Category: Music

For the Commemoration of John and Charles Wesley

March 3, 2013

    Today is the day on which Episcopalians commemorate John and Charles Wesley, Renewers of the Church. Most people associate the Wesley brothers as founders of the Methodist Movement. That movement was initially an evangelical renewal movement and a sacramental renewal movement within the Church of England. John and Charles Wesley remained Anglican Priests to the end of their lives. The musical and liturgical traditions of the Episcopal Church, of which I am now a Priest, are greatly enriched by the sermons and poetry that flowed from the pens of John and Charles Wesley. I wanted to spend a little time today reflecting on these two English Priests who have touched my life and the lives of countless others.

    Although I was a United Methodist Pastor for twenty-five years prior to entering the ordained ministry of The Episcopal Church, I never preached from nor saw a pulpit with an image of either Wesley brother on it. Now, at Christ Church Cranbrook, an Episcopal Church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, I am privileged to deliver the Gospel from a pulpit into which the image of John Wesley is carved, along with three other great preachers from our heritage of faith, John the Baptist, St. Paul the Apostle, and St. Francis.

    It's no wonder that John Wesley is included. He really was some preacher! He preached, on average, for a period of fifty-four years, fifteen sermons a week. That's forty-two thousand four hundred sermons. In addition to that, he delivered numerous exhortations and addresses. Methodist clergy are required to read and pay attention to his "Forty-two Sermons on Various Subjects" published in 1771. My favorites are "The Almost Christian," "The Means of Grace," and "A Catholic Spirit." However, if you were to read these sermons, you would discover that they were meant to be read, not spoken. John Wesley's preaching was considered to be much more down to earth than what you read in these texts. He once declared that he would no sooner preach a fine sermon than he would wear a fine coat. His sermons may not have been "fine" but they certainly were effective in the lives of his hearers.

    So, John Wesley was better known for his sermons than for his hymns. John did few hymns and translated quite a number from German. Here is a Eucharistic hymn that was written by John Wesley, with music by Gordon Lawson, sung by the Pittsburgh Compline Choir at the Heinz Memorial Chapel, Univeristy of Pittsburgh.

Author of Live Divine

Author of life divine,
Who hast a table spread,
Furnished with mystic wine
And everlasting bread,
Preserve the life Thyself hast given,
And feed and train us up for Heav’n.

Our needy souls sustain
With fresh supplies of love,
Till all Thy life we gain,
And all Thy fullness prove,
And, strengthened by Thy perfect grace,
Behold without a veil Thy face.

    Charles Wesley, on the other hand, is better known for his hymns than for his sermons. He
was especially gifted in the art of expressing biblical, sacramental,
and theological concepts through the medium of poetry. Others set those
poems to music. Many of those tunes were popular tunes of the day
which originally had secular lyrics.

    Many authorities say that Charles Wesley's most popular hymn during his lifetime was Jacob Wrestling, his poem about the experience of the patriarch Jacob who wrestled with the Angel of God that night on the banks of the River Jabbok. The original version had fourteen or more stanzas, making it difficult for modern editors to use in modern hymnsls. It is difficult to
eliminate any of them and still do justice to the poem, which is an
allegorical testimony of Charles Wesley's own conversaion experience. The version of this hymn as published today usually has only three or four stanzas. Isaac
Watts, another of the greatest English hymn writers, was quoted in John’s obituary tribute to his brother Charles
as having said, “…that single poem, ‘Wrestling Jacob,’ is worth all the
verses I myself have written.” Here is a setting of this great poem using three of the stanzas:

Jacob Wrestling (Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown)

Come, O thou Traveler unknown,
Whom still I hold, but cannot see!
My company before is gone,
And I am left alone with Thee;
With Thee all night I mean to stay,
And wrestle till the break of day.

