Lent & Humility

We are about to enter the liturgical season of Lent, a contemplative time of year for some Christians. This 40-day period of the church calendar is the time when Christians remember the events leading up to and including the death of Jesus Christ. It’s a time of reflection and asking for forgiveness as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at the feast of Easter, which marks the end of Lent.

We start Lent on Ash Wednesday by remembering that we came from dust, and we will someday return to dust. It’s a humbling reminder of our mortality. Easter reminds us that our death is not the end of the story, but we are all guessing about what life looks like on the other side of resurrection.

In Lent we prepare for resurrection through prayer, fasting/self-denial, repentance of sins and asking for forgiveness, all of which I put under the umbrella of slowing down and living humbly.

Fasting and self-denial (giving up something you love) can be seen as a way to create more space for God in your life, a way of embracing simplicity, and a way of testing your self-discipline and ability to resist temptation, in the same way Jesus resisted temptation in the desert. These can be humbling experiences.

Repentance of sin and seeking forgiveness are also humbling experiences. Repentance is an acknowledgement that you are imperfectly human just like everyone else. You’ve made mistakes and seeking forgiveness of those mistakes is a vulnerable position to put yourself in - quite humbling.

THE DARK SIDE OF HUMILITY

There can be a dark side to humility if you define it incorrectly. By one definition it’s “a modest or low view of one's own importance.” That can get turned into thinking things like:

I am less than…
I am not worth…
I am just a “lowly human”.
I am not important.

It can turn into low self-esteem, thinking you should never be recognized for the things you do in life, thinking you do not deserve the things you have or that others are more deserving, and on and on and on.

This is a sad misrepresentation of humility, which is realizing you are no mor important and no less important than anyone else; you are made in the image of God like everyone else.

Humility is not the denial of human needs, such as being seen, known and recognized for who you are and the wonderful things you have done. It’s being seen and recognized while also not letting that recognition fool you into thinking you’re “better than” others. You are important, you are just not “more important”.

Humility is also not about degrading yourself as worthless or unimportant. It’s about remembering who you are, in relation to God and all other living beings. God created all of us in their image. I am not better than you and you are not better than me. I am also not less than you and you are not less than me. We are equally part of creation, and we will all eventually return to the dust from which we came.

Lent is an opportunity to step out of our “day to day hustle and bustle” to slow down and contemplate our mortality and humbly remember our place in the grand scheme of creation. It’s an opportunity to take the focus from what you do and focus on who you are.

As you walk together with God through the 40 days of Lent, may you be reminded that you were created from the love of God, in the image of God, and that the way to love that image of God in others is through humility.

By The Very Rev. Michelle "MJ" Johnston, CFA

Francis of Assisi & Addiction

Francis of Assisi is known now for his love of all of God’s creation, his desire to rebuild and restore the church, his humble life, rooted in poverty, chastity and obedience, but that wasn’t always Francis’ way. He was, in fact, quite the rabble rouser as a youth. Son of a wealthy merchant, he spent many years living a prideful life, not giving much thought about God, charity, or faith.

One could even hazard a guess that if St. Francis were alive today, he might have struggled with addiction of some kind.

St. Francis and his teachings reflect some key aspects of meaningful recovery from addiction. We can learn much from this revered Saint about renewal and rebuilding – the very things we are often called upon to do in the course of our recovery.

Let’s take a closer look at some of St. Francis’ teachings and how we can use them to support our recovery.

1.    Live Simply. Francis took on a vow of poverty – quite the change of gears for the son of a wealthy merchant. Francis renounced his worldly possessions – and his family inheritance.

Does this mean we have to get rid of everything we have to secure our recovery? No! The lesson here is that we don’t have to burden ourselves with concerns of the world. That’s the key: burden. When we take on too much – be it possessions or responsibility – it can become a burden – something we have to carry with us, and something than can slow us or even drag us down.

The important thing to remember is we do have duties and responsibilities – they are unavoidable. But when these things start to take over our focus – when they block our forward vision – they become a burden. This is where Francis’s teaching about simplifying life comes in.

When things become so complex that we expend energy – physical, emotional, or spiritual – to keep track of the various threads of our life, it’s time to assess where we can reduce the number of threads – or even better, weave them into a single, simple cloth that doesn’t call on us to be distracted by complexities.

St. Francis teaches that when we become burdened by possessions and complex plans and processes in our lives, we are held captive by those very things. What will it take for you to unburden yourself – of physical possessions and the overwhelming burdens of life, while still finding balance and meeting your needs?

2.    Share your Faith. It’s a well-known 12-step maxim that we can’t keep what we have unless we give it away. In Francis’ time, this was a much different idea.  Evangelizing was seen as part and parcel of life in the Italian countryside.  Church, faith, religion was an intimate part of the fabric of daily life.

