Please read this letter to our elected Wisconsin leaders as well.
Almighty God our heavenly Father, send down upon those who hold office in this State the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice; that with steadfast purpose they may faithfully serve in their offices to promote the well-being of all people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN! (Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, p. 822.)
One thing I have learned, probably before I was ever ordained, and definitely over my ordained life, is that if you are engaged with the Gospel and the life of the parishioners of your church, there is no way to totally separate religion and politics. From Mary’s conception of the Christ child, to the angel of God’s appearance to Joseph convincing Joseph to adopt the Son of God as his own, to the traveling of the Theophany couple to Bethlehem, to the finding a room in a stable, to the discussion of the Magi with Herod, to the Magi returning home on a different road, and many other points of the story that I didn’t mention, the story is political ... and that is just the story until Jesus’ birth. The political story says nothing of Jesus turning over the tables in the Temple, Jesus’ Baptism, Jesus healing on the Sabbath, or Jesus dining with prostitutes, lepers and the other “untouchables” of his time. The very essence of Jesus the Christ is political.
Having said all of that, there is a definite taboo of standing in our pulpits, especially Episcopal pulpits, and preaching on the political issues of the day. (Not to mention the threat of losing our non-profit status.) If we as clergy in the Episcopal Church, even outside of our pulpits, begin to speak about the evils of abortion, the benefits of the death penalty, the abnormalities of homosexuals, or the right to carry guns, we are labeled as right-wing fanatics. If we talk about the rights of women’s free choice, the evils of the death penalty (remember “Thou shall not murder”?), equal rights for all people of this country, or limiting the gun laws and where we should be allowed to carry guns in public places, we are labeled progressive left-wing nuts and “un-American.” Either way, half of our congregations would stop attending and the other half would stop giving. And heaven forbid that you point out that irony of being “pro-life” when the child is in the womb, but “pro-death penalty” when someone is an adult. Then you are said to be mixing the issues and told, “It has never happened to you.”
I preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that, my friends, is very political. I do not tell people how I vote or for whom to vote. That would be wrong. I ask parishioners to examine their life, examine their Baptismal and Confirmation teachings, examine the teachings of the Gospel and the Church, and then make their decisions based on who they are in relationship with God and where they are on their spiritual journey with God. In the Gospel, we are called to see that we are loved by God, to see that we are sinners, to repent of our sins, and to share God’s love with the world -- and not necessarily in that order.
In the Episcopal Church, when we are baptized, when we witness the baptism of another child of God, or when we make our public profession of our faith, we are asked and then answer the following questions with, “We will, with God’s help”:
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? (Book of Common Prayer, pp. 304-305)
These three parts of the covenant are central to who we are as followers of Christ, regardless of denominational affiliation.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is asked by the Sadducees which commandment is the greatest. Jesus responds by telling the group gathered around him that, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NRSV).
The first two questions that I reference from The Book of Common Prayer are directly related to this passage from Matthew. If we are loving our neighbors as ourselves, then it follows that we would want justice and peace among all people. I know we as individuals want our dignity respected, so we should respect the dignity of others as well. We all know that sometimes, we have to make sacrifices that require caring for ourselves now, so that we can be in better health later. We also know that we as individuals would never want to give up certain freedoms we have now so that our children or grandchildren couldn’t enjoy what we now enjoy, such as the freedom to practice our religious convictions, beliefs, or practices. Or have the opportunity for safe working conditions. That is respecting the dignity of all human beings, not just those that are gathered now, but the ones yet to come.
And this, then, is where it gets political. We are all children of God, regardless of whether we are Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, another faith or even no faith. In all of our faith traditions, we have similar teachings of loving God above all things. The question for us all becomes, “What/who is our God?” When we say “God,” do we mean the creator of heaven and earth? The Supreme Being of all of our faith traditions? Or when we say “God,” do we mean that which gives us meaning, that in which we put our faith and love, and look to for redemption? Or, when we say “God,” do we mean that which gives us comfort in this world and pays our bills?
I mention this last sentence in regard to the third question I quoted from the Baptismal Covenant, “Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 305). We as clergy and as members of the Body of Christ must stand against tyranny and evil when we see it happening. We must stand for the rights of individuals and of communities and to be voices in protecting the individuals from oppressive governments where rights are limited, and people are treated as mere spokes in a wheel instead of the very essence of what makes the wheel continue.
