Thursday, March 30, 2016

                Some will tell you that it’s not the destination but it’s the journey. But I would suggest that those people have never flown from Toronto into the United States. Last week, as we flew into Tampa, Florida, I have discovered that I much prefer the “being there” far more than the “getting-to-there.” Just to get on the plane is an ordeal of multiple line-ups, security checks, custom checks, and trying to figure out the technology that is supposed to hurry up the process but really doesn’t. It took me four tries to get through the body scanner alone as it kept showing “objects” that weren’t even there. Picky! Picky!

                But, oh, the destination! We traveled with Katie and Gary and baby Spencer to a wonderful rented home in Palm Harbor, Florida. It was a spacious, beautiful home with an exotic backyard full of a variety of palm trees and plants. Friendly, little geckos darted around everywhere. There was a hot tub in the yard. Comfortable, patio furniture everywhere. Miniature lights at night.  Gary and I took in four Blue Jays' spring training games (now checked off my bucket list). On our last day, we went to a beautiful Gulf beach for a few splendid hours. Food was great. The people were friendly and helpful. The bird watching was magnificent.

 One morning as I was sitting in the back, I spotted a large, orange-coloured bird flying (probably a roseate spoonbill) across the sky and when the morning sun hit it as it spread its wings, the bird seemed to explode into an orange, fiery phoenix. It was authentically awesome!

No, give me the destination. You can keep the journey.

I have always been a little puzzled about Paul’s wish that he “would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord,” (2 Corinthians 5:8). It seemed like he would prefer death to living. He preferred the ultimate, sacred destination to the reality of his “earthly tent” (5:1). He seems to stoically accept the journey that he is on as part of the process, but I get the sense that he is not exactly enjoying it. It used to come across to me as a bit grim. “For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life,” (5:4). Certainly, in other texts where he lists the severe hardships and terrible suffering because of his witness for Christ, he admits that “we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself,” (2 Corinthians 1:8). It was not all joy in the Lord all the time.

But now I no longer think that Paul was giving up. The holy destination of God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven was inspiring him to press forward and onward “for we walk by faith, not by sight,” (5:7). Even though it was frustrating to have to go through all those airport checks it was leading me to my destination. Along the way, I needed to handle the barriers, questions and issues with grace, patience and forbearance (and it wasn’t easy for me!).  I trusted that as I worked my way through the process, it would enable me to arrive at my destination and it turned out it was worth every irritating minute. “So whether we are home or away, we make it our aim to please him,” (5:9). That seems to be true in more ways than one.

Paul traveled extensively. He had many destinations. Some gave him great joy. Some gave him great pain. Through it all he persevered, endured, trusted, had faith, hoped and found that even in the most physical of trials, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us,” (Romans 8: 37).

And perhaps, I get what Paul is saying because now that I am back here in Ontario with the threat of a nasty winter storm tonight I too would rather be in that “garden of Eden” in Palm Harbor.  But until the next time or until then there is work, witness, mission, living for Christ and people to love and care for, that will keep me going.

But dang it, I really would love to be sitting under that palm tree, right now.

Dale

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

                Back in the day, when I was more zealous about gardening, I would enjoy looking at various seed catalogues or gardening magazines on a cold, blustery day like today.  The pictures of flowers and plants, the gardening tips and the new types of gardening equipment were to me a sign of better things to come even if there was blowing snow swirling outside my window.

A catalogue from Lee Valley Tools would set my heart a-racing. Cottage Life would reveal new varieties and colours of garden flowers. We now get a quarterly magazine, Garden Gate, courtesy of my mother-in-law who is still a passionate gardener. The pictures of the gardens are breath-taking but are far beyond my present levels of energy and commitment that it would take to duplicate. Nevertheless, sitting here with my SAD light blazing, a cup of hot tea and cold, March winds whipping up the Ides of March, these same pictures promise the hope of warmer days ahead and that spring is coming - eventually. Underneath the snow, my little crocuses are waiting to burst up out of the soil.

I can find only one biblical reference to the noble crocus. The words are spoken to a people who are in captivity, despair and hopelessness. Their situation is compared to that of living in the wilderness. But this prophet, Isaiah, has the blatant audacity to speak these words as he promises them that the day will come when they will return to their homeland and be happy once again: “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing,” (Isaiah 35: 1 -2).

It took about seventy years for that “crocus” to actually bloom. I’m sure that it could not have been  easy to wait, to be patient, to believe in those words or have faith during those times. It would be human nature to become bitter or cynical, to doubt, to lose hope, to give up, to surrender. But Isaiah and others like him persisted that they keep hoping and trusting. They have it on good authority - God himself who speaks again in springtime words: “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring. They shall spring up like a green tamarisk, like willows by flowing streams,” (Isaiah 44: 3 – 5). (A tamarisk is an evergreen shrub.)

The language of fresh sprouts of hope in the midst of despair is also found in Isaiah 55 and worth repeating an extended piece of it.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.  Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off,” (Isaiah 55: 10 – 13).

