As Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas approach we all feel pressured to do more, eat more and buy more. Finding quiet moments to sit and enjoy God is not always easy and I find I need constant reminders. I hope that you enjoy this prayer. May it inspire you to take time each day in this coming week to quiet your mind, calm your spirit and sit in the presence of God.
Woman with an Issue of Blood – Angela Johnson Light of the World Sculpture Garden
In my Monday meditation this week I talked about the importance of names. Being named in the gospels was special. Those that Jesus healed were rarely named, but it is obvious that even these unnamed people mattered to Jesus.
One of my favourite gospel stories is Mark 5:21-43. It is the story of Jesus being asked by Jairus, one of the leaders of the synagogue to come and heal his daughter. On the way he is touched by a woman who suffered for many years from constant bleeding. He stops and takes time to make sure she is identified and that everyone know she has been healed. She is poor, she is ostracized because of her condition and she is obviously afraid, because according to the Jewish tradition of the time she should have been part of that crowd. She was unclean and certainly unfit to touch the hem of Jesus garment. But Jesus welcomes her, heals and tells her “Your faith has made you well, go in peace (shalom) your suffering is over.” (Mark 5:34)
Llya Rypin, the Raising of Jairus’ Daughter, 1871
In the meantime Jairus’s daughter dies. I can just imagine the angry mutterings in the crowd when this is announced. Why did he wait? Why did he bother about this nobody when he had the chance to heal an important leader’s daughter? Some I am sure wanted to blame the woman for wasting Jesus time. Instead of healing her and ending her suffering, they wanted to add to it.
Jesus response to the crowd contrasts their lack of faith to that which the woman has just shown. “Don’t be afraid” he says, “just have faith.” And of course he goes on to the leader’s house and heals his now dead daughter, once more embracing and including the unclean and breaking the Jewish traditions. He touches a dead body and no matter how important this child’s parent’s may have been, that was something you were not meant to do.
This story is so profound at so many levels and it never ceases to touch my heart. The way that Jesus reaches out to the rich and the poor in a single sweeping expression of his ability to heal is awe inspiring. The fact that both are women makes it even more profound. We are never told the names of either the woman or the child, but we are aware that in this moment they are sisters embraced and welcomed together into the family of God.
This story always fills me with hope. Jesus notices the most insignificant and seemly rejected of our society. Even the poor and ostracized, those at the margins whose names we never know matter to him.
But he also reaches out to the rich and the powerful. All are included in his embrace. He does not just heal and restore them but welcomes them into the same family together. That is truly an expression of shalom and of the unconditional love of God.
I have some exciting news to share with you. Godspace is growing and changing and it is time to make these changes official. I know I shared much of this last month but feel the change is so important that I thought you would not mind me sharing it again.
This blog began as a place for me to share personal reflections about my faith and the garden. I then started asking others to contribute to the Advent and Lenten series then to a summer series. The blog has taken off in a way that I never anticipated and continues to expand and grow in its reach, partly as a result of the rich and varied contributions from other writers. I have been prayerfully considering what this means for the future.
This is not just Christine Sine’s blog anymore!
First I want to make sure that the contributions of others are given full recognition. I am more and more uncomfortable with myself being identified as the “author” of Godspace when so many others contribute. I want Godspace to become known for the variety of authors and voices not as my voice alone.
Part of my life calling is to give voice to those who have no voice and I realize that Godspace provides an outlet for some writers who do not have time or expertise for keeping your own blog. Because this blog is commonly ranked in the top 200 Christian blogs it also expands the audience for many new authors.
Second, Godspace will, over the next few months, become the official blog for Mustard Seed Associates.
So what does this mean?
We have just established a new contributor’s page with over 30 writers from 7 countries who will contribute articles, poems and liturgies regularly to the blog. We expect that this will continue to grow as we give voice to new authors and contributors. Many of these contributors have written books that we also hope to highlight over the coming months.
I am excited about this change as it will give me more time to pray, reflect and craft the meditations and prayers that I write. Quality not quantity! I will continue to be the chief contributor and editor, with Monday Meditations and Friday prayers becoming my regular weekly contributions.
