Yes, the more astute will have noticed that not much has been added to this blog for a while. That is because I've been working on the church's website and adding content there instead of here. I'm not planning on adding much more here from now on, so this is a semi-official "last post".
The church's website is www.themarshuca.org.au
Monday, June 25, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Stage one is go!
We're in the process of constructing a labyrinth on the church grounds at Bacchus Marsh. Stage one is to mark it out in paint, and the vision is to eventually outline it with sand.
Yes, it's big. Yes it's simple. There's not too many twists and turns, and the path measures 120cm across to encourage access for wheelchairs, or two walkers together or even prams!
It's a funny thing how kids seem to love this kind of pattern, and spend heaps of time running joyfully through it, just following the path. It was one of the reasons I suggested we get stuck into it before our annual Fete happens on the 28th April.
Some pictures:
Yes, it's big. Yes it's simple. There's not too many twists and turns, and the path measures 120cm across to encourage access for wheelchairs, or two walkers together or even prams!
It's a funny thing how kids seem to love this kind of pattern, and spend heaps of time running joyfully through it, just following the path. It was one of the reasons I suggested we get stuck into it before our annual Fete happens on the 28th April.
Some pictures:
Monday, March 12, 2007
Practical forgiveness
Someone decided to leave me a present on my car overnight.
At first I thought someone must have backed into me, but there was no note. On a closer inspection you can see a clear imprint left in the dirty side of my car of a sneaker or some other shoe with a logo on the sole. The lettering forms something like RUST___ SHOE CO. or KUST___ SHOE CO. I'd love to be able to work it out. In fact I'd love to be able to understand anything about the story behind this damage I now have to live with and deal with.
Of course the desire to blame and gain retribution is immense, although I'm trying to let go of that, because it's highly unlikely I'll ever be able to fill in the picture. As far as I can tell this is just a random act of violence done to my car. And it leaves me feeling powerless, enraged and somewhat damaged in myself.
I'm not a motor-head, and I'm not totally in love with my car in some sort of stereo-typical way. I have put effort into getting this particular eco-friendly car, though, and I don't have the sort of income that can accommodate $650 (my estimate) worth of panel-beating without feeling it.
On top of that, I just don't expect that if I leave my car in the church car-park next door it will be damaged when I arrive the next morning. So I want to get rid of all these feelings, and the only way I can think of doing it is to forgive the person who did this, but even then - I don't know the story. What do I forgive? Who am I forgiving? How do I make peace with an unknown damager?
At least the Prodigal Father (from the lectionary readings for this week) could speak with the one he was forgiving, and know that this forgiveness meant something by the reaction of the recipient.
Even if the damager was unrepentant, at least I would know that, and feel able to be at peace with the offer of forgiveness, even if it wasn't accepted. As it is, I have nothing but a dented car, a feeling of violation and a clean-up bill.
--
[post-script: after some reflection, the image of Jesus on the cross came to me; and the moment in Luke's gospel when he says, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." (not included in some manuscripts). So I tried praying that kind of prayer to God, and I must say there is a measure of comfort in it. I hadn't considered that God might be affronted by this situation, not in the same way I am - and I guess that's self-centredness coming through.
With this new perspective though, I can pray on behalf of my attacker to God. This gives me back some power, and some measure of solidarity as I can imagine God being affronted and offended by this action on my behalf. Also, whether I ever find out who did this or not, I can at least know that I've prayed for them (sincerely, not paternalistically) to receive forgiveness, which is what I'd want if I were in their situation.
And I'm reminded of another discipline I often suggest to sufferers of road rage:
pray the Aaronic blessing for those who offend against you. You know - when that idiot cuts you off in peak hour traffic send a quick quiet blessing their way:
The Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make her/his face to shine upon you,
The Lord lift up her/his gaze towards you
and give you peace.
If you can't mean it by the time you finish one recital, say it again until you mean it.
It's amazing how quickly the hate and frustration disappears when you ask God to bless someone. It probably sounds twisted, but honestly it helps. Who knows, it might actually help the idiot too.
I've been mostly influenced by Philip Yancey in this area, who draws together some great ideas on the healing power of forgiveness in his book What's So Amazing About Grace? I highly recommend it.]
