Surprise us, O God, for we often expect so little.
Yes, you have surprised us even today.
And we stop, and bow our heads with tears of gratitude, and say thank you.
Come to us in ways we cannot predict.
O! How you amazed us again and again!
And we stop, and look up to the sky with renewed hearts, and say alleluia.
Come to us in familiar people, experiences, and words.
And we will stop and see the signs of your grace all around us.
Keep us from living as if life is repetitious--but instead:
Fire us with expectation,
Knowing that you move toward us;
With life far in excess,
far more abundant than we dare to hope or dream.
Alleluia! Amen!
(By Doris Donnelly with additions in italics by Randy Lubbers)
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Prayers for Peace
Prayer for World Peace
by Sister Joan D. Chittister, O.S.B.
Great God, who has told us
"Vengeance is mine,"
save us from ourselves,
save us from vengeance in our hearts
and the acid in our souls.
Save us from our desire to hurt as we have been hurt,
to punish as we have been punished,
to terrorize as we have been terrorized.
Give us the strength it takes
to listen rather than to judge,
to trust rather than to fear,
to try again and again
to make peace even when peace eludes us.
We ask, O God, for the grace
to be our best selves.
We ask for the vision
to be builders of the human community
rather than its destroyers.
We ask for the humility as a people
to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.
We ask for the love it takes
to bequeath to the children of the world to come
more than the failures of our own making.
We ask for the love it takes
to care for all the peoples
of Afghanistan and Iraq, or Palestine and Israel
as well as for ourselves.
Give us depth of soul, O God,
to constrain our might,
to resist the temptation of power,
to refuse to attack the attackable,
to undertsand
that vengeance begets violence,
and to bring peace - not war - wherever we go.
For You, O God, have been merciful to us.
For You, O God, have been patient with us.
For You, O God, have been gracious to us.
And so may we be merciful
and patient
and gracious
and trusting
with these others whom you also love.
This we ask through Jesus,
the one without vengeance in his heart.
This we ask forever and ever. Amen.
A Prayer attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi
St. Francis went to speak with the Sultan, rather than fight in the crusades
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
by Sister Joan D. Chittister, O.S.B.
Great God, who has told us
"Vengeance is mine,"
save us from ourselves,
save us from vengeance in our hearts
and the acid in our souls.
Save us from our desire to hurt as we have been hurt,
to punish as we have been punished,
to terrorize as we have been terrorized.
Give us the strength it takes
to listen rather than to judge,
to trust rather than to fear,
to try again and again
to make peace even when peace eludes us.
We ask, O God, for the grace
to be our best selves.
We ask for the vision
to be builders of the human community
rather than its destroyers.
We ask for the humility as a people
to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.
We ask for the love it takes
to bequeath to the children of the world to come
more than the failures of our own making.
We ask for the love it takes
to care for all the peoples
of Afghanistan and Iraq, or Palestine and Israel
as well as for ourselves.
Give us depth of soul, O God,
to constrain our might,
to resist the temptation of power,
to refuse to attack the attackable,
to undertsand
that vengeance begets violence,
and to bring peace - not war - wherever we go.
For You, O God, have been merciful to us.
For You, O God, have been patient with us.
For You, O God, have been gracious to us.
And so may we be merciful
and patient
and gracious
and trusting
with these others whom you also love.
This we ask through Jesus,
the one without vengeance in his heart.
This we ask forever and ever. Amen.
A Prayer attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi
St. Francis went to speak with the Sultan, rather than fight in the crusades
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Eight Habits for Building "Faith Apathy" in your Kids
1)THE HABIT OF DOING-YOUR-OWN-THING. Encourage your children to attend worship only if they want to because, after all, you wouldn't want them to do anything “just because you told them they ought to.”
This habit, by the way, is particularly effective in producing faith-apathy if you apply it inconsistently. In other words, do not allow your child to do her own thing regarding curfew, attending sports practices, doing homework, or going to the dentist. Only allow your child to “do his own thing” regarding church activities.
2)THE HABIT OF EARNING-YOUR-OWN-WAY INTO HEAVEN. Teach your children that all “good people” go to heaven and that only “really, really bad people” will fall short of God's expectations. Teach them that God only frowns on “serious” sins. Teach them that “sin” is only about the “bad things you do” and that it has nothing to do with the attitude of your heart.
Closely related to this, it is very important to downplay God's “extravagance” and “radical hospitality” so your children never take their salvation for granted. And, at the same time, you should also downplay the radical nature of Christ's call to discipleship. Encourage your children to be good; but, at the same time, to keep religion in its proper place.
3)THE HABIT OF MIXED MESSAGES. This is really quite simple. Drive your children to Sunday school and pick them up after it's over. Teach them that “good kids” go to Sunday school, but that good parents skip worship more often than not.
This habit is reinforced when you make every effort to attend almost all of your child's school and sports events.
4) THE HABIT OF SPORTS ADDICTION. Tell your kids – through your actions if not your words – that nothing should ever get in the way of your favorite sports activity. Regardless of your personal passion – baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, or wrestling; deer hunting or walleye fishing; NASCAR racing, Vikings football, or whatever! The specific sport doesn't matter. Just make sure your kids understand that God doesn't always come first.
Practical ways to reinforce this habit:
(a) Drive 400 miles so your child can play hockey but refuse to take them to a church event because it doesn't fit your schedule.
(b) Make sure you convince your child to believe the coach who tells you that he/she won't play on varsity if he/she doesn’t play in the off-season. Shrug off any idea of spending more than a few hours a week on church activities or family devotions, but invest whole weekends and hundreds of dollars on sports.
5)THE HABIT OF IMBALANCE. Encourage your child to push everything else aside for academic gain. After all, even if they turn 21 and have no interest in their relationship with Christ, you will still be thrilled that they got an A in Trig, right? Instead of teaching them balance, teach them that all else comes second to academics.
