This is the second in a series of posts about ‘Love’ from the Daily Meditations of Fr. Richard Rohr. In this one he talks about our ego’s, and how they can hinder our spiritual life.

Do I love God, or my own accomplishments?

The ego wants to ensure us that the things we do are all significant and worthy of our attention, that this event will make me important. Our activities become attempts at self validation and little life merit badges. We all enjoy putting another check on our life resume, or even on our spiritual resume.

Much religion uses God to bolster one’s own self-image, I am afraid. True religion would not be attached to self-image at all, but only to God. In fact, the closer you actually get to the Light, the more of your own shadow you see. Maybe that is why a lot of people do not persevere on the journey toward the Lover.

Christian life has little to do with me doing anything right. It has everything to do with falling in love with a Lover who always does everything right. What I love is that Lover and not my own accomplishments; nor am I surprised or unduly humiliated by my own failures. We must come to know who is always the Lover and who is always the beloved.

Adapted from Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p. 23, day 22

Mantra:
Be in love

One thing I particularly like about these meditations from Fr. Richard Rohr, is the way they get me to think about myself in a different light. As I was reading this one, my ‘ego’ was telling me that perhaps I’m doing okay. That was, until I came to the second half of the penultimate sentence: “nor am I surprised or unduly humiliated by my own failures”. Ouch! I’m not surprised that I fail, but I do feel unduly humiliated when I do so. And I can see that that isn’t good. Something else for me to pray about, and to work on, methinks.

The email this came from was one of Fr. Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations. If you would like to subscribe too, and I can recommend them, the website is here: The Center for Action and Contemplation. It won’t cost you anything.

I don’t think of myself as being prosperous, far from it in fact. On a continuum with “prosperous” at one end and “needy” at the other, I would generally put myself closer to the “needy” end — closer to, “when we are needy save us from despair” than, “when we prosper save us from pride” from this Collect for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

But, in reality, that would be comparing myself with the society I live in — a society that would be considered prosperous in comparison to many other societies around the world. Comparing myself to many millions of people from all around the world, I would find myself in a very different place on that continuum — much closer to the “prosperous” end.

I’m sitting here in front of a reasonably good computer, accessing the internet and writing a blog post on a website on my own domain name. All of this costs money. There are far too many people around the world that would be grateful just for the chair.

I drive a nice car, not very old — being able to lease a car at favourable rates is one of the very few advantages to the health problems I have. But, nevertheless, it still costs money. There are far too many people around the world who would be grateful just for one of the tyres, to turn into makeshift footwear.

I haven’t decided yet what I’ll be having for dinner later, but I have plenty to choose from, and it’ll be reasonably easy to prepare. This does, of course, cost money. There are far too many people around the world who would be grateful just for a piece of bread to assuage their hunger.

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the picture. If you’re reading this you must, like me, be much closer to the “prosperous” end of the continuum than you are to the “needy” end.

It’s all too easy to only concern ourselves with how things are in our immediate vicinity, and despair because of our neediness can overtake us. I know that is something I’m guilty of. So I would generally be much closer to “despair” than “pride”. But this Collect reminds us that both are wrong; and that we should put our trust in God alone. It’s a great “ideal” to aim for, but not so easy to achieve in practise.

In amongst the Additional Collects, that I reflect on each week here, there are one or two prayers in each season that are designated to be suitable for use instead of one that’s set for the day. This week’s is one of those Collects. I guess that helps to highlight the importance of what we’re praying for — learning to trust more in God, and his providence.

A good prayer to be praying methinks.

Lord God,
your Son left the riches of heaven
and became poor for our sake:
when we prosper save us from pride,
when we are needy save us from despair,
that we may trust in you alone;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Eighth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

Today’s Collect, for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity, gets me thinking about the spiritual gifts. I must admit to being somewhat sceptical of some of big outpourings of the “gifts of the spirit” and have tended to avoid them. I guess, in this particular thing, I’m a little like Thomas, and need to see things for myself. But I do know that there are some very sincere people who have been affected by these events, and set great store by them.

However, I do at least try to keep an open mind; and certainly don’t want to limit God by keeping him in my particular box. Who knows, one day something may happen that turns my scepticism around completely; in which case I would want to celebrate those new insights.