In Matthew’s Gospel, it also is written, “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Matthew 6:24, NRSV.) At some point, those in positions of public trust are going to have to choose between serving the wealth, the big bottom lines of corporate America and maintaining a balance of fair Labor Laws (respecting the dignity of others, loving your neighbor as yourself, and seeking and serving God in all people, not just Big Business), not only in the state of Wisconsin, but in Tennessee, Ohio, New Jersey, and other states around the country. It is time for the voices of the people to be heard. When we couple the tax breaks for businesses that was passed in early February here in Wisconsin, along with this measure to recover the lost revenue from the paychecks of the working class of Wisconsin, it makes one wonder who we are serving. One of these measures without the other seems fine on the surface. Yet putting these two issues together, along with other measures to be proposed by this legislative session, this becomes not a question of what is “right” for the state employees to pay, but one of justice. Is it just to give businesses a big tax break and to have middle class Wisconsinites completely pay the bill, regardless of where they are on the pay scale?
There has to be a better way. There has to be a “middle ground.” It is time for those with hidden agendas to stop trying to break down all of the progress of this country, and to stop hiding behind a facade of allegedly caring for the people. It is time the Gospel to be heard. Search deep...who/what is your God in this situation? What are you worshipping, the almighty dollar or the almighty God? It is time for this country to stop the self-serving political wrangling, acknowledge the sin, repent and return to God.
The Gospel is political. Jesus is political. Being a priest is counter-cultural. Believing in God is counter-cultural today. Using a personal/sick day to go to the State Capitol to have your voice heard in peaceful protest is not only your right as a U.S. citizen, but something that Jesus himself did during his ministry. Maybe that’s why we crucified him, because he stood up for those without a voice. Jesus stood up for those being oppressed or shunned or thought of as unnecessary in their society. Who will you stand up for? Who will stand up for you?
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
A Reflection on a Snowy Day
If I’ve learned one thing this week, it is that we must live in the moment of where we are and with what we have.
Let me back up...for the last couple of days, we’ve had this impending snow storm threatening most of the greater mid-west. Milwaukee was to be the just on the north side of the storm and then, at the last moment, the storm took a northward turn and we were to take the storm head on.
In the days prior to the snowstorm, I made my trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods and finished purchasing snow-bibs and snow boots for my wife and daughter and snow-bibs for one of my sons. The rest of us (the other three) had our stuff, or the rest of our stuff already. As this is our first winter in Wisconsin, I’ve been slowly buying these necessities in preparation for the “Wisconsin snows”, but the time finally arrived when I had to buy the last few items en masse so that the entire family was properly fitted. (I had bought mine as a Christmas present to myself from my family so that I could enjoy Lambaugh Field and and the Packers win over the NY Giants on Dec 26!)
After going to be last night listening to the howling wind (and having to practically drag my 140 pound dog outside for one final bathroom trip), we drifted off to sleep knowing that we didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn because school had been canceled for the children and I, the scared southerner, had closed the church. But we also went to sleep not knowing if we would actually get any snow or not. Afterall, during the last Wisconsin “blizzard”, we actually LOST five inches of snow because it rained more than it snowed.
Much to my delight, when I woke up, there was snow...and a lot of it! Now, I live in Mequon which is just north of Milwaukee. According to the “unofficial” measurements that I took in my driveway and in the driveway of the church, we received about 21” of snow in 3 days. Of this 21”, 14” fell in the early morning hours of February 2, 2011. I think the “official” total was 18.7” at the Milwaukee airport for the 3 days. (Then, we had some terrifically awesome snow drifts. Some were 2 feet and some were almost 6 feet tall!)
After breakfast, my entire family, all five of us, donned our snow-bibs, snow boots, heavy coats, thinsulated gloves and toboggans and went out into this winter wonderland! The kids and my wife went sledding on the already large mounds of snow that had collected from the previous days plowing of the church parking lot and were made even bigger by the over night snow. The boys found huge icicles that they carried around like walking sticks. Our dog was playing with sticks, digging in the snow, chasing the kids and absolutely loving where he was.
After sending the boys inside because they had almost as much snow inside their coats as they did outside their coats, my wife, daughter and I walked around the church building for an “inspection” of the property. When we made it to the back of the building (which is actually designed to be the “front” entrance) we spotted the six-foot snow drift along the glass windows of the building. I wanted to investigate further. Against my wife’s better judgement, I climbed over the drift and was able to get behind the drift to the building itself. My wife followed along behind me, and then there came the dog! Then we had to go back...And we were faced with a climb up instead of a gradual incline. We were able to safely get back over the drift, which in the place where I “climbed” over was more like four feet now. However, when I did, we saw my daughter laying on the top of the portion of the drift that was 6 feet tall. Then my wife laid down beside her and me beside my wife. The dog just looked at us like we were crazy. We laid there, looked at the beautiful blue sky and talked for about 15 or 20 minutes. (The snow-bibs and coats did a fantastic job of keeping us warm!)