6)THE HABIT OF AFFLUENCE. Teach your kid that the dollar is almighty. As a parent, tell yourself your teenager's job (or jobs) are teaching responsibility, even if, in reality, most of the earnings are just going to buy the “extras” your kid wants. Never, never encourage your child to put faith activities above the responsibility of holding a job. Never force young children to tithe their allowance or earnings. See Habit #1.
Reinforce this habit by sending a loud and clear message of what you really want to see them involved in and what you value most. You can do this by spending very little on faith-related activities and/or complaining about the church budget, while at the same time spending “whatever it takes” for designer jeans, dance costumes, sports equipment, lessons, fees, and other “necessary” stuff that “everybody else” has.
7)THE HABIT OF GOING-IT-ALONE. Even though faith is meant to be lived out in community, and even though the primary motivating force in kids’ lives is their relationships, devalue the importance of spending time on a regular basis with others in your church. Attend events or activities that are “required,” but never strive to be proactive in building common bonds with others in your church. Teach your kids that most other relationships come before church friendships. By doing all you can to keep your kids from experiencing the bonds of love in a Christian community, you help ensure that they can easily walk away without feeling like they are missing anything.
8)THE HABIT OF BEING AN EXAMPLE. If you want to encourage faith-apathy in your kids' lives, simply model it in your own life. Your teenager is no dummy. Kids are looking for things that are worth their time. Authentic, genuine, relevant relationships where people are growing in relationship with Jesus is appealing. So if you want to promote apathy about the Faith in your kids, don't let them see you excited about church. Rather, always approach church as “meaningless duty” and “insignificant ritual.” Because those things hold no attraction for kids.
Note: The “Eight Habits” were inspired by “Keys to Making Your Kids Apathetic About Faith” in an article by Scott Liscott, a “pastor in Maine since 1985.” His blog is called Drinking from the Same Dipper. I have reprinted part of his conclusion....
There are no guarantees that your children will follow Christ even if you have a vibrant, purposeful relationship with Him. But, on the other hand, if we, as parents do not do all we can to help our children develop meaningful relationships in Jesus, we miss a major opportunity to lead them and show them the path worth walking.
I want my kids to see that their dad follows Jesus with everything. “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met” (Matthew 6:33, The Message).
This habit, by the way, is particularly effective in producing faith-apathy if you apply it inconsistently. In other words, do not allow your child to do her own thing regarding curfew, attending sports practices, doing homework, or going to the dentist. Only allow your child to “do his own thing” regarding church activities.
2)THE HABIT OF EARNING-YOUR-OWN-WAY INTO HEAVEN. Teach your children that all “good people” go to heaven and that only “really, really bad people” will fall short of God's expectations. Teach them that God only frowns on “serious” sins. Teach them that “sin” is only about the “bad things you do” and that it has nothing to do with the attitude of your heart.
Closely related to this, it is very important to downplay God's “extravagance” and “radical hospitality” so your children never take their salvation for granted. And, at the same time, you should also downplay the radical nature of Christ's call to discipleship. Encourage your children to be good; but, at the same time, to keep religion in its proper place.
3)THE HABIT OF MIXED MESSAGES. This is really quite simple. Drive your children to Sunday school and pick them up after it's over. Teach them that “good kids” go to Sunday school, but that good parents skip worship more often than not.
This habit is reinforced when you make every effort to attend almost all of your child's school and sports events.
4) THE HABIT OF SPORTS ADDICTION. Tell your kids – through your actions if not your words – that nothing should ever get in the way of your favorite sports activity. Regardless of your personal passion – baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, or wrestling; deer hunting or walleye fishing; NASCAR racing, Vikings football, or whatever! The specific sport doesn't matter. Just make sure your kids understand that God doesn't always come first.
Practical ways to reinforce this habit:
(a) Drive 400 miles so your child can play hockey but refuse to take them to a church event because it doesn't fit your schedule.
(b) Make sure you convince your child to believe the coach who tells you that he/she won't play on varsity if he/she doesn’t play in the off-season. Shrug off any idea of spending more than a few hours a week on church activities or family devotions, but invest whole weekends and hundreds of dollars on sports.
5)THE HABIT OF IMBALANCE. Encourage your child to push everything else aside for academic gain. After all, even if they turn 21 and have no interest in their relationship with Christ, you will still be thrilled that they got an A in Trig, right? Instead of teaching them balance, teach them that all else comes second to academics.
6)THE HABIT OF AFFLUENCE. Teach your kid that the dollar is almighty. As a parent, tell yourself your teenager's job (or jobs) are teaching responsibility, even if, in reality, most of the earnings are just going to buy the “extras” your kid wants. Never, never encourage your child to put faith activities above the responsibility of holding a job. Never force young children to tithe their allowance or earnings. See Habit #1.
Reinforce this habit by sending a loud and clear message of what you really want to see them involved in and what you value most. You can do this by spending very little on faith-related activities and/or complaining about the church budget, while at the same time spending “whatever it takes” for designer jeans, dance costumes, sports equipment, lessons, fees, and other “necessary” stuff that “everybody else” has.
7)THE HABIT OF GOING-IT-ALONE. Even though faith is meant to be lived out in community, and even though the primary motivating force in kids’ lives is their relationships, devalue the importance of spending time on a regular basis with others in your church. Attend events or activities that are “required,” but never strive to be proactive in building common bonds with others in your church. Teach your kids that most other relationships come before church friendships. By doing all you can to keep your kids from experiencing the bonds of love in a Christian community, you help ensure that they can easily walk away without feeling like they are missing anything.
