Joy to the World!

Christmas is not the Distractions

In Dr. Seuss' beloved Christmas Tale - The Grinch exclaims, "Oh the Noise, Noise, Noise...the one thing I simply can't stand is all the noise"!  Sometimes the Holidays can feel just like that.  It's easy to be overwhelmed by all the "noise" surrounding the Christmas season and the sensory overload that goes with it - Pictures with Santa, decorations, presents to buy, meals to plan, gatherings to attend.  For some this can be overwhelming to say the least.

As we see throughout the Bible God is not in the noise.  When God comes to the prophet Elijah he comes as a whisper in the silence.  Although Elijah first looks for him in the earthquake and fire - God is not there!  It's easy to look for God in these places because the loudest noises grab our immediate attention...it's human nature (survival mechanism) to tend to the fires first...and when there are many fires  to put out there is certainly no time to see or hear God in our busy lives.  This is life as we know it - the commercial version of Christmas just seems to magnify this fact.

I attended a talk given by Rob Bell where he mentioned that to truly see God one must slow way down.  There are burning bushes all around us but most of us are moving way too fast to see them.  God is in our lives and God is speaking to us.  So what are we to do about this dilemma?  God knows we live in the "real" world and for many of us we are firefighting day-to-day.  Our lives are filled with noise!  Even during the creation of the world God stops and rests... a way to gain perspective, a chance to step back from it all and see that it is indeed all good! 

That's why one of the greatest gifts God has bestowed to us is the gift of Sabbath...a day of rest.  A day to stop the routines; and for some of us a day to stop the madness so we can see and hear God all around us.  Sabbath is not designed for God - it's for us.  A chance to reboot and become grounded once again in what's most important in our lives: our relationships (with God and those closest to us).

There's a song "I Need A Silent Night" by Amy Grant that goes like this

I've made the same mistake before
Too many malls, too many stores
December traffic, Christmas rush
It breaks me till I push and shove

Children are crying while mothers are trying
To photograph Santa and sleigh
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line
What can I say?

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

December comes then disappears
Faster and faster every year
Did my own mother keep this pace
Or was the world a different place?

Where people stayed home wishing for snow
Watching three channels on their TV
Look at us now rushing around
Trying to buy Christmas peace

I need a silent night...

              May you come to find God in the silence and see God in all the burning bushes that are right there besides you.  This Advent season challenge yourself to slow down and prepare to receive the gift of Christ in your life.  Open the gift of Sabbath for you and your family this Christmas Season - for it brings true peace in you and true peace on earth as we prepare to receive God’s greatest gift to us – God’s love coming into the world in the form of Jesus.

Merry Christmas & Shalom!

your faithful servant,

carmen 

Christmas – The gift is in the giving!

Much of the Holidays are surrounded with the giving and receiving of gifts.  Giving and Receiving are ingrained into the very way of our existence.  You can’t just breathe in for instance.  You can’t just receive without giving.  When I was in Israel the locals would say that the Dead Sea is “dead” because it only receives from the rivers around it.  It gives nothing back!  Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury.  Many rich people put in large sums.  A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins.  Then he called his disciples and said to them, “truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  For all of them have given from their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had.”  Jesus had no interest in judging the people, only in observing this women’s heart.  She was giving from a certain mindset, not just a way of thinking but more importantly a way of being!  She gave from a different reality - that of the kingdom of God.

The Biblical way of generosity goes something like this:  EVERYTHING we have is a gift; even the means to earn a living is a gift!  Every breath we take and every talent we have are all gifts from the grace of God.  So giving is the natural act of sharing these gifts with our community in the kingdom of God.  Jesus actually talks more on the subject of possessions vs. anything else – WHY; because Jesus knows our hearts.  He knows we often serve our “stuff”.  He wants us to put God first in our lives and to live from that reality.  Paul tells us that it is better to give than to receive.  In the Greco - Roman culture giving was seen in a reciprocal way.  One gives with the expectation of later receiving something in return – an if/then mindset!  Our culture operates in much the same way.  At Christmas many of us give a gift expecting one in return.  Some of us even look at God as a kind of vending machine: we put in our time, money or prayers and we want something from God in return.

