6-7-20 - A Prayer Service of Lament for Race & Injustice

A Prayer Service of Lament for Race & Injustice

by Paul Burkhart (modified)

 

This morning, with all that is going on in our world, we do not feel our usual format for meeting for worship lends to our condition. No sermon or heart-felt words are sufficient to speak to these times. Instead, today, we are offering a special service of lament and prayer written by Paul Burkhart. This meeting for worship will consist of prayers, scriptures, songs, and moments of silence for personal lament, reflection, and expectant waiting on God. Will you join me in a moment of silence to center ourselves for worship….

Opening Prayer

Let us pray….
God of love, open our eyes to see the suffering of all our sisters and brothers
God of justice, open our ears to hear those who cry out
God of healing, open our hearts to acknowledge and share our own pain and the pain of others
In the power of the Spirit, let us know the truth, and may the truth set us free from all bondage and blindness. Amen.

 

Scripture

A selection from the Book of Habakkuk, written by a prophet of God while living in the midst of sin and destruction within God’s people.

 1 2 O Lord, how long shall we cry for help, and you not listen? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save?
3 Why do you make us see wrongdoing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before us; strife and contention arise.
4 So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous—therefore judgment is perverted.
12 Are you not from of old, O Lord my God, my Holy One? You shall not die. O Lord, O Rock, you have marked injustice for judgment.
13 Your eyes are too pure to behold evil, and you cannot look on wrongdoing; so why do you look on the treacherous, and are silent when the wicked swallow those more righteous than they?

Prayers

God of hope,

Let us not rush to the language of healing, before understanding the fullness of the injury and the depth of the wound.
Let us not speak of reconciliation without speaking of reparations and restoration, or how we can repair the breach and how we can restore the loss
Let us not value property over people; let us not protect material objects while human lives hang in the balance.
Let us not value a false peace over a righteous justice.
Let us not be afraid to sit with the ugliness, the messiness, and the pain that is life in community together.
Let us not offer clichés to the grieving, those whose hearts are being torn asunder.

Let us mourn black and brown men and women, whose lives and bodies are too often devalued and discarded by a nation whose sins have been too quickly forgotten.
Let us lament the loss of lives by those tasked with protecting and serving the communities they police
Let us weep at a criminal justice system, which is often neither blind nor just.
Let us be men and women willing to mourn and rend our garments of privilege and ease, and sit in the ashes of this nation’s original sin.
Let us be silent when we don’t know what to say.
Let us be humble and listen to the pain, rage, and grief pouring from the lips of our neighbors and friends.

God, in your mercy…
Show us our own complicity in injustice.
Convict us for our indifference.
Forgive us for when we have remained silent.
Equip us with a zeal for righteousness.
Never let us grow accustomed or acclimated to unrighteousness.
Amen.

[A moment of Silence to personally lament, reflect and expectantly wait on God]

Scripture

The following scriptures are selections from the Book of Lamentations, written after violence and injustice visited God’s people in the nation of Israel.

20See, O Lord, how distressed we are; our stomachs churn, our hearts are wrung within us, because in the city streets, the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death.

218 Cry aloud to the Lord! Let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite!
19 Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.
20 Look, O Lord, and consider! To whom have you done this?
21 The young and the old are lying on the ground in the streets; young women and young men have fallen by the sword; in the day of your anger you have killed them, slaughtering without mercy.

Prayers

God, we are stunned and deeply troubled by the killings that occurred last week, and every week, all across our country. We lift prayers to you, asking that your Spirit intercede for us and for this world.

We mourn with those who are suffering the loss of George Floyd in Minneapolis. May your Spirit give them peace.

We pray that your Church does not become polarized any more than it already is in this moment–may the Church proclaim, with words and with action, both that black lives matter and that acts of violence against public servants are wrong.

May our Meeting and the greater Church vocalize God’s definitive “NO” to the murder of black lives. May all of us be awakened and stand alongside the black community, willing to lay aside confusion and questions and to proclaim that this epidemic of police violence must be addressed. May privilege and power be used as a means to raise awareness and demand justice. May leaders feel pressure from all who live in their communities–white, brown, black–and respond with plans to stop the destruction of black bodies.

We lift in prayer the police officers who must show up for work today, who are doing a dangerous job for too little pay, who are personally blamed for the failure of the whole system. Give them wisdom and strength as those whom we rely on to maintain composure, fairness, and a commitment to the common good. Come alongside them, Lord. Grant them protection and empower them to serve justly.

We pray for healing in communities that carry the weight of generations of broken-down relationships between law enforcement and the people they are called to serve. We lament our history of racism and pray for love in the face of violence.

May your Church and our Meeting be afflicted in its core again for this sign of a deep sickness in our communities.

May we listen to the prophetic voices speaking truth and pleading for action.

May our prayers find footing, that we might live lives that are answers to our prayers for peace and justice. Amen.

[A moment of Silence to personally lament, reflect and expectantly wait on God]

 

Scripture

More words from the book of Lamentations.

319 The thought of our affliction is bitterness in our hearts. 20 Our souls continually think of it and are bowed down within us. 21 But this we call to mind, and therefore have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; 23they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
31 For the Lord will not reject forever.
32 Although he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; 33 for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.

34 When all the prisoners of the land are crushed under foot, 35 when human rights are perverted in the presence of the Most High, 36 when one’s case is subverted—does the Lord not see it?

Prayers

God of the cross and the lynching tree,
of the jail cell and the street corner,
of the bible study and the police car,
look upon the world you have made.

See how it is full of hatred and how violence inhabits the earth.
Gunshots ring out under the heavens that declare your glory,
singing the destruction of your children.

The streets and sidewalks of this world you love flow with blood,
pouring out the cries of your beloveds.
Do you not hear them?

The clanging of cell doors ring out,
tolling the lives stolen by systemic oppression and unspeakable violence.
Do you not hear it?

How long, O God, will you keep silent?
How long will we fail to be your voice?

In these days, as in days past,
our mothers and grandmothers have become mourners.
our fathers and grandfathers have become grievers.
our children have become wanderers in vacant rooms
our communities have become filled with empty chairs.

Remember the people you have redeemed, Holy One.
Remember the work of salvation brought about by your love.

Arise O God and defend the cause of your heart.
Raise up in us the cries of outrage.
Raise up in us commitment to the long struggle for justice.
Raise up in us the determination to drive out racism.
Raise up in us the grief that cannot be comforted.
Raise up in us the courage to speak truth to power, and hope to hatred.

God of the ones with hands up and the ones who can’t breathe,
Of those with power and privilege who try to do their best
Of those tasked with exercising state power and service for us and against us,
Lord, look upon the world you have made.

Do not forget your afflicted people forever
so that we might praise your holy name with joyful lips.
Amen.

[A moment of Silence to personally lament, reflect and expectantly wait on God]

Scripture

More words from the book of lamentations.

5 Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace! 3 We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.
7 Our ancestors sinned; they are no more, and we bear their iniquities.
15 The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.

16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned! 17 Because of this our hearts are sick, because of these things our eyes have grown dim.

19 But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.
20 Why have you forgotten us completely? Why have you forsaken us these many days
21 Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored; renew our days as of old—22 unless you have utterly rejected us, and are angry with us beyond measure.

Prayers

Oh God, visit us now in our mourning
Be near to us in our lament.

Blood has been shed, precious lives have been lost, evil has had its say.
We acknowledge the hold racism and prejudice have on our national psyche.
Set us free from this bondage.

We acknowledge that violence has been matched with violence, and many are in pain and distress.
Bring healing to us all.

We pray now for the Church in the United States, part of the body of Christ on earth, that it may be a voice of peace, a light of love, working for reconciliation and unity, working for justice.

May we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters; all races, all skin colors, all ethnicities.
May we stand against racism and injustice.
May we stand for love.

Lord, we confess our sins to you:
For all the ways we are complicit in perpetuating racism
For all the ways we have hidden the light of Christ
For all the times we have kept silent
For all the times we have capitulated to fear of ridicule and retaliation
For all the ways we’ve given over to apathy
For all the ways our own prosperity has blinded us to the needs of others.
Forgive us, Oh God.

Protect the innocent Oh God!
Open the eyes of the blind!
Rout out the unjust!
Thwart the plans of the greedy and power-hungry!

May Christ, who re-imagined death, give us inspiration for how to move forward.
May Christ, who said upon rising from the grave, “Peace be with you,” bring us into his kingdom.
May Christ, who did not retaliate but offered forgiveness, share with us his vision.

Lord, have mercy
Christ, be our light and peace.
Amen.

Closing Prayer

O God, true source of wholeness and peace, in a world bearing fresh wounds of suffering and grief, you call us to be a people of healing. Help us to reach out to neighbors in need, to bear one another’s burdens, to weep with those who weep. Give us the grace to share the comfort of Christ with all those who long for his healing touch. Help us to hold in our hearts and show in our lives what we proclaim with our lips: 

Goodness is stronger than evil; love is stronger than hate; light is stronger than darkness; hope is stronger than despair. Amen!

The prayers in the service were modified from the Reformed Church in America Worship page and The Book of Common Prayer, as well as contemporary prayers by Fran Pratt, Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce, and Rev. Dr. Sharon R. Fennema.

5-31-20 - We Can Do This Hard Thing - Beth Henricks

We Can Do This Hard Thing

Beth Henricks

Scripture – Exodus 4:1-17

Quotations from former President Barack Obama and Nadia Bolz Weber

I’ve been reflecting  all week about this message for our graduation Sunday, a graduation like no other in our time.   My heart has been heavy that our seniors do not get to celebrate with parties, gatherings with friends, senior breakfasts, award banquets, prom, senior skip day, commencement face to face – all of the rites and rituals that most of us experienced in our youth.    

This is a loss that is deep but will eventually be logged in the memory books for our young people.  As I talk to older folks, many don’t remember their graduation clearly or say it was a ritual with a small amount of meaning.  The joy was in the accomplishment and we celebrate the accomplishments of all of our seniors today.

What I believe is even more difficult is thinking about our future.  All of our futures.  I hear pundits on TV talk about pandemic fatigue. We knew that we had to stay at home and completely change our lifestyle to slow this virus down for a time, but now we are faced with uncertainty about school. 

How will our young people experience their first year of college?  How will all of our children receive their education this fall?  How will our beloved teachers be able to teach in this environment?  How difficult will it be for college graduates to get a job in their field of education?   Can folks with compromised immune systems go to stores and restaurants? 

