Reading the Bible 3

So now what – what do we do after we have been kicked out of Paradise?  Certainly I have the urge to kill people (figuratively only) like Cain relationship to Able (no not my literal brother).  There is also the rage at the unfairness/whimsical nature of God – that’s what makes it a mystery.  Why reject Cain’s offering and accept Able’s – dad likes you best – not a good idea for any parent to show favouritism.  I wonder what family values God is modelling with the first family for us?  Perhaps God was still learning how to be a father (Father)?  Perhaps he didn’t have much more of an idea what children require than the rest of us the first time around.  It would be really nice to get a do over in raising our children.  We may not want to be our brother’s keeper any more than Cain did but hopefully we haven’t let the rage get the better of us.

In any case it would be really nice to receive the mark of Cain to let people know that if you mess with me God is going to get you.

Reading the Bible 4

I am into Noah territory today.  I have had some interesting discussion with a few people about the ark and what the story represents.  Despite all they said I cannot bring myself to believe that two of all the animal plus food for all could fit into a boat.  Perhaps that is my lack of faith or perhaps God wants me to look at the truth of that story in a different way.  I think it is unfortunate that we sometimes get into arguments about how to understand the events in the Bible.  Let’s put aside disagreements about whether the events happened as described and look at why the stories are still meaningful to people five, six, seven eight or ? thousand years later. 

I find it significant that the description of the ark is provided in great detail.  It is helpful whenever we are undertaking something new that we have detailed plans for what we are going to do and where we are heading.  This is especially important for someone like me who is more of a big picture person and doesn’t always or often? pay attention to details as Lorna will attest.  Whether you want to build a cottage in PEI or an ark to carry every kind of earthy creature it is good to have a plan.  Good advice for someone in transition.

Reading the Bible 5:  Gen 10 and 11

Today my reading is centred on the Tower of Babel story with lots of descendants before (Noah’s) and after Babel (Shem’s and Terah’s). 

I have never been all that interested in my family history.  Perhaps this is because my parents spoke very little about their family when I was growing up.  We had some contact with grandparents but it was limited as we lived in Western Canada and they were in Ontario.  However, Lorna has an abiding interest in her heritage and is currently immersed in Ancestory.ca.  She is revelling is finding connections and filling in blanks.  More power to her but it still isn’t something which resonates with me.  It was apparently important to the recorders/writers of the bible and of course we are just coming to the end of season of the church year in which we have been reminded of Jesus’ important connection with David.  I guess I am missing something significant but that is true of other parts of my life as well. 

The message from the Babel story seems to be that unity is not a good thing according to God.  So much for, ‘We are one in the Spirit’.  But I think a message here is that we should be cautious about hubris.  The ego does believe that it is the centre of things and can control everything if it just does it right and works really hard – build that tower to the heavens.  I am currently reading The Three Colors of Your Spirituality by Christian Schwarz.  The author proposes a typology that identifies nine different types of Spirituality – I am apparently Sacramental.  To have a mature spirituality you have to embrace your shadow side – the opposite of you Spiritual type – mine is Dogmatic.  The opposite reveals the weakness of your natural Spirituality and can enhance you appreciation of the other types and enable you to be more balanced in your Spirituality.  For me that is a message in Babel.  Our spirituality and approach to God is not one size fits all.  If we try to use only one approach we are going to miss out on a lot of who and what God encompasses.’

 

Reading the Bible 6: Gen 12-15

I find God’s call of Abram to be both reassuring and unsettling at the same time.  I am doing this as a retirement project so the implication is that I am not young.  The fact that God’s call came when Abram was less than young resonates with me.  I guess you just never know when it might come.  To respond to a call that upends your life may be okay when you’re young and ready for an adventure is one thing but it doesn’t seem so appealing in – shall I say – late middle age.  Perhaps there might be a small comparison to moving into a cottage on P.E.I. for the summers but that really is a bit of a stretch.  However, it is probably all the adventure I can take at this point.

The other thing that resonates with me in Abram’s story is that God makes his promise to Abram more than once.  In chapter 12 at the beginning of the call he promises to make of Abram a great nation and in Chapter 15 he promises it again – Abram’s descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the heavens.  It is comforting to know that Abram needed the promise restated more than once - and more than twice looking ahead.  I believe that God’s promises to us need to be renewed at various times throughout our lives.  They may change in detail as we change but the ground of our relationship does not change. 

