Cupids and the beginning of a Sabbatical

Cupids (January 7-26, 2013)

For a parish priest, with the day in and day out, 24 and 7 responsibilities of caring for and leading a community, the recommended sabbatical every 5 to 7 years is something I don’t have to be told twice about!

With the approval and blessing of the parish vestry, I began a 6 week sabbatical on January 7. I used the first three weeks of my sabbatical (January 7-26) to rest, read and reflect in the solitude of my home in Cupids. Being tired spiritually, mentally and physically, I simply wanted some time to rest, and to begin the process of detaching from the responsibilities of parish and agenda. 

A small winter river in Burnt Head

Greenland

Greenland Beach

Richard Rohr’s books on spirituality and community living have been my focus during that period of time, in addition to the fresh air, quiet and solitude of Burnt Head.

Life in the midst of suffering and pain

As we bring the Church’s liturgical year to a close (next Sunday is the First of Advent), we celebrate the feast of Christ the King.

Jesus’ Kingdom is no earthly kingdom. It is a Kingdom of the heart, the holy place within us where we know and experience Divine Life, eternal and unitive Life. 

In the Gospel for today, Jesus is before Pilate. Jesus the “King,” is to be scourged and crucified. Jesus is broken and wounded. 

To follow Jesus Christ and to live a “Kingdom” life IS NOT TO SUGGEST that we will avoid suffering and pain and loss in life.

To follow Jesus Christ and to live a “Kingdom” life IS TO SUGGEST that we can discover and live a satisfying life even in the midst of our suffering and pain.

Brokenness and suffering is very much a part of the human condition. Everyone of us are broken and suffer in various ways throughout our entire life. Our suffering and pain should not rob us of a satisfying and fulfilling life. Yet many people allow themselves to be consumed with that which is not right in their lives.

Jesus shows us the way to be open to a Love filled life even in the midst of suffering. During the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, the great evil and the pain did not become a barrier to Him Knowing the Father, and continuing to love those around him. He remained centered in the Father’s Love.

Because the power of the Cross of Christ the King, we are made free to also remain centered in the Father’s love. This is what it is to begin to experience the Kingdom of God – an openness to the Divine Love that neither sin, suffering, or death can separate us from.

Today we celebrate and give thanks to Christ our King, for the truth, life and love that He has opened up for us.

NHL: Millionaire's fighting with Millionaire's over who gets more Millions

I love hockey.

I can remember trying out for the atom team at St.Bon's, in that old and small rink behind the school, in 1971 when I was in grade 2 (that's a long time ago!!). And I've played hockey right up through high school, when I joined the Military, and even now as an older man, I continue to play in a recreational league. I was never very good at it - I was always a "3rd" line player. But I've always enjoyed the fun of the sport and the fellowship of the team.

And I've always enjoyed watching NHL hockey. Growing up, Bobby Orr was my hero. And I loved the rivalry between teams like Boston and Montreal. I remember fondly the excitement in the voice of the CBC commentator as he would describe Guy Lafleur racing down the ice.

In 1975, at the height of hockey's legendary players, the average player salary was $25,000 a year.

These hockey legends played professionally because they loved the game. They weren't well paid, but they did what they loved. Having said that, I certainly think it right that as Hockey revenue's went up in time, salary's and security should also go up - but not to the point where it is today.

I actually find this latest NHL lockout disgusting. It is the heights of greed. Millionaire players fighting with Millionaire owners over who gets more millions for playing a game.

50% of the world population lives on less than $2.50 a day. 80% of people live on less than $10 day. There are numerous justice and equality issues that are urgent and very real - not a game.

Just this week we commemorated Remembrance Day, remembering Canadian Service men and women who have offered their lives for those who could not and cannot help themselves - for an average salary!

I love the game of hockey. It is Canada's game.
But it seems to me that the NHL has become someone else's game.

Remembrance Day Thoughts

Remembrance Day, November 11, 2012

Today our country is commemorating Remembrance Day. 

And also today the Church is hearing the story of the widow’s mite: the giving of our all.

God’s Life & the Church’s Mission

The life that we live is God’s life. It is not ours to cling to, but God’s to share. The Church’s mission is to awaken this truth of unitive Love and Life within the heart of every human being.

Awakened and Transformed

As our hearts are awakened, like the widow and her mite, a transformation begins to take place that has a ripple effect.

As our hearts are transformed into self giving, our homes are transformed, our church is transformed, our community is transformed, our province is transformed, our country is transformed, our world is transformed. 

Self Giving and Sacrifice

This requires, as with the Widow, and foundationally with Jesus, self giving and sacrifice for the benefit of others. 

Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day, and we are remembering the men and women of our Armed Forces who have offered themselves for the benefit of others who could not help themselves. 

Today we are remembering those who responded to the call to battle evil in conflicts such as:

• The Second World War and the evils of Facism and Marxism. 
• Crotia and the evils of ethnic cleansing.
• Afghanistan and the political extremism and Terrorism of the Taliban.

Our Neighbours

The people of Europe in the 1940’s, the people of the Balkin’s  in the 1990’s, the people of Afghanistan in the early 2000’s...

...All of these people are our neighbours, made in the image of God, and we are united with them in the very same Divine Spirit that we share and that we are.

Societies that know the gift of freedom and equality have a responsibility to find ways to offer something of ourselves for the benefit of those who cannot help themselves.

Some of My Own Story

During the Second World War my father and six of his brothers offered themselves to fight the evils of Hitler’s Facism.

