OUR RELIGION IS A PEACE-BUILDER

 

The world feels to be in turmoil. We have two major wars going on this week. We lament that the invasion of the Ukraine has now entered its sixth hundredth day. The foreign ministers of the major Western countries are hop-scotching from government to government in the Middle East trying to bring stability and sanity to the war-torn situation. 

 

While all this is exploding my prayer turns towards the power to work and build peace that comes from my Christian religion. This is not an escape but a challenge to be embraced by the power that comes from living in the Gospel of Christ. 

 

We must never deny the power of evil or deny the terrible consequences of any war. We must walk through the graveyards of the soldiers of war and all the victims of war who suffered  as a result of disease, displacement and starvation. At every turn we must ask: what has war ever accomplished? How has war ever made humanity better? 

 

Every war, every battle (even the battles between the drug gangs on our Canadian streets) is a failure of humanity. We are at our worst selves when we make war!

 

How many countless people have been displaced and have their homes and their fields destroyed by war? Has anyone ever counted the number of refugees from all the wars of the last one hundred years? The suffering is indescribable!

 

The first victim, the first person to be shot down in a war, will be the truth!

 

We Christians have a very poor history when it comes to making war and causing great suffering to displaced refugees. We have much to repent by our participation and support for making war. 

 

Christians have always had a difficult time trying to justify the making of war.  Way back in the fifth century we had the thinking of Augustine that created the ‘just war’ theory. With the advent of atomic weapons that theory collapses. 

 

Jesus came to bring humanity to be builders of peace. 

 

This is where every human being needs to become aware of the power within their own lives and their own community to bring and build peace. 

 

First, we must be reclaimed by the love of God for every single human being. We must see everyone (no matter how different from ourselves) as the very image of God. We must value, treat every human being with the respect that arises from the simple fact that they exist. Here is where I rejoice to see so many of my fellow Christians deliberately trying to speak good of each person. They wrestle with any feelings of racism, superiority they might be tempted to hold in their own lives. They do the hard work of facing their own shadow side when it comes to valuing other people. 

 

And then they practice respect for each human being. They ask the tough questions, such as ‘does everyone have safe secure dwelling and clean water? ‘ Each country has its blind spots and does not pay attention to the people on the periphery who barely survive. They work for more justice and respect within our own country. And at the same time, they extend that respect and care to the neglected people in other countries.

 

This is not a time to throw up our hands. Our Christian religion gives us great strength. It gives us great power to go forth into the next day with hope.

 

 

SUMMER 2023: THE SUMMER FROM HELL

 

 

 

We cannot believe the number of fires that we have experienced in Canada this past summer. The fire experts tell us that this is so unusual to have major fires, all summer, burning throughout the entire North. We have never experienced so many smoky hours in one season. Not only in Canada but throughout the world there have been major droughts, record breaking temperatures and fires. This is truly the summer from hell!

Last Wednesday, Pope Francis issued a follow up to his ground-breaking encyclical (major Church teaching), ‘Laudato si’. To issue a follow up is very unusual. This means the issue of caring for the earth and reducing carbon emissions is very pressing.

This exhortation,’ Laudate Deum’, laments the foot dragging of our governments, corporations, businesses, countries and individual citizens to move away from carbon consumption. At the same time, it gives encouragement to people of good will to work towards saving our planet.

Here is where everyone in the Church is needed and can make a life-giving contribution. In the past the official teaching of the Church emerged through very dedicated people on the ground but was given official recognition and teaching by the bishops of the Church. Then it was given universal recognition through the office of the Pope. This usually happened in the form of the encyclical (official Church policy). This is how most of the social teachings of the Church developed over the past century and a quarter.

But now we are in a situation where the laity in the Church must develop a spirituality and a way of living the Christian faith that nourishes and preserves the earth. We are all interconnected: every bacteria, tree, gopher and human  being, and no one can survive unless we respect and nourish this inter-connectedness together.

