Between now and Epiphany, I would like to share with you each of the 12 "Stations of the Manger" from a little booklet that I wrote several years back. Here's the first:
Station 1. In the Beginning
First Sunday in Advent
Nativity Scene: Empty, no buildings, people or animals
Scripture: John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that has been made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.
Reflection: In the beginning the world was perfect, and all things ran well. Complete love and harmony existed. But to have love, free will must also exist, and with free will comes choice. Some spiritual beings chose their own way; and some humans chose their own way. As a result, some of God’s creation became separated from Him. It is God’s plan to eventually return His creation to the state of perfect grace once again.
Prayer: Father of Jesus Christ, open our hearts to your Word and to the power of the Holy Spirit. Give us the love to discover Your will and strength to carry it out always; for you are light, forever and ever. Amen.
Hymn(s): O Come, All Ye Faithful
Response: Reflect on your own life. Renew your commitment through your baptismal vows to follow God’s path. Know that past sins will be carried by God so that you don’t have to. Know that if you fall again, He will be there to pick you up and send you on your way. Know that God is love and He wants you reconnected with Him in His grace.
Blessings to you this Advent season!
Brother Daniel-Joseph
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Fix It!
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community,
In today’s lectionary readings, Zephaniah reported 2,600 years ago that there were people during his time who felt that the Lord played little, if any, role in the daily events of society: “Neither good nor evil can the Lord do.” (Zeph. 1:12) It is somewhat surprising that even today we sometimes have to wonder how much power the Lord really has when we look at the troubles we face: a shattered global financial system, declining stock markets, military uprisings, business failures, famine, disease, climate change and on and on.
Perhaps the problem is not that the Lord is without power, but it is because we are keeping him so busy trying to hold everything together. After all, who is creating all these messes? Rocks? Remember that we were given dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:28) With this ‘dominion’ comes responsibility. This is the responsibility to run things according to God’s rules, not ours. As in Zephaniah’s day, whenever we turn from God either as individuals or as a nation, we begin to implode. Scripture is replete with examples of this. The result is always the same – trouble. Then we wonder why ‘God has no power.’
The ‘financial consultant’ on the Saturday Night Live program was asked a while back what should be done about the current financial crisis. His response: “FIX IT!”
Ah, yes, but how? How to fix any of the world’s ills? No one person can fix everything, but together, as the unified body of Christ, with him and through him, we can. Consider the advice found in today’s parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). As the body of Christ, we have all been given different gifts, different talents in varying amounts. All of them are equally important, but only if they are used. Each gift, regardless of what it is, plays some role to further God’s creation. Whether you build roads, sew stitches, fly planes, collect trash, grow peas, heal people, teach people, pray, draw or sing – each piece is needed to make the whole. Each piece is sacred. Each piece is vital.
The power and love of God flows through all of us to each other. Use your gifts, whatever they are, for good every day, every moment, and soon we won’t have to wonder anymore if God has any power in the affairs of people.
Bless you for who you are and what you do. Please keep doing it and encouraging others as well.
Your semi-talented Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
In today’s lectionary readings, Zephaniah reported 2,600 years ago that there were people during his time who felt that the Lord played little, if any, role in the daily events of society: “Neither good nor evil can the Lord do.” (Zeph. 1:12) It is somewhat surprising that even today we sometimes have to wonder how much power the Lord really has when we look at the troubles we face: a shattered global financial system, declining stock markets, military uprisings, business failures, famine, disease, climate change and on and on.
Perhaps the problem is not that the Lord is without power, but it is because we are keeping him so busy trying to hold everything together. After all, who is creating all these messes? Rocks? Remember that we were given dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:28) With this ‘dominion’ comes responsibility. This is the responsibility to run things according to God’s rules, not ours. As in Zephaniah’s day, whenever we turn from God either as individuals or as a nation, we begin to implode. Scripture is replete with examples of this. The result is always the same – trouble. Then we wonder why ‘God has no power.’
The ‘financial consultant’ on the Saturday Night Live program was asked a while back what should be done about the current financial crisis. His response: “FIX IT!”
Ah, yes, but how? How to fix any of the world’s ills? No one person can fix everything, but together, as the unified body of Christ, with him and through him, we can. Consider the advice found in today’s parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). As the body of Christ, we have all been given different gifts, different talents in varying amounts. All of them are equally important, but only if they are used. Each gift, regardless of what it is, plays some role to further God’s creation. Whether you build roads, sew stitches, fly planes, collect trash, grow peas, heal people, teach people, pray, draw or sing – each piece is needed to make the whole. Each piece is sacred. Each piece is vital.