We finally came in and as I looked at our back porch and the clothes strewn all over them and the snow covered boots laying everywhere, I knew that I was the luckiest man alive. I was looking at the signs of a happy family...something that I truly hadn’t seen, or maybe taken the time to notice, for a really long time. I felt as I was Kevin Spacey in American Beauty
and I was having my “American Beauty Moment” and fortunately, my wife was as happy as I was!
See, all of this was taking place on her birthday. I didn’t get her a big cake or a fancy card or even an extravagant present (her boots and bibs were her present!). But what we shared today was a day enjoying our kids, the life that they have...that we have together as a family. I realize over and over how happy I am, how proud I am, how thankful I am to have the life that I have, to have the family that I have, to be where I am.
Sure, I could complain that we had so much snow that we were snowed in or that it was 70 degrees in somewhere else and that they had beautiful weather (even though I think this weather is beautiful!). Or, I could complain that the snow plow company didn’t come plow our drive until almost 5pm or that they still haven’t plowed the church parking lot, but what’s the point. What is so important that I have to go out and do something or been seen by others or be perceived as being the priest that is out doing the ministry of the church when my first ministry is acknowledging the gifts we are given, caring for that which we have around us, and stopping long enough in this hustle and bustle we call life to give thanks to God for all that I have and what he calls me to be: A husband, father, friend, confidant, stick-thrower, shoe-tier, coat-buttoner, hood-putter-upper, family loving, loved by my family and blessed child of God.
And while I’m writing this at nine o’clock at night, most all of this took place before noon today. And if you can believe it, the rest of the day just got better.
Thank you God for a wonderful family, for putting me in this place, and for allowing be to be where and who I am.
I realized that as I sat on top of that snow drift, I actually sat on top of the world!
I had a great day. Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife. I hope you enjoyed “your day” as much as I did.
Let me back up...for the last couple of days, we’ve had this impending snow storm threatening most of the greater mid-west. Milwaukee was to be the just on the north side of the storm and then, at the last moment, the storm took a northward turn and we were to take the storm head on.
In the days prior to the snowstorm, I made my trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods and finished purchasing snow-bibs and snow boots for my wife and daughter and snow-bibs for one of my sons. The rest of us (the other three) had our stuff, or the rest of our stuff already. As this is our first winter in Wisconsin, I’ve been slowly buying these necessities in preparation for the “Wisconsin snows”, but the time finally arrived when I had to buy the last few items en masse so that the entire family was properly fitted. (I had bought mine as a Christmas present to myself from my family so that I could enjoy Lambaugh Field and and the Packers win over the NY Giants on Dec 26!)
After going to be last night listening to the howling wind (and having to practically drag my 140 pound dog outside for one final bathroom trip), we drifted off to sleep knowing that we didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn because school had been canceled for the children and I, the scared southerner, had closed the church. But we also went to sleep not knowing if we would actually get any snow or not. Afterall, during the last Wisconsin “blizzard”, we actually LOST five inches of snow because it rained more than it snowed.
Much to my delight, when I woke up, there was snow...and a lot of it! Now, I live in Mequon which is just north of Milwaukee. According to the “unofficial” measurements that I took in my driveway and in the driveway of the church, we received about 21” of snow in 3 days. Of this 21”, 14” fell in the early morning hours of February 2, 2011. I think the “official” total was 18.7” at the Milwaukee airport for the 3 days. (Then, we had some terrifically awesome snow drifts. Some were 2 feet and some were almost 6 feet tall!)
After breakfast, my entire family, all five of us, donned our snow-bibs, snow boots, heavy coats, thinsulated gloves and toboggans and went out into this winter wonderland! The kids and my wife went sledding on the already large mounds of snow that had collected from the previous days plowing of the church parking lot and were made even bigger by the over night snow. The boys found huge icicles that they carried around like walking sticks. Our dog was playing with sticks, digging in the snow, chasing the kids and absolutely loving where he was.