In order to be a giving person we must first live into that reality.  It is in the very act of giving that we become generous - not in thinking about it or by looking at our finances.  Our Rituals: like stewardship, advent, Christmas…and every Sunday are opportunities for us to enter into a practice which shapes our hearts and conversely shapes our reality!  When our hearts reveal that everything we have is a gift, then giving becomes natural.  It’s not ours to hold but ours to share.  This is how we connect with one another - this is how we connect with God!  Generosity comes from the heart - It is never about money!  Emerson said “Jewels and Rings are not gifts but apologies for gifts.  The only true gift is giving a portion of thyself!”  God wants the same thing.  God wants us, our hearts, even as He reaches out with all that God has in the person of Jesus.  God’s being lives into the reality that it is more blessed to give than to receive!

There is more than money involved in this story of Jesus and the woman in the Temple.  It is a principle of life, it’s the kingdom of God made manifest – it is the face of God’s Grace.  All I am is His.  God owns it all. There is nothing in my life that does not first belong to Him.  When we give to others in selfless acts and when we share communal love with one another we come to see that the kingdom of God is within reach - within us.  This is where God is - Emmanuel - God with us.

Jesus models this heart of giving by giving all of himself for us.  Each Sunday when we enter the church and we give of ourselves - to each other and to God.  We offer presents upon the altar.  We share in the sacrificial feast - given in love to a community of love.  When experienced this way, each Sunday too becomes the act of giving and receiving – as natural as breathing in and out.

Here we come to realize that God is, was, and will be with us always in the giving of oneself!  We remember each Sunday and we remember each Christmastime.  This peace...this stillness...this feeling of being at One with all of creation.  This is the real gift we give to our children and to one another.  Just as this is the gift that God gives to each one of us.  This is Christmas!  Right here is Emmanuel - Right here God is truly with us.

Merry Christmas!

Your faithful servant,

carmen

Christmastime is Love

Christmastime is that beautiful time of the year where many of our strongest memories reside.  As children, December is remembered as an almost magical time when our deepest desires have the potential to become reality.  As children everything seems larger than life...the world seems to stand still.  There is excitement in the air, there is peace, there is love.  As families and communities we re-create this experience for one another at Christmastime - Trees, Lights, Presents, Food, Family, A Baby - Hope!

Many of us prepare all month (if not sooner) for this Holiday.  As Christians we also prepare all month for this Holyday.  During Advent we prepare our hearts, minds and bodies for the coming of the Lord - We look for that day when God will be with us - Emmanuel!  The goal is that the Holiday and Holyday become entwined somewhere along the way.  It's easy for us to get so caught up in the preparations that we lose the real miracle of this Holy Day Season.

The decorations are there to distract us from our day to day existence - our routines, our jobs, our labels and the day to day stresses that seem to endlessly bombard us at times.  These are the things we believe our lives are about.  The decorations are there to snap us out of the hypnotic quality of the world.  The presents we share reminds us that it's not about us, but about giving and sharing what we have with others.  We focus on others by giving of our time, our resources and our selves - our love, God's love, poured out into the world.  The family feast shared becomes a sacred and communal act of love that is shared.  During this time we share our love with those we love and those who love us, and perhaps even with those outside our own families.

These elements combine to bring families and people together at a much deeper level than we see in our day-to-day way of life.   They also bring us in communion with God...through Christ being with us in Spirit.  When Christmas is experienced this way, it becomes magical and otherworldly - sacred and holy.  Being in communion with God and each other we receive a glimpse of heaven, the kingdom of God here and now!   Our children, without the filters of our daily burdens and routines, immediately grasp the "spirit" of this season and at once feel connected to their loved ones and to the unseen parent who is reflected in the joy of those around them.  Our children inherently connect to the Christmas Spirit (the Spirit of Christ) made manifest in the world at this time.

We come to realize that the overwhelming love of God is experienced when we see our lives as the real illusion.  When we give to others in selfless acts and when we share communal love with one another we come to see that the kingdom of God is within reach...within us.  This is where God is - Emmanuel - God with us...always!

Each Sunday when we enter the church - the decorations distract us from our daily routines.  We leave our earthly ties outside.  Here we give of ourselves - to each other and to God.  We offer presents upon the altar.  We share in the sacrificial feast given in love to a community of love.  When experienced this way, each Sunday too becomes holy and sacred.  This is when we see God in the mass, in our neighbors and in ourselves.

Here we come to realize that God is, was, and will be with us always - Emmanuel!  We remember each Sunday and we remember each Christmastime.  This is why people who spend Christmas alone sometimes feel disconnected and deeply troubled.  They see themselves as apart from this communal love that's all around them.  They fail to realize that God is with them too.  At Christmas we must reach out and reconnect with those who seem alone at this time. 