8)THE HABIT OF BEING AN EXAMPLE. If you want to encourage faith-apathy in your kids' lives, simply model it in your own life. Your teenager is no dummy. Kids are looking for things that are worth their time. Authentic, genuine, relevant relationships where people are growing in relationship with Jesus is appealing. So if you want to promote apathy about the Faith in your kids, don't let them see you excited about church. Rather, always approach church as “meaningless duty” and “insignificant ritual.” Because those things hold no attraction for kids.
Note: The “Eight Habits” were inspired by “Keys to Making Your Kids Apathetic About Faith” in an article by Scott Liscott, a “pastor in Maine since 1985.” His blog is called Drinking from the Same Dipper. I have reprinted part of his conclusion....
There are no guarantees that your children will follow Christ even if you have a vibrant, purposeful relationship with Him. But, on the other hand, if we, as parents do not do all we can to help our children develop meaningful relationships in Jesus, we miss a major opportunity to lead them and show them the path worth walking.
I want my kids to see that their dad follows Jesus with everything. “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met” (Matthew 6:33, The Message).
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Every day is a new life!
The other night, just before I went to bed, I felt “convicted” again by the Holy Spirit in so many ways. I felt convicted to praise God more and more in my praying. I felt convicted to spend time reflecting, to take inventory of my actions and lack of action, to confess my sins — not just Sunday mornings, but every day.
I felt convicted to give thanks more. I felt convicted to ask, to seek, to knock, to pray more often for myself and others and for our world so loved by God. And most of all, I was convicted of the reality of God’s amazing grace — convinced once again of what I have believed for as long as I can remember, “Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!”
Being “convicted” of something — in a criminal court, for example — is usually a bad thing. But, think about it, for a criminal who has never acknowledged that what she or he had been doing was wrong, hurtful, or harmful a "conviction" just might be a moment of grace. At its root, “to convict” means to refute. When my harmful, hurtful actions (or, my harmful LACK of action) is "refuted" I experience a positive moment of conviction. There are, of course, many stories of persons “convicted” of the wrong direction in their lives following their official “conviction."
In Christ, being convicted or “convinced” by the Spirit of God is always a moment of grace because the Judge — Jesus Christ — is our Savior. It seems like a paradox, doesn’t it? The “moment of conviction” for me was not a moment when I felt “convicted” in the sense of feeling guilty or worthless. Indeed, it was just the opposite. It was a moment of being born again again, a moment of grace, a moment of renewal. It was a moment when I remembered again, “Yes, every day is a new life!”
As I reflect on this moment of renewal today, I am thinking once again of the promise of baptism.
Sometimes I think I should read those good words from the liturgy every morning, if only to hear again and again — each day — the truth and reality of God’s eternal covenant of grace with us; and to be reminded of God’s promise "to send the Holy Spirit daily to renew and cleanse us...” Oh, my, what a promise!
Yes, every day is a new life!
I felt convicted to give thanks more. I felt convicted to ask, to seek, to knock, to pray more often for myself and others and for our world so loved by God. And most of all, I was convicted of the reality of God’s amazing grace — convinced once again of what I have believed for as long as I can remember, “Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!”
Being “convicted” of something — in a criminal court, for example — is usually a bad thing. But, think about it, for a criminal who has never acknowledged that what she or he had been doing was wrong, hurtful, or harmful a "conviction" just might be a moment of grace. At its root, “to convict” means to refute. When my harmful, hurtful actions (or, my harmful LACK of action) is "refuted" I experience a positive moment of conviction. There are, of course, many stories of persons “convicted” of the wrong direction in their lives following their official “conviction."
In Christ, being convicted or “convinced” by the Spirit of God is always a moment of grace because the Judge — Jesus Christ — is our Savior. It seems like a paradox, doesn’t it? The “moment of conviction” for me was not a moment when I felt “convicted” in the sense of feeling guilty or worthless. Indeed, it was just the opposite. It was a moment of being born again again, a moment of grace, a moment of renewal. It was a moment when I remembered again, “Yes, every day is a new life!”
As I reflect on this moment of renewal today, I am thinking once again of the promise of baptism.
In baptism God promises by grace alone: to forgive our sins; to adopt us into the Body of Christ, the Church; to send the Holy Spirit daily to renew and cleanse us; and to resurrect us to eternal life...
Through baptism Christ calls us to new obedience: to love and trust God completely; to forsake the evil of the world; and to live a new and holy life.
Yet, when we fall into sin, we must not despair of God’s mercy, nor continue in sin, for baptism is the sign and seal of God’s eternal covenant of grace with us.
Sometimes I think I should read those good words from the liturgy every morning, if only to hear again and again — each day — the truth and reality of God’s eternal covenant of grace with us; and to be reminded of God’s promise "to send the Holy Spirit daily to renew and cleanse us...” Oh, my, what a promise!
Yes, every day is a new life!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The Place of Prayer in Memorial Day
Since 1950, by order of a joint resolution of Congress, the President has issued a proclamation calling on the people of the U.S. to observe Memorial Day as "a day of prayer for permanent peace" and calling on the people of our nation to unite in prayer. Prayer, of course, presumes humility and penitence. It seems to me, there is no room in sincere prayer for pride, self-congratulations, or triumphalism.
When a newspaper asked for essays on the theme "What's Wrong with the World?" the prolific writer G. K. Chesterton wrote the following response, "Dear Sirs, I am. Sincerely yours, G. K. Chesterton."
Yet today it seems that most of our leaders--political, corporate, and even some spiritual--would have us believe that "what's wrong" is almost always someone else or "them." Of course, it's not just our "leaders"--we all tend to do it, don't we?
Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." A song-prayer from the 60s says, "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me." For all talk about peace, I hear very little "Let it begin with me." For all the sharp and self-righteous rhetoric about personal responsibility, I hear very little "Let it begin with me." For all my own preaching and teaching about prayer, I sometimes forget the refrain, "Let it begin with me."
So once again, this gentle reminder: What are we called to do on Memorial Day? To pray for peace.
