REDONDOWRITER'S SACRED ORDINARY

Musings on Jesus's Call to the Fishermen of Galilee - and the Story's Relevance Today

 

When my friend Mary Lou and I went on our pilgrimage trip to Israel last February, one of the things we did--as most Christian tourists do--was go on a fishing boat on the Sea (really a lake) of Galilee. Highly touristy, I'll admit, but also highly meaningful to me personally. This young man gave a demonstration of what it would have been like to cast the nets some 2,000 years ago. He was also a docent, of sorts, and even taught us to do some Israeli folk dances. 

The readings at church today were about Jesus calling some local fishermen to follow him; he would make them fishers of people. Those of us who are Christians know this story practically by heart. Our rector at Christ Church Redondo Beach, Bob Cornner, preached powerfully on this story in his sermon today and our hour on the waters of the Galilee came vividly to mind. Then my friend Ann Markle, rector of St. Raphael's in Crossville, TN sent me a copy of her deeply meaningful sermon on fishers of men. If you click on her site later this week, her sermon will be posted. 

Each week I try to incorporate the readings at church and in my EfM class into the relevance of my every day life. It always makes me smile when the secular press helps and this recent article in The Huffington Post helped with today's readings. 

Advent 2011 Begins With the First Candle Lighting of the Wreath

Though my own family did not use an advent wreath when I was a kid, it was a custom my husband and I introduced to our children when they were growing up. And, though the kids are long grown up and gone, I still use an advent wreath for myself. I remember the kids being pretty excited each year when we got out our advent wreath; it meant Christmas was right around the corner. Each night during Advent, after dinner, we would light the candles in their right order and say a brief prayer. 

Sunday past, Nov. 27, I went to church with my friend Sallie at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Ojai and that parish's advent wreath can be seen on the left. 

 

This is my own advent wreath at home this year. Below, if you are unfamiliar with the tradition of the advent wreath, is how the custom came about and evolved. I know that Catholics and Episcopals have them on the altar during advent, but I don't know what other Christian denominations do. The following has been adapted from Christian Style. 

History of the Advent Wreath

The full history of the advent wreath is not clear. What we do know is that it seems to originate from pre-Christian Germanic peoples. During the short winter days, candles were often used to signify the coming of the New Year and the lengthening of the day after winter solstice. Often this use of candles was combined with a wreath or a wheel (the wheel of time), as a prayer for the seasons to cycle back to the warmth of Spring.. This use of candles and a wheel/wreath symbol was gradually adapted over time to create the tradition we now have of the advent wreath. 

Catholic and Episcopal Symbolism of the Advent Wreath

Advent wreathes are filled with symbols about the coming of Christ and the eternal nature of God. Here are some explanations of the symbols of the advent wreath:

• Flame: The use of flame represents Christ as the "light of the world."
• Evergreens signify the continuous life and victory over death.
• Holly, with its prickly leaves, symbolizes the crown of thorns.
• Nuts and seeds in the wreath decoration symbolize new life and new birth.

The Four Candles of the Advent Wreath

Each of the candles on the Advent wreath represent one of the weeks of advent. Some also talk about the candles represented 1,000 years of the roughly 4,000 years between Adam and Eve and the birth of Jesus. Three of the candles are purple (to symbolize waiting) and one is pink. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of advent, on something called Gaudete Sunday. This is a Sunday of celebration as advent is half over and Christmas is very close. 

The Christ Candle

Some traditions include a white candle in the middle of the wreath to symbolize Christ. This candle is lit on Christmas Eve and continues to be lit during the rest of the Christmas season. You could also replace the pink and purple advent candles with four white candles and continue using the wreath as a Christmas wreath until Epiphany. 

Using an Advent Wreath

To use an advent wreath, the tradition is to light one candle during the first week of advent and two purple candles during the second week. One pink and two purple candles are lit during the third week of and all the candles during the fourth week of advent. At the lighting of the candles, a brief prayer is usually said. The typical time to light the candles is at dinner time after the blessing of the food.

 

Second Station on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem

When Mary Lou and I were on our pilgrimage tour in the Holy Land in February, we walked the Via Dolorosa, or the Way of the Cross. The time we spent in Galilee, Nazareth and all the places of Jesus's ministry was deeply moving to me and I had apprehension about Jerusalem. Holy Week has always been hard for me, but I will admit that being in Jerusalem following Jesus's journey beginning on Palm Sunday brought new insights into my Christianity.