That is not so much the case today, and people who outwardly evangelize are viewed a bit askance. There is a famous quote attributed to Francis – “Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.”  Francis may never have said this – there is little evidence to suggest he would have said anything like this, but the premise itself is sound.

When we live our best lives, when progress becomes evident in our journey, we are giving subtle, yet tangible, signs of our commitment to a life of faith. How others respond to our good life is up to them. We shared our success, our joy, our happiness. We shared how we got here. It is now in the other person’s hand to do with how they choose.

We don’t have to go to the lengths that Francis did to spread the Good News… There is an account of Francis, during the Crusades, that is a powerful testament to how far our beloved Saint would go to spread his Faith.

It is known that St. Francis went behind enemy lines during the Crusades to preach to the Sultan of Egypt. The accounts vary on how the Sultan reacted, but one thing is certain, Francis was there, preaching the Faith which he loved.

That is what we are called upon to do as people of faith and people in recovery:  Share what we have. We can share it by our actions, by our words, by any expression that suits us. When we reach out to addicts still suffering, we are taking a step like Francis, reaching out beyond our own safe haven in recovery, stepping into a dangerous zone and giving of ourselves – out of love and faith.

3.    Authentic Love. Love can come in many forms. But whatever form it takes, love is a conscious decision we make. Rather than define love or label it, I will let a story – one of many – about St. Francis showing what love is.

Francis was riding his horse through the countryside. He came upon a leper. The leper did not smell good – in fact, one of the early versions of this story said the smell coming off the leper was “revolting.” But Francis got off his horse, walked up to the man and gave him the kiss of peace.

Our call is to love. That is the message of Jesus and that is what Francis is demonstrating in this story. Love can manifest itself in countless ways, from kinship love, to the love two friends share, to romantic love to love that cannot be described, but is felt and known. We can decide to love by sharing a hug or a kind word. We also love when we challenge another to do better, to change their ways from something harmful, like addiction.

By making the decision to love, we are also making the decision not judge, not to separate the other. We are making the decision to treat a person with respect, with kindness, with integrity. St. Francis, in his Rule, calls upon us to love “with all of our power, with every effort, every affection, every emotion, every desire, and every wish.”

Letting go of our resentments, letting go of judgment, letting go of all manner of barriers are cornerstones of recovery. St. Francis teaches us that when we love fully, there is no room for these things – the things that draw us away from authentic love.

4.    Prayer and Relationships. St. Francis would not have the legacy he has today without developing a profound prayer life and commitment to God. Today, we might call this “conscious contact with God as we understand God.” No matter where you are in your journey, God calls us to deepen our relationship with God.  How we answer, if we answer at all, is the key.

Through prayer, Francis was told by God not to fight in the Crusades. Francis heeded this and did not go. Imagine for a minute if he had ignored God and went to fight. We may not even be having this conversation. I might be sharing this as a Dominican or some other order that came about because Francis made the choice to not listen. But our beloved Saint did listen, and we have nearly a thousand years of Franciscan teachings to guide our lives; the benefit of being open to listening to God.

The source and sustenance of our recovery is the God of our understanding. I heard it taught once that God ought to be referred to in a way that gives us comfort, that reflects the love and grace of the Deity. If you have a terrible relationship with your father, maybe referring to God as “Father” is not the best way for you to seek connection and contact with God. If you have been subjugated or oppressed, perhaps referring to the Deity as “Lord” may not feel right or safe for you.

God is, after all, our protector, our refuge. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that   God has “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) But it is only after we place our trust in the God of our understanding. St. Paul, in writing to the Colossians reminds us that God permeates all of creation - every idea, perception and thought. This is precisely the reason we can rely on conscious contact with the God of our understanding.

Recovery is not easy. We make changes that are not easy. We come from a place entrenched in the habituation of addiction. And we climb out of that trench – and like Francis rebuilding the chapel at San Damiano, that trench becomes the place where we build our foundation.

I hope that your foundation is built up a little more today, that through the Grace of God in the Merit of St. Francis, you find something here that you can take away, that will help you live your life – sober, happy, at peace.

Fr. Dylan Littlefield, CFA

Remembering Matthew Shepard

I’d like to start off with a couple of lines from a poem called “A Prayer of Queer Thanksgiving” by Micah Bucey, Associate Minister of Judson Memorial Church, NYC.

We are a rainbow and we are a cloud,Born of color and tears, of triumph and tragedy,Feeding the arc of a moral universe that has trampled us,Even as we decorate the damn thing and teach it how to bend.

