What if salt isn’t salty?

Today we are reflecting on Matthew 5:13-16

So what would you do if your Garlic powder tasted like flour - eh? You’d throw it out! This is how Jesus describes the role of the faithful in the world. Those who love God and follow Christ are to be like the seasoning that draws out the God-flavor of the world (in the word’s of Eugene Peterson’s message paraphrase). Without garlic flavor - garlic would be a waste! Without the faithful - how would folks see the goodness and love and light and beauty in the world? Then Jesus switches metaphors - y’all are a light on a hill - shine! Show ‘em what it’s all about! This life is beautiful and God offers great love and beauty to us all!

So a couple questions for you. -

1. Have you ever felt like as life gets tough - that it’s hard to find the point? How did you find meaning again after a tough time? My guess is it took someone salty - someone to remind you.

2. Have you ever felt lost? Like you don’t know where you are going in your life? What was the light that guided you? Again, I suspect there was a person involved that was helpful - a word or a comment or a conversation.

3. have you ever been the one that listened to someone else as they figured out something important? it’s an amazing moment to listen another person into speech - to pull from them what they need by allowing the space to speak and be heard.

4. Have you ever prayed to Jesus - let him be the one to listen, and then simply let it go or waited for ideas or inspiration?

5. How might you be the seasoning for someone else in their life today? Tomorrow?

6. ‘What stops you from shining light for others? What stops you from ringing that bell?

Prayer: Lord God - you call us to love one another with love that listens, hears, and loves our neighbor. Help us to see those who provide salt and light in our lives, and remind us and inspire us to do the same for others. Amen.

Cheering us on and a rich man’s tomb

Today’s Text - Matthew 27, but more specifically - Matthew 27:57-66

I was talking with a parishioner today. She shared with me that she likes to stop by the cemetery sometimes for prayer and reflection. What a great idea! I often do the same thing. Cemeteries get a bad reputation sometimes in the general public. But amongst Christians - we understand that it is not a place of the dead, but place of memory of life, and a place to go for the living to reflect on the saints who have gone on ahead of us. Many parishioners over the last few weeks have mentioned that they are thinking about their predecessors - family members and friends who have passed away and are now alive again with Christ.

As I went to St. Petri cemetery in Cyrus I heard that all the frogs had come back to life - literally - they freeze solid over the winter, and then resuscitate in the spring. It got me thinking. I wonder if the popular understanding of the cemetery is that we are going to talk with the dead. Ew. No. No we aren’t. We are going to talk to the living. And we go to the cemetery, not because thats the only place we can go to talk with the saints, but rather because it is a place that we need to go for reflection and memory. It is a place that has been covered with prayer, blessing, tears, laughter, and love. Each stone marks the life of someone who is loved - not hopelessly or morbidly, but with joy that we will see them again, and with joy that they are remembered here - that their life here mattered.

Finally- as Easter approaches, as we consider the death and resurrection of Jesus, who opened the way to our resurrection, it is appropriate to think the man who gave Jesus his tomb - his own resting place. And then - on the day of the resurrection, the women go to the tomb and see an angel roll away the stone - for it was guarded by soldiers! The angel rolls away the stone - not to let Jesus out - because he has already gone on ahead. Instead, the stone is moved to let the witnesses in!

We go to the cemetery not to speak to the dead, but to reflect and remember those who have gone ahead of us - whom we will see again - and who are now cheering us on through thought times that cause us to wonder how they made it through in the first place.

Prayer: Jesus - thank you that you go ahead of us into death, where we fear to go - and in so doing, make it powerless over our lives today, and bring us into life together with you and those we look forward to seeing soon. In your name we pray. Amen.

I will scatter the flock...

Today we are looking at Matthew 26

Dp you feel separated from God right now? Do you feel separated from your church family, your normal family? (even if they aren’t very normal?). We are all split up during this time. But that doesn’t mean God isn’t with us. It means we feel split up. And while this emotional reality is painful - it is not to be used as a measure for God’s activity in our lives or as a measure of our current “faith strength” as measured by daily emotional ups and downs. To feel distant from God is still to be in relationship with God! Jesus makes this clear in his conversation with Peter - I will go ahead of you to Galilee [after this is all over].

Some thoughts from the text - click the link above to read it.

1. Why do you think modern Christians try to “measure” our faith? Are there problems with this ?

2. What might it be like to “measure” faith rather than as strength or intensity or emotional state, as you might measure a relationship? What sorts of words describe a relationship?

3. Jesus has no condemnation for Peter or the other disciples in regards to their scattering. What words do you think Jesus might have for you today?