How would this effect the focus of Godspace?
Sustainable life, sustainable faith is what comes to my mind when I think about what we try to communicate on Godspace. Through inspiration, contemplation and creativity, we seek to provide resources that encourage people to reimagine their lives and faith to be more effective in addressing the challenges of the rapidly changing world in which we live.
This focus will continue as a place to share the interaction between faith and everyday life, as well as a place to raise awareness of issues of sustainability and concern for justice for those at the margins.
At the moment I have developed a weekly rhythm which we will endeavour to maintain, though I hope you will bear with fluctuations in this that may be necessary as we experiment and develop this new structure:
Monday meditation,
Tuesday – Thursday reflections on life, sustainability and faith,
Friday – prayer for the week.
Saturday – Lets get creative.
Sunday – Time for Sabbath rest.
We will also continue to post seasonal and topical resource lists that will be greatly enriched by the additional contributors and their suggestions.
We want to enlist your help too as we work through these changes. Are their topics you would like to see addressed on the blog?
Celebrate the Change!
We hope that you will pray for us and celebrate with us as we make these changes. Check out the new contributors. Read their posts, share them with your friends, and above all give us your feedback as we move forward.
In my family this last month has been marked by the excitement generated by the UK hosting the Rugby World Cup. In the build up to the tournament I kept hearing the phrase the ‘Road to Victory’, (in definite capital letters) and the hype that the English team needed only to win 7 progressive matches to lift the Cup. As I sat in a stadium of over 80,000 fans I could feel the hope of the fans as their songs resonated in my breastbone: the English supporters adopting the old negro spiritual
Swing lo sweet chariot
Comin’ for to carry me home
and the Welsh supporters producing all the harmonies of their eighteenth century hymn
Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me till I want no more.
Feed me till I want no more.
These songs reminded me of snatches of other old hymns and spirituals that are part of our faith heritage which tell stories about victory being our goal and that ‘home’ is the victory, and this caused me to pause. I suddenly wondered if I really had any clue about what ‘victory’ looks or sounds like in terms of my own Christian faith journey.
Is it just that I don’t have the certain faith of my forebears? Have my experience of years of depression and chronic ill health cut me off, prevented me from having the hope necessary to use these military and sporting metaphors which speak of such fundamental certainty and finality as the word ‘victory’ implies?
I do have hope. And I am certain that all is being, and will be, redeemed in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. I am certain that the God of all Holiness is my ‘home’, in whom I will be able to be the true self I was created to be.
I just don’t feel victorious.
And I am equally certain it is not a linear ‘road’ to find this ‘home’, whether I think of it as being ‘at home’ to myself and the world around me on a daily basis as I join in Kingdom building here on earth; or as arriving at a final destination after death, becoming a part of the Kingdom of heaven.
What is my end goal? It is the same as my goal for this minute – union with God. Foretastes, glimpses, glances through glasses darkly mean this union can only be temporary and partial now. My enduring prayer chimes with that great Welsh hymn
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through
so that my union then will be complete.
In this light, I don’t even know if the sporting metaphor of tournament and triumphs applies at all to the faith journey. Many times I wish it was that straightforward: if you defeat this tribe, collect these points, at these times, challenge those people at those times, then you will be certain to reach x marks the spot and lift the trophy and call yourself a champion.
Yet only sometimes do I wish there were straightforward written instructions that covered the whole journey A to Z , so that one could live with this kind of innocent assurance one was doing it ‘right’. Instead I follow a guide book full of histories, visions and stories, poetry and laws, letters and prayers. And it is full of muddy and messy intentions, contradictions, and out of control emotions. None the less, out of this collection has emerged the thin running thread of an outlined route through to reconnecting to our God. Wherever I find myself in the labyrinth there is something in this collated Word that applies to the minutiae of everyday life, if only I will still myself long enough to listen. There is a signpost: this way lies Life and Love in abundance….
In thinking about all this I rediscovered Baptist song called ‘Victory in Jesus’ (hear it here)
I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing pow’r revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,”
And somehow Jesus came and bro’t
To me the victory.
