Monastic Mumblings, a Friar's Journey

Shocking video from Iran

A furious crowd surrounds and disarms, (perhaps worse) a group of the militia used by Pres. Ahmadinejad in his continued repression of those demanding their election results not be stolen.  I don't see how the Ahmadinejad Presidency thinks it can survive this, however perhaps they don't.  Lord have mercy, this situation is getting very dangerous for all concerned.

A jet put on standby to flly Iranian officials

6th Day of Christmas -Incarnation

I was talking with a friend yesterday about the Incarnation.  While we had differing viewpoints on the subject, I think the conversation was really enjoyable and enlightening, and a neglected one in Christian circles.

Fr. R. Rolheiser says something that really got my attention, "...of critical importance, is the question of the ongoing nature of the Incarnation.  The Incarnation is not a thirty-three year experiment by God in history, a one-shot, physical incursion into our lives.   People The Incarnation began with Jesus and it has never stopped."

It is so easy to think that with the Ascension, Jesus took off for parts unknown, but I think He is still with us, and in us. As well as His Incarnation changing the world, the cosmos as we know it. When Jesus tells Paul he is persecuting Him, not just His followers, He is telling us that He is still Incarnate in the Church.  Get your head around that one! 

Almighty God, You have poured upon us the new Light of Your Incarnate Word:  Grant that this Light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

5th Day of Christmas - Slaughter of the Innocents

 Today is Slaughter of the Innocents, a day were the Kingdom of Man and the Kingdom of God collide in bloody starkness. I can't imagine the horror those families must have experienced as Government soldiers came in and yanked those young boys from the desperate arms of their screaming parents.  How many mothers and fathers also died defending their babies?  How many families were shattered by this evil?

In those days it was not so very uncommon for politics to be practiced that way. Romans did it in Gaul, the Hebrews did it in Canaan, Herod did it in Bethlehem, the Khmer Rouge did it in Cambodia, Stalin, Hitler the list goes on throughout history.  Destroy anyone that can fight back now or in the future and you get peace for your Kingdom or Empire. This is the Kingdom of man, not the God's Kingdom.  Mark Van Steenwyk has an interesting discussion of the contrast between the two kingdoms in his post Revealing the Un-Kingdom of God.

I wonder, is there a way that we can live into God's Kingdom as opposed to the kingdom of Man?

We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of Your mercy all innocent victims; and by Your great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish Your rule of justice, love, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

4th Day of Christmas - Feast of St. John the Apostle

John was one of those "sons of Thunder", who formed an inner circle of the Apostles with Peter and James (his brother).   He is mentioned in many of the really powerful miracles that Jesus performed, such as raising the dead, healing the sick, and he even was privileged to behold the Uncreated Light of Jesus' Glory on Transfiguration Mount. One thing we often forget is his youth, he was said to be the youngest of the twelve, and is typically depicted in art as not having a beard, due to his youth.

In his Gospel, we see that he outran the impetuous Peter on the way to the suddenly empty tomb and was the first of the two to reach it. This experience changed him profoundly changed him forever. Think of that, a young man, perhaps even a teenagers sees something that changes his life profoundly and forever.

John went on to author three Epistles and a Gospel.  He may even have written the book of Revelation, though that is less certain.

The question I have for us, is how would that change us?  Would seeing a person we KNEW to be dead come to life again, would that alter our world view?  What would be come less important to us?

Shed upon Your Church, O Lord, the brightness of Your light; that we, being illumined by the teaching of Your apostle and evangelist John, may so walk in the light of Your truth, that at length we may attain to the fullness of eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

3rd Day of Christmas - the Plan

Father Everett's sermon had a really good point today. We often try to separate Jesus from the Prophets, acting as if He was the Father's "plan B".  But He wasn't "plan B", He was and is THE PLAN, all along. That is a remarkable point, it is so easy to think of the miracle of the Incarnation otherwise.