When I first read that poem, the last two lines of what I just quoted really hit me because, right now, it does feel like the arc of the moral universe is trampling us. And while I love the message of today’s Gospel, sometimes it doesn’t feel like a blessing when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely.

It’s sad and exhausting and it hurts. And, nevertheless, us queer people, we persist! Or as a friend of mine recently said, “the more we’re trampled, the more glitter comes out and you can’t get rid of glitter.”

Today we remember and honor Matthew Shepard, our queer brother who was essentially crucified on that fence near Laramie, Wyoming, simply for being queer. He was not the first person and, sadly, not the last to be persecuted for being queer.

Since October is LGBTQ+ History Month, I thought it fitting to mention some of the many queer heroes and martyrs that came before and after Matthew, like...

Marsha P. Johnson, a gay liberation activist and self-identified drag queen, who was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising in 1969. Marsha was found floating in the Hudson River shortly after the gay pride parade in 1992.

The 49 people who were killed and 53 who were wounded in a mass shooting on June 12, 2016, at Pulse, a gay night club in Orlando, Florida.

One of the most horrific cases of terror and brutality on the LGBT community was the torching of the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans on June 24, 1973. The bar was known as a place frequented by parishioners of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), a gay-founded religious organization. This horrible act of terrorism claimed the lives of 32 people, many of them queer parishioners at the nearby MCC, and injured many others.

These are just a few examples, among many, of queer people murdered in hate. Sadly, there are many others that didn’t rise to the level of headline news. And I wanted to mention them, not to send us into a deep depression, but because they are all equally beloved and deserving of being remembered.

So, I just want to offer up their names today, both known and unknown.

So, what are we to do as people of faith when it feels like the arc of the moral universe is trampling us?

The answer to that question for Christians is simple, but not easy. It’s to do what Jesus commanded us to do: love God with all our heart, soul and mind and love our neighbors as ourselves. This is what Matthew Shepard was doing when he forgave that bartender who punched him in the face. And this is what we are called to do; this is HOW we will overcome hatred.

We aren’t called to be doormats by simply accepting the violence perpetrated upon us. We are called to respond to that violence in non-violent ways. In the words of Sister Joan Chittister, as Christians, we are called to be prophets.

Our task is to be obedient all our lives to the Will of God for the world. And therein lies the difference between being good for nothing and good for something. Between religion for show and religion for real. Between personal spirituality that dedicates itself to achieving private sanctification and prophetic spirituality, the other half of the Christian dispensation.Yes, the Christian ideal is personal goodness, of course, but personal goodness requires that we be more than pious, more than faithful to the system, more than mere card-carrying members of the Christian community. Christianity requires, as well, that we each be so much a prophetic presence that our corner of the world becomes a better place because we have been there.

This is the antidote to depression in the face of oppression. This is how parents of a crucified child live their son’s love forward. This is the way in which we let all our gay glitter out into a world in desperate need of love and compassion.

Now I know some of you might be thinking, “Me, a prophet!? I’m not a prophet. I’m just an average person doing my best to get by.” Or you might be thinking, “Surely prophets are smarter and more talented than I am!” And to that I want to quote another line from the poem I quoted earlier that says:

And we are only as much as we allow ourselves to be.
And we are only as much as WE allow ourselves to be.

I don’t mean this to be disrespectful, but all that “I’m not enough” thinking is just in your head. YOU are created in God’s image and so you ARE enough. You were born utterly unique; with gifts and talents the world is waiting to receive. But when you tell yourself that you’re not enough, enough times, you believe it and it becomes a self-limiting, self-fulfilling prophecy.

So, all of us need to start telling ourselves that we ARE uniquely enough so that we can get on with the work of being prophets in our time, as we were born to do. And I think it’s helpful to remember we’re not doing this work alone. We are in prophetic community with people like:

Bishop Yvette Flunder, founder of City of Refuge United Church of Christ and Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, who blends proclamation, worship, service, and advocacy on behalf of those most marginalized in church and in society.

Carmen Morgan, founder and director of artEquity who has worked in the non-profit sector for over 20 years. She’s a national activist dedicated to community building and activism, who has worked tirelessly leading conversations at the forefront of the field on equity, diversity, and inclusion issues.

Kittredge Cherry, founder and publisher of Q Spirit, Metropolitan Community Churches clergy, lesbian Christian and historian whose detailed and time-consuming work serves as both education and historical preservation for the queer community.

Our own Bishop Brenda Bos, the first woman to serve as bishop in the Southwest California Synod, and the first openly lesbian bishop to serve the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

We have a choice to make, my friends. Will we play small because we don’t feel worthy, or we don’t know what to do? OR will we stand alongside these modern-day prophets, honoring our unique gifts, so needed in our troubled times?