This peace...this stillness...this feeling of being at One in love with all of creation...this feeling of unconditional love and giving to one another - this shalom is the real gift we give to our children and to one another.  Just as this is the real gift God gives to each of his children.  This is Christmastime!  Right here is Emmanuel - Right here is God with us - his children.   Shalom!

your faithful servant,

carmen

 Job

Addressing Troubled Hearts

     Dear friends, my heart is troubled today.  As it should be!  I worry not for those who are troubled but for those who have become desensitized to the pain and suffering in this world - Those of us who no longer see or hear the cries of those in need.  Having a troubled heart and the tension that goes with it is good…it proves you are alive and connected with God and creation.  Systematic Racism, Immigration, Refugees and what your response is towards them…exclusion or inclusion.  Fear or love!

     I had an interesting conversation with a co-worker who was against taking refugees into this country.  Ironically her parents were refugees from Germany after World War II and were sponsored by another American family.  So we talked and what started as a conversation that we were on opposite sides of soon became one of mutual understanding.  She wasn’t opposed to “sponsoring” refugees she was opposed to the government taking them in.  Then it dawned on me that both sides of the argument were wrong and right!  The conservatives want no refugees and the liberals do…but here is the problem on both sides – both sides want the government to act.  That is a real problem because it distances us from the problem!  No government can legislate compassion…that happens in the heart and is a very personal thing.  This country has gotten it wrong many times in the past.  With Slavery, Racism and right across the bridge in Philly which has laws against feeding the homeless right outside of the liberty bell…a country which has always proclaimed liberty for all peoples.  The statue of liberty, the symbolic entry point into this country reads:

Give me your tired, your poor, 

Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free, 

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, 

Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

Author: Emma Lazarus

     Ironically the homeless are not welcome outside the liberty bell.  How appropriate that the author’s name is Lazarus which means God is my help!  Lazarus is the only person’s name given in the parables by Jesus.  Jesus gave this homeless man a name when he was invisible to those around him in life.  Yet the rich man has no name in the story.  You see God knows each of their names…it’s personal.

     My colleague didn’t want the government to act; she wanted her people to act.  It’s easy to say that we have our own homeless and suffering right here.  Then do something about it…feed them…learn their names.  Where is your heart leading you?  Be present and enter into another’s suffering and you will see God in the other and they will see God in you.  Make no mistake, however, that nothing you do out of love is ever without risk!  But that’s what will change your heart and that’s what will change the world.  Each of us must take responsibility and accountability for acting out against injustice and oppression and for easing the suffering of another.  And we do this by going into the world and learning people’s names, by sharing their stories and by making compassion personal.  God doesn’t care about governments - they will come and go.  God cares only about each one of our hearts - for that is eternal!  God knows each of their names, will He know yours?!

     We don’t love to earn God’s love - we love to demonstrate it!  My troubled friends - lift up your lamps into the dark places of the world and shine forth the light of Christ for others to see!  Shalom!

Your faithful servant,

carmen

http://heartofdiscipleship.com/index.html

Thanks Giving

"The secret of my success is that at an early age

I discovered I was not God." - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

Dickens said “There is always something to be thankful for”.  Sometimes though we get caught up in the day to day “stuff”!  Thanksgiving is a day filled with many great holiday memories… for me that would be of food, family and football.  Originally, however, it was a day to give thanks for safe passage and for the harvest.

When you think on those first Pilgrims you realize that they were an oppressed people which were seeking freedom and looking for the land of milk and honey.  Their trust was placed firmly with God.  This is very similar to the story of Exodus where an oppressed people were seeking freedom from Egypt…both were looking for the promised land, overflowing with milk and honey, and both were trusting in the same God to deliver them there. It wasn’t so easy however, both groups of people gave in to fear and doubt at times, both facing starvation not used to their new environments.  God provided through Moses to the Israelites and God provided to the Pilgrims through the openness of the Native Americans to share their food and knowledge of the land with the first settlers.  The food was abundant but the settlers not knowing their new found environment found scarcity and fear, facing harsh weather and starvation.  Our early settlers found help in the Native Americans and gave thanks to God for their survival, as well as their new found neighbors.  This month we celebrate our abundance and yes ….our excess!  In America the Holidays take on a much more materialistic and individual nature as opposed to celebrating and giving thanks for our reliance on God and our neighbors. 

The land still flows with milk and honey… only now it’s processed!  With so, so much, many of us still feel that we don’t have enough…many of us still feel scarcity.  In our current economic situation one can easily feel the squeeze of this scarcity mentality, the fear of not having enough! In times like these we especially need to remember that we are connected and dependant on God and one another whether we like it or not.  Alone we are nothing!