After sending the boys inside because they had almost as much snow inside their coats as they did outside their coats, my wife, daughter and I walked around the church building for an “inspection” of the property. When we made it to the back of the building (which is actually designed to be the “front” entrance) we spotted the six-foot snow drift along the glass windows of the building. I wanted to investigate further. Against my wife’s better judgement, I climbed over the drift and was able to get behind the drift to the building itself. My wife followed along behind me, and then there came the dog! Then we had to go back...And we were faced with a climb up instead of a gradual incline. We were able to safely get back over the drift, which in the place where I “climbed” over was more like four feet now. However, when I did, we saw my daughter laying on the top of the portion of the drift that was 6 feet tall. Then my wife laid down beside her and me beside my wife. The dog just looked at us like we were crazy. We laid there, looked at the beautiful blue sky and talked for about 15 or 20 minutes. (The snow-bibs and coats did a fantastic job of keeping us warm!)
We finally came in and as I looked at our back porch and the clothes strewn all over them and the snow covered boots laying everywhere, I knew that I was the luckiest man alive. I was looking at the signs of a happy family...something that I truly hadn’t seen, or maybe taken the time to notice, for a really long time. I felt as I was Kevin Spacey in American Beauty
and I was having my “American Beauty Moment” and fortunately, my wife was as happy as I was!See, all of this was taking place on her birthday. I didn’t get her a big cake or a fancy card or even an extravagant present (her boots and bibs were her present!). But what we shared today was a day enjoying our kids, the life that they have...that we have together as a family. I realize over and over how happy I am, how proud I am, how thankful I am to have the life that I have, to have the family that I have, to be where I am.
Sure, I could complain that we had so much snow that we were snowed in or that it was 70 degrees in somewhere else and that they had beautiful weather (even though I think this weather is beautiful!). Or, I could complain that the snow plow company didn’t come plow our drive until almost 5pm or that they still haven’t plowed the church parking lot, but what’s the point. What is so important that I have to go out and do something or been seen by others or be perceived as being the priest that is out doing the ministry of the church when my first ministry is acknowledging the gifts we are given, caring for that which we have around us, and stopping long enough in this hustle and bustle we call life to give thanks to God for all that I have and what he calls me to be: A husband, father, friend, confidant, stick-thrower, shoe-tier, coat-buttoner, hood-putter-upper, family loving, loved by my family and blessed child of God.
And while I’m writing this at nine o’clock at night, most all of this took place before noon today. And if you can believe it, the rest of the day just got better.
Thank you God for a wonderful family, for putting me in this place, and for allowing be to be where and who I am.
I realized that as I sat on top of that snow drift, I actually sat on top of the world!
I had a great day. Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife. I hope you enjoyed “your day” as much as I did.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to You all hearts are open, all desires known, and from You no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, pg 355)
The Collect for Purity has been part of the public rite of the celebration of Holy Eucharist in the Church of England since 1552 and it has been carried into the Episcopal Church since the first Episcopal Book of Common Prayer in 1786-1789. In the 1979 version of the BCP, our current version, the Collect for Purity is still required in the Rite 1 service. However, in the Rite 2 service, the order our 8:30 and 10:30 liturgy follows at St. Boniface, the Collect for Purity is optional.
For some time, and for a variety of reasons including the length of the services, St. Boniface has exercised the option to not include the Collect for Purity in the 8:30 liturgy. At the same time, St. Boniface has exercised the option to include it in the 10:30 liturgy. In an effort to be true to the ancient worship of our Anglican tradition, while at the same time living into the cultural expectations and growth potential, we are going to reintroduce the Collect for Purity into the 8:30 service in its appropriate place. It will follow the opening hymn and opening acclamation where the Priest says (at least in Epiphany), “Blessed be God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Then the congregation responds, “And Blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.” Then I will say the Collect for Purity.
There are reasons to omit the Collect for Purity. Some people prefer that the Collect of the Day be the opening prayer of the service. Some would argue that it is just Anglican piety that we continue to use it. On the occasion of Baptism or Confirmation services, or services of a penitential nature using the forms found on page 319 or 351 of the Book of Common Prayer (usually used during Lent), we do not use the Collect for Purity.
However, I subscribe to the belief that God knows us, inside and out. It is when we admit God’s complete knowledge of us at the beginning of our worship (or day or devotional time or while we are just living our life); when we totally open ourselves up to the words that are written in the Collect for Purity, when we hear them and make them our own, that our worship will be much more intense, much more real, much more meaningful, much more forgiving both of ourselves and others. It is then that we will enter into a more full presence of the Divine. It is then that the hymns we sing will ring with a blessedness that strikes the innermost chords of our souls. It is then that the sermons we hear, no matter how ill prepared or ill delivered by the well-intentioned priest or clergy person in the pulpit, the words will echo in our heart of hearts and push our mortal minds to accept that we are God’s beloved children. It is then, that we will be able to say the confession with a pure heart, receive God’s absolution and KNOW we are forgiven. It is then that we can receive the sacrament of Holy Communion without fear and trembling, but with the knowledge that we share the welcoming and forgiving body and blood of Christ with all the saints of creation and that we ALL are welcome to eat from God’s table. It is then, that we can go into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing that because our hearts have been cleansed by the power of the Holy Spirit we are one step closer to more perfectly serving God and God’s creatures.