The encyclical of Pope Francis and this follow-up statement must be seen as the starting pistol of the race to save the planet. We are all sent forth to renew our life-style, our consumption habits and working towards greater equality in our time and space. The time is very tight. We are inching close to the 1.5 rise in global temperature and dangerously close to falling over the edge into a much hotter world. The exhortation from last Wednesday is a warming that we could be very close to the tipping edge of climate warming.

All of humanity, and not just Christian believers, must reconnect with the earth, value each part of creation and responsibly use creation in a way that respects the value of every tree, rock and bit of fresh water.

Here is where the laity can make a tremendous contribution to developing a spirituality that values the earth as God values the earth and work toward a life-style that is life-sustaining to our planet. This is not a spirituality that can be developed, alone,  in our church buildings and with our episcopal structures.

This is not a time when our Christians will be told what to do. This is a time to work together into a spirituality that will preserve and help the planet to thrive.

The future our Christian spirituality looks bright. Is it not the Holy Spirit bringing new life out of old, creaky church structures?

 

 

 

WE NEED ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

 

There are people whose lives speak deep truths long after they have died. St. Francis of Assisi (of thirteenth century vintage) is so needed in today’s society. This wild man breathed energy into a period that was creating great divides between the rich and the poor. He proved to be like the yeast in the bread making process: the Christian faith gained a new vitality.

 

We mark his feast day this week on October 4.

 

For this moment focus on his wonderful, warm and compassionate relationship with nature. He preached to the birds (obviously creatures worthy of respect) and he named the world as ‘Brother sun and Sister moon.”

 

Not only were they valuable, but they were family. The creatures of the earth were family.

 

This connection, this frame of mind must once again become ours. We, Western European people, have been so long separated from creation that we regard it simply as a resource to be exploited and then dumped when it is no longer useful to human beings.

 

One of the best examples of this exploitation is the way that human beings have exhausted the soils that grows food and left these depleted land to become a desert that is no longer productive. What would ever happen if we exhausted the huge grain growing areas of the Ukraine and North America?

 

We need St. Francis to teach us to value and care for all of creation. There is serious dialogue in today’s society about the survival of the earth. Will humanity so heat up the atmosphere that it becomes very difficult to produce food? 

 

You will never care for and nourish what you do not love!

 

This is where St. Francis needs to lead us to value and cherish all of creation; not use it and then cast it aside!

 

Spend time today getting in touch with the life-giving power of clean water that we need for our bodies to survive. Breath in clean air and value how important it is for the next few moments of your life. After coming out of a summer filled with days of smoke filled air, we can appreciate how important each breath of fresh, clean air actually is.

 

No one will ever work to preserve and sustain the natural world unless they love it. The survival of the planet is a question of our hearts. How well do we love the earth and all the life it contains? How hard are we willing to work to sustain and promote the goodness of all creation?

 

May the spirit of St. Francis soak into your soul. May his love of creation grow to become your love for all that lives, moves and sustains our earth.

 

Humanity is in need of such an awakening. Once again, we must reconnect with the earth and all forms of life. In this connection may we grow to love and cherish all forms of life. May we value every piece of soil, the summer rains and sunshine.

 

Our future depends on how we reconnect with nature and how we once again value all forms of life.

 

St. Francis, teach us how to love and cherish nature as you did.

 

 

 

 

 

THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH HOUSES

 

We will see a steady stream of speakers about the lack of affordable houses in Canada. There are not enough houses for the peoples/families that need them! In Vancouver and Toronto young people cannot afford to live (the rent is just too high).

 

Every human being needs a dwelling. They need a place to be safe (protected), a place to prepare and eat their meals and a safe place to sleep every night. Housing is a strong a need as clean water is for our bodies.

 

Now, where does God live? Hang his hat?

 

God wants to make his home within the human heart. God wants to make his home in each human being. People may be very respectful of the presence of God inside our church buildings, in the reserved sacrament in the tabernacle and in the elements used in the sacraments. But there can be a complete absence of the sense that God is present and wants to make his home within us.

