“Listening is the way we are present to time, to self, to another, to God. Listening is not something you can do in retrospect–it is not remembering; listening is the way we attend to here and now in the fullness of time.”
Buechner on Grace
“Life is grace. Sleep is forgiveness. The night absolves. Darkness wipes the slate clean, not spotless to be sure, but clean enough for another day’s chalking.
”
Nouwen on Compassion
“Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.
”
Buechner on Tears
“Whenever you find tears in your eyes, especially unexpected tears, it is well to pay the closest attention. They are not only telling you something about the secret of who you are but, more often than not, God is speaking to you through them of the mystery of where you have come from and is summoning you to where, if your soul is to be saved, you should go to next.
”
Tolkein: The Hound and the Hare
The poet Francis Thompson wrote a piece that had a profound impact on J.R.R. Tolkein, famous author of The Lord of the Rings. The poem is entitled The Hound of Heaven. Below is what Tolkein had to say after reading it. He thought of his conversion in the picturesque way of depicting himself as a rabbit and God as the Hunting Dog. Beautiful.
“As the hound follows the hare, never ceasing in its running, ever drawing nearer in the chase, with unhurrying and steady pace, so does God follow the fleeing soul by his divine grace. And though in sin or in human love, away from God it seeks to hide itself, divine grace follows after, unwearyingly follows ever after, till the soul feels its pressure forcing it to turn to him alone in that never ending pursuit.
”
Frederick Buechner on Grace
“After centuries of handling and mishandling, most religious words have become so shopworn nobody's much interested anymore. Not so with grace, for some reason. Mysteriously, even derivatives like gracious and graceful still have some of the bloom left.
Grace is something you can never get but can only be given. There's no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.
A good sleep is grace and so are good dreams. Most tears are grace. The smell of rain is grace. Somebody loving you is grace. Loving somebody is grace. Have you ever tried to love somebody?
A crucial eccentricity of the Christian faith is the assertion that people are saved by grace. There's nothing you have to do. There's nothing you have to do. There's nothing you have to do.
The grace of God means something like: "Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are, because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It's for you I created the universe. I love you."
There's only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it.
Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.”
– Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC, 33.
N.T. Wright on The Unthinkable Family
“...in the ancient Near East the idea of a single community across the traditional boundaries of culture, gender, and ethnic and social groupings was unheard of. Unthinkable, in fact. But there it was. A new kind of “family” had come into existence. Its focus of identity was Jesus; its manner of life was shaped by Jesus; its characteristic mark was believing allegiance to Jesus.
”
St. Augustine on the Great Bear and Greater God
If a person understands the circling of the Great Bear constellation but doesn’t know the Great God who put the Great Bear in the sky, then that person misses out on so much whereas if a person knows the Great God but doesn’t understand the astrological phenomenon in the sky, they possess more than the most skilled astronomer in NASA.
“Yet, O Lord God of Truth, is any man pleasing to thee because he knows these things? No, for surely that man is unhappy who knows these things and does not know thee. And that man is happy who knows thee, even though he does not know these things. He who knows both thee and these things is not the more blessed for his learning, for thou only art his blessing, if knowing thee as God he glorifies thee and gives thanks and does not become vain in his thoughts.
For just as that man who knows how to possess a tree, and give thanks to thee for the use of it—although he may not know how many feet high it is or how wide it spreads—is better than the man who can measure it and count all its branches, but neither owns it nor knows or loves its Creator: just so is a faithful man who possesses the world’s wealth as though he had nothing, and possesses all things through his union through thee, whom all things serve, even though he does not know the circlings of the Great Bear. Just so it is foolish to doubt that this faithful man may truly be better than the one who can measure the heavens and number the stars and weigh the elements, but who is forgetful of thee “who hast set in order all things in number, weight, and measure.”
Timothy Keller on Miracles
““We modern people think of miracles as the suspension of the natural order, but Jesus meant them to be the restoration of the natural order. The Bible tells us that God did not originally make the world to have disease, hunger, and death in it. Jesus has come to redeem where it is wrong and heal the world where it is broken. His miracles are not just proofs that he has power but also wonderful foretastes of what he is going to do with that power. Jesus’ miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming.””
Truth & Beauty: St. Augustine on Jesus Running Through the World Looking for You and Me!
In the middle of Book Four, Augustine finally leans in and tells us the gospel and it is just beautiful!
