Hey Jude

There are few books of the Bible as short and pointed as Jude. It is interesting for lots of reasons. One has to do with the discussion of authorship. Who is Jude? Who is the James which he identifies as his brother? Like most ancient literature numerous theories abound. Some argue that the letter is from a later time period and engages in the common practice of pseudonymity (writing in the name of a famous figure from the past to give the writing more authority). While disturbing to a contemporary mind (we tend to ignore that lots of books have ghost writers, that politicians have speech and letter writers, that bosses have secretaries, etc.) in ancient times many books are obviously written using this literary device.

Others think Jude actually wrote the letter and that James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the church in Jerusalem, is his actual brother. A very good case can be made for that position. In such a case, this letter is quite amazing.

Scholarly debates about time and place and authorship are always, at best, unprovable theories, however compelling and reasonable. With that in mind, the more significant reason to read Jude is the content of the letter. Jude is concerned both with doctrine and behavior. In many circles one is led to believe that doctrine is a barrier to real faith (does this drive the 'spiritual not religious' crowd?) and that Christians ought to pay little heed to dogmas and teaching. It is telling that even in the very first group of Jesus' followers there were some who no doubt adopted such an approach. The letter of Jude is a stunning rejection of such a position. In large part this is because, as Jude makes crystal clear, doctrine produces behavior. Much of the current debate in my Episcopal church is very much about doctrine and morals/behavior. The traditional beliefs, expressed succintly by Jude, are under attack.

Jude says that he is writing to those who are called, who love God and are kept by Jesus. This threefold identification (so often the Bible writes in threes) remains a wonderful description of the church today. God initiates things, we respond, hence the term 'called.' The fundamental relationship with God is love. Jesus says that summarizes the law: Love God. If we are called to love, God's response, in Christ, is to save. The image of Jesus 'keeping' [safe] His children is best expressed in the Good Shepherd. We are in His care, this gives us hope, especially when it feels we are in danger.

Jude is frustrated, he wants to write about the shared salvation he enjoys with this church. He wants to accent the positive, but circumstances make it impossible. There are men, fake Christians, who have 'snuck in' and seek to mislead the church. His words resonate in our own time. "They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord."

Wow!!!!! Reading these words this morning, my stomach gave a twist. Such words cannot be spoken in the "Church of Toleration and All-Things-New." Such words are derided as hateful and judgmental. Yet, they are spoke by someone recognized in the early church as speaking with apostolic authority. Someone closely related to the first bishop of Jerusalem and related to the Lord Jesus Himself. Is it possible that such a person had so terribly misunderstood the Savior that he wrote in error? Is it possible such writings were collected and revered by evil men seeking to oppress and harm others, people who hijacked the church in the earliest times and led it, in error, to say the opposite of what Jesus intended? I think not. These words, harsh as they are, are a reflection of the mind and heart of Jesus, they are revelation of God Almighty Himself.

There are many who being nicer-than-God reject the unique status of Jesus. They say things like "He is our way to God" or "He is a way, but God has other ways." Many say Jesus is a great man and teacher, but merely that. They deny Jesus our ONLY sovereign and Lord. What was true from the beginning is true now. Inside the church there are those who do not believe.

There are many who being "more-up-to-date-and-kinder" would claim that Jesus means freedom. They talk about "advances" in understanding and advocate an "improved" morality. In the end, it sounds like license, the same problem Jude addresses almost two thousand years ago.

Yes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. As much as many of us would love to withdraw from the debates, God's Word just draws us back in. We need to be aware that the godless have always been among us, that those who deny Jesus or 'reform' (de-form) morality through license wil always be with us. True Freedom is freedom to worship Jesus and live in obedience. The call of God, the call to love, can and will transform us into His image. Grace leads to righteousness, holiness and obedience. And God provides the means in Christ.

Breaking Faith

This is confirmation preparation season in our parish. We use a program which employs adult mentors for each child. This year I was asked to do this by one of our young men. So he and I have been meeting. Yesterday we reviewed the Baptismal Covenant. There are six questions which a candidate is asked. The first three relate to conversion. We ask people to renounce Satan, the world and the flesh. These are the powers at work within us that draw us from our Lord. The renunciation of evil has taken the place of exorcism, which in other times and places was a prelude to baptism. The key idea is to recognize the power of evil (in all its subtle working) is real and that we must reject it.

Having turned from sin we then turn toward the Lord. Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Savior? This question is so important. I personally do not care for the language, I think it would be better "to acknowledge and embrace" Jesus as Savior. But I think it means the same thing. "Getting saved" is a big part of religious expression in the MidSouth. I have written before about how American consumerism and individualism have probably distorted our understanding of salvation. Hopefully, God will not demand that we understand everything correctly in order to be citizens in His Kingdom. In the end, we do need to understand that we are rescued from Satan, the world and ourselves by God's gracious act in and through Jesus.

That fact is hammered home by the next question: Do you put your whole trust in His grace and love? What is our way out of this mess called human existence? How do we escape the wounds and injuries, and ultimately, death? Who can set things right? I love the word trust because it conveys the act of giving one's self over to another. The word 'faith' can sometimes be reduced to a cognitive function, "I believe" means "I think" (or "I guess I think" in a weaker form). Most people claim that they "believe" in God. I know I do. Yet how often do I act as if God does not exist (or if He exists He does not matter)? Even most of the conservative Christians I know regularly engage in behaviors more reflective of secular culture than Christian doctrine. Trusting has to do with hope. My trust in God's mercy (grace and love) is needed because my belief in God fails to conform me to His will!

That brings me to the last question, Do you promise to follow and obey Him as your Lord? When we got to that question, the young man I am working with said to me, "Wow, that is really a big commitment." As we discussed it further he said, "That is probably the most broken promise in the world!"

I agreed with him.

I do not know if it is my congenital condition, if I was shaped into it by Catholic schools and my parents, if at some point I chose it or if it is the work of the Holy Spirit---what I do know is I have always been burdened with a keen sense of my failure to "follow and obey" the Lord. It is helpful to have friends (thanks Rick) who regularly remind me that God is at work in me. Despair and depression are NOT God given. Yet at other times, the awareness of what we are called to do and be, and how far we stray from that, is overwhelming.

As I ponder those commitments, I am aware that the Lord expects obedience. Too often the contemporary understanding of grace makes discipleship a sham. The last century how much of the resources God has blessed Christians with have been utilized for His kingdom? The answer is far too little. This is true of my time, talent and treasure as well! So should I sit around feeling guilty all day???? No, not helpful.

I am sure of this, the Lord would rather have me renounce Satan, the world and the flesh and turn to Him in obedience. He does not call us to endlessly rehash our mistakes, He calls us to repentance and discipleship. So today, my best choice, is to decide, again, to love and obey the One Whom I trust, my Lord, my Savior Jesus. IF the whole church does that today, it will be glorious!