In vain Thou strugglest to get free,
I never will unloose my hold!
Art Thou the Man that died for me?
The secret of Thy love unfold;
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

'Tis Love! 'tis Love! Thou diedst for me!
I hear Thy whisper in my heart;
The morning breaks, the shadows flee,
Pure, universal love Thou art;
To me, to all, Thy mercies move;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

    Another of Charles Wesley's hymns that is better known by Christians of all communions today is Love Divine, All Loves Excelling. Here is the choir of Wells Cathedral singing the hymn to the beautiful tune Blaenwern, under the
direction of Malcolm Archer.

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.

Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.

Come, almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.

Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:

Changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

    Many of us would think some of our most important feast days would not be complete without a hymn of Charles Wesley. Here are a few examples: (Advent) Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending, Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, (Christmas) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, (Epiphany) Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies, (Lent) O Love Divine, What Hast Thou Done, (Good Friday) 'Tis Finished, The Messiah Dies, (Easter) Christ the Lord is Risen Today, (Ascension) Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise, (Pentecost) Spirit of Faith, Come Down.

    In our era, O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing is probably the most well-known and beloved of Charles Wesley's hymns. With its emphasis on the impact of the Gospel of Christ in the lives of those in greatest need, it is a fitting hymn for the Church in a day when we seek to recover a wider missional focus. I'll end this commemorative tribute to the Wesley brothers on that note. Here are The Edinburgh Singers singing that great hymn on BBC Songs of Praise at Greyfriars' Kirk, using the tune Lyngham. I won't include the words here since they are included in the video.

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

    Thanks be to God for John and Charles Wesley and the legacy of faith and praise they have bestowed upon succeeding generations. May their example inspire us to find our voices to proclaim and praise the Lover of our Souls in our own time.

March 3, 2013
How does the creature say Awe?

I have two bird feeders outside the window of my study in the Rectory at Christ Church Cranbrook. The birds have an early start on their Thanksgiving feast. Thus far this morning, I have seen the following feathered friends:

Red Breasted Nuthatch
Blue Jay
Black Capped Chickadee
Cardinal
Chipping Sparrow
Titmouse
Junco
White Breasted Nuthatch
House Finch
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker

How does the creature say, Awe?
How does the creature say, Praise?

May your hearts be filled with gratitude today and every day!

November 22, 2012
Too Much Stuff

I write this on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who reminds us of our uniquely human capacities and responsibilities as stewards of creation.

Last evening, our congregation and Ashland's First Christian Church hosted a service of Blessing of the Pets, using the Collect of the Day for St. Francis from the Book of Common Prayer:

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord, grant your people grace gladly to renounce the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfect joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

We were reminded of our relationship with the other living creatures with whom we share this planet and, in particular, those for whom we are protectors.

Today, as I celebrated the Holy Eucharist, I shared with the congregation how literally Francis and his companions took Jesus instructions to his disciples when he sent them out on their mission:

"As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food" (Matthew 10:7-10).

We were reminded of our relationship with our possessions.

This second reminder from the life and witness of St. Francis comes to me at a time when Gay and I are preparing for a move to a new place of ministry. This happens every year or two for interim clergy. Each time it happens and we start packing for the move, we realize that we have accumulated too much stuff.

There was a time (1996) when all of our worldly possessions would fit in a 900 square foot apartment and one 10 x 10 x 10 foot storage unit. Then, we bought a 3200 square foot house in Galveston that had a full attic and an above ground "basement" in which to accumulate things. Even though we have reduced our inventory with each successive move, we find that we still have too much stuff.

This point was driven home when we contacted movers! I won't go into the details, but the costs for a full-service move took my breath away. I cannot imagine spending so much money to move our stuff 360 miles. There are better ways to use those funds. It appears that we have worked out a reasonable and affordable solution, but for a few moments this week, I almost wished I had taken a vow of poverty like Francis and his Friars.

Perhaps we already have enough people living in poverty and those of us who are in a position to earn may be able to help them when they find it impossible to help themselves. So, for now, I won't take that vow. But I will be more mindful of how my stuff can get in the way of life and my relationship with God, my neighbors, and my own spiritual being.