When you sit down for your Holiday meal try to note the connections with the world.  Where did the turkey come from?  The Earth…the farmer….the feed…the butcher etc.  What is needed to take your car to your families house…imagine if while preparing your meal the electricity were to go out…Imagine what would happen to our lifestyle if we removed electricity from the equation…all this stuff is assumed, and as such taken for granted!

When looked at in this way… with all that we have been blessed with… at this place and at this time….the glass isn’t half full…. it’s overflowing…That is to say that we are truly blessed and we really do have so much to be grateful for.   Most all of us right here and now live in the top 1-10% of the entire world through no effort of our own, but by just where we were born and by God’s grace.  Most of us have never gone to bed hungry unless by choice.  The earth was created by God in abundance, but in order to live this abundance together we must SHARE it with one another. 

A couple years back I spent the day with my wife at the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. I saw the film taken by the American’s that liberated the camp at Wars end.  The piles of emaciated bodies will be forever etched in my mind!  In horror and with a sense of despair…I asked myself how could this have happened…then a small inner voice showed me the connection.  The German people were oppresses after WWI, they were blamed for everything and were made to pay reparations which bankrupted the country, leaving them with nothing and no self esteem.  They lived in isolation and fear.  They needed hope and unity but instead of turning to God and their neighbors they put their salvation in a man and his ideals…what appeared to be hope became a nightmare instead!  Fear…Scarcity…Isolation…through these things all manner of evil can arise in the world unchecked!  Thank God the world rose up and responded!  Today in the shadow of that camp three lights burn in the darkness… Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic memorial chapels symbolize that God’s light never goes out for those who put their trust and faith in him rather than in any man!

So today as you look at the news and notice the issues that affect our world note the isolation, the scarcity and the fear that is portrayed to us…Amidst these global issues: the economy, climate change, poverty, war…we still have so so much to be thankful for.  Let us remember where we come from. And with humble and appreciative hearts let us put our trust where it belongs…in our Lord and our God.

And the gift of God’s Grace freely given to us…OUR ABUNDANCE…is then to be freely shared with those who have less… for only in communion with God and our neighbors are we ALL truly blessed.

Happy Thanks Giving!

Your faithful servant,

carmen

The Heart of Discipleship

Fear and Trust

How do we even begin to slay our giants?  Sometimes it seems like we are all alone in facing our Goliaths.  The challenges of today are so daunting that we easily become faint of heart.  We throw up our hands and cry out – Why?  Where is God right now?!  Unemployment overshadows the hope of paying the bills and putting food on the table.  Homelessness continues to create fear and challenges community systems. Church denominations are divided in seeking Christian unity.  Cancer taunts our friends and family.  Broken relationships strain our marriages and family dynamics.  Discipline problems and bullying threaten the education and self‐worth of our children.  The list goes on and on and on.

How, as disciples, can we have faith in God?  You know in Hebrew there is no such word for faith…no need for it!  They all knew God existed!  The word relates to trusting!  That’s the question - How can we really trust God?  Isn’t trust the basis for ALL relationships?  So how do we trust God with all the things we face each and every day that can stop us DEAD right in our tracks?

God chose an unlikely partner.  God chose one who appeared to be weak.  God chose one who stood in God’s strength – not the strength of their own perceived power, self-reliance and self-righteousness, not the strength of ego and pride.  David stood up in this moment to the Philistines in order to bring God’s triumph and peace to his people. …and he did it with a small smooth stone.

Stones are significant in Scripture.  Stones were often markers of God’s presence and action; helping God’s people to remember what God had done in their lives!  Sort of like monuments today.  God had been calling Israel to be living stones to show the world that God was right there in their midst…and here this lowly shepherd boy reaches for a small stone to remember and to know that God was with him; that he was not standing against all the chaos and evil in the world alone - but rather God was there too.

How are we called to be standing stones - reminders of God working in and through our lives?  Do others see in us the love of Jesus being poured out into the world?  Do we witness how God has worked in our lives…sometimes as large as a monument… sometimes as small as a pebble?  But no matter how big or small - God is there…although sometimes we may not see it.  God is not far far away but acting in the world in ways we can only imagine.  And in sharing our stories - we come to show others that they too might come to believe and trust in the living God –especially when facing their own giants.

It’s interesting that the scriptures time and time again say do not be afraid…365 times!  Which is not to say that there are not fearsome things in the world…rather God chooses to tell His children - as a mother would whisper into the frightened ear of a child that I am right here with you through it all.  Through trusting God we come to know peace - even though there are real things to fear, they need not paralyze us, they need not have dominion over us; they need not own us - because we are not alone in this… are we?

