I won’t disclose any names, but I recently had a silly conversation with a few congregants. One said a second was seeking absolution from the pastor. The second said something like, “Yeah, that’s what you drink with cranberry juice right?” How many times have folks confused drinking Absolut vodka with seeking absolution? I’m not even sure how to collect that data. How often do we attempt to regain a sense of balance and normalcy by doing something other than what might help, which is asking for forgiveness? It works the other way too. Rather than seeking to forgive, we numb ourselves to the pain, disappointment, or betrayal. It seems completely unknown to members, but the ELCA offers the opportunity for individual forgiveness. You can find it in the ELW (cranberry book of worship) near the corporate confessions section. I can hear some folks grumbling already that “it sounds too Catholic.” I ask, “Why should it matter? A sound spiritual practice is a sound spiritual practice.” What happens in individual confession? It varies, but it is an opportunity to discuss one or more sins or temptations that trouble you. It’s an opportunity to look at the precursors and consequences of the behavior, thought, or emotion and to contemplate ways to reduce or remove the temptation. The minister is there to speak aloud the words of Christ’s promise of forgiveness of sins. Sometimes just exposing our fears and concerns and learning that we are not alone helps us to be less anxious or ashamed. Absolut might loosen the tongue, but it is a poor substitute for the assurance of reconciliation. [If you insist on trying the Absolut path first, at least stick with the liturgical color. The flavors Kurant and Berri Acai have purple labels.]

Fifty? (#3)

Many clever folks are saying, “Hey, Lent has 40 days.” I could reply, “Look who knows so much.” [If you do not recognize the reference, view the Princess Bride (20th Century Fox, 1987).] Forty is a number frequently encountered in the Bible. Noah and company spent 40 days on the ark. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness. Moses and the generations following the Exodus from Egypt spent 40 years wandering before landing in the Promised Land. If you look at a calendar you’ll see that our Lenten season is not exactly 40 days. If we begin with Ash Wednesday (February 18, 2015) and end with Holy Saturday (April 4, 2015) there are 46 days. We have 6 Sundays during that season, and Sundays are days of celebration. Someone described each Sunday as a little Easter. Each Sunday we celebrate Christ’s resurrection, a time for rejoicing rather than penance. So, no, 50 days is not accurate, but neither is 40 in the strictest sense. I started the blog on February 14 and I’m hoping to produce 50 posts by Holy Week. Do not be surprised if I ask for topics folks really hope will be addressed.

Purple (#2)

Our title, Fifty Shades of Purple, offers an invitation to examine the liturgical color of the Lenten season. Why purple? In the ancient world purple signified wealth, prosperity, or royalty. The general explanation is that the color was so rare in nature and so expensive to produce as dye that only the most well off could afford it. The color was associated with prosperity and majesty and by extension to royalty. Purple was the color of curtains and carpets in the Temple and the color of priestly garments (see Exodus 25, 26, 27, and Numbers 4 for examples). In the town of Philipi Paul meets Lydia, a cloth merchant from the town of Thyatira, known for its dyes, including the color purple. The story of her conversion and her hospitality to other believers is recounted in Acts 16. So how did prosperity and majesty come to be associated with penitence? Some say that the color for Lent is associated with the cloak placed on Jesus when he was mocked by soldiers after his trial. Mark 15:17 say that Jesus was dressed in purple and a crown of thorns. He had been dubbed “King of the Jews,” and the purple would reflect that title. John 19:5 indicates that Jesus was sent out with a crown of thorns and a purple robe. (Some scripture verses indicate the robe was scarlet, especially in Matthew.) This is one explanation for how a royal color came to be associated with penitence. Today, purple is associated with various causes and groups who serve individuals in need or who have medical problems. Here is a short list of awareness days or campaigns associated with the color purple: Alzheimer's Disease, Domestic Violence, Lupus, March of Dimes, and Spirit Day, which recognizes victims of homophobia. As we move through the season, we might consider these groups (or any charity of your choice) for donation and prayer.

Fifty Shades of Purple

I cannot take credit for this title. Our Council President, Linda Watkinson mentioned it at a recent Congregational Council meeting and I thought it was a great title for a Lenten blog series. We apologize if the name is taken—there is no copyright infringement intended. I am not sure that I can manage 50 posts during Lent, but like most spiritual practices, it is better to have begun than to worry that one cannot finish the journey. I have not read the original to which our title eludes, Fifty Shades of Grey (James, 2011). It’s not because I’m prudish or eschew such books. It’s just that I read bad reviews about the writing. The movie is out though, and I may yet be enlightened. My understanding is the book involves passions. While maybe not the same passions, Lent also deals with our emotions and longings. The Lenten season ends with Holy Week, which includes Good Friday, when we recount the Passion of Christ. In this context, passion refers to Jesus’ suffering. During Lent we focus on our suffering too, at least we are asked to reflect on the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that bring suffering to ourselves and others. Whatever keeps us from a deeper relationship with Christ, aka a closer walk with Jesus, causes suffering. Lent is an excellent time to examine our passions and to curb those that bring suffering, while nurturing those that foster love and joy. We begin. Post 1.