"Christ is a Mystery; in the mystical as well as in the sacramental sense of the word, and the more we approach him as such and we delve into the mystery, the more we come closer to God. We cannot say that we understand the mystery or the work of Jesus, but we can ask God to give us a sense of this mystery, which is beyond words."
-- From "The Sign of the Cross, the Gesture, the Mystery, the History"
by Dr. Andreas Andreopoulos, Lecturer in Christian theology at the University of Wales
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Why Care About the Saints?
My children know me only too well. For Christmas they got me two gift cards at one of the local bookstores. I love books and I read constantly. I particularly enjoy books about the saints or Christian mystics.
The saints are people who have truly come close to God. They have that personal, visceral relationship with Him that we all should desire. They may or may not have ever studied much theology, but that's O.K. and it really doesn't matter because they've internalized how the Gospel wants us to live our lives in relation to God and our neighbor. They truly understand the Summary of the Law.....and they live it. That's why one of the books I bought today was "Mystics and Miracles: True Stories of Lives Touched by God" written by Dr Bert Ghezzi. I'd like to share what Dr. Ghezzi says about mystics and the saints and why we should pay attention to them and how they can be examples of how to come closer to God.
"God gave is mystics to show us that ordinary people can live extraordinary lives. he never meant for us to put them on pedestals or view them and superhuman, far beyond anything we mortals could ever hope to be. Mystics are not preternaturally gifted aliens from another planet, but human beings just like us. we esteem them not because, like Superman, they have supernatural powers and can leap tall buildings in a single bound, but because they show us how to live good lives.
When I look closely at mystics, I wonder if I grasp what it means to really imitate them. they did everything in extremes. no cost seemed too high. Me, I'm much more balanced. I count the cost all right, but i often find the price is steeper than I'm willing to pay.
St. Theresa Margaret was ill herself but put aside her own suffering to care for the sick sisters in her convent. I'm not that way. If I get sick, I hop into bed and expect someone to wait on me.
Solanus Casey humbly accepted decisions of his superiors that severely restricted his life and ministry. For half a century he labored without complaint. I'm not like him. Even little inconveniences chafe me. I fight back, big time.....just ask the clerks in our local stores.
What can I say about St. Elizabeth of Hungary, who though a queen spent herself and her fortunes serving Christ in the poor? Or St. Martin de Porres? For fifty years he lived every moment of each day for God and for others.
When I stand myself beside these giants, I feel puny.
Comedian Stephen Wright says he once went to a convenience store that bragged it was ope twenty-four hours, only to find it closed. Later, the proprietor explained that his store was open twenty-four hours, just not twenty-four hours in a row! That's how I am in my imitation of the saints. I'm inconsistent. I try to be like the saints. But only in some ways. And not all of the time.
However, I keep looking at them. I try to stay close to them. I think that if I draw nearer to them. they might infect me with their virtue."
Dr. Ghezzi has put it very well. Unlike the saints, we tend to count the cost....and we tend to extend ourselves only so far. I just wanted to share this rather long quote because it makes two points: 1) Why we should care about and emulate the saints, and 2) How and why we tend to fall short. I know that speaks accurately to me. I hope you've found something here as well.
The saints are people who have truly come close to God. They have that personal, visceral relationship with Him that we all should desire. They may or may not have ever studied much theology, but that's O.K. and it really doesn't matter because they've internalized how the Gospel wants us to live our lives in relation to God and our neighbor. They truly understand the Summary of the Law.....and they live it. That's why one of the books I bought today was "Mystics and Miracles: True Stories of Lives Touched by God" written by Dr Bert Ghezzi. I'd like to share what Dr. Ghezzi says about mystics and the saints and why we should pay attention to them and how they can be examples of how to come closer to God.
"God gave is mystics to show us that ordinary people can live extraordinary lives. he never meant for us to put them on pedestals or view them and superhuman, far beyond anything we mortals could ever hope to be. Mystics are not preternaturally gifted aliens from another planet, but human beings just like us. we esteem them not because, like Superman, they have supernatural powers and can leap tall buildings in a single bound, but because they show us how to live good lives.
When I look closely at mystics, I wonder if I grasp what it means to really imitate them. they did everything in extremes. no cost seemed too high. Me, I'm much more balanced. I count the cost all right, but i often find the price is steeper than I'm willing to pay.
St. Theresa Margaret was ill herself but put aside her own suffering to care for the sick sisters in her convent. I'm not that way. If I get sick, I hop into bed and expect someone to wait on me.
Solanus Casey humbly accepted decisions of his superiors that severely restricted his life and ministry. For half a century he labored without complaint. I'm not like him. Even little inconveniences chafe me. I fight back, big time.....just ask the clerks in our local stores.
