Friday, April 20, 2007

Tragedy.

How do we each deal with the tragedies of this day and age? How do you cope with the pain that is a present part of our society?

Recently, Americans have dealt with the Virginia Tech killings, War with Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, and everything else that has been plaguing our country. Everyone knows someone who has been affected by these massive events, yet have they dealt with it?

People deal with pain in different ways. Some take revenge, others deny it, some keep it bottled inside, some cry, and others just disassociate. While going through tragedy it's important for us to talk to one another, to talk through our emotions, seek someone as a counselor, and do our own self care. Steps in order to healthily deal with the situation, are to assess our involvement, to not feel guilty if we were personally involved, to offer help that we can, to talk about it, and to be able to see God through it. God offers us a multitude of ways in which God works through things; through medical personnel who offer their gifts to others in need.

Yes. The VA Tech killings was a tragedy. Yes, Cho, did a horrible thing, taking the lives of innocent victims that will change hundreds of lives. I also think that we need to be able to see the pain that he was in, in order to make sense of this seemingly senseless murder. Depression, mental illness, preoccupation with death and righteousness, is harmful. Although there will always be the unpredictable, caring for one another and being true neighbors, could give some people the hope they need in order to not self destruct. I pray for all the families, friends and students, that they can deal with this tragedy in a healthy way, having support from those around them, and come out as a strong community that cares for one another. I pray they find strength through whatever they believe, and that God touches their lives, lifting them up.

I pray that one day we may have an end to violence, and have an understanding that peace is the only way to live, appreciating what everyone has to offer this world, and helping each other through hardships.

Amen.

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Monday, April 16, 2007

My first sermon

Here it is, the first sermon I wrote and preached. The steps to becoming a pastor have begun. It is based off a summer lectionary text, Matthew 16:21-28 : The rebuke of Peter.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing
in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.


I remember that instantaneous fear as soon as the car started up.

Would I be safe sitting in the passenger seat?

Would he be a good driver?

Would we crash?

What kind of control do I have in a vehicle I’m not driving?

Thoughts and images streamed through my brain as he put his foot to the gas to pull away from the curb. That was the feeling I had when I allowed my younger brother to drive me for the first time after he got his license. Having been away at college for a while, I hadn’t seen him take his road test, or been with him while he practiced and learned to drive. Now it was time to see the result. I needed to remember that I wasn’t the one in the driver’s seat, and that is what I feared. Instead of being able to relax, and trust, I feared for myself, my brother, other cars on the road, and possibly even a little for the curb.

Hey, you never know when one might jump out!

I walked away with just an upset stomach from worrying myself so much, now I wish I just had trusted in the skills that my parents and his driving instructors had instilled within him. I would have saved myself all that time worrying; on top of all the stress I caused him. Giving up the power and not driving is often times a more trying task, then being able to drive yourself.


In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear of Peter as he fears for himself and Jesus. Peter quickly questions Jesus’ decisions and instructions about the Crucifixion. Peter fearing misdirection and loss, quickly exclaims, “No, It can’t be, it won’t happen!” Peter, sitting in the passenger seat, fears the direction his driver is going. Peter fears the impending loss, and instead attempts to deny it, to take the wheel, rather then to understand. Jesus, the knowledgeable driver, quickly puts Peter back in his place. Rebuking Peter, Jesus swiftly informs him to stop attempting to be the driver and that he has no idea how God works. Understanding that the caravan full of disciples would soon start in with more questions as well, Jesus instructs them all of their wrongdoings. Jesus informs them that in order to be true to him, they must give up the thought that they are driving. He tells them that they are to not focus on things of this world, but to make sure they follow him. Jesus informs them, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” the disciples are struck with the prospect that they can’t take anything with them, so why choose things of this world, and forfeit the life after death that Jesus gives to each of us. Jesus, driving the disciples along the highways and byways of faith and his ultimate death, informs them to remember that they aren’t the driver.

How often do we forget we aren’t driving? We strive to control our lives, time, wealth, and a multitude of other things…. We want control over what is to happen, we want to know the next step, be able to step on the brake if we aren’t comfortable, speed up when we want to find the result faster, we want to be the driver. We fear as Peter and Moses did, that we will be taken in a path that is not going to be easy. Jesus shakes us up to remember that He is the driver, to reevaluate ourselves and our direction in life. Within all levels of society, our want to control all we can pervades, even cutting out other people from care.