Occupy Wall Street: WWJD?

I am off this week and have spent much time holding the baby and watching the news. I have tried to switch between Fox and CNN to provide different perspectives. I even watched some MSNBC!

I have found it interesting to see the different views on the Occupy Wall Street crowd. According to surveys there is a general support among Americans for the sentiments expressed by the crowds. The general complaint is that rich people do not pay their fair share. Now I am distressed to see signs like "kill the rich" or "taxidermy the rich" because I think publicly advocating murder is wrong (reference the Ten Commandments!). I am also distressed because the main stream media seems to be comfortable ignoring such things. Imagine the uproar if signs read "kill the old" or "slaughter the fat." But I have been around long enough to know (and understand why) that prejudice and assumption blinds us. So, it is not a surprise that the coverage by a sympathetic media overlooks the horror of publicly advocating the murder of people because they are financially successful.

What would Jesus do? Liberal Christians would claim that He would be among the people, stirring up anger and resentment among the poor, condeming the rich. I am certian Luke's Gospel would come in handy here. Conservative Christians would counter with a couple of nice quotes from Paul (those who don't work, don't eat, for example). In the end, it would be a sincere and heartfelt verbal battle between two groups which do not agree on much of anything. They would hear God's Word, especially the parts with which they agree. (That is the way it works for me, too, so I am not just pointing fingers here)

I think it is hard to know what Jesus would do, mainly because He was in a different context than ours. We live in a democracy where we have the right to vote. Jesus did not. He lived in occupied territory. In His day the Roman army put a 'serious hurting' on crowds of people who gathered to complain. Clearly Jesus warned against wealth. The holy people of the Church have historically dispersed their material wealth to pursue spiritual wealth. I think it is fair to say Jesus would say, "use your wealth to help others in need." (in fact, that is exactly what He did say!) On the other hand, Jesus was not a big fan of envy or coveting (sort of follows the Ten Commandments here). I imagine Jesus would not be impressed with someone complaining about the success of others. I also think that the church has never advocated stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Sorry Robin Hood, but there is a reason for that. Stealing is generally bad for the individual and for society. It harms those who steal as much as it harms those stolen from.

I think we need to have a serious discussion about taxing and spending. I wish conservative Christians spent as much time preaching Jesus' warning about wealth as they seem to spend advocating for low taxes. However, that is a choice the person makes with their own money. It is not some mob deciding that they will take it for themselves. It is not a politician taking what someone earns to distribute to others (who conveniently then vote the politician into office). As I said before, pro-tax folks don't have to take deductions and they can pay their taxes on time!

When people are surveyed and they say "the rich should pay their fair share" I wish someone woul actually do some deeper research. I am not trying to sound elitist here, but really, does the 'average Joe' have any clue what the words mean?

• What is the definition of rich? Are we talking multi-millionaires? Folks making $100,000? Does where you live (cost of living matters) get factored in?
• Do the people marching and complaining know how much taxes the 'rich' pay? What is a fair rate? Are we saying 10%?, 25%? I hear people talking about not long ago it was 90% Are we seriously saying that at a certain point someone is no longer allowed to earn and keep any more money?
• Do the people marching know how large a group of Americans pays no income tax? I have seen where up to one in three people do not pay one cent. Should people not paying any taxes really be allowed to complain about people who do without at least a little push back? [and in fairness, when a conservative says that the top 10% pays the lion's share of the taxes, it is fair to point out that it is because they make such astronomically huge amounts of money]
• Is there a point where legitimate complaints about inequity and injustice collapses into adolescent whining and a childs tantrum that demands "gimme!" without any sense of personal responsibility? What is that point and should we not spend much time trying to make sure we do not cross it?

Being a Christian in a rich land (by the world's standards and by historical standards most of our "poor" are well off) is difficult. Our value systems are influenced by a culture of greed and consumption. (it is a fallen world after all) I am sure that some of the decay of faith in our society is a direct result of Christians who focus much more energy on living the good life than they do living the godly life. Too often we are focused on our 'rights' as citizens of America and not focused enough on our duties as citizens of the Kingdom of God. However, there is something sinister and dangerous about what the mobs are advocating and the way they are doing it.

What would Jesus do? He would point them (and us) to the Father. "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness," I imagine He would say, "and then all these other material things will be taken care of . After all, your Father loves and cares for you." Without a focus on the Father's will there will be no reform. Only uprisings which produce a reign of terrror. Check out history.

GLBT's sticky argument (2)

(Following up on yesterday, so read it first). On September 14th our local paper ran an article by David Brooks, "The erosion of shared moral frameworks." Brooks reflected on the findings from a group of sociologists who studied America's youth. His point is that today's youth, while not decadent, are inept in discussing moral issues. Two-thirds were unable to describe a moral dilemma. Brooks reflects upon their inablility to think in moral terms. It is very disconcerting. He concludes that things were different in the past: "A shared religion defined rules and practices. Cultures structured people's imaginations and imposed moral disciplines. But now more people are led to assume that the free-floating individual is the essential moral unit."

This does not mean that people were better in the past. Sinful humans sin. The problem of sin is always there. The problem is the younger among us are incapable of deciphering what sin is, beyond obvious things like murder. The bigger problem is the total ascendency of the individual/personal over the corporate/communal.The ethical system in which I was educated in seminary had a helpful balance between individual conscience and institutional expectations. The concept of an informed conscience was a key element. A person was expected to engage the revelation of God's will as found in Scripture and discerned by and articulated through the Church. I know the Protestant approach negates the latter as unhelpful, and many Protestant friends speak of Church Tradition as a negative. Yet, clearly, the current conflict over interpretation of Scripture is grounded in "free-floating individuals" and the result has been rather chaotic.

The adovcates for Man-Boy love (called NAMBLA, a group which no longer "officially" exists) was originally an active agent in gay rights advocacy. Lesbians were resistant to this and as the gay rights advocates became 'less radical' and more mainstream NAMBLA was expelled from their organizations. One can only wonder to what degree the decisions were made for practical purposes (in pursuing acceptance of homosexuality). I have no doubt that many homosexuals whom I know would be offended by NAMBLA. I also am not surprised that Lesbians would find it offensive. The only point I make is that there is an overlap, and a significant overlap, of the movement to 'normalize' GLBT relationships and the aims of NAMBLA.

