Repentance that Changes Us

This is a devotional for Wednesday from DYNAMIS (http://www.dynamispublications.org/), an Orthodox Christian daily devotional. The text is Joel 2:12-26; the commentator is discussing the relation between fasting and repentance in light of God's call to His people:

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Joel 2:12-26 (3/2-3/15) First Vesperal Reading, Wednesday of the Week of Forgiveness
Fasting III ~ Repentance that Changes Us: Joel 2:12-26, SAAS, especially vs. 13: "...rend your hearts, and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate. He is long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy, and repents of evils."

Fasting can be viewed, at bare minimum, as limitations imposed on types and quantities of food, sleep, and other pleasures. But as Father Georges Florovsky noted, "Asceticism does not exist of prohibitions. Asceticism is activity, a 'working out,' a perfection of one's self....inspired by the task of inspiration." Thus, fasting may direct attention to sinful deeds, but we benefit most when it prompts us to repudiate the evil thoughts that precede sinful acts, when both thoughts and acts are repugnant to God. The Prophet teaches us to rend the heart when turning to God the Lord.

The significance of evil thoughts is twofold: 1) the inward corruption they work in the heart, and, of course, 2) the resulting sinful acts and consequences that follow from wicked thoughts. Do remember that among the consequences that follow our evil thoughts and actions are the Divine judgments that befall us. Through His Prophet Joel, the Lord kindly invites us to heartfelt repentance and promises to "...restore to you the years the grasshopper and the locust have eaten, and for the blight, and the caterpillar..."

(Joel 2:25). We pay a heavy price for unrestrained evil thoughts and passions. Like locusts, they eat up our hearts and souls, a process Saint Gregory of Nyssa summarizes: "...man was a thing divine before his humanity got within reach of the assault of evil...then, however, with the inroad of evil...afflictions broke in upon him." Our passions rise from their natural state and turn into a destructive swarm of marauding insects, eating our hearts - wrath, fear, cowardice, impudence, depression and indulgence, hatred, strife, merciless cruelty, envy as well as flattery and brutality together with brooding over injuries. These turn into a ravenous plague within us. Joel likens these swarming passions to conquering nations who desolate and mock 'the good land' we inherit in Christ (vs. 17). The image of God in us becomes despoiled! But the Lord promises to drive away the desolating adversary (vs. 26) and restore those things necessary for life (vs. 24).

Thus, our loving Lord connects fasting with repentance: "Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting and wailing and with mourning; rend your heart and not your garments" (vss. 12,13). He holds up repentance, as one would an icon of promise, to encourage us. Let the Priests sound the trumpet, God's people gather, and even newly-weds set aside their nuptial joys. Let God's People weep for both inward and outward sins crying to God, "O Lord, spare Your people, do not give Your inheritance to reproach..." with godless powers ruling over us (vss. 15-17).

God declares that He will turn His "...face away from [our] sins, and blot out all [our] iniquities" (Ps. 50:9). He desires not the death of sinners but that we should repent and live. He describes Himself as "...merciful and compassionate...longsuffering and plenteous in mercy and repents of evils" (Joel 2:13). The Lord is inviting us to embrace the coming Great Fast, and "...be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God, for He gives food that is right for you" (vs. 21).

Joel declares God's promises: "He will shower you as before with the early and the late rain" (vs. 23). So let us sow well in our hearts. He will "restore to [us] the years" eaten away by our sins (vs. 25). As Metropolitan Hierotheos says, "Repentance...in deep mourning and joined with confession is what unveils the eyes of the soul to see the great things of God." Repentance is the promise of Great Lent. Let us pursue it diligently and we shall be able to "...praise the name of the Lord [our] God for what He has so wondrously done unto [us]" (vs. 26).

Advent 2: Peace

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

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Peace can be a misunderstood concept. Many people think peace is merely the absence of strife. If this were the case, peace would not be possible this side of heaven. Peace, in Hebrew, "shalom," has more depth to it than this…

Peace, in a Hebraic concept, has to do with restoring humanity to its "factory setting," as God originally intended. It means, "wholeness," a state of having nothing missing, broken, or wanting. This is far larger that the absence of strife; God‟s declaration of peace is one of the utmost importance as it is His idea, not ours.

There are so many verses in the Bible dealing with peace, however I want to leave you with a few:

"'Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, "Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 'The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.'" So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.‟" (Num. 6:23-27)

"'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'" (Luke 2:14)

"And he said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace.'" (Luke 7:50)
"'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.'" (John 14:27)

Advent 1: Hope

"O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel."

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We stand at the threshold of a new year. Not just a new calendar year, but a new church year. The Lectionary has cycled to its next year; the colors have shifted to purples, blues, and pinks; hymnals and missals have been flipped to the front or other specific section. Advent is here...

