It goes something like this

I wonder how often Jesus told a story. The gospels, succinct as they are, seem to indicate that Jesus only ever told a story once. And that makes sense: the gospel authors wouldn’t want to be repetitive. But I bet Jesus reused some of his best ones. Different crowds, different places. Maybe he even retold some in a slightly different way, relating to his audience. The parables, metaphorical stories that have a point, could have multiple meanings, so it makes sense to me that Jesus would use them again and again. Good material can be hard to find.

Here’s one I think he might have reused more than a few times. I’ve borrowed it from Matthew 13: 1-9.

Listen, Jesus said. A wise old woman looked out her window one day. She looked up at the sun and down at the earth and she looked at her calendar and her clock and she said to herself, “it’s time.”

She picked up a large bag full of seeds and threw it over her shoulder. She stepped out her back door and she began tossing the seed to the earth, spreading them out as far as she could. And, when her bag was empty, she went back in the house and watched out the window, waiting.

Some of the seeds landed on the path from her door. She stepped on a few and some were eaten by the hungry birds that followed her.

Some of the seeds landed on rocks, where the birds didn’t see them. The sun was warm and the seeds sprang to life. But there was no water there, so they just shrivelled up.

Some of the seeds landed among weeds. There were dandelions and crab grass and chickweed and thistles. The weeds did very well and it wasn’t long before they overwhelmed the little seeds.

Some of the seeds landed in good soil. It was warm and wet and full of good things seeds need to grow. And they did, making a beautiful garden of the brightest flowers and the greenest leaves.

Jesus paused for a moment. The people were looking at him very confused. A couple were smiling, trying hard not to laugh. “What’s so funny?” Jesus asked.

“Well,” said one, “I’m not much of a gardener, but even I know that’s a lot of wasted seed.” “Yeah,” said another, “I have a bit of garden at my house and I would be a lot more careful where I planted the seeds. If you want things to grow, you have to be careful where you plant them. This woman is anything but wise.” There were nods of agreement all round. Except for Jesus.

“Perhaps,” said Jesus. “But the seed that fell on the path fed the birds. The seed that fell on the rocks was caught by the wind and planted elsewhere. Or, over time, perhaps enough will land there to make a little pocket of soil on the rock and start to wear it down. And the seeds in the weeds, well, what is a weed anyway? Sometimes they’re important, too. Besides, one or two might be strong enough to grow with the weeds, who knows?”

“Yes,” said someone, “who knows, Jesus. You have to invest in the best location. You have to plant where you know the seed will grow.” There were murmurs of agreement from the crowd.

“But,” said Jesus. “What if the seeds are God’s love? God invests in the certainty that all creation is deserving of love, just as it is. When we live God’s love in the world, each seed is like an act of love offered by you. The point is that it’s offered, with generosity and without conditions. Wherever it lands it has the hope of doing good, of growing more love and more generosity. Imagine, just imagine how full and beautiful the garden of earth would be, if we all offered love with the generosity of this wise old gardener.”

The Yoke's On You

Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Yes, I’m quoting Jesus. Specifically, from Matthew 11, verses 28 to 30. Just as importantly, though, I think we all need to say it, feel it and do it.

It’s so easy to leave these words with Jesus, a call to “the saviour” whose company brings comfort and peace. Life is easier with Jesus.

Except it isn’t. Simpler, maybe. Better, for sure. Fulfilling, certainly. Empowering, definitely. But easier it’s not. Not just because of the Bible Jesus whose words we read, but the living Jesus with whom we share life.

There’s two parts to this. The first is the rest that we can find in Jesus. To be clear, that’s not sleep or a break or “down time,” it’s rest. Rest rejuvenates and refreshes. It gives us the opportunity to rebuild, re-energize and re-engage the world with enthusiasm and spirit. I think Jesus is really talking about a sabbath time here, time for us to put down our everyday things to spend a little time on our relationship with the divine. And that is real rest: it refreshes and reinvigorates us. And we need that if we’re going to yoke ourselves with Jesus.

Yes, that’s the point: with Jesus. We might think of a yoke as an individual thing a beast of burden wears to help carry its load. We’ve even made it a symbol of hard labour or use the metaphor of the yoke of oppression. It’s constricting and constraining and a sign of hard work. But not with Jesus.