Thank you, Francis, for doing what most of us cannot bring ourselves to do and for giving us an example of a life that is not weighed down by possessions to the extent that we cannot see beyond them to all that is eternal.

Here is a beautiful hymn, composed by Sebastian Temple and based upon a prayer attributed to St. Francis.

Blessings in abundance to you,

October 4, 2012
“Bidden or not bidden, God is present.”

Beside the front door of our home, Gay and I have a plaque that reads, “Bidden or not bidden, God is present.” Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Jung had these words inscribed above the entrance to his home and the quote is often attributed to him. Actually, Jung found it in the Latin writings of Desiderius Erasmus, a sixteenth century Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher, and theologian.

A visit this week to the Chapel of the Holy Cross in the mesas of Sedona, Arizona, brought this truth to mind. Here amidst the vast, harsh, beautiful red rocks is a testimony to the omnipresence of God. Somone said, "Here is this towering cross out here in the middle of nowhere." Actually, everywhere is somewhere because of the presence of God, the Creator and Sovereign of the Cosmos.

The highest form of communion with God is to live our lives in such a way as to sense God’s presence with us in each moment, each breath, each blink of the eye, each heartbeat, and in each encounter with another human being, created in the image of God.

Psalm 139:1-17 expresses this conviction so beautifully. I particularly like Bernadette Farrell’s setting, as sung by the Choir of Wells Cathedral. I share this with you, along with a prayer that it will draw you increasingly into encounters of the divine kind as you continue your journey today.

September 13, 2012
Enemies of Discernment: Prejudice

Prejudice: You can't live with it and you can't live without it. That is to say, it's in our DNA. Everybody is infected with prejudice, to one degree or another. The prejudice I'm talking about is what the Merriam Webster Dictionary defines this way:

a (1) : preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge
b : an instance of such judgment or opinion
c : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics

Spiritual discernment is a process of reaching a decision based on divine guidance. The prejudice that lives within us clouds our ability to see the person, situation, or object of our discernment with clarity before we ever approach the throne of grace.

I was thinking about this recently when my wife and I were in an aircraft that was making the final descent before landing at an airport. The clouds were thick and there was some turbulence. Looking out the window, I could not see the sky above or the earth below. What lay ahead was not clear. It was literally "clouded" from view. And, if I couldn't see where I was going when I looked out my window, I was pretty sure the pilot couldn't see where he was going when he looked out his window either! Why was I not scared stiff? Because I was assured that the aircraft had an electronic guidance system and, as long as it was functioning properly, it would guide us safely through the clouds to our destination.

Perhaps this is a pretty simplistic attempt to describe the effects of prejudice and the power of divine guidance in our lives. But if the divine guidance system is not engaged to help us move through the clouds of prejudice, our decisions can not only be wrong, they can result in a crash!

When Solomon dedicated the Temple, God gave him a vision of a place that would come to be known as "A House of Prayer for All People" – not just a place for God's special people, but a place for ALL people. That must have been a big surprise and a radical concept to God's special people at the time. In Solomon's dedicatory prayer, he says, "Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a distant land because of your name —for they shall hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm—when a foreigner comes and prays towards this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built" (I Kings 8:41-43).

When God sent Samuel to Jesse's house near Bethlehem to anoint the one who would be the new king over God's people, David was the last one of Jesse's sons Samuel would have chosen. The other sons looked to him like really good choices. But God said, "the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (I Samuel 16:7b). Samuel had to have divine help to move through the clouds of the prejudice that prevented him from seeing God's choice.

