Living in the Present

Today's blog will contain mostly quotes from Wendell Berry and Pope Francis, both of whom I consider prophetic voices for this generation. Both Berry and Francis are concerned about the rapid growth of consumerism and the loss of community. Pope Francis had this to say on Easter Sunday; "Our world is still divided by greed looking for easy gain...wounded by selfishness which threatens human life and family. There is excessive exploitation of natural resources and we must become responsible guardians of creation."

We misinterpret our quest for freedom and the cost is an unjust life that fails to be a good neighbor.. It is a fatal error that harms both ourselves and our neighbors. Berry says, "Our present idea of freedom is only the freedom to do as we please; to sell ourselves for a high salary, a home in the suburbs, and idle weekends. But that is a freedom dependent upon affluence, which is in turn dependent upon the rapid consumption of exhaustible supplies. The other kind of freedom is the freedom to take care of ourselves and each other. The freedom of affluence opposes and contradicts the freedom of community life."

There is great freedom in living in the present moment cogent of both our needs and our neighbors. Berry shares concerning the future if there is one at all, the future will be dependent on the good things of the present. "We do not need to plan or devise a 'world of the future'; if we take care of the world of the present, the future will have received full justice from us. A good future is implicit in the soils, forests, grasslands, marshes, deserts, mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans that we have now, and in the good things of human culture that we have now; the only valid 'futurology' available to us is to take care of those things. We have no need to contrive and dabble at 'the future of the human race'; we have the same pressing need that we have always had - to love, care for and teach our children."

I think that was the message of the 60's "teach your children well" and what the world needs now "is love sweet love." I recognize the 60's and it's folk prophets were not perfect any more than Wendell Berry or Pope Francis but in all of our imperfections there is a song of freedom that sings in every generation. It is a song of hope, a song of peace, a song of community.

Fear and Prayer

Fear is an odd companion on our journey of life. We each have our own unique set of fears. They are often odd only to others and all too real to ourselves. I do not fear heights, jumping off things or danger in general but fear other things (life in general) that others would not even stop to consider. Others may dismiss our fears but our fears are our own and they are very real. Our fears can be good or bad. Fear can cripple us and drive us further into ourselves causing a general distrust of others and life in general. Fear can be good because it reminds us that we are alive and we need help. I recently read a book that summed up the only prayers we need are "help, thanks and wow". And that could not be more true - the daily prayer "help" is very useful. I find that repeated in the Psalms over and over. I turn daily in my fears and pray: "Abba, Father, I am your's, make haste to help me, come to my assistance that I might praise you."

Others

It is a big world but we are growing closer in proximity to one another simply because there are more of us. But being closer to one another does not emply 'closeness'. We often live as if 'others' do not exist. We could look at all the national strife - left/right/democrat/republican/independent/rich/poor/racial issues and we could examine all the international crises including terrorism and genocide and scream we lack a sense of 'others'. We share this planet and for some reason we think it is inherently all ours.

 For me it begins micro and then becomes exaggerated on a macro scale. Let me share two occurrences recently that I observed. On my way to a local coffee shop and truck pulled over in front of me just before a traffic light (that could be the occurrence in and of it self - "others' seems to be lost on the highway). At the light the passenger rolled down the window and tossed out the candy wrapper that they had just finished eating. It would have taken less effort to just toss it on the floorboard of the truck. This was much more deliberate - for this person the outside was their unlimited trash bin with disregard to all others who share the same space. We move on to the coffee shop (warning: this is much more unseemly) and I have to visit the 'little boys room' and we know public facilities can present many affronts to all sensibility. Another person was present two dividers down and upon completion of his duties he simply leaves the restroom without a thought of washing his hands. Could he really believe that no one else exists in the world or that no one else frequents the coffee shop? Again, how hard is is to wash your hands? For me it is just one more deliberate act of defiling and denouncing 'others'. When this happens with regularity on a micro level then we should not be shocked when it escalates on a macro level manifesting itself in war, terrorism, or genocide.

It would be less convicting if I did not exhibit a disregard for others at various times. It is very easy to become so self focused that the vision of others becomes degraded. The solution that I fall back on is to acknowledge the Creator. There is no time in a short blog to delve into that - intelligent design/creation verses evolution/or a myriad of other arguments for and against religion or a belief system. For the sake of time - I believe someone or something precedes us all. I also believe that we were uniquely designed for one another. That makes our sin against one another both on a micro and macro scale even more heinous. To begin each day with an overwhelming sense of "Otherness" beyond myself, that precedes myself helps me focus more intently upon living spatially with grace and kindness. Whether you believe we came from dust or primordial soup both signify humble beginnings and we did not will ourselves to be here. Both require a healthy sense of "Otherness" that helps us see 'others' as our fellow companions in the journey of life that has preceded us and will go on beyond us therefore in the present it seems things would go a little smoother if we shared our daily space with humbleness and treat others with the dignity they deserve. After all is that not what all of long for?

I have not been able to post but I have been blogging in my mind daily. In recent months I have had opportunity to worship in a vast array of places. I have been in an outdoor setting in Hawaii, inner city churches both of main line and conservative evangelical persuasions, I have been in make shift buildings and in school gymnasiums. All had aspects I liked and there were many parts that were neither right or wrong but I left wondering: Why? I have no answers just more questions. In two thousand years since Jesus claimed, "He that has seen me has seen the Father", we are still trying to make sense of that. But in all of our liturgy, pageantry, praising, choirs and bands they pale before the beauty of the sunrise that preceded them and the sun set that will follow. All of our "playing tea with our children" if you will, takes back seat to the "earth is filled with God's glory."

 Muddled - to be in a state of bewilderment, confusion or disorder. To 'muddle' also means to mix or jumble as is the case in making mixed drinks. It is considered that the word "muddle" is from Dutch origin meaning "to make muddy." And as it is with many of us we often "muddle" through periods of our lives. I think most of "muddling" when I consider the Cross.  That is my frame of reference when talking about spiritual matters. There is much 'muddling' at the Cross. There was bewilderment and confusion on the part of all close to Jesus. There was disorder to the utter magnitude in that God was on the cross, on trial, and on display simply for the love of mankind. We can even say that Jesus was 'muddled' on our behalf. He was crushed - God mixed with human flesh that we who are very finite might grasp in the smallest way the infinite. The thought of the Cross leaves me muddled often and overwhelmed. The Cross is a tidal wave of love that washes over the high sea wall of my doubts and overwhelms me.