Independence Day--it seems to me--ought to be the holiday for "busting our buttons" in pride and thanksgiving for our nation, for rejoicing and big fireworks displays. But Memorial Day ought to be more solemn and reflective. It is the holiday to remember the sacrifice of those who have given their lives. We honor them and honor their service by turning our hearts to God in prayer, especially heartfelt prayers for peace.
In 1906, Chesterton wrote the following hymn--it amazes me to think this was written over 100 years ago for the words ring so true today. May this hymn be our prayer for peace on Memorial Day 2010. More than anything, the humble prayer of a penitent heart is a tribute to the memory of true heroes.
O God of earth and altar, bow down and hear our cry;
our earthly rulers falter, our people drift and die;
the walls of gold entomb us, the swords of scorn divide;
take not thy thunder from us, but take away our pride.
From all that terror teaches, from lies of pen and tongue;
from all the easy speeches that satisfy the throng;
from sale and profanation of honor and the sword;
from sleep and from damnation, deliver us, good Lord.
Tie in a living tether the prince and priest and thrall;
bind all our lives together, smite us and save us all;
in ire and exultation aflame with faith, and free;
lift up a living nation, a single sword to thee.
When a newspaper asked for essays on the theme "What's Wrong with the World?" the prolific writer G. K. Chesterton wrote the following response, "Dear Sirs, I am. Sincerely yours, G. K. Chesterton."
Yet today it seems that most of our leaders--political, corporate, and even some spiritual--would have us believe that "what's wrong" is almost always someone else or "them." Of course, it's not just our "leaders"--we all tend to do it, don't we?
Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." A song-prayer from the 60s says, "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me." For all talk about peace, I hear very little "Let it begin with me." For all the sharp and self-righteous rhetoric about personal responsibility, I hear very little "Let it begin with me." For all my own preaching and teaching about prayer, I sometimes forget the refrain, "Let it begin with me."
So once again, this gentle reminder: What are we called to do on Memorial Day? To pray for peace.
Independence Day--it seems to me--ought to be the holiday for "busting our buttons" in pride and thanksgiving for our nation, for rejoicing and big fireworks displays. But Memorial Day ought to be more solemn and reflective. It is the holiday to remember the sacrifice of those who have given their lives. We honor them and honor their service by turning our hearts to God in prayer, especially heartfelt prayers for peace.
In 1906, Chesterton wrote the following hymn--it amazes me to think this was written over 100 years ago for the words ring so true today. May this hymn be our prayer for peace on Memorial Day 2010. More than anything, the humble prayer of a penitent heart is a tribute to the memory of true heroes.
O God of earth and altar, bow down and hear our cry;
our earthly rulers falter, our people drift and die;
the walls of gold entomb us, the swords of scorn divide;
take not thy thunder from us, but take away our pride.
From all that terror teaches, from lies of pen and tongue;
from all the easy speeches that satisfy the throng;
from sale and profanation of honor and the sword;
from sleep and from damnation, deliver us, good Lord.
Tie in a living tether the prince and priest and thrall;
bind all our lives together, smite us and save us all;
in ire and exultation aflame with faith, and free;
lift up a living nation, a single sword to thee.
Presidential Proclamation: Memorial Day
May 28th, 2010
Since our Nation’s founding, America’s sons and daughters have given their lives in service to our country. From Concord and Gettysburg to Marne and Normandy, from Inchon and Khe Sanh to Baghdad and Kandahar, they departed our world as heroes and gave their lives for a cause greater than themselves.
On Memorial Day, we pay tribute to those who have paid the ultimate price to defend the United States and the principles upon which America was founded. In honor of our country’s fallen, I encourage all Americans to unite at 3:00 p.m. local time to observe a National Moment of Remembrance.
Today, Americans from all backgrounds and corners of our country serve with valor, courage, and distinction in the United States Armed Forces. They stand shoulder to shoulder with the giants of our Nation’s history, writing their own chapter in the American story. Many of today’s warriors know what it means to lose a friend too soon, and all our service members and their families understand the true meaning of sacrifice.
This Memorial Day, we express our deepest appreciation to the men and women in uniform who gave their last full measure of devotion so we might live in freedom. We cherish their memory and pray for the peace for which they laid down their lives. We mourn with the families and friends of those we have lost, and hope they find comfort in knowing their loved ones died with honor. We ask for God’s grace to protect those fighting in distant lands, and we renew our promise to support our troops, their families, and our veterans. Their unwavering devotion inspires us all — they are the best of America.
It is our sacred duty to preserve the legacy of these brave Americans, and it remains our charge to work for peace, freedom, and security. Let us always strive to uphold the founding principles they died defending; let their legacy continue to inspire our Nation; and let this solemn lesson of service and sacrifice be taught to future generations of Americans.
In honor of their dedication and service to America, the Congress, by a Joint Resolution, approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 31, 2010, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer. I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.
I request the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control. I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
Thursday, May 6, 2010
The Pink Rose
The sermon, “The Pink Rose,” was originally preached by Jeanne Stevenson Moessner at a Service for Wholeness in Birmingham, Alabama, May, 1997. The service was jointly sponsored by Edgewood Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) and Resolve, a national network of support for women and men dealing with infertility and loss. The sermon was later published in the Easter 1998 edition of Journal for Preachers. Rev. Dr. Stevenson Moessner taught courses in pastoral care at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary for a number of years. She is a friend, mentor, and colleague… and I am grateful for her gifts! Last year our church's worship service on Mother's Day was fashioned around the thematic of "The Pink Rose" and, with Jeanne's permission, I preached an adaptation of her original sermon.