 

This means that when we gather for prayer the first place of reverence for the presence of God is within our fellow believer. Up to this point we may never have been alerted to the sacred presence of God within the other. Our awareness of God’s presence must develop so that we sense the presence of God in the other. There are many consequences that flow from this when we look around in our church communities and recognize that God is present and active in people who are so different from ourselves.

 

If God makes his home within us, we do not have a passive house guest. This is not some fat, lazy house cat that just wants to be feed. God within us is a restless God. At times, he will be very demanding. And this restless resident may make some very heavy demands on us.

 

He may become the pain of conscience when we choose not to bring respect to people who are different from us, whether that be difference of culture, race, religious identity or sexuality. The presence of God is the first anti-racist movement in society and it happens in our own soul. If you listen! And the listening may be very demanding!

 

The presence of God within us may move us to significant acts of charity. This restless spirit may prod you to take time to visit your ancient aunt in the nursing home. Her family does not seem to care that much. You are being moved to take her hand, hold it with care. All the while, she does not recognize nor remember you. You are bringing moments of human kindness to this wonderful human being. She does not speak. There is no thank-you. But the spirit of God living with you have brought you to this wonderful act of human warm.

 

One of your fellow employees must sharpen his tongue every morning so that he can speak some critical and hurtful things about other human beings. He is not pleasant to be around but you have to work with him eight hours a day. The God who lives within you may give you the courage to clearly confront him and his offensive mouth with “I don’t think that is true.” “Would you like anyone to say such negative things like you have just said?”

 

The presence of God is not pussy-footing but can be very clear and direct. Who said that God was always nice?

 

Spend  a little time reflecting on the home that God has made in your heart and what it means for you daily life.

 

 

 

THIS IS OF NO VALUE TO ME

 

When I drive around the Province, along functioning and non-functioning farm yards, I see old buildings  falling apart. The old barn has not had a coat of paint for at least thirty years. Old sheds have open doors that indicate that the doors are not closable. Drive through many of the little villages and you see many old houses falling apart.

 

Very recently, a young professional woman in her early thirties was offered the fine China sets of her grandmother and great-grand mother. In past generations, a set of fine China wear was a sign of wealth and prestige. The young woman responded to the offer of her mother to the two sets of very good China wear: “I don’t want them!”

 

In all these situations people are making a clear statement. “This old China set and these old buildings are of no value to me” Most people just walk away and leave these things crumble into decay.

 

We bring the same attitude toward our relationships and our participation in the community at large. We may be very involved in the political process when we were younger but have become disillusioned and now keep our distance towards any type of political commitment. “This is no longer of any value to me!”

 

We were good friends through high school and the college years but then he married a classmate and all their involvement is on her side of the family. His marriage jus whittled away any chance to continue the friendship. Now with his complete focus on the in-law side of his family and his history, there are only memories of good friendship in the past. Today there can be no involvement in continuing the friendship because “This is no longer of any value to me!”

 

We used to be very involved in an active prayer life. We continued to have the discipline towards daily prayer that we received from our parents, but life got busy and more independent that we no longer feel the conviction that prayer actually has anything to offer my life. When it comes down to the bottom line of using my daily energy, prayer “no longer has any value to me!”

 

Follow through on the image of driving the roads of Saskatchewan. What parts of your own life are no longer of any use to you? To answer this question honestly does not mean that all the time what we have discontinued is negative. There are many things in life that we must let go of and move on.

 

But there are valuable relationships and values that we have allowed to diminish. Answering this question will alert us to what we have lost along the way.

 

What part of our family life needs new bridges built, a reaching out to rebuild friendships and a strong sense of connection?

 

What part of our religious upbringing and our share in the life of the Church have we let fall, but now need to reconnect?

 

These old, decaying buildings have spurred me on to ask in my own life and relationships, “And what no longer has value for me?”

 

 

HEAVEN IS OPEN ALL NIGHT

 

How many stories on TV have you watched that had a person, lost and lonely, no where to stay for the night; ending up at a all night café or coffee shop? This coffee shop with the lights on becomes an island of safety for a few hours. There is a certain  pointlessness to opening the door. It is so lonely.

