New Year’s Eve, Monday, December 31, 2007

Trust the past to God's mercy, trust the present to God's love and the future to God's providence.

~ St. Augustine

As we come to the end of 2007 we would do well to reflect on how time itself is a gift of God. None of us are owed one day, but we are granted each day as a gift. 

What would it mean to you to welcome each day as a gift? What would it mean for you to trust more? 

On this last day of the year, may you trust God's grace as you welcome the gift of a new year.

The 1st Thursday after Christmas, December 27, 2007

When the song of the angels is stilled,

when the star in the sky is gone,

when the kings and princes are home,

when the shepherds are back with the flocks,

then the work of Christmas begins:

     to find the lost,

     to heal those broken in spirit,

     to feed the hungry,

     to release the oppressed,

     to rebuild the nations,

     to bring peace among all peoples,

     to make a little music with the heart…

And to radiate the Light of Christ,

every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say.

Then the work of Christmas begins.

~ Howard Thurman  (adapted)

The work of Christmas is not done in a day. It is the work of our lives. So let the work of Christmas begin, and let it begin with you today.

Christmas Eve, December 24, 2007

Fear less, hope more;

Eat less, chew more;

Whine less, breathe more;

Talk less, say more;

Hate less, love more;

And all good things will be yours.

~ Anonymous

May all good things be yours in this Christmas Season. 

Merry Christmas to all!

The Third Thursday in Advent, December 20, 2007

Somehow, not only for Christmas

But all the long year through,

The joy that you give to others

Is the joy that comes back to you.

And the more you spend in blessing

The poor and lonely and sad,

The more of your heart's possessing

Returns to you glad.

~ John Greenleaf Whittier

John Greenleaf Whittier, of Haverhill, Massachusetts tells us that what we give away does not diminish us but rather enriches us. That is one of the great truths of this season. God reaches out to us, making possible the birth of Christ in our world and lives, so that we may expand the circle of blessing and reach out to others.

May you be blest to experience this gift in your life.

The Third Wednesday in Advent, December 19, 2007

What good is it that Christ was born 2,000 years ago if he is not born now in your heart?

~ Meister Eckhart

Christmas is as much about now as it is about then. To only look back 2,000 years and not to understand that Christ is present now in our lives is to make a museum piece out of Christmas and Christianity. 

Christmas makes us all Marys and Josephs, those who welcome and allow Christ to be born into the realities our world today. Not some perfect world, but a world where there is, more often than not, no room in the inn. Yet even in our world Christ is born.

The Third Tuesday in Advent, December 18, 2007

Come, St. Nicholas, patron of shoppers and gift-seekers, and make Christmas this year fun, creative and love-filled.

~ Edward Hays

As you probably know St. Nicholas is the Christian saint that we have come to know as Santa Claus. The historical St. Nicholas was the bishop of Myra in Anatolia (in modern-day Turkey) who left  a gift in stockings as they hung drying on the fireplace mantle. He would leave only one gift, not the huge piles of stuff we often attribute to Santa. So perhaps the message of Nicholas to us today might be: "Keep it simple!" Keep it simple enough to fit in a shoe or a stocking.

Edward Hayes tells us that: "One gift that could fit in a… shoe, or in a stocking hanging on the fireplace, is a note that speaks of one of our most precious gifts, the gift of time. Such a St. Nicholas note might read: 'The gift I give to you is half an hour of quality conversation each night right after the dishes are done.' Or, 'The gift I give to you is one Saturday a month to be with you and do whatever you want to do.' We can appreciate the value of such a gift if we keep in mind that according to a recent survey, the average married couple in America has only 30 minutes a week of communication outside of exchanges that take place at the dinner table, and between parent and child is only 14 minutes. As you can see, the possibilities are almost unlimited for these St. Nicholas shoe gifts."

May you welcome the gift of Nicholas, one chosen and valued gift that blesses your life and God's world.

The Third Monday in Advent, December 17, 2007

A novice master once responded when asked about a life lived in Christian authenticity, said that to be a Christian was not to know the answers but to begin to live in the part of the self where the question is born.…He was speaking of an attitude of listening, of awareness of presence, of an openness to mystery.

~ Wendy M. Wright, Wreathed in Flesh and Warm

We are often at our best not when we have settled on answers but rather when we are moving forward and open to God's immediate presence in our lives. To be present as a child in this Advent season is to let go of our need to know or control and be present in a deeper, more profound way. What would it mean to you to trust enough to listen and be open to mystery?

The Second Thursday in Advent, December 13, 2007

It might be easy to run away to a monastery, away from the commercialization, the hectic hustle, the demanding family responsibilities of Christmas-time. Then we would have a holy Christmas. But we would forget the lesson of the Incarnation, of the enfleshing of God—the lesson that we who are followers of Jesus do not run from the secular; rather we try to transform it. 