The Pink Rose:
An adaptation of a sermon by Jeanne Stevenson Moessner
MOTHER’S DAY 2009
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
LAKE CRYSTAL, MINNESOTA
Next to Jeanne’s childhood home there stood a stone archway. Red roses grew there. They always seemed to appear there just before Mother’s Day. Like a May ritual, her father would cut a handful of the wild red roses, and she and her brothers would wear them to church on Mother’s Day—the red roses a sign that their mother was living. Remarkable, in retrospect, was that Jeanne’s father and mother also wore red roses for so many years. Her grandmothers lived into their nineties.
It is in honor of all the mothers who are living that I place this red rose in the vase.
In the South, where Jeanne was raised, it is a custom on Mother’s Day to wear a red rose if your mother is still living.
And it is in honor of all the mothers who are no longer among us that I place a white rose in the vase.
For, again, in the South, it is customary to wear a white rose on Mother’s Day for the mothers who have died and “passed over.”
Yet, there are other losses to be remembered. Mother’s Day can be especially painful for women and men who wanted to become parents and could not. Sing, O Barren One written by Mary Calloway traces the theme of barren women in the Old and New Testaments. These were all women who wanted to have children and could not. You may recall them.
Sarah in Genesis 11; Rebecca in Genesis 25; Rachel in Genesis 30; Leah in Genesis 29; the wife of Manoah in Judges 13; Hannah in First Samuel, Elizabeth in the Gospel according to Luke; and Zion in Isaiah 54: “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in travail!” This last passage is the one from which the book took its title, Sing, O Barren One. The biblical material focuses on barren women rather than barren men. The barrenness motif or theme functioned to show that the gift of life came from God alone. Barrenness was seen as a curse and humiliation. Fruitfulness was seen as a reward for obedience.
In each of the biblical examples of the barren women, a son was given. Sarah bore Isaac; Rebecca gave birth to Jacob and Esau; Rachel to Joseph and Benjamin; and Leah bore Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, and six others. The wife of Manoah gave birth to Samson; Hannah to Samuel; Zion to the sons of Jerusalem; and Elizabeth to John the Baptist. In each of the cases of barrenness, there is a fruitfulness—the gift of life.
But where does a woman who has not been given this gift of life in children connect on Mother’s Day? Where do the modern-day barren women connect with scripture? The only barren women in scripture other than priestesses are Tamar in Second Samuel and Jepthah’s daughter in Judges 11. Tamar was raped by her brother and lived the rest of her life “a desolate woman.” Jepthah’s daughter, a virgin, was killed by her father as a result of his foolish vow. These are the childless women of scripture. Not a lot of comfort there.
If the red rose represents living mothers, and the white rose mothers who have died, what symbol do we have on Mother’s Day for the women who never bore, for the women still dealing with infertility, for the women waiting for a child to be placed through adoption, for the women whose dreams to get married and raise a family did not materialize? What symbol do we have for mothers who have lost children through miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, accident, injury, or illness?
Jeanne Stevenson Moessner tells the story of attending a women’s luncheon where she talked with a woman, a woman she had never met. Within ten minutes, the woman told Jeanne she had lost a daughter nine years earlier…
She was killed in an automobile accident by a young man who crossed the median and hit her car. He was on drugs. Her life, just on the threshold of adulthood and great promise, ended.
There is always a vase of roses on the altar of her hometown church on the Sunday in May nearest the date of her death. That’s often on Mother’s Day. Each year, her parents have added one more rose.
It is for her mother and others like her that I add to the vase the pink rose.
For all the mothers—and for those who want to be mothers—the pink rose.
For those who are foster mothers, and stepmothers, the pink rose.
For birth mothers who placed their children for adoption. And adoptive mothers who received the gift of life through this placement. For those of you facing empty nests at home; for those dealing with children who are emotionally lost to you; for those whose mothers were emotionally disconnected… the pink rose.
On Mother’s Day, the pink rose can also symbolize the “mothers of the church,” a term used in the African-American tradition for the women who hold the church together through nurturing, caring, mentoring. I remember when, as a seminary student, I preached at my home church in Orange City, my mother and my grandmother in the congregation. I remember looking into the eyes of women who had taught me, encouraged me, called me on the carpet. And I remember, now, the strong women of faith who taught me in seminary: Jeanne, who wrote the original version of this sermon (and, for that matter, effectively wrote most of this adaptation); Elizabeth, who introduced me to Hebrew and new understandings of the Old Testament; Marsha, who taught me to preach; and other women—now colleagues—who encouraged me to express compassion, to be myself, and to be honest with myself. I think, too, of the strong women of faith in our own congregation…
For women who are spiritual models and mentors, I place the pink rose in the vase.
Such a wide variety of experiences! What do we do with all of these experiences and feelings on Mother’s Day? May I suggest that we bring our flowers—red, white, pink—to the altar of a God who carries, feeds, protects, heals, guides, disciplines, comforts, washes, and clothes us as children.
Many biblical passages portray God as doing these for us.
Giving birth…
Listen to Me…
You who have been borne by Me from birth
And have been carried from the womb…. (Isa. 46:3-4)
Comforting…
As a child who is comforted by its mother,
so I will comfort you. (Isa. 66:13)
Washing…
I will pour clean water over you and scrub you clean.
I'll give you a new heart
and put a new spirit in you. (Ezekiel 36:25)
Healing…
Look, look, God has moved into the neighborhood. God will wipe every tear…. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more. (Rev. 21:4)
Suffering and long-suffering… caring for difficult children…
The more I called them,
the more they went from me;
Yet it was I who taught these children to walk,
I took them up in my arms;
but they did not know that I healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
with bands of love.
I was to them like those
who lift infants to their cheeks.
I bent down to them and fed them. (Hosea 11:1-4)
How can we re-image God so that we can connect in ways that our more genuine to our experience? In ways which ring true?
“After my surgery,” said a woman dealing with breast cancer, “I could not image God as a male. I (needed) to image God as Mother Hen. (Because) it is only God as mother hen who would know what it is like to lose a wing.”