In Jesus’ world, a yoke wasn’t an individual thing at all. Its purpose was to connect two together in order that they may share the load they carry. The “burden” of being Jesus - of knowing the divine spirit and very earthy humanity of each of us and living love and grace into the world as we learn to do from Jesus - isn’t just light, it’s inspiring and life giving, and, most importantly, shared. Jesus walks with us, bonded to us, and shares the load we carry, both inspiring us with that burden of being Jesus and uplifting the many burdens which the world might lay on our shoulders.

So let’s not stop there. If the divine spirit and earthy humanity that Jesus shows us is alive in each of us and we can understand this yoke Jesus talks about as what binds us to Jesus, to share our burdens with Jesus, of the spirit and of life, then why wouldn’t we see that same yoke connecting us to another?

In a world where so many are grieving, struggling with mental health, wrestling with life, can we not offer to share their burdens? It takes little expertise to sit down, just like Jesus, and say “tell me your story.” Or how can I help share your burden? For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Taking the Test?

Like any good library, the Bible is full of a great variety of literature. Historical stories, myths, legends, fantasy, romance, instructional texts. There’s poetry and songs, biographies and letters, and much more. Not a lot for children, but there’s some stories and parables here and there.

There’s a few holes, of course, especially when it comes to things that we’ve become more open about, issues that have become more topical, but it’s an ancient library. The librarians may have tried to anticipate what we’d need, but even then, I wonder if they could have foreseen today’s world. Thank goodness we have so many other books, along with newer stories and contemporary writers. I don’t think the Bible is the only library, I think it inspires us to be open to others and look for what is true, creative and life-giving in every story.

That doesn’t mean we have to like it. Being challenged and uncomfortable is part of the journey. So when I think there’s more than a few stories in the Bible that I don’t like, that make me uncomfortable and challenge me, I know that’s a good thing. At least, I try to know that’s a good thing. Ok, sometimes I really struggle with finding it to be a good thing, but I hope that I get there and find some good in it.

Pretty much at the top of my list is the story of Abraham and Isaac. Famous or infamous, depending on your perspective, equally horrifying and reassuring, it’s the story of  God testing Abraham by demanding that he sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham seems willing to go through with it, but at the last moment, an angel stops him and a ram appears and they sacrifice that instead.

There’s a variety of interpretations of the story, from it being about faith to it being about putting an end to human - especially child - sacrifice (it was the ancient world) to the idea that it represents the disconnect between young and old and the willingness of one generation to sacrifice another. There are hours of worthwhile bible study here.

I have trouble getting past the first line. “After these things God tested Abraham" (Gen. 22:1).

Does God really test us? I wonder about that. I think we test ourselves and I think the world tests us. And we naturally compete with each other and the world around us. God is with us at all times - in all "tests" - but I have trouble believing that God tests those to whom he offers unconditional love and grace.

I think God wants us to succeed at living. And dying, whenever it's time, death is a part of life. I think God wants us to have the fullest, most complete and whole life we can in the time that we have, whatever that time is. That time that is so dramatically impacted by our relationship with the rest of living things.

But we have the free will to choose our path. So I wonder that maybe sometimes we needed to tell stories where, instead of us being made in the image of God, we made God in the image of us. So we gave God the need for proof and the power and control that comes with the obedience of others. That way, we'd know that the right path was doing as we're told and following the word of the law. Maybe we still do it.

But the Word became flesh, as John says, and we had a living example to follow, a life that showed us God's love and grace is offered to all, whatever their journey. However life tests us, challenges us, breaks us or rewards us, God is with us.

It's A Long Road

There’s so much conflict in the world. Everywhere. Globally, between nations, within nations, in communities, between individuals, even within individuals. So much conflict. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if there could just be peace?

Of course it would. And, though it might not feel like it lately, there are moments, many moments. But peace can’t be imposed, it has to be built and to build it is a long journey of engagement, with empathy and understanding overtaking apathy and fear. Peace doesn’t just happen, it’s made.

I think that’s what Jesus is getting at when he says things like “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword …” and that he’s come to set family members against each other (Matt. 10:34-36). I don’t for a moment think Jesus is advocating hostility or violence, but acknowledging there will be conflict on the journey to peace. The question is whether or not we make that conflict constructive or destructive.