How and when can we safely open our Meeting house?  There are so many questions and few answers right now.  We are living in uncertain times with a desperate need for things to go back to normal. And yet I am not certain that things will ever be completely back to normal.

We are living in some shaky times and the longer this goes on the more fear and anxiety we feel.  Many of our plans and goals have been altered, postponed or dashed because of this pandemic.  I felt this heaviness several weeks ago as I contemplated ministry in this new environment.  

It’s hard to think about how our First Friends social events, our gatherings, our fellowship over food will change.  I think every single one of us has had these moments of sadness and disappointment and fatigue in trying to figure out our path in this situation.

I have been thinking a lot about the history of mankind and how many times we have experienced a crisis, a situation that seems beyond hope, beyond a path forward, beyond anything we could have anticipated or thought about.   While it does feel like this situation we are in with the pandemic is unique, we know there have been plagues, wars, devastating situations that we could never have imagined in our human history.   While this feels unique to us, our forebears have experienced devastation and despair.  The book of Lamentations in the Old Testament is full of this lament and at some of my darkest hours I find comfort and solace in reading this poetry of raw emotions. 

And then I started considering Moses and some of the other great characters in the Bible.  The scripture that Bob read today has Moses arguing with God about what God is calling Moses to live through and demanding Moses step into a role to lead the Israelites out of its bondage to Egypt.  Moses knows the difficulties he will face, and he really doesn’t want to have to take this on.  He asks God to choose someone else, that he just doesn’t have the wherewithal to step into this.  Moses tells God there are others more qualified, more polished, more prepared folks to do this work.   God is having none of these excuses because he knows Moses is the one.   However, God does understand Moses strengths and weakness and suggests Moses brother Aaron as a person to assist Moses. 

What I appreciate about this story is that God doesn’t have a problem with Moses shaking his fist at God and saying I don’t want to do this.  It’s too hard.  And that an uncertain and fearful future does not have to be faced alone.  That God brings others into our lives to support and assist with some of the hard work we are doing.  Parents, siblings, friends,  colleagues, acquaintances, strangers.  And that God will never leave us or abandon us.  God will be right beside us through these difficult times. 

There are so many stories in our history of folks that have had to step into situations that were difficult, or the path forward was uncertain, or the individual had to work uphill to positively affect change in a situation that looked bleak.  I was reminded of such a person this week as I read The Writer’s Almanac this past Thursday. 

Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross on May 21st, 1881.   Clara was a shy young girl and had a stutter (just as described of Moses).  She started teaching at 18 and found her voice as a teacher.  She went to work in the United States Patent Office  in Washington DC in 1854 and advanced and made sure that her salary was equal with the men in her office (unheard of at the time).  By 1861 the civil war was exploding, and Clara assisted wounded soldiers back to their families and communities.  As the war progressed, she realized the Union Army had not provided adequate support for wounded soldiers and she often rode in ambulances and provided supplies and comfort to these frontline men that had been injured in battle.

After the war she traveled internationally and learned of the International Red Cross and convinced our government that an American Red Cross should be established.  A woman in that time period that had little status with limited rights established an organization that is one of the most respected organizations in our country coming to the aid of so many through all kinds of different challenges even today.  How did she do this?

How did David face Goliath as a young shepherd boy with a slingshot?  How did Daniel face the lions in the den that were prepared to kill him?  How did John the Baptist face the community with a radical message of love?  How did Saul who persecuted Christians with a vengeance become Paul – the most profound apostle in establishing the early Church?    The situations and circumstances were beyond anything these beloved characters in our Bible could have imagined.  Just like today.

I was inspired to hear our former President Barack Obama share a message to all of our graduating seniors last weekend.  This excerpt sounds a lot like our Quaker testimonies that guide our life. 

He said, “I hope you decide to ground yourself in values that last, like honesty, hard work, responsibility, fairness, generosity, respect for others.

You won’t get it right every time, you’ll make mistakes like we all do. But if you listen to the truth that’s inside yourself, even when it’s hard, even when its inconvenient, people will notice. They’ll gravitate towards you. And you’ll be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

And finally, build a community. No one does big things by themselves. Right now, when people are scared, it’s easy to be cynical and say let me just look out for myself, or my family, or people who look or think or pray like me.

But if we’re going to get through these difficult times; if we’re going to create a world where everybody has the opportunity to find a job and afford college; if we’re going to save the environment and defeat future pandemics, then we’re going to have to do it together. So be alive to one another’s struggles. Stand up for one another’s rights.”

This is a time friends that we need to help set our world on a different path.  We have to come together even through our different lenses, different views, politics, experiences, rural and urban settings.  It is through God’s love for all and God’s presence within us that gives us the foundation for a hope that is full and yet cognizant of the reality we live in today.   

I have become a big fan of Nadia Bolz Weber, the Lutheran pastor that has written a number of books and has quite a following.  She wrote a recent blog post that grabbed me about how we survive these times. 

She read a book by Navy Admiral James Stockdale who survived 8 years as a POW in North Vietnamese prison camp.  When he was asked who of his fellow prisoners struggled to make it out alive, he replied,

“The optimists. Oh, they were the ones who said, ‘We’re going to be out by Christmas.’ And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they’d say, ‘We’re going to be out by Easter.’ And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart….”

So, the “Stockdale Paradox” is the ability to hold two opposing but equally true things at once:  You must have faith that you will prevail in the end.  And at the same time, you must confront the brutal facts of your current reality.

When I stop and check in with myself, I must say - I believe we will prevail.  I have faith in the power of human love and creativity and resilience and kindness and humor.  And I believe God to be the source of our love and creativity and resilience and kindness and humor, which means there is an eternal supply on which to draw when we just don't have what it takes.   So, here’s the thing - we can turn resolutely to these brutal facts and even so, we will prevail. There is a global pandemic, and we will prevail. There will be death, and we will prevail. There are long hoped-for events in the future that will not happen, and we will prevail. There will be lost things and people and income and dreams and still, we will prevail. And all we really have is this day. And it is enough. “

Friends, as we face our reality and continue to have hope, we can hold on to this idea that we will prevail.  We will be able to do these hard things.  And our God will never leave us or abandon us.  Our God is with us always.  And will give us strength to do these hard things.

As we enter our time of unprogrammed worship please consider the following queries:

How am I facing my reality and yet living with the hope of the future?

What hard thing is God calling me to do?

How can I face my fears of uncertainty?

5-24-20 - Truth Tellers Needed

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

May 24, 2020

Matthew 5:33-37 (MSG)

Empty Promises

33-37 “And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.

Good morning, Friends!  It is good to join you in the comfort of your own homes today for worship.  I pray this message will bring you hope during the ongoing challenges of this pandemic.

For several months now, even before the pandemic began, I have been thinking about the lack of “truth telling” in our country and world. 

Just the other day, I came across a blog post that was titled, “The World Needs Truth Tellers More than Ever — Will You Step Up?”

In it, Lon Shapiro says, “I think it’s safe to say that truth tellers have done more to aid the evolution of our species than any king, conqueror or cult.”

He quotes people like Joseph Campbell, Rosa Parks, and several others who made their voices and lives heard by being “Truth Tellers.”

Obviously, the need for “truth tellers” is evident from the big arenas like politics and media to the smallest, in our families around our own kitchen tables.

And even more these days, “truth telling” seems to have become a gray area of interpretation and contention in a new way.  

Yet, “Truth telling” is as old as time.

If you go all-the-way-back for a moment to the opening story of the Bible, you will find an interesting dialogue between God and Adam and Eve.  In that story God tells Adam and Eve they are free to eat from every tree in the Garden of Eden but one.

And in a rather odd pronouncement, God says that one tree is his alone. If they eat from this forbidden tree, they will die.

As with all good stories that are to teach a lesson, Adam and Eve determine they could not live with God deciding the nature of what was good or bad.

No, they would rather choose good and bad for themselves. (play the music…dun..dun..dun…)   

So, Adam and Eve become the first “truth spinners” – and the rest seems to be history (as they say).

The story from Genesis goes on to show how Adam and Eve began lying to themselves about the tree and God.

They had to spin this by creating a new scenario – “God is holding out on us.”  And this thinking, quickly led to a downward spiral of lies which ultimately finds them naked and afraid. 

But just like last week, when we heard of Jesus going and meeting the disciples amidst the storm, this very first story in the bible shows God actually looking for Adam and Eve to reconcile their broken relationship, to reclaim truth, and to bring peace again to their lives.

Sadly, this story of Adam and Eve, is a great metaphor for the “truth spinners” we have become and see so prevalent in our world, today.        

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun points out some of the ways we “truth spin,” such as…

• We pad expense accounts with rationalizations and denials.

• We back out of commitments with blame and deceit.

• Advertisers, corporations, government & non-governmental agencies, educational and religious institutions spin the truth.

• Everything from ruining the environment to insider trading gets the spin.

It’s not hard to understand why people don’t know who or what to believe.

This is why the early Quakers were committed so strongly to “Truth Telling” and ultimately a testimony of integrity.  And folks this was not just in their personal lives, but in all areas in which they engaged – from politics and legislation, to civil liberties, to educational, economic, and workplace scenarios.

The Early Quakers believed truth telling involved speaking in a way that does not

• exaggerate,

• minimize,

• deny,

• rationalize or manage the truth

Wow, good thing they did not have our 24hour news channels, social media outlets, and advertising industry.   

Quaker Louis Cox emphasizes this even further by explaining the origins of such thinking. 

DO YOU SWEAR that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?...

Early Quakers were known for their refusal to take such oaths in a court of law (often at the risk of fines and imprisonment).

Sometimes their stand was explained by reference to the Bible:

"But above all things, my brethren, do not swear, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath; but let your words be yes, yes, and no, no, lest you fall under condemnation. [James 5:12]

But these Friends were not just obeying written commandments. Oath-refusal and other distinctive practices came to be known as "testimonies" only because these actions were bearing witness to a deeper spiritual Truth.

 The Kingdom of God is not an ideal or hope projected into the future. It is emerging here and now through our actions and examples.

Gray Cox in his Pendle Hill Pamphlet, Bearing Witness-Quaker Process and a Culture of Peace says the following:

...Quakers view truth as something that happens, it occurs...Truth is not a dead fact which is known: It is a living occurrence in which we participate....

