So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.                     Galatians 3:26-28

There was a controversial social experiment done by a teacher named Jane Elliott in 1968 with her third-grade students. In the aftermath of the recent assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., she wanted her students to understand in a very practical way what racism, exclusion and prejudice feels like.

She divided her students into two groups- blue eyed kids and brown eyed kids. She later stated that one of the reasons she used this arbitrary determinant was that in Nazi camps during the holocaust in World War II, eye color sometimes decided who went to the gas chamber and who was spared. Blue eyed persons were not likely to be Jewish, but some brown eyed people tried to pass as non-Jews. Often, blue-eyed persons were spared.

She divided the students into eye color groups and proceeded to tell them that children with blue eyes were inherently superior to brown eyed children. She then gave some favored treatment to blue eyed children, including extra recess time. If children with brown eyes made a mistake, she would call it out, and attribute it to the fact that they had brown eyes and were thus inferior. The children also were instructed to wear arm bands indicating their eye color so as to make the distinction clear to all. This too harkened back to the Nazi practice of having Jewish people wear armbands with the Star of David to rapidly indicate who was the shamed group in the country.   

The children quickly picked up on this, and began to become very clannish within their eye color group, and to see themselves as inferior, or superior according to the arbitrary eye color distinction. Fights broke out, and each group began to take on the role of superior or inferior, to the detriment of both groups.

The sad point of this experiment was this- we can easily fall into a tribal and exclusionary mindset. We identify with those most like us, and we exclude and marginalize those that are different.

In looking back at our immigration policies over the past 150 years, some groups, at various times, have been favored, and others have been excluded. That is just one example of how we separate ourselves into little clans and tribes, and how we try to exclude others.

Paul weighed in on this in an early letter to the Galatians as quoted above. His letter rings as true today as it did many centuries ago. Human nature has not changed, only the nature of God can prevail in our broken world.

Prayer: Lord, help us to remember who we are- all equal in your eyes, Amen

“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…

Matthew 6:9-10

This is, of course, a passage which has given us the most well-known prayer on earth- The Lord’s Prayer. We learn it as children, and we retain it our entire lives. It is, in fact, so ingrained in us, recited in a rote manner, that we may miss the richness of the prayer.

The sentence, “your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” sounds like a nice pleasantry that can become a bit of a catchphrase. Actually, it is the hardest thing we are called to do. We are actually being called to bring a bit of heaven down to earth by the actions we choose to do. Jesus was the embodiment of “heaven to earth”, and we are called to live that legacy out by making earth look a bit more like heaven.

Yes, we have a very long way to go on that, and no, we will never accomplish it in our tenure here. However, we have been called to not simply wait for the day we can go to heaven and all will be peace and joy. We are called to bring a measure of heaven’s peace and joy to earth. We do that by loving other people, encouraging them, helping them, grieving with them, and all other human connections that aid one another on this life’s journey.

So, the next time you recite the Lord’s Prayer, remember that he always intended for us to make earth a bit more like heaven.

Prayer: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…

How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It’s like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, flowing down Aaron’s beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life                                                  Psalm 133:1-3

Here we are one week later, and I am writing about another memorial service for a lost loved one. Last week we attended the funeral Mass for my cousin’s wife. Yesterday, we attended the memorial service for a friend of the family named Bill. The service took place in a large venue which is a performing arts center. Good thing the venue was large- there must have been 600 people in attendance.

It was fitting to celebrate Bill’s life in such a setting, because he was well known and respected in our town, Troy, Ohio. It was so uplifting to mingle with so many friends and neighbors we have made over the years here in Troy. Jesus was lifted high, as the life of this man was celebrated. He died quickly and unexpectedly two weeks ago in the arms of his family. We mourned with the family, but celebrated a life well-lived.

This event made me think of how connected we are in this little Midwestern city. So many people know one another from church connections, school, sports events, friends of our kids, grandkids, business connections, city government, friends of friends- you get the picture. We are connected in community.

So, while this was a very sad time for the family and loved ones, it was also uplifting in the vast amount of support given to the grieving family. We left feeling blessed and encouraged, knowing Bill had a life well-lived, and that we had seen the hope of eternal life in this gathering of community.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord for dedicated lives that we can celebrate, even as we mourn their passing, Amen

People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives.                                          Proverbs 16:2 (New Living Translation)

I spoke with a client several days ago who was upset over what he felt was disrespect from his parents. They still treated him like he was a child at times, although he is in his twenties and has a child of his own. He has a generous spirit and he is interested in viewpoints different from his own, but the seemingly meddlesome approach by his parents is hurtful to him.