My own, somewhat more conservative, thoughts on the spiritual gifts go something like this:

There are several instances recorded in the book of Acts in which the apostles were involved in healing and casting out demons (3:2-16; 5:12-16; 9:36-42; 20:6-12; 28:1-6). These miracles helped to give validity to the apostles’ teaching. Only two people who weren’t apostles were said to have performed miracles: both specially commissioned “deacons” (Acts 6:5), Stephen (Acts 6:8) and Philip (Acts 8:5-13).

The apostles had a unique function to play in the establishment of the early church. Ephesians 2:20 tells us that the church was “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone”. Paul spoke of miracles being the mark of a true apostle. Describing his own ministry he wrote, “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, signs and wonders and mighty works” (2 Corinthians 12:12).

Nowhere in the New Testament do we find believers in general performing the same types of dramatic miracles as the apostles do. The apostles were commissioned especially for the founding stage of the church.

I don’t think we need dramatic “signs and wonders” to mature or minister, we can do both without the drama.

Despite all the protests to the contrary, those who promote the use of “spiritual gifts” — such as: speaking in tongues; healing; words of knowledge; prophetic utterances; and ecstatic feelings — do exert an intimidating force on those who don’t share their experiences, or question their validity. I’ve been on the receiving end of that intimidation, and the urge to conform was immense, and, I believe, not from God.

Paul warned the Corinthian believers against false teachers who were trying to force them into submission with incredible claims of spiritual authority (2 Corinthians 11:1-15). These “super-apostles” even claimed to be superior to Paul. He was concerned that the believers may be led astray from the simple truth of the gospel.

We would be naive to think that we don’t face the same threat today. That’s why we must carefully examine our faith, evaluate what we’re being told, and test all things by what God has said in the Bible.

As I said in my opening paragraph, I do know people who have been affected by these “spiritual gifts”, and wouldn’t really want to question their validity, or limit God by putting him into my particular box. I’m just not totally convinced myself, and tend towards this far more conservative stance. But I am open to other ideas, and will listen to, and respect, the position of others.

Generous God,
you give us gifts and make them grow:
though our faith is small as mustard seed,
make it grow to your glory
and the flourishing of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Seventh Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

Today is the Sixth Sunday after Trinity. In our Collect we’re reminded that we are all created in the image of God, we all reflect something of God in who we are, and what we are.

It’s clear when you look around at people that, at least in outward appearance, we are all quite different. We differ a bit in eye colour, skin colour, the way we walk, how tall or short we are, the way we talk, etc etc. And there is, of course, the much more obvious differences between male and female. However, we’re not really so very different in the way we’re made up. Most of us have two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth, a couple of arms with hands on the end, and a couple of legs with feet on the end. Obviously there are some exceptions to this, but basically we’re all pretty much the same. But despite the outward differences in our appearances, we all reflect something of God.

It’s fair to say that there are probably many more differences between us that are less visible. Some people are happy all the time, some are depressed; some are healthy, some ill; some are addicted to drink or drugs, some never touch either; some are homosexual, some are heterosexual; etc etc. And there are, of course, many people, most of us, who fall between the extremes mentioned here. But despite the less visible differences in our appearances, we all reflect something of God.

If we take seriously the thought that we all reflect something of God, because we are all made in the image of God, then, surely, we must also take seriously Jesus’ command that we should not judge one another:

‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye.

Matthew 7:1-5

Whilst that passage gives us an indication of Jesus’ wonderful sense of humour, it also carries a very serious message, “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged”. We have to learn to accept people for who they are, whoever they are! It isn’t for us to decide that one person is worth less than another, or worth less than us. And neither is it for us to decide that one person is worth more than another, or worth more than us. Because we are all worth everything to God, and we all reflect something of God.

I know how easy it is to slip into making snap judgements of people for all sorts of reasons. But, it’s important that we strive to be non-judgemental — as hard as that can be at times. Sometimes it’s easier to talk, or even preach, the gospel than it is to really live it. But that is the goal we should be striving towards, to genuinely live the gospel, because we all reflect something of God.

Creator God,
you made us all in your image:
may we discern you in all that we see,
and serve you in all that we do;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Sixth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

When I think of phrases such as this one, “deepen our faithfulness to you”, from the Collect for The Second Sunday after Trinity, my thoughts are often drawn to another remembered phrase, “I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

Jesus’ disciples had tried unsuccessfully to heal a boy with a spirit that put him in harms way and prevented him speaking. When the boys father spoke to Jesus he was told that, “All things can be done for the one who believes”. To which the father immediately responded with, “I believe, help my unbelief!”