Fearsome things ARE in our lives each and every day…but they don’t have the last word.  Whether you are facing a giant, facing a storm, or are in a place of suffering or brokenness or paralyzed by gripping fear…the important thing is that however and wherever you are… you will not be alone…right there in the midst of it all - God will be with you.  Shalom!

Your faithful servant,

carmen

You are the Body of Christ

Hungry

There’s an old story that’s been around since the French Revolution called Stone Soup, perhaps you’ve heard it…

A kindly, old stranger was walking through the land when he came upon a village. As he entered, the villagers moved towards their homes locking doors and windows. The stranger smiled and asked why are you all so frightened?  I am a simple traveler, looking for a soft place to stay for the night and a warm place for a meal. "There's not a bite to eat in the whole province," he was told. "We are weak and our children are starving. Better keep moving on." "Oh, I have everything I need," he said. "In fact, I was thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you." He pulled an iron cauldron from his cloak, filled it with water, and began to build a fire under it. Then, with great ceremony, he drew an ordinary-looking stone from a silken bag and dropped it into the water. By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers had come out of their homes or watched from their windows. As the stranger sniffed the "broth" and licked his lips in anticipation, hunger began to overcome their fear. "Ahh," the stranger said to himself rather loudly, "I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage -- that's hard to beat." Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a small cabbage he'd retrieved from its hiding place, and added it to the pot. "Wonderful!!" cried the stranger. "You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a king." The village butcher managed to find some salt beef . . . and so it went, through potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and so on, until there was indeed a delicious meal for everyone in the village to share. The villager elder offered the stranger a great deal of money for the stone, but he refused to sell it and traveled on the next day. As he left, the stranger came upon a group of village children standing near the road. He gave the silken bag containing the stone to the youngest child, whispering to the group, was not the stone, but the villagers that had performed all the magic."

This story really illustrates the power of all of us when we each just share just a small portion of ourselves and our possessions focused for a common purpose.  St. Paul talks of this synergy as the Body of Christ.  St. Paul tells us that we all have different gifts and parts to play in building up the kingdom of God – right here and right now.  We are all different, but when working together we become Christ in the world for others.

Each of you has gifts and has in many ways already put them to God’s use.  Like the story Stone Soup, St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians outlines how the Church functions much in the same way - bringing everyone’s gifts into focus.  St. Paul then goes on to say that all that we do must also be done with love.  The formula for growth and change is simple.  If we combine our passions, talents and gifts, in love, and focus them on changing the world for Christ we cannot fail.  We become incorporate the “Body of Christ” acting in and through the world.  This is what the church at its heart should always strive to be: Christ acting in the world as the Church through its members. 

Part of my calling as a Deacon is to help my parishioners match their passions with the world’s needs.  Some have felt a tug towards doing or championing a particular ministry and we try to help them with the resources and to connect them with other parishioners that may share their passions.  Perhaps you are currently doing your passion in your job or your hobby, or perhaps you have always felt a love of something that you just haven’t been able to follow through with. Try to find someone in your church or area that might be able to help connect you to others and resources.  My hope with these blogs is to enliven you in your calling and purpose in serving God and one another.

We all have special gifts and talents.  Each of us is unique and has something very special to offer.  We all have a song to sing, and no one should leave here with that song unsung.  We are all part of God’s creation—fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. We are joined and share the same spirit.  Being a Church, then, is a way to re-connect with one another and with God through fellowship and communion; by giving of ourselves to one another.

Reflecting on the story of the Stone Soup you can begin to envision what we can accomplish if we all combine our small offerings together.  Even small contributions can yields GREAT results in service to God and his church; for together we can do much more than any one of us alone can do.  Little is much when God’s in it!

Think of us here as the “Body of Christ” in motion, each adding something to the world that produces for others a glimpse into the kingdom of God here and now; fulfilled through our Christian witness and service to God and one anothe.  Like the soup it is amazing what can be accomplished when we all work together!

God bless you all!

Your faithful servant,

carmen

ALL IN

Where Your Passions Meet the World’s Needs – There You will Find God

     The fall is now upon us, a time to get back to our busy lives.  I invite you to take a moment and reflect on your service to Christ.  In this especially troubling time of economic heartache, it is vital for us as Christians to show our faith by our actions.  There are many people out there with real needs; people having such difficulties that they don’t know where their next meal is coming from, people that are unemployed, people that are having a crisis of faith: in their nation, and possibly in God.  How do we then as Christians become Christ for those in need?  Stewardship is a great way to let others see the light of Christ in you.

