A note I have to post
I can’t put off posting on this any longer. No, I’m not talking about the new Supreme Court nominee (whom I wholeheartedly support) or ++Rowan’s public recognition of the Network or ++Frank’s putting the Koran right beside the Bible.
Last night at Irving Bible Church, I saw they had this big door where people posted notes of encouragement or prayer. This one note by a guy named Shawn blew me away. Judging from the handwriting I would guess he’s a young teenager. Here’s what he wrote (The underlining was his.):
Dear Lord, my name is Shawn ________ and I want to declare that I do not understand you!
And nothing in my life pleases me more than that. I truly feel closest to you when I contemplate my lack of understanding. I will never in my life fully know or see or hear you. And to this I vow to never stop trying to know-see-hear-understand you. I love that you are so much greater than I, that I have not the tools or capability to figure it all out. My futile attempts to solve your mystery are the warmest embrace on a winter’s day. I love every countless snowflake that give me the opportunity to contemplate your magesty.
Always Your humble vessel, Shawn
I think Shawn understands more than he knows.
Monday, October 31, 2005
A post from the Undead…
Actually, I’m not dead yet. And I’m feeling much better. But I have been a bit under the weather and busy at the same time. That’s why I haven’t posted.
Yet there’s so much I could post on! Arg!
But be patient. November should be interesting . . . especially when I travel to England for Advent.
Actually, I’m not dead yet. And I’m feeling much better. But I have been a bit under the weather and busy at the same time. That’s why I haven’t posted.
Yet there’s so much I could post on! Arg!
But be patient. November should be interesting . . . especially when I travel to England for Advent.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Frank Griswold’s Korean Outrage
Before I wrote this, I had to calm down after reading this.
In South Korea, Frank Griswold has called on the U. S. to stop “demonizing” North Korea and to “make every effort to invite the DPRK into the international community as a full member.”
In light of North Korea’s horrific and systematic human rights abuses, Griswold’s statements are an outrage on the level of those who defend Nazi Germany. He is a “useful idiot” at the very least.
One of the things that drove me away from the mainline denominations is their propensity for using the name of Christ to defend pure evil. There’s a word for that: blasphemy. And it’s blasphemy of the worst sort.
Before I wrote this, I had to calm down after reading this.
In South Korea, Frank Griswold has called on the U. S. to stop “demonizing” North Korea and to “make every effort to invite the DPRK into the international community as a full member.”
In light of North Korea’s horrific and systematic human rights abuses, Griswold’s statements are an outrage on the level of those who defend Nazi Germany. He is a “useful idiot” at the very least.
One of the things that drove me away from the mainline denominations is their propensity for using the name of Christ to defend pure evil. There’s a word for that: blasphemy. And it’s blasphemy of the worst sort.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Sung Prayers
Some time back, I posted that in prayer I’ve sometimes found myself slipping into a mode where my mouth is saying the words, but my heart and mind are somewhere else. In other words, my prayers were at times too much like “Oh Lord, we beseech Thee, etcetera etcetera etcetera. Amen.”
I’ve found a good remedy for that in sung prayers.
The first time I can remember coming across sung prayers was listening to BBC3’s Choral Evensong. I found myself moved by the singing of the collects even before I knew that they were collects or that collects were not times to take an offering.
Reasons I like sung prayers:
1. They bring out that these are carefully chosen words addressed to a holy God.
2. They emphasize the serious nature of the church at prayer.
3. They slow the prayer down, so one can dwell on the words more.
4. If sung well, they add to the sacred atmosphere of a service and to the emotion of the prayer. (One pitfall is that poor chanting or singing can instead be hard on the ear and distracting.)
5. They help the listener (certainly, this listener) get into the prayers with the heart and emotions.
And this weekend, God willing, I will get to visit a favorite church of mine that sings the prayers, the Gospel, and Lord knows what else, Smokey Matt’s!.
