Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you II Corinthians 13:11

Compromise. How does that word strike you? For some, it is a dirty word, signifying betrayal of values or beliefs. For others, the word is benign, even perhaps enviable. It may mean willingness the see the value of another opinion, or at least to give in a bit toward an acceptable middle ground.

In the world of politics, it used to be the system of haggling with the other party to salvage some of what one wanted by giving away something. Each party ended up with something that they themselves could accept. That was how deals were made. At stake was the welfare of the most amount of people. Not everyone was satisfied, but each party got some of what they wanted.

In the religious world, the word compromise is often loaded with very negative connotations. In that world, one could not sacrifice principles or convictions, just to get along. True enough in a personal moral/religious situation, but politics is not the same. Yet the two worlds- politics and religion- have become so intertwined, that compromise now is a dirty word in both worlds.

No one likes to give ground to the other political party, yet without compromise in making laws, we become mired in a dreadful and deadly stalemate. Each political party demonizes the other and claims the higher moral ground. Each party is bent upon the destruction of the other. I hope that most people do not think that such a concept is helpful.

Perhaps this is the price we pay for marrying religious belief and party affiliation. I think everyone loses in that scenario.   

Prayer; Lord, help us to see the higher goals of making life on earth better for our fellow travelers, Amen

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,  desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luke 16:19-23

In Jesus’ parable, the rich man ends up in hell, not because he failed to believe the right things, but because he failed to love Lazarus.

 From Brian Zahnd in “Water to Wine”

I have been reading a book by Pastor Brain Zahnd titled Water to Wine. The book is a beautiful look at the Gospel through the eyes of a pastor who has had a reckoning with God over the past twenty years. Because of Zahnd’s journey, he has taken a turn back to the ancient history of Christianity in order to sort out the cultural adaptations that we have made to the Gospel which has often robbed it of its simplicity and purity.

Zahnd has an artistic, even poetic look at Jesus and his ministry, and he looks to the mystery that we have lost by trying to be formulaic in our doctrine. Sometimes we don’t see things because we are too close. We have been influenced so much by cultural Christianity that we miss the beauty and wonder of simple truths. By taking mystery out of our faith, we substitute the idea of certainty as our guiding star. Mystery says that there are things we do not understand, and we simply trust Jesus with it.

What a profound yet simple concept.

Prayer: Lord, we trust you, especially when we do not understand, Amen

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.                         John 15:13

The season of Lent begins today, Ash Wednesday. This is meant to be a time of somber reflection in anticipation of the celebration of Easter. There could be no Easter without a Good Friday. That, of course is the day that Jesus was crucified for the salvation of his beloved creation.

There is no greater love than what Jesus displayed by coming into this world, and showing us the way we should live- and ultimately die.

This 40 (plus) day countdown to Easter can be a time of rededication to our faith. Often, Christians will deprive themselves of some physical pleasure like chocolate, or meat, or any other thing that may remind us of our need to be disciplined in order to truly live out the faith that we claim.

Whatever you choose to do, or not do, remember that the whole point is to recognize that Jesus is our standard for love in a world that desperately needs it.

Prayer: Lord, help us to become more aware of how to love like Jesus loved, Amen

 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.  And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.     

Luke 13:29-30

After this I looked, and there was an enormous crowd—no one could count all the people! They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood in front of the throne and of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.   

Revelation 7:9 (Good News Translation)

Years ago our family had a mutt- sorry, “mixed breed” – little dog we named Maggie. Maggie had come from an abusive home, rescued by a visiting nurse at our mental health center who had a big heart for dogs. She could not abide seeing a dog mistreated, so she took the dog with her from that abusive home, and brought her to our center. I wasn’t sure what to do with the dog, so naturally, I brought her home to my surprised wife and kids.

So, 17 years later, I had to have Maggie put to sleep because she had been suffering from various maladies of old age. She was a delightful dog. She was as fast as the wind and built like a whippet, but also possessing many other genes from various doggie types, I’m sure. Yes, she lived to be 17 years old. Mutts- sorry, “mixed breeds” will do that. Your purebreds? Not so much. Due to inbreeding, they often succumb to various diseases or genetic conditions before the “mixed breeds” do.

So, the point of this story? I find it ironic that we seem to value “pure breeding” so much. Indeed, royal families, often struggled with inherited diseases like porphyria because there was not enough genetic variety in the bloodline. Eugenics, popular in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, favored the idea of “breeding” ideal human specimens, weeding out “genetically inferior populations”. Indeed, Adolf Hitler was not by any means the only proponent of eugenics, just perhaps the most diabolical.