As we talked, I offered the possibility that this was a behavior that might be somewhat invisible to his parents. Perhaps their motives are good, and they sincerely want the best for him. Yes, their input feels patronizing at times, and he feels disrespected. This is understandable. However, if he could see things from their perspective- if he could believe that their motives were good- he might feel less offended.

He took this concept very well. He is a bright and thoughtful young man. He allowed that he needs to consider this more, and that it might help him to overcome some bitterness that he is building.

When we are hurt or offended, it is hard to put ourselves into another’s shoes. When we consider that perhaps their motives are sincere, however poorly they are conveyed by behavior, we might be able to see the situation with more grace.   

Prayer: Lord, help us to look for the things that are not readily apparent to us, Amen

Fools find no pleasure in understanding, but delight in airing their own opinions.                                          Proverbs 18:2

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”                            Abraham Lincoln

The quotes above are loaded with wisdom. The writer of Proverbs knew this 2500 years ago. Abraham Lincoln knew this 160 years ago. Yet, we all want to share our opinion on social media. Hey, I do it too. You are reading this in a blog that is on the internet. I like to share my opinion too!

I think the intent of these quotes- this wisdom- is that not all opinions are equal. Many people on social media, podcasts, and news organizations like to express their opinions. That is a right that many people around the world possess, (and sadly, many do not). If our opinions are not tempered with humility, and a diligent research of facts, then we would be better to heed the Lincoln quote above.

Just because we believe something does not mean that it is true. It is fine to express an opinion, but we have the responsibility to have it be an informed and thoughtful one. “Shooting from the hip” is not the best way to express an opinion. Indeed, that expression came about to describe one who fired their gun quickly without bothering to aim. The shot may hit its mark, but it was just as likely to wound an innocent bystander.

Just my opinion!

Prayer: Lord, give us understanding to choose our words, and share our opinions wisely, Amen

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?  Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.                                                                                                                                                            Philippians 2:1-2

I spoke recently with a client who was a victim of physical and emotional domestic violence. She had early trauma and abuse in her life, and she struggles with rejection and abandonment. She is working hard to deal with these issues, but she is still trying to decide how she wants to handle the abuser in her life.

She is torn about whether to divorce him, feeling like she may be “giving up too soon” on him, and that he can change. This is a common situation with abused partners, and I understand her emotional struggle. She is wondering what it is about her that continues to miss the cues about men who hurt her. She is trying to determine how she can have better boundaries, and better recognition in the future.

These are excellent goals, and we are working on them, but in the meantime, she needs to be separated from the abuser. Going back with him, or even resuming contact with him, could be dangerous. I gave her the analogy that if one is in a burning house, the first thing to do is flee the house. You can’t wait to determine what caused the house to catch fire- that can be determined later. The first job is to escape the danger.

This resonated with the client. We talked about ways that he had controlled her, and she is gradually understanding that these are the methods abusers often use. I encouraged her to look to the future of the healing that she needs to do with her own children, and not to spend energy right now on reliving and understanding the abuse she recently escaped.

She is not alone, of course in the cycle of abuse that besets so many relationships. People who are in truly loving relationships are concerned about the best interests of their partner.

“How can I make your life better?” That is the type of question that loving people ask for their partners. Those are not the type of questions that her abuser asked.  

Prayer: Lord, help us look to the interests of those we love, to support and encourage them, Amen

Whoever has ears, let them hear…                                                                   Matthew 11:15

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder           James 2:14-19

I recently read a book titled Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus. In this book, the author is trying to get the reader in mind of how Jesus taught and thought, and how those who heard him may have received his teachings. 

One of the explanations the author used was that of the Hebrew language. It had a vocabulary of about 80,000 words. Compare that to the English language which has perhaps 400,000 words. Hebrews were used to having a rich and elaborate meaning to their words since they did not parse them out as freely as English-speaking people might. There may be several different associated concepts with one word in the Hebrew language.