Some time back, I posted that in prayer I’ve sometimes found myself slipping into a mode where my mouth is saying the words, but my heart and mind are somewhere else. In other words, my prayers were at times too much like “Oh Lord, we beseech Thee, etcetera etcetera etcetera. Amen.”
I’ve found a good remedy for that in sung prayers.
The first time I can remember coming across sung prayers was listening to BBC3’s Choral Evensong. I found myself moved by the singing of the collects even before I knew that they were collects or that collects were not times to take an offering.
Reasons I like sung prayers:
1. They bring out that these are carefully chosen words addressed to a holy God.
2. They emphasize the serious nature of the church at prayer.
3. They slow the prayer down, so one can dwell on the words more.
4. If sung well, they add to the sacred atmosphere of a service and to the emotion of the prayer. (One pitfall is that poor chanting or singing can instead be hard on the ear and distracting.)
5. They help the listener (certainly, this listener) get into the prayers with the heart and emotions.
And this weekend, God willing, I will get to visit a favorite church of mine that sings the prayers, the Gospel, and Lord knows what else, Smokey Matt’s!.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Greg Griffith’s Analysis of “Via Media” Memo
Greg Griffith has posted his very interesting and close to exhaustive analysis of the already infamous “Via Media” memo.
I may comment on some points at a later time. Those who were around me yesterday know I’m not 100% myself, so I don’t trust myself to pontificate much at the moment.
Greg Griffith has posted his very interesting and close to exhaustive analysis of the already infamous “Via Media” memo.
I may comment on some points at a later time. Those who were around me yesterday know I’m not 100% myself, so I don’t trust myself to pontificate much at the moment.
Friday, October 21, 2005
How to take Communion like a kid
This past Sunday when I was waiting at the Communion rail, I looked across the way, and I saw three year old Pablo taking the wafer. And he received it into his hand with such a happy smile.
And right then, it occurred to me that his was the way to receive the Eucharist. Little Pablo (Well, actually, he’s quite big for a three year old.) doesn’t pretend to understand all that goes on in the Eucharist. But he trusts. And he receives it with great joy.
We shouldn’t pretend to understand all that goes on in the Eucharist. Christ is there in a very real way because He said so. But we need to leave room for mystery. And church history has shown that insisting on a particular view of the Eucharist usually has been fruitless and has led to disunity and worse instead of the unity and grace the common table calls us to.
We should trust. We trust that Jesus really did give his Body and Blood for us. And that He thereby forgives us and gives us new life in Him.
And we should receive that forgiveness and new life that comes from His Body and Blood with joy, even though with tears.
Pablo, though, always seems very happy at the Communion rail and when being led by the hand back to his seat. It’s like he just knows something special happens somehow.
Often when I take Communion, I try to make my prayers and thoughts just so. But after I saw Pablo, I immediately decided to take the Sacrament just like him, knowing I don’t understand, but trusting and receiving with great joy.
This past Sunday when I was waiting at the Communion rail, I looked across the way, and I saw three year old Pablo taking the wafer. And he received it into his hand with such a happy smile.
And right then, it occurred to me that his was the way to receive the Eucharist. Little Pablo (Well, actually, he’s quite big for a three year old.) doesn’t pretend to understand all that goes on in the Eucharist. But he trusts. And he receives it with great joy.
We shouldn’t pretend to understand all that goes on in the Eucharist. Christ is there in a very real way because He said so. But we need to leave room for mystery. And church history has shown that insisting on a particular view of the Eucharist usually has been fruitless and has led to disunity and worse instead of the unity and grace the common table calls us to.
We should trust. We trust that Jesus really did give his Body and Blood for us. And that He thereby forgives us and gives us new life in Him.
And we should receive that forgiveness and new life that comes from His Body and Blood with joy, even though with tears.
Pablo, though, always seems very happy at the Communion rail and when being led by the hand back to his seat. It’s like he just knows something special happens somehow.
Often when I take Communion, I try to make my prayers and thoughts just so. But after I saw Pablo, I immediately decided to take the Sacrament just like him, knowing I don’t understand, but trusting and receiving with great joy.
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