I can almost imagine the disciples responding in a similar way when Jesus tells them later, after they asked him why they couldn’t cast the spirit out, “This kind can come out only through prayer.” (Read the full account in Mark 9:14-29.) It would seem safe to assume that prayer was always a part of what happened during the healing process; so perhaps Jesus was hinting about a specially focussed kind of prayer requiring even more spiritual effort. This incident happened soon after the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13), following it immediately in Mark’s Gospel. Perhaps we’re to assume that Jesus’ time on the mountain was, for him, a time of particularly intense prayer, giving him on his return especially heightened power.

It looks to me though, that there was a quite a lot of belief being shown on that particular day. The boys father believed enough in all that he’d heard about the events surrounding this charismatic figure of Jesus to bring his ill son to him. He believed in Jesus’ friends enough to let them try to heal his son when he found them before finding Jesus himself. The disciples believed enough to try. All of this would have shown already a tremendous amount of faith. But it appears, not quite enough.

A couple of thoughts come to mind:

1. We frequently imagine that a person’s early years as a Christian pilgrim are the hardest, and that as we mature and grow in faith things become easier. But the opposite often turns out to be true. Just as we’re learning to walk alongside Jesus, we’re given harder tasks, which demand more courage and more spiritual energy.
2. I can remember the pain I felt when, a few years ago, some well-meaning friends told me that I wasn’t healed from my particular health issues because I didn’t believe enough. They equated “healing” with “cure”, which I think is wrong. I think healing can, and does, sometimes mean cure; but that isn’t always the case. Healing is more about learning to be at peace with yourself and accepting things as they are. In that sense I believe I have received a lot of healing, though recent events have shown I still have a way to go.

We will experience challenges to our faith and beliefs as we continue on our own journeys of faith. But we can grow through those challenges. When they do come our way, let us join in prayer with the father in this story, “I believe, help my unbelief!” Let us pray that our faith in God, and his Son Jesus Christ, will be deepened and encouraged to grow. And then let us take the next step on our own pilgrimages of faith.

Faithful Creator,
whose mercy never fails:
deepen our faithfulness to you
and to your living Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Second Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

Today’s post is another one of Fr. Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations. In this one he talks about the theology of Saint Francis as more fully explored in the philosophy, theology, and mystical vision of Saint Bonaventure.

What is it that makes the universe friendly?

Francis called all creatures, no matter how small, by the name of brother and sister; because he knew they had the same source as himself.

–Saint Bonaventure, Major Life, Omnibus

St. Bonaventure (1221–1274) took Francis’ intuitive genius and spelled it out into an entire philosophy, theology, and mystical vision. He said God is “within all things but not enclosed; outside all things, but not excluded; above all things, but not aloof; below all things, but not debased.” Bonaventure was the first to speak of God as one “whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere.”

Therefore, he said, “the origin, magnitude, multitude, beauty, fullness, activity and order of all created things” are the very “footprints” and “fingerprints” (vestigia) of God. Now that is quite a lovely and a very safe universe to live in. Welcome home!

Adapted from Hope Against Darkness, pp. 135, 136

Mantra:
God is in all things

I remember how I felt when I first understood for myself this thought that, “within all things but not enclosed; outside all things, but not excluded; above all things, but not aloof; below all things, but not debased”. It was an awe inspiring moment for me, and changed my whole attitude to my faith. And whenever I read these words, even some years later, the thought still fills me with awe.

It’s always good to be reminded of them, but it was especially good to be reminded of them in an email last week. I have to go into hospital on Friday of this week — could be just for one night, but may be two or three — and I had been worrying about it more than I realized. It was good to, at that time, to be reminded that God is in all things, even the things we worry about about.

The email was one of Fr. Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations. If you would like to subscribe too, and I can recommend them, the website is here: The Center for Action and Contemplation. It won’t cost you anything.

This is one of those stories that I just hope and pray is at the very least based on actual events, even if not strictly factual. It illustrates real human kindness in a wonderful way. If it is true, there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.