And then it was time for the Passion walk. We walked from our hotel in the Old City to the Way of the Cross at 5 a.m. and to my surprise, we actually carried a cross four at a time from station to station. The last stations are actually inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This was the second station after Jesus condemnation and when he is first given his cross. Mary Lou and I are the ones in the red coats carrying the cross. 

I was so occupied with family the entire day and evening today but I frequently remembered the significance of Good Friday. I will never forget this experience. 

Rain Reminds Me of How Much Thomas Merton Has Meant to Me in My Life

I was so delighted two days ago to find that one of my favorite bloggers, Rain at Rainy Day Thoughts, had recently watched a documentary on the late Trappist monk Thomas Merton and was drawn to his life and to his work. Merton has had a profound effect on my life since I first read Seven Storey Mountain in the late 1950s. It had been written in 1948 but I didn't convert to Catholicism until 1958.

I would later write my M.A. thesis on Merton and even made a Merton pilgrimage of his upper west side NYC environs when I was with students at Columbia University for a journalism program. The Columbia archives gave me access to his papers, I visited with the then pastor at Corpus Christi Church where Merton received instruction for his conversion to Catholicism and baptism. It's only a few blocks from Columbia and the pastor had many stories to tell. I visited apartments Merton had lived in and some of his known hang-outs. It was a deeply moving experience for me. 

The Thomas Merton Center and the International Thomas Merton Society are at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.  

I think I have copies of all the books Merton wrote and many written about him and his Thoughts in Solitude contains the passage of his that I have pasted next to my home and work computers: 

Thomas Merton: From the Love of Solitude, Part II, “Thoughts in Solitude”

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

When I conduct spiritual journal workshops I sometimes use a handout called Writing Springboards From Thomas Merton. I am amazed how Merton's writings speak to so many people cross-religiously and cross-culturally. He is a phenomena. 

The following excerpt from one of the documentaries about Merton, "Soul Searching: The Journey of Thomas Merton," shows his beloved hermitage, but it also features his voice. When I listen to this, though I never heard him speak in person, I am thrown back to a time when I studied him endlessly, wrote about him, and listened to audio tapes of him lecturing or reading from his books. This particular clip's last sentence is particularly haunting knowing how he died. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marked With Ashes: Ash Wednesday Begins Lent

Today is the first day of Christian Lent and I went to Christ Episcopal Church in Redondo Beach this evening for the service and the annual imposition of ashes. 

When I was younger I used to give things up for Lent, but as I've grown older I've come to a different meaning of the 40 days of the season leading up to Easter. It's more about going inward, reaching outward, letting go of the old and bringing in the new. 

The rector this evening read this poem and I want to share it with any of you who might comfort and new meaning to Lent:

Marked by Ashes

by Walter Brueggemann (b. 1933)

Ruler of the Night, Guarantor of the day . . .
This day — a gift from you.
This day — like none other you have ever given, or we have ever received.
This Wednesday dazzles us with gift and newness and possibility.
This Wednesday burdens us with the tasks of the day, for we are already halfway home
     halfway back to committees and memos,
     halfway back to calls and appointments,
     halfway on to next Sunday,
     halfway back, half frazzled, half expectant,
     half turned toward you, half rather not.

This Wednesday is a long way from Ash Wednesday,
   but all our Wednesdays are marked by ashes —
     we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth:
       of failed hope and broken promises,
       of forgotten children and frightened women,
     we ourselves are ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
     we can taste our mortality as we roll the ash around on our tongues.

We are able to ponder our ashness with
   some confidence, only because our every Wednesday of ashes
   anticipates your Easter victory over that dry, flaky taste of death.

On this Wednesday, we submit our ashen way to you —
   you Easter parade of newness.
   Before the sun sets, take our Wednesday and Easter us,
     Easter us to joy and energy and courage and freedom;
     Easter us that we may be fearless for your truth.
   Come here and Easter our Wednesday with
     mercy and justice and peace and generosity.

We pray as we wait for the Risen One who comes soon. 