     For each of us, Stewardship takes on many guises.  To one, it’s donating to a church, a children’s hospital, or to a charitable organization.  To another, it’s caring for someone in need, or caring for our planet.  The word Stewardship means to take care of that which belongs to another.  In the Christian sense, this means we are responsible to care for all of God’s creations - ourselves, our neighbors, and our world.

     We all have special gifts and talents.  Each of us is unique and has something very special to offer. We all have a song to sing, and no one should leave here with that song unsung.  We are all an integral part of God’s creation - fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. We are all of us joined and share the same spirit.  Stewardship, then, is a way to re-connect with one another and with God through fellowship and communion; by giving of ourselves to one another.

     Now is a good time to reflect on how best to serve one another by giving of ourselves—our time, our money, our talents, and especially our spiritual gifts.

     It is my hope to encourage you to envision how we all can better serve the future of our Church in service to Christ.  My vision is to inspire you to search for the opportunities to use your gifts in service to Christ by matching your passions with the world’s needs - whatever they may be!  God works through us all in many different ways.  Our God is a God of love and abundance.  There is always enough when we share our blessings with one another.

     I ask each of you this fall to reflect upon how you can be a good steward with what God has entrusted you with.  For example ask yourself:

            - What is my profession?

- What are my hobbies?

            - Am I an "at home Mr. Fixit"?

- Do I like to cook?

- Do my friends think that I’m the most organized person they know?

- Am I great with kids/teens?

- Do I love to plan events?

- Am I tithing the resources God has graciously blessed me with?

- Do I have an idea for ministry, or a cause I would like to champion?

     Your church welcomes all your talents "great and small".  Your gifts, talents, and passions will be used in the service of Christ by serving the Church, your community and the world!  A recent USA today poll showed that the happiest people on our planet were those who volunteered their time in service to others!  Let us know how you can be of service; even in a small way; even with limited resources or time.  Little is much when God’s in it!  Prayerfully consider God’s purpose for you in serving His church and His people.

     Working for God may not seem to pay much money, but the fringe benefits and His retirement plan are out of this world!

…and don’t be shy in letting me know how I can be of service to you as well!

your faithful servant,

carmen

Unconditional

To or From

     For many of us “Christians” how we come to understand God may not be as important as where we actually start from.  As a parent relates to their child, and for healthy families, the parents love their child unconditionally from birth. They correct and guide the child from that place in their hearts!  Their love is given freely at the moment of creation and the child is loved by the parents from that point on.  Now look at it from the other side.  Many of us, from the point of view as a child, are still trying to make our parents “proud” or to get them to accept us or to love us.  We are trying to get “to” them!  The entire perspective changes when we realize that we really come “from” them and there is no cause to move toward them.

     If a parent asks us to do something we can either see this as something we need to do to keep our relationship whole in order to keep their love and acceptance of us, or we can see our relationship as already whole knowing that our parent is asking us out of their love for us.  So we come to relate to God a lot like this.  Many think we are striving to get “to” God.  That is to say we are ever striving to be good disciples and follow the way of Jesus so as to gain worth in God’s eyes and in doing so also gain self-worth.  That is the exact opposite of the way we should view our relationship with God.  God first speaks in scriptures to his child Jesus: “You are beloved; with you I am well pleased”.   Notice God says this at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, before Jesus takes any actions in scripture!  Why?  Because God is saying we are worthy of God’s love right from the start!  We are worthy without doing anything, this is what we come to call grace.  You can easily see this same dynamic played out in a parent’s love for a child as soon as it enters the world. 

     From this perspective things change dramatically.  We now act, not as one craving acceptance, but as one already loved.  When we act “from” this love everything changes.  We have nothing to prove!  Acting from this perspective, living our life becomes one of trust and joy.  Things will of course happen and we all will stray from the path in one way or another.  We’ll certainly stumble and fall along the way.  But instead of God being in front of us, judging our actions and worth, God actually stands behind us; awaiting our return into His arms for the love and support we need to get up and go forward once again.  Isn’t this what a good parent does!  Why would we expect anything less from a loving creator who wants to be called Abba (translated in Hebrew as a term of endearment - Daddy)?

We keep searching for God, searching for love, searching for approval…when these things have already been granted to us!  We have only to know that God has always been right there with us all along.  Repent, in Greek - metanoia, means to change ones’ mind or to turn around.  When we can’t see God one literally just needs to turn around!  Change your perspective, change your heart.  The only thing that can ever separate us from God’s love is our own limited perspective.