The guiding concern of people bearing witness is to live rightly, in ways that are exemplary. Insofar as they have an end they aim at, it is perhaps most helpful to think of it as the aim of cultivating their souls and converting others.....

Quakers are convinced that genuine leadings all proceed from a common ground, spring from a unity which we seek and find...

In a world, that currently lacks a great deal of truth and the desire to uphold it, we are seeing a rise in anxiety, frustration, and misinformation, on top of and effecting our current pandemic situation.

We may feel that we have no influence on this current state, but honestly, that, too, is a lie we have told ourselves.

Just as the early Quakers, our voices and lives need to be heard and seen, pronouncing truth and integrity on a daily basis – and in ALL the areas of our lives.

As Cox said, we need to cultivate this in our own souls, first, and then allow it to convert those around us, so that we can find a common ground to work from.

I wonder what would happen if as Quakers we re-committed ourselves during this pandemic to work on our deficiencies in the areas of “truth telling and integrity” (as our ancestors before us)?  

• What if we refused to spin events and experiences in order to impress others?

• What if we stopped exaggerating?

• What if we stopped cheating on tests, taxes, insurance forms, etc…?

• What if we kept promises and followed through?

• What if we repented, and informed others of when we have lied to them?

• What if we spoke truth in love?

• What if we refused to flatter or dissemble?

• What if we said what we meant and meant what we said?

• What if we refused to slander another?

What if we refused to gossip or pass gossip and rumors?

Quakers have amazing ancestors who are exemplary examples of “truth tellers” – who used their lives and beliefs to change the world.

Yet, I sometimes wonder, have we leaned too heavily on the likes of John Woolman or Mary Dyer (or all the other great Quaker examples) leaving the “truth telling” and impact to a far-gone era?

Our ancestors did not begin as world changers…they began as ordinary people like you and me. 

• They had to look at their current condition and ask those questions of themselves. 

• They had to start small in their own circles of influence, during difficult times, and find ways to stand firm in their beliefs. 

• They had to count the cost of living and believing in a radical way from their peers.

And because they did…we are remembering their examples today.  But remembering is different than following their example. 

Their example started somewhere…but too often we simply look to the final results of their lives, and see how big an impact they had, and leave it with their legacy. 

Just maybe we need to follow their process first, so we, too, can leave a legacy for our future generations.  

I love how Lon Shapiro put it in the article I quoted from at the beginning of this sermon,

It is up to us to aggregate and synthesize to develop a deeper understanding of the nature of the world…Sometimes, we may come up with a solution…Even if we don’t, the conversation spurred by this discovery create ripples that may eventually cause revolutions in society, technology and culture.

So this week our queries come in the form of a practice: 

Start by taking some time to assess your honesty. Think back over the past week, and ask yourself the following…

• Where have I been tempted to stretch the truth, take advantage of a privilege, break a commitment or gossip? What do I see about myself?

• Where is it hardest for you to tell the truth?

• Then this week, I challenge you to practice one of these habits: 1) not exaggerating, 2) not gossiping, or 3) not rationalizing. Then ask yourself,  What is it like for me to do this?

5-17-20 - Making the Best of the Current Storm

Making the Best of the Current Storm

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

May 17, 2020

Matthew 14:22-33 (VOICE)

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on to the other side of the sea while He dismissed the crowd. 23 Then, after the crowd had gone, Jesus went up to a mountaintop alone (as He had intended from the start). As evening descended, He stood alone on the mountain, praying.

In the midst of the burdens of life and ministry, like when news of John’s death reaches Him, Jesus seeks refreshment in solitary prayer.

24 The boat was in the water, some distance from land, buffeted and pushed around by waves and wind. 25 Deep in the night, when He had concluded His prayers, Jesus walked out on the water to His disciples in their boat. 26 The disciples saw a figure moving toward them and were terrified.

Disciple: It’s a ghost!

Another Disciple: A ghost? What will we do?

Jesus: 27 Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear.

Peter: 28 Lord, if it is really You, then command me to meet You on the water.

Jesus: 29 Indeed, come.

Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and began walking toward Jesus. 30 But when he remembered how strong the wind was, his courage caught in his throat and he began to sink.

Peter: Master, save me!

31 Immediately Jesus reached for Peter and caught him.

Jesus: O you of little faith. Why did you doubt and dance back and forth between following Me and heeding fear?

32 Then Jesus and Peter climbed in the boat together, and the wind became still. 33 And the disciples worshiped Him.

Disciples: Truly You are the Son of God.

Good morning, Friends!  It is good to be with you again from the comfort of your own homes. I pray you find hope today in this message.

Tuesday morning, I seemed drawn to stop near the pond at the entrance to our subdivision.  It was a rather dreary morning and as I stood there looking across the pond, I imagined the scene where Jesus comes to the disciples during the storm on the sea.

I think this was all on my mind because earlier as I was having my first cup of coffee and watching the news, one of the broadcasters called the pandemic – the storm we were not prepared for.

To imagine the pandemic as a storm had me wanting to revisit that story Beth just read for us this morning.  

The problem is that often with this story we only focus on the divine miraculous part and miss the practical application altogether.  

One of my favorite professors in my doctoral studies once said, “We too easily get wrapped up in the miracles and divine instances of Jesus and skip right over the human aspects.”

When he said that, it had me thinking and looking at scripture from quite a different perspective from how I had been raised.

My professor said that we need to refocus our minds to see Jesus’ human aspects because they give us something we can understand, relate to, and ultimately learn from – and they are as much of the story as the miraculous parts.

So, this morning, I am going to focus a little more on what I think this text has been teaching me that many often miss as it relates to our current condition.  

First, getting in a boat for the disciples was as ordinary as us getting in our cars to drive to work. They knew the seas like we know the roads around our homes.

Also, we must note that the disciples...

• were comfortable in their setting…  

• they knew the weather patterns in their area…  

• they knew the warning signs of being on those seas… 

• they were as prepared as anyone could be for a storm, because... 

• to their credit, they were skilled fishermen.     

Yet, as the disciples headed out to cross the sea, we find Jesus finishing the night’s lecture on the side of the hill and dismissing the crowds.

It is not hard for me to visualize this, almost like an author book talk at Powell’s Books in Portland, Oregon where people would mill around waiting to get their book signed.

Remember, Jesus had been on tour for some time and he is tired and probably just wanted to head out. 

Jesus needed his space and some down time to meditate, relax, and pray.

Most likely, Jesus just wanted to put his feet up on a big rock, lean up against a tree, and without crowds still his soul and take in the chorus of the evening bugs.   

I don’t know about you, but I can almost picture Jesus in this moment.  

There Jesus is up on the mountain side literally looking out over the sea in which the disciples have just ventured out.

He most likely was aware of the storm that was brewing because from his vantage point he could literally see it coming.   

I kind of assume that Jesus, as many of us, laid back, watched the storm come in, but in his exhaustion fell asleep. Approaching storms seem to have the power to lull some of us to sleep.

Yet, throughout the night as Jesus rested his eyes, the disciples fought for their lives. This was not the usual storm.  Different texts describe the storm’s impact in different ways. 

Some say it battered the boat, others say it tossed the boat, one even says it buffeted the boat. 

Stephen Tinkner thinks it was much worse. He says, 

“Actually, the original Greek goes further. The word used in the Matthean text is actually basinizo (bos en izo), meaning to torture…

So, it is the middle of the night, the disciples are surrounded by a darkness we modern day light polluted people can’t understand, they are likely on a small boat, and a violent storm has surrounded and engulfed them. We can only imagine the fear pulsing through these disciple’s veins as the storm engulfs their lives.”

So, I think we can say without a doubt that this storm was intense.   

It very likely could have been a thunder-clap or lightning bolt that jolted Jesus from his much-deserved rest and meditation. 

Either way, the text says that Jesus went with haste to them early in the morning. Many people are quick to think it is dawn or as the sun is coming up, but I sense it was probably more like two or three in the morning and still very dark (remember there were no lights on the boat, or lighthouses on land). 

Also, we must remember that when people are under such stress and torture with very little sleep. Well, you know...they don’t see things clearly.

Thus, the disciples had probably been fighting for their lives for hours in complete darkness, their internal clocks, their internal navigation, their nerves all had left them. 

They had been battered, tossed, buffeted, and tortured - this was out of the ordinary for them.

Actually, at this time it was custom that fisherman crossed a sea by staying in sight of land and traveling around the perimeter of the sea - instead of going straight across.

The text says that by the time Jesus realizes what is going on, their boat was far from the land.  They were probably a bit discombobulated, but from Jesus’ vantage point on the mountainside, he could have seen their exact location through the lightning strikes or even possible moonlight.  

Did Jesus walk on water to get to them - or did he appear to walk on water? Maybe he was on the shore and to them he appeared to walk on the water.  This is beside the point.  

The important thing is that he knew where they were

and met them in their distress

and urged them through their fear.

Now, let’s just pause at this point and turn this to our current condition.   

For most of us, as the broadcaster on Tuesday said, the pandemic has been like an unexpected storm that has appeared in our lives. 

Unlike the ones that arise on occasion that we know how to get through or maybe even have taken precautions or made preparations for, this unexpected pandemic storm completely surprised us…

…and for many of us it is battering, tossing, and buffeting our lives in ways we would have never expected…

…leaving us feeling disconnected, weary, fearful, shaken, questioning, and wondering when things will settle down so we can go back to a new “normal.” 

Let’s be honest, this pandemic storm…

• knocked us off your feet.  

• distorted our vision and abilities, and   

• has many crying out for help! 

As well, this pandemic has raised several societal storms, on top of our own personal storms, storms like…

·        impending financial collapse,

·        deepening political division,  

·        economic, educational, racial, and technological inequalities,

·        and employment disparity and scarcity.   

And those are just the big categories of storms…then there’s the mental health storms of isolation, depression, addiction, domestic violence, interpersonal relational disparities, and again the list could go on and on.  

We seem currently surrounded by impending new storms each and every day – and mostly ones that we were not expecting.

All these storms can debilitate us, consume us, and have us and our neighborhoods, and even faith communities incapacitated and crying out for help! 

But let us return to our scriptures for a moment - What Jesus told the disciples was that they had nothing to fear in the storm.

This is a common tactic of Jesus. We repeatedly hear him begin with, “Fear not” or “Peace be with you.”