~ Andrew Greeley

Our mission in this season is to engage Christmas activities with a mindfulness of their deeper meaning. Gifts we give and receive are a deeper sign of our love for each other and of God's love for us all. Gatherings point to the ways we are connected in love and enduring community. Decorations are a visual sign of a deeper reality, pointing to grace that gives beauty and honor to our homes and daily lives. So no matter how maddening the Christmas rush, let us engage it at deeper level and see the grace beneath the surface.

The Second Wednesday in Advent, December 12, 2007

Advent is the perfect time to clear and prepare the Way. Advent is a winter training camp for those who desire peace. By reflection and prayer, by reading and meditation, we can make our hearts a place where a blessing of peace would desire to abide and where the birth of the Prince of Peace might take place. 

~ Edward Hayes

We probably know how to prepare outwardly for Christmas. Inwardly is often another matter. Perhaps questions for reflection can be our Advent starting points. 

Are you respectful of others, their ideas and needs? Are you openhanded with what you have, and understand yourself as a steward and not an owner of what is entrusted to you? Do you look down on others who are different from you or of lesser social standing? Is there resentment, or unforgiven injury living in your heart?

Let questions, reflection and prayer be your Advent lights to illumine the dark corners of your life. 

The 2nd Tuesday in Advent, December 11, 2007

WARNING…… WARNING: ADVENT VIRUS

 

Be on the alert for symptoms of inner Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to this virus and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.

Some signs and symptoms of The Advent Virus:

    * A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.

    * An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

    * A loss of interest in judging other people.

    * A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

    * A loss of interest in conflict.

    * A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)

    * Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

    * Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.

    * Frequent attacks of smiling.

    * An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

    * An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

Like many viruses, I found in circulating on the internet. Please send this warning out to all your friends.  This virus can and has affected many systems. Some systems have been completely cleaned out because of it.

The 2nd Monday in Advent, December 10, 2007

In each heart lies a Bethlehem,    

an inn where we must ultimately answer    

whether there is room or not.

When we are Bethlehem-bound    

we experience our own advent in his.

When we are Bethlehem-bound    

we can no longer look the other way    

conveniently not seeing stars    

not hearing angel voices.

We can no longer excuse ourselves by busily    

tending our sheep or our kingdoms.

This Advent let's go to Bethlehem    

and see this thing that the Lord has made known to us.

In the midst of shopping sprees    

let's ponder in our hearts the Gift of Gifts.

Through the tinsel    

let's look for the gold of the Christmas Star.

In the excitement and confusion, in the merry chaos,    

let's listen for the brush of angels wings.

This Advent, let's go to Bethlehem    

and find our knelling places.

~ Ann [Barr] Weems

Where are your "kneeling places?" 

I'd like to thank Steve Hill, the lay-leader of my previous parish, the Cape Elizabeth United Methodist Church, for sending me this poem.

The 1st Thursday of Advent, December 6, 2007

Take time to be aware that in the very midst of our busy preparations for the celebration of Christ's birth in ancient Bethlehem, Christ is reborn in the Bethlehems of our homes and daily lives. Take time, slow down, be still, be awake to the Divine Mystery that looks so common and so ordinary yet is wondrously present.

~ Edward Hays

We can be so busy decorating, preparing food, shopping and taking in holiday events that we easily miss the coming of Christ. Busyness can leave us tired and stressed.  When we are tired and stressed we are more vulnerable to hurt feelings, anger and impatience. So "take time, slow down, be still, be awake." This season is to be a blessing to us that we may be a blessing to others.

The first Wednesday in Advent, December 5, 2007

I believe in the sun

though it is late in rising.

I believe in love

though it is absent.

I believe in God

though He is silent.

~ anonymous holocaust survivor - cologne, germany

Waiting... it is the heart of Advent. We wait for God to complete what we cannot. We wait for Grace to heal what is broken. We wait for Christ to be born again in us.

In this season of waiting, may your waiting be more than just biding time, may it be a faithful expression of the deepest and most noble longings God has placed in your heart.

The 2nd Tuesday of Advent, December 4, 2007

Christmas is for the imperfect.

God sent Christ into the world to redeem imperfect, sinful, broken people in an imperfect, sinful, broken world. So let's not pretend to be perfect on Christmas. We are not perfect, our families and lives are not perfect. 

The Gospel in Advent is that God comes to us as we are, where we are. Because of this unconditional love we can be real and honest about our lives and we can be truly blessed by the good news of great joy.

So use this time that God give us each year to look deep into your life and to open your hearts to Grace in the midst of life as it is.

The first Monday in Advent, December 3, 2007

I think over again my small adventures, my fears,

These small ones that seemed so big.

For all the vital things I had to get and to reach.

And yet there is only one great thing,

The only thing.

To live to see the great day that dawns

And the light that fills the world.

~ Inuit song

As we begin this Advent season we are reminded that we are called to welcome that Light that fills the world. This welcome is both about waiting to see the day when that Light is fully realized and also seeing hints and whispers of that Light in our world now. 