Because the existing moral code is under attack, not only by secularists, but also by those within the church, we live in a time where much change is taking place. What is most worrisome is that the conservative evangelicals, long criticized for their "intolerance" are manifesting the same erosion of values that their Liberal/Progressive opponents are advocating. It is based, at least in part, on the general decline of churches into collections of "free-floating individuals." The ecclessiology of many committed Christians minimizes the value of church and negates catholicity. An emphasis on personal salvation is interpretted through the predominant cultural lense (what is in it for me?) and the rejection of the church's authority to teach reduces each person to an isolated decision maker. Shaped by assumptions which are non-Christian and limited by mediocre skills in moral analysis and decision making, the church youth are little better equipped to answer life's challenges than their non-believing neighbors. In the end, the Bible is not always terribly helpful to such an individual. There is much in the Bible which confuses. There is a need to intrepret the texts and such interpretations can be very divergent, very, very divergent. And when we listen to no voive but our own (and those who say what we want to hear) the likelihood of hearing the text say what we want to  hear increases tenfold.

The success of the GLBT coalition has been astounding. For the better part of a decade it has been front and center of news stories and popular entertainment. (e.g., a popular show among teens, Glee, revels constantly in gay themes). Progressives would applaud such openness. I am not so enthusiastic. Instead, I continue to see (helpful) boundaries disappear. The efforts to normalize the GLBT has moved the limits of toleration ever closer to acceptance of the 'next thing'. The current movement to change age of consent and rethink the issue of sex between adult and child is the beginning, not the end, of a process. To the extent that they have undermined traditional moral teaching, the adovocates of GLBT stand responsible for this latest tragedy. The failure of honesty and the refusal to analyze their own arguments (and the consequences of their claims) has produced an environment of new danger. Calling traditional morality "hate speech" has made it less possible to speak the truth in love to the advocates of child sex. Molesters revel in all this. They have hope that the weakened standing of the traditional moral code will provide them with the opportunity to normalize their perversions. I do not see how the Progressives can answer this advance. After all, when you claim that no one  has a right to judge another, you open the door to everything. Well, the door is open and everything is on its way in.

tough words from Jesus and Paul

I was reading the daily lectionary this morning and doing my prayer time and the scriptures were like a punch in the belly. Paul was upbraiding the church about taking each other to court in lawsuits. It made me ponder the sorry state of the church as the culture wars disintegrate many of the mainline churches. One of the horrors is the lawsuits.

Church splits are like divorces. By the time that the division takes place there is so much hurt and anger that the parties are often blinded. I once read where the Epsicopal church refused an offer of a departing parish to buy their facility. Not long afterward, the Diocese sold the abandoned church property to Muslims (at half the offered price). It was a vicious act and financially poor stewardship and showed the Epsicopal church to be very petty and shortsided.  But how often to divorces cost over $100,000 as lawyers battle it out? How often do men and women hurt themselves financially (and mentally, spiritually and physically) in an effort to hurt their former spouses?

I think Paul's words on courts are hard words. They are the kind of words which we ignore as we jump up to defend our own actions. They are the kind of words we ignore as we blame 'the other' for our problems. I am clear that Paul would not be impressed with the direction the Episcopal church has taken. Yet I do wonder if he would not see some parallels to the conflicts in Corinth about which he was writing.

And Jesus is much tougher. "But I say to you, love your enemy..." As I sat in prayer and reflection, I thought about how hard this really is. It is especially difficult in the culture wars, where the groups genuinely think that the other is evil (or doing evil). As I pondered Jesus' words, I kept in mind His actions. He did not shy away from conflict and He certainly had harsh words (e.g., 'brood of vipers' and 'hypocrites') for His adversaries. What did the love of enemy look like for Jesus, a man who had many enemies? How does one genuinely love those with whom one is in a heated conflict?

I have heard the criticism that religion was created by humans as a way to give consolation and make life easier. This morning I laughed at that idea. As I prayed for the strength to love those who would do me harm, I was aware that the demands of the Christian life generate as much anxiety as consolation many times. In large part, it is because Christian faith is shaped in the sign of a cross. And we are the ones on it, with Jesus. Love in action. Self gift, like Jesus.

Divorce, Children, God's Coincidence

Back to 'real life'. Walked the dog in a light drizzle while back at home momma fed baby. I pondered the daily reading, in particular the Gospel. What a Gospel it was, Mark 10:1-16

Jesus spoke on divorce in today's Gospel. Ouch! There is much speculation about what Jesus actually said and what the Church did with it. Matthew 19:9 indicates that "porneia/immorality is another issue" but Mark makes no mention of any extenuating circumstances. Did Jesus or did He not make exceptions to the rule on no divorce? Obviously, for a large number of Christians (especially Western Christians where marriages so frequently fail) this is a huge issue. Pastorally, it is a great challenge. What to do with Jesus' hard words?

Many scholars claim that Jesus made no exceptions, but that the church later did. Hence, Matthew added the 'porneia/immorality" line to deal with the pastoral situation of his church. Or his church had made that accomodation already so he incorporated it into the Gospel. The early church believed that the Risen Lord was at work amongst them (note the end of Matthew's Gospel and Jesus' promise) so for them there was no dramatic difference between the historical teaching of Jesus before the resurrection and the on-gong presence of Jesus, teaching in their midst. It is probably a helpful insight. Unfortunately, there are no ecclesial handbooks written by the apostles to let us know exactly what they thought about history and Gospel.

I certainly think that Jesus would have discussed divorce on many occassions. Perhaps, Matthew (and his group) were more concerned about the legal issues than Mark. A close reading of the two Gospels does seem to support such an idea. If that is the case, then Matthew may well be including a more thorough explanation. Mark may not have been aware of this or thought it unhelpful to his point.

What is Mark's point? It seems to be that Jesus is explaining that the marriage vows are unbreakable. That God is involved in marriage and He makes the bond ("What God has joined"). That humans are under His authority ("let no one separate"). That remarriage after divorce is adultery.

Now in wrestling with this what are we to think? The Roman Catholic Church tries to deal with this through annulment. It is a legalistic approach, but it is a legal question. I think they are on to something in asking the question, "what constitutes a marriage?" However, too many annulments are granted. When I was an RC priest I was often asked if I had done a particular wedding ceremony. My response, "I don't know, we will find out..." After all, some marriages of ten, even twenty years had been annulled! The Protestant response is to poke fun of the Catholics and then proceed to allow remarriage. I am stunned when a Literalist ignores such clear teaching of Jesus. The Liberals "cannot imagine Jesus would be so mean and demanding." Neither of those two is helpful. It seems that the Catholics at least trying. My take on things is that Jesus wants us to know it is serious. He also warned that looking with lust upon a woman (poor Jimmy Carter paid for admitting that one) commits adultery. So perhaps, the adultery issue is about insight into sin? Can someone remarry? Maybe He wants us to understand how sinful we are?

I often ask (previously married) couples who want to get married, "If I laughed during your vows, rolled my eyes and said, 'sure you will,' would you be offended?" They always say yes. Then I ask, so why do you want me not to take seriously the commitment you made last time? It is a fair question. I think it is the one Jesus asks.