Often, I think he had to say that to first calm their hearts and minds and put them in a place to be able to hear.

I don’t think it was a quick fix, because there will be other storms, and also because Jesus carefully links this thought with what he asks Peter and the other disciples. In this moment of utter unraveling and the storms pressing in he asked them not to doubt their potential. 

You see, fear often grips us, leaving us immobilized – or maybe for us it is labeled lazy or just stubborn. We often default to some basic survival mentality.

That may be true right now in the midst of the pandemic storm. We may feel immobilized within isolation. We may be more lazy and unwilling to do what needs to be done.  And we may be a bit stubborn in how we are approaching this pandemic.

Yet I sense God may be asking a little more of us during this storm than simply getting through or survival.

Like with the disciples, just maybe God wants us

·         not to doubt our potential,

·         to learn something about ourselves from this storm,

·         to see this as a moment of opportunity,

·         or a moment of true boldness, like Peter stepping out of the boat amidst the storm, where you and I can make a difference (in our own life and in the lives of others)! 

Much like the storm the disciples found themselves within, the pandemic storm has changed the normal environment of life that we are used to.

Yet, if we willingly open our eyes to a new perspective, we might begin seeing that the pandemic has also created some positive and potential  opportunities.

For example, I was reading a recent survey on the positive aspects of the pandemic on our world.  They rarely quote this in press conferences or in the media. Things like…  

·        The pandemic storm has helped people build more genuine relationships.

Surveys actually show that more and more people have begun stepping out and getting to know their neighbors.

·        Parents are spending more creative and quality time with their children.

·        Many people are calling or connecting with old friends and catching up.

·        Partners and spouses are rekindling romances.

·        And even some people are engaging with that difficult person, colleague, or relative that needs reconciliation. 

As well, the pandemic storm has already created entire lifestyle changes to practice better hygiene.

·        Many people have learned to actually wash their hands, wear masks when appropriate, clean and disinfect their spaces.

·        Businesses are in for huge changes in-regards-to better hygiene.

I cannot but be reminded of how the Hebrew people of the Old Testament, when setting up the temple, considered the importance of hygiene.

History shows that their detail to hygiene from washing as you entered the temple, to the Kosher process, to even the importance of circumcision, all saved or lengthened their follower’s lives.

Folks, hygiene is just as much about keeping me safe as it is being concerned about and loving our neighbors.    

And we could keep going...The pandemic storm

·        has already had a huge positive effect on our environment. 

·        has helped develop innovative ways to stay connected and help each other.

·        has created an entire new wave of tools and software for use. Just think, how many of you had used Zoom before this time?

And I could go on and on…but the reality is, as I think we already know…there are going to be more storms in life. 

And let’s be honest, we are rarely going to get through them by walking on water or by some miraculous means.

Instead we need to remember that…

God knows where we are within this pandemic storm.

God meets us in our distress and

God urges us through our fear to not doubt our potential – to seize this moment – and like Peter try a new perspective even amidst the storm. 

As we enter a time of waiting worship, I ask you to ponder the following queries:

1.   What has me immobilized and fearful during this pandemic storm?

2.   What is my potential and the opportunities that have arisen?

3.   In what ways may I need to be bold, step out, and challenge myself to see with a new perspective this week?

5-10-20 - Mother God Comfort Us

Mother God Comfort Us!

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

May 10, 2020

Proverbs 1:20-33 (MSG)

Lady Wisdom

20-21 Lady Wisdom goes out in the street and shouts.
    At the town center she makes her speech.
In the middle of the traffic she takes her stand.
    At the busiest corner she calls out:

22-24 “Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance?
    Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism?
Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn?
    About face! I can revise your life.
Look, I’m ready to pour out my spirit on you;
    I’m ready to tell you all I know.
As it is, I’ve called, but you’ve turned a deaf ear;
    I’ve reached out to you, but you’ve ignored me.

25-28 “Since you laugh at my counsel
    and make a joke of my advice,
How can I take you seriously?
    I’ll turn the tables and joke about your troubles!
What if the roof falls in,
    and your whole life goes to pieces?
What if catastrophe strikes and there’s nothing
    to show for your life but rubble and ashes?
You’ll need me then. You’ll call for me, but don’t expect
        an answer.
    No matter how hard you look, you won’t find me.

29-33 “Because you hated Knowledge
    and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God,
Because you wouldn’t take my advice
    and brushed aside all my offers to train you,
Well, you’ve made your bed—now lie in it;
    you wanted your own way—now, how do you like it?
Don’t you see what happens, you simpletons, you idiots?
    Carelessness kills; complacency is murder.
First pay attention to me, and then relax.
    Now you can take it easy—you’re in good hands.”

Good Morning, Friends and Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers watching!  This morning I hope you will find this message filled with hope in these difficult times

As I have pondered the emotions of this week and the ongoing stress of this pandemic.  I have thought a great deal about the role of mothers during this time, and the extra stress on those who seek to nurture and care for children, elderly parents, spouses, and loved ones.

In my first virtual sermon during this pandemic, I spoke about Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem and that mother-like moment when Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and wishes that he could gather the people like a hen gathers her chicks. 

I don’t know about you, but I need that image of God more than ever right now.  I believe we need a nurturing Mother God to wrap her comforting arms around us, draw us in, and remind us that all is going to be well.

As I prepared for this week’s sermon, I was glad that as Quakers we are not afraid to imagine or characterize God with female qualities and descriptors, as well as, the typical male ones.

As Quakers, our understanding of God is shaped by personal experiences, and different people use a variety of descriptors to help them find meaningful ways to connect to the Divine. 

Even when we talk of that Inner-Light we do not ascribe it a gender, most of our gender descriptors actually come from the Bible. 

The patriarchal world of the Bible often limits us only to male descriptors of God. Yet there is the personification of God as Wisdom in a few places in the Old Testament which utilizes female descriptors.

Take for example the scripture that Beth read from Proverbs 1 – I love Eugene Peterson’s translation of the personification of wisdom – which he labels “Lady Wisdom.”  Giving us yet another female interpretation of God.

Lady Wisdom goes out in the street and shouts.
    At the town center she makes her speech.
In the middle of the traffic she takes her stand.
    At the busiest corner she calls out:

More significantly the Apocrypha (the books of the Bible that were not considered cannon but were accepted as historical) often utilize the female descriptors for the wisdom of God. Sadly, for most of our history (and still for many faith communities today), a female version of God seems threatening, demeaning or even heretical.

Let’s be honest, I sense in most eras this was misogyny alive and well, as it sadly still is today.       

Just listen to how one of the Apocryphal books - the Wisdom of Solomon personifies the Wisdom of God. 

There is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy…loving the good…humane…steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle. …For she is a breath of the power of God…in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets; for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with Wisdom. (7:22b-30)

As Quakers who call themselves, Friends, that one line should stand out and be quoted often – “She passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God.” That, to me, is beautiful.

Pastor Chris Glazer says the following about this passage from the Wisdom of Solomon,

“If you saw all these qualities in a personal ad or on a resume, you just might want to meet this person! I say “might” because this is a list so awesome many of us would feel intimidated. This is a description of Sophia, Greek for Wisdom, and in Jewish wisdom literature, you could say she was the feminine side of God, the counterpart to God the Father. This scripture was written by a Jewish mystic deeply influenced by Greek philosophy who lived around the time of Jesus…

In another text it is said that Sophia was with God from the beginning—without Wisdom nothing was created that was created. If this sounds familiar, the mystical Gospel of John takes as its prologue a similar assertion, that the Word, or Jesus, was with God from the beginning, and without Jesus, nothing was made that was made.”

Wow! Personally…during this pandemic and especially on this Mother’s Day, we need more than ever to identify with this feminine side of God. Those qualities and descriptors are desperately lacking in our world and leadership in this present moment.

Maybe it would do us good to find comfort in scriptures that emphasize these aspects of God, such as:

Isaiah 66:13 – “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you,” God declares through the prophet Isaiah.

Or again, Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37 – “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a mother hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing”

Or as the Psalmist in Psalm 131:2 gives us that comforting goal of resting in God:

“I hold myself in quiet and silence,

            like a little child in its mother’s arms,

            like a little child, so I keep myself.”

During this ongoing isolation, I continue to hear people say they miss the personal touch, the hugs, the handshakes, the comfort that physically being with other people brings. 

Just maybe, during this time, embracing a Mother-God-understanding would help us sense more accurately how God wants to interact in our life during this time.

It reminds me of back in my doctoral work when I studied the people known as the Dessert Mothers and Fathers.  Unlike us, they chose to go into isolation and quarantine by heading out into the wildernesses of the Middle East to pray.

An interesting part of their theology was that they did not believe Jesus came to save only Christians—rather, they believed that Jesus could save the whole world from its excesses, its materialism, prejudices, hatred, self-absorption, violence, and cruelty.

In many ways, I consider the Dessert Mothers and Fathers the first real Quakers. Like us they believed that God speaks to everyone, but that in order to hear God’s voice, one must learn to be still and actively listen for it.

Their focus was on the interior life that later, Quaker founder, George Fox would label our Inner Light.

Along with their inward journey, just like us Quakers, there was also an outward expression as well. The Mothers and Fathers labored to create self-sustaining communities that could welcome and feed the stranger, the refugee, the pilgrim, and those escaping mistreatment and injustice, including women.

Mary C. Earl in her book specifically on the Dessert Mothers, or “Ammas” as they were known, shared this about what they taught her, she said…

“…the ammas have taught me to set aside time for quiet. There are so many pressures that lead us to be fragmented. The tradition does not deny the pressures. The ammas tell us that God is present even in those daily struggles. I can remember that more readily if I have taken time for quiet.

She also says,

“…the ammas take me back to basics. We live in a time in which so much polarization has happened in both the national political arena, and within the church. The ammas invite us to look beyond all the divisive fussing — not to deny it, but to see it as surface reality. They invite us to gaze more deeply, especially in the most tensive of circumstances.”

And lastly, she says,

“…the ammas tell me that from the beginnings of the life of the Church, women have been initiators of new patterns and teachings, opening the way for knowing the wholeness that God offers in Christ. When I am reading the stories and sayings of the desert ammas, I am struck by their utter confidence that no matter what, this world belongs to God, is loved by God, and that each person, each creature, each aspect of the created order, is an expression (some would say a theophany, a showing) of God’s love.