Jesus came from a line of “mixed breeds” in the genealogy provided in the gospel of Matthew. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba are four women named in this line from which Jesus sprang. Tamar, was in the Hebrew line, but become pregnant by posing as a temple prostitute; Rahab was a prostitute/innkeeper from Jericho who aided the Israelites in their conquest of her city; Ruth was from Moab, home of a tribe of historically vicious rivals to the Israelites; and Bathsheba was a woman married to a Hittite man, taken by king David out of his sheer lust for her.

These were women from other countries, with provocative tribal and sexual backgrounds, all woven into the earthly line from which came Jesus. Safe to say that Jesus came from a “mixed background”.

Variety in genetic lines gives strength and resistance to us. Our very differences in background make us stronger. Jesus came from a diverse background to demonstrate that he is redeemer of all mankind, not just one tribe.  Now if we can just get the value of this diversity idea into our heads…

Prayer: Father, thank you for the plan of diversity that teaches us to value one anothers differences as strength to the whole of us, Amen.

“But let justice roll out like waters, And righteousness like an ever-flowing      stream.                                    

   Amos 5:24 (NASB)

We are all familiar with Dr. Martin Luther King’s work in the civil rights arena for trying to end segregation, and to improve voting rights for African-Americans. He helped to shine a light on the violent threats that Blacks faced in the Deep South, and indeed, he survived those threats himself until his assassination in 1968.  

Less remembered is his strong witness against the war in Vietnam, and his work on the Poor People’s March, which was a diverse effort to point out the effects of poverty in America. While Dr. King met with and influenced President Lyndon Johnson, he did not hesitate to confront the President when he believed that Johnson must do more from his position of power. King was the model of speaking truth to power. Dr. King believed that he must live out his witness to Jesus Christ even though it meant unpopularity, and even more threats against him. Power was not his goal- justice was his goal.

Prophets have a responsibility to be a witness for justice. The goal of Christians should not be pursuit of power, but rather pursuit of justice. Dr. King embodied that goal, and that is why we celebrate his legacy this weekend.

Prayer: Lord, give us the courage to always work for justice, not power, Amen

Liturgy: def.-

a rite or body of rites prescribed for public worship

One of the definitions of the word liturgy is the one above. It is a body of rites or rituals used for public worship. When I was young, I grew up in the Catholic Church where rituals abounded. As a youth, I did not, probably could not, appreciate the value of these rites.

We would recite Litanies of the Saints after Mass at times, and I dreaded the long list of saints read aloud by the priest. After each name, we would respond with the words “Pray for Us”. However, as we droned along in my 9-or10-year-old mind, all I heard for several minutes was the monotone response “prayfrus”.

Rituals abounded in the Catholic faith. For example, February 2 was not so much the big deal of “Ground Hog Day” for us Catholic kids, because the next day, February 3, was “St. Blaise Day”- the day when we got our throats blessed by crossed candles by the priest. There were the Stations of the Cross during Lent, the covering of the statues in church with purple drapes during Lent, which were dramatically dropped during Midnight Mass as Easter Sunday dawned. Of course, there was a three-hour vigil in church from noon to 3 PM on Good Friday, and indeed, in much of Catholic Cincinnati, everything closed during those sacred hours.

If you lived in Cincinnati, you could “make the steps” in Mt. Adams and pray on each step on Good Friday as an act of penitence and devotion in memory of the solemnity of Good Friday.  

I cite these rituals because they are enduring memories of a faith lived out communally with Catholic brothers and sisters. They were special milestones of a shared culture of faith. Those rituals were beautiful examples of a shared faith.

I miss those times.

I bring this up because I see that young people on their faith journey are longing for such communal connections. Shared experiences- liturgies- are lacking from so much of contemporary worship. I suggest that a return to more shared experiences, such as Ash Wednesday, which looms tomorrow, are important experiences of faith. Perhaps we should join as Christians in more of these shared experiences to draw closer to one another, and lift up Jesus in those traditional ways.

Prayer: Lord, draw us closer to you and one another with shared experiences, Amen

I just want to celebrate another day of livin’

I just want to celebrate another day of life

I put my faith in the people

But the people let me down

So I turned the other way

And I carry on, anyhow

That’s why I’m telling you

I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah

I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah

Another day of living,

I just want to celebrate another day of life

Lyrics to the song by Rare Earth, “I Just Want to Celebrate”

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.                                       Psalm 118:24

Those of us of a certain age remember this 1971 song by the group Rare Earth. Actually, the song is popular enough that many people, regardless of age, know it. I use that title today because people need reminders to celebrate “another day of livin’’. Indeed, every day we draw breath should be a celebration.