The reading concludes with Jesus blessing children. That is the reading that I alluded to yesterday in my blog. I was stunned, again, by the Divine Coincidence. I wrote on this some time ago. How often, I  have spoken or written about the words of Jesus only to have them appear the next day in the daily readings. It is, for me, the blessing of God. It shows me how things can be connected, somehow. It makes me take greater notice of  the Bible text and reflect more intensely.

We must be like children. In the end, maybe that is the hope of the divorced and remarried. Come to Jesus as a child. Be humble, dependent, open and trusting. It is the hope for all of us, whatever our particular sin or failure. I thnk this topic deserves much deeper work and more extensive explication. I cannot give more time. I pray for those who have suffered through divorce. I trust the judgment and mercy of Jesus. I think, inspite of our sin, we can come to Jesus and He will bless us, each of us, a little child who  has made a mess of our lives!

Ananias: God's Counselor

Reading Acts 9:10ff today. One of my favorites. Paul has been struck blind and carted off for a time of prayer and fasting. Today we read that the Lord appears to Ananias in a vision. He is told that Saul has received a vision that Ananias will come to lay hands on him to restore his sight. Ananias says:

• "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he  has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name."

Now I have never had a vision. I have never heard a voice. God has never provided me with any theophany (Big Time God Manifestation). I am not sure what I would do if one  happened. I just find myself thinking, "Ananias, Almighty God deigns to appear to you, to speak to you, to set you apart to do a healing miracle; and the first thing that pops in your mind is to give God some counsel on why this is a bad idea? Really? You are going to tell the All-knowing Creator, 'bad idea, word on the street is that this Saul is dangerous.' ?"

And yet, aren't I (and you) frequently in the advice chair when we sit talking to God. Don't we generally approach God with a 'to-do' list? How often have we questioned the wisdom of God? How often do we point out that if we were in charge we would do things differently?

Obeidience, more than love, is the key response to God. Loving God is easy. He is perfect beauty and goodness. Anything which we delight in is a dim reflection of His being. Everything which attracts us is repulsive in comparision to His attractiveness.

But obedience, that is a tall challenge. Obedience is submission, it requires that we relinquish control. It takes not just love but also trust. I can love someone and not trust them. I can love someone and not obey them. I can love someone and not listen to them. That is the problem. And it seems Ananias, to some extent, had the same problem.

The good news, even if we find ourselves uncontrollably driven to contradict God and correct Him, we can still obey.

God tells Ananias: I chose Saul for a job, proclaiming the Gospel to Gentiles, kings and Jews. I will let him know how much he will suffer for My Name.
So Ananias stopped giving advice and did what he was told to do. That was a good idea, and now he is eternally connected to the most significant evangelist apostle in the Church. That is an honor.

I could do another long reflection of Saul's destiny, suffering, but enough to say, however much we dislike it, complain about it and question God's goodness and wisdom when we do it---Suffering is part of the deal. Facing the pain with courage and trust is worth much more than all the advice we can ever give God. Suffering faithfully is the best expression of obedience, and probably the truest gift of love.

More on worry

The most frequent negative command in the bible is "do not be afraid."

As a counselor we always said that anger and fear were related. Anger and depression are the emotional response to fear. Yesterday at Morning Prayer we had the same Gospel reading as we did on Sunday. It does not happen very often, so when it does it catches my attention.( Matthew 6:25-34)

Jesus basic premise seems to be "God provides." He points out the birds and the flowers and makes mention of God's providence there. Then He asks the question, "Aren't you of more value than these?" That question is at the heart of the current debates of our society. Are humans of more value than the rest of creation? Evolutionary Naturalism would say "no." In the godless view, we humans are just part of a vast, accidental system. We do not  have any inherent value. We are no different than birds, flowers or any other living thing.

The Judaeo-Christian view, which affirms the value of all creation (God said it was good!), has a different view. We believe that human beings are in the image of God. We believe that human beings have a unique relationship with the creator. We believe we have a moral responsibility to one another (as well as the world). Humans can pray and worship, that is what sets us apart.

So in a world where we are constantly told that we do not matter, is it any surprise that there is an increase in tension and worry? Fear and worry are the fruit of "being alone" in a cold, dark, vast universe. Jesus offers us a different view. He invites us to believe that our God will provide all that we need. One reason why church community is so vital is because we need to be in connection with people who can verbalize to us the fact of our being valued. Yesterday I wrote about the delay between trauma and the consequences of that trauma. Each of us, aware or not, has a deep hunger for real relationship. One of the saddest things is how we live side by side without ever being witnesses of God's love in a radical way. We need to take advantage of the opportunity given each day to make an impact in the life of others. We are called to awaken hope, to bring to light the dignity of human personhood and to challenge people to live like children of God (and not by-products of blind biological reactions to unintentional natural forces).

So fear not! Be brave! The word comfort literally means (com = with, fort = strong) to strengthen one another. We need to be a comfort to one another. One final word, lest this become too "pie in the sky," Jesus ends this exhortation to faith and courage with the realistic reminder that it will not be easy: "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." Today's trouble is enough.... He does not say that we will be sheltered. He does not say we will avoid problems. He says don't be focused on the worries in the days ahead, we have enough to deal with right now. I think it is good advice. In reality, most of the things we worry about never come to pass. Looking at my life right now, it is very good. It has been very good for a long time. I need to be greatful for that and spend more time trying to make other people's lives very good (salvation) and less time worrying about what could go wrong. Seek first the kingdom of God!

Angles

Yesterday at Morning Prayer I was surprised when my co-pastor read the name Eric Lidddell as the holy man of the day. He, of course, made reference to Chariots of Fire, the movie made about the 1924 Paris Olympics. Liddell, a favorite in the 100 meter dash, withdrew because the heat was on Sunday and he did not compete on his sabbath. As the movie showed us, Eric went on to win the 400 meter (setting a world record) instead. He also won the bronze in the 200. It is an amazing story of courage, faith and athletic success.

I think what hit me most is that our focus yesterday morning was on a different apsect of Eric. We came at his life from a different angle. We remember him as a missionary in North China, where he served from 1925 until 1943. He was a rugby player and one can assume that his spirituality was shaped by the toughness of his athleticism. His courage as a missionary no doubt reflected that toughness. WWII and the conflict between Japan and China impacted Eric. While his wife and three daughters moved to Canada, he and his brother remained behind to minister. He was eventually put in a concentration camp and died in 1945, just before the camp was liberated.

No movie was made about Eric Liddell the missionary. Yet, I am sure his gold medal meant less to him than preaching the Gospel and ministering to people. I know his life meant less to him than mission work. He was a man of great faith. He was faithful, even unto death.