The power and love of God flows through all of us to each other. Use your gifts, whatever they are, for good every day, every moment, and soon we won’t have to wonder anymore if God has any power in the affairs of people.
Bless you for who you are and what you do. Please keep doing it and encouraging others as well.
Your semi-talented Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Beware the Serpent
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community!
All are well here in East Central Wisconsin. The weather has given us an extended fall season with continued beautiful fall colors. As one person reminded me this week, “Every day we get of this nice weather in the fall is one less day of the slippery white stuff in the winter.”
This week’s lectionary readings spoke to me of hypocrisy. [Micah 3:5-12; Psalm 43; Matthew 23:1-12; and I Thess. 2:9-20] Micah had to deal with this 2,800 years ago, Christ had to deal with this 2,000 years ago, and we have it in abundance in today’s world, too. Throughout recorded time we have had people claiming allegiance to God and yet compromising His love and message to suit personal or group interests. Micah predicted that this spiritual corruption was not sustainable and would lead to the downfall of the Hebrew nation. It did. Jesus exposed the Pharisees as hypocrites by saying that although they taught the law of Moses they themselves did not follow it. Even today we learn about high profile politicians or business leaders who claim allegiance to God and yet fall to corruption of varied sorts. And on a personal level, many of us have experienced friends or acquaintances who occasionally succumb to secular forces. We may even experience it in ourselves on occasion.
To live in this world committed to God can be a daunting task. The serpent of Eden comes to visit us in many forms. Consider the forces designed to lead us astray:
· Peer pressure
· Misinformation being propagated by special interests (especially during campaign seasons)
· Monetary pressures (being too heavily linked into financial obligations that we may have to compromise our values)
· Marketing and advertising pressures (We aren’t good enough unless we have whiter teeth or designer jeans)
· Our own instincts and urges that can add fuel to the fire
· What others have you faced?
The mercy and compassion of God understands that our lives are not easy. Just as we were given light so that we can use the gift of our eyes, so too were we given moral choices in life so that we could exercise our free will. But we were not put into the arena alone. We can avoid being carried off to Babylon, or facing personal implosion, if we keep the tools and support that are available to us.
Christ avoided temptation during his ordeal in Matthew 4 by rejecting power, greed and magic. He reminds us that we live by every word that comes from God. We do this through prayer, worship and meditation. We do this by watching the world around us moment-by-moment and listening to the heart whisper. Jesus also reminds us not to tempt or test God. This leads us to acceptance of our life situation. It does not mean we do not attempt to make things better, but it does mean that we can face each situation with a clear mind and heart if we first accept what we have and work from there. And Jesus reminds us to serve God and worship Him alone. Be aware of the false gods of greed, power, wealth, fear and worry. They rob you of the present moment – the place where life happens.
I ask you to reflect on Matthew 4 this week, and let me know your discoveries and thoughts.
Know that you are all loved by Our Lord!
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
All are well here in East Central Wisconsin. The weather has given us an extended fall season with continued beautiful fall colors. As one person reminded me this week, “Every day we get of this nice weather in the fall is one less day of the slippery white stuff in the winter.”
This week’s lectionary readings spoke to me of hypocrisy. [Micah 3:5-12; Psalm 43; Matthew 23:1-12; and I Thess. 2:9-20] Micah had to deal with this 2,800 years ago, Christ had to deal with this 2,000 years ago, and we have it in abundance in today’s world, too. Throughout recorded time we have had people claiming allegiance to God and yet compromising His love and message to suit personal or group interests. Micah predicted that this spiritual corruption was not sustainable and would lead to the downfall of the Hebrew nation. It did. Jesus exposed the Pharisees as hypocrites by saying that although they taught the law of Moses they themselves did not follow it. Even today we learn about high profile politicians or business leaders who claim allegiance to God and yet fall to corruption of varied sorts. And on a personal level, many of us have experienced friends or acquaintances who occasionally succumb to secular forces. We may even experience it in ourselves on occasion.
