Folks,
The lessons for this coming Sunday include Genesis - the naming of Jacobas "Israel" (meaning roughly "contended with God") due to his wrestling with God during the night, a related lesson from Romans specifying the"special" status of the Israeli people and the gospel lesson of the miraculous "feeding of the 5,000". Of the first lesson, Rabbi Zoe Klein at reformjudaism.org says it seems more likely Jacob wrestled with a human, possibly Esau himself (recall from last week that he "tricked" Isaac into getting Esau's "birthright"). Whatever actually occurred that night, I can relate to Paul's thinking of the special-ness of the Jews and their stories of a God "up close and personal", perhaps bringing up the traditional image of a Jewish family with a mother who is lovingly nit-picking her children and wanting them to be ever better. When we think of lamentations, as in last week's prayer from Gordon Fuglie, it is in this close, familial relation with God. In that regard the people of Israel should have been (justly) proud of their son Jesus, who fed 5,000 when starting out with just 5 loaves and 2 fishes, and collecting apparently more than they started with (the collecting of leftovers also reminiscent of the conservative ways traditionally ascribed to Jewish folks). To me there seem to be several lessons in all of this, including the value of being "conservative", as well as realising that in contending with God (as many of us do from time to time) we are really contending with humankind. The latter though also suggests the better outcome is not "victory" since victory over God is just victory over other humans, and as so many learn, such victory is finally unsatisfying. Rather the real victory is to see in such contention that we are wrestling with ourselves, our consciences. If you have ever wrestled with yourself and worried and doubted, you know the value of "peace of mind". May we all find such peace, with our fellow humans and with ourselves - it is "the peace of God". Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events St Matthews in San Ardo continues with the regular prayers in our homes, and staying in touch. Thanks to all for the prayers for our member Kaeda Kelley Barrios, who continues to heal, and for Tony's sister Cindy. Because we are travelling this weekend for work, we cannot do a full rundown of events, and in any case want to point all to the Events calendar (tab) at http://www.sloepiscopalians.org and at https://74061144.view-events.com/calendar/74061144/ and special "Deanery" events at http://sloepiscopalians.org/deanery-events.html as well as individual parish websites (go to the parish "tab" and click to go to those websites). We wanted to mention again that several parishes are considering in-person events outdoors, include our sister missions St Marks / San Marcos in King City and St Lukes in Jolon (with whom we visited last Sunday in a zoom Morning Prayer service) - these might provide a model for St Matthews soon, so stay tuned! We do not want to fail to mention the special video series "Wisdom in Times of Crisis" being offered by St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande, the which has been gathering (on Zoom). The next sessions will be Aug 6, 13, and 20 all at 7pm. To participate, go to https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=ac324464a2&e=acee3ced34 To join the Zoom call from your phone or landline call 1-669-900-6833. When prompted put in the meeting ID of 817 6072 8814# and when prompted for a password put in 908868#, and then hit # a second time. Also note that St James Church in Paso Robles and St Lukes Church in Atascadero both recommend a Zoom conference on Racism on Thurs at 4:30pm - meeting ID is 8357594 and password is 748467 - zoom to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83575948022?pwd=eUVMeDcrTTkzTHNKYUQ0c2J4b1YvUT09#success Note that our friend Gordon Fuglie will lead the meditation next Wed at regular St James Evening Prayer at 6pm focusing on the art of Durer, Grunewald and Cranach the Elder - for Zoom details see the Deanery calendar at https://74061144.view-events.com/calendar/74061144/month/2020-08-01/2020-07-01 or go to St James webpages at http://www.stjamespasorobles.org Meanwhile, note that our friends at Good Shepherd Church in Salinas will be moving online their annual "ART IN THE PASTURES OF HEAVEN” ART SHOW which will take place Sep 11-13, a benefit on Sep 11-13. See info at https://www.goodshepherdcorral.org/artshow We have mentioned before our friend Rev Roger Wharton's "nature wisdom"and he is making a video series called "Care of Creation available which can be viewed at https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=c07721fd44&e=f136cc0442 and note that it seems emblematic of Roger's depth of spirituality that he continues with only a brief pause as a (man-made) jet takes off from a nearby airport. Special Events Beyond the above, Grace Cathedral in San Francisco is having an online "Sound Bath" (a "meditative sonic journey") event with free tickets