How has God's Light shined in your world? How might you allow that Light to shine even brighter?

These are questions to ponder in this Advent season.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

The Church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners.

~ Morton Kelsey

... or maybe a "distribution center for grace." We are not the manufactures of grace. God does that... without any outsourcing. Our job description is to share the love and grace that God so freely gives to us. Our calling is to pass it on.

So this day welcome the Blessing that you may be a blessing!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

God is perfect so we don't have to be.

Beware the deception of perfection. To seek excellence and set attainable goals is a good thing, but to set non-attainable goals and try to be above any criticism is a trap. We are always going to be imperfect.

We need to accept our own and other's imperfections. We worship a God of grace who loves us even in our imperfections.

So be accepting of yourself and others, knowing that only God is perfect.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes … and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.

~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

We are not good at waiting. We get impatient and angry when we have to wait. Yet Scripture often tells us to "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14). 

Advent begins this Sunday and is a time to wait, not as an exercise in just biding time, but as a something more creative, a way to let go our our agendas and allow God's way to work in us. The great example of Advent is Mary, who said to the jarring news that she would have a child, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." (Luke 1:38).

May your prayer this Advent be Mary's: "Let it be with me according to your word."

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.  

~ Melody Beattie

May you have a Thanksgiving full of gratitude, grace and goodness!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God.  ~ Ray Stannard Baker (David Grayson)

A lot of people tell me that Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday because it is simple (less commercial than Christmas) and more direct. And indeed it speaks of the basics of life -- seasons, harvest, good food and loved ones. So let these days be a time to pause and sense the deeper connections in these basics. May your Thanksgiving be filled with gratitude for all you are blest with and thanks for the Giver of all good things!

Monday, November 19, 2007

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.  

~ Edward Sandford Martin

Thanksgiving is not only a national holiday, it is also a vital spiritual practice that can imbue all our days with a heart of gratitude. So on this week that marks this wonderful feast to give thanks, let's also welcome the daily gift of feeling blessed with all that God so generously gives!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Question: What is the chief end of man?

Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

~ The Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Assembly

The more we sense God in our lives the less we will ever want to be away from that Presence again. To know Grace that welcomes us again and again, to experience ourselves secure in God's grace and to enjoy that closeness is indeed "the chief end" of our lives. Today, welcome your "chief aim" to celebrate Grace and enjoy peace that will never end. Glory to God in the highest!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

O Lord, you awaken us to delight in your praise;

You made us for yourself,

And our heart is restless, until it finds rest in you.

~ St. Augustine

... restless until we rest in God. There are many things in our lives that promise us rest and happiness. We often believe that achievement, work, money or success will complete us. And while those things have their place in our lives they are simply not enough for us. They are not up to the task of being the center of our lives. We were created for more. The heart of our faith tradition is the truth that rest is found uniquely in the One who invites home to grace.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality.

~ Alfred Painter

To say thank you, to find ways to give thanks, opens us up to an awareness of all our blessings. It allows us to complete the circle of giving by giving back and returning thanks. It's etiquette based in the deep truth of how gifted we are and our need to celebrate that fact. So today live "thank you" by counting your blessings and returning thanks.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."

~ Mother Teresa 

We don't have to do it all! To set a goal that is impossible is a sure way to loose heart and feel we have failed. Rather than taking on all the problems of the world, instead of thinking we have to do it all, we can simply attend to the things we can do something about with the gifts that God gives us. So don't overburden yourself with things beyond your control, just reach out to the ones you can feed today.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Grace is something you can never get but can only be given. There's no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth. 

A good sleep is grace and so are good dreams. Most tears are grace. The smell of rain is grace. Somebody loving you is grace. 

~ Fredrick Buechner (for Angela)

The unmistakable center of Christianity is grace. Our lives are to dwell safely in the fact that nothing can separate us from the grace of God. This safety is what salvation is all about. We do not have to do anything to earn it. It is a free gift of God. All we are called to do is welcome it and allow it to work in us. So today be mindful of Grace and allow it to work in and through you.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved.

~ Mother Teresa

The kind of poverty that is closest to us in suburban settings is spiritual poverty. We know were our next meal is coming from. We have clothes on our back and a roof over our head. We have all we need. But are we driven by our wants to neglect our relationship with God and others? We can have it all, but if we do not know the grace of feeling connected to God and others we are poor indeed. So today, remember what really matters to you and find your most valuable riches in relationships.

Monday, November 5, 2007

There's no danger of developing eyestrain from looking on the bright side.

Optimism has very few drawbacks! Most of us would be well served by looking on the bright side. In fact, practicing a sense of hope and optimism is an important spiritual practice. 

There are times and days when this is not easy for us, but that's were faith can come to our aid. Perhaps we cannot see the bright side but we can trust that God is a work in our world to bless us and bring us grace. So today, make the effort to be a positive force in the world.