The prayer yesterday includes these phrases: "God, whose strength bears us up  on mighty wings"... "we pray that we also may run with endurance the race set before us..." Endurance is not easy. It is very difficult, day after day, to keep plodding along. Discouragement and frustration can wear  us down. We can question, "What is the point?" The Christian faith is openly mocked in our culture. We are tempted to mold our lives around cultural values rather than our rule of life and faith. The faith community, stretching across time and space, is a source of comfort and challenge. The act of remembering heroes from the past can serve to inspire us to greater good. It can remind us that there is a God and Father, revealed in and through His Son Jesus, calling us to be faithful and brave. We cannot all get gold medals in the Olympics, but we can all proclaim the Gospel in word and deed.

how much is too much?

The 'Big News' in baseball today is Albert Pujols and his salary demands. It is reported that he wants $300 million for ten years. He is hands down the best hitter in baseball and probably the best player. He is also 31 and is in the decline phase of his career. There was lots of discussion on tv and on the radio as experts discussed the merits of his demands. Probably, the vast majority of Americans would say, "Baeball players make too much money!"

But baseball players are not the only ones raking in cash. Movie stars can get $20 million for one picture. There are lots of people "making too much money" in the entertainment industry. But are they making too much?

One part of the issue is systemic. There are over 300 million people in America and entertainers connect with such huge numbers that by virtue of economies of scale the dollar amounts are just crazy. If ten percent of Americans care about a team, that is 30 million people. If they each spend $100 a year on that team that is $3 billion dollars. When you start chopping up $3 billion into parts, those parts can be awfully large!

There are less than a thousand people (from the whole world) playing in the Major Leagues. What they make is crazy compared to you and me, but we don't fill stadiums with 30,000 people nor do we have tv contracts.

If I made 10 cents for every one who read this blog I could buy myself lunch at MacDonald's on most days. But let's say that I suddenly became world famous and ten thousand people from around the world read the blog. Ten thousand dimes would be $1000. That would be plenty to live on per day! People might think 10 cents is fair pay, but when it is ten thousand time ten cents then it seems outrageous. And if the daily connections were one hundred thousand per day (such a small number out of the billions of people in the world) suddenly it is crazy money.

Most of us look at the multi-millionaires and grouse about how much they make. Many of us fantasize that "if I made a million a year I would use it to help some needy charities." but what if a third world person looked at your life style today? Would they think you are living in extreme luxury? My guess is, by most standards of the world, I live an opulent life. So the question is, can I stop being mad about what someone else is getting and be thankful for what I have? Can I begin today to be generous with what I have to make an impact on the needs of others.

I wish that I could get half of Pujol's salary. I am sure I would use much of it to benefit others. But there is little chance I will see a fraction of that. There is little chance you will either. And it doesn't matter. Maybe that money would make us less the person we are today. Maybe it would not make us better. In the end, we are responsible for what we do have. And economies of scale will always mean that in a global economy some people are going to  be able to get crazy rich. But the Lord Jesus indicates that entry into the Kingdom of God is more difficult for the rich. It helps to reflect on that as well.

Fundamental Option

"There are two kinds of people," the old joke goes. In a sense, that is true. The two types, those who love God and those who don't, obviously subdivide into a wide variety of manifestations, but there is a point where the division is between one or the other.

As a disciple, a rather poor one much of the time, I have opted for the "love God" group. This Sunday I will preach on Deuteronomy. God says, "I set before you life and death, blessing and a curse. Choose life." Choosing is a particular as well as a general act. I can choose to eat healthy food, but I still must make particular choices of apple, orange, broccoli, or lean meat.

In seminary, we called this general choice to love God the fundamental option. In our rule of life, we live out this choice. Our ethic is how we do it. The ten commandments are a basic outline of such an ethic. We are called by God to be moral. It is important to look at our values and beliefs and assess: am I a child of my culutre or am I a child molded by my Heavenly Father?

The other day at Morning Prayer I heard the words of Jesus, "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out." I was told once that Jesus did not mean this literally. I fought the urge to say, "No duh!" Even so, if He meant it figuratively it is still pretty amazing. Jesus apparently does not subscribe to the theory that "sin is no big deal." I wonder how the world would be if we Christians did a better job of avoiding sin and engaging in acts of loving service.

So, in your rule of life identify times and places where you engage in genuine acts of love and service. Find a group in need, maybe elderly, maybe young, maybe sick, maybe disadvantaged, whatever group it is, find them and commit your time, talent and treasure in service of them. You cannot save the whole world, but you can make a big difference for someone. Make a list of things you want to be known for: "S/he is the kind of person who would never do______" or "S/he is the most ______ person I know." Your behavior creates your legacy. Jesus will judge your legacy. What is your Fundamental Option? How do you live that out each day? Every choice we make and every act we perform goes into creating our life story. Our choices determine if our Fundamental Option is to love and serve God or not.

Kingdom Ethic 2: Rule of Life

Yesterday we offered a model for understanding salvation. In simplest terms, God has graciously called us into relationship with Himself through the work of Jesus Christ. In Christ, God reconciled the world to Himself. We are now, by grace through faith, members of His people. We did nothing and can do nothing to make Him love us.

So we enter His Kingdom. Today we are living in His Kingdom. Right now. But His Kingdom has not come yet. It is already here, but it is still to come. Sounds confusing but isn't that reality? The day you get married you are a spouse. The day you have a baby you are a parent. The day you get hired you are an employee. BUT! Everyone also knows that you grow into these roles and identities. There is a greater fullness to marriage, parenting or working than we experience on the first day. That is how the Kingdom is, there is a greater fullness yet to be revealed. God's rule as king has not been fully expressed among us yet.

So as we seek God and His will, prayer and study are key components. There is more. God has revealed that He is very concerned about how we act. In the Kingdom, the Bible makes clear, there are things we do not do. "No stealing here." "No murder here." "No sexual immorality here." etc. etc.

Is that a law ethic? Not really, "freedom from the Law" means something other than, "we can lie, steal, kill and fornicate." It means we are not law focused, but we are still behaviorally concerned. How we act and what we do still matters. We are in a community. Our behaviors effect others. God demands and expects us to live as proper citizens. So what does that rule of life look like? What are the behaviors which we are expected of us?

I think it is arguable that the main focus of God includes issues of justice and mercy. Jesus says we should love God and love our neighbor. Jesus had an eye on the needs of the poor. True religion has a component of right worship and a component of service to the needy. True religion includes personal morality and social morality. Now, let us be clear, this is not about justifying ourselves. It is not about doing things so we look good. It is not about earning salvation. But let us be equally clear that ignoring the needs of others, engaging in sinful behavior and not caring what anyone thinks are also NOT what it is all about.

It is about following Jesus and embracing His ethic. It is about imitation. It is about Jesus living in me. It is about "us" walking together in faithfulness and love. In the days ahead we might get into some controversy as we look at the ethic concretely.

Kingdom Ethic: Rule of Life

Prayer and Study can (and should) be done both in private and publicly as part of a group. Learning in a class and praying at church with others is the Jesus way. Praying alone and studying is also the Jesus way. Is there more to being a disciple than that?