available. The events happens twice TOMORROW (Sat Aug 1) at 5pm and 8pm. For full info go to https://bbox.blackbaudhosting.com/webforms/linkredirect?url=https%3a%2f%2fgracecathedral.org%2fevents%2fgrace-cathedral-sound-bath-online%2f&srcid=23501762&srctid=1&erid=1596909224&trid=81cf73f0-8476-4ec8-b6ed-83454d2d201f&linkid=237055489&isbbox=1 Also @ Grace's website Sun Aug 2 cathedral organist Benjamin Bachman will perform a live organ concert at 2pm, and again (free) tickets are required and may be reserved at https://bbox.blackbaudhosting.com/webforms/linkredirect?url=https%3a%2f%2forganrecitalatgrace.eventbrite.com%2f&srcid=23501929&srctid=1&erid=1597074458&trid=92ea1bdf-2f84-471a-a7c9-bc3ee17c06d2&linkid=237057027&isbbox=1 From the Diocese There will be a conference entitled "OUR FRAGILE ISLAND HOME: PROTECTING GOD’S CREATION" online on Aug 20-21 using Zoom. For info go to https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=e9dd26764b&e=f136cc0442 Also note that while Bp Lucinda is working with parishes to approve re-entry" plans, for now most larger gathering will remain online, including the annual Diocesan Convention on Nov 7. For more info go to https://mailchi.mp/realepiscopal.org/news-from-the-diocese-of-el-camino-real-july25?e=[UNIQID] From the Broader Church We want to recommend the video talk with several of our churchwide legislative assembly, The House of Deputies, hosted by the President of that House, Ms Gay Clark Jennings and Pete Buttigieg, a recent candidate for the presidential nomination in the Democrat party. "Mayor Pete" told of the import of spirituality as well as his own spiritual journey, and finding The Episcopal Church via Anglicanism in particular while at university, a story similar to my own, with both of us having a joy in the rhythm of the liturgy. The video can be viewed at https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2020/07/16/pete-buttigieg-talks-to-house-of-deputies-on-faith-politics-and-the-spirituality-of-the-everyday/ And the Diocese of Northern California invite you to a free noon-time, 50 minute, brown bag Zoom webinar series beginning August 5 and continuing August 19, September 2 and 16. Join us for one or all to explore how global events are impacting mental health and learn strategies and resources for supporting faith communities, families, local communities and yourself. For registration information, contact Bev Bennett at 408-857-1949 or bevbennett3@gmail.com. For more info go to: http://www.norcalepiscopal.org/a-perfect-storm-mental-health-in-the-collision-of-pandemics
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Folks,
The lessons appointed for this Sunday include the story of Jacob and Leah and Rachel (with trickery resulting in bigamy), a gospel lesson from Matthew in which Jesus, describes the kingdom of heaven in many analogies. But today it seems that the passage from Romans is most relevant and especially the beginning "The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." How ought we to pray? For many prayer has been a rare exercise, especially prayer with the recognition of our humility. Yet when sorely challenged we may find ourselves blurting out our most sincere prayers, and recognising finally just how helpless we all are. I submit that this sort of prayer is what Paul really means when he says that "Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words". Such prayers can be in corporate or group form as well, as when a people are collectively facing great difficulties (droughts, wars, and disease, as in today's health crisis are examples). They might be considered "lamentations" (see the prayer of lament below) and in them we say directly what we are feeling. Is this the answer to "how ought we to pray"? I believe it is, and in his lesson Paul goes on to say one of the quotes I have held onto all my life, that "all things work together for good for those who love God". The passage goes on with a quotation from Psalm 44 what seems to me a clear lamentation: “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” I submit that if we pray with spontaneous sincerity, even in pre-written prayers, we can also realise that all things finally do work together for good even in such difficult times as we now find ourselves and our society, with disease compounded with economic hardship all around. It is then that we can conclude with Paul that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For 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." So I encourage all to "let it all hang out" - to admit that things big and little are difficult - from sickness and death to even the anger at being "cooped up" with travel options limited or barred or wearing masks. But please know with the knowledge of faith at the same time that finally all things DO work together for good! Our love to all in these difficult times, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events Note that while most parishes in the San Luis Obispo Deanery are continuing with online services (see the calendar at