To live in this world committed to God can be a daunting task. The serpent of Eden comes to visit us in many forms. Consider the forces designed to lead us astray:
· Peer pressure
· Misinformation being propagated by special interests (especially during campaign seasons)
· Monetary pressures (being too heavily linked into financial obligations that we may have to compromise our values)
· Marketing and advertising pressures (We aren’t good enough unless we have whiter teeth or designer jeans)
· Our own instincts and urges that can add fuel to the fire
· What others have you faced?
The mercy and compassion of God understands that our lives are not easy. Just as we were given light so that we can use the gift of our eyes, so too were we given moral choices in life so that we could exercise our free will. But we were not put into the arena alone. We can avoid being carried off to Babylon, or facing personal implosion, if we keep the tools and support that are available to us.
Christ avoided temptation during his ordeal in Matthew 4 by rejecting power, greed and magic. He reminds us that we live by every word that comes from God. We do this through prayer, worship and meditation. We do this by watching the world around us moment-by-moment and listening to the heart whisper. Jesus also reminds us not to tempt or test God. This leads us to acceptance of our life situation. It does not mean we do not attempt to make things better, but it does mean that we can face each situation with a clear mind and heart if we first accept what we have and work from there. And Jesus reminds us to serve God and worship Him alone. Be aware of the false gods of greed, power, wealth, fear and worry. They rob you of the present moment – the place where life happens.
I ask you to reflect on Matthew 4 this week, and let me know your discoveries and thoughts.
Know that you are all loved by Our Lord!
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Bigger Fish to Fry
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers, and Friends of the Community!
A windy fall day is upon us which will undoubtedly remove many of the colored leaves that still cling to branches. Well, I suppose I should start thinking about getting the snow shovels ready…
The core of God’s message to us in today’s lectionary readings rests in Jesus’ response to the question he was asked that was designed to trap him: “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Matthew 22:17)
An affirmative answer would have put him in trouble with the Jewish leaders (more than he was already). A negative answer would have put him in trouble with the Romans. What could he do to solve this dilemma? He took the issue to a higher level; to a truer perspective. And he did this by simply responding, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s.
Often, the answer to a problem we face can not be found in the details before us. It may appear that our choices are limited and none of them are good – pay the taxes to Caesar or not; choose this or that; go left or right. When faced with this situation, take the lead from Our Teacher. Bring God into the mix. This will instantly change the focus and creates new values in our options. Yes, pay the tax that is due Caesar, but also remember who has more power than Caesar.
There are much bigger things in life than what we owe “Caesar.” We have “bigger fish to fry” as they say here in the Great Lakes area. We have hearts to win over for Christ, including our own. To do this takes committing our lives to Christ, and not committing them to some present-day Caesar (any of our present-day gods of power, riches, magic, etc.).
To what are we committing to? A little later in Matthew 22 we are reminded of the Great Commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind; and to love your neighbor as yourself.
And how can we do this? To maintain connection with God through prayer – prayers of thanksgiving, intercession, petition, and listening. To be present to the world around us; to be present to each moment of the day as it passes in front of us. And to serve others as the situation calls to us, moment by moment, in our own unique way, the way God created each person individually. No gesture is too small.
Do all this, and the Caesars will vanish.
Please reflect on Matthew 22 this week and let me know what you see.
God’s peace and love to all!
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
A windy fall day is upon us which will undoubtedly remove many of the colored leaves that still cling to branches. Well, I suppose I should start thinking about getting the snow shovels ready…
The core of God’s message to us in today’s lectionary readings rests in Jesus’ response to the question he was asked that was designed to trap him: “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Matthew 22:17)
An affirmative answer would have put him in trouble with the Jewish leaders (more than he was already). A negative answer would have put him in trouble with the Romans. What could he do to solve this dilemma? He took the issue to a higher level; to a truer perspective. And he did this by simply responding, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s.
Often, the answer to a problem we face can not be found in the details before us. It may appear that our choices are limited and none of them are good – pay the taxes to Caesar or not; choose this or that; go left or right. When faced with this situation, take the lead from Our Teacher. Bring God into the mix. This will instantly change the focus and creates new values in our options. Yes, pay the tax that is due Caesar, but also remember who has more power than Caesar.
There are much bigger things in life than what we owe “Caesar.” We have “bigger fish to fry” as they say here in the Great Lakes area. We have hearts to win over for Christ, including our own. To do this takes committing our lives to Christ, and not committing them to some present-day Caesar (any of our present-day gods of power, riches, magic, etc.).