How will we make our corner of the world a better place?

That is the question I am asking myself and I pray, in the name of all that is holy, that you ask that question of yourself.   Amen

By The Very Rev. Michelle "MJ" Johnston, CFA

Who Or What Are You Obedient To?

As a Christian, this is an important question to ask yourself. Am I obedient to a set of religious practices, going to church, a religious system? Obedience to any of these things is not the same as being obedient to the Will of God.

I know this may be shocking to some of you. Doesn’t a “good Christian” go to church every Sunday, read their Bible every day, and tithe 10% to the church? I’m sure most religious institutions would not argue with any of these, especially the last one.

But obedience to the church is not the same as obedience to the Will of God. Obedience to a set of daily spiritual practices is not the same as obedience to the Will of God.

It’s not that prayer, meditation, and reading the Bible are pointless activities. The problem is mistaking our goal of an unbroken streak of hours of meditation every day for the Will of God. It’s also a problem when devotion to our spiritual practices leads us to feel pious and holy and somehow more special than others. On the flip side, it’s a problem when we think that our shoddy church attendance or our inconsistent Bible study helped lead to an unfortunate situation in our life…as if enough prayer, enough Bible reading, or enough church attendance will ensure we always make the right decisions and bad things won’t happen to us.

All of these things can help you strengthen your connection to God, deepen your conviction to follow the Will of God, and help you discern how to do it. But they are a means to an end, not the end itself.

What, then, does it look like to be obedient to the Will of God? As Christians, we need look no further than the life of Jesus. He was a shining example of obedience to the Will of God.

Jesus prayed but did not spend all His time in prayer. He read and taught scripture in the synagogue, but He did not spend all His time in the synagogue, nor did he suggest that anyone else should.

Jesus was out among regular people. He was teaching, healing and being kind to everyone, even to the religious people who saw Him as a threat. He was a prophet who put His faith into action, doing His part to make the world a better place.

This is what we are called to do. We are called to a spiritual life that transforms us, not just for the sake of transformation, but so that we can do our part to heal this broken world.

Sister Joan Chittister says it so beautifully in her book, "The Time is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage.”

Our task is to be obedient all our lives to the Will of God for the world. And therein lies the difference between being good for nothing and good for something. Between religion for show and religion for real. Between personal spirituality that dedicates itself to achieving private sanctification and prophetic spirituality, the other half of the Christian dispensation.

Yes, the Christian ideal is personal goodness, of course, but personal goodness requires that we be more than pious, more than faithful to the system, more than mere card-carrying members of the Christian community. Christianity requires, as well, that we each be so much a prophetic presence that our corner of the world becomes a better place because we have been there.

There is no lack of need in any part of the world. In fact, in many parts of the world, the need is desperate. What does your corner of the world need? And when you are done praying, how will you respond to that need?

By Sibling Michelle "MJ" Johnston, CFA

Our Violent Times

My partner and I are in western New York at The Chautauqua Institution. This is where, on Friday, an attempt was made to take the life of Sir Salman Rushdie. Rushdie, is a renowned author of many books, including “The Satanic Verses”, which prompted a fatwa against him in 1989. Also injured in the attack was Henry Reese, co-founder of the Pittsburgh nonprofit City of Asylum, who was scheduled to join Rushdie in a conversation about the need to protect persecuted writers. Quite ironic!

In this morning’s worship service, here on the grounds in the very Amphitheater where the attack took place, The Very Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas spoke about our violent times and asked us, “How are we to live, as people of faith, as believers in God, in times like these?”

The answer, of course, is love. That’s what Jesus not only modeled in his life, but commanded us to, “love one another as I have loved you.” But what does that kind of love look like?

It may be hard to define what love looks like, but Rev. Brown Douglas defined violence in a way that also reveals what its opposite, love, should look like. She says, “Anything that dehumanizes, degrades, disrespects, denies, or destroys the sacred humanity of another person…THAT is violent.”

And so, I count myself among the many stunned Chautauquans who have been praying for Mr. Rushdie, Mr. Reese and those who know and love them. And my faith also calls me to pray for the young 24-year-old man, Hadi Matar, accused of attacking Mr. Rushdie.

Yes, Mr. Matar should be held accountable for his actions AND we do not need to do violence against him by dehumanizing him and destroying his sacred humanity. We don’t yet know the story of what led to this young man attacking Mr. Rushdie, but there is always a back-story. The story behind the story does not excuse violent actions, but it can help us have compassion for those who find themselves in a situation in which they think violence is the answer.

All throughout history, there have been people who think violence is the answer and it seems to be getting worse, not just in the US, but globally.