That word ‘somehow’ is so crucial.
E.M. Bartlett’s 1939 hymn based on 1 Corinthians 15.57 speaks of the eternal truth at the heart of the metaphors of Victory: enduring hope. The hope that is set before us is that through Christ ‘we will all be changed’, that death has no sting, and so we are freed from our minute preoccupations:
Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Most of the time we do not have the vision to see or to cope with the reality that pain, suffering, inequality and seemingly unanswered prayers are not the only thing ; that these cannot be the full story; that even death itself is not an end. We cannot grasp what victory over these things world look like. And yet, regardless of how we feel, we choose to trust that all our work to build the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, here, now, however puny our attempts or contributions, none and nothing are wasted, all are redeemed by Christ.
Believing this, I just take the next step. Some days with a ringing confidence, others with cringing uncertainty. I just keep walking, because I think I understand that my Creator asks me to walk in obedience and trust, and that is all I can do.
None the less, the sports image of the ‘Road to Victory’ does bring with it one significant truth. I do not travel this road alone. Indeed, I cannot or I will ‘get’ nowhere and be no one if I even try to travel alone. ‘Victory’ and ‘home’ are communal places where I am the woman God has created to me to be, and I join with you as you are created to be, and you, and you, and you…
… and we walk, wheel, limp, run, dance together side by side as People of the Way.
Kate Kennington Steer is a writer and photographer with a deep abiding passion for contemplative photography and spirituality. She writes about these things on her shot at ten paces blog. Currently she is also posting a daily iphone image as a ‘daily act of seeing’ on her Facebook page. Join in with gentle ambling conversations about contemplative photography by becoming a friend.
Mark 10:46-52 tells the story of the healing of Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar. It is a remarkable story, not so much because Jesus heals him but because the gospel names him. Most of Jesus healings are of anonymous people – a paralytic, a leper, a widow’s son. Few are named. There is Lazarus, whom we know was a close friend of Jesus’ and now there is Bartimaeus. He was not anonymous, he was someone special enough to be named. Verse 52 tells us Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. Maybe this Bartimaeus became a follower of Jesus, someone that the writer of the gospel knew personally.
Names have power, they change the way we look at people and the way we relate to them. If we call a person by an anonymous term – refugee, feminist, homeless person, shop assistant, homosexual – we respond to them differently than if we call them by their given names. To address a person by name changes our relationship to them and changes the way we think about them.
What is your response?
Think about the people you have encountered this week. Make a list of those whose faces you remember but whose names you do not remember. Make a second list of those whose names you do remember. What was different about the people in your tow lists? What differences did it make to the way you responded to them?
Names change the way we look at Jesus too. To call Jesus the Christ, Lord, Saviour, Redeemer, conjures up different images than when we call him friend, shepherd, companion, brother, lover of my soul. The first list makes us think of a powerful God, distant, maybe even a little cold. The second list carries a sense of intimacy, and draw us into a close and personal relationship to God.
Names matter. If we see Jesus only as Lord it can imply a distant and unapproachable God who is unconcerned for human suffering. If we call him servant, we see him down in the dirty places of our world and we want to join him. If we call him companion, brother or lover of our souls, it implies a much more intimate relationship to him.
Our first encounters with Jesus are often with the powerful Lord and Saviour whose life death and resurrection has transformed our lives. We need to know the names that inspire us to act as God’s representatives in a needy world. But we also need to know Jesus by these more intimate names which are essential for us to grow into the love of God.
What is your response
Write down all the names you can think of that are applied to Jesus in the scriptures. Which of these do you use most frequently? What do you think this says about your relationship to Jesus? Sit quietly in the presence of God, listen to the song below. Are there new names that God is prompting you to consider using for Jesus?
As we get ready for All Saints Day consider taking time to reflect on the footprints you will leave in this world. I love this song by Steve Green which has inspired me for many years to consider this.
Close your eyes and listen to this song. Allow your mind to drift back over the years of your life. What are the footprints you have already left behind that will be signposts for others to follow?