What can I say about St. Elizabeth of Hungary, who though a queen spent herself and her fortunes serving Christ in the poor? Or St. Martin de Porres? For fifty years he lived every moment of each day for God and for others.
When I stand myself beside these giants, I feel puny.
Comedian Stephen Wright says he once went to a convenience store that bragged it was ope twenty-four hours, only to find it closed. Later, the proprietor explained that his store was open twenty-four hours, just not twenty-four hours in a row! That's how I am in my imitation of the saints. I'm inconsistent. I try to be like the saints. But only in some ways. And not all of the time.
However, I keep looking at them. I try to stay close to them. I think that if I draw nearer to them. they might infect me with their virtue."
Dr. Ghezzi has put it very well. Unlike the saints, we tend to count the cost....and we tend to extend ourselves only so far. I just wanted to share this rather long quote because it makes two points: 1) Why we should care about and emulate the saints, and 2) How and why we tend to fall short. I know that speaks accurately to me. I hope you've found something here as well.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
The Mystery of the Incarnation
The contemporary Anglican theologian, Dr J.I. Packer has said, "Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is the truth of the incarnation." Let's think about that for a minute. The idea that the immortal and invisible God would become human and walk among us is quite amazing. That He would choose to do so by beginning life as we all do....as a child...is truly phenomenal. The fact that this is not fiction, but fact is the most amazing thing of all.
The lectionary for the Anglican 1928 Book of Common Prayer has two Gospel readings for the Eucharist on Christmas day. The first is John 1:1 and the second is Luke 2:1. The lectionary requires that the passage from St. John's Gospel be read and the Lucan account should be used if a second Eucharist is to be celebrated on the same day. You might ask, "Why not use just one account of Jesus' birth on Christmas day? Why not just use the passages from St. Luke with which we're all familiar?" Well, I really like the idea of combining both of these Gospel messages on Christmas day. In fact, I wish we could read them back-to-back. Both are talking about the same thing: the incarnation of Christ, but both approach it from different perspectives.
St. Luke gives us a wonderful story of the events of Jesus' birth, all the while reinforcing that he is the savior who has come to establish God's kingdom on earth. We're familiar with this story and really expect it to be read on Christmas. Like reading a novel, we become involved with Mary, Joseph, and all of the things that happen when Jesus is born. A child is born in Bethlehem of simple parents. He's announced by angels and all come to worship him, from the lowliest shepherd to wise men from the East. It establishes who Jesus is through a story that is very direct, fun to read, and easy to understand. Then there's the passage from St. John.
St. John is the mystic of the four Evangelists. While the other Gospel authors talk about Jesus and his ministry from a more experiential point of view, John emphasizes the spiritual fact of who Jesus is and what he's about.
St. John tells us the Word (Jesus) existed before all things, eternally with God. He tells us the Word was God and thereby makes the statement that Jesus Christ is both God and human. He tells us that Christ was a partner with the Father in the creation of everything that exists: "...all things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made." Therefore Jesus is God; the same God who created the universe. The is the incarnation of the Creator, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. he bears the light of God's truth. John says, "The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world." St. John says that no one has ever seen God, but the Son comes to make Him known: "No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made Him known."
The two Gospels are both saying the same thing, but in very different ways. St. Luke emphasizes Jesus a s the Savior who has come to redeem the world. St. John emphasizes the mystical/spiritual aspect of the incarnation and makes the statement that Jesus is God. Both are important in our understanding of the Christmas miracle.
The fact is that the incarnation of Christ is a miracle truly beyond our comprehension. We think we can understand it, but we really can't. How does God become flesh? How can Jesus be fully God and fully human with both of those two natures: perfectly God and perfectly man? how can any of this be possible? Asking these questions I think we sound a little bit like Mary at the Annunciation. The angel tells her she's going to bear a son and Mary says, "How is this possible? I have no husband!" Remember, at the time of the Annunciation, Mary and Joseph were betrothed, but not yet married, so for the angel to say such things was truly beyond belief to her. The angel tells her the Holy Spirit will come over her and she will conceive a son and will call him Jesus. Now comes one of the most important parts of the Annunciation: Mary accedes to the will of God. She makes no protests, asks no questions, she simply says: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." She has completely and totally submitted herself to the will of God. In doing this, she's the perfect example for us.
Like Jesus' Blessed Mother's experience at the Annunciation, the Christmas miracle presents us with something so amazing, so fantastic, that it's almost unbelievable. I agree with Dr. Packer that it's purely astounding. However, in the incarnation we have truth, not fiction. In the incarnation we have the beginning of the Easter miracle; the beginning of our salvation and our eternal life. Easter would not be possible without Christmas. The beautiful baby in the manger will become the Christ in agony on the cross. It is the child who ultimately sheds his blood that we might be saved. Only through the incarnation is the Eucharist possible where we take the body and blood of Christ so that "...we may dwell in him and he in us."