When Jesus, for example, used the word “hear”, that meant that the hearer would not only hear the word, but believe it as well. Further, if one believed a concept, they were expected to act upon it as truth. In other words, hearing, believing, and doing were all tied together. If you hear your master tell you something, and believe it, the expectation is that one would act upon that belief.

I find it interesting in Western Christianity, we have somehow been able to separate belief from actions. Somehow, just holding onto a belief can be divorced from actions, causing some to fail to truly live out their faith. For them, holding a belief in the mind becomes paramount over acting out that faith for others to see.

James talked about the kind of faith that works- that is, the kind that other people can see and experience.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be doers of the word, not just hearers, Amen

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.                   Ecclesiastes 4:12

I recently spoke with a client who is dealing with anxiety. She has struggled with it for years, but her anxiety was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and because of that she sought treatment. The COVID pandemic has raised awareness of mental health needs in this country, and indeed, the entire world. I think there is a silver lining in the worst of situations when we look for it.

One of the huge downsides of the pandemic is how it caused division politically, socially, and even in faith communities. It seems that in some church congregations there were those who were upset with government closings of social gatherings, or mask mandates, and this caused much friction and dissent.

Some pastors took their congregations in directions that seemed to pit religious faith vs. scientific responses. The sad part of this is that science and faith/religion are not adversaries. Indeed, the Creator of science is the Creator of the world. The universe is ordered by that Creator’s grand design. God is no more opposed to science than an inventor is to his/her invention.

The anxiety exacerbated by the COVID pandemic was not a lack of faith, but rather the reaction by people to a threat. Anxiety was heightened in all, but for some, it was overwhelming. Anxiety is not too little faith in God. The solution is not simply “You need to pray and trust God more”. If that were the solution, there would be no anxiety. Rather, treatment of anxiety requires self-awareness, and willingness to seek multi layered solutions of all parts of our being- physical, spiritual and emotional. It requires us to reach out to others to help us when we are not able to stand alone.  

Indeed, trust in God is a critical part of dealing with anxiety, but no person suffering from anxiety should be shamed by others as “lacking faith”. God gives us tools to deal with anxiety in every dimension of our being.

Let us thank him for his provision.

Prayer: Lord, you have made us strong and vulnerable at the same time. Thank you for the tools you have given to deal with those vulnerabilities, Amen

“Well done, good and faithful servant…

I went to a funeral yesterday. It was the memorial Mass of my cousin’s wife, Betty. There was sadness, of course. A family had lost their mother, wife, grandmother, sister, etc. But this was truly a celebration of Betty’s life. You see, she lived a full life of love and service to her God, her church, her family, and her community. When someone lives such an impactful Christian life, we can indeed celebrate.

The priest who performed the Mass did such a beautiful job of explaining the Catholic liturgy of funerals, and the symbolism of each act performed. He spoke sincerely and directly to the family and comforted them. The message of Jesus was lifted high, and he used Betty’s life as an example of that.

The presence of family gathered in church to bid a farewell to one of its own is a powerful thing. The beautiful liturgy of the Catholic Church with its symbolism and message of hope gives comfort even in a time of great loss.  

One day, each of us will be on the other end of a funeral service. We want to make sure that our lives have been fully spent in the service of God and his creation. When that happens, there is sadness, of course, at our passing, but there is also reason to celebrate- and that is what we did yesterday.  

Prayer: Lord, be present with the grieving, and comfort them. Thank you for family, who can share the burden, Amen

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.                                 Colossians 1:17

 You bound the world together so that it would never fall apart                                          Psalm 104:5

As I was reading Psalm 104, I was reminded of the beauty and symmetry of creation. The Psalmist was not interested in how God made the earth, but he concentrated on how the earth reflects God’s majesty and marvelous plan. There was no question for the writer about the science of creation. That was not a relevant question for those who are focused on the Creator more than the creation.

The Psalm is a beautiful poem of thanksgiving about how nature works. The writer remarks that “You bound the world together so that it would never fall apart.” I think about what we know of physics and the presence of forces such as the “strong nuclear force” and the “weak nuclear force”. We understand that there are certain forces that are givens, such as gravity, and the nuclear forces mentioned above. Before any of these forces was the presence of the “first force”, the God who made the universe.  

He still binds this creation together, even though many may not recognize his hand. He is the primal force, and also the continuing force that allows nature to exist in such an amazing way.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the things seen and unseen in your creation, Amen