The Anglican Church Versus the Pentecostal Church

My wife Valerie and I have just returned from a Hill Song music and leadership Conference in New York City . I didn’t know much about Hill Song, only that Valerie uses some of their music in our liturgy. When she said she was going to a conference in New York, it wasn’t Hill Song that I was interested in, it was the experience of visiting New York!

The conference was held at the historic Radio City Music Hall on the corner of 7th and 50th Avenue, one block from Time Square. The Music Hall was filled to capacity with over 6000 Christians (the majority  of which seemed to me to be in their 20’s and 30’s). The music and worship was amazing and uplifting. The various speakers were inspiring and encouraging. The place was electric and alive with the Presence of God. And the whole thing - the conference and Hill Song - are Pentecostal.

There are aspects of the Pentecostal expression of Christian faith that don’t particularly sit well with me: the tendency toward biblical fundamentalism; the gospel of prosperity; the “are you saved” approach, to name some. I don’t like the repetition of the “amen” “allelulia” and “in Jesus Name”. Nor am I particularly fond of the hands in the air and jumping up and down.

Having said that, Pentecostalism seems to attract young people, and those who commit themselves to Pentecostalism, really commit themselves. In other words, Pentecostalism is doing something right.

As an Anglican within the more catholic stream of our diverse tradition, I tend towards a quieter spirituality. I like the practice of silence, of meditation and contemplation. I value the the sacraments and the rhythm of our liturgy and liturgical year. These are all good and important, but they do not necessarily attract and retain the unchurched or the young.

Having now visited the 9/11 memorial at the site of the Twin Towers in New York City, a horrible reminder of the evil of intolerance and hatred, I am reminded of our need to be open to learning about and learning from those who are different from ourselves.

On a very much smaller scale, as an Anglican, what can I learn from churches and traditions that are different from mine? What can I learn from churches that are connecting with younger people? What can I learn from churches that are growing and are making a difference in people’s lives?

A story of goodness out of Auschwitz: Maximilian Kolbe

Today the Church is honouring Maximilian Kolbe. During the Nazi occupation of Poland, he helped thousands of refugees, including Polish Jews. He was arrested by the Gestapo in 1941 and imprisoned at Auschwitz. Three months after Maximilian's arrival, a prisoner escaped and, in retaliation, 10 men were chosen at random to die. One of them was a young father and Maximilian offered to take his place. His offer was accepted.

In October of 1982, Pope John Paul II canonized St.Maximilian. At the Vatican for that ceremony was the family and descendants of the man that Maximilian exchanged his life for. Wow.

What a powerful story and witness.

As Christians we are called to strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being. We are called to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Maximilian Kolbe knew and experienced at a deep level the one Life that we all share in Christ. He recognized that Divine Life in the Polish Christian and Jewish refugees whom he risked his life to help. He recognized that Life in the young father who was one of the 10 chosen for execution - when he offered his life in exchange.

Maximilian Kolbe knew and followed the Master of Life. He respected the dignity of every human being regardless of cultural and religious differences. He served the needs of those around him by offering his own life.

Let us be inspired by Maximilian to come to know Christ more, and to offer our lives in serving and responding to the needs of others. This is the hope of the world.

New Life, Even in the Midst of Suffering

All of our lives are filled with suffering, pain and loss. There can certainly be joy and happiness, but suffer we will. 

The question for us is: “how do we still live and love even in the midst of suffering and loss?”

In Sunday's Gospel, Luke 7:11-17, a mother’s only son has died.

• the mother is dealing not only with the grief of the loss of her only son, but that only son was the one to look after her into her old age.
• to her understanding, she has lost her life, her everything.

It makes me wonder about how Mary felt when Jesus was crucified.

• at one level, the death of a young son or daughter has to be excruciating. 
• but Mary knew that there was something more to Jesus.
• She knew that he was the Son of God, and shared in the Divine Life.

It is this Son of God who has taught us and shown us that there is more to life than the physical and material.

It is this Son of God who has shown us that in death, life does not end, it only changes.

But Jesus is not yet ready to reveal this wonderful truth to this mother who has just lost her son.

So what does he do? He has compassion on her.

This is what Jesus does. He has compassion and love for all whom he encounters, and in whatever circumstances they find themselves in.

Jesus has compassion and love for each of us, regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.

The key is for us to learn to be spiritually open to the light and life of that compassion, and not to be closed up and kept in the darkness of death.

Jesus says “Do not weep”...He touches the pallet...He says “I say to you rise”

Jesus enters into the midst of the pain and suffering, and offers new life.

Jesus wants to enter into our pain and, in the midst of our suffering, to offer us new life.

Invite him into your life and into your pain.

Let him comfort you, heal you, and give you new life.

Palm Sunday Reflection

Palm Sunday, 24 March 2013

Today is Palm or Passion Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, the most sacred time in the Christian’s year.

Jesus journeyed from the transfiguration (the disciples experiencing Jesus' Risen Life) on Mount Hermon to the suffering and passion of Jerusalem, to die and to rise for humanity. 

Jesus Christ is for all of humanity

Jesus Christ reconciles humanity and Divinity.

Jesus Christ reconciles humanity and humanity.

This Good News, this Gospel is for all of creation for all time.

Jesus embraced his suffering for all of humanity because he recognized that his life was not his own, that it was a Life that he shared with the Father .