To what are we committing to? A little later in Matthew 22 we are reminded of the Great Commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind; and to love your neighbor as yourself.
And how can we do this? To maintain connection with God through prayer – prayers of thanksgiving, intercession, petition, and listening. To be present to the world around us; to be present to each moment of the day as it passes in front of us. And to serve others as the situation calls to us, moment by moment, in our own unique way, the way God created each person individually. No gesture is too small.
Do all this, and the Caesars will vanish.
Please reflect on Matthew 22 this week and let me know what you see.
God’s peace and love to all!
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Blessings of Psalm 23
Psalm 23 was part of the lectionary readings for today. It is a very popular and much beloved psalm. When I read and pray it, here is what it means to me:
If we choose the Lord as Our Shepherd (instead of some other false god like greed, power, money, envy, or pride), then the things we really need as a spiritual child of God will be ours in abundance. It is only when we attach ourselves to worldly things that we begin to feel scarcity and depravation. Choosing the Lord is to abandon the false self, and free the imprisoned heart. This will allow our true selves, our souls, to shine through.
The peace that comes to us with this choice will feel like we are relaxing in a beautiful green pasture, near some quiet water, where our souls can be replenished and re-energized. We will then be guided through the day’s activities by the will of God, and our lives will take on a new purpose – a new direction with new meaning. So, even though we are indeed mortal and must face physical death at some point, we come to have little fear, especially of anything evil, because not only is God with us, so are His rod and staff – Christ and the Holy Spirit.
The true enemies that we have – attachments, judgments, biases, fears, prejudices – can all sit and watch while God lavishes His love and compassion on us. They can not stop Him because nothing can – our cup overflows indeed. His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life (which, by the way, extends WAY past living in this physical form). We dwell in the House of the Lord when we choose Him – and elect to shed our worldly, false self.
Jesus adds in Matthew, “Many are called, but few choose Him.” How odd!
Please reflect further on Psalm 23 this week. Let me know if something about it touches you.
Blessings to all!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
And Here's a Plug For...
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community!
Sometimes, as in recent weeks, I can get a bit lost in all the news of financial turmoil, tainted food, political and corporate corruption, and war. I get side-tracked and begin to feel that my spiritual energy plug somehow got kicked out of the wall socket, or it feels as though I am being pulled in one direction too many.
Eight years ago I got a copy of Thomas Merton’s “The Silent Life.” I return to this book every so often, and read not only his words, but also the notes I made in the margins about my thoughts at the time. In a way, it is like revisiting an old journal to see what issues and challenges I was wrestling with at the time.
Apparently I have felt somewhat “diffused” in the past, too, because certain sections of the book relating to ‘being lost’ were heavily underlined. Once again I was reminded that when we lose our spiritual connection to God we can begin to feel a little ‘diffused’ and ‘exhausted,’ even to the point of misery. “A person,” writes Merton, “cannot go on happily for long unless s/he is in contact with the springs of spiritual life which are hidden in the depths of his/her own soul.” Without this connection, Merton adds, the person becomes a kind of automaton, living without joy, being bounced around like a billiard ball by all the stuff that happens throughout the day.
How can we get the plug back into the spiritual wall socket? How can we reconnect with the inner voice of God that speaks to us in a heart whisper? For me, returning to the well-springs of life periodically throughout the day helps me keep life in perspective and prevents me from being left to the mercy of modern society. The best way for me to so this is by building my day around a framework of the Daily Offices, meditation, and periods of solitude and silence. Doing this may necessitate somewhat reduced contact with the ‘outside world,’ but there is a balance to be sought. What little things do I do during the course of a day that I can forego, so that I can spend the needed amount of time being with God and getting ‘recharged’ by Him? A little less TV? A little less radio? One less club or group meeting? Trimming back on a lot of the little things often gives me the time I need to get back on track. These times of ‘aloneness with God’ become precious and enjoyable!
Please remember your daily prayer times! Not only will they change you, they will also change the world.
Know that you are loved by God, and are only a plug away!
Brother Daniel-Joseph
Sometimes, as in recent weeks, I can get a bit lost in all the news of financial turmoil, tainted food, political and corporate corruption, and war. I get side-tracked and begin to feel that my spiritual energy plug somehow got kicked out of the wall socket, or it feels as though I am being pulled in one direction too many.