When most people who are dying look back on their lives their greatest regrets revolve around not following their passions or doing what would most impact the world. For many of us there is still time to follow what really matters. As you remember the saints who have gone before and impacted your life with their passion and commitment, think about your own future.
What would you like to accomplish? What is the legacy you would like to leave behind for the saints that come after you?
Listen to the song again. Take out your journal and write down the images that came to your mind. Now get out some coloured markers or crayons.
Highlight the things on your list that are possible now.
Underline in another colour the ones that will take some effort to accomplish. Perhaps there is training you need to do, or people you need to get in contact with.
Circle in yet another colour the items on your list that seem impossible.
Keep you list at the front of your journal or your bible. Read over it each day. Pray over those things that seem impossible and allow God to change you so that you are indeed able to accomplish all that God intends you to.
Sunday is All Saint’s Day. Remembering those who impact our lives, those who have gone before and those who are still with us is an important part of our faith.
The Episcopal Church website explains:
We step aside from the flow of the propers and celebrate all the saints. We stop. We notice, We are surrounded by a flock of witnesses in our midst – many who have gone before us, some we are just now releasing, and still more with a full life ahead of them.
I love the Anglican tradition of renewing our baptismal vows on this day. Reminding ourselves of the journey we have taken personally is a good place to start in remembering the saints of God. In this tradition, all baptized Christians, living and dead known and unknown are considered saints of God.
This is a special day for celebrating. First take time to reflect on your own faith journey. Remember the faithfulness of God in your past and name the people who have been particularly impacting in shaping your own faith. Notice the movement of God in the present and pray for those who continue to mentor and support you. Think about your hopes and dreams for the future and those who will help these come into being. Celebrate all that you are as a saint of God.
Celebrate At Church
If you really want to celebrate the spiritual significance of All Saints Day, a good liturgical church is the place to do so.
At St Andrew’s Episcopal which we attend, in the weeks before All Saints’ Day we prepare a ribbon of remembrance for All Saints’ Day. Write the names of those who have died on white ribbons that are then wound around the altar rail on All Saints’ Day. This is a wonderful way to reflect on the lives of those you love but have lost.
St Aidan’s Episcopal church on Camano Island where we worshipped a couple of years ago set up a special “remembering” table in the nave. The congregation was invited to bring photos or small memorabilia of dear ones who have gone before us and place them on the table. During the worship on All Saint’s Day there was a special blessing of the photos and memories.
Plan A Celebration
Many of us want to bring this celebration out of church and into our homes – here are some possibilities to consider for the future.
Hold an All Saints’ Day party – a great alternative to Halloween. Get everyone to dress as their favourite saint, or to bring a picture of this saint. During the festivities get everyone to share a story about their saint and the impact he or she has had on their lives. Or you might like to get participants to guess who each person represents.
Plan a family heritage party. Invite people to do some work beforehand researching their family history and particularly the Christian saints who were a part of it. Ask them to bring photos and stories to share. Finish with a time of prayer for all those that have gone before us.
Several years ago when my youngest brother went to Greece where my father comes from he found out that it is possible that our family name Aroney comes from the name Aaron and that our family probably originated in Jerusalem many centuries ago. It is probable that one of the reason they began the journey out of Jerusalem first to Constantinople then to Rhodes and finally to the tiny island of Kithera at the bottom of the Peloponnese mountains is because they became Christians. There are a number of Greek orthodox priests in my father’s family history and my Aunt Mary was a very devout Greek Orthodox Christian. I know less about my mother’s family history but would love to find out where her family too has had profound encounters with God.
Plan an All Saints Day pilgrimage. Again this might require some before time research. Explore the Christian heritage of your community. Where did the first Christians come from? How did they interact with the native peoples? Where was the first church established? Who were some of the early Christians who impacted your community. Plan a pilgrimage walk to the site of the first Christian community and if possible have a time of prayer and possibly even a eucharistic celebration to remember those who have gone before.
Consider an All Saints’ Scavenger Hunt with your kids. This site spells out what this could look like and provides a free template to use.
So how will you celebrate All Saints Day this year? Please share them with me. I would love to hear your creative ideas.
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