Ministry of Another Kind

The esteemed editor of theSt, John's  Banner suggested I write an article reflecting on what led me to my calling to the demanding ministry of Anglican priest after “so many years in a secure non-controversial Government position” as he so succinctly put it.   Now I wouldn’t necessarily describe my time with the Ontario Civil Service that way but let’s put that aside for another discussion.

In that statement there is an assumption that the life of a civil servant is very different from that of an ordained minister, in this case a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada.  To start, if I was to compare the two careers (or callings), I would have to say it is more of a contrast than a comparison.  In describing it I have noted that I went from the Ministry of Transportation to a ministry of a very different kind.  Beyond that there wouldn’t seem to be much in common for the two occupations or in the case of ordained ministry, vocation.  

However, on reflection I have also noted in the past – and not so distant past – that one of the aspect about being a priest in the Diocese of Huron is that the Diocese is every bit as much a bureaucracy as the provincial government.  This came as something of a surprize to me being somewhat naïve about Anglican churchland when I was ordained even at my at my advance years.  Now this is of course should not have been that much of a surprize.  The two organizations are after all large institutions and as such need structure and rules, cannon laws and regulations, procedures and policies and under which to operate in the world – at least until God’s Kingdom is established in this world.

Be that as it may, the question I was asked to address is how did I come to be a priest after a life working in a very different situation?  Reflecting on this the first thing that came to mind was the Laurel and Hardey quote, in this case addressed to God, “Well, here's another fine mess you've gotten me into.”   Sometimes I do wonder what God had in mind when I responded to the call which had been with me lurking somewhere in the background for much of my adult life.  When I was growing up physically (I hope I’m still growing up emotionally and spiritually), I always resisted the idea of God calling people.  I didn’t believe that God did that any more – if he ever did.  The voice in the burning bush or on the road to Damascus didn’t seem to be realistic in today’s world.  I certainly had never heard God talking to me that way.  And He (or She) has not that I am aware of since.  Now this may be a case of selective hearing which is a fault that my wife Lorna accuses me of from time to time.  However, in any case the Road to Damascus experience never came. 

In my case God seemed to be speaking to me in the mode of nagging rather than proclamation from on high.  Now this is not nearly as dramatic or he stuff of legend but who I am to question God’s ways.   And as some people in my life may attest it does work with me.  I have been involved in church all my life in many different ways and many different forms.  However, church has always been a constant regardless of any other things that were going on in my life.  I had felt the pull towards ordained ministry earlier in my life many, many years ago when I was in my thirties.  However, I eventually resisted that pull as life got in the way, as it sometimes does, with what God intends for us.  

However, God did not give up on me and seemed to know what S/He was doing after all.  Another line of communication for God opened up when I became aware of an opportunity to take an introductory course in Biblical Studies at Huron University College.  I had been thinking for a while of taking some religious studies courses, only for interest of course.  The introductory Biblical Studies course was offered on Saturday morning so it appeared to be a perfect opportunity.  It is interesting to note that I believe this was the first and last time that it was ever offered at that time slot (very sneaky of you God).

I registered for the course as a ‘Special Student’ (I always enjoyed being designated as such because after all I was, in my mind at least, very special).   Well, that hooked me or perhaps I should say that God hooked me again.  Perhaps God can be seen as a fisher of men and women and children as well as making disciples who are to do fulfill that role.  I spent the next few years leading up to my retirement from that first ministry (of Transportation) taking courses when my schedule allowed.   At this point I was seriously playing with the idea of leaving my beloved ‘special student” category and becoming a full-fledged M. Div. student with the intent to be ordained.   However, I was in part waiting for that ‘Road to Damascus’ experience where God would speak to me from high and tell me that I was being called and better answer positively this time.  However, as I noted above there did not appear to be any chance of that happening.  After some reflection I decided that the only way to tell if I should be on the journey to ordination was to take the first – or perhaps I should say - the next step along that road.  

Once I was on that road I discovered the many interesting and sometimes challenging stops along the way such as biblical Greek and  ACPO and CPE and Diocesan rules and regulations (reminiscent of that other Ministry in some ways but in others very different).  In all that I have concluded that God did know what he was doing and I’m certainly glad S/He didn’t give up on me and did not stop nagging until I capitulated. 