Just maybe, during these difficult days of forced isolation we could take time to embrace and gravitate to the qualities and attributes of our Mother God, to sense her nurturing love and seek her wisdom.  Allow ourselves to be wrapped in her safe embrace and comforted by her care. 

And as the Dessert Mothers and Fathers, maybe we too should take this opportunity to turn to prayer and our inner life.

To begin to seek how during this pandemic we can turn to Jesus to help release us from our excesses, materialism, prejudices, hatred, self-absorption, violence, and cruelty.

And once more, as the Ammas or Dessert Mothers remind us, during our quiet and alone times this week, we should try and make time for acknowledging the pressures, polarizations, and tensions that we are experiencing – all while remembering no matter what this world throws at us - Mother God is always with us and ready to embrace us with her love!

As we now take a moment to enter waiting worship, I ask that you ponder the following queries:

1.      How might embracing the qualities and attributes of a “Mother God” help me during this difficult time?

2.      What inner spiritual work do I need to do in my times of quiet this week?

3.      Who do I need to reach out to with a nurturing word of love and hope, today?

5-3-20- Transforming Patience

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

May 3, 2019

Romans 12:12-18 (New Living Translation)

12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Since the pandemic began, one of the things I have really enjoyed are the “at home” concerts put on my some of my favorite artists.  One of my favorites has been Norah Jones, who in the late afternoon will sit down at her piano and play several tunes for her fans on Facebook Live. 

I often will put on the “at home” gigs when I am taking my walk.  This week, I decided to go back and listen to an earlier one where she did a surprising cover of a Guns and Roses’ rock ballad from 1989 – Patience.  At first, I didn’t even recognize the song, even though it sounded quite familiar. 

When Norah arrived at the chorus, I realized what song it was – but even more, I heard the words like I had never heard them before.  They go like this:

Little patience

Need a little patience

Just a little patience

Need some patience

Could use some patience

Gotta have some patience

All it takes is patience

Just a little patience

Is all you need

It was almost as though I was hearing my own conscience in the voice of a Norah Jones (I wish my conscience always sang to me in the bluesy tones of Norah Jones) – and I believe it was speaking to my condition.

I began to consider my own impatience this week. 

• Really, my Amazon Prime delivery is going to take 5-6 days instead of 2…?

• I have to put the pansies we just planted in for the night because there could be frost again tonight, really? 

• Are we really going to be in Quarantine for several more weeks?

• Why is my take-out order taking so long?

• Can’t we just get together with other people that have isolated themselves?

• This mask is making my face itch – do I really have to wear it?

• Why is my internet service lagging when I need to be on a Zoom call?

• Didn’t I just mow the grass, yesterday?

And then I hear that chorus again…

Little patience

Need a little patience

Just a little patience

Need some patience

Could use some patience

Gotta have some patience

All it takes is patience

Just a little patience

Is all you need

I kind of feel that lament (as we talked about last week) is somewhat connected to our lack of patience.

Many of you have shared with me this week that your patience is waning during this pandemic for a multitude of reasons. But when I actually think about, many of the things that I am impatient about seem rather petty and even frivolous, compared to those risking lives on the front line of this pandemic.  

But then I was reminded of what patience really looks like from a spiritual perspective. When I first studied the work of Henri Nouwen, I would have said he was one of the most patient people ever. 

Anyone who works with mentally and physically challenged people always seem to have a special grace and anointing in the area of patience, that so many of us only wish we could have.  But over time, I have come to understand that Nouwen struggled with patience and waiting on God.   

Nouwen often spoke of patience in his writing. Here is what he said once about patience when asked about waiting on God. 

How do we wait for God? We wait with patience.

But patience does not mean passivity. Waiting patiently is not like waiting for the bus to come, the rain to stop, or the sun to rise.

It is an active waiting in which we live the present moment to the full in order to find there the signs of the One we are waiting for.

The word patience comes from the Latin verb patior which means “to suffer.”

Waiting patiently is suffering through the present moment, tasting it to the full, and letting the seeds that are sown in the ground on which we stand grow into strong plants.

Waiting patiently always means paying attention to what is happening right before our eyes and seeing there the first rays of God’s glorious coming.

I remember the first time I read those words, it seemed very similar to hearing Norah Jones singing that chorus this week.  They spoke to my soul and to my condition.

How do we wait for God during this pandemic?   We wait with patience.

Not passively, like waiting for our Amazon Prime packages to arrive. 

But by actively waiting and continuing to LIVE in the present moment to the FULL.  All the while looking for the signs that God is giving us. 

I don’t know about you, but I have begun seeing things in a different light in these past 7 weeks, from a new perspective, and I have begun to see God in new ways during this pandemic.  

For me, a great deal of this has come through God’s creation.  

These past weeks, I have spent a lot more time watching the wide variety and colors of birds around me (some I even know thanks to our resident bird expert, Brad Jackson – Thanks Brad!)  

And then there are the male and female Mallard ducks that have made our backyard their home, the numerous turtles that stick their heads above the water to say “hello” as I walk by our pond, and the squirrels that have almost become so used to people being around again that they don’t dart off when I come close.

I have noticed the barrenness of the trees coming alive – or I should say resurrecting – as the buds and leaves blossom.

One day as I sat on my hammock reading, I was taken by the clouds forming and moving as they contrasted with the blue sky above me.  I just put my book down and wondered in awe at the beauty.

I even allowed myself to get wet as I walked and enjoyed the light rain as it hit my face as the storm approached in the dark clouds.

I recognized the smell of the blooms of the lilac tree in our back yard and the pansies I planted to bring color to our home. 

Where was all of this a few weeks ago? 

Oh, it was there, but I was on track to miss most of it. 

Actually, it makes me wonder, how much of what God has given us are we really missing?  Or better yet, how much of God are we missing?

I have had more contact with neighbors, learned more about my neighborhood, even seen neighbors I thought didn’t even exist (ha!)  

I see grocery workers and delivery people, garbage collectors, teachers and health care professionals in a completely different light – no longer assumed or taken for granted, but truly essential. 

I look forward to seeing the mail, UPS, and Amazon Prime trucks (as much as the ice cream truck when I was a kid) but want to thank them for their deliveries.

Since we are Quakers, we believe that there is that of God in every person we meet.  And in a new way I am starting to see that, the veils have been lifted.  I see it in the eyes overlooking the masks people who are serving, helping, and providing for you and me.  

There is a new depth, a new normal that cannot disappear – it is seeing that of God in people again!   

THESE are the signs God is (and has been) providing all along for us. They are in creation, they are in our neighbors, and they are in our families.

Now, I know there is a lot of suffering going on in our world, but I like that second phrase that Nouwen mentioned, I wonder, are we tasting it to the full?

Our laments during this pandemic can easily turn into complaining, nagging, or simply playing the victim.  But as I said last week, Lament must draw us toward the goodness of God. 

Yes, God wants our true feelings, our deepest struggles, but God also wants us to taste all we have been given to the full, which often takes a bit of struggle.  The pandemic is one of those struggles that if we let it transform us, we will be able to see with much greater clarity the goodness of God that is surrounding us constantly.

Richard Rohr talks about this transformation in a blog post called, “When Things Fall Apart.” He says,

“The word change normally refers to new beginnings. But transformation more often happens not when something new begins but when something old falls apart. The pain of something old falling apart—disruption and chaos—invites the soul to listen at a deeper level. It invites and sometimes forces the soul to go to a new place because the old place is not working anymore. The mystics use many words to describe this chaos: fire, darkness, death, emptiness, abandonment, trial, the Evil One. Whatever it is, it does not feel good and it does not feel like God. We will do anything to keep the old thing from falling apart.

This is when we need patience…”

I can attest that Rohr is spot on…this huge change – this disruption and chaos – for us is called the Covid-19 Pandemic.

It is causing a transformation to take place if we are willing and able to accept it.  Many things in life have fallen apart, but the most important thing is that we are being invited to listen and see at a deeper level. 

And yes folks, it is going to take patience both with ourselves, our neighbors, and even with God.  So, I end as I began with that chorus. 

Little patience

Need a little patience

Just a little patience

Need some patience

Could use some patience

Gotta have some patience

All it takes is patience

Just a little patience

Is all you need

As we enter a time of Waiting Worship, I ask that you take some time to reflect on the following queries:

1.      Where is impatience getting the best of me during this pandemic?

2.      How am I waiting on God and seeing God in fresh ways during these challenging times?

3.      How am I allowing this disruption and chaos to transform me? 

4-26-20 - In the Mood for Lament

In the Mood for Lament

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

April 26, 2020

Psalm 42  (The Voice)

1 My soul is dry and thirsts for You, True God,
    as a deer thirsts for water.
2 I long for the True God who lives.
    When can I stand before Him and feel His comfort?
3 Right now I’m overwhelmed by my sorrow and pain;
    I can’t stop feasting on my tears.
People crowd around me and say,
    “Where is your True God whom you claim will save?”

4 With a broken heart,
    I remember times before
When I was with Your people. Those were better days.
    I used to lead them happily into the True God’s house,
Singing with joy, shouting thanksgivings with abandon,
    joining the congregation in the celebration.
5 Why am I so overwrought?
    Why am I so disturbed?
Why can’t I just hope in God?
    Despite all my emotions, I will believe and praise the One
    who saves me and is my life.
6 My God, my soul is so traumatized;
    the only help is remembering You wherever I may be;
From the land of the Jordan to Hermon’s high place
    to Mount Mizar.
7 In the roar of Your waterfalls,
    ancient depths surge, calling out to the deep.
All Your waves break over me;
    am I drowning?
8 Yet in the light of day, the Eternal shows me His love.
    When night settles in and all is dark, He keeps me company—
    His soothing song, a prayerful melody to the True God of my life.

9 Even still, I will say to the True God, my rock and strength:
    “Why have You forgotten me?
Why must I live my life so depressed, crying endlessly
    while my enemies have the upper hand?”
10 My enemies taunt me.
    They shatter my soul the way a sword shatters a man’s bones.
They keep taunting all the day long,
    “Where is He, your True God?”

11 Why am I so overwrought,
    Why am I so disturbed?
Why can’t I just hope in God?
    Despite all my emotions, I will believe and praise the One
    who saves me, my God.