If we are to love one another as Jesus commanded us, then we must stop doing violence to each other. Republicans must stop doing violence against those who disagree with them. Democrats must stop doing violence against those who disagree with them. Whatever the labels are that we claim or that we put on others, we must stop using them to divide us. If our humanity is to survive, we must disagree without disrespecting and dehumanizing those who disagree with us.

We can work to make the world a just and equitable place for everyone without doing violence to each other. I believe our survival depends on it.

By Sibling Michelle "MJ" Johnston, CFA

The Delusional Samaritan

The Samaritan didn’t just ignore the person in need, he didn’t just offer prayers for healing, although he may have been silently praying as I’m sure the man laying on the side of the road may have been praying for help. The Good Samaritan offered a sacrifice of time and money in tangibly helping a fellow human in need.

The Perfect Spiritual Practice

First, let’s be clear, there is no such thing – LOL. However, I think some of us (me included) think we can somehow “perfect” our spiritual journey. When I finally create the perfect morning routine, with just the right mix of spiritual practices, and I’m praying hard enough and long enough, and…and…and…then I will feel connected to God and consider myself worthy of that connection. Lord Have Mercy!

I was thinking about this on my run this morning because, for some reason, I was thinking about someone who often elicits an eye roll from me because I perceive the way they talk about themselves and their spiritual practices and spirituality, in general, to be “overly religious” and “holier than thou”.

I wondered, “Why does this person get under my skin?”

Then I realized that part of me feels “less than” in comparison to this person who has more theological education, knows more about church history and other religions, has been much more dedicated to their spiritual practices than I have, etc. Compare and despair; I do it a lot. That part of me doesn’t like feeling inferior or less competent or “not spiritual enough” and so it makes itself feel better by sending out an eye roll and declaring, “Oh, please! Give me a break!”

Comparing our spiritual journey to someone else’s spiritual journey is not a life-giving exercise. We are all on different spiritual journeys and our job is to support one another not compare ourselves to each other. The spiritual practices of someone else might not be life-giving to me, for any number of reasons. I must find my own spiritual practices.

I believe in the mental, physical, spiritual benefits of meditation, but sitting in silent meditation for an hour with legs crossed does not feel life-giving; it may be for some people, but it isn’t for me. Instead, I sit in silent meditation, focusing on my breath and the sensations in my body for 15 minutes each day; that feels very life-giving to me, so that is one of my spiritual practices. It is no less a spiritual practice and no less life-giving because it’s of shorter duration. It’s no less a spiritual practice and no less life-giving because I’m not using meditation beads, etc.

The point of spiritual practice is not to compete for a gold medal or be “more spiritual” than your friends or even to be holy. The point of any spiritual practice is to help you connect to God. It’s not even FOR God, it’s FOR you (and me).

When I think I can craft the perfect spiritual practice, I’m making it all about me. I’m basically saying, “Stand aside, God, while I build this thing that will allow us to connect.” Thank God for the grace of God or she would be rolling Her eyes at me all the time.

Pick any practice or two or three or whatever. If it feels like it’s bringing you closer to God, then do it. God will meet you where you are. All you have to do is stop trying to control the relationship and open your heart to receive whatever God would like to offer you.

May you feel the love of God in all that you do and may that love encourage you to make the world a better place.

By Sibling Michelle "MJ" Johnston, CFA

Sermon: Humans Behaving Badly

Note to Reader: The Gospel passage this sermon is based on is: Luke 20:27-38

Good morning!

I would like to thank you all for being here for my First Mass.

So, we have an interesting bit of Gospel to talk about today, don’t we?

If I had to title this section of the Gospel, it would probably be, “humans behaving badly.”

I’m not going to talk in detail about the cultural practice of passing a woman from brother to brother until she bears a child that can carry on the family name. However, as a biological female, I do want to acknowledge the offensiveness of two things in this Gospel reading:

1.      The practice of treating women as property.

We’ve made a lot of progress in this area over the centuries, but we still haven’t arrived at a place of true equality. In fact, I was VERY shocked when I recently learned that someone I know, ACTUALLY believes that once a woman is married, she should no longer have the right to vote. Her vote should go through the man.

I would like to think that think that these types of patriarchal, sexist, oppressive beliefs will just age out of the population, but it’s more complicated than that. And a big part of that complication is religion and it’s patriarchal, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, etc. beliefs and teachings that keep getting handed down from generation to generation.

In the past, this type of thing caused me to walk away from religion, but I think there is value in people like me and Bishop Thomas, and Reverands Damaris and Dylan “infiltrating” the church and changing it from the inside out. Because I don’t think religion is going away any time soon and it has SUCH a huge influence in the world that it’s worth moving it in the direction of being a force for good instead of a force for evil.