It sure seems like we’re good at destruction. Defensiveness and hate come easily with fear and ignorance. Having power over others is a simpler means to an end, however that power is manifested, and with the right power, what one person wants can overwhelm what others need. Difference can turn to disagreement that turns to a battle full of hateful words, destructive behaviour and damaging consequences and the possibility of peace seems extinguished. But there’s another way.

In that same passage from Matthew, Jesus goes on to say that those who choose to put their own family ahead of me, Jesus, those that are comfortable with things as they are and don’t want to rock the boat and those that are unwilling to follow me, Jesus, will find nothing more than what they have. They won’t have the wholeness of life with me, Jesus. 

But what if you read that again and instead of the name Jesus, you substituted what Jesus is all about. And, instead of the family and rocking the boat, you understood that Jesus meant the structured society and systemic injustice that maintains it. Then you’d hear Jesus making the point that there is another way to peace, to the heaven on earth that he says is so near.

That way is to engage difference and conflict with love, with empathy, respect, justice, compassion and understanding. That way is to journey together, not in competition with each other, but with care, support and encouragement. That way is to build a covenant, not negotiate a deal. A covenant in which we work together, share, and build something new: a world working towards wholeness, of people, of relationships and of community.

That’s a long journey, especially when not every one is on the same road or willing to travel the same way. I think Jesus knows that. I think Jesus knows that there will be successes and failures, joy and grief, life and death. I think Jesus also knows that the journey is always about living into life, not living towards death, and that’s where we will find wholeness. “The road goes ever on and on” - J.R.R. Tolkien.

Jesus Knew What He Was Looking For

Jesus chose twelve people to be his closest disciples. There were many other followers,  disciples and apostles, but it seems there were twelve that were the “inner circle.” Twelve, just like the number of tribes in Israel. The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke list the their names, as does the Book of Acts. The gospel of John doesn’t, though it mentions most of them individually at some point.

We know some better than others. We might know their story of being invited to join the band, we might learn about their character as they journey with Jesus or in the days after his departure, spreading the word, teaching, preaching and being Jesus in the world.

Why these people, though?

As far as the story goes, there was no job description, no request for applications and resumés were not required. Jesus didn’t seem to have any criteria and he didn’t seem to be looking for specific skills or a particular education. The ones who’s occupations we know were not particularly useful, although the fishermen made for a memorable metaphor. So did he know what he was looking for? Did he randomly pick just anyone?

It’s pretty easy to say well, it’s Jesus. The Son of God “knows.” Attributing it to divine knowledge is a traditional response, but it’s also one that doesn’t really help us. And I think Jesus is all about helping us.

I think Jesus did know what he was looking for, I just think it wasn’t divine foreknowledge, it was something very human that he saw in the moment.

We might tend to focus on how Jesus constantly demonstrates empathy for the marginalized, the broken, the hurting and the grieving. The fact is, Jesus has empathy for everyone. I think Jesus saw honest, authentic people and saw the potential in them, especially the potential for an open heart and an inclination to connecting with that divine spirit that is in all of us. He saw that in the people he chose.

I imagine he saw that in many people, so maybe he was looking for more. Maybe he was also looking for a willingness to let go. Not just that they would drop everything, leave their jobs and their families and follow him - they do that in the story - but that they would let go of the traditions and structures that box us in and be able to imagine and learn something new. Something we once knew and is new again: that God is with us and in us and we are part of the divine spirit that is in all creation, connected by love and capable of living love into the world.

Learn. That’s the key part of that. Jesus wasn’t looking for people who were already there. He was looking for people whose journey would not only inspire them, but others as well. He looked for promise and potential, not certainty and perfection. He chose people he knew would stumble (we all do), but that he knew would get up and step out again.

When we talk about being Jesus, this is part of being Jesus. Not just that we would be true to our authentic selves and be open and loving and offer grace and compassion, but that we would look for it in others and help them find their way to living it.

Love is in it

I imagine that ministers - or pastors, priests or by whatever title they’re known - have a few fears. I know I do. And yes, I also know that I constantly remind people that the words most often said by Jesus in the Bible are “don’t be afraid.” I know that God is there, but I’m also just as human as you and sometimes I’m afraid, especially when those fears happen.