 

 

 

 

Blessing a Rebuilt Church Hall: Stumbling Toward Ecstasy Sunday

Today was a big day for little Christ Episcopal Church in Redondo Beach, CA. Three years ago the church hall burned down and today the new hall was officially blessed by the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, Jon Bruno. A small church that holds about 200 people, it was filled to the brim today. 

Since today is Stumbling Toward Ecstasy Sunday as hosted by Rebecca at recuerda mi corazon, a few of the photos from this morning's event made me realize that I was actually ecstatically stumbling on this Sunday, and only a block from my home. Four or five years ago I decided I needed a change and decided to try out a very small Episcopal Church built in 1893. I was a Roman Catholic by conversion at age 21 but I no longer felt comfortable there exclusively for a variety of reasons. 

It took me time to make the switch and I'll admit that if someone asks me what religion I practice, I say Episcopal, but I'm Catholic, too. The Holy Land pilgrimage I'm going on next month is led by a local Franciscan priest I've known many years. I am a person who is at home in almost all houses of worship and I have been a seeker all of my life. I practice religion more for the community as I carry God in my heart, but I seem to recognize my own sanctity and the sanctity of others best when I get my weekly reinforcement at church. I forget so easily. 

So, here's a few highlights from today, which you can enlarge with a click: 

First of all, this is our oldest parishoner, Helen, who is with David, our Director of Music. Helen turned 100 last year. That's a hand knit prayer shawl made by someone in the parish that she is wearing. She wears it everywhere! David goes every Sunday and picks Helen up at her home where she still lives on her own. At a time I am having trouble remembering things, Helen, somehow or other, remembers all our names when she greets us. 

And here are the firemen who came on the night of the fire to put it out. The firehouse is a half block from my house and right across from the church. We honored these men today. On our twice daily walks, Mollie and I always go by the firehouse. Those guys are great cooks and quick responders. They kept our church itself from burning down on the night of the hall fire. 

These young people are another reason I feel so comfortable as an Episcopal. This diocese, under the direction of Bishop Bruno, is inclusive. Girls and women play an equal role in the church. Our congregation is very small, but we have some wonderful young children, too. 

Here is Bishop Jon leaving the altar along with our rector Bob Cornner while a member of the choir sings enthusiastically near one of our beautiful stained glass windows. I'm usually in the choir, but today I was an usher. Small and old as the church is, it is exquisite and simply hums with history. 1893! Bishop Jon's sermon was so inclusive and gave me so much food for thought that I came home later and wrote about it in my journal. Fr. Bob's sermons are also like that. 

This photo of Bishop Jon and his wife, however, is a very favorite of mine that I took some three years ago. I was on a pilgrimage tour of Turkey and Greece hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of L.A. and they were sitting on a wall near one of the ruins we visited just as the sun was going down. They are parents and grandparents and cherish their family just as they cherish all of us in the Diocese. Both are down-to-earth and fully accessible people. 

So, that's my little stumble for today, although it felt more like an ecstatic ramble. 

 

Father Bob and Mother Kat on the Feast of Christ the King

Today was the feast of Christ the King and this is a special day at the church I attend, Christ Episcopal Church in Redondo Beach. That is who the church is named after. This is Fr. Bob Cornner, our rector, and our associate, Mother Katherine Keyser-Mary. We call her Mother Kat. 

Mother Kat's vestment is spectacular--beautifully quilted on front and back. It was hand made for her when she retired as chaplain in Episcopal Homes. Inside of it are embroidered several names and wishes to her from the people she loved and served. Fr. Bob is announcing that he has advent calendars for all the kids. Advent starts next Sunday. Next Sunday is also the second annual taping of the Christmas story with the children playing the roles. It is shown to the parish at Christmas. This has turned out to be a very creative solution for making sure all the kids who want to participate get an opportunity to do so as many are not actually at church at Christmas but with their extended families. 

I'd like to mention another Episcopal priest friend, Ann Markle, from St. Raphael's Parish in Crossville, TN.  Ann is a wonderful preacher, as are Fr. Bob and Mother Cat, and Ann sends me a copy of her sermon each week--and today was Christ the King. Ann, how about posting your sermons on your parish's website? I bet all your parishoners would love that and probably a whole lot of other people would, too. 

So, I got the wisdom of two of my favorite priests. 