https://74061144.view-events.com/calendar/74061144/ as well as individual parish websites as linked at http://sloepiscopalians.org/our-churches.html and some are starting to consider in person events, especially outdoors and following the diocesan guidelines. The individual parish websites will be indicating these as they come along. St Barnabas Church in Arroyo has begun a new video and discussion series: Video series on “Wisdom in Times of Crisis” – Can COVID-19 help us find a deeper spiritual truth? Is there a way to see this crisis— acknowledging all the pain and suffering that comes with it—as a path to rediscovering our interconnectedness? with discussion via Zoom, including on Jul 30, and Aug 6, 13 and 20 (first session was yesterday) via Zoom at https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=6e6148bdd1&e=acee3ced34 or by phone join the Zoom call from your phone or landline calling 1-669-900-6833. When prompted put in the meeting ID of 817 6072 8814# and when prompted for a password put in 908868#, and then hit # a second time. St Benedicts Church in Los Osos is having a discussion group on the book "The Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer via Zoom - see full info at https://www.stbenslososos.org/event-items/the-untethered-soul-a-discussion/ The parish of St Andrews Church will be having a "Scarf Sunday" this Sunday to remember the good times at Camp St Andrews which the parish runs for the benefit of the Diocese especially in view of its cancellation this year due to Covid19. They have put together a program of camp songs and recollections which can be enjoyed beginning on Aug 7 at https://vimeo.com/439096317 and see more of St Andrews many programs at https://campsaintandrews.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47a445ec3a76051753e25c4b&id=e5b15e9d65&e=c59fdc55b8 Note also that in difficult times it is often a comfort to consider God's creation - to "get in touch with Nature" and in this vein we continue to recommend what our friend Rev Roger Wharton calls "The Book of Nature". See his EcoSpirit ministry as presented in online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEV5t5w7iXU From the Deanery We want to note that our longtime friend and Canterbury / Shire chaplain Rev Berkeley Johnson will be leaving for a new post. He has led that group in its quest to make clear that in God's community all are welcome. A Prayer of Lament As mentioned above, our friend Gordon Fuglie of St James Church in Paso Robles has sent along the following prayer: From Gordon Fuglie, Vestry member & parish education: Last Sunday I preached on the need for us to bolster our prayer lives in these difficult times of the Novel Corona Virus. In the Old Testament we find examples of prayers that grow out of frustration, loss, suffering, and tragedy. These are prayers of lament. One third of the Psalms (poems and songs set to music) are laments. And the Book of Lamentations is composed of five fully developed chapters, or prayers, of lament. (I recommend the 3rd chapter.) Such prayers don’t hold back or “try to be polite” for God. We bring our laments to God in our fullest honesty, pain, desperation, and hopes for restoration and wholeness. I offer St. James, St. Lukes, and the churches in the San Luis Obispo Deanery this prayer of lament adapted from the website of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries: _________________________________________________________________ Hear our cry, Almighty God. How long will we have to hide in our homes from this invisible enemy? Where will it strike next? And whom? Our video screens relay a continuous escalation of suffering and death. Confusion, panic, and anxiety abound. Our souls are weary from the strain of the life-altering unknowns. Heavenly Father, from the depths of our pain and confusion, we cry out to You. From fear-filled hearts and anxious minds, we plead with You. Rescue us, Father of compassion and grace. We lift up our eyes to You, Lord God: On all who have contracted the virus: Lord have mercy On all who have lost loved ones to this sickness and are in mourning and anguish: Lord have mercy On all who are unable to earn an income because their jobs have been suspended: Lord have mercy We cry out for healing and needed resources. We cry out for comfort and peace. On all medical professionals and caretakers attending to those infected with the virus: Christ have mercy On all scientists and technologists striving to find a vaccine and make it available: Christ have mercy On all leaders of institutions and governments as they make decisions to try and contain the virus: Christ have mercy We pray for strength in the long and exhausting hours of labor, and for wisdom in medical research and facing difficult decisions. On all who have not yet contracted the virus: Lord have mercy On the most vulnerable of our society who are unable to buy extra food or get proper medical attention: Lord have mercy On all disciples of Jesus who are discerning how to reflect His love to others in this