Despite Jesus' numerous attempts to get the point across, Peter still thought the gospel was not intended for Gentiles. Then, one day, he had this dream about Cornelius and his family. The experience that followed the dream made it possible for Peter to understand the universality of Jesus' redemptive work. He blurted out, "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him" (Acts 10:34)

Jesus was God Incarnate! Yet even Jesus had to face the prejudicial aspect of his humanity. When a Syrophoenecian woman approached him with the request that he cast a demon out of her daughter, his answer was harsh and laden with prejudice: "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs" (Mark 7:27). But the conversation continued, as the woman responded, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter" (Mark 7:28-29). This is the origin of the words of the Prayer of Humble Access, which we often pray, "We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou are the same Lord whose property is to always have mercy" (Book of Common Prayer, page 337). I believe that the woman's response to Jesus caused him to realize that he'd expressed the prejudicial aspect of his humanity and he allowed divinity to sweep the cloud away and treat the woman and her daughter with compassion. Had he not been able to deal with this pervasive human trait, the Incarnation would not have been complete.

Maybe you are prejudiced toward people of a different race or ethnicity. Possibly you don't like people who aren't as smart as you think you are. Could your discernment be clouded by your bias about gender, sexual orientation, handicaps, regional differences, wardrobe, socio-economic status, or even tattoos? Whatever prejudice is clouding your spiritual discernment today, I pray that you will stop and face it so that God can help guide you through to the right decision. At the end of the day, in your discernment, have you fulfilled your Baptismal promise to "respect the dignity of every human being?"

Joni Mitchell's 1969 hit song, Both Sides Now, has always seemed to me to a very spiritual ballad about the impact of clouds upon one person's journey. I confess that I am prejudiced toward Judy Collins' rendition.

Bows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way

Oh but now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
Well something's lost but something's gained
In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now
From WIN and LOSE and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all

I've looked a
t life from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all

September 6, 2012
Enemies of Discernment: Control

Some people need to have an inordinately high level of power and control, over their own lives and over the lives of others. We often find that such persons who don’t get those needs for power and control met in other places in their lives seek to have them met in churches and other voluntary associations. Their involvement in the life of the community of faith often becomes not only disruptive but also destructive. Out-of-control needs for control represent a common obstacle to spiritual discernment.

Look what happened to Moses when he showed off by striking the rock with his rod to make the water flow out. That isn’t how God told him to do it. His behavior interfered with his discernment in a way that suggested he was in control of the situation instead of God. Consider David’s affair with Bathsheba, which resulted in his scheme that got her husband, Uriah the Hittite killed. That was a very destructive expression of control on David’s part.

Jesus chided the Levites and the Pharisees for their need to control things and pointed out to them that their role as spiritual guides was misguided because of the interference of their control issues. Eventually, of course, it was their lust for control that put Jesus on the cross. Maintaining control was for them a life and death situation. The resurrection, of course, was the ultimate assertion of God’s control over life and death.

St. Paul certainly had a tremendous need for power and control. As a Jew who was devoted to the Law, he persecuted followers of Jesus. He liked to believe his motivation was driven by a vision of Judaism perfectly guided by God’s Law. Christians represented a threat to that vision. In Paul’s encounter with the Risen Christ on the Damascus Road, he was blinded and lost control. This experience lasted long enough for him to have to rely on the inner vision given to him not just by Christ, but through an intermediary, Ananias. Paul’s control issues interfered with his ability to discern God’s true purpose in his life. When control was taken away from him, he experienced grace and was liberated from his obsession with legalistic control of his life and the lives of those around him. He became able to discern God’s purposes and his witness gave light and direction to the Church he had formerly tried to destroy.

In his farewell address to the disciples, Jesus promisee to provide ways to keep their need for control out of the way of true discernment of God’s direction of the mission entrusted to them. He promised to send the Holy Spirit to guide them. He gave them the commandment to love one another. He told them that he is the vine and they are the branches. When a branch becomes disconnected from the vine, it ceases to be able to bear fruit, it withers, it dies, and is cast away – it's useless. Therefore, followers of Jesus must remain connected to him and submit to his life-giving control so their lives can be fruitful. He also reminds them, “You did not choose me but I choose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name” (John 15:16).

Placing ourselves under God’s control is a necessary element of spiritual discernment. It is a way of finding humility, getting ourselves off our hands, and becoming instruments in the service of Love Divine in our relationships with others. My prayer for you today as you enter into discernment is that you will surrender your need for control so you can draw life and love and strength from the Vine rather than attempting to distort discernment in ways that make you think you need to retain control.