Home for Christmas

The idea and ideal of coming home for Christmas is one of our warmest images. After all, who wouldn’t want to be home with our loving families on Christmas morning (after going to church of course) gathered round the Christmas tree opening presents. Then later in the day everyone would gather round the dining room table for Christmas dinner of turkey and all the trimmings. Home for the holidays; it doesn’t get better than that. Or if it doesn’t quite live up to our hopes and expectations it certainly should.

My parish undertook a study series this fall entitled ‘The Prodigal God’ which was based on the Prodigal Son Parable in the Gospel of Luke. The theme of the study was the idea of returning home to God and the central image of the banquet.. In the parable the father who represents God, throws a banquet to celebrate the return of the prodigal son who left home after claiming his inheritance from the father and lived a dissolute life of wine, women and song. The father declares that, “we had to celebrate.” He had no choice. Unfortunately the elder son – the dutiful one remains outside the feast refusing to come in despite the father’s pleading. Unlike the younger prodigal son who has repented his life and returned home, the elder brother is in a self-imposed exile. In his deluded self-righteousness he cannot accept that invitation.

Unfortunately this is sometimes how our family relationships and Christmas gatherings turn out – less than we had hoped and longed for. We may hope that Christmas will bring peace and goodwill on this occasion if not on the whole earth. Families do not always live in peace and harmony as God intends. In addition many people live in circumstances that do not make this ideal Christmas possible. However, as Jesus shows us in the Parable, the feast is open to each of us. The family table at Christmas dinner is a wonderful image of the feast that God offers to each and every one of His children. God’s feast is offered to us through the love of God. That love came down to earth and was born on Christmas.

The poet Robert Frost said, “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” That may not necessarily be true but it should be. However, God’s banquet that is represented so well by the Christmas Dinner table is a place where you are always welcome. God’s love is there for each of us. The door is open and Jesus Christ is there to welcome you.

It is my hope that your Christmas may be a reflection and a fulfillment of the love which God offers to all of us through the symbol of that tiny baby in a manger in Bethlehem. May all of you have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Reflections on Remembrane Week

Yesterday we celebrated the beginning of Remembrance Week with Remembrance Services in the Parish.   I have grown to be more appreciative of the importance of Remembrance Day and Remembrance in general during my time in the parish. My role as chaplain to the Parkhill Branch of the Legion has certainly helped inform my views on the military tradition of Canada and the history of Canada’s involvement in armed conflict. Remembrance week is quite a busy one for me as the Chaplain. In addition to the services yesterday members of the Legion placed poppies on the graces of veterans in the Parkhill cemetery. We are holding a family Service of Remembrance at St. James tomorrow night which is the latest edition of monthly family services that we started last month. That is followed by a pot luck dinner at the Legion which Scouts are hosting for veterans. Remembrance Day, Friday will have a full day starting at the High School for their Remembrance Day service. This is followed by the service at the Cenotaph in Parkhill with lunch at the Legion. After lunch we have the service at the Cenotaph at Lieury and then the Dinner at the Legion. All in all a full day but one that is very worthwhile.

 I must admit that I have been somewhat conflicted about Remembrance Day but I think that is part of what it means to be a Christian today – being conflicted about our role in society. Christians follow the Prince of Peace and as such we should do all in our power to bring about peace on Earth. That is after all the central message of Christmas when we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace in Bethlehem. I believe that whenever there is war it is sign that the kingdom is not yet here on earth. But of course it is only one sign of many that God’s Kingdom has not yet been established. War does seem inevitable in our current fallen estate and we do not declare the current war to be the war to end all wars. Given the current state of the world where men and women are asked to serve their country in armed conflict it is incumbent on us to honour those who have served their country in the armed forces. In the service Sunday we used the following prayers for the Book of Alternative Services which I believe reflects this reality.

Prayer For the Armed Forces

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping

all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace;  strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through

Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

 Prayer For Peace

O God, it is your will to hold both heaven and earth in a single peace. Let the design of your great love shine on the waste of our wraths and sorrows, and give peace to your Church, peace among nations, peace in our homes, and peace in our hearts; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

 

I hope you all will take time out on Friday to honour those who served and died for Canada in wars. Consider attending a service at the local cenotaph if you are able to or if not pause for two minutes of remembrance at 11:00 a.m.