2.      The second thing I wanted to mention is the fact that women being treated as property wasn’t even part of the discussion the Sadducees and Jesus were having, although that’s obviously not surprising either.

These things are worth mentioning because the way in which some people interpret of the Bible are still, often, used today to justify treating some humans as less than human.

In fact, using the Bible as justification to deny someone rights or condemn them to hell, usually involves cherry picking a passage or two while at the same time ignoring passages that would condemn oneself.

The most obvious example, in my mind, is using Leviticus 18:22 or 20:13 to condemn queer people while being assured of your right relationship with God even though you have tattoos, or you wear clothes of mixed fabrics, or you eat pork and/or shellfish, all of which are condemned in the Levitical Holiness Code.

But today’s sermon is not about the human propensity towards hypocrisy or assuming mercy for oneself and judgement for others. What I want to focus on today is interpretation and our beliefs because I discovered something very interesting while reading through some of the commentary on today’s Gospel.

And if I had to sum it up in a title, it would be:

1.       Bring your brain to the party
2.      Be willing to ask questions
3.      AND learn to be okay with the fact that you aren’t going to get nice, concrete answers to all of those questions.

The questioning happening in this Gospel passage is about a difference in belief and it’s disingenuous because it’s not coming from a place of curiosity. It’s an attempt by the Sadducees to try to trick Jesus in an effort to show that the idea of resurrection doesn’t make any sense and it’s an effort to compromise his authority.

Riddle me this, Jesus: given that she married all the brothers and never actually had a child, whose wife will she be in the resurrection?

In terms of my own beliefs, I realized that I sometimes, maybe even often, accept something without question or examination. This is one of those times. I realized that, in terms of resurrection, I also hold a conflicting belief.

As a Christian, I’ve accepted resurrection as a fundamental part of faith. It’s part of The Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed, which I have often recited and never questioned. And, well, there’s Easter and the fact that Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified, making a belief in the resurrection of the dead a foundational belief of Christianity.

I also happen to believe that within this physical body is a soul that continues to exist beyond the lifespan of this body. Near Death Experiences, of which I have a fascination with, would seem to support this. Even science, which says that the energy of which we are made cannot be destroyed, would seem to support this. The energy that we are does not exist in this form forever, but it does not cease to exist.

And yet, this idea of immortality – the soul incarnated in this body continuing on long after this body has ceased to function and returned to dust – is in direct contradiction to resurrection – I die and God raises me from the dead after a period of time.

Which is it? How do I reconcile this?

It comes down to the three things I mentioned earlier:

1.      Bring your brain to the party
2.      Be willing to ask questions
3.      AND learn to be okay with the fact that you aren’t going to get nice, concrete answers to all of those questions.

I could just say, “Well, I don’t understand it, but I just have faith that they can both be true and I’m okay living in the mystery of it.” And, in some cases, that might be a great approach. Maybe I’ve missed something. Maybe the way I’m defining resurrection isn’t actually how resurrection works. Maybe a lot of things.

However, I think “blind faith” has the potential to become dangerous, which is why I think it’s worth asking ourselves “why” we believe something. And, in cases where our beliefs are in contradiction to the commandment to love God, love ourselves and love everyone else, I think it’s important to question those beliefs.

In the example I’m giving today, in which I hold two beliefs that seem to contradict each other, I can hold space for the mystery of God and the universe we live in, while I wrestle with the questions, because these beliefs DON’T violate the commandment to love.

There is beauty in the mystery.

There is beauty in the questions.

There is beauty in the diversity of human experience and belief, as long as the foundation is always love.

I think, for example, how the debates about abortion would be SO different if both sides approached it from a foundation of love.

I could believe that life starts at conception and therefore believe, in my soul, that abortion is taking a life. And, if the way I approached the issue was from love, perhaps, instead of taking away someone else’s ability to make that choice for themselves, I would do everything in my power to reduce the need for anyone to have to make that choice

I know this is no easy task.

It takes effort to overcome the human propensity to criticize, and sometimes even demonize, those who live differently than us and believe differently than us. But the effort to stay curious and loving while we question and wrestle, with big issues and our own beliefs, can be life-giving on a personal level and I honestly believe it could be the thing that heals the divisions among us. It could allow us to disagree and still love and respect each other.

If we listened to Jesus and took the love commandment seriously, we would wrestle with and sometimes agonize over things such as…

1.      How do we hold people accountable for their actions WHILE continuing to love and respect them?
2.      How do we reduce the need for abortion WHILE honoring everyone’s right to choose what’s in their best interest?
3.      How do we have a fervent belief in a particular theology that also honors the dignity and humanity of those who believe differently?