She was referring, of course, to the scripture passages in the gospels of Matthew and Luke in which Jesus spoke of his desire to gather the children of Jerusalem as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. In a similar way, parents who have lost a child, most often want and need visits from those who have experienced the same. And they need a God who knows what it was like to lose a child.
We can also re-image God as adoptive parent. God is often imaged as birth parent, the One who creates us and even gives us a “second birth”—most familiar is John 3:16. But there are actually more passages in the New Testament that speak of our adoption into the family of faith through Jesus Christ as Firstborn. The book of Ephesians in particular presents God as adoptive parent. God has destined us for adoption as children with an inheritance. God also knows the empty pain of childlessness when someone rejects the gracious invitation to come into the adoptive family.
Various theologians write about the woundedness of God, the vulnerability of God to pain. God lost a son at the place of crucifixion.
The roses mean something different to each of us, based on our experiences. The pink rose, in particular, carries a meaning unique to each of our own experiences.
So in a way, the pink rose is for all us. It would take an all-knowing, all-seeing, vulnerable, and loving God to fully understand the pink rose signifies to each one of us.
And that’s exactly what Psalm 139 says… Our God is a God who formed our inward parts, knit us together in our mother’s womb, and saw our unformed substance. It is from such a God that healing will one day come, a healing that extends beyond childhood, before birth, to the very womb. This healing is to be found somehow in the very womb of God.
Yes, it is an all-knowing, all-seeing, vulnerable, and loving God who is sufficient to embrace what we bring today—the red roses, the white roses, the pink roses—especially the pink roses. This rich and varied bouquet of very real human experiences is an our offering of our inmost selves to God— May this bouquet be held close to the very heart of God.
Amen.
“The Pink Rose”
The Pink Rose:
An adaptation of a sermon by Jeanne Stevenson Moessner
MOTHER’S DAY 2009
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
LAKE CRYSTAL, MINNESOTA
Next to Jeanne’s childhood home there stood a stone archway. Red roses grew there. They always seemed to appear there just before Mother’s Day. Like a May ritual, her father would cut a handful of the wild red roses, and she and her brothers would wear them to church on Mother’s Day—the red roses a sign that their mother was living. Remarkable, in retrospect, was that Jeanne’s father and mother also wore red roses for so many years. Her grandmothers lived into their nineties.
It is in honor of all the mothers who are living that I place this red rose in the vase.
In the South, where Jeanne was raised, it is a custom on Mother’s Day to wear a red rose if your mother is still living.
And it is in honor of all the mothers who are no longer among us that I place a white rose in the vase.
For, again, in the South, it is customary to wear a white rose on Mother’s Day for the mothers who have died and “passed over.”
Yet, there are other losses to be remembered. Mother’s Day can be especially painful for women and men who wanted to become parents and could not. Sing, O Barren One written by Mary Calloway traces the theme of barren women in the Old and New Testaments. These were all women who wanted to have children and could not. You may recall them.
Sarah in Genesis 11; Rebecca in Genesis 25; Rachel in Genesis 30; Leah in Genesis 29; the wife of Manoah in Judges 13; Hannah in First Samuel, Elizabeth in the Gospel according to Luke; and Zion in Isaiah 54: “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in travail!” This last passage is the one from which the book took its title, Sing, O Barren One. The biblical material focuses on barren women rather than barren men. The barrenness motif or theme functioned to show that the gift of life came from God alone. Barrenness was seen as a curse and humiliation. Fruitfulness was seen as a reward for obedience.
In each of the biblical examples of the barren women, a son was given. Sarah bore Isaac; Rebecca gave birth to Jacob and Esau; Rachel to Joseph and Benjamin; and Leah bore Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, and six others. The wife of Manoah gave birth to Samson; Hannah to Samuel; Zion to the sons of Jerusalem; and Elizabeth to John the Baptist. In each of the cases of barrenness, there is a fruitfulness—the gift of life.
But where does a woman who has not been given this gift of life in children connect on Mother’s Day? Where do the modern-day barren women connect with scripture? The only barren women in scripture other than priestesses are Tamar in Second Samuel and Jepthah’s daughter in Judges 11. Tamar was raped by her brother and lived the rest of her life “a desolate woman.” Jepthah’s daughter, a virgin, was killed by her father as a result of his foolish vow. These are the childless women of scripture. Not a lot of comfort there.
If the red rose represents living mothers, and the white rose mothers who have died, what symbol do we have on Mother’s Day for the women who never bore, for the women still dealing with infertility, for the women waiting for a child to be placed through adoption, for the women whose dreams to get married and raise a family did not materialize? What symbol do we have for mothers who have lost children through miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, accident, injury, or illness?
Jeanne Stevenson Moessner tells the story of attending a women’s luncheon where she talked with a woman, a woman she had never met. Within ten minutes, the woman told Jeanne she had lost a daughter nine years earlier…
She was killed in an automobile accident by a young man who crossed the median and hit her car. He was on drugs. Her life, just on the threshold of adulthood and great promise, ended.
There is always a vase of roses on the altar of her hometown church on the Sunday in May nearest the date of her death. That’s often on Mother’s Day. Each year, her parents have added one more rose.
It is for her mother and others like her that I add to the vase the pink rose.
For all the mothers—and for those who want to be mothers—the pink rose.
For those who are foster mothers, and stepmothers, the pink rose.
For birth mothers who placed their children for adoption. And adoptive mothers who received the gift of life through this placement. For those of you facing empty nests at home; for those dealing with children who are emotionally lost to you; for those whose mothers were emotionally disconnected… the pink rose.