At first I thought someone must have backed into me, but there was no note. On a closer inspection you can see a clear imprint left in the dirty side of my car of a sneaker or some other shoe with a logo on the sole. The lettering forms something like RUST___ SHOE CO. or KUST___ SHOE CO. I'd love to be able to work it out. In fact I'd love to be able to understand anything about the story behind this damage I now have to live with and deal with.
Of course the desire to blame and gain retribution is immense, although I'm trying to let go of that, because it's highly unlikely I'll ever be able to fill in the picture. As far as I can tell this is just a random act of violence done to my car. And it leaves me feeling powerless, enraged and somewhat damaged in myself.
I'm not a motor-head, and I'm not totally in love with my car in some sort of stereo-typical way. I have put effort into getting this particular eco-friendly car, though, and I don't have the sort of income that can accommodate $650 (my estimate) worth of panel-beating without feeling it.
On top of that, I just don't expect that if I leave my car in the church car-park next door it will be damaged when I arrive the next morning. So I want to get rid of all these feelings, and the only way I can think of doing it is to forgive the person who did this, but even then - I don't know the story. What do I forgive? Who am I forgiving? How do I make peace with an unknown damager?
At least the Prodigal Father (from the lectionary readings for this week) could speak with the one he was forgiving, and know that this forgiveness meant something by the reaction of the recipient.
Even if the damager was unrepentant, at least I would know that, and feel able to be at peace with the offer of forgiveness, even if it wasn't accepted. As it is, I have nothing but a dented car, a feeling of violation and a clean-up bill.
--
[post-script: after some reflection, the image of Jesus on the cross came to me; and the moment in Luke's gospel when he says, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." (not included in some manuscripts). So I tried praying that kind of prayer to God, and I must say there is a measure of comfort in it. I hadn't considered that God might be affronted by this situation, not in the same way I am - and I guess that's self-centredness coming through.
With this new perspective though, I can pray on behalf of my attacker to God. This gives me back some power, and some measure of solidarity as I can imagine God being affronted and offended by this action on my behalf. Also, whether I ever find out who did this or not, I can at least know that I've prayed for them (sincerely, not paternalistically) to receive forgiveness, which is what I'd want if I were in their situation.
And I'm reminded of another discipline I often suggest to sufferers of road rage:
pray the Aaronic blessing for those who offend against you. You know - when that idiot cuts you off in peak hour traffic send a quick quiet blessing their way:
The Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make her/his face to shine upon you,
The Lord lift up her/his gaze towards you
and give you peace.
If you can't mean it by the time you finish one recital, say it again until you mean it.
It's amazing how quickly the hate and frustration disappears when you ask God to bless someone. It probably sounds twisted, but honestly it helps. Who knows, it might actually help the idiot too.
I've been mostly influenced by Philip Yancey in this area, who draws together some great ideas on the healing power of forgiveness in his book What's So Amazing About Grace? I highly recommend it.]
Thoughts on grace and resurrection
This is some theologising of mine as I try to sort out what is the importance of the resurrection in relation to grace, particularly the transformative power of grace. It was spurred on by this article Cheryl wrote for The Age. I love her gutsy writing, because in its bravery she often gets me thinking.
Does the transformative power of grace depend on the resurrection? No, I don't reckon so. Did it ever? So what's the point of resurrection? For me, the resurrection points to what is true. It's funny that something we might need to invest belief in, that we might need to believe despite the rational logic of the situation, might point to what is true.
Now, I'm old-school, in that I do still believe Jesus' resurrection breaks open the veil between earth and heaven, between empire and kingdom, between present and eternal. That's what I reckon the resurrection is primarily about. I still reckon Jesus resurrection provides the 'amazing grace' that claims to conquer death, that claims to bring us into eternal living with God. He's the conduit, he's the source, he's the sign.
But for me, Jesus resurrection doesn't provide the means to grace. At least, not to what I think of as 'immediate grace', the kind of grace we experience and are able to unlock for others in the everyday situations of life. In terms of 'immediate grace', Jesus' resurrection is for me the sign that this is the truth of existence. It's the final vindication of his life - a life lived as a sign of the truth and 'right-ness' of grace.
Jesus was not raised to new life - resurrected - because he had lived a good life.
Jesus' resurrection - his being raised to new life - shows that the life he lived was good. It was grace-filled.