We Christians need to follow the example of Jesus' Blessed Mother who, upon hearing another fantastic story about how she will bear a child, accepts what the angel tells her and submits to the will of God. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Lord as human flesh. As a humble child who is our God. We can't explain it, but, like Mary at the Annunciation, we can accept and celebrate this wonderful mystery which starts us on the path to eternal life. Merry Christmas!!
The lectionary for the Anglican 1928 Book of Common Prayer has two Gospel readings for the Eucharist on Christmas day. The first is John 1:1 and the second is Luke 2:1. The lectionary requires that the passage from St. John's Gospel be read and the Lucan account should be used if a second Eucharist is to be celebrated on the same day. You might ask, "Why not use just one account of Jesus' birth on Christmas day? Why not just use the passages from St. Luke with which we're all familiar?" Well, I really like the idea of combining both of these Gospel messages on Christmas day. In fact, I wish we could read them back-to-back. Both are talking about the same thing: the incarnation of Christ, but both approach it from different perspectives.
St. Luke gives us a wonderful story of the events of Jesus' birth, all the while reinforcing that he is the savior who has come to establish God's kingdom on earth. We're familiar with this story and really expect it to be read on Christmas. Like reading a novel, we become involved with Mary, Joseph, and all of the things that happen when Jesus is born. A child is born in Bethlehem of simple parents. He's announced by angels and all come to worship him, from the lowliest shepherd to wise men from the East. It establishes who Jesus is through a story that is very direct, fun to read, and easy to understand. Then there's the passage from St. John.
St. John is the mystic of the four Evangelists. While the other Gospel authors talk about Jesus and his ministry from a more experiential point of view, John emphasizes the spiritual fact of who Jesus is and what he's about.
St. John tells us the Word (Jesus) existed before all things, eternally with God. He tells us the Word was God and thereby makes the statement that Jesus Christ is both God and human. He tells us that Christ was a partner with the Father in the creation of everything that exists: "...all things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made." Therefore Jesus is God; the same God who created the universe. The is the incarnation of the Creator, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. he bears the light of God's truth. John says, "The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world." St. John says that no one has ever seen God, but the Son comes to make Him known: "No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made Him known."
The two Gospels are both saying the same thing, but in very different ways. St. Luke emphasizes Jesus a s the Savior who has come to redeem the world. St. John emphasizes the mystical/spiritual aspect of the incarnation and makes the statement that Jesus is God. Both are important in our understanding of the Christmas miracle.
The fact is that the incarnation of Christ is a miracle truly beyond our comprehension. We think we can understand it, but we really can't. How does God become flesh? How can Jesus be fully God and fully human with both of those two natures: perfectly God and perfectly man? how can any of this be possible? Asking these questions I think we sound a little bit like Mary at the Annunciation. The angel tells her she's going to bear a son and Mary says, "How is this possible? I have no husband!" Remember, at the time of the Annunciation, Mary and Joseph were betrothed, but not yet married, so for the angel to say such things was truly beyond belief to her. The angel tells her the Holy Spirit will come over her and she will conceive a son and will call him Jesus. Now comes one of the most important parts of the Annunciation: Mary accedes to the will of God. She makes no protests, asks no questions, she simply says: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." She has completely and totally submitted herself to the will of God. In doing this, she's the perfect example for us.
Like Jesus' Blessed Mother's experience at the Annunciation, the Christmas miracle presents us with something so amazing, so fantastic, that it's almost unbelievable. I agree with Dr. Packer that it's purely astounding. However, in the incarnation we have truth, not fiction. In the incarnation we have the beginning of the Easter miracle; the beginning of our salvation and our eternal life. Easter would not be possible without Christmas. The beautiful baby in the manger will become the Christ in agony on the cross. It is the child who ultimately sheds his blood that we might be saved. Only through the incarnation is the Eucharist possible where we take the body and blood of Christ so that "...we may dwell in him and he in us."
We Christians need to follow the example of Jesus' Blessed Mother who, upon hearing another fantastic story about how she will bear a child, accepts what the angel tells her and submits to the will of God. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Lord as human flesh. As a humble child who is our God. We can't explain it, but, like Mary at the Annunciation, we can accept and celebrate this wonderful mystery which starts us on the path to eternal life. Merry Christmas!!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
A Little Something from C.S. Lewis
"When we exhale our last breath on earth, we take our next breath in heaven." - C.S. Lewis
Sunday, December 7, 2008
St. Bruno on Silence
"Let him make a practice of resorting, from time to time, to a tranquil listening of the heart, that allows God to enter through all its doors and passages." - St. Bruno, founder of the Carthusian Order
Friday, December 5, 2008
Opening to God
We must remember that in a prayer life of silence the question is not so much what we do, but what God does in us.
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