John Greenleaf Whittier’s hymn, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, reminds us to manage our need for control by surrendering to the One who can clothe us in our rightful mind.

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives thy service find,
In deeper reverence praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word
Rise up and follow thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still small voice of calm!

September 5, 2012
Enemies of Discernment: Resistance

Spiritual discernment, whether it concerns a personal matter or a corporate matter, is an opportunity to experience God’s grace. I am not certain a person can effectively reject God’s grace, but I know from personal experience that it is possible to resist it. When the human will is in opposition with the divine will, God gives us the freedom to resist. We seem to exercise that option on a fairly frequent basis.

I’m thinking about the patriarch, Jacob. His name meant "supplanter." He cheated his brother out of his birthright and had to flee for his life. This became a pattern in Jacob's life. Every now and again, Jacob would have an encounter with God. Each time, he seems to have resisted less and less until, finally, years later, he was compelled to return to his family home and face the brother he had wronged. Even on the way back, he sent his family and herds on ahead and spent the night alone on the bank of the River Jabbok, wrestling with the angel of God. After that experience, Jacob was physically wounded and had a new name, Israel, which means “to wrestle with God.” Read the story in Genesis 31-33.

Discernment is often a wrestling match with God – our wills pitted against the divine will. Ultimately, I believe God’s will is going to be done. So, that’s why I hesitate to say that we can reject God’s will. To say that we can reject God’s will suggests that we can defeat God. Yes, God allows us to resist and we see how often asserting our will has taken us and the world in which we live in a direction other than the one God has in mind.

A clergyman I know, The Rev. Danny Morris, wrote a book years ago about the will of God. It’s title is Yearning to Know God’s Will. He told me that his original title was Yearning to Know God’s Yearning, but the publisher didn’t think people would understand what the book was about. The book is about discernment and Danny wanted people think of God's will as the yearning of God’s heart for us. So, to yearn to know what is in God’s heart is another way to think of discernment. Perhaps it will help you to be less resistant today in your discernment if you think of it as seeking to know what good things God yearns to give to you or the group of people with whom or for whom you are seeking spiritual guidance.

The prophet Jeremiah described God’s yearning this way: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). The less we resist, the more we discover the goodness God is seeking to bring about through our lives.

Some say that Charles Wesley’s most famous hymn during his lifetime was “Jacob Wrestling” (Also known as “Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown”). It tells the story of Jacob’s wrestling match with the Angel of God. In Wesley's view, Jacob resisted as long as he could and finally understood in that encounter how much God loved him. The original text had about a zillion stanzas. Here are just a few.

Come, O thou Traveler unknown,
whom still I hold, but cannot see;
my company before is gone,
and I am left alone with thee,
with thee all night I mean to stay,
and wrestle till the break of day.

I need not tell thee who I am,
my misery or sin declare;
thyself hast called me by my name,
look on thy hands, and read it there.
But who, I ask thee, who art thou?
Tell me thy name, and tell me now.

Yield to me now, for I am weak
but confident in self-despair;
speak to my heart, in blessings speak,
be conquered by my instant prayer.
Speak, or thou never hence shalt move,
and tell me, if thy name is Love.

'Tis Love, 'tis Love! Thou diedst for me!
I hear thy whisper in my heart:
the morning breaks, the shadows flee.
Pure universal Love thou art;
thy mercies never shall remove,
thy nature and thy name is Love.

September 3, 2012
Enemies of Discernment: Time

Unlike our Creator, human beings are finite creatures, bound by time and space. It seems that we have either too little time or too much time. We arrive early or late, but seldom exactly on time. Time is a facet of human life and we will always have to contend with it, even if we are blessed with a smartphone. Because of that fact of life, time is one of the enemies of spiritual discernment.

We had a very nice chain of department stores in Texas called Joske’s. Once, when Gay and I were visiting San Antonio, I had failed to pack any underwear in my suitcase. Not a problem! There was a Joske’s store near the Alamo where I could buy what I needed.