crisis: Lord have mercy We plead for protection of health. We plead for all to remain calm and kind. You, Lord are the everlasting God, the Creator of the expanse of the universe. And yet this earth is no longer as You created it to be. Holy Father, our earth groans from the devastation caused by the curse of the Fall. My God, one day You will liberate creation from its bondage to decay and death. Your Word is true. Life is sacred and precious in your sight. You are the God Who sees us and sustains us. Nothing can separate us from Your unfailing love and kindness, not even sickness or the fear of the unknown. You are our Light as we walk in this darkness. We will remember to celebrate the beautiful gifts You have given us in this present moment. Almighty God, You are our Rock, our Refuge, our Hiding Place. You calm our frantic thoughts and fill our despairing hearts with joy and strength. You restore our souls. AMEN Dear Friends,
This week's email will be brief since we had to travel to San Francisco for Tony's sister Cynthia Saponate's funeral event, the scattering of ashes. The lessons appointed include from Genesis ("Jacob's Ladder") Paul's letter to the Romans, and from Matthew's gospel. Yet our inspiration this day comes from Cindy. And what a mighty testimony Cindy is! Though challenged by diabetes which made her flesh fall prey to many ills. Cindy was a "trooper" who lived by the Spirit - which is life indeed - as Paul says in this Sunday's epistle "for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." In her short life (she was just 48) Cindy LIVED, and even cared for her siblings some, including two brothers unable to live outside institutional care, which she refused for herself. She could have said along with Paul "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us." May we all find such inspiration from our families, friends and neighbours! We give thanks for the many friends and parishes who included Cindy, Tony, and all of us in their prayers. For all of us at St Matts! Bart (and Tony!) Events As always, please refer to the Events tabs at the San Luis Obispo Deanery website at https://74061144.view-events.com/calendar/74061144/ as well as at the churches websites listed under http://sloepiscopalians.org/our-churches.html and also note that several parishes are considering beginning "in-person" events, primarily outdoors. While we are waiting patiently (including us at St Matts, worshipping at home) for such events we will be glad when they become real. At the same time we are grateful to Bp Lucinda and our diocesan administration especially at this time when we can see that the "pandemic" is not yet behind us. From the Diocese We have mentioned several times our friend Roger Wharton's ministry, and we encourage all to visit his "EcoSpirit" website at facebook at https://m.facebook.com/EcoChaplain/posts/116052923381605 Since Tony(!) and I are tree-planters, Roger sent us a quote (one of many from EcoSpirit) that reminded him of our work at the ranch: "The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.—Ralph Waldo Emerson" We think you will many wise words at EcoSpirit. A Personal Note We thank you, our friends, for reading our thoughts and bits of news and hope you will "stay in touch". Please keep Cindy (Cynthia Saponate, Tony's sister), Tony(!), Kaeda Kelley Barrios (who is healing well) an all of us in your prayers. Folks,
The lessons this Sunday include from Paul writing to the church in Rome urging the life of the Spirit, and Matthew's recounting of Jesus telling the parable of the sower (that some will hear the word and understand it). But once again the family life in Genesis captivates me. For in the story of Esau and Jacob, not only brothers but in fact fraternal twins, we can see directly that people of other nations, indeed other races, are in fact our siblings. While sibling rivalry can be extreme, it is two-sided coin, with sibling love and support a big part of the family picture. When the twins were 15 years old Esau sells his "birthright" to Jacob (the text suggests that Esau "despised" his birthright). It is clear from the story that the birthright is not a matter of material possessions but rather an identity of Spirit which commenters say comes from God. But please note that the story doesn't leave Esau out in the cold, for he is given a different and lesser birthright. It is this twist in the story I find most helpful, since it suggests that even those who at first did not recognise the import of a spiritual identity may come to see it over time. Because of Jacob's deception, tricking Esau into selling his birthright, Esau swears to kill his brother once their father Isacc is dead. The story comes around with the twins reconciling after, as Rabbi Andrea Schneider notes, Jacob takes small steps of gifts as "peace-offerings" to begin the reconciliation process. The night after the gifts are made, Jacob "wrestle with God" and receives his new name (and that of his "nation") Israel. Esau demurs saying he has enough, but Jacob insists saying "accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God". When we have that special chance to effect a difficult reconciliation) we can understand Jacob - now Israel's feeling. As Rabbi Schneider puts it: "This sacred story shows just how difficult reconciliation is. It involves risk; comes with sacrifice, even injury; and takes faith and trust in one’s God. The “Israel” of Torah teaches us, however, that when we do this; and are finally able to see “the face of God” in the face of our enemy and reconcile with our brother; we will be blessed." May we seek to see the fact of God in all, including those with whom we need reconciliation! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events While we at St Matthews continue worshipping in our homes, some of us will as well be joining in with some of the virtual services. Note that it appears that several parishes in the Deanery have nearly completed their plans to return to "in-person" events. Please be sure to check the events at www.SLOEpiscopalians.org and in particular at https://74061144.view-events.com/calendar/74061144/ On that Events page for tomorrow you will see that besides regular events St Benedict's Feast Day will be celebrated with Bp Lucinda Ashby be making her official visit to the parish of St Benedicts in Los Osos, a zoom event at both the 8 and 10:30am services and at the coffee hour. All three events can be joined by clicking on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7977776046?pwd=VUFZSXY3UVpNVitJaDl2VmhPS3E2UT 09 [us02web.zoom.us] Another very interesting event is set for tomorrow at 2pm when Peggy Myrick of St Stephens Church in San Luis Obispo will lead a book study group considering the book "White Fragililty" by Robin DiAngelo. This study broup might lead to a dialogue on the issues of white supremacy and inequality. Besides the "regular" (but no less interesting) events we want to remind you of the "special events" page at http://sloepiscopalians.org/deanery-events.html From the Broader Church We also note that while many summer camp programs have been cancelled due to the Covid19 epidemic, some are building online camp and retreat programs, including at the Bishops Ranch near Healdsburg - see the BREAD camp program, running from July 19 to 31 at https://bishopsranch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bb9b06539cb9bbffefafae15&id=e57c6ce29a&e=7ea56651b4 Also beginning July 19 is the Buddhist-Christian five-say silent meditation retreat, this year in an online format. For more info see https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=7270a228df&e=f136cc0442 Dear Friends,
This Sunday's lessons include from Genesis including Isaac taking Rebekah as his wife, a rather tortured epistle from Paul to the Romans dwelling on his guilt and from Matthew's gospel what may be viewed as a response to the epistle lesson good enough to quote it here with indented comment: "Jesus said to the crowd, “To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ Paul was concerned about his own actions - and inactions. Jesus recognised such concern among the faithful, noting that even when He acted for the good of many they did not respond. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” In these actions and inactions it seems you cannot win, but At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. In the above Jesus does not directly address Paul's guilt feelings (feelings that we all share from time to time). Rather he responds to them by setting things "in perspective" - the loving teacher which is the community of faith and will lead you to knowing the godly way. He then sums it up in this statement: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This is my sense of how these two lessons fit together. But while I will not try to fit the Genesis lesson in with the others, I would not ignore it - for Rebekah clearly was a good woman, and in time the mother of Jacob - that is Israel. Musing on this story, I can understand why the women's group attached to the International Odd Fellows (IOOF) - a fraternal group especially active in homesteading days, called themselves the Rebekahs. May we show strength in doing good like Rebekah, even as we allow any sense of guilt to slip away under the easy burden of faith in a God who is with us. Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events This weekend we will be travelling for work. But with the advent of all the virtual services we have a great selection from which to choose. During the past week we very much enjoyed the joint St Barnabas / St James Evening Prayer on Wednesday, as well as Compline on Thursday night. For many of the service choices in our local community (the SLO Deanery) we recommend going to www.sloepiscopalians.org especially the calendar at https://74061144.view-events.com/calendar/74061144/ and of course our own prayerbook services here at the ranch. If you have read this far, we hope you will read about the Special Event, as well as Bp Lucinda's message and a timely book review about Pope Francis, all below. Special Event We have mentioned before this special event, very much related with Bp Lucinda's message this week (see below): White Fragility: A Book Discussion Group The death of George Floyd has again brought a spotlight to the issue of racism in America. Racial inequality, white supremacy and policing tactics are all front and center in our collective consciousness, but how long will these issues stay at the forefront of our minds. In the past as similar horrendous acts have taken place, we as Americans say “something must be done” and then before long we go back to whatever we call our normal lives. It seems that ‘white America’ doesn’t understand the concepts of systemic racism or white supremacy and therefore doesn’t put any effort into changing. Or maybe these issues are too uncomfortable for us to face, and so we don’t face them. To change requires that you become educated or more aware of systemic racism in America and what needs to happen to deal with it. I would like to start a discussion group based on the book White Fragility written by Robin DiAngelo. This book I believe is a good starting point to begin that education process. Please join me to discuss how we might start a dialogue on the issues of white supremacy and racial inequality. Hard copies of the book may be hard to come by since most online outlets are sold out and a waitlist has been established. Online book retailers such as Amazon, Kobo and Barnes and Noble all have eBook versions that can be downloaded and may be quicker to purchase. We will be using the Reading Guide by Ozlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo for this book as we progress through the chapters. The Reading/Study Guide in PDF can be found free online or I can send a copy by email. Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you, Peggy Myrick, 805-453-0224 pamyrick@gmail.com Zoom Meeting: Topic: White Fragility - Book Discussion Group Time: Jul 12, 2020 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) https://zoom.us/j/3271528720?pwd=M1hJQlhXNGJORlNBb3NXVHpZY0Yrdz09 Meeting ID: 327 152 8720 Password: 0908 Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) , +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) From the Diocese A Message from Bp Lucinda A time of contrasts Dear People of El Camino Real, As we approach this July 4th weekend, I marvel at our current place in the ongoing history of our country. We are in a time of contrasts, shaped by COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter. Some say we have been here before; others believe this is a new path toward the future. The issues raised are scriptural, theological, and have deep implications for how our society and our church find their ways forward. Masking and Unmasking: COVID-19 has us all wearing masks to protect others from the germs that you and I may carry that could compromise someone else’s health. We call this “loving our neighbor.” By contrast, the Black Lives Matter movement compels each person to explore the topic of race in this country and unmask the face that we have put to our narrative—as a church as well as a country. This is also “loving our neighbor.” Neither wearing the mask for COVID nor unmasking our systemic racism are convenient or easy. Both involve a holy offering for the sake of our common future as people of this country and citizens of the world. Urgent and Measured: The murders of young black people call for a swift, energized response to issues around race. The phrase from our Baptismal Covenant, “Respect the dignity of every human being,” compels us to act as allies, as advocates, as fellow marchers, and supporters as we respond to the raw woundedness of our history around race. Our work, however, must be measured if there is to be long-term impact. If we truly “respect the dignity of every human being,” we need to learn, study, listen, and dig deeply within ourselves, down into our own DNA, into our family histories and habits, in order to begin to change the racial landscape. This is hard work. It is painful work, listening to and learning from those who cry out to be heard, especially as some of us confront the truth of our own complicity—or the “sins done on our behalf.” One of my greatest concerns is that we, as a church, as a society, and as a country, will be satisfied with removing statues or changing names of buildings or bridges without doing the hard work. There is great temptation on the part of our society to do so; as Christian folk, we must be leaders in taking the deeper dive into our racist past. When the marchers have gone home, and the cameras have moved on—which they are doing—we need to remain in the hard place of doing the ongoing work around race. As our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry says, “We’ll still be here.” This July 4th, we are reminded that ours is a church with a checkered past around human rights, yet we are hopeful for the future—for there are truths to be told and truths to be heard. We are hopeful because we have seen God do