I believe that wrestling with the hard questions and the big issues, FROM a place of love, is what Jesus tasked us to do because I believe that we are incarnated in human form to learn how to love and be loved.

Mark Nepo says it this way:

“Eventually, all the love, suffering, and humility we go through wear away our walls of resistance until Spirit shines from within us like an inner sun. This is how Spirit is revealed on Earth—as the coverings we carry are worn away by life, the light we carry can pour into the world. Our constant challenge is to accept how life wears away what doesn’t matter until the miracle of life is revealed in everything…This is the purpose of the human journey: to live openly and honestly until we become a source of uncovered light. Then life pours forth to renew us and all we meet.”

Mark Nepo, The Book of Soul

So…

May we be convicted to wrestle with the hard questions.

May we be okay with NOT having all the answers.

May we delight in the mystery of God and the amazing universe God created.

And may everything we do be rooted in love. Amen.

November 6, 2021

By Sibling Michelle "MJ" Johnston, CFA

An Interspiritual Gem at the Heart of Franciscan History

By Br. André Maria

Just a little over 800 years ago, an incredible, beautiful, and very unlikely event took place in this divided and often cruel world in which we live. It was divided then as it is now. It was cruel then as it often is now.  At the center of this event were two Holy men from two very different cultures and two different religions.

One man was the person that the world now knows as Saint Francis of Assisi, the founder of one of the largest groups of Christian communities of religious and lay men and women in the world, which is also ecumenically represented globally.  The other man was Al-Malik al-Kamil, the devoutly Muslim Sultan of Palestine, Syria, and Egypt.

Until quite recently, very few people were aware of this historically significant meeting, including many members of the various Franciscan communities around the world, whose venerable founder was, as it has been noted, present at this meeting.

The setting for this momentous meeting and event, was the Fifth Crusade and the siege of the Egyptian city of Damietta, which is located along a tributary of the Nile River rather near the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea.  Francis was traveling with his companion, Illuminatus, who, it is said, had a basic knowledge of and skill with the Arabic language.  The probable reason for the meeting was the desire by Francis to convert the Sultan to Christianity.

Efforts at conversion, at the time, place, and political climate in the region at which the meeting took place, could have cost Francis his life. In fact, some sources say that, at the very least, Francis was quite open to what would have effectively been seen as his invitation to martyrdom. Other sources clearly hint at the strong possibility that death, as a result of such a meeting, was clearly something Francis was very aware of and accepted.

Some say the reason that Francis and his companion made it as far as an actually meeting with the Sultan is owed to the probability/possibility that he and Illuminatus were mistaken for Sufis. This is a possibility because the Sufis of that time and region were known for wearing belted tunics quite similar to those worn by Franciscans then and up to today.

For whatever reason, Frances and Illuminatus made it to Sultan Al-Malik al-Kamil. And astonishingly, all three men survived the encounter. And even more astonishingly, Francis and Illuminatus remained the honored guests of The Sultan for an entire week.

There is little doubt that the only reason all parties concerned survived a week-long visit is because of some expression of interspirituality, mutual religious tolerance, and some form of deep mutual respect. There is, however, another assumption that can also be made. Given the Christian beliefs of the times and also the fervor with which Francis embodied those beliefs, it is not at all a stretch to imagine that it was Francis, not the Sultan, whose heart was most importantly transformed by their time together. For there is no evidence whatsoever that Francis attempted to convert Al-Malik al-Kamil. For if he had done so, surely he would not have survived the encounter.

The Perils of Food Insecurity

By Br. Thomas Clark, CFA

From the onset of COVID-19, a growing awareness about food insecurity in the United States has compelled non-profits and government entities to seek solutions to overcoming this critical issue. A considerable number of people have been forced to use food banks for the first time, which has caused their stocks to deplete rapidly. This pandemic has not only disrupted our overall economic infrastructure, but it has highlighted the prominent reality of structural racism where Black and Latino households have been overlooked and left helpless. Being a wealthy nation, American should have easily managed to deal with the issue of food insecurity appropriately.

According to the USDA, there are almost 13.5 million (10.5%) people struggling with food insecurity, making it one of the foremost health and nutrition issues the nation is facing. It's a critical condition that occurs due to the lack of proper access to food resources and budgetary constraints caused by a slow economy and rampant job loss. Although there are many ways to determine the severity of food insecurity, some surveys conducted on a national scale have shown that almost one-third of the population mentioned are at a severe level of food insecurity. Food insecurity can cause many health issues since a healthy body needs a healthy diet in order to remain strong and thrive.