But when we came to the display where the men’s underwear should have been, they had nothing remotely near my size. I asked the sales clerk to check the inventory. She said, “It’s no use. Everything we have is on the shelf. It’s been this way since we started using the ‘just in time’ approach to our inventory.”

As far as I was concerned, it was “time” and the system wasn’t working for me. We went to J.C. Penney and found what I needed.

When things don't happen on our schedule, or we find ourselves feeling that the time's not right, or we have too little time for discernment before a decision must be made, or we feel that discernment is taking too long, what’s new? Time is a factor of human life and there is no escaping it.

Here’s the good news; God knows how much time we have because, after all, God created us. So, when we are dealing with God, besides chronos, the time we count with clocks and calendars, we are also granted kairos, the kind of time God seems to like best – the “right amount” of time.

The biblical number forty is often used to signify a kairos experience. The Great Flood lasted forty days and forty nights. God’s Hebrew children wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights and stayed with the apostles forty days and forty nights after the Resurrection. In every case, the biblical account seems to say that these incidences took exactly the right amount of time. And God never shows up late!

When we set out to spend time in spiritual discernment, we have a natural impulse to take hold of the problem of time by the wrong end. We think of time spent in discernment as our time with God. I invite you to consider that time spent in discernment is God’s time with us. With all God has to do throughout the cosmos, God makes kairos for us when we are facing a decision that requires spiritual discernment. If somebody shows up late for such an appointment, it’s not going to be God.

After complaining about how little time God gives us, the Psalmist prays, “So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart” (Psalm 90:12). In other words, since this is the way things operate in God’s administrative policy, we need to be careful to put whatever chronological time we have at the service of the God of kairos, who has a way of making just the right amount of time to accomplish the divine purpose in our lives. For, as the Psalmist points out, “a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night” (Psalm 90:4). God's time is not measured by our standards! We spend time. God makes time. It's an important distinction and those who are wise recognize that distinction when engaging in spiritual discernment.

God has made time today for you to spend in discernment. How will you spend that time? My prayer for you today is that you will devote whatever time you have, whether it seems too little or too much, to spiritual discernment with the One who has the power to make it just exactly the right amount that is required.

The English hymn writer, Isaac Watts, paraphrased Psalm 90 in his great hymn, O God, Our Help in Ages Past.

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

September 2, 2012
Enemies of Discernment: Fear
Fear is one of the greatest enemies of spiritual discernment. If you are involved in a process of spiritual discernment, you need all the verifiable facts and details of the situation before you. But you also need wisdom, courage, hope, and vision in seeking God's will and fear gets in their way.
- If you find yourself feeling afraid, breathe deeply and listen for the still small voice of God saying, "Peace. Be still."
- Go to your bible concordance and see how many times someone facing a spiritual decision is told, "Fear not!" or words to that effect. Some say there are at least 365 instances.
- If there are people in your life who are saying things that strike fear in you during discernment, RUN! Get away from them.
- When you are speaking to another person and begin a sentence with, "I'm afraid that…" STOP! It may be hyperbole and, what's worse, you may be instilling fear in someone who needs your encouragement.
Fear is a natural and instinctive response, which human beings have in common with reptiles, aquatic life, birds, and other mammals. It stems from the brain's limbic system and is necessary for survival. However, unlike the other creatures with which we share this planet, we are endowed with the cerebral cortex, giving us the ability to reason and to find resources with which to overcome fear. That ability is necessary for human beings to be stewards of creation and co-creators with God. The ability to overcome fear is essential for any pioneering endeavor. Every person or group who have ever contributed to the forward progress of civilization have had to overcome fear, and that is particularly true in the realm of spiritual progress.