In Africa, millions are dying in the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Pharmaceutical companies, who could save lives, instead attempt to protect their earnings and their own self-interests. Children’s antiviral medications, are not being produced because there is not as big of a demand for them, in the United States, and therefore instead of producing and driving down costs for this life altering medication, pharmaceutical companies, bind up their interests, causing parents to seek medication for their dying children in other ways. Instead of being able to give their children the right dosages, parents in Africa cut adult level pills in half, in hopes that the level of medication that they are giving their children will be enough to keep them alive. Pharmaceutical companies instead of caring for the poor and afflicted are out to gain their own self-interest, and Nations across the world stand by and say nothing. Instead, millions probably don’t even realize there is an epidemic that is completely controllable spiraling through the African nations. More people are concerned with the upkeep of their front lawns in suburbia, rather than of the dying children in Africa that could easily be medicated for life, if the privileged societies would just take a stand, with God at their wheel. Instead of making Christ the driver, we allow greed to control our lives; human institutions become the center of many people’s lives. Jesus calls us like, Peter and the rest of the disciples, to make sure we aren’t attempting to drive from the passenger’s seat, and to reevaluate our direction. In attempts to create our own directions for the highway to heaven, we forget that we are not the driver.

Jesus Christ is the driver, and we need to have faith in him.

As the driver, Jesus encourages us to just sit back and let him do the driving, to direct our lives through his example. After rebuking the disciples, Jesus turns and informs them of the glory that they gain by not attempting to take the wheel. Informing them of the immediacy and need of his death on the Cross, Jesus gifts Salvation to the disciples. He not only tells them twice that he is dying for them, but explains the glory of his second coming and that if they believe in him, they will see him again. Through this instruction, Jesus informs the disciples of the gift that they are to receive through his death. As driver, Jesus is granting them life after death. What a powerful message Jesus gives the disciples individually, explaining to them face to face that he is dying for their salvation!
Well, I am here to tell you that Jesus gives himself to you personally as a gift each time you receive the body and blood in the form of bread and wine at his table. We come together as a community to support Jesus being the driver in our lives, to be given the gift of Eternal life through faith. How awesome of a gift that is?! How intimate of a moment, to be given life by Jesus Christ just through belief in him, he that died for you, me, and all the disciples of the earth. We receive the gift of Jesus Christ through the Eucharist, being saved through the act of passion and pain that Christ endures for each of us.

God’s grace surrounds us everyday; everyday we are reminded of the gift of life that Jesus gives us freely. Jesus drives us down a path that demands community, through our participation at the Table; we show the power of our driver. Through our trust in God, all things are possible.

When I was a young teenager, I was granted an opportunity to go on a mission trip with a Lutheran church, which was not my home congregation. My mother explained to me that it would be 15 other teenagers and myself, headed down to Arkansas to repair homes of people who were physically or financially unable to take care of their own homes. The Spirit moved inside me and I agreed to go. I was picked up early from the summer camp I was attending, quickly washed my clothing, and was dropped off at St. Paul’s Lutheran church. Not until the moment my parents pulled into the dark parking lot at 4 am, did I realize that I had not met a single person going on this trip, and now I was expected to get into a van with all of them for a 26 hour drive down to Arkansas. I started to panic, hoping it was going to be ok, I sat down near the window in the van. My eyes began to well up as the van pulled out of the lot, I felt alone in a van full of people. On top of not knowing one other teenager, I also quickly realized I was the youngest. To my infinite luck, I had sat down next to a young man who was deaf. All I could think of was my misery, and how I was silly to be here.

Suddenly, one of the young teenage girls introduced herself to me, and began some small talk, within fifteen minutes my fear was gone, I was laughing and smiling. I reflected back on my earlier state and realized how it had been trying to trust. God doesn’t put us on the wrong path. God placed me in the exact spot I needed to be. Showing me grace and happiness in my newfound companions, and giving me one of the best experiences I have ever had. What began as fear quickly became a renewed faith, and ultimately my call to ministry.

God is our driver, and has given us joy through hard times. I thank God for being my driver, for my faith speeding me down the highways of change and shifting me into a focused mode to show others the glory that Jesus has already given them.

God is driving, no matter what the terrain, now that's a blessing!
Amen.

Initial Post

First posts, are always the most difficult. Questions like, what do I put in here? What do I say? Do I give background information? or do I just jump right in? ...are swarming through my head right now.

First posts also seem to direct the direction of the blog. I want this blog to be thought-provoking, challenging, emotional, and emphasizing my faith and how it plays out in my life and the world. Doing such, I shall post sermons, theological reflections, and anything else that can possibly give you a deeper glimpse into how my faith has formed me.

These are simply reflections of who I am and what I am learning on this journey of mine. This will not be a dissertation, this will not be an attack on others beliefs. You are FREE to disagree with me, and in fact I encourage it. Conversation is meant to be had, thoughts are meant to be stretched, and yes even I can be completely off base with what I say.

My current life situation may be referenced, but I am hoping to avoid giving the sob story of the details of everything. This is meant to be an esoteric adventure, something of merit and education. But, I am human, sometimes I do just need to vent and divulge my emotional and vulnerable self. (Hey, its only natural and healthy).

On that note, let's get this adventure started....

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