For nearly 5 years, I served as the Assistant Director of Campus Ministries at Huntington University, just up I-69 west of Fort Wayne.  While there I supervised the ministry of 20+ students who had the title, Campus Ministry Coordinator. Basically, they filled the role of lay-pastor for each dormitory floor on campus. 

Even my son, Alex, who graduates this year from Huntington University, served as a Campus Ministry Coordinator for nearly two years.  As he can attest, the role has its benefits and challenges. 

Every August, I would take our Campus Ministry Coordinators to a local camp for training.  A big part of that training was preparing them for Week Six of the school year – especially for those working on freshmen floors.  

We would often have a six-week countdown to remind the Campus Ministry Coordinators that this time was coming.  We made some jokes about it, but in all reality, we took it seriously because six weeks was a statistically proven time frame for undergraduate students…you see…

• 6 weeks is how long it takes for physical sickness to rear its ugly head on college campuses.

• 6 weeks is how long it takes for those with a propensity for homesickness to set in.

• 6 weeks is how long it takes for students to begin questioning or doubting their familial ways.

• And for a religious community – 6 weeks is how long it takes for students to begin to wrestle with what they believe and begin to have doubt. 

The lack of sleep, late night schedules, personal exploration, academic challenges to one’s philosophies, missing friends, home, and freedom all translate into a personal and communal change taking place. 

My hope was that my Campus Ministry Coordinators would be aware and sensitive to these issues and be watching the members of their floors for some of these signs. 

One of the biggest reasons to be aware was fall break was approaching.  That meant students would head back home for the first time since coming to campus.  Often this could be a very difficult time for families and students as they wrestled with a “stew” of all of these issues brewing in their lives. 

I trained our Campus Ministry Coordinators to be keenly aware and to open their ears wide to listen. They were to spend more time on their floors and be available for peers to talk with and share.  I even encouraged them to create fun activities for the floor and avoid deep philosophical conversations during this time – keeping the environment light and fun while being open to one-on-one times.

By now, you may have realized why I shared this part of my past with you.  This week marks the 6th week of the Pandemic and I am noticing many similarities. 

• 6 weeks is how long it has taken for the pandemic to really peek in our country.

• 6 weeks is how long it has taken for a different type of “home-sickness” to set it – this time wanting to be somewhere other than home.

• 6 weeks is how long it has taken for people to begin doubting and questioning the truth of the pandemic, the authorities, and why we are still in quarantine.

• 6 weeks is how long it has taken for religious communities to make major shifts and changes and begin to wrestle with the real struggles rearing their heads - such as depression, anxiety, fear, and actual sickness in our midst.

As pastors, our weekly schedules look completely different than six weeks ago. I personally, spend most of Monday and Tuesday preparing a relevant Self-Led Worship guide and a sermon (which needs to be ready by Wednesday morning to record). What used to be 3-4 days of prep has become 1-2. 

I have become an amateur videographer and communication director of about 8 different social media platforms. Most of the rest of my time is spent making phone calls to each of you to check in, listen, and find ways to help you during this time.  And then there are all the Zoom meetings and virtual gatherings – so different from just 6 weeks ago.

Like many of you, I feel the struggle, the loss, the lack of personal interaction, and connection.  The joy of having a good cup of coffee at a busseling coffeehouse or a great conversation over lunch with you has been relegated to emails, texts, zooms gatherings – which, let’s be honest, cannot convey the real emotion and feeling that looking into the face of someone you care for does.  Hospitals have become warzones and nursing homes are on lockdown. We are looking at our third memorial service to be put on our waiting list, soon.

I know each of you are struggling as well with all of these changes, I have heard your pain, your struggle, your boredom, and yet, there are very few answers to give, very few suggestions to suggest, very few opportunities to offer. 

Yet this week, as I spent meditating, I found myself feeling frustrated, angry, even caged.  As I get up and watch my boys and wife working in each part of the house, I have no words to express my deep sadness that two of my boys will not be experiencing normal graduations.

That their important accomplishments have been sidelined by this pandemic.  And that their futures, jobs, higher education, and the many new experiences they were to encounter may be put on hold for an indefinite time.

I listen to the Kindergartners connecting through Zoom with my wife who are full of energy and joy and yet missing school and friends – and I keep thinking of that old saying, “Everything you need to know you learned by Kindergarten.” What ARE they learning from this time?

And as I meditated, I began thinking about how small my family’s issues seem – when health care providers are risking lives each day.  People are still struggling with cancer and horrible diseases.  The elderly are isolated from the world and are feeling all alone.  Those in abusive situations are stuck in domestic violence nightmares – quarantined in unsafe homes. And then there are the pandemic inequalities ravaging the African American and Latin-X communities, which are atrocious.  And the list goes on and on…

What is my response? 

Do I think I can have one?

Does fear grip me and keep me from any sense of hope?

The only word that seemed to speak to my condition this week was the word – LAMENT – a rare form of prayer that has almost been forgotten in the Christian tradition. 

Some have even labeled it “the prayer that comes out of our pain.”

In an article by Trina Dofflemeyer, she says,

A lament is a prayer searching for understanding and peace in the midst of suffering or disheartening circumstances.

I don’t know about you, but I think I am having deep feelings of lament. 

I am searching for understanding.

I want some peace amidst this pandemic suffering and disheartening time.

Frederick Schmidt says, this form of prayer is

“…also a way of navigating loss and despair, laments carry those who long for comfort from raw honesty, through struggle, to the reaffirmation of God’s goodness.”

What I think he is trying to say is that lament is kind of the beginning of a three-tiered process.

First: Lament gives us permission to be honest about our struggle. To tell God what we really feel and are struggling with 6 weeks into this pandemic. Just maybe you need to unload on God.

In the Psalms we often hear the Psalmist crying out in poetic verse - “How long, O Lord? Will you utterly forget me?” (Psalm 13:2) or “Why, O Lord, do you stand aloof? Why hide in times of distress?” (Psalm 10:1)

We may not be so poetic – we may be more prone to swear, shake a first, or simply give a huge sigh.  But we need this release – that is part of Lament.  

Second: After we air out (or get off our chests) the frustrations, losses and despair, we then must begin to look at the actual struggle within our own hearts. We spend time becoming more aware of why we are struggling and what is causing that struggle. I find after airing my frustrations to God - I sense more clarity and often see what has lead me into feeling the frustration, loss and despair.  I may even begin to sense a way out or into a more hopeful place.  

Thirdly, once we work through those struggles, we need to take a moment and reaffirm the goodness of God. We may need to go back to better times and remember how God has helped us through other difficult times.  How God has provided for us. How God has been faithful when we were not able to be.

This morning, I want to close our time together with a lament written for the pandemic.  I have modified it slightly for our needs, but find it helpful in articulating my own thoughts and feelings through this process.

Will you join me this morning as we enter the process of Lament and may it speak to the condition of our soul:

Hear our cry, God. Listen to our prayer.

How long will we have to hide in our homes from this invisible enemy?

Where will it strike next? And whom? And what if…?

Our screens relay a continuous escalation of suffering and death around the world. Panic and anxiety abounds. Our souls are weary from the strain of the life-altering unknowns.

God, from the depths of our pain and confusion, we cry out to You.

From fear-filled hearts and anxious minds, we plead with You. Rescue us, Father of compassion and grace. We lift up our eyes to You, Lord God, the One who sits enthroned in heaven.

On all who have contracted the virus, Lord have mercy!

On all who have lost loved ones to this sickness and are in mourning and anguish, Lord have mercy!

On all who are unable to earn an income because their jobs have been suspended, Lord have mercy!

We cry out for healing and needed resources

We cry out for comfort and peace

On all medical professionals and caretakers attending to those infected with the virus, Christ have mercy!

On all scientists and technologists striving to find a vaccine and to make it available , Christ have mercy!

On all leaders of institutions and governments as they make decisions to try and contain the virus, Christ have mercy!

We pray for strength in the long and exhausting hours of labor

We pray for wisdom in the research and difficult decisions

On all who have not yet contracted the virus, Lord have mercy!

On the most vulnerable of our society who are unable to buy extra food or get proper medical attention, Lord have mercy!

On all followers of Jesus Christ discerning how to reflect His love to others within this crisis, Lord have mercy!

We plead for protection of health

We plead for all to remain calm and kind

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the expanse of the universe. And yet this earth is no longer as You created it to be.

One day You will liberate creation from its bondage to decay and death.

Life is sacred and precious in your sight. You are the God Who sees us and sustains us.

Nothing can separate us from the Father’s unfailing love and kindness, not even sickness or the fear of tomorrow.

You are our Light as we walk in this darkness. We will remember to celebrate the beautiful gifts You have given us in this present moment.

Almighty God, You are our Rock, our Refuge from the enemy, our hiding place.

You calm our frantic thoughts and fill our despairing hearts with joy and strength.

In Your Presence living water springs forth in the wilderness.

You restore our souls.

Let us now enter a time of waiting worship.  During this time let your lament continue.  If you still need some prompts, ask yourself the following queries:

1. What current struggles do I need to share with God?

2. How can I become more aware of the struggles I am facing, and what is behind those struggles?

3. Where am I seeing God’s goodness in my life (whether in the past or in the current situation)?

4-19-20 - The Landscape of God's Love - Earth Day

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

April 19, 2020

Psalm 95:3-7 (NRVS)

3 For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and the dry land, which his hands have formed.

6 O come, let us worship and bow down,
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.

Happy Earth Sunday to all of you joining us from the comfort of your own homes. Since this week is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, I thought it would be most appropriate to record this message from our Meditational Woods. 

I so wish you could join me in this beautiful setting to share worship with the birds, squirrels and amidst the Creator-God’s handiwork. Maybe sometime this week, you can get out of your home and swing by the Meetinghouse and take a walk in these woods.

Someone who loved taking walks in the woods, was John Muir. He was the Scottish-born American naturalist, writer, and advocate of U.S. forest conservation, who was largely responsible for the establishment of Sequoia National Park and Yosemite National Park.

He once wrote…

God's love is manifest in the landscape as in a face. (Cruise of the Corwin, P50)

During this pandemic and isolation these words have had much deeper meaning to me. With people’s faces covered with masks when I am out taking my socially-distanced walks, I have found myself focusing more and more on my surrounding landscapes and what is going on in nature.   

I am observing more of life bursting forth from the trees as they bud and bloom, the friendship of the ducks that frolic and play in our ponds, and even the way the sun as it sets in the evening changes the ambiance just enough to calm my heart. 