It is fair to say that the entire canon of Scripture is a testimony to the triumph of spiritual discernment over fear. Some examples:
- Abraham had to overcome the fear of leaving everything familiar, his lands, his kinfolks, and the comforts of his life in order to go to "God knows where."
- Moses response to God's call was the excuse that he would be afraid to speak God's words because of his speech impediment.
- The prophets were all frightened when God called them.
- Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds in the field – all had to be told to "fear not."
- Jesus sweated drops of blood, the product of fear, the night before his crucifixion.
- Do you think St. Paul was frightened out there on the Damascus Road?
When God's people were in exile, their fears almost overcame their hope of ever returning home. The prophet Isaiah gave them a message from God to overcome those fears. Those words, recorded in the 43rd chapter of the Book of Isaiah, inspired the talented Anglican musician, Philip Stopford, to compose this lovely anthem. My prayer for you, in the midst of your time of discernment, is that they will help you rise above your fears and hear the words of wisdom, courage, hope, and vision God has for you.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name;
you are mine.

When you walk through the waters,
I'll be with you;
you will never sink beneath the waves.
When the fire is burning all around you,
you will never be consumed by the flames.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name;
you are mine.

When the fear of loneliness is looming,
then remember I am at your side.
When you dwell in the exile of a stranger,
remember you are precious in my eyes.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name;
you are mine.

You are mine,O my child,
I am your Father,
and I love you with a perfect love.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name;
you are mine.
August 31, 2012
Now is a perfect time to be Unapologetically Episcopalian!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Yesterday, The Episcopal Church’s House of Deputies concurred with the House of Bishops to adopt a resolution which authorizes provisional use of the rite “The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant” starting Dec. 2 (the first Sunday of Advent). The vote was not a close vote in either house (Bishops, 74% – Deputies, Lay, 76% and Clergy 78%). The resolution, liturgy, and commentary can be found beginning on page 184 in the Blue Book. (The convention made some slight revisions to the version of the rite included in the report.) Clergy will need the permission of their bishops to provide this rite, so its use will vary from diocese to diocese.

Many will be upset or even angry about this decision. Many others will be grateful for the new opportunities for ministry that will be made possible by this decision. Still others will not have strong feelings about it one way or the other. Who could be surprised by these reactions? After all, our Church is made up of “all sorts and conditions” of people!

Whatever your response is to this decision, I offer the following pastoral perspectives.

Let’s be humble. – Arrogant condemnations of those who disagree with you and gloating about a decision in which your viewpoint “won” do not honor the gospel or build community among Christ’s followers. Remember that we have promised, with God’s help, to “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself,” and to “respect the dignity of every human being.” Think about these things and ask God to give you a humble response.

Let’s be generous. – Operate out of the assumption that your neighbor who feels compelled to comment on this decision does so out of the purest of motives. They may even think they are doing you a big favor by pointing out the error of the ways of those with whom you worship. They may sincerely believe that this guilt by association could imperil your spiritual well being. They may want to put you on notice that they may have to avoid contact with you in order to protect their own righteousness. Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith; “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hand all the Law of the Prophets.” God has given you enough love to share with all your neighbors and there will still be plenty when you give it to them in this context. You can afford to be generous!

Let’s be unapologetic. – Our neighbors, especially those in other communions, may say things that cause us to feel defensive, insecure, afraid, or embarrassed. We may feel that they have a leg up on us in their particular understanding of scriptural or doctrinal truths. You may choose to simply smile, say nothing, change the subject, or simply walk away. Or, you may feel that you need to debate with your neighbor. If you do feel a need to debate the topic at hand, take the time to prepare yourself. Study, consult reliable sources of information, use your mind to the fullest extent. Also, be prepared to feel that you have “lost” the debate at the end of it. Strongly held convictions, such as those about human sexuality and politics, are often based in emotion with a veneer of information. Your attempts to erase emotions with logic will probably not be successful. Whichever response you choose, you do not have to apologize for The Episcopal Church, which has not come to this decision quickly or without enormous prayerful consideration.

Let’s be missionaries. – In general, we Christians are not at our best when we engage in hair-splitting debates over theological, moral, or ecclesiastical differences. We are at our best when we listen together for God’s Word, when we kneel together to be nourished at God’s Table, and when we roll up our sleeves to make God’s grace manifest in the mission field at our doorstep. There are people in that mission field who are waiting for us to be sent out to do the work God has given us to do.

