Tag: LUTHERAN

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LUKE 15

Having been reared in the Lutheran Church, 1st cousin to the Catholic Church, the faith walk of President Joe and Dr. Jill as devout Catholics has greatly enhanced my trust in and respect for them as the First Family. You might ask, “Larry, why is that?”

The disappointing performance of their predecessors who tied their star to the Evangelical movement has brought down upon believers and non-believers alike a distrust of anything which reeks of religion. Of all major faiths, the Catholic Church has suffered tremendous harm over the past years for numerous reasons, most onerous of which has been sexual abuse.

Not to excuse this travesty, but to reflect upon and uphold the life-changing endeavors of many who have walked in the shoes of Jesus, St. Francis, Pope Francis, etc., it becomes necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff. It is easy (and human) to fall into judgement of the Church, Lutheran or Catholic, while disregarding the great treasures bestowed upon society in terms of art, music, writing, and philosophy. Social justice is today the centerpiece of both faiths, the driving force in commendable ministries, personal and congregational.

Before charging all believers as pharisaical or, as I have often been labeled, a follower of an ‘imaginary’ friend, we should evaluate the path taken and the life lived as a believer. The Bible speaks of the fruits of faith. What are the fruits of the Spirit?

CHARITY, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, LONG-SUFFERING, GENTLENESS, FAITH, MODESTY, SELF-CONTROL, CHASTITY

GALATIANS: 5:22-23

It’s not difficult to determine, when viewing our national leaders, where they have been and what fruits they have produced. An apple tree does not produce lemons, a grape vine does not produce poisonous fruit. What lies in the wake of one’s earthly journey speaks volumes of his/her inner life. Mine was tumultuous and tortured. My moral compass was surrendered to a life of addiction. My North Star sat next to me on a bar stool.

That’s why I am forever grateful to my parents for dragging me to the local Lutheran Church, to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School when I was a child. Although my story became that of the Prodigal written in the Book of Luke, chapter 15, my recovery and subsequent renewal of conscience were directly the work of a loving God, the commitment of people living sober lives and, of course the dedication of parents trying to raise a decent young man.

That’s why I trust President Joe and Dr. Jill. I know personally the moral compass which they profess and the North Star which they follow.


“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. For this, my son, was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to be merry” LUKE 15: 20-22, 24

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The INNOCENTS

Just another traveler on life’s highway hanging out in the slow lane.  It’s quiet.  It’s peaceful.  Beyond the horizon is rest calling my name.  Green pastures, still waters, my cup overflows.

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After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.  “Get up!  Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother.  Stay there until I tell you to return because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”  Matthew 3:13

Wow! So much for the peace and joy proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds.  We have just been introduced to a messiah, Counselor, Comforter, Prince of Peace, and then a few days later the angel says, “Run, run, run, Joseph and Mary.  Grab the baby and get out of town.”

Should we totally discount the story of Jesus?  In chapter 2, He has come to save us and then in chapter 3 the entire family is running to Egypt to save themselves.  Herod conducts his murderous rampage on the babies in Bethlehem under 2 years of age.  With no historical confirmation of this event and few details from the Scriptures, we could easily pack the Herod account away as mere myth and throw out the Jesus story too.  But then the unchanging realities of this world would be denied and we will continue to live in darkness.  Jesus was born into a world of violence, inequity, abuse, war, mean-spiritedness.

That child of peace and joy did not stay in the manger forever.  He gathered a motley assembly of like-minded men and women who called themselves ‘the Way’.  Not confined to 1st century Palestine, they survived murder and torture over the following centuries so that today we can accept through faith and hope that He was born to save us from spiritual death.  That’s the Good News proclaimed to the shepherds on the hillside outside Bethlehem, the Good News proclaimed by Jesus and his followers.  That’s the Good News that drives searchers like you and I to put one foot in front of the other on this path we travel.

But, does He save us from a chaotic world of violence and hatred?  I would be misleading myself if I thought, as his countrymen did, that the world around me will change just because he appeared on the scene of my life.  They wanted a savior to lead them out of Roman occupation and theological oppression.  They wanted a 1st century solution to their lives of pain and hardships.  But, that did not happen.

That is where I rested my atheism, my agnosticism, and my doubt for so many years of my life.  I did not see the world moving toward any semblance of peace and joy and I blamed a weak Jesus for the world’s problems.  “Why would God allow the hatred, the child abuse, the murderous rampages of modern-day Herods, the deaths of innocents?”