“He is within the inmost heart, yet the heart has wandered away from him. Return to your heart, O you transgressors, and hold fast to him who made you. Stand with him and you shall stand fast. Rest in him and you shall be at rest. Where do you go along these rugged paths? Where are you going? The good that you love is from him, and insofar as it is also for him, it is both good and pleasant. But it will rightly be turned to bitterness if whatever comes from him is not rightly loved and if he is deserted for the love of the creature. Why then will you wander farther and farther in these difficult and toilsome ways? There is no rest where you seek it. Seek what you seek; but remember that it is not where you seek it. You seek for a blessed life in the land of death. It is not there. For how can there be a blessed life where life itself is not?” But our very Life came down to earth and bore our death, and slew it with the very abundance of his own life. And, thundering, he called us to return to him into that secret place from which he came forth to us—coming first into the virginal womb, where the human creature, our mortal flesh, was joined to him that it might not be forever mortal—and came “as a bridegroom coming out his chamber, rejoicing as a strong man to run a race.” For he did not delay, but ran through the world, crying out by words, deeds, death, life, descent, ascension—crying aloud to us to return to him.”
Truth & Beauty: St. Augustine on the Power of a Praying Mother
Augustine has almost nothing to say about his own father and what he does say isn’t good. However, he speaks fondly of his mother and was humbled by God’s grace through her life shown to him.
“And now thou didst ‘stretch forth thy hand from above’ and didst draw up my soul out of that profound darkness [of Manicheism] because my mother, thy faithful one, wept to thee on my behalf more than mothers are accustomed to weep for the bodily deaths of their children. For by the light of the faith and spirit which she received from thee, she saw that I was dead. And thou didst hear her, O Lord, thou didst hear her and despised not her tears when, pouring down, they watered the earth under her eyes in every place where she prayed. Thou didst truly hear her.”
Truth & Beauty: St. Augustine on Confessing the Essence of his Sin
Augustine and his friends called themselves the “Overturners” or the “Destructors.” They were wild high school aged boys that so loved getting into trouble. I can relate. Here, in this section, he remembers a time when the Destructors stole pears from a vineyard and threw them away to some hogs. He presses to the “why” behind the “what” of his sin.
“There was a pear tree close to our own vineyard, heavily laden with fruit, which was not tempting either for its color or for its flavor. Late one night—having prolonged our games in the streets until then, as our bad habit was—a group of young scoundrels, and I among them, went to shake and rob this tree. We carried off a huge load of pears, not to eat ourselves, but to dump out to the hogs, after barely tasting some of them ourselves. Doing this pleased us all the more because it was forbidden. Such was my heart, O God, such was my heart—which thou didst pity even in that bottomless pit. Behold, now let my heart confess to thee what it was seeking there, when I was being gratuitously wanton, having no inducement to evil but the evil itself. It was foul, and I loved it. I loved my own undoing. I loved my error—not that for which I erred but the error itself. A depraved soul, falling away from security in thee to destruction in itself, seeking nothing from the shameful deed but shame itself.”
Truth & Beauty: St. Augustine Opens the Confessions with Doxology
Here, Augustine opens arguably the greatest tome in Christian thought and theology with doxology on his lips and in his mind and heart.
“Great art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy power, and Thy wisdom infinite. And Thee would man praise; man, but a particle of Thy creation; man, that bears about him his mortality, the witness of his sin, the witness that Thou resistest the proud: yet would man praise Thee; he, but a particle of Thy creation. Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee. Grant me, Lord, to know and understand which is first, to call on Thee or to praise Thee? and, again, to know Thee or to call on Thee? for who can call on Thee, not knowing Thee? for he that knoweth Thee not, may call on Thee as other than Thou art. Or, is it rather, that we call on Thee that we may know Thee? but how shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? or how shall they believe without a preacher? and they that seek the Lord shall praise Him: for they that seek shall find Him, and they that find shall praise Him. I will seek Thee, Lord, by calling on Thee; and will call on Thee, believing in Thee; for to us hast Thou been preached. My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee, which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher.”
Truth & Beauty: Introducing St. Augustine & His Confessions
During this time of quarantine (we just now rounded 8 weeks here in Seattle), I found myself wanting to explore some of the classics belonging to Church History. Some of them I’ve read; others I haven’t. I began with St. Augustine’s Confessions. What I’m doing in this project that we’re calling Truth & Beauty is simply reading through the writings, marking one paragraph per book (there’s 13 books), reading it, and then will offer a very brief commentary/reflection/thought for the day over the next three weeks in order to provide a sort of theological/devotional supplement for our wonderful people of Redemption Church. Stay safe! Enjoy!
Ubi Caritas
Today is Maundy Thursday. The word “maundy” comes from the Latin “mandatum”; meaning “commandment.” Jesus said in John 13,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The “Ubi Caritas” is a beautiful Gregorian chant, penned as early as the 4th century. Ubi cartias is translated “when charity.”