Advent means "coming" or "appearing." It is the season of preparation for Christmas, the Nativity, the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Originally, it was (and still is for some of the Church) a time of penitence and fasting. It was a season to re-focus on the Triune God and discipline ourselves in anticipation of the Messiah's coming (This is the reason purple is the color associated with both Advent and Lent as they are both seasons of fasting and penitence).

The theme for the first Sunday of Advent is hope. We much, like the Israelites of old, hold fast to the prophecy of Messiah's coming. The Prophet Isaiah said He would bear many titles; notable among them is "Emmanuel," meaning "God with us." What an awesome thought - that very God of very God would dwell with men as a Man!

A couple weeks ago I began to ponder what significance this should have for Christians. If God is with us, then all the things of God are available to us: His love, peace, joy, healing, provision, etc. It is all available to us by virtue of His promises to, and covenant with, us. However, it doesn't stop there...

If God is dwelling in us as children of God, then we are the keepers and bearers of the things of God. Therefore, as His children, it is up to us to announce the Good News of the Gospel and to extend the things of God (love, healing, peace, etc.) to all creation. The Advent is the ransoming, the redemption, of the captives, the proclamation of the good news to the poor, the binding up of the brokenhearted, release from darkness for the prisoners, and comfort to all who mourn (Isaiah 61). All this now happens through us via the power of the Holy Spirit.

All this, then, begs the question: with what are we "appearing" before creation? Peace or distress? Love or divisiveness? Healing or condemnation? May we conduct the hope of God in our dealings with all creation.

Kim Gentes - "Who are we serving?"

Check out this article by Kim Gentes. Very good!

A "Traditionalist"...

I had a coffee meeting at The Well this morning with my friend, Jd Bowman, who is the assistant theatre professor over at my alma mater #2, McPherson College. We were discussing details for their upcoming production of "Grease." As we talked our conversation moved on to family and life.

We both grew up in "conservative" families, yet knew the term "conservative" probably wouldn't best describe us (I mean, come on - I'm a charismatic, Anglican-rite priest. That is an oxymoron to more than one person! :) ) Jd gave me a great term: "traditionalist."

I realized that was a great fit. Although "tradition" seems rather old-fashioned to many, or conjures up images of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, it is such a strong, pregnant term.

Quoting Laurence Hull Stookey's book Eucharist: Christ's Feast with the Church, "Our word tradition, so often used with a sneer as being negative, is derived from the Latin traditio, which literally means 'handing on, delivering.'" This is what St. Paul referred to in 1st Cor. 11:23 saying that he handed on to us what he received from Jesus.

Being a traditionalist means I value the values, thoughts, and customs handed down to me and desire to hand them down to the younger generation, be they my college students or children.

What have we received from previous generations and what are we handing on to the next?

Things to ponder...

Electronic "disciples"

A good friend of mine has been trying to convince me to get a Twitter account. I decided to start the process today. This got me thinking about the terms used for people in electronic social networks.

In some blogs they are called "subscribers."
On facebook they are called "friends."
On Twitter (and some blogs) they are called "followers."

Aston Kutcher, as of 5:12p CST, on 26 Oct. 2010, has 5,967,996 "followers."

It has caused me to think of who or what I am following. Where am I spending my time? I will confess (and my wife and bosses will confirm) I am, at present, not the most organized person. My focus can shift as I think of tasks that need to be finished, meetings that need to happen, and blog posts which need to be written so I feel like I'm "keeping up with it."

St. Paul wrote "Follow me as I follow Christ."

And, in the words of Little Peggy March, "I Will Follow Him." :)

Leading by the Holy Spirit and French Press Coffee

Last Friday I had the privilege of facilitating a session at my national Communion's annual conference. The session I was asked to facilitate was entitled "Lead by the Holy Spirit."

Before I began my session people were milling about the room on the mid-morning break. I was scurrying around setting three places at a cafe table positioned at the front of the room. Featured was a plate of pumpkin bread and brownies and a French Press coffee maker.

I asked for two volunteers to join me at the table. I began to make the coffee and explained to the group in the session that my context of leadership would be different than most of theirs, however the application would be very similar. At the end of the steeping time, we pressed the coffee and had a sip. Had my 2 volunteers note the aroma and flavor of the coffee.

Then I had them take a bite of the pumpkin bread, followed by a sip of the coffee. This was followed by another sip of coffee to "cleanse the palate," then the same steps were repeated for the brownie. I asked them if they noticed a difference in the flavor of the coffee. They both responded the coffee was subtley accented in a different way by the food which preceded the sip.

I looked at the gathering of clergy and lay people and said, "This is a life of leading by the Holy Spirit - it is rife with subtleties." When many people talk about living, and leading, by the Holy Spirit they think about mighty, blatant, and outward signs and words. The reality, which many people realize further, is, much like Elijah, found in the whisper - the still, small voice. It is, as Dr. Leonard Sweet's latest book is entitled, the "nudge."

Oh, Lord, may I be sensitive to your holy whisper, to the gentle nudgings of your Holy Spirit. Amen.