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

Therein is truth, an answer to my questions.  God’s promise to us, through his Son, is not that He will descend upon the world’s wickedness and clean house.  No, the scriptures, I believe, are saying that when we invite him into our inner sanctum, then we will see the world differently, with an indefatigable joy and peace.  Quite possibly you and I,  and millions like us with faith and hope and love can be the lights in the darkness.  Just a thought, but I like it.  I want to shine with the light of life instead of living in the darkness. AMEN?

(The Lutheran Church celebrates today the “Feast of the Innocents and Martyrs.  Thanks to the writers of the link below for a wealth of inspiration for this post.)

SHARED LUTHERAN MINISTRY

Lord, today we remember the innocents, those who are victims of the world’s darkness and hatred.  Especially the children, whom you gave to us to protect and nurture, need your caring arms in countries at war, living in the decadence of sex trade, traveling across many miles to fulfil dreams of freedom and prosperity in another land, facing the hostility assigned today to the label of ‘immigrant’.  Those innocents are your children.  Remind us of your words telling us about our duty to protect them.  AMEN

CANDLE

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bends, turns & detours

As with any journey, the destination is not always what we imagined it should be and quickly we discover that there are bends, turns, and detours to negotiate.  Such is the quest for sanity and serenity in sobriety.  When I had accomplished what seemed impossible, one year of continuous sobriety, I thought, “Aha, this is it, I have arrived.”

Yes, in a way, I did arrive.  But, I soon realized I had just touched the surface of what sober living entailed.  Thirty-six years later, I have yet to arrive.  The drinking is no longer the problem.  It’s actually easy now.  Don’t drink and I won’t get drunk; one is too many and ten is not enough; I won’t drink even if my ass falls off.  No, it’s not the alcohol anymore, it’s me and all the baggage stowed away in my head which continues to need an inventory and cleaning.  I suppose all of us are like that and the main difference is that we recovering alcoholics are fortunate enough to have a program geared specifically for us in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Perhaps the most difficult clean-out of the brain is releasing the religious indoctrination of our early years.  Today, as an old man approaching the septuagenarian decade of life, I no longer judge harshly the experiences of a childhood overwhelmed with a theology of condemnation and hell-fire although those experiences were definite contributors to my addiction.  I don’t harbor anger and resentment over injustices done in the name of a vengeful God.

But, I also do not forget.  The quest I am on leads into new and exciting ventures in the realms of spirituality, it leads into exploration of varying faith communities, it leads into appreciation for the ancient religions established long before the advent of Christianity.  And I do this comfortably because my mainstays are  love, compassion, peace, and nonviolence.  If, in the scriptures and writings which I encounter, those four companions of universal Oneness and solidarity don’t jump off the page and fill my brain with a sense of completeness, then I must move on.  I trust that inner spirit today.  Where it leads, I will follow.

And so, I try to walk the path of Buddha, worship corporately with Lutherans, and fellowship with sober people.  It’s a fine mix of all the best things in life when I maintain priorities and always remember that my name is Larry and I am an alcoholic.

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PEACE OF THE LORD

“The peace of the Lord be with you.”

“And also with you.”

I love this part of our worship experience in my Lutheran tradition.  The pastor announces the sharing of the peace and then we, the congregants, spread throughout the sanctuary hugging, shaking hands and repeating these words to our fellow worshippers.  These few moments in the service define the essence of the Christian fellowship.

When we accept and cherish the peace which is freely available from our Lord, it is expected that we shall also freely share that peace and love with our fellow-man.  It is not a gift from the Father which we should hoard and hide within.  No, we must unselfishly give as it has been given us.

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Matthew 5:9  “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God.”

2nd Corinthians 5:20 “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

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“Christian worship is filled with profound actions: heads bowed in prayer, arms raised in praise, standing in reverence during a Scripture reading, coming forward to give an offering. One ancient and significant gesture in worship is the passing of the peace. Passing the peace is a tradition rooted in Scripture that embodies our identity as peacemakers (Matt. 5:9; 2 Cor. 5:20) and trains ours hearts, hands, and tongues in the ways of peace.”

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Luke 24:36 “While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.'”

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“From the beginning Christians have exercised this practice. “Peace be with you” is a greeting Jesus himself used with his disciples (Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 26). The apostle Paul opened each of his letters with the words “Grace and peace be with you” (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2).”

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Ephesians 4:3 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

“The gesture is simple, but the meaning is profound. When we extend our hand to another, we identify with Jesus, who extended his life to the point of death to make peace with humanity (Col. 1:20-21). What’s more, in the midst of divisions we symbolize our unity through handshakes and hugs (Eph. 2:14-21). Likewise, when we regularly pass the peace we practice God’s call to make every effort to maintain the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).”

http://www.reformedworship.org/article/march-2011/passing-peace

 

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