Here are the lyrics in English and Latin.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
Love of Christ has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice in Him and be glad.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And from a sincere heart let us love one.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
At the same time, therefore, are gathered into one:
Lest we be divided in mind, let us beware.
Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease.
And in the midst of us be Christ our God.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
At the same time we see that with the saints also,
Thy face in glory, O Christ our God:
The joy that is immense and good, Unto the
World without end. Amen.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exsultemus, et in ipso jucundemur.
Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Simul ergo cum in unum congregamur:
Ne nos mente dividamur, caveamus.
Cessent iurgia maligna, cessent lites.
Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deus.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Simul quoque cum beatis videamus,
Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus:
Gaudium quod est immensum, atque probum,
Saecula per infinita saeculorum. Amen.
Readings for Holy Week
Palm Sunday
On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered into the city of Jerusalem riding a donkey. Though he was welcomed with celebratory shouts of "Hosanna!" he was there in humility to lay down his life.
Read Zechariah 9:9 & Luke 19:28-40
Holy Monday
On Holy Monday, Jesus cleansed the temple due to the fact that it had become overwhelmingly corrupt through religious extortion. The authorities became enraged at his actions.
Read Isaiah 56:1-8 & Luke 19:41-48
Holy Tuesday
On Holy Tuesday, the temple challenged Jesus theologically again and again. They question both what he taught as well as the authority by which had been operating. Read Psalm 118:19-27
Read Psalm 110 & Luke 20
Spy Wednesday
On Spy Wednesday, Jesus' was anointed with oil. Judas became indignant and sought to deliver Jesus into his enemy’s hands for an exchange of money. (Hence the name of the day is "Spy Wednesday").
Read Luke 21 & Mark 14:1-11
Maundy Thursday
On Maundy Thursday, after celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples. During their meal, Jesus "commanded" (mandatum in Latin; hence the name of the day; Maundy Thursday) them to "love one another as I have loved you." Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. His disciples fell asleep and soon Judas arrived to betray him. Jesus was placed under arrest and Peter denied him three times.
Read Isaiah 50:4-10 & Luke 22:1-65
– Sergei Chepik
The Last Supper
Good Friday
On Good Friday, the Jewish leaders put Jesus before Pilate, and though Pilate found him innocent, he still consented to the torture and death by crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus was buried that afternoon.
Read Psalm 22:1-18, Luke 22:66-71, and Luke 23:1-56
– Sergei Chepik
Crucifixion of Jesus
Holy Saturday
On Holy Saturday, (the Jewish Sabbath), Jesus laid dead in his grave.
Read Isaiah 52:13-15, Isaiah 53, and Luke 23:56
– Hans Holbein the Younger
The Dead Christ in the Tomb
Easter Sunday
On Easter Sunday, a few women disciples when to anoint Jesus' bound and buried body. However, when they arrived, they saw that he wasn't there! The angel greeted them and proclaimed to them the good news that Jesus was alive again! The women then returned to the disciples to tell them what had happened!
Read Isaiah 52:7-10 & Luke 24
– Sergei Chepik
The Resurrection
Keeping Time Like Children
“The child has come to take time as it comes, one day at a time, calmly, without advance planning or greedy hoarding of time. Time to play, time to sleep. He knows nothing of appointment books in which every moment has already been sold in advance. When Paul exhorts us to ‘buy up the time’ (Col. 4:5; Eph. 5:16) he probably means precisely the opposite, that is, that we ought not to squander hours and days like cheap merchandise but that we should live the time that is given us now, in all its fullness: but the point is neither to ‘enjoy it to the full’ nor to ‘make the most of it’, but only that we should receive with gratitude the full cup that is handed to us. The moment is full because in it all of time is gathered up, effortlessly as it were. The present moment contains the memory of already having received as much as the hope of receiving time now. This is why the child is not afraid at the fleetingness of the present moment: stopping to consider it would hinder us from accepting the moment in its fullness, would keep us from ‘buying it up’, from ransoming it.
Play is possible only when time is so conceived, and also the unresisting welcome we give to sleep. And only with time of this quality can the Christian find God in all things, just as Christ found the Father in all things. Pressured man on the run is always postponing his encounter with God to a ‘free moment’ or a ‘time of prayer’ that must constantly be rescheduled, a time that he must laboriously wrest from his overburdened workday. A child that knows God can find him at every moment because every moment opens up for him and shows him the very ground of time: as it if reposed on eternity itself. And this eternity, without undergoing change, walks hand in hand for the child with transitory time. God defines himself as ‘I am who I am’, which also means: My being is such that I shall always be present in every moment of becoming.