The fields across from our neighborhood have been blanketed in a beautiful purple clover, which I’ve not seen bloom since moving to Fishers almost three years ago.

I even stopped on a recent walk to take notice of the water in a small creek heavily flowing under a bridge on Marilyn Road after a recent rainstorm.

I never noticed the bridge when driving down Marilyn Road, or how picturesque it was from the walking path.   

Speaking of rainstorms, we’ve had a couple crazy storms since the pandemic began, haven’t we? Even from looking out my window or watching from my front porch or patio, the landscape of the sky has been changing.

During our last major storm, I experienced the sky lit up with lightening and cloud forms like I have never seen before. The deep rolling of thunder and the gusty winds all have had a different feel to me.   

Just maybe I am experiencing more of my landscape because I have more time to appreciate and encounter God’s handiwork – or maybe better yet – I have actually made the time to appreciate and encounter it.

I sense, like John Muir, I am allowing God’s love for me to be manifest in the landscapes of my life – just like it does through the faces of friends, neighbors and relatives - something sadly, I have taken for granted for way too long. 

The pandemic, in a good way, has forced me to see more of God’s love for us in the landscapes and nature in general. I no longer take it for granted but see it as a part of my daily experience – as an important participant in this thing we call “Life.”

Now, obviously this pandemic is affecting us each in different ways. Even as I considered Earth Sunday and what I would share with you today, I found myself thinking, how hard it is to celebrate the Earth and creation amidst so much sickness, death, and pain.

Yet, I began to see this from a fresh perspective after reading an article from The Atlantic by Marina Koren titled, The Pandemic Is Turning the Natural World Upside Down.

Sometimes in the midst of life’s difficulties and struggles, we find it hard to see the good or the positive effects taking place. 

In the article Koren points out some of the good and positive effects taking place…like…

• There is less rumbling (movement) on the surface of the planet.

• There is less air pollution.

• The city soundscapes are changing.

• And even the oceans and waterways are quieter.

Seismologist, Paula Koelemeijer says,

“It’s very literally reflecting a slowdown of our lives.”

It has changed so much in the last couple of months that seismologist, Thomas Lecocq, from the Royal Observatory in Belgium said that with the immediate drop in activity, a normal daytime in Brussels resembles Christmas Day.

Even the observing satellites that are orbiting the Earth have detected a significant decrease in the concentration of a common air pollutant, nitrogen dioxide, which enters the atmosphere through emissions from cars, trucks, buses, and power plants. 

What is crazy is that just this respite in air pollution over two months of isolation could save over 4000 young children and up to 73,000 elderly adults in China, alone.  

That is something to consider.

One thing that I have noticed on my socially distanced walks, is how much quieter the world is around me.

Erica Walker, a public health researcher in Boston, has been taking decibel measurements on her walks through the Boston neighborhoods, and she has found that the noise level has declined significantly.

Before the pandemic and during rush hour her measurements were at 90 decibels, now they are under 68.  

All of a sudden, people are hearing the ordinary noises of life, again.   

Sylcia Poggioli, an NPR correspondent in Italy, reported that the streets of Rome are so empty, “you can actually hear the squeak of rusty door hinges, and the “chirping of birds, an early sign of spring, is almost too loud.” 

Koren in the article points out something we as Quakers have been saying for quite some time and trying hard to help other people understand…

Quieter conditions, perhaps for several months, might seem like a good thing, it’s well established that noise pollution can negatively effect our health, contributing to stress-related ailments, high blood pressure, sleep disruption, and other problems.

Yet, since people have been conditioned for much higher noise levels and have ignored the importance or need of times for silence, or at least quieter conditions, this seems to be causing what some are now labeling “pandemic-related stress.” 

Again, this is where I believe we, Quakers, have some wisdom to share with our struggling world.  Our Friend Brent Bill wrote an entire book called, “Holy Silence” and in it he says,

“…the soul’s silence brings us to God and God to us. Silence takes us beyond the limits of consciousness and into the heart and mind of God.”

So, if you are tracking with me…just maybe the reason that so many people have issues with God or have difficulty connecting with the Divine is their perspective.

It is possible that we have limited God’s ability to communicate with and through us.  It seems to be our nature to try and box up God, talk over God, and even at times replace God.

For some God has been limited by a holy text, or to a set of rules. 
For some, God has been limited by a specific religious structure.
For some, God has been limited by a human relationship.
For some, God has been limited by a particular religious experience.
And for some, God has been limited by our busy, noisy, and unperceptive lives.

Just maybe during this pandemic and on this Earth Sunday, we should take a moment to take a deeper look for God’s love within and around us. 

To help us seek that deeper connection this week – I have a couple queries to ponder:   

• Looking at the landscapes of my life, what have I been missing?   

• As I center down and quiet my life, what life-noise do I recognize interrupting my experience of the Divine?

4-12-20 - Easter Sunday - Resurrection Light

Resurrection Light: Beyond All Limits of Space and Time

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

April 12, 2020

Mark 16:1-8 (MSG)

16 1-3 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could embalm him. Very early on Sunday morning, as the sun rose, they went to the tomb. They worried out loud to each other, “Who will roll back the stone from the tomb for us?”

4-5 Then they looked up, saw that it had been rolled back—it was a huge stone—and walked right in. They saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed all in white. They were completely taken aback, astonished.

6-7 He said, “Don’t be afraid. I know you’re looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the One they nailed on the cross. He’s been raised up; he’s here no longer. You can see for yourselves that the place is empty. Now—on your way. Tell his disciples and Peter that he is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You’ll see him there, exactly as he said.”

8 They got out as fast as they could, beside themselves, their heads swimming. Stunned, they said nothing to anyone.

Good Easter morning to everyone who is joining us from the comfort of your own homes, today. I hope this message finds you safe and well in these unprecedented times. 

I will be honest, it just isn't the same celebrating in this manner, but I am glad we have these means to come together and worship while apart. 

Way before the Coronavirus Pandemic descended upon us, I have taken daily walks through our neighborhood. 

With Spring appearing and all the beautiful sunshine, those walks have lengthened. Now, instead of 5000 steps on my Fitbit, I am almost getting my entire 10,000 steps in one walk. 

On one of our recent walks, Sue and I were pacing ourselves when we came across a patch of sidewalk that looked as if a dog had done its business hundreds of times right on the pathway.

We were quick to slow our pace and began walking as though we were entering a mine field.  About half-way through, we realized it wasn’t dog dropping at all, but the neighbor’s yard had just been aerated.

The “droppings” were actually dirt clogs. Sue and I were relieved at the discovery and then chuckled the rest of the way home.

The next day, as I entered our neighborhood on my lunch time meditation walk, I came across a truck pulling equipment with a huge sign reading “Aeration and Dethatch” with a phone number to call.  It was obviously the season.

Now, if you enjoy gardening or keeping up your lawn, you know that aeration and dethatching are important. 

Grass roots need air, water and nutrients to grow thick, deep and strong. When soil becomes compacted, even slightly, it inhibits the flow of the essentials that support thicker, healthier grass.

Aeration creates holes down into the soil to alleviate compaction so air, water and nutrients can reach the grass roots.

As I pondered this concept and watched as many yards in our neighborhood were being aerated, I could not help but think about how much this process was similar to what is going in our world right now.

The Coronavirus Pandemic seems to be our aerator. It is violently creating holes in our lives and our universe, but at the same time, letting those of us that do not have Covid-19, breathe a little. 

It is allowing us to slow down, to nurture ourselves, and to break-up the daily routines that have become like compacted soil in our lives. 

It reminds me of the song, Eric just played by Leonard Cohen. Often, I see and hear Quakers quote those two famous lines of the song,

“There’s a crack, there’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

Leonard Cohen was a very private man, and he was known for not liking to explain his music.

Supposedly though, he did make a rare statement about the song “Anthem” on The Future Radio Special, a special CD released by Sony in 1992.  Here is what Cohen said about the song.

The future is no excuse for an abdication of your own personal responsibilities towards yourself and your job and your love. “Ring the bells that still can ring”: they’re few and far between but you can find them.

This situation does not admit of solution of perfection. This is not the place where you make things perfect, neither in your marriage, nor in your work, nor anything, nor your love of God, nor your love of family or country. The thing is imperfect.

And worse, there is a crack in everything that you can put together: Physical objects, mental objects, constructions of any kind. But that’s where the light gets in, and that’s where the resurrection is and that’s where the return, that’s where the repentance is. It is with the confrontation, with the brokenness of things.

I love that last thought.  Let me read it again. 

But that’s where the light gets in, and that’s where the resurrection is and that’s where the return, that’s where the repentance is. It is with the confrontation, with the brokenness of things.

Just before we went into quarantine and isolation and closed everything down, I wrote in our Meeting’s newsletter, Friend to Friend, the following words,

“I encourage you to join with me in tending our gardens, hitting the reset buttons, and just maybe we will see resurrection in real-time this Easter happening in our own lives and in the lives of people everywhere.”

So, I ask you…

Have you seen it?

Have you experienced it?

Have you begun to aerate your life?

Have you allowed the cracks to let the light in?

I know for me being in quarantine or isolation has led to me spending a lot of time reading. Just before the shut down, I purchased a copy of Richard Rohr’s latest, The Universal Christ.  I have been reading and reading it for the last several weeks.

Rohr points out,

Most of us, if we are listening and looking, also have such resurrection accounts in the middle of our lives, when “the veil parts” now and then.

Like Leonard Cohen, Rohr sees the importance of there being openings in our lives that let the Light in – and he too relates this Light to resurrection.

Earlier in the book, Rohr responded to the question, “What happened at Jesus’ resurrection?” In response, Rohr gives us a better picture of this Light within the context of the resurrection, when he states,

What happened at the resurrection is that Jesus was fully revealed as the eternal and deathless Christ in embodied form. Basically, one circumscribed body of Jesus morphed into ubiquitous Light. Henceforth, light is probably the best metaphor for Christ or God.  

As Quakers, we know this to be true. We even talk about our Christ or Inner Light all the time.  But what does it all mean for us? 

Some say, it is all about eternal life, or about the hereafter. And that seems to be fine for many. But for me, it doesn’t speak to my current condition or the way I process spiritual matters. 

As a visual learner, the resurrection is something difficult to wrap my mind around, especially as an event that took place 2000+ years ago in a foreign culture than my own.