The preaching of the prophets,
foretelling the manifestation of Christ,
has today received its saving fulfillment:
for He has come in the flesh to enlighten
those in peril of darkness.
The Son of the Father without beginning
has appeared to us, God the Lord
made flesh of the Virgin,
to give light to those in darkness, to gather
the dispersed.
Therefore, the
far-famed
Birthgiver of God
we magnify you.

The Nativity of Our Lord: Christmas Day

Almighty God, Who have given Your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon Him, and to be born this day of a pure virgin: Grant that we, Who have been born again and made Your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by Your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom with You and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever.

Christmas Eve

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
Isaiah 40:5

Today is Christmas Eve. Once again the Seasons of the Church are turning, the Light is here, tonight, for us Christians, and all the world,  the Incarnation shall come once more.

Unfortunately we rarely talk about the Mystery of the Incarnation except at this time of the year.  It truly is a Mystery beyond human comprehension, but I do believe and confess that one night, long ago, the Word was made flesh.  

That miracle of Incarnation to me, teaches us that we should share in all human happiness and mourn every human grief. All genuine human joy and contentment is the business of a Christian because it was shared by God, Incarnate. Not staying in the walls of a Church, getting into the business of life is Incarnational. My friend Ron Robinson's Third Place ministry in Turley (surely a forgotten place, if ever there was one) is a wonderful example of the Incarnation being lived in view of all.

But also, all human suffering, misery, depression, and darkest despair is our concern because Christ walked with us there also.  When my late wife suffered in the pain of her cancer, Jesus was there, with her, with me, going through that agony. There is no human condition that Jesus did not share with us, apart from sin.

In dealing with pain and suffering in this broken world, Archbishop Rowan's words speak to me: "There is something about Christianity that always pulls us back from imagining that everything will be all right if we can find the right things to say - because for God, the right thing to say at Christmas was the crying of a small Child, beginning a life of risk and suffering. God shows us how, by His grace and in His Spirit, we can respond to the tormenting riddles of the world."

That the Word of God, Who was with God from the beginning, and Who is God should have become flesh, not just putting on some sort of human "skin suit", but becoming flesh, recreates all human experience into a new place, one that God Himself deigned to dwell.

So tonight, in the candles, incense, and songs of the devout, may we greet once again, the Lord of Glory!

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by Your daily visitation, that Your Son Jesus Christ, at His coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for Himself; Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Darkness flees, the Light is coming

Advent is about Darkness being overcome by the Light, and this Advent has been very dark for me. I have had real struggles with grief, missing my younger brother and my Dad. Then, a friend lost his battle with depression and committed suicide.  It has been a very dark season.  However, I do know in my heart that the Darkness of Advent is giving way to the Incarnation, the Light of Christmas will soon be among us.

We all experience the darkness, and just try to think back to that dark night so long ago; a frightened probably very, young woman, her first Child. Darkness, who knows what kind of dangers were lurking in an unfamiliar city?

As a man, my thoughts often center on Joseph.  Trying to help, not sure what to do... Mary crying out in pain, wanting to comfort her, the fears that must have gone through his mind.  What if she dies? That was a very common thing in those days. He could not feed the Baby! He had no money to hire a wet-nurse.

This dark, scary,  smelly scene doesn't quite match our glorious creches enveloped in incense during our crowded, candle lit Midnight Masses. The gleaming Angels and wondering Shepherds are not yet arrived.  There are no Kings offering expensive gifts. Only Mary, Joseph and pain and the ever present Darkness.

There isn't any place in our lives that Jesus hasn't been. From the fear and darkness of that first Nativity, to the heights and Glory of the Mount of Transfiguration.

Joesph found that out that night, God was there, all was well, Darkness fled the newborn Light that he cradled in his rough, carpenter's hands.

Almighty God,as Your kingdom dawns,turn us from the darkness of sin to the light of holiness,that we may be ready to meet You in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.