God’s “seed catalogue” gives me much to contemplate on a cold, wintry day.  This old world of ours could use some Good News. We have good friends who are in need of some good news. Maybe you are in need of some promising good news.

So, listen up! “See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them,” (Isaiah 42:9).

                It’s not going to snow forever, is it? 

Dale

Wednesday, March 8, 2017 

                A couple of weeks ago, I was at the drive-thru at McDonalds. They had been advertising the “Big Mac with Bacon” combo on TV. Who can resist bacon?  So, I ordered the combo, only to be told that this promotion was no longer available, but I could order a Big Mac and add the bacon. Huh!?

                The Kingdom of God is not like this:

                Excuse me, but I would like a faith system that has all the fixings which will help me to make a real difference in my life and the world around me.

Sorry sir, but we can offer you a nice church but the extras are… well, extra… they will cost you.

                What do you mean extras? Like what?

                Well, for starters – Jesus.

                Jesus is an extra?

                Of course, we can’t just give Jesus away, you know. Oh, he used to be in the whole package but we found that he doesn’t come cheaply. So, we took him out.

                You took out Jesus?

                We discovered that some of our customers couldn’t afford the deluxe package with Jesus in it. So, we downsized and now just offer the basics but it comes with a life-time warrantee of a warm, fuzzy feeling of community.

                What else comes with the basics?

                Church offering envelopes.

                Pardon?

                Sorry sir, it’s an inside joke.

                But I think I want a church with Jesus included.

                Then indeed, you will be wanting the deluxe package. But you will need to fill out this club membership form, and sign the waver agreement that if something goes wrong, we are not responsible.

                What could go wrong?

                Just between you and me, sir, we have had a number of customers complain that the deluxe package with Jesus has a few bugs in it. I really shouldn’t be telling you this but the Jesus model isn't as compatible with some people's old operating systems as much as we here at McChurch Inc. would like.

                What do you mean bugs?

                The whole Jesus deluxe package seems susceptible to a love-bug. It has been known to cause people to act irrationally. We are still trying to work the flaws out of the system. It is quite annoying if not caught early enough.

                Sounds serious.

                Oh, it is, sir. Very serious. People have been returning these packages by the droves.

                I see. I think I will take my chances with the Jesus deluxe package. What’s the final cost?

                Your life, sir.

                Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?  Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? (Mark 8: 34 -37) 

Dale

Ash Wednesday, March 1, 2017

                Yesterday, I was in the grocery store to purchase buttermilk pancake mix, blueberries, syrup and sausages. Maybe she was just making idle conversation, but the grocery clerk wondered aloud to me why they were selling a lot of pancake mix and pancake fixings. “What’s going on? Is it some sort of pancake day?”  Well, I managed to give her a very short liturgical lesson, explaining that it was Pancake Tuesday which marks the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday. I’m not sure that she was much the wiser nor probably cared all that much. Lent seemed to have no meaning for her.

                I would argue that Lent is about far more than just pancakes on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) – a symbolic gesture to use up the rich baking ingredients like butter, eggs, and fat before the season of fasting and prayer begins. Therefore, Mari Gras has become an excessive, everything-goes festival in some places. One website describes it this way: “Lent is a time of fasting and penance in preparation for Easter. Carnival, then, can rightly be seen as the indulgence before the fast. It is one last “binge” before having to give something up for 40 days… In general, Mardi Gras revelers engage in a binge of sinning before a time of consecration to God. The celebration of Mardi Gras fosters the notion that you can do whatever you want on Fat Tuesday, as long as you show up in church on Ash Wednesday. It’s the bender before the benediction,” (Gotquestions?.org)

                I have never been very much into the whole idea of giving something up for Lent. At its best, it is a well-intentioned gesture to symbolize personal sacrifice, fasting, spirituality and acts as a small reminder of our walk with our crucified Lord. But giving up chocolate or coffee, for example, seems pretty small potatoes in the development of our discipleship and spirituality.

Don’t get me wrong. Certainly, there are plenty of bad habits that one could give up. The Seven Deadly Sins covers that: envy, gluttony, greed or avarice, lust, pride, sloth, and wrath in all their variant and sometimes subtle forms. Now we’re talking big leagues!

                But I have always been an advocate that even if one is going to give something up for Lent that perhaps we should also consider taking up some new habit for good, volunteer for some good cause, do some random deeds of kindness, give a helping hand, or do something extra for someone. There is an implied “sacrifice” in this as one gives up time, energy, and one’s self for something good and honourable. One also doesn’t have time to do any of the bad stuff that tempts and intrigues us. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” (Romans 12: 21).

                Easier said than done, but hey, we now have six weeks in which to work it out. We have Jesus from whom to take our cues and find a super model for our Lenten living.  We are called to exercise our faith and practice unselfishly our liturgy of love, compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness, to pick up our crosses and follow Jesus, “so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,” (Colossians 1:10).

                The thoughtful and beneficial season of Lent begins today. So, let’s give it up for Lent!

Dale