 

What \what a good image to consider our God. There are no hours of business or consultation with God. When life is just empty and without direction, or when life is buffeted by storms we can go to God, no matter what the time of day or day of the week. God keeps no hours!

 

We have too much religion but we live in a time of spiritual malnutrition. Too often people will only run to God when the situation of their lives becomes impossible. This is the god of the gaps! God serves as as the last clause on the insurance policy.

 

We want to teach people that God permeates all parts of our lives. Whether or not we pay attention ,God is alive and working in our day-to-day activities. God is never absent from our lives. It is ourselves who are absent from God.

 

This explains why the cross has such a strong hold on our Christian faith. This is God who lives and suffers with us. God is not distant but the sufferings of the cross identify with our own sufferings. God is actually one of us in the tears and the pain of living. We can identify with the suffering God. In all our difficulties, we  are assured that God walks with us.

 

That is why the lonely diner with the lights on in the middle of the night remind us that we can go to God. There are no restrictions or standards of acceptance.

 

The person who is struggling with drug addiction can cry out to God for help to seek help and sobriety in their addiction. There are no office hours with God to cry out for help.

 

The elderly grandmother who cries every night because her children are divided from one another. One son and her only daughter refuse to talk to each other over a dispute over their father’s car when he died seven years ago. Every night she can lay out her pain, her anger and her dis appointment before God. There is no appointment list where to share her pain with God and request a healing to her family.

 

Your forty-seven year old brother struggles with stage four cancer. He can come to God in those dark moments of discouragement and ask for the strength just to get through another day.

 

God is never distant. We can drop into God’s herart at any hour of the day, especially in the lonely hours of the night. Always check, the lights are always on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BE IN TOUCH WITH YOUR OWN POVERTY

 

How you define poverty is a delicate matter. If you identify a successful life with economic security and a decent ownership of personal wealth ( i.e. house, investments, retirement funds) you probably will define poverty as having a very weak flow of cash.

 

If you identify the good life as filled with strong and generous relationships, you will define poverty as being alone; on the margins or without friends. Poor people have no friends!

 

As we move through life, we should be getting a better understanding of who we actually are: our good qualities and our weaknesses. Everyone else knows our weaknesses much better than we do ourselves. Self-knowledge comes only with a lot of hard work.  The last person to ever know our faults and failings would be ourselves!

 

The revealing exercise is to take our finger and slowly move over our arms and legs after we have fallen and rolled down the stairs. We are trying to discover if there is anything bruised, bleeding or simply not working!

 

There is a gaping area of poverty in your person if you eliminate people because of their race, their gender, religion or their country of origin. A healthy, integrated person recognizes their blind spots towards people who are different. This does not mean that such a person does not have difficulties with people from other countries. There may be cultural blocks that limit how respectful we can be at this point in our history.  Knowledge of self means that we do not have to rely on our young , adult children to point out our racist attitudes!

 

The person who will not share, whether it be their wealth, their time, skills and compassion is a very poor person. Their poverty is most often manifest in the word, ‘no.’ They have tremendous talents, a hard working schedule and a wealth of experience, but they are reluctant to every share themselves. People have learnt that you only receive the answer ‘no’ twice and you never ask them for any assistance again. Here you are rich in skills and work habits, but poor in helping your neighbor.

 

There are people who walk in deep poverty because they cannot see the good things in other peoples lives. The grandmother next door  has twelve grandchildren and they visit almost weekly and  you have  no grandchildren! Their poverty is expressed in the absence of any joy over the good things that belong to the lives of others: steadfast friends, children and grand-children, golf buddies and good health. Their poverty is the absence of joy over the good things, the blessings, that flower forth from the lives of others.

 

Poverty is very real but first of all it is a poverty of spirit: our lives have big gapping holes in them: absence of generosity, not rejoicing in the goodness of  others and no sharing. Such a person may have a strong cash flow but be very, very poor in their personal lives.

 

Look around. Where do you see big, gapping holes of poverty in the lives of your co-workers, your relatives and the people you do business with?