”
Why Does Social Distancing Make My Soul Ache?
On Friday morning, March 6th, we decided to postpone our traditional Sunday worship gathering at Redemption Church, following the recommendations of the CDC. I had some friends from around the country reach out and ask “Really? Do you really think that’s necessary?” I felt challenged by religious tradition on the one hand and listening to the CDC on the other. I texted one of our pastors who is a medical doctor and asked his opinion. He suggested that we listen to the CDC. So, that’s what we did. We didn’t see this as a lack of faith in God. It was merely heeding the wisdom of those who are empowered to lead. My goodness, we had no idea just how serious all of this was to become!
That first Sunday morning, I looked over at Jana and said,
“My soul hurts. I so wish I could be on at the front steps of the church to hug everyone and welcome them to worship. I’ve stood on those steps every Sunday for four years.”
That ache hasn't subsided, and I don't suspect that it will any time soon. So many members of our church have reached out expressing the same thing. That same need to connect in person. This need to be together caused me to do some thinking. Why do we feel it so deeply?
The Trinity
From a theological perspective, our answer lies in the fact that we human beings are made in the image of our Triune God. You see, God exists in and as a community in perfect harmony, love, and mutual indwelling. This is known as "perichoresis."
As human beings, we are far more than physical; we are profoundly relational and deeply spiritual. Social distancing places a tremendous strain on our souls.
Andrei Rublev, The Trinity
In the opening scenes of Scripture, we see so many beautiful things.
“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature”
This moment is beautiful because it captures God delicately, gently, intentionally, carefully creating Adam. This is not a blacksmith covered in soot, banging away by fire in a dark shop. Instead, it feels more like Chihuly sculpting glass.
In the very beginning, there was no social distancing between God and Adam. Instead, they're face to face. While they were nose to nose, God still saw his work as incomplete. Someone was missing. This is not because God was insufficient to meet Adam's needs. God simply wasn't quite finished with creating beings in his image. So God made Eve and brought her to Adam; there was no social distancing between any of them. God, Adam, and Eve.
Come Together
Throughout the first and second testaments, we see God's people coming together to worship him (Exodus 7:16, for example). This is because our religion is not a singular, privatized relationship that we do in our heads between ourselves alone. Rather, our faith is deeply communal. In the incarnation, we see Jesus bless creation. In the church, there is a repeated emphasis on coming together (1 Cor. 11:23-26'; Heb. 10:25; Col. 2:1). Even the Apostle John expressed his discontent of using technology as a means of communicating with the saints. He writes
“Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.”
This isn't because there is anything evil about pen and paper or in our case, phones and computers. John simply knew that technology, though extremely helpful, simply cannot compete with the joy that is experienced when the saints join together in the worship of the Trinity.
That’s why it hurts. In the meantime, we will not despise technology. FaceTime, Zoom, and prerecorded sermons are not what we’re used to nor is it ideal. Yet, it is what we have to work with in the meantime and so we will practice gratitude alongside and social distancing at the same time. I love you, Redemption.
Your Neighbor,
Alex
G.W.H. Lampe on Miracles
“Miracles are, therefore, in Luke’s understanding of the matter, part and parcel of the entire mission of witness. The whole is miraculous, in so far as it is a continuous mighty work of God. By the divine power the gospel is preached, converts are made, the Church is established in unity and brotherhood, the opposing powers, whether human or demonic are conquered… The whole mission …[is]… effected by supernatural power, whether in the guidance given to the missionaries, in their dramatic release from prison or deliverance from enemies or shipwreck, or in the signs of healing and raising the dead… It is consequently difficult to pick out the miraculous from the non-miraculous in Luke’s story.
”
A Room Called Remember (Buechner)
“The time is ripe for looking back over the day, the week, the year, and trying to figure out where we have come from and where we are going to, for sifting through the things we have done and the things we have left undone for a clue to who we are and who, for better or worse, we are becoming. But again and again we avoid the long thoughts. We turn on the television maybe. We pick up a newspaper or a book. We find some chore to do that could easily wait for the next day. We cling to the present out of wariness of the past. And why not, after all? We get confused. We need such escape as we can find. But there is a deeper need yet, I think, and that is the need—not all the time, surely, but from time to time—to enter that still room within us all where the past lives on as a part of the present, where the dead are alive again, where we are most alive ourselves to turnings and to where our journeys have brought us. The name of the room is Remember—the room where with patience, with charity, with quietness of heart, we remember consciously to remember the lives we have lived.”