     So may you all come to believe that you are wholly loved and that you were loved before you were even born – before you took a single action. You are loved as a human “being” (created in the makers own image – a child of God) not as a human “doing”.  Come to know that you will be loved forever by the Parent who created you.  As the Apostle Paul confirms to the early churches struggling themselves for God’s favor and approval, “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 in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

     What else needs to be said!?  What else needs to be done!?

Your faithful servant,

carmen

Promise

Covenant and Relationship

     The entirety of the Bible describes how one can be a righteous person, i.e. in right relationship with God and one another.  Throughout the Old Testament we can see that Israel, as a people, are constantly struggling and evolving with this notion of being in relationship with their Creator.  The Old Testament writers weave an intricate story describing this in terms of Covenant.  God reaches out to us, his children, and we respond.  Our response to God takes on many different forms as we see throughout the landscape of the Old Testament and the many colorful people that “respond” to God.  All of the people are described in three dimensions, we see their doubts, fears, anger, frustrations, suffering, disobedience; we see them being human.  Over and over we see God’s love for them continually played out against the background of human emotions.  The relationship is never static and God continually reaches out to us and waits for our response.  As God transitions from the Old Testament to the New Testament we see the emphasis change from rules and laws, meant to define relationships and community behavior, to what the spirit of being in relationship should feel like and be for us.  We transform from a rule based relationship to a relationship with love at its foundation.  Jesus tells us that when we love all the laws and rules hang together at that deep level in response to one another.

     What we see is not a “how-to” book so much as a “what-to” book.  The bible becomes a living document describing God’s love for us in action and our response to that love.  As the relationship matures and deepens so does the depth of the relationship.  The Bible becomes a love story.  It starts out as a parent would love their child.  The parent sets boundaries and establishes the rules one follows to live in right relationship with the parent and with the community that they will grow up in.  As the child matures and begins to think independently, they think they know better and rebel against the very authority that provided their framework and boundaries.  They become enmeshed and influenced by things in the world and they attempt to test the boundaries that have been set for them for right or wrong.  They now begin to experience life independently and sometimes that leads to the very human experiences of doubt and fear as they struggle with who they are; their purpose and place in the world.  Ideally when they falter, their parents are there to love, comfort, protect and teach them.  Israel clearly goes on this journey through the Old Testament and can be seen in a child’s maturing relationship as they grow within the family.  From the child’s point of view as they mature they begin to understand the rules for what they were, a parent’s expression of love to keep them safe and to form them into the person they will one day grow up to be.  As the child reaches adulthood the spirit of the rules becomes clear and they hopefully transcend the rules.  Their foundational ethics and response to love takes them forward to begin the process all over again within their own families.  The Old Testament plays out this human transformation with all its myriad variations.

     This process of being in relationship is what describes being in covenant with one another.  It is not a static place where boundaries are once established and maintained.  Instead the rules of behavior establish the guidelines and ethical structure that we begin with.  From there the relationship can take on many forms.  If love and serving the other is at the core of the relationship then the relationship will grow into a healthy one - based on mutual respect and love.  The covenant therefore becomes an ever-changing dance that constantly re-establishes and builds the relationships we have formed; and this is at the heart of it all - love and connection with one another and with our Creator.

Your faithful servant,

carmen

Dancing With God

In my life, and especially in the roles of father, manager, and deacon, many people often ask my advice.  I am humbled by the fact that they think I have some wisdom that they themselves don’t have access to.  I know we can all learn something from one another.  As I often tell my children “to learn from your mistakes is intelligent, but to learn from another’s mistakes is wisdom.”

Many people look to the internet for answers or even to the bible.  People will always find what they are looking for somewhere or another.

The issue however is not always one of higher thinking.  Sometimes the answers are subtle and are found in the realm of feelings.  Does it feel right or is something feeling forced, or just not quite right.  Often we dismiss this non-cerebral wisdom for the intelligence in our rationally thinking heads.

As Christians we must learn to trust our hearts as well - for that is the realm of God.  The ways of Jesus doesn’t always make sense, but they always feel right!  This is often where the ways of the world clashes with the ways of Jesus.  When looking for wisdom – pray…but then listen, not only with your mind and your five senses but listen also with your heart.  Jesus doesn’t always present himself to our minds.  Sometimes we just feel him, like a silent partner in a universal dance – and it feels just right!

I came upon the following passage which illustrates the concept of God’s wisdom in our lives.

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing 'dance' at the end of the word.  I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.   When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.  The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.   When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.  It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other. 