I know there are plenty of everyday signs of the truth of the goodness of grace - it should be obvious to us that this is the right way to live - but there are also heaps of other ways to live a 'good' life, a productive life, a pleasant and fulfilled life, a life that is admirable according to our socially defined and ever-evolving norms. We can stumble across these ways of life in any number of avenues and culdesacs.
For me the resurrection is a sign that God has said "yes" to a particular way, whether we discover it for ourselves, or whether we learn it by following the example left for us. The resurrection is a sign of God's approval for this way, God's final "yes" to the kind of life that we were made to live. A grace-filled life. A life that seeks out transformation through grace, for ourselves and for others.
For me, the resurrection is the final 'proof of the pudding' in a world filled with plenty of 'good ways' to live. The resurrection not only points me towards this way, it holds me to this way, when I would rather peel off and invest my resources in the approval of my peers and consumer successfulness.
Do we need God's imprimatur, do we need the resurrection in order to live with grace, with love? Of course not. Look around, people do it every day - with or without acknowledgment of God - and it brings life every day, transformation every day.
Do we want to know God's opinion on the matter? The resurrection - if we want to believe it - is God's very definite "yes" to this kind of life, a life filled with and committed to grace.
Does the transformative power of grace depend on the resurrection? No, I don't reckon so. Did it ever? So what's the point of resurrection? For me, the resurrection points to what is true. It's funny that something we might need to invest belief in, that we might need to believe despite the rational logic of the situation, might point to what is true.
Now, I'm old-school, in that I do still believe Jesus' resurrection breaks open the veil between earth and heaven, between empire and kingdom, between present and eternal. That's what I reckon the resurrection is primarily about. I still reckon Jesus resurrection provides the 'amazing grace' that claims to conquer death, that claims to bring us into eternal living with God. He's the conduit, he's the source, he's the sign.
But for me, Jesus resurrection doesn't provide the means to grace. At least, not to what I think of as 'immediate grace', the kind of grace we experience and are able to unlock for others in the everyday situations of life. In terms of 'immediate grace', Jesus' resurrection is for me the sign that this is the truth of existence. It's the final vindication of his life - a life lived as a sign of the truth and 'right-ness' of grace.
Jesus was not raised to new life - resurrected - because he had lived a good life.
Jesus' resurrection - his being raised to new life - shows that the life he lived was good. It was grace-filled.
I know there are plenty of everyday signs of the truth of the goodness of grace - it should be obvious to us that this is the right way to live - but there are also heaps of other ways to live a 'good' life, a productive life, a pleasant and fulfilled life, a life that is admirable according to our socially defined and ever-evolving norms. We can stumble across these ways of life in any number of avenues and culdesacs.
For me the resurrection is a sign that God has said "yes" to a particular way, whether we discover it for ourselves, or whether we learn it by following the example left for us. The resurrection is a sign of God's approval for this way, God's final "yes" to the kind of life that we were made to live. A grace-filled life. A life that seeks out transformation through grace, for ourselves and for others.
For me, the resurrection is the final 'proof of the pudding' in a world filled with plenty of 'good ways' to live. The resurrection not only points me towards this way, it holds me to this way, when I would rather peel off and invest my resources in the approval of my peers and consumer successfulness.
Do we need God's imprimatur, do we need the resurrection in order to live with grace, with love? Of course not. Look around, people do it every day - with or without acknowledgment of God - and it brings life every day, transformation every day.
Do we want to know God's opinion on the matter? The resurrection - if we want to believe it - is God's very definite "yes" to this kind of life, a life filled with and committed to grace.
Mediated
This poem is from Cameron Semmens, whose website I discovered through a link on Cheryl's blog.
I love it.
a current-er prayer
Our media,
whose art is manipulation
hollow be thy game.
Thy cameras come, it will be done
on Nine as it is on Seven.
Give us this day our daily sensation,
and feed us our fears
as we feed the fear of others.
Lead us on with misinformation
and deliver us from thinking.
For thine is the king-maker
with the power of the story,
forever and ever,
amoral.
I love it.
a current-er prayer
Our media,
whose art is manipulation
hollow be thy game.
Thy cameras come, it will be done
on Nine as it is on Seven.
Give us this day our daily sensation,
and feed us our fears
as we feed the fear of others.
Lead us on with misinformation
and deliver us from thinking.
For thine is the king-maker
with the power of the story,
forever and ever,
amoral.
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