As a chaplain in the Canadian Forces in the 1990’s, I had to help prepare soldiers and families for the conflict in Crotia. 

In 2011 my eldest son offered himself to fight the evils of Taliban extremism and terrorism in Afghanistan.

I’ve had to reflect on such sacrifices in a very personal way. And I’ve had to ask myself “Is it worth it?” And the answer is Yes. It is Freedom's responsibility.

Jesus asks us to lay down our lives for our neighbours. The widow in todays Gospel offers her all. Free and equal people are called to help those who cannot help themselves.

So today, let us remember and give thanks for our men and women of our Armed Forces who have sacrificed themselves for others.

And may their sacrifice not be lost as we continue our stand against evil and injustice in our world.

Material things don't satisfy our deeper human needs

A rich young person came to Jesus and asked  “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

You or I with all of our material wealth living in a country like Canada could ask What do I have to do to make the most of my life? Or, What do I have to do to know and become more aware of a life now in God?

Jesus' initial response to the young person is to ask if he's kept the commandments. But that by itself is not enough to inherit the fullness of life. The Commandments are a great place to start, but we have to go deeper than the commandments as we mature in faith and life.

The next thing that Jesus did was to look at the young person and love them, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.”

Yet this rich young person missed this Divine gaze of love. He was too consumed with his "things" and other distractions that he was unable to see and know God's love for him. 

Yet this is where it is at! Becoming more aware of the Lord’s love for us is where true and lasting treasure is to be found.

Material things are fleeting and they do not satisfy our deepest needs. Maturing spiritually is to learn to detach from material things. Maturing spiritually is to learn to detach from all which is not in this present moment (including things, thoughts, memories, distractions).

As we mature in faith, as we learn to detach from material things and inner distractions, and to desire more and more the spiritual awareness of the Lord’s love for us, we actually “receive” the Holy Spirit and know eternal life.

If we are going to have a more full and meaningful life, regardless of what material things we have or don't have, we need to get on our knees, open our hearts,  and say “Lord, I need your Love.”

Thankfulness in Brokenness

Today many families are celebrating Harvest Thanksgiving. Yet many families will struggle today because of broken relationships within the family.

Today’s Gospel is about divorce. What a subject to reflect on for Thanksgiving!

Because this is a painful issue, and because so many people are affected by it, is not a reason for us, the Church, to avoid it.

The same goes for:

• Adultery and not understanding and respecting the boundaries around covenant marriage.
• Fornication, especially with adolescents and young people.
• Homosexuality and the need for intimacy with someone of the same gender. 
• Abortion and the sanctity of all human life.

These are examples of difficult and painful issues. They are real and present in people’s lives, and need to be dealt with compassionately. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus was teaching against divorce for “Any Matter” (which was an ongoing debate with his contempories). In fact, the Scriptures do allow for divorce for infidelity, emotional or physical neglect or abuse.

Regardless of what the Scriptures say or don’t say about divorce, or any other moral issue, the fact remains that mistakes happen, and that people end up broken and wounded.

Historically, the Church has beaten people up with the morality straight jacket; that is, in our  obvious weaknesses we are to see ourselves as miserable sinners who are separated from God. This has been done with the absolute neglect of encouraging an authentic and deepening inner life.

It's not our morality that is most important, but our awareness of being united to God's Divine Life, regardless of the mistakes that we make. The more aware we are of our Divine Union, the more moral we will become, and not the other way around!

We are, all of us, broken and wounded, and the Lord desires to love us into healing, wholeness, restoration, joy, love and fullness of life!

And as the Church, we don’t judge anyone. As we recognize the garbage in our own lives, and our need for lifelong healing and conversion, the Holy Spirit convicts us, and changes us.

Therefore as the Church, We stand with one another, in the presence of our Lord, to help each other up when we fall, when we are broken, when we are hurting, when we are confused.

That is what I give thanks for today.

Who do you follow?

These days, asking someone who they follow, the first thing they may think of is Twitter or Facebook!

The truth is that we all "follow" someone. There are people in our lives whom we look to encourage us, inspire us, to model our lives after. That could be someone we know personally, someone of influence in society, someone of interest in history.

Abraham Lincoln is a national leader who inspires me because of his commitment to freedom and equality for all people. Nelson Mandela inspires me because of his ability to overcome adversity and change a nation. My wife is someone whom I look up to and inspires me in how we live together as a family. Bobby Orr is my hockey hero that I look up to. Max, my dog, inspires me to play and have fun.

But of all the ones that I look up to, it is Jesus who is the most important Person that I follow.

The Church historically has done injustice to what it means to follow Jesus. Following Jesus is not about the moral do's and don'ts. Following Jesus is about a deepening awareness of our absolute Oneness with Divine Life. Morality needs to be consequent to a deepening and maturing inner life. That is what Jesus reveals to us.

Because of the Cross of Jesus, I can know and experience forgiveness in my life.
Because of Jesus, I can know non-judgemental compassion toward all people.
Because of Jesus, I can know the power of Divine Love, the Holy Spirit, to reconcile and unite.

As I follow Jesus, I learn to travel within my heart and mind. I learn to know the silence and stillness at the very center of my existence. It is in this Holy Silence, this Holy Ground, that I know that I am one with God, and one with you. It is out of this sacred place that we can support one another in our struggles, respect our differences, celebrate our sameness.

As I follow Jesus, I know a peace that no one else can give.

Who do you follow?

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”