Food Insecurity & its Negative Impact on Health

Food insecurity can occur at every age and to any group vulnerable to a lack of resources. A single pandemic has turned the tables within months and many are now deprived of their basic needs being met. After an in-depth consultation with agencies and policymakers, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed some basic standards to measure the level of food insecurity and its association with adverse health issues. Research by sponsored by the USDA shows a correlation between food-insecurity and higher health risks.

According to the psychological theory espoused by Abraham Maslow in 1943, referred to as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, when one suffers from insecurity in their basic needs (food, clean air, clean water, shelter, and clothes, etc.), there is a drastic negative effect on one’s ability to maintain mental, behavioral, and physical health.  Likewise, those experiencing events like food insecurity, are unable, due to circumstances, to focus on their higher needs like education, secure and healthy relationship, and matters of personal growth.  This results in a poverty of resources as well as a poverty in one's quality of life.  This cycle keeps people poor and focused on meeting basic needs despite a lack of resources – which can lead to criminality and strain municipal and federal budgets in support of jails and prisons.

Children

According to researcher in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, children with food insecurity are more prone to have adverse effects on their health. A child’s body is in a constant state of growth and their bodies need more food and nutrients to power the associated changes. Without secure access to healthy food a child’s physical and mental growth process can be stunted.  This includes the production and pruning of neurons in the child’s brain.  When brain development is affected, a child may fall short of important milestones of growth such as the development of critical thought.  These types of developmental delays can cause life-long struggles with anger, domestic violence, and perpetuate cycles of poverty.

A food-insecure family, with the help of a knowledgeable counselor or social worker, can seek support from government programs. According to Feeding America, 84% of people undergoing food insecurity prefer to buy the cheapest food to meet their needs.  This food tends to be unhealthy and might cause health issues in the future.  The deficiency of nutrients like iron can affect learning as well personal energy levels. With access to unhealthy food, cognitive problems, aggression, anemia, asthma, and anxiety are struggles a child may face. Research carried out in the U.S has discovered that, depending upon one's age, children living in a food-insecure environment are 3 times more likely to have anemia, have a 2 times greater chance of being in poor physical condition, and are almost 2.6 times more likely to suffer from asthma.

One study, referred to as the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, shows that traumas, such as food insecurity, in early life (0-17) have a profound impact on the physical and mental health of children and teens. Children undergoing these ACEs are more likely to have chronic physical and mental illness issues as these traumatic events affect children's cognitive growth. Thus, the study found that it becomes difficult for these children to handle critical situations during times of study, work, and other life challenges.

Adults

In adults, food insecurity is directly linked to their deficits in nutrient intake which leads to many illnesses such as depression, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, etc. If we examine the impact of data collected about food-insecure mothers, they are twice as likely to have mental health problems compared to a food-secure mothers. Similarly, they are 3 times more likely to undergo oral health problems than their food-secure counterparts.

Seniors

Looking at the stats for seniors, it's quite clear how food insecurity can affect anyone and drastically deteriorate the average life expectancy.  Here again, the statistics bear out how people with a lower intake of nutrients have been found less able to perform daily activities and more prone to depression than those who have a healthy food intake.  The hunger rate among seniors has grown by 38% since 2001, and there is a high chance that there will be at least 8 million food-insecure seniors by the end of 2050.

Apostolic Succession - A Brief Explanation

Br. Dylan Littlefield, CFA

There is much talk about apostolic succession in churches today.  Why is it important to the modern church?

Apostolic Succession has its roots in the early church and the Apostles themselves.  Paul told Timothy "[W]hat you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2).  This telling is the first three generations of Apostolic Succession defined in scripture.  This passing of the mantle of leadership and knowledge has its source in the Holy Spirit, when the Bishop lays his hands upon the crown of the successor’s head. 

This passing of the Holy Spirit on from one to the next has a mystical component that is often overlooked.  Many will talk about the unbroken line from Peter and Paul to the Bishops of today.  Others will talk about truth in teaching as passed across the generations. 

Every moment of everyday, there are transformational moments.  Some are dramatic and well presented, while others are subtle and discrete.  But when a Bishop with Apostolic Succession takes their Cathedra, dons the mitre and carries his crozier, he is transforming the moment into that first Pentecost.  His actions draw down the energy of the Divine, connecting each of us to that first in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Its not as if the moment is being recreated.  The moment is being lived now as it if it happening for that first time some 2000 years ago.  A Bishop who can trace his apostolic ancestry back to the 1^st century church connects us through the centuries – bringing the early church to the present and the present to the early church. 

Spring

Br. Dylan Littlefield, CFA

First 30-day Plan

Br. Thomas Clark, CFA