amazing things in hard times. We are hopeful because there are new prophets and preachers, new voices calling for freedom, for justice and for peace. So, yes, I marvel at our current place in history, and I also have great hope for our future. Thank you for sharing this amazing pilgrimage. Book Review We have been frequently receiving input from friends that make interesting additions to the News, and this week we have a review of a book about Pope Francis written by our friend from St James Church in Paso Robles, Michael Coffin, with an intro written by another friend, Gordon Fuglie, of the same parish: A Note from Gordon Fuglie, St. James Parish Education & Chapel Library Becoming the church of Jesus in the 21st century: Across the Christian spectrum, thoughtful believers are pondering how to re-vitalize their churches. Who do we have to become in order to minister to a broken world? For some, it means a deeper spiritual quest, changing course, and discerning God’s will. Pope Francis has been struggling with these matters for a Catholic Church facing long-needed reforms. Among his efforts was his coming to grips with the very essence of God and his relation to humankind. By 2015, Francis discerned that the heart of God’s “identity” and purposes for people is mercy. As our God is compassionate and forgiving toward us, so must his people be also. In 2016, an English translation of the pontiff’s theological insights was published. St. James parishioner Michael Coffin reviews it below. Book Review by Michael Coffin, St. James Episcopal Church The Name of God is Mercy: A conversation with Andrea Tornielli, by Pope Francis This brief book is compiled from interviews with Pope Francis conducted by a trusted Vatican reporter at La Stampa, Andrea Tornielli. The interviews were conducted following the release of the Holy See’s 2015 Bull of Indiction declaring The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, or The Holy Year of Mercy. The full text of the Misericordiae Vultus (the face of mercy) appears at the back of the book. Expanding on the central theme in his decree, the Pope establishes mercy as Christ’s most important message, and makes a convincing argument that mercy and compassion is the medicine that can heal our world. In addition, Francis addresses the nature of sin, and how our admission of sin acts as a path to humility and, ultimately, enable us to become genuinely merciful. Breaking through the powerful barrier of the ego is necessary to recognizing one’s own sin, and the Pope speaks authoritatively on the role of the confessional in helping people reach this critical moment of realization. Francis wants us to see this as the point in our journey — the opening — where God delivers to us the gifts of mercy and compassion that will transform our lives. Maintaining humility is an effort and a practice the pontiff applies to himself. He sees himself as “the servant of the servants of God,” and although his duties require him to lead his church from the top, his actions reflect a desire to lead from the bottom. This is not overtly stated in the book, but is my impression from reading his remarks. Most importantly, Francis views himself as a person who has been forgiven many sins in his life. His ability to openly state this to prisoners and heads of state alike is, in my opinion, a key to his credibility and success in leading an ancient and tradition-bound institution into the future. Tornielli’s interview questions were provided to Pope Francis in advance, so he was able to organize his responses, which I think improved the quality of the book. During the taped interviews, the pontiff kept his Bible open and at the ready to support the points he was making. Judging by the questions that were asked, it is obvious the interviewer is faithful and supportive of the pontiff. To his credit, Tornielli tossed in a few challenging questions, including the Pope’s remarks on gay people (Rio de Janiero, 2016) that triggered backlash from conservative Catholics. Francis did not quail in his responses. While his answers reflect some generational and cultural biases and the influence of his church (he views sexual orientation as tendency), they also reflect his deep belief that we are all children of God who equally deserve mercy, compassion and respect, and must not be marginalized. Overall, the pontiff’s remarks suggest a subtle and carefully designed plan for progress, and his tone reflects a Christian love that is both inspiring and comforting. Although I am not Catholic, I find myself attracted to this man of God and his teachings on the qualities of mercy. ??ead this book if, like me, you are interested in better knowing Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Jesuit priest from Buenos Aires who succeeded Benedict XVI to become Pope Franciscus, the first Jesuit pope; the first from the Americas; the first from the Southern Hemisphere; and the first pope from outside Europe since the 8th century. |
WILLIAM BARTOSH
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