What is one thing you own that you should probably throw out?
Stephen Colbert, “The Colbert Questionert.” 2021.
Possession, idea, or both?
I was a pipe smoker for thirteen years. After I quit, I boxed up my collection of pipes, lighters, and the small humidor. Back then, it was probably worth about $500. I don’t think I’ll ever take up pipe smoking again, but I can’t seem to let go of the stuff.
Hope is the cause of suffering in the world. I adopted an idea of hopelessness, intellectually and emotionally, as part of my worldview the third year of college. I know that may be shocking or abrasive to hear from a minister. I might be more “fit” for my vocation were I to embrace hope again. I think hope and guilt have a similar motivational value one time. After that, both are baggage you carry around the rest of your life based on an outcome. So, why not act, no matter what, when it is in your power to do what is right, because it is right. Still, hopelessness is probably something to let go.
“Count me in.” That’s the opposite of, “count me out.”
Either you seek to unite and be part of it. Or to divide and watch it go away.
Whatever ‘it’ might be.
We can seek to trigger those we’ve decided are our enemies, undermine the standards and burn it all down. Or we can commit to the possibility that together, we can create something that works.
It’s not that hard to realize that even if we can’t always see the gunwales on the boat, we’re all in the same one. (Seth Godin, 02/28/21)
Seth Godin, “Count Me in.” February 28, 2021
Image from the International Space Station
How do you begin or end your day? Some may have a soundtrack. I do. Sometimes, it is treadmill tunes pulling me along the 6am walk or jog. Sometimes, it is the playlist of my favorite bands while I was in high school and college.
At the end of the day, I’m another day older, and it is the sound of the ocean.
During Lent, I’ve traded the morning soundtrack for live and pre-recorded video from the International Space Station Youtube channel. (pictured above). There is a soft piano soundtrack. The view is inspirational and aspirational for me, as I handwrite a card to someone.
Lent is an intentional time of honest self-reflection. As I wander with disciples and with Jesus toward Jerusalem this year, what has come into focus are the aspirations of christians, of myself, based in the inspiration of Jesus, who most often talked about the empire of God. Jesus’ teaching about the empire (kindom or kingdom) of God was often followed by “is like.” Christian theology speaks of the “all ready” but “not yet” nature of the empire of God in which baptized believers exist and are supposed to be capable of recognizing. Christians have a kind of dual citizenship that often puts us at odds with ourselves, our behavior, and competing visions of God’s empire and Jesus’ role.
After twelve months (and counting) of pandemic time, overt political conflict, cancellations, and growing institutional and neighborly distrust where have you, have I, recognized the empire of God that Jesus described?
My lent is filled with wondering what “could” it be like or “would” it be like or “will” it be like when . . .
Leaven [Matt 13:33b, Luke 13:20b-21] Good Samaritan [Luke 10:30-37] Dishonest Steward [Luke 16:1-9] Vineyard Laborers [Matt 20:1-15] Mustard Seed [Matt 13:31b-32, Mark 4:31-32, Luke 13:19]