Ministry, mission, apostolic action, work-- all these are terms used to refer the fruit of our life. I choose the term "Kingdom ethic" because I hope it will keep us out of the morass of "faith vs. works" which seems to muddy up so many discussions. I am not real interested in those battles. I want to live and love and serve! (well, most of the time....)

Jesus offers us entrance into a new mode of existence. It is called citizenship in the Kingdom of God. In the Kingdom, God is the King and Ruler. He decides the expectations and He judges each person. Jews are the original members of this people. However, there has always been some place for Gentiles. In the OT this was usually vague and uncertain. In places there seems to be no room for us, while other times the invitation is quite open. Since Jesus, that invitation is much clearer. Paul writes about it quite a bit. You and I have become fellow citizens. (Other images include being grafted into the vine, being adopted, becoming part of the body of Christ) In God's Kingdom there are some serious expectations. Some of the major themes include the command to worship no-one else except God, to live justly and look after the needs of others and to live pure lives which are moral and merciful.

We are brought into the Kingdom by God's grace, it is not earned. There is nothing we have done to warrant it (just like God makes clear that it His choice of the Jews was pure grace). God has also chosen us and offered us this life and expects us to trust (faith) Him and to love Him. Once we are in the Kingdom (baptism is our citizenship ritual) there is a mode of life expected of us as citizens. There is an ethic ("way to walk" in the Bible) which we are called to embrace. So what we do matters. Faith has an intellectual content, a volitional content, and an emotional content, but it also has a moral-behavioral content. In the city of God we just do not do certain things. In teh Kingdom of God we are expected to do certain things. People who are not comfortable living the way the Father/King expects are not going to stay in the Kingdom. In the end, we will not live forever in peace and joy and harmony, we won't be able to love and worship God, if people continue to act the same way they do now. Something has to change and that something is our hearts and our behaviors. A "rule of life" addresses that needed change. The Kingdom ethic is our next focus.

study to learn: rule of life

Yesterday I used the analogy of sermon preparation as a model for 'study' and I tried to provide several parallels. Today a few suggestions on study.

Just as prayer commitment is difficult because of time; busy schedules make real study a challenge. For one thing it is time consuming to even try to figure out what to study! With prayer it is much more straightforward (goal: "communication leading to communion"). With study, there a hundred legitimate starting points and goals. So where is one to start?

Well, if you are reading this then you have started. There are many blogs trying to provide information which is helpful to your journey. I have chosen several which I go to on a regular basis. They provide me with a breadth of information because they write about many different things.

I would suggest some reading in the area of prayer and spirituality. Long ago I learned that running magazines and weightlifting magazines seemed to have the same kinds of articles every month. At first this frustrated me, but later I realized that there were not going to be six new ideas about getting in shape every few weeks. The purpose of those magazines is to support of their readers in keeping with their commitments. Sure there is an occassional new idea, but in the end it is about remembering the basics. Reading a book on prayer every few months is the same sort of thing. It is not so much that you get new information as it is about renewing commitment.

I would suggest something on Church history. Biographies of great Christian people is a good idea. Right now everyone seems to be reading the bew book on Bonhoeffer. I would suggest someone old (before 600) for every one more recent. It is the best way to get to our roots. The book, "The Celtic Model of Evangelism" explained how St. Patrick and others successfully converted Ireland over fifteen hundred years ago. It resonated with me and was a real help.

Commentaries are vital. Tom Wright is probably the best there is. He has a series on the Gospels and Paul's writings which are very helpful and quite readable. They are called "Matthew for Everyone" or "Romans for Everyone." They look at a passge with a couple pages of commentary which blends scholarly information in an approachable form with reflections on every day life today. When studying about the Bible it is helpful to remember that learning should challenge you sometimes. Writing as NT Wright he has compiled some huge volumes which are more challenging but very helpful and thought provoking. He has a webpage with numerous articles.

'How to' books are also prevalent. Many contemporary writers have provided endless books on topics addressing life as a Christian today.

Probably the best advice I can give is this. You know what interests you, pursue learning more about that! Also, be aware of your weakness. If you do not know much about the Old Testament pick up Derek Leman's "A New Look at the Old Testament" and get on it. It may feel like going back to school, but my theory is graduation means we have more control over what we study. We should never "leave school" because we should never stop learning.

study: Rule of Life

"Infusion" refers to the direct acquisition of knowledge through purely passive means. In simplest terms, someone pours information and insight into our mind and we are not required to do anything but sit there! It is the way computers work when we do a download.

Does God regularly download us with an infusion of information? Or, does God expect us to put in the hard work of studying and thinking? I think that there are times when I just know something and there are other times when things come quickly to me. Sometimes in a matter of seconds it all comes clear. Praching is that way.

When I do sermon preparation for our Sunday service I usually have two weeks to prepare. Typically, on the Sunday I preach I go to my office after all the services and simply read through the three lessons and psalm assigned for the next time I preach. I read them through and underline key words or phrases. It is not uncommon that I immediately know what I will preach about, although most of the time I am not so sure. A couple of days later I re-read all the texts, often times reading the verses and chapters which are the context for the three readings. Then I break out the commentaries. I will read four or five commentaries and also read the original Hebrew or Greek to see about key words. I do a check to see where these words appear eleswhere in the Bible. Several days are spent reading and studying. At some point I choose a theme and begin to write. The writing can go smoothly or be a frustrating struggle with a dozen false starts. I write a sermon three times on average. Often times I am not pleased with the result. I pray that some how it will come together. Then on Saturday evening I preach it the first time. I make adjustments in the early service. Each time I preach it is a little different.

Why bore you with details of sermon writing? Because I think it is helpful for understanding the place of study in a rule of life:

• Study has a purpose. We all don't preach on Sundays, but we are all "preachers" in some sense. The message we are called to share is delivered from the "pulpit of our life." Good preaching is, in part, a function of good preparation.
• We cannot study everything. Each week there are three readings and a psalm. I am a man of big appetite and I want to study it all. A rule of life requires discipline and focus. Learning demands focus. Be aware of your time limts and determine what you are going to study.
• Context is invaluable. If you want to look at a text, see it in the wider context of the chapter, the book, the canon. When we isolate anything we lose a grasp of its true meaning.
• Study builds on previous study. You do not have to get it all in at one time. Insights can come while walking the dog two days after you have wrestled with a concept or idea.
• Engage what you study with love. You cannot know what you do not love. And you cannot truly love what you do not truly know.

Study is a way to hear. It is a way to hear the truth. Truth is the voice of God. It is hard work but also recreational and a source of joy. It is possible that we will spend all eternity growing in knowledge. It is also possible that our knowledge, wisdom and insight are the raw material which God uses to work His ways on earth. Maybe we are partners with God. Maybe God is pleased when we are better prepared. Maybe tody we need to get on it.

