paravanes:meditations

image is from cctvcambridge.org I am taking an online course on C.S. Lewis offered by Hillsdale College in Michigan . Yesterday, while listening to the lecture in the second unit of the course, the lecturer pointed out something that seems so obvious and yet gets lost too often when we try to say what is most important about being a Christian. The lecturer, Michael Ward , said the entire point of seeking and serving God is to have our wills conformed to God's will. This seems really obvious, so why do so many of us miss this? Many of us in North America live in the middle of church teachings that suggest we follow God to have a happier, better, more prosperous life. Or, we follow God because we want to make the world a better place. Or, we follow God because Christianity is part of our family tradition. The list of reasons could go on and on. The idea of having our wills conformed to God's will may sound frightening, mysterious, possibly offensive, or perha...

In his book Conversations with God , James Melvin Washington (whose work predates a book of the same title by Neale Donald Walsch) writes a chapter titled "Slavery and the Eclipse of the African Gods." Washington's description of Black slaves and their conversion to Christianity suggests this conversion was not the result of "brainwashing" by slave owners in pursuit of submissive slaves. Rather, Washington describes this process as the eclipse of the African gods. I found his discussion interesting and convincing. If slaves had been "brainwashed" by owners, owners would not have banned private gatherings when slaves met to worship. When you have someone totally under your mental control, you don't worry about what they will do when you're not watching. Additionally, the proscriptions against slaves learning to read would not have been so vigorously enforced if slave owners really believed their own propaganda: slaves weren't very smart...

“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord,  you know better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from becoming too talkative, and especially from the unfortunate habit of thinking that I must say something on every subject and at every opportunity. Release me from the idea that I must straighten out other peoples' affairs. With my immense treasure of experience and wisdom, it seems a pity not to let everybody partake of it. But, you know Lord, that in the end I will need a few friends. Keep me from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Grant me the patience to listen to the complaints of others; help me to endure them with charity. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains -- they increase with the increasing years and my inclination to recount them is also increasing. I will not ask you for improved memory, only for a little more humility and less self-assurance when my own memory doesn't agree with that of others. Te...

It's not as difficult of an answer as you might think. What is unique about Christianity is the energy, effort, and movement to break the disconnect between God and humanity are all about God reaching out to us. We are only expected to do one thing. We are not, in the Christian tradition, asked to practice rituals to connect with God. We are not asked to offer sacrifices, whether easy or painful. We are not asked to pray a certain number of times each day. We are not asked to detach ourselves from our surroundings, feelings. or experiences. We are simply asked to believe. Frankly, believing is more of a challenge than doing all of the things previously mentioned. Believing kills pride and the self satisfaction that whispers "I did it. I'm good enough. I'm following the rules. I'm OK all by myself because of what I've done." What are we asked to believe? We are asked to believe that God loves us so much and wants relationship...

If " what would Jesus do ?" is the wrong question, what is the right question? The right question is "what would Jesus have me do where I am, right now"? For many who want to know what Jesus actually did on Earth, it is fairly easy to read an understandable translation of the New Testament. Some don't have access to Scripture in their language, but even in those cases, radio broadcasts in hundred of languages make most of the Bible available to many people throughout the world. What would Jesus do? Jesus lived, in His earthly experience, in a very different place and context than most of us will ever know. Many of the questions and issues we face were unknown and unheard of in Jesus's time. In a very general way, we can be guided by His principal teachings and the inward leading of the Holy Spirit. But, it is more important and relevant for us to ask the most personal of questions: "What would Jesus have me do where I am, right now?" I...

How do we pray in the face of disaster? How often has someone requested our prayers? How often have we offered to pray for someone? We have good intentions, but after saying a prayer for peace, or health, or success, what else can we bring before God?  What other petitions can we make? Petitions I have brought to God when asked in pray in the face of a disaster: 1) Everyone making decisions will have a clear head and seek reliable information as a part of the decision making process. 2) Helpers will be supernaturally strengthened and encouraged. 3) Those who oppose good will be blocked, distracted, deterred, and stopped. 4)  God's goodness will be revealed in a unique and undeniable way. 5)  Discouragement will not overcome those who seek the righteous way. 6)  Healing forgiveness--not fearful denials of truth--will overcome evil and hatred. 7)  Judgment will be referred to God alone, but  righteous laws will be upheld and enforced. So...

There is so much pain in the world. For those of us who enjoy relative peace, safety, and security, it may be easy to ignore or forget how many of Earth’s inhabitants are constantly hungry, constantly seeking clean water, constantly escaping wars and armed conflicts, or enduring extreme poverty. On a daily basis, we may not think of those without access to the written word, health care, or a safe place to sleep. The Christian tradition teaches humanity’s ills are a result of humanity’s “fall” from innocence. Innocence was the lack of knowledge of evil. This is not the same as knowing about evil. “Knowing” evil is experiencing it as a part of the self. In an undated, ancient time in the beginning of human history, a decision was made by those first inhabitants of Earth. They decided to live apart from the protection of God’s guidelines. We, their descendants, inherited that tendency, just as we inherited our other characteristics. Despite the best efforts of those who ...