Often in the last several weeks, instead of seeing the resurrection as a literal physical event with all the elements I had been raised to argue and defend, I found myself visualizing that ubiquitous Light. 

Immediately, instead of recording the thoughts in a journal, I decided to paint my experience.

• I sensed a plethora of colors that spoke to the universality of the resurrection.  That this event was for EVERYONE in the universe not just certain people with the correct beliefs or faith structures. 

• I experienced light breaking through into the lives of individual people and families. They were finding hope in the midst of troubled lives and a painful existence. 

• I saw this patchwork of color and light forming together and creating a resurrected body of Christ – one unit – together in the present moment for the world to experience. 

So…I painted and painted and when I was done, this is what emerged.

Resurrection Light: Beyond All Limits of Space and Time

Resurrection Light: Beyond All Limits of Space and Time

At first, I had no words to describe it.  I just sat taking it in and trying to process what I had created. 

Then after visually expressing my thoughts, I picked up Rohr’s “The Universal Christ” and to my surprise read this... This is Rohr speaking…He says…

Back in 1967, my systematic theology professor, Fr. Cyrin Maus, OFM, told me that if a video camera had been placed in front of the tomb of Jesus, it wouldn’t have filmed a lone man emerging from a grave (which would be resuscitation more than resurrection).

More likely, he felt, it would’ve captured something like beams of light extending in all directions. In the resurrection, the single physical body of Jesus moved beyond all limits of space and time into a new notion of physicality and light — which includes all of us in its embodiment.

Christians usually called this the ”glorified body” and it is indeed similar to what Hindus and Buddhists sometimes call the “subtle body.”

Both traditions pictured this by what became the halo or aura, and Christians placed it around all ”saints” to show that they already participated in the one shared Light.” (p. 177-178)

My artistic vision seems to express well what Rohr’s professor described. Probably because...

• I needed to see in my life the cracks letting in the Light of the resurrection. 

• I needed to see Jesus morphed away from the world’s definitions and images that have encased him, and instead see him as that ubiquitous Light - a light that we Quakers believe resides in all people.

I think this is because we all have cracks that have let the Light in – even if we are unaware.   

• I needed to see that Resurrection Light extending in all directions – not just to those that are approved, accepted, or have the right answers - but to people of all cultures, orientations, beliefs, and understandings. 

• I needed to see all of us coming together in the “glorified body” or “subtle body” in unity and love. 

• And I needed to know that this resurrection Light was a sign that I am participating in a shared Light – together with all of you – not just on our own or by ourselves.  Even while isolated or quarantined – the good news is that we are still participating in that shared Resurrection Light – TOGETHER! 

This has brought me hope…and I pray it brings you hope as you continue to aerate your spiritual lives and allow the resurrection Light to enter your hearts this Easter. 

Now as we enter a time of waiting worship, I ask you to ponder these queries.

1.     During this difficult time, how have I begun to aerate those compacted areas of my spiritual life?

2.     Am I listening and looking for where the Resurrection Light is entering my life?  

3.     How am I embodying the Resurrected Light and sharing together with my neighbors the hope that it brings?  

4-5-20 - Compassion: The First Response

Compassion: The First Response

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

April 5, 2020

Luke 19:28-41

29 When he had come near Bethpage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the king
    who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
    and glory in the highest heaven!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

41 As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

This week, a Quaker friend of mine shared a post which read,

This new translation of the Bible where Jesus throws the elderly to a plague by Easter to save the money changers seems to be missing the spirit of the original text.

At first it made me chuckle, and after sharing it on social media, I began to think more about how often this happens in religion and our world.  We utilize the bible or whatever holy text we follow to speak to our condition or better yet, “stick it to the man” – all the while missing the main point of what is going on. 

One great example of this is what Beth just read from Luke. Most of us celebrate Jesus’ grand entrance with palms waving and hosannas – where Jesus takes a rare moment (almost out of his character to “stick it” to the Roman leadership). Last year, on Palm Sunday, I detailed how much this entrance resembled another political entrance that takes place across town at this same time, but I do not want to go there this year.   

Like I already mentioned, this seems kind of weird or at least uncharacteristic of Jesus. I am thankful for Luke’s gospel because he gives us a much more complete version of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Luke, in his own way, fills in the details and shows us what was really on the heart and mind of Jesus as he entered in.

Let me re-read those last two verses we heard read,

41 As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

This is a picture of someone with great “compassion” for the people. He was brought to tears over what was happening. This was much more than a grand entrance or a sign of the arrival of some sort of king or new leader.  Jesus knew this entrance entailed much more and was going to ask much more of him.  But then, if you have ever studied Jesus, you know this was Jesus’ way.  Throughout scripture as Jesus enters a town or looked at a gathered crowd he was approaching, the scriptures are clear to point out things like this,

“…he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Matthew is his gospel even says, that Jesus states this about Jerusalem specifically,

“I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.”

For Jesus to “enter in” took much more than we see at first glance. Yet, it seems scripture is clear that part of Jesus’ preparation was to respond first with compassion for the people.  He knew what he was getting into because he knew the people in which he was serving.  These people had great issues and there was great suffering because they had no direction and were being harassed by the Roman Empire.  I believe this still is speaking to our condition. 

Folks, Jesus had a deep sense of compassion for all the people both Jew and Gentile, disciple or Roman soldier, friend or enemy.  It was his way. 

A couple of weeks ago in one of our Self-Led Worship Guides, I quoted from the book, “The Rebirthing of God” by John Philip Newell. In that book he describes compassion in the following way,

“The word compassion simply means ‘being with suffering.’ ‘…compassion is about honoring the relationship between two people or between one group and another and remembering those who suffer.  It is about making the connection between the heart of my being and the heart of yours.” 

Before Jesus “enters in” to any situation he considers the suffering of the people. And he enters into it before actually getting involved.

Before healing.

Before teaching or preaching.

Before making a point.

Before asking the disciples to obtain a donkey or even arriving at the East gate…

Jesus is found leading with compassion.   

Jesus makes a connection between the heart of his being and the heart of the suffering person or people.

I believe this may be why so often when the presence of Christ enters our situation (whether that is through a fellow friend or simply a connection to our Inner Light), we seem surprised or shocked or even confused. The presence of Christ brings light, illuminates those things that we may not be expecting because God is connecting with us on such a different and often personal level. 

Yet too often, we are like the people in our text.  We make Jesus into a spectacle or even make him out to be what we want him to be, rather than who he is. Just like they turned his simple ride into Jerusalem into what people in their day would consider a political event (and let’s not be quick to get down on them – we do the same thing – we love to turn biblical events around to fit our political views.) Just this week, I have heard people say Jesus was a socialist or Jesus was a capitalist to make their points about the responses to Coronavirus Pandemic.   

Let me be really honest – I don’t think Jesus was working an agenda or political angle.  I think Jesus had known for quite some time what the people really wanted – a king – but instead he was focused, moved, even brought to tears over what they really needed – peace.

Jesus saw their clear:

• division

• suffering

• their anger at their enemies

But Jesus wanted to get to the depths of those things and enter at a heart level… But to do that, Jesus must, himself, enter their suffering and expose their division and anger.   

Actually, I might go one step further and say that Jesus must not just enter but BECOME THEIR SUFFERING.

His compassion for the people of this world went so deep that it became his passion.

Now, it is not ironic that this week is often termed “The Passion of Christ.” Some do not like calling that, so they soften it up by calling it “Holy Week” but it is often referred to as “Passion Week.”

The dictionary helps with this, as it notes that “passion” means suffering.  Not only can it mean strong and almost uncontrollable emotion, but it also means suffering, agony, even martyrdom.

This week leading to Easter was a week of suffering for Jesus, and I believe all that he went through, you and I and the world can relate to:   

• from betrayal

• to physical exhaustion and pain,

• to emotional anguish,

• to torture,

• and even death.

Henri Nouwen and his co-authors, Donald McNeill and Douglas Morrison in their book, Compassion: A Reflection of the Christian Life, point out this connection between the passion of Jesus and his compassion when they write,

In his humiliation, Jesus lived out the full implications of emptying himself to be with us in compassion. He not only suffered our painful human condition in all its concrete-ness but he also suffered death with us in one of its rawest, ugliest, and most degrading forms.

Jesus in most religions is known for compassion.  It is often his most recognized attribute.  If you and I are to live in a manner like Jesus – then before we “enter into” any situation – we will want to be aware of and begin with a compassionate view of our world – especially those who are suffering - and I believe this is going to take, like Jesus, both feeling and acting.

Again, I return to “The Rebirthing of God,” where Newell states,

There is a direct relationship between allowing ourselves to truly feel and the decision to act.  Compassionate action is sustained by the courage to feel.

Jesus felt the emotion and out of that acted. Or as our scripture pointed out, Jesus physically wept over Jerusalem before he entered into their situation. 

This week, Eric Baker (our music director) shared with me an article he came across that related to last week’s Self-Led Worship Guide. If you utilized last Sunday’s guide, in it I began talking about these ideas of compassion and suffering.  The article Eric shared with me was titled, In an Angry America, a new remedy emerges: Compassion.

As I read through the article and pondered Jesus’ feeling and action from our scriptures, I began to see how leading with compassion is so critical in our society and world. 

The article points out how compassion influences everything in our lives. It says that in an America that is becoming less empathetic, compassion is on the rise. As well, it emphasizes that the level of suffering and the visibility of suffering in our world (especially currently with the death tolls and suffering due to Covid-19) has made compassion ESSENTIAL.  

Over the last several years, there has been a personal emphasis on becoming attentive and aware of ourselves and our own condition (which I and many others label mindfulness) but at some point, we must continue to the next step. This step is the ability to put ourselves in someone else’ shoes, in situations positive or negative. That is compassion and it includes a motivation to do something to ease suffering.

That I believe was what Jesus was trying to teach us throughout his life and especially on that first Palm Sunday.  Jesus stepped aside and wept over the city.  He moved beyond mindfulness and took the next step and put himself in their shoes (or maybe I should say, sandals) and he asks us to do the same for our neighbors and enemies.

So just maybe instead of Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday, it should be titled, “Compassion Sunday and Compassion Week.”    

Queries to ponder this Compassion Week:

• Currently, how am I relating to the suffering of Jesus?

• How am I working to take the next step of putting myself in someone else’s shoes?

• How this week, will I lead with compassion, and not my own agenda?