Lately I have been so deeply touched by the "simple" things in my parish and in my community. It reminds me of a simpler time when I was a child, before fancy dinners and benefits with caterers and high-end auctions. 

Two and a half years ago Christ Church's hall burned down and tomorrow it will be officially completed. We've been celebrating and meeting on the fly -- and I, for one, have far more appreciation of the ministry and our community now that we can expand what we do again. What a Thanksgiving we will have. 

 

Bible in One Hand, Today's Newspaper in the Other

As I have mentioned before, I am currently in the second year of a four year Episcopal program called Education for Ministry, or EfM. I have studied religions since I was a young child and my M.A. degree is in Humanities with an emphasis on religious studies. I was drawn to this program not because I want to become an official minister, but to continue fleshing out the beliefs I've gained over my lifetime and see them in the context of Christianity as I understand it at this point in time. By strict Christian definition, some would call me a heretic, but I've grown quite comfortable with my way of thinking. Some think I'm a cafeteria Christian, but I like to think that if I do no harm to others purposefully, find comfort in my relationship with God, Higher Power, or Christ, and that I live in community as best I can, my participation in religion as I know it is good enough for this go-around. This program starts with the Old Testament the first year; New Testament the second year; church history is third year, and the fourth year covers theological choices.

When I was studying Christianity at the university, I was extremely drawn to tehologians Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth. When I was studying my class material this week, a Karl Barth quote leaped out: "We hold the Bible in one hand and today's newspaper in the other, if we are to be faithful to what we know and who we are."

 

A Powerful Lesson in Impermanence From the Sand Mandala

Yesterday I posted about the Tibetan monks who came to my school to create a sand mandala.  Part of this painstakingly beautiful and detailed process is the deconstruction of the creation which began at 2:30 p.m. The library was packed with children from 5 to 18, faculty, staff, parents. Everyone was mesmerized. The children were raptly attentive. The man who came with the monks explained the impermanence of the mandala and a beautiful ceremony followed with lots of chanting and instruments. I saw several people with tears in their eyes--and I was one of those people. 

Here are two photos of the mandala when it was completed. The spokesman said this is a simple mandala but the larger ones take days to make--with the deconstruction being the sacred culmination. 

The monks wore special clothing for the deconstruction ceremony--very colorful. The following photos show the monks in ceremonial dress and then one of the deconstruction itself. I will never, ever forget this.

The grains of sand ultimately lay in a small pile in the center of the table. Then the monks, using a small brass tool, filled tiny bags with sand for those who wanted to take some sand home. I got really teary when I got my sand and I thought to myself, "I want to have my family bury me with these grains of sand."

If you go to YouTube and type sand mandalas, there are countless videos of various sizes of mandalas you can see. I'm still feeling awe struck.  

SoulCollage: Death by Inquisition, Abuse, Excess and Rigidity

This is a SoulCollage card I made a few months ago and that I have not been able to name or really work with, but it haunts me. Without a title or a suit, I can't focus on what it means to me.

Two weeks ago I saw Angels and Demons and because I have this card laying out on my art table--and laying on my computer desktop--I have kept looking at it repeatedly. Angels and Demons was my favorite Dan Brown book of them all, although I had trouble with the film because of the violence. It's one thing to read it and quite another to see it. 

I am no longer a practicing Catholic, but I do go to an Epsicopal Church because I like the liturgy. I was a convert to Catholicism at 21 and in my heart of hearts, I suppose I will always be a Catholic on some level. 

Tonight I watched the PBS documentary "Soul Searching: The Journey of Thomas Merton" and I recalled so vividly how the Trappist monk Merton, another convert, had influenced me from the time he wrote "The Seven Storey Mountain." In the mid 1980s I wrote my master's thesis on "Dialogues With Thomas Merton." Merton's untimely death in 1968 has made all of us who he influenced wonder how he would have remained within the constraints of a Church that was having a hard time changing. 

This card reminds me of the inquisition, of child abuse, of clerical excess, of rigidity and morbidity. I almost want to name this corpse of a priest so I can personalize him and have a dialogue with him about all the things that trouble me about organized religion. 

And that's what SoulCollage is really all about. Our cards invite us to go beneath the surface. What would you name this card and what feelings does it evoke in you?