I’m sure I can’t be alone in being afraid that I won’t be there when I’m needed. We all might know that one, it’s pretty human and we’re all human. More about that in a moment.

It became real for me this past week. I was away in another part of the country when someone decided to welcome Pride month by smearing tar and eggs on the rainbow sidewalk that has been part of our church in Ponoka for several years now. First time this has happened. And I wasn’t there.

Here’s the thing, though, the thing about God being present when we’re experiencing the fear that we’re not. Members of our community stepped up. It was reported to the RCMP, it was cleaned up and repainted and when the media wanted to report on it, there were people to speak to them. Thanks to social media, I was able to contribute a statement, but others were there in person. I’m sure God was there when Graham Boyes told the media that “I'm glad that the people who did this targeted us, and not an actual at-risk person because sidewalks can be repainted.” I’m just as sure God was there when people of all ages were doing the painting. And the rainbow’s brighter than ever.

I wish I’d been there, but I couldn’t have done better than those that were and I’m grateful to them for that. I’m grateful for the many messages of support and encouragement the church received. I’m also grateful to God for all that and grateful for the reminder that God is there, inspiring people, connecting people and moving people to be what they’re meant to be: love.

Listen, there’s a lot of hate out there. There’s probably just as much written about why we hate and I’m sure it’s all practical, well reasoned and logical. But hate isn’t. It’s born in fear and ignorance, wilful and not. I believe we’re born in love, of love and wired for love. We give in to fear, we know hurt, we tire of learning and we close our hearts and shy away from relationships. But the love is still there. It’s the power of life, creativity, inspiration and compassion. And it’s still there.

Jesus shows us that. Jesus shows us that love is in us and around us and we are capable of living into the world. Just like Jesus. The divine spirit of love is in us - it’s what gives us life - just as it’s in the earth from which we come. It connects us and binds us to each other. The apostle Paul, in his writings, says we’re collectively just like a body, a body that needs all its parts - emphasis on all - and needs them all to be healthy in order for us to be whole. Wholly human and wholly humanity. 

That means all of us. We’re all connected, even when we try so hard to not acknowledge that. Love will help us. Love will inspire us. Love wins.

A Pastoral Response to Suicide

There are a lot of people struggling. Some have chosen to end their life and their friends and loved ones have questions. All of us should, really. Recently, I was asked to share a few thoughts about religion’s response to suicide. I don’t feel that I can speak for religion. I can only say what my faith tells me. This is what my heart says.

I would never presume to know what’s in the mind and heart of someone who takes their own life. Nor would I think I could judge them for it after they’re gone. There are religious traditions that do, but they are not mine.

Mine says that God is love. God is the spirit of creativity and life. God offers grace and forgiveness for all. All. When Jesus says we should love everyone as we love ourselves, Jesus doesn’t say there are exceptions. All means all. I believe that means we all return to God. Yes, return. I think we come from God and return to God when this earthly life is done, no matter how it is done.

Even if you believe that God is some grand celestial being, you cannot teach that we believe in a God who loves all and, in Jesus, forgives all and then suggest that there are those who can’t be forgiven and there’s a place for them called hell. And by the way, when we do that, it’s us that are judging them here, not God. You cannot teach that it is God who judges and then speak in judgement for God. I don’t believe that any of us have that power.

Even if you want to suggest that the Bible says suicide is wrong, that argument rests mostly on the sixth commandment (and lesser texts in Hebrew law), which is that you will not murder. And you’re arguing that suicide is murdering oneself. First of all, again, breaking the Law isn’t beyond God’s love and forgiveness. It may be beyond our’s, but that’s not ever the same thing. Second, as Jesus repeatedly points out, it’s what’s at the heart of the law that is most important. And what’s at the heart of the law is to cherish all life, to care for it and, as Jesus often says, to try and bring heaven to this life. What should be more concerning is what, in this life, might have brought someone to suicide.

You cannot teach that we believe in a God who knows what’s truly in our hearts and not know that God’s heart breaks with ours when someone ends their life. But, while we might struggle with our thoughts and feelings or worse, judge people for what they chose to do, God simply embraces them and welcomes them home.