Eight years ago I got a copy of Thomas Merton’s “The Silent Life.” I return to this book every so often, and read not only his words, but also the notes I made in the margins about my thoughts at the time. In a way, it is like revisiting an old journal to see what issues and challenges I was wrestling with at the time.
Apparently I have felt somewhat “diffused” in the past, too, because certain sections of the book relating to ‘being lost’ were heavily underlined. Once again I was reminded that when we lose our spiritual connection to God we can begin to feel a little ‘diffused’ and ‘exhausted,’ even to the point of misery. “A person,” writes Merton, “cannot go on happily for long unless s/he is in contact with the springs of spiritual life which are hidden in the depths of his/her own soul.” Without this connection, Merton adds, the person becomes a kind of automaton, living without joy, being bounced around like a billiard ball by all the stuff that happens throughout the day.
How can we get the plug back into the spiritual wall socket? How can we reconnect with the inner voice of God that speaks to us in a heart whisper? For me, returning to the well-springs of life periodically throughout the day helps me keep life in perspective and prevents me from being left to the mercy of modern society. The best way for me to so this is by building my day around a framework of the Daily Offices, meditation, and periods of solitude and silence. Doing this may necessitate somewhat reduced contact with the ‘outside world,’ but there is a balance to be sought. What little things do I do during the course of a day that I can forego, so that I can spend the needed amount of time being with God and getting ‘recharged’ by Him? A little less TV? A little less radio? One less club or group meeting? Trimming back on a lot of the little things often gives me the time I need to get back on track. These times of ‘aloneness with God’ become precious and enjoyable!
Please remember your daily prayer times! Not only will they change you, they will also change the world.
Know that you are loved by God, and are only a plug away!
Brother Daniel-Joseph
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Kenosis
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends,
Some cooler weather fronts are moving into the area today, and it may be the last 70 degree day we see for a while.
Summer is pouring itself out to make room for autumn weather.
Speaking of pouring oneself out (a forced segue?), the readings for Proper 21 tomorrow include a passage from Philippians (2:1-13).
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Jesus Christ,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
Did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
But emptied himself,
Taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
He humbled himself
And became obedient to the point of death –
Even death on a cross.” (Verses 5-8)
We may not always agree that St. Paul “got things right,” but in this case his description of Christ’s emptying himself out is a classic example of kenosis. Kenosis is a Greek word referring to the idea of a person ridding themselves of anything that is not of God – of emptying themselves out so that the love of God can flow through them into the world. As it does so, it is shaped and colored by the individual skills, talents and interests that were given to us. So, for each person, the result may be different, but it is still part of the overall, ever-loving flow of God.
This is what we attempt to do in our formation efforts – identify the dysfunctional parts of the ego in us, toss them out through awareness and observation, and make room for the wonders of how God will use us in His plans. Be patient and be humble; experience the awesomeness of life, and watch moment by moment what your role is. Sometimes it is merely to sit and wait, sometimes it is to pray, and sometimes it is to take action. Whatever it is, do it to the glory of God.
You are all in my daily thoughts and prayers,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Guardian
Some cooler weather fronts are moving into the area today, and it may be the last 70 degree day we see for a while.
Summer is pouring itself out to make room for autumn weather.
Speaking of pouring oneself out (a forced segue?), the readings for Proper 21 tomorrow include a passage from Philippians (2:1-13).
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Jesus Christ,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
Did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
But emptied himself,
Taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
He humbled himself
And became obedient to the point of death –
Even death on a cross.” (Verses 5-8)
We may not always agree that St. Paul “got things right,” but in this case his description of Christ’s emptying himself out is a classic example of kenosis. Kenosis is a Greek word referring to the idea of a person ridding themselves of anything that is not of God – of emptying themselves out so that the love of God can flow through them into the world. As it does so, it is shaped and colored by the individual skills, talents and interests that were given to us. So, for each person, the result may be different, but it is still part of the overall, ever-loving flow of God.
This is what we attempt to do in our formation efforts – identify the dysfunctional parts of the ego in us, toss them out through awareness and observation, and make room for the wonders of how God will use us in His plans. Be patient and be humble; experience the awesomeness of life, and watch moment by moment what your role is. Sometimes it is merely to sit and wait, sometimes it is to pray, and sometimes it is to take action. Whatever it is, do it to the glory of God.
You are all in my daily thoughts and prayers,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Guardian
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