Today’s post from Fr. Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations spoke to me at a very deep level — quite possibly because I have so much pain in my life just now (I’m still having a really tough time with my health at the moment). I’m hopeful for some improvement over the next few weeks though — another change in medication is going on, and some other stuff which is going to mean a hospital stay in early May.

What pain in my life needs God’s love and transformation today?

St. Paul is the great evangelizer because he seldom leaves the message at the level of “believe this fact about Jesus.” He always moves it to “this is what it says about you!” or “this is what it says about history!” Until we are somehow pulled into the equation, we find it hard to invest ourselves in a mere religious belief. Paul teaches “Christ,” which includes us and all of creation, for he never knew Jesus “in the flesh.”

Christ Crucified is all of the hidden, private, tragic pain of history made public and given over to God. Christ Resurrected is all of that private, ungrieved, unnoted suffering received, loved, and transformed by an All-Caring God. How else could we believe in God at all? How else could we have any kind of cosmic hope? How else would we not die of sadness for what humanity has done to itself and to one another?

Jesus is the blueprint, the plan, the pattern revealed in one body and moment of history to reveal the meaning of all of history and each of our lives. The cross is the banner of what we do to one another and to God. The resurrection is the banner of what God does to us in return.

Easter is the announcement of God’s perfect and final victory.

The email was one of Fr. Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations. If you would like to subscribe too, and I can recommend them, the website is here: The Center for Action and Contemplation. It won’t cost you anything.

On that very first Good Friday, two thousand years ago, the day that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, a cruel and horrible death, he gave his all for us. He was willing to suffer that hideous death for us! For you and for me.

“He opened wide his arms for us on the cross” are words (from Eucharistic Prayer B, Common Worship) that always paint a powerful picture for me. They remind me of the sacrifice that Jesus made of himself for our sake, for my sake.

We often seem to talk of the Son as being almost separate from the Father, two beings. But, perhaps especially on Good Friday, we should remind ourselves that they’re actually all a part of the same God, with the Holy Spirit. And, whatever the reasons behind the crucifixion, whatever the theology, it was God himself on that cross; it was God himself, in his human form, who sacrificed himself on the cross for us, for me, that’s how much he loves each of us!

Jesus did so much for us — loves us so much that he was willing to do what he did for us — shouldn’t we, at least, give ourselves back to him. He doesn’t ask us to make the same sacrifice for him that he made for us, but he does want us to let him into our lives. And the place we do that, on Good Friday especially, is at the foot of the cross.

All that I am I place at your feet Lord Jesus. Take me, and use me, to do your work, in whatever way pleases you. Your gift to me was your life on the cross, my gift to you is my life. Amen.

Eternal God,
in the cross of Jesus
we see the cost of our sin
and the depth of your love:
in humble hope and fear
may we place at his feet
all that we have and all that we are,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for Good Friday
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

Faith is an amazing gift from God. When the Candidates are Presented in the Common Worship Baptism service, we’re reminded by the president, as they address the whole congregation, that, “Faith is the gift of God to his people.”

We need the gift of faith to be able to know and appreciate God’s gift of love to each of us. It has to be said, though, that us having faith in God doesn’t cause him to love us; he loves us whatever we believe. There is nothing in heaven or on earth that can separate us from God’s love: as St Paul says, “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38-39). But without faith, we wouldn’t be able to truly experience God’s love for ourselves. It would be odd to say, “I don’t really have faith in, believe in, your existence, but nevertheless, it’s good that you love me” — odd indeed, and probably somewhat ridiculous.

God loves each and every one of us; as much, and more, as if we were each the only one too love. God loves each and every one of us so much that he was willing to sacrifice himself on a cross for us, to die a hideous death, for us, each one of us — you, me, our families, friends and neighbours, even people we don’t like very much (yes, he died for them too).

But without faith, we couldn’t experience God’s love. With faith, we can truly know his love, experience it, appreciate it, and share it. With faith, we can begin to love God too. And our love for God, tiny as it is in comparison to his love for us, will greatly magnify how we know and experience God’s love for us.

With that faith, and that love, we can be beside our Saviour Jesus Christ on the way of the cross, today, on this Palm Sunday, and on into Holy Week. We need not be afraid.

True and humble king,
hailed by the crowd as Messiah:
grant us the faith to know you and love you,
that we may be found beside you
on the way of the cross,
which is the path of glory.

Additional Collect for Palm Sunday
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council