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance. When I saw 'G': I thought of God, followed by 'u' and 'i'.  'God, 'u' and 'i' dance.'  God, you, and I dance!

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead. 

Sometimes when we are looking for all the answers sometimes it’s just best to let God lead.  That’s what many of us consider Grace. So dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through the challenges of this life.  Then you truly will be “dancing with the stars” (of the universe) in the form of their creator!

Your Faithful Servant,

Carmen

Discover a deeper spiritual connection with The Heart Of Discipleship. The Book is now available via http://heartofdiscipleship.com/ website or on Amazon at  http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Discipleship-Carm…/…/ref=sr_1_1…

LOCAL CLERGYMAN PUBLISHES BOOK

The Heart of Discipleship

The Reverend Carmen Viola, a deacon at Grace Episcopal Church in Haddonfield, New Jersey, recently authored The Heart of Discipleship, in which Bible stories are colorfully illustrated and illuminated by commentary. Rev. Viola, who resides in Williamstown, N.J., collaborated with Travis Hanson, an Eisner-nominated fantasy illustrator, over the course of a year to create texts and accompanying colorful pen-and-ink artworks designed to spark thoughtful discussions about the stories of the Bible. A book signing event will be hosted by Grace Episcopal Church in Haddonfield on Sunday, September 13 at 2:00pm.

The Heart of Discipleship is designed to be used for personal reflection, group study, or family discussions, and it invites readers to see Bible stories in an ongoing narrative and conversation, rather than as ancient history. The illustrations contain many layers of meaning achieved through the use of light, color, and symbolism, continuing the medieval tradition of stained glass iconography, which used vivid images to bring Bible stories to life. Discussion questions are presented for both adults and children, giving the book intergenerational appeal.

Since it became available in early August, the book has already received high praises for its beautiful artwork, accessible commentary, and ecumenical slant. “No matter your denomination, I honestly believe that any Christian looking for answers will enjoy this!” said one reviewer on the book’s website. Another praised the artwork’s unique approach: “I would have imagined… angelic pictures of serene meadows with Christ walking with a lamb in his arms. Typical. But this was more real and I personally think that children are smart creatures and can see right through propaganda type artwork. This artwork is beautiful but gets the message across.”

The signing event at Grace Episcopal Church will be open to the public, and the book is available for purchase at heartofdiscipleship.com and through Amazon.

The Rev. Carmen J. Viola is a deacon in the Episcopal Church of the Diocese of New Jersey. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and youngest child where he loves serving God and showing others how to have a deeper relationship with God and one another. Travis Hanson is an Eisner nominated fantasy illustrator with a huge imagination. His works include comics, children's art, fantasy and just fun illustrations that encourage the need for people to be creative.

LOCAL CLERGYMAN PUBLISHES BOOK

The Heart of Discipleship

The Reverend Carmen Viola, a deacon at Grace Episcopal Church in Haddonfield, New Jersey, recently authored The Heart of Discipleship, in which Bible stories are colorfully illustrated and illuminated by commentary. Rev. Viola, who resides in Williamstown, N.J., collaborated with Travis Hanson, an Eisner-nominated fantasy illustrator, over the course of a year to create texts and accompanying pen-and-ink artworks designed to spark thoughtful discussions about the stories of the Bible. 

The Heart of Discipleship is designed to be used for personal reflection, group study, or family discussions, and it invites readers to see Bible stories in an ongoing narrative and conversation, rather than as ancient history. The illustrations contain many layers of meaning achieved through the use of light, color, and symbolism, continuing the medieval tradition of stained glass iconography, which used vivid images to bring Bible stories to life. Discussion questions are presented for both adults and children, giving the book intergenerational appeal.

Since it became available in early August, the book has already received high praises for its beautiful artwork, accessible commentary, and ecumenical slant. “No matter your denomination, I honestly believe that any Christian looking for answers will enjoy this!” said one reviewer on the book’s website. Another praised the artwork’s unique approach: “I would have imagined… angelic pictures of serene meadows with Christ walking with a lamb in his arms. Typical. But this was more real and I personally think that children are smart creatures and can see right through propaganda type artwork. This artwork is beautiful but gets the message across.”

The book is available for purchase at heartofdiscipleship.com and through Amazon.

The Rev. Carmen J. Viola is a deacon in the Episcopal Church of the Diocese of New Jersey. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and youngest child where he loves serving God and showing others how to have a deeper relationship with God and one another. Travis Hanson is an Eisner nominated fantasy illustrator with a huge imagination. His works include comics, children's art, fantasy and just fun illustrations that encourage the need for people to be creative.