Yes, I am painfully aware that many people may find little to celebrate. They may be grieving, in pain, anxious, depressed- the things that life may bring us. Yet, we need to find ways to celebrate the present.

Many of my readers may recall that a few years ago, I announced that March 1 is officially a holiday (in my way of thinking). It is my “first day of Spring”. Again, I know that it technically is not the first day of Spring, but I am claiming it nonetheless. I mean, Spring is actually within sight, literally. The daffodils and crocus are near poking their heads above the ground. Even the day lilies are pushing up from under last year’s dead leaves.

Baseball has started (Spring Training), and NCAA ‘s March Madness will be on us soon. And when somebody asks you what day it is, you can say, “It’s March!”

Yes, I do make “much ado” as Shakespeare might say, but the point is this. Whatever reason you need to celebrate, use it. Celebrate this day and you will find that your outlook is just a wee bit brighter. See, even saying “wee bit” makes me think of St. Patrick’s Day!

So, find your reason (or no reason) to celebrate “Another Day of Livin!”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for another day of livin! Amen

As I was tending to my pond de-icer the other day, I began to think about all that goes into taking care of my pond and the surrounding garden in my back yard. Nearby are several bird feeders, which feed dozens (or maybe hundreds) of finches, wrens, cardinals, sparrows, mourning doves, and several other species. Those bird feeders also inadvertently feed squirrels who may raid the feeders if I am not careful, or who may simply graze on the dropped seeds of the aforementioned birds.

My pond is home to a fish of some standing (he/she is over 10 years old) and it dominates the pond. But that fish must share the pond with up to five frogs each year, as well as snails, and the occasional garter snake or three. Of course, there is a variety of plant life in the pond also, so we have a little biosystem there in the back yard.

All this to say that the word “husband” came to mind. Husband is a word used for someone who takes care of the land. Husband is also the name I carry as the husband of my wife, Deb. I have been her husband for over 50 years now, and the term husband is one that I like.

Webster defines husband as “a married man considered in relation to his wife”. The other meaning is more general. That one says “one who uses resources wisely, economically”. Similar words used to describe husband are: conserve, preserve, save, safeguard, etc.”

I love the idea of being one who safeguards and protects those things entrusted to him. I am merely the steward of those things I have around me, and I am blessed by them. Of course, I am especially blessed to be the husband of my wife, Deb. What an honor to be given the name husband.

So, husbands, love your wives, and take care of all that is entrusted to you. It is a privilege.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the opportunity to be a husband, Amen

My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.                            I John 3:18-20 (The Message)

I spoke with a client recently about her anxiety regarding how others may perceive her. She is a very bright, insightful person, but she is beset by self-doubts at times, and she worries about what people may think of her.

Of course, everyone wrestles with acceptance to some degree. All of us want others to affirm and appreciate us- it is part of human nature, and indeed is important for social functioning. We need to fit, in some ways, into our surroundings and to find an accepting social circle. This is even a survival mechanism built into us. We need some acceptance into a “tribe”.

The problem comes when we overthink that, and we begin to take on what other people “must think of me”. We may begin to build up our own narrative of what others think of us and then we act accordingly.

There are, of course, problems with this. One is, that particular way of thinking seems to put us into the “mind reading business”. I suggested to my client that it is actually disrespectful to assume what others will likely think of us. We may really sell them short of what they are capable of. Also, our thoughts are often just projections of our own thinking. Other people do not necessarily think the way that we do.

Finally, because we are anxious, we “fill in the blank” of what others may think of us with the worst-case scenario.

So, while we are tempted to project our thoughts onto others, the discipline is to remember that we cannot control what others think. We just have the illusion that we can have that control of others by acting in certain ways.

We just need to be real and be who we are. That is good enough.

Prayer: Lord, help us to accept ourselves like you accept us, Amen

The serpent told the Woman, “You won’t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really going on. You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.”                                                                                                                                                                   Genesis 3:4-5 (The Message)

I have been of the opinion for some time that there is really only one sin- pride. You know, that sin that got Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden. I define pride roughly as “He is God, I’m not, and I’m mad about it!”

What do I mean by that? Well, Satan tempted the Garden dwellers to “become like God”. We all “want what we want when we want it”, and unless we have developed a sense of discipline, of humility, and patience, that attitude will get us into big trouble. We tend to have a sense of entitlement to things that we want, or maybe even think we deserve.

All other sins derive from that attitude of self-serving and entitlement that pride entails. Envy, stealing, lying, adultery, murder etc. all stem from a sense of “entitlement to my own way”, often at any cost or, sadly, the cost of others.

So, let’s keep it simple. One sin that can be played out in many ways- pride.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see pride for what it is- the desire to be our own god, Amen