And then, when I return at the next appointed time for the next service of the Holy Eucharist, I will again say or hear the Collect for Purity. Again, I am reminded that I am God’s...that my heart, desires and secrets are all known to God. I am free again and reminded that by the Grace of God and love of Christ, we are made pure. And then, the liturgy continues...
The next time you have a chance to hear the Collect for Purity, listen to the words with an open heart, an open mind and an openness to allow God to touch every part of your being. Actually, say it now...slowly, deliberately and hear the words and what they mean. It will enrich your life!
Almighty God, to You all hearts are open, all desires known, and from You no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, pg 355)
Resources consulted for this article:
The Book of Common Prayer published by Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, 1979 edition.
Hachett, Marion J., Commentary on the American Prayer Book San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1995, pg 318.
The Collect for Purity has been part of the public rite of the celebration of Holy Eucharist in the Church of England since 1552 and it has been carried into the Episcopal Church since the first Episcopal Book of Common Prayer in 1786-1789. In the 1979 version of the BCP, our current version, the Collect for Purity is still required in the Rite 1 service. However, in the Rite 2 service, the order our 8:30 and 10:30 liturgy follows at St. Boniface, the Collect for Purity is optional.
For some time, and for a variety of reasons including the length of the services, St. Boniface has exercised the option to not include the Collect for Purity in the 8:30 liturgy. At the same time, St. Boniface has exercised the option to include it in the 10:30 liturgy. In an effort to be true to the ancient worship of our Anglican tradition, while at the same time living into the cultural expectations and growth potential, we are going to reintroduce the Collect for Purity into the 8:30 service in its appropriate place. It will follow the opening hymn and opening acclamation where the Priest says (at least in Epiphany), “Blessed be God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Then the congregation responds, “And Blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.” Then I will say the Collect for Purity.
There are reasons to omit the Collect for Purity. Some people prefer that the Collect of the Day be the opening prayer of the service. Some would argue that it is just Anglican piety that we continue to use it. On the occasion of Baptism or Confirmation services, or services of a penitential nature using the forms found on page 319 or 351 of the Book of Common Prayer (usually used during Lent), we do not use the Collect for Purity.
However, I subscribe to the belief that God knows us, inside and out. It is when we admit God’s complete knowledge of us at the beginning of our worship (or day or devotional time or while we are just living our life); when we totally open ourselves up to the words that are written in the Collect for Purity, when we hear them and make them our own, that our worship will be much more intense, much more real, much more meaningful, much more forgiving both of ourselves and others. It is then that we will enter into a more full presence of the Divine. It is then that the hymns we sing will ring with a blessedness that strikes the innermost chords of our souls. It is then that the sermons we hear, no matter how ill prepared or ill delivered by the well-intentioned priest or clergy person in the pulpit, the words will echo in our heart of hearts and push our mortal minds to accept that we are God’s beloved children. It is then, that we will be able to say the confession with a pure heart, receive God’s absolution and KNOW we are forgiven. It is then that we can receive the sacrament of Holy Communion without fear and trembling, but with the knowledge that we share the welcoming and forgiving body and blood of Christ with all the saints of creation and that we ALL are welcome to eat from God’s table. It is then, that we can go into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing that because our hearts have been cleansed by the power of the Holy Spirit we are one step closer to more perfectly serving God and God’s creatures.
And then, when I return at the next appointed time for the next service of the Holy Eucharist, I will again say or hear the Collect for Purity. Again, I am reminded that I am God’s...that my heart, desires and secrets are all known to God. I am free again and reminded that by the Grace of God and love of Christ, we are made pure. And then, the liturgy continues...
The next time you have a chance to hear the Collect for Purity, listen to the words with an open heart, an open mind and an openness to allow God to touch every part of your being. Actually, say it now...slowly, deliberately and hear the words and what they mean. It will enrich your life!
Almighty God, to You all hearts are open, all desires known, and from You no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, pg 355)
Resources consulted for this article:
The Book of Common Prayer published by Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, 1979 edition.
Hachett, Marion J., Commentary on the American Prayer Book San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1995, pg 318.
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