Reflection for Epiphany 2 –Lean in Towards the Light

“Jesus the GOAT”

Scripture Reference: Psalm 139: 1-5,12-17

I am really surprised that I have not ever written about this Psalm before. Psalm 139 is my absolute favorite of all the 150 in David’s book of poetry and song. I don’t think I ever preached on a Psalm that I can remember. I preached on a Collect once when the Lectionary offerings for that Sunday were cold, bleak and lacking in “good news” anywhere. Why to I love this piece of Palmistry so much? For me, it speaks directly to who I am as a follower of the Jesus Way. Let’s have a look.

“Blessed One, you have searched me out and you know me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You discern my thoughts from afar. You trace my journeys and my resting places. You are acquainted with all my ways. Indeed, there is not a word on my lips that you do not know it altogether. You are with me behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is to wonderful for me.” Psalm 139: 1-5

Psalm 139 reminds us of the “immanence” of our God.  Immanence and transcendence; two radically different ideas about “where God is”. An “immanent” God is here, now, wrapping us and surrounding us…” up close and personal”, if you will. A “transcendent” God is elsewhere. Heaven, perhaps on a kingly throne somewhere, attended to by hordes of cherubim and seraphim and all the choirs of angels. I love how the First Nation’s Elders describe their idea of an immanent God. “We walk through the mist of the Creator always…” There is never a place that The Creator does not occupy. We are “wrapped” in the God-Presence always. This really speaks to me. To my experiential, spiritual reality a mystic. The Divine Presence, “in whom we live, move and have our being”. Theologian Marcus Borg explains it this way: “Our Divine Presence is a joyful state of consciousness. We move through God like a fish moves through water.”

“For you, yourself created my innermost parts. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will thank you because I am marvelously made. Your works are wonderful. And I know it well. My body was not hidden from you while it was being made in secret and woven in the depth of the earth. Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb. All of them were written in your book. They were fashioned by you day by day.” Psalm 139: 12-15

Psalm 139 reminds me that we are “born good”. Made in the image and likeness of our God. Created by our Creator to carry our own piece of the Divine Spark into the world, each in our own way. Alive, whole and good. Not dragging the anchor of Original Sin into yet another generation. Born good. Born with free will…to make good decisions or bad ones. George Fox, the founder of the Religious Society of Friends, calls that Divine Spark…” that of God in everyone.” We are all related. As the Lakota say “tak’uwaye” …you are my relative. When the children asked Grandfather Frank Fools Crow, spiritual leader of the Lakota People, “Grandfather, where does the Creator live?” His answer was… “Little Ones, The Creator lives in that quiet place between our breathing in, and our breathing out.”

Some of us are better about “leaning in toward the Light” of that Divine Spark within us than others. Jesus was the best at it so far. For me, Jesus is the normative standard of how to act and to live into and with our immanent God and our own Divine Spark in the world.  Marcus Borg says that “Jesus is the decisive disclosure of God’s character and passion in the world.” Jesus is the closest representation that we have about what “God is like”.  Marcus Borg says, “Jesus is St. Francis with an exclamation point!” The Jesus Way… simple. “Love one another as I have loved you”. Eight words that changed the world. And “do not be afraid.” The angel Gabriel’s words to Mary that got it all started…and Jesus words to Mary Magdalene at the tomb. Jesus ministry bookended in courage. Put together, they say…” Love Fearlessly!” The simplest, most difficult thing we will ever do.

So here we are…born good, totally and always wrapped in God’s Presence, carrying our own little piece of Godliness within us, following Jesus… the Greatest of All Time (GOAT)… This psalm says it all…” Lord, you have searched me out and you know me”. Can it get any better? Don’t think so…

Peace and Grace Saints.

Father Joe

The Lent We Prayed For – But Never Really Wanted

COVID-19 has challenged us in so many ways. Shattering the routines that added structure and meaning to our lives. Forcing us to prioritize and realize what is truly valuable. Wrap up tight with our Families and craft creative ways to stay in community. Lent is patterned after Jesus’ Forty Day stay in the Desert before His public ministry began. Jesus’ Vision Quest, his time of understanding and clarifying what he should do next to fulfill his call to serve. COVID -19 has become our time in the desert, a Lent that we could never have imagined. Forcing us to look ourselves right in the eye and right in the soul and discover who we are and what we stand for. Read more.