4. Could you deliver some of those words of love and support to other? How?
   

Prayer: God you know us better than we know ourselves. You love us despite our limits and our daily ups and downs. You desire to be close to us and for us to be close with you. Help us to frame our life with you in terms of forgiveness and trust rather than blame and inadequacy. Thank you for staying close to us - even in our very hearts, when we feel alone and afraid. Show us where we can serve you. Show us how we can rest in you. In the name of Jesus who walks with us and goes ahead of us. Amen.

O Magnum Mysterium- Now What? 4-5-20

Today’s Text is Matthew 27:27-40

So as I referenced in the video - I encourage you to reflect on the grand and unexpected mystery of the crucifixion - deeply sad, deeply powerful, deeply in comprehensible - but in particular this week, I wonder what you might think about when we juxtapose this mystery that is usually contemplated at the birth of Jesus, instead in the context of the death of Jesus.

Click here to listen to the Morten Lauridsen choral piece - O Magnum Mysterium sung by the Luther Nordic Choir in 2008.

Prayer: O God, creator of all - you created us who are capable of loving you, and then you gave us freedom so that our love might be genuine and not coerced. In our freedom we fear being vulnerable and out of control and so struggle to give our lives and hearts to you. So you became one of us - so that you might instead give yourself to us. What a great mystery. Send your peace to us as we dwell in this mystery in the Holy Week to come. Amen.

Thanks for spending some time with me in reflection! next daily devotion will be on Monday April 6! See you then:)

Gathered around the table

Today’s devotion is centered around Matt. 26:26-35

So - it was a longer video reflection above, so just a couple questions to reflect on:

1. Has it been easier this last week to slow down for meals than previously? (especially for those whose life rhythm was much faster prior to the pandemic shutdowns) Have you noticed any difference around meals - sitting to eat, saying grace or thanks to God for the time and the food, and maybe even the safety?

2. Christianity is a table religion. Worship is a ritual gathering for a meal. Gathering for that meal we are gathered not just with those present in time and geography, but we gather with all the saints, all those who have been welcomed into the holy feast in the kingdom. Have you been thinking about your predecessors at all lately? Wondering how they made it through tough times in their lives? What might it be like to consider that they are gathered around us now, cheering us on?

3. Jesus points out, immediately following the first communion, that things are going to get rough. But don’t worry, Jesus will go on ahead and give them their instruction. Eventually he sends the Holy Spirit and does the same for us. His disciples all immediately respond - not me Lord. Yup. So - when we fall - how might we turn back? How does Jesus respond in the text?

   Thanks for taking some time with me to reflect! Christ’s Peace - PrCR

What would you do first?

Today we are thinking about what Jesus does after entering Jerusalem before his arrest and crucifixion. You can read for yourself - Matthew 21: 12 - 17

If I had to decide what I’d do first after getting welcomed into a city like a king - I can’t honestly say I would do anything like what Jesus did. I would probably see if I could find a good place to stay rather than go to church, let alone, cause a scene by welcoming in the least and the lost.

1. How about you? What in your life stops your from reaching out to care for others?

2. how about in your own family? Are there folks in your family, siblings, parents, extended faMiley members whom you don’t have much of a relationship with? what would it be like to reach out to them, again?

3. How about in the community? There are probably folks who come to mind right away who are in need of help. What might you do?
   

One of the challenges of loving our neighbor is the fact that reaching out in love doesn’t necessarily do anything to change the systems of oppressions and poverty that surround us. There are scapegoats in our society because there is more political will to have cheap workers and broken systems than there is to create more just and fair systems for everyone.
We can reach out to others, regardless of where we find ourselves in life, but when we reach out to help those with little or nothing, there is often an implicit judgment or even a rejection of care depending on the societal and personal issues and story involved.

It isn’t easy to reach out in love to others. It makes us vulnerable. It causes trouble, whether within a family, a community, or a wider system. Jesus rides into town, and brings the “unclean” spiritually and physically into the temple, and cleanses them. Right there. God is always doing this by the way, time and again - reminding us - you can do church and spiritual things - and they are worthwhile and powerful ways to engage with God and God’s truth, but you also must act for those in need.
The daily struggle to thunk about how we can do this, and actually act, whether it be having another conversation with someone who needs conversation (even if they repeat themselves or talk too much) to offer support and help (even if the recipient won’t use it as you see fit) or to ask another for conversation or support for yourself, even if you don’t think you need it - all of these are ways of sharing the love that first was given to you.

Christ’s peace! PrCR