On Mother’s Day, the pink rose can also symbolize the “mothers of the church,” a term used in the African-American tradition for the women who hold the church together through nurturing, caring, mentoring. I remember when, as a seminary student, I preached at my home church in Orange City, my mother and my grandmother in the congregation. I remember looking into the eyes of women who had taught me, encouraged me, called me on the carpet. And I remember, now, the strong women of faith who taught me in seminary: Jeanne, who wrote the original version of this sermon (and, for that matter, effectively wrote most of this adaptation); Elizabeth, who introduced me to Hebrew and new understandings of the Old Testament; Marsha, who taught me to preach; and other women—now colleagues—who encouraged me to express compassion, to be myself, and to be honest with myself. I think, too, of the strong women of faith in our own congregation…
For women who are spiritual models and mentors, I place the pink rose in the vase.
Such a wide variety of experiences! What do we do with all of these experiences and feelings on Mother’s Day? May I suggest that we bring our flowers—red, white, pink—to the altar of a God who carries, feeds, protects, heals, guides, disciplines, comforts, washes, and clothes us as children.
Many biblical passages portray God as doing these for us.
Giving birth…
Listen to Me…
You who have been borne by Me from birth
And have been carried from the womb…. (Isa. 46:3-4)
Comforting…
As a child who is comforted by its mother,
so I will comfort you. (Isa. 66:13)
Washing…
I will pour clean water over you and scrub you clean.
I'll give you a new heart
and put a new spirit in you. (Ezekiel 36:25)
Healing…
Look, look, God has moved into the neighborhood. God will wipe every tear…. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more. (Rev. 21:4)
Suffering and long-suffering… caring for difficult children…
The more I called them,
the more they went from me;
Yet it was I who taught these children to walk,
I took them up in my arms;
but they did not know that I healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
with bands of love.
I was to them like those
who lift infants to their cheeks.
I bent down to them and fed them. (Hosea 11:1-4)
How can we re-image God so that we can connect in ways that our more genuine to our experience? In ways which ring true?
“After my surgery,” said a woman dealing with breast cancer, “I could not image God as a male. I (needed) to image God as Mother Hen. (Because) it is only God as mother hen who would know what it is like to lose a wing.”
She was referring, of course, to the scripture passages in the gospels of Matthew and Luke in which Jesus spoke of his desire to gather the children of Jerusalem as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. In a similar way, parents who have lost a child, most often want and need visits from those who have experienced the same. And they need a God who knows what it was like to lose a child.
We can also re-image God as adoptive parent. God is often imaged as birth parent, the One who creates us and even gives us a “second birth”—most familiar is John 3:16. But there are actually more passages in the New Testament that speak of our adoption into the family of faith through Jesus Christ as Firstborn. The book of Ephesians in particular presents God as adoptive parent. God has destined us for adoption as children with an inheritance. God also knows the empty pain of childlessness when someone rejects the gracious invitation to come into the adoptive family.
Various theologians write about the woundedness of God, the vulnerability of God to pain. God lost a son at the place of crucifixion.
The roses mean something different to each of us, based on our experiences. The pink rose, in particular, carries a meaning unique to each of our own experiences.
So in a way, the pink rose is for all us. It would take an all-knowing, all-seeing, vulnerable, and loving God to fully understand the pink rose signifies to each one of us.
And that’s exactly what Psalm 139 says… Our God is a God who formed our inward parts, knit us together in our mother’s womb, and saw our unformed substance. It is from such a God that healing will one day come, a healing that extends beyond childhood, before birth, to the very womb. This healing is to be found somehow in the very womb of God.
Yes, it is an all-knowing, all-seeing, vulnerable, and loving God who is sufficient to embrace what we bring today—the red roses, the white roses, the pink roses—especially the pink roses. This rich and varied bouquet of very real human experiences is an our offering of our inmost selves to God— May this bouquet be held close to the very heart of God.
Amen.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
May 2010 Church Newsletter Preview
CUTE, CUDDLY CHRISTIANITY
There has never been a shortage of inspirational stories and sayings—at least not in any of our lifetimes. With the advent of the internet, the words of advice are now only a mouse-click away, for almost all of us have friends who click “forward” on their e-mail and send them to us, and other friends who post these “good words” on their facebook statuses.
Just one problem. Based on my own experience, most (yes, most) of the stories Christians e-mail to other Christians are either untrue or embellished to the point of misrepresentation. And many—perhaps most—of the sayings or adages are more false than true. And the “moral of the story” is oftentimes almost completely opposite to the radical gospel of Jesus. They are all very nice, very sweet. But often they are just plain wrong!
Here’s one example, a posting from facebook:
God Knows Best, that's why He says NO!
At first glance, this seems true enough, right? Or at least harmless enough, don’t you think? But think about what it says and implies, based on what we believe about prayer. What does this adage say about prayer? In what ways might the saying imply that prayer is mostly “asking for stuff for ourselves” instead of “the most important way we say thank you to God” as taught by the Heidelberg Catechism? If you pray, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,” does God ever say no?
How would you respond to this facebook posting? Would you just click “like” and forget about it?
Think for a moment…
Hypothetically, do you think your friend be offended if you challenged the adage? Would it be best to just ignore it? Is it best to just let it go?
I wonder…
And I’d be curious to know what you think about it, too…
Sometimes I just let it go. There’s not enough time to write about everything, after all. But sometimes, especially with a close friend, I will formulate my thoughts and take the risk of trying to do as the Bible teaches, “to speak the truth in love.”
I’d be curious to know how you would respond.
But anyway, for what it’s worth, here’s how I answered:
CUTE AND CUDDLY CHRISTIANITY: ADDENDUM
There is no shortage of “cute and cuddly” quotes and stories. There is a time and a place for them. But “cute and cuddly” is not an accurate portrayal of the “tragedy, comedy, and fairy tale” (Frederick Buechner) of the Good News. God did not send his Son into the world to bring us a cute and cuddly religion. The crucified One is Lord. Our faith and hope and transformation is shaped by the cross. There is nothing cute and cuddly about the cross.