Study, Super Bowl: Rule of Life

It is Sunday morning. Today is Super Bowl Sunday. For two weeks there has been lots of focus on this game today. One of the common themes is the amount of dedication and effort required to achieve success.

Today is one of those days where I feel most deeply a sense of failure. I know today millions of Christians will spend more dedicated time to their yearly Super Bowl party then they will spend at worship in the next month. Football, after all, is exciting. Worship is not so exciting. Right?

This is no rant. Actually, my frustration is tempered by things I have read. Many church Fathers in the 300's preached about people attending the games of their era. Seems that Christians have struggled with priorities for a very long time. Living in the world it is hard not to be worldly. We Christians have typically not done a bang up job!

The value of study is perspective. It is helpful to really study scripture as well as pray with it. The problem with studying Scripture is how we "study." Often times, we are ignorant of so much else that we end up misinterpreting the message! A wide range of commentaries are needed to see the text from a variety of angles. At least one of the texts needs to be ancient. I also try to hear from a Catholic and Protestant. More on this later.

We are also ignorant of the history of Christian people. We end up making our own cultural assumptions the touch stone for understanding everything else. We end up twisting the message to meet our own expectations. God has been working in and through people for a long time. Many of them are so holy! Learn from them.

Any time some one tells me that "it has never been this bad," I smile. I have read enough history to know that we have not even sniffed "real bad" yet. It has been worse. Unimaginably worse. And it has been worse many times. So study provides us with information which gives us a clearer insight into the real world. It takes the edge off some of our worries and bad feelings. I plan to write more about study and a Rule of Life.

Final thoughts on Prayer: rule of life

I got an e-mail yesterday about my recent posts. Trying to figure out how to post comments is too difficult for most people. If you need to contact me or would like to offer suggestions or ask questions I can be reached at jeff@standrewscollierville.org

The centerpiece of the e-mail was the issue of time. She said that many people have told her it is not necessary to spend a long time in prayer. She said the idea of warm up and cool down was helpful. She has also recommitted to her goal, an hour a day, with the assumption that she will not always make it. Her logic is 'better to come up short on an hour then it is come up short on ten minutes.' I agree. I would lilke to share some thoughts generated by my e-mail conversation with her.

My model for the Spiritual Life parallels my model for physical exercises.

• Do not feel compelled to do the same thing every day. You can change it up. Some days pray longer. Some days may be shorter but more intense. Some days focus on thanksgiving and praise. The key is being INTENTIONAL. Set up a schedule so that you are clear which days are which. Most people who work out will tell you that if my workout is based on how I feel, many days I would quit before I warmed up.
• The model. Physical fitness is strength, endurance, flexibility and speed. It is based on strength training, aerobics, stretching, nutrition, and rest. It is enhanced by variation in intensity and duration. People work harder with a partner and benefit from a guide/instructor/coach. I apply this to spiritual exercises. Sometimes literally, other times by analogy. (e.g. Bible = nutrition)
• Quiet time is important. My guess is God speaks in a whisper much of the time (see Elijah on Mt. Carmel). It is hard to hear Him if you are talking! Deep breathing and repeating a phrase might help. Things like "Holy, holy, holy Lord." A verse of scripture may be useful. On occassion do the 'Barney prayer,' look to God and say twenty times, consciously and out loud, "I love You, You love me." Enter into the reality of that!
• Posture matters. Face it, we are incarnate, body and soul. Kneel sometimes. Stand sometimes. Extend your arms outstretched and reaching and look up. Bow your head. Lay on the floor face down. Each physical position has a part in our  prayer. Your body communicates to your soul. You can pray (as a sinner, a needy child, an exultant disciple, etc.) more readily when your posture reflects the prayer. [Experiment: Fold your arms across your chesst, frown, and in a low, angry tone say, "Glory to God in the Highest." NEXT, open your palms and extend your hands over your head. Smile. Eyes wide open. Sing, "Glory to God in the Highest." Now reflect on the difference between the two.]
• Pray outloud sometimes. Especially when we are alone, it is helpful to verbalize our prayer. I have spent many hours talking to God in our empty church. In all honesty, it seems more real. It is more like communication and less like thinking. I have had some people tell me, "people would think I was crazy talking out loud when no one is there." [re-read that last line and think about it a moment......] If you pray, thinking no one is there that is a problem. Pray like God is really there and really cares. He is. If He isn't then nothing really matters anyway.
• Use your imgination in praying with Scripture. Pretend you are there. Look at Jesus and the crowds. Ask him about what He is thinking and feeling. Make analogies to your world. Ask him to reveal His heart to you. I did an 8th grade retreat once and we did a guided meditation. One of the girls shared later that she was shocked to see Jesus wearing blue jeans. She had an encounter which blew her away. How cool is that?

Commit, every day, to be a man/woman/child of prayer. Set aside time. Have a plan. Be open to be led by the Holy Spirit in a different direction. Be open to be invited to spend more time. Look at your life in terms of a season, a week, the day and right now.
Well, I have spent time doing this, now I need to go pray. I hope you see and hear God today!

Prayer 2: Rule of Life

We know that Jesus prayed. He went to synagogue and He identified with God's people, Israel. The word ekklesia (=called out, church) indicates that it is a people called to be God's own. The Judeo-Christian faith is shaped by this: We gather together. "It is not good for the man to be alone," God declared at creation. Each of us is made as part of the wider body.

I re-emphasize the corporate nature of faith because in our age it seems to be lost on most people. We are too individualized and isolated. Even so, we are also connected in many ways. We no longer write letters, though, we 'text' one another. Our communication on Facebook or Twitter usually consists of a sentence or two. How does that sort of communication impact our prayer?

The upside, we are reminded that there are so many other people. Social media connects us in real time with  hundreds of others. At least it feels like we are connecting...

The downside, we may lose the capacity to engage in deeper forms of communication. When I was a little Catholic school boy we were taught prayers called ejaculations. It is a term I rarely use in public because of its more common meaning. An ejaculation is a short expression like: "My Jesus mercy" or "My King and my God." We were taught to utter such prayers regularly. I did then and I still do today. But for most of us, that must be part of a larger discipline. Throughout the day I try to add this to my foundation (private  prayer time coupled with corporate liturgical prayer).

"How do you pray with Scripture?" David asked me last night. It depends. Sometimes I read only a small part. I meditate on words or phrases. I might think about how the characters feel. The main characters as well as others. I try to reflect on God's role. How is He different from my assumptions? This meditative approach aims to learn about God, to confront myself and my life ethic or to give me an understanding of the future. Frequently, this meditation leads to prayer (asking, thanking, repenting, praising). It can be very free-wheeling and spontaneous.

