Meaning and Authenticity

Here's my latest article for Feminist Theology in an Age of Fear and Hope . I'm taking a break from writing for it for a while, but I urge you to read the lectionary-based essays written by a variety of folks. Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Easter 4 A Reflection on Abundant Life, John 10: 1-10, In John 10:10 Jesus says “I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” What amazingly powerful words. Jesus came, he lived and he died, and he lived again so that we might have life. But not just any life—abundant life. In a spiritual direction group about a year ago, a woman suddenly stood up, threw her arms open wide, and shouted up to God: “I WANT IT ALL, LORD! I WANT IT ALL! YES! I. WANT. IT. AAAALL!” Oh, what an image she created in my mind. She was without a hint of self-consciousness. Her action was completely spontaneous and completely beautiful. I knew—indeed, everyone in that group knew—that the abundant life was already hers. The abundant life can be thought of i...

Here is the sermon I preached at both services last Sunday: Conviction Arising from Mystery John 20: 19-31 “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe!” So said Thomas, one of the Twelve disciples, upon hearing from his friends that Jesus--crucified and buried—was alive. “Jesus appeared to us, Thomas,” they told him. “In this room..." “No. Unless I put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will never believe that,” responds Thomas. One week later, same thing happens. This time Thomas is there and Jesus invites him to “reach out your hand and put it in my side.” He does. He then responds with perhaps the most powerful confession in the Gospel: My Lord and my God! Jesus gave Thomas what he needed to believe. Actually, if we read this passage carefully in vs. 20 we see that it’s the same thing he gave the other disciples. And in vs. 29 Jesus gives us all, these many ce...

A member of my covenant group at the Five Day Academy shared these beautiful words from St. Francis de Sales: Do not look with fear on the changes and chances of this life; rather look to them with full faith that as they arise, God – whose you are – will deliver you out of them. God has kept you hitherto. Do not but hold fast to God's dear hand, and the Holy One will lead you safely through all things; and when you cannot stand, God will bear you in the divine loving arms. Do not anticipate what will happen tomorrow. The same everlasting God who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either God will shield you from suffering or will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings.

Oh, what a week. I'm sick again. Yep. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. It just makes me so mad. Of course, underneath anger is always some kind of threat, and I guess what threatens me about this are a couple of things. I'm afraid of being a drag on my husband. I'm afraid this signals old age approaching, with all its decrease in ability to control my own life. Lots of images of my mother come to me when I'm sick like this--she died of respiratory ailments. I'm afraid of disappointing people who depend on me. Now that I have three jobs, I have more people to disappoint in that regard! My therapist once pointed out to me that when we are sick or stressed out, all the old dysfunctional internal messages tend to come roaring back. Maybe that's what this is really all about. Probably so. Although my concerns are reasonable, aren't they? Well, maybe the one about growing old, but now that I think about it, the other two are probably coming from that deep wound ...

Thanks to Jan for this quote. (Glad you're home safe and sound.) Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?”Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ~Marianne Williamson~