Jesus died—not to bring comfort to people who are already “pretty-darned-good” and who are already quite comfortable—but to save sinners. We are all poor and needy; we are all shipwrecked and in desperate straits. God did not send Jesus to condemn this hurting and broken world, but that the world through him might be saved.
A POSTSCRIPT: “IN SEARCH OF… HAPPINESS”
Poets agree, happiness cannot be bought, neither can it be sought after. Happiness comes in the midst of not seeking after it, arrives in the midst of mopping a floor, shows up uninvited while emptying the in-basket. The deepest happiness always comes as a surprise party. "Seek God, not happiness--this is the fundamental rule of all meditation" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).
Happiness surprises. Joy surprises. Grace surprises; the Spirit surprises! Poet Edward Hirsch says, "The stars surprise the sky." I like that. I like surprises.
A POEM (BY WENDELL BERRY): “WHY”
Glad to be on the journey with you…
Pastor Randy
There has never been a shortage of inspirational stories and sayings—at least not in any of our lifetimes. With the advent of the internet, the words of advice are now only a mouse-click away, for almost all of us have friends who click “forward” on their e-mail and send them to us, and other friends who post these “good words” on their facebook statuses.
Just one problem. Based on my own experience, most (yes, most) of the stories Christians e-mail to other Christians are either untrue or embellished to the point of misrepresentation. And many—perhaps most—of the sayings or adages are more false than true. And the “moral of the story” is oftentimes almost completely opposite to the radical gospel of Jesus. They are all very nice, very sweet. But often they are just plain wrong!
Here’s one example, a posting from facebook:
God Knows Best, that's why He says NO!
At first glance, this seems true enough, right? Or at least harmless enough, don’t you think? But think about what it says and implies, based on what we believe about prayer. What does this adage say about prayer? In what ways might the saying imply that prayer is mostly “asking for stuff for ourselves” instead of “the most important way we say thank you to God” as taught by the Heidelberg Catechism? If you pray, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,” does God ever say no?
How would you respond to this facebook posting? Would you just click “like” and forget about it?
Think for a moment…
Hypothetically, do you think your friend be offended if you challenged the adage? Would it be best to just ignore it? Is it best to just let it go?
I wonder…
And I’d be curious to know what you think about it, too…
Sometimes I just let it go. There’s not enough time to write about everything, after all. But sometimes, especially with a close friend, I will formulate my thoughts and take the risk of trying to do as the Bible teaches, “to speak the truth in love.”
I’d be curious to know how you would respond.
But anyway, for what it’s worth, here’s how I answered:
RE: “God Knows Best, that's why He says NO!”
I understand the sentiment, I think, but I don't think we should be teaching that sentiment to our children. Seems to me there's very, very little in the Bible about God saying no. And lots and lots about yes.
Just a few quotes from Jesus on this subject... "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John 14:14); "Ask and it will be given to you... (Matthew 7:7); "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you" (John 15:7).
In my own family's life, we might very well ask, Did God say no to our prayers for healing? What do you think?
As we explained to our kids about a year ago, God said yes and yes and yes. Carolyn's many surgeries and four years of chemo and numerous "little miracles" were all YES answers to prayer. Even in dying there was healing and wholeness. And through the grieving process and in our "new normal" God continues to heal us. God says yes!
Finally, and just as important in our understanding of God, I do not believe God looks down on all the families of the world (all of them praying for protection and good health) and says, "Hmmm, Father Knows Best so I think I'll give this family an adventure with cancer. Like green veggies, they won't like it but it will be good for them! Ha-ha!" No, that is not how God works in the world. Whenever the Bible talks about God's Mighty Acts, the actions are acts of salvation in the fullest sense of that word. Cancer is part of the broken and hurting world in which we live—it is not something “given” by God.
The world is filled with mystery and ambiguity, with unanswered and unanswerable questions. God is far beyond our understanding and yet fully revealed in the face of Jesus, the Lamb, on the cross. And yet ambiguity is okay because Jesus has promised, "I will be with you always...." Mystery is okay because Jesus has promised, “No one can snatch them out of my hands.” God is beyond our understanding. Yet God is Emmanuel—God with us. And that, my friend, is God’s grand and glorious Yes!
CUTE AND CUDDLY CHRISTIANITY: ADDENDUM
There is no shortage of “cute and cuddly” quotes and stories. There is a time and a place for them. But “cute and cuddly” is not an accurate portrayal of the “tragedy, comedy, and fairy tale” (Frederick Buechner) of the Good News. God did not send his Son into the world to bring us a cute and cuddly religion. The crucified One is Lord. Our faith and hope and transformation is shaped by the cross. There is nothing cute and cuddly about the cross.
Jesus died—not to bring comfort to people who are already “pretty-darned-good” and who are already quite comfortable—but to save sinners. We are all poor and needy; we are all shipwrecked and in desperate straits. God did not send Jesus to condemn this hurting and broken world, but that the world through him might be saved.
A POSTSCRIPT: “IN SEARCH OF… HAPPINESS”
Poets agree, happiness cannot be bought, neither can it be sought after. Happiness comes in the midst of not seeking after it, arrives in the midst of mopping a floor, shows up uninvited while emptying the in-basket. The deepest happiness always comes as a surprise party. "Seek God, not happiness--this is the fundamental rule of all meditation" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).
Happiness surprises. Joy surprises. Grace surprises; the Spirit surprises! Poet Edward Hirsch says, "The stars surprise the sky." I like that. I like surprises.
A POEM (BY WENDELL BERRY): “WHY”
Why all the embarrassment
about being happy?
Sometimes I’m as happy
as a sleeping dog,
and for the same reasons,
and for others.
Glad to be on the journey with you…
Pastor Randy
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