I love to pray the Psalms. In the Psalms they say things that I never would on my own (I am too shaped by piety and the desire to "do it right"). So when the psalm blasts at God about being "silent" or "slow to save" (I was taught not to complain) it opens me to be honest about my real life experience: God does not always seem to be around! What really enhances my prayer time with psalms is imagining the words comng from the mouth of Jesus. As I pray, I think of Him praying with me. On the cross He prayed a psalm ("My God, My God, why have you abandoned Me?") Jesus praying the psalm makes the words different for me. And Jesus really is there, even if I cannot see Him!

Praying with Scripture is also an act of discovery. "Who are you, Lord?" I ask. As I wrestle with the Bible I see glimpses of God. Then, I can progress to reflecting upon my own life. I review His activity in my daily living. I try to make connections between my life and the Bible stories. It is often difficult but I do not get discouraged. I believe that God will use all these hours and hours I have spent seeking Him. Sometimes it seems like a waste of time, but usually I know, at my core, that I am better for it and the world is better for it.

As you read this I hope it is helping you clarify your own prayer regimine. Begin the day, first thing, thanking God you woke up and offering to Him your day. And during the day, spend the time allotted, as often as you allot it, to engage in real prayer. Not just Tweeting God, but actually talking and listening, actually desiring a connection with the Eternal, Holy, Loving, Creator-Redeemer of the Universe. And do not try to measure the impact it makes. In the end, that is God's work so trust Him. [We really are not that good at assessment any way!]

prayer: rule of life

In creating a Rule of Life, we must first identify our own character and our own ministry. Ideally, that is done in concert with others.
Pray-Work-Study. Let's start with Pray.

One aspect of the Rule should be corporate worship. Sorry, the Bible is pretty clear that God calls a people to Himself. He calls a people to worship. I know all about the problems with the church. I understand that people in the church are imperfect. I agree that lots of churches do lots of damage. But God calls us to be part of a people.

Corporate worship in the Christian tradition has focused on Sunday, the resurrection day (little Easter). If one's schedule permits then it might also be helpful to include a few other gatherings during the week. Some churches have daily eucharist or Morning/Evening prayer. [I am well informed about the problem many people have with corporate worship. They have told me for decades, "I don't get much out of it." It may be helpful to remember that corporate worship is intended to focus on God, not you. Not saying it should be a boring experience, but I am saying it is not primarilly about you.] Another option is a regular prayer group. Jesus said, "Where two or more are gathered in My name, I will be with them." Jesus seems to be a fan of group prayer.

Corporate worship is in conjunction with private prayer. Private prayer disciplines are truly a function of one's personality. I prefer to use the psalms and Scriptures in prayer. Many people use devotional books. Some sit in quiet and meditate. Others like to move. Some use prayer beads (like a rosary) or repetitve prayers (like the 'Jesus Prayer'). In general, I think there are a few components to all effective prayer, which I will have the temerity to share now:

• It needs to be scheduled. By this I mean, the foundation of our prayer life cannot be short prayers uttered as the mood hits. It is helpful to have a place set aside (call it sacred space). Humans get unconscious signals from environment. [The term "marriage bed" has powerful conotations. We do not serve meals in the bathroom. We react to invasions of our personal space.] The amount of time needs to be significant. I shoot for thirty to sixty minutes for my own daily prayer. I think physical exercise is a good model for spiritual exercise. It takes a while to warm up and it takes time to make an impact.
• Prayer is NOT magic. The primary reason for prayer is to have COMMUNITY with God. Prayer time is about me being reshaped and reformed by my relationship with God. It is a process of dying to self and growing in Christ.
• All good prayer has some moments of absolute quiet and centering on God. Because we are all different, many of us do not "do silence" well. I cannot imagine any situation where listening does not include the ability to be silent.
• All good prayer should include some interaction with God's Word. The heart of sin is our own heart! Our thoughts, desires, feelings, etc. are the producers of our own evil. It is not a good idea to assume that "praying from the heart" is some how pure. [People get mad when I say this, but I still know it is true] The Scriptures can help us encouter God from the outside. The Gospels reveal Jesus to us. The Bible reveals God to us. So some time in reflection on the Word of God is vital.
• All good prayer should include some time of thanksgiving. What would your life be like without your lips? or your finger nails? or your kidneys? or your your skin? Do you think you would spend time griping if suddenly you were to lose your eye sight? Then how much time should be spent every day thanking God for loved ones? health? joy? My guess is that ten minutes a day listing things for which we are thankful would be a worthwhile thing.
• All good prayer should include a time of being with God. Like a child in a parents' arms, like a servant before a merciful Master, like a student before a Great Teacher, like one lover gazing at another. Prayer is not primarily functional. It is not about "getting stuff" or "doing stuff." Prayer is about falling ever deeper in love and learning Who the Beloved is more deeply.

Foundation prayer. Every day for a signficant time, a time set aside and a place to do it. That is part of the rule of life which we fashion. Then during the day we find, more and more. other prayer moments creep in, any where and any time. And we do it every day without focusing on how we feel, because most of the time it will not feel especially wonderful.

What will I do/Who am I: rule of life

I was taught that grace builds on nature. In other words, God tends to use us according to our natural abilities and inclinations. Now, the first thing people want to point out is the exceptions to this rule. Yes, there are times when a person is asked (and empowered) to do amazing things or things contrary to their natural desires. But that is an exception, not the norm.

Each of us is blessed with a certain skill set. We have a personality and character. Last week I wrote about the healing ministry. I shared there that St. Paul believed that the charism of healing is not given to everyone to the same extent. So it is helpful to do an inventory of your gifts. There are many assessment tools available. Simply ask a few people who know you well what they think, that is a good starting place. Also, a good personality test is also helpful. The book, "Please Understand Me II" is one which I have found most helpful. There are dozens of others as well.

My personality is either a teacher or a counselor. My life as a priest has usually centered around bible studies, Sunday school and many hours of counseling. I am probably of most use to God and His kingdom in this kind of role. My rule of life should reflect this.

The rule of life (to borrow from St. Benedict) should center on Prayer, Study and Work. I would further subdivide work as in-reach and out-reach. This would cover both service and evangelism. But our work shapes the type of prayer and study we do. Our work impacts how we serve those in need and how we proclaim good news. Then our prayer and study will shape the way we do our work.

So the first step in our rule of life is to answer these questions:
Who am I? What gifts and talents do others see in me? What interests do I have? What am I drawn to do with my time, my talent and my treasure?

We live in a big world with lots of fertile territory. Jesus once said, "The harvest is plentiful, but laborers are few." Our rule of life aims to address Jesus' concern. It is our first step in becoming an effective laborer. A rule of life reflects our vision of our life as a disciple. It is important because God takes our lives seriously. A rule of life helps us to live consciously and intentionally. A rule of life keeps us on the way.