Let’s be inclusive. – My own views on the topic of human sexuality, especially about the full inclusion of gays, lesbians, and transgender brothers and sisters in the life of the Church, were formed and shaped over time. I have searched the scriptures, sought the wisdom contained in the Church’s teachings through the ages, considered what we’ve learned through reason over time, spent time with those whose lifestyle and orientation are different from mine, listened to those whose viewpoints differ from mine, and prayed. In forty-one years of ministry, I’ve been asked to bless same sex unions only three times. Because of my respect for the canons of the Church and my ordination vows, I have never complied with those requests. I have obeyed my Bishops and I will continue to do so wherever I may be.

That said, I believe the decision of the General Convention was the right decision. If given the opportunity when serving under a Bishop that authorizes me to exercise my ministry in this way, I will do so with a glad heart. I will welcome the opportunity and it will be a privilege to provide a ministry I have long thought we should offer to those who wish to live in life-long covenant relationships.

Let’s move forward. – I have heard people say that this decision marks the end of The Episcopal Church. I prefer to believe it is the beginning of a new era of missionary opportunity for The Episcopal Church. We now have added a new way of opening those red doors to people whom we have marginalized. Add this decision to how this Church in years past expressed itself in the face of slavery, child labor, women’s right to vote, racism, ordination of women, and a host of other issues for which there were people whose opposing views were bolstered by scriptural and theological arguments for maintaining the status quo. Add this decision also to the changes we have already made to the orthodox teachings of the Church on human sexuality – specifically, allowing birth control and authorizing the remarriage of divorced persons.

Let’s join hands. – Some of you who read this will not agree with me. I understand that there are others in the worldwide Anglican Communion who will have trouble with these views. Diversity of opinions is normal and natural in life in general and in the Church in particular. There is nothing we can do to change that. I cannot compel anyone to believe or act as I do. But we can strive in good conscience to live a life that embodies God’s love so that God’s love will make it possible for us to pursue reconciliation at every level. Our unity in this Church is not now nor has it ever been based on everybody agreeing on everything. Our unity comes from our common prayer and common pursuit of a world where there is more justice, peace, and love.

In his sermon “A Catholic Spirit,” a wise Anglican, John Wesley, cited a story from the Hebrew Scriptures (2 Kings 10) that involved two men, Jehu and Jehonadab, who were so zealous that they slaughtered those who differed with them. Yet they overcame their individual prejudices and found common ground. When Jehu met Jehonadab coming toward him, he said, “Is your heart as true to mine as mine is to yours?” Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “I
f it is, give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand. Jehu took him up with him into the chariot. He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord” (2 Kings 10:15b-16 NRSV). In so many ways, it is a strange text for Fr. Wesley to use as a basis for a sermon about the necessity of universal love. Nevertheless, he sees in the words of Jehu the essence of how that love works among us when we have our inevitable disagreements. So, I say to my brothers and sisters who agree with me and those who do not, “If your heart is like mine, give me your hand.” Christians can accomplish a great deal more for the reign of God on earth with our hands joined than with our hands raised against each other. As catholic Christians, we don’t have to agree on everything in order to “walk in love as Christ loved us.”

Let’s be who we say we are. – We really have nothing to fear about this decision. We have every reason to rejoice as we learn to live into the new opportunities it presents. We can hold up our heads and with humility, generosity, and without apology, we can do even more than ever to manifest God’s love. We are stewards of important, life-transforming work that God wants accomplished specifically through our Church. We are Episcopalians! And, as someone has pointed out, there is no asterisk on those signs that say, “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You!”

Faithfully yours,

P.S. HERE is the song in my heart today and HERE is a poem by my friend Ron Starbuck for further reflection on how God's love can help us be Unapologetically Episcopalian as we live into the opportunities that will result from this monumental decision.

July 11, 2012