The whole of Jesus’ life: humility and service

• From His birth in a manger in Bethlehem.
• Being brought up as a son of a tradesman in Nazareth.
• To his being baptized by John in the river Jordan.
• The temptations in the wilderness.
• His ministry to the sick and suffering.
• His ministry to the marginalized and outcasts.
• His living on the charity of others.
• His entering Jerusalem on a donkey.
• His passion and death on the cross.

Today on Passion Sunday, we recognize that His suffering and dying is for all of humanity.

• So that we may be in loving relationship with God and with one another. 
• So that we may be FREE AND EQUAL with one another.
• that human societies may be free and equal.

Our Witness: Is it Hosanna or Crucify Him?

We have to bear witness to this beautiful truth in Jesus Christ – that we are all made free and equal. Do we live our lives in such a way that we are critical of those who are different from us, who challenge us: in other words, "Crucify Him, crucify them." Or are our lives lived in such a way that regardless of the person or issue before us, we can affirm life in the power of a Love bigger than we are? In other words, "Hosanna to Christ who is Lord of Life."

As a Church, let us know and share this Good News with our families, friends, our community and the world, as we seek to live a life of humble service to those around us, and to those most in need.

You who are without sin, cast the first stone

What a journey we have been on during this lent. From the ashes & mortality of Ash Wednesday to the turning of the prodigal son to the love and compassion of the Father. And now...

“The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle.”

• Wow! What a scene.
• What a desire to judge and condemn. 

Try to imagine the shame and guilt of being caught at sin, and then being publicly displayed?

Recall any of your own sins….and imagine being forced to come into the middle of a group of people  to scrutinize and judge and condemn you.

The scribes and Pharisees want an answer from Jesus….and he remains silent…he wrote on the ground with his finger…

• the law of Moses was written in stone.
• Yet Jesus writes our sins in the sand…sins that cannot be remembered and held against us no more.
• He is the one who takes them away.

When Jesus does speak, this is what he has to say

“You who are without sin cast the first stone”

Try to recall some of the stones you have thrown at others.

The judging of others must stop. 

This can only happen as we mature in our surrender to and participation in the life of the Resurrection, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and knowing our unity with the Father.

We are called to love the image of God in every human being regardless of what they do or don’t do, have done or haven't done, will do or will not do.

We are on a Lenten journey to the suffering and death of Calvary, and onto the joy, freedom, life and love of the Resurrection.

As we repent and turn again to the Father, there is no sin in our lives or in anyone else’s life,  that is beyond the power of the Cross of the Son of God.

The risen and glorified Jesus loves us. He does not judge us, but calls us to turn away from our sin, and turn toward Him Who is Love.

Let us embrace one another and help each other up when we fall as we continue our pilgrimage into the fullness of Jesus’ Resurrection. 

The Burning Bush of Divine Life

As we continue our Lenten pilgrimage, the biblical themes of mountain and wilderness are still present to us.

Mountain and Wilderness

Moses led the flock “beyond the wilderness to the mountain of God.”

This is a foreshadowing of Moses leading the Hebrew people out of Egypt, to the holy Mountain of God, and on into the Promised Land of abundance. A sort of  God planned “reccee,” so that Moses would know where he was going with the people of God.

A shepherd (or parent or friend or mentor) can only take others to places where he or she has been!

Wrestling and Truth

The wilderness is a spiritual place to wrestle with God. It is about pealing off the layers of lies and illusions within us that hinder our realization of true self and true God.

We need to be on a journey of discovering that our deepest self is the very image and essence of God.

The Mountain of the Burning Bush

It is in such a spiritual place that Moses had an experience of the living God.

An experience that called him and the Israelites out of bondage and death and into life and promise.

Like Moses and the Hebrew people, we the church are called to ever enter into the painful journey of change and transformation…we are called to REPENT. 

Jesus says that “if you do not repent you will perish”

Repentant and Unrepentant

To repent is to turn toward God and change. And the foundational change is our growing awareness of loving union with God. This awareness is the fullness of Life itself.

To be unrepentant, is to ignore God, to be unchanged, to not know your loving union with God. This unawareness is death and hell.

When we are grounded in our “Burning Bush” experience of the living God…

• we can hear God’s voice calling us forward from bondage and death and into Love and Life; 
• we can hear God’s voice calling us to journey forward through all forms of change, knowing that He is with us;
• we can hear God calling us to surrender to the Love that unifies and makes whole and complete. 

When we are grounded in our experience of the Living God, we will be more able to follow Jesus to Jerusalem and to offer our lives  for the benefit of others. 

Carrying the Cross in Jerusalem

6am this morning, while it was still dark outside, and the streets of Jerusalem empty, we picked up our cross and began to follow in the steps of Jesus through the old city.

Carrying the Cross through Jerusalem

It was an interesting experience to be able to carry a cross in Jerusalem, and to hear the Gospel stories around Jesus’ Passion, and to pray in these public places. 

Entrance to the Church of the Resurrection

As we made our way through the Stations of the Cross, we were making our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. 

A picture from the chapel below the place of crucifixion 

It was very meaningful for me to see the rock of Golgotha, the place where Jesus was nailed to the Cross and crucified. In the picture below is the chapel below the place of crucifixion, and you can see the rock of Golgotha behind the glass. 

From the place of Crucifixion, we moved to the Empty Tomb. It is a shine decorated in the Greek Orthodox tradition. And the truth is that it didn’t impress me too much - nor should it. He is not there, He is Risen!! 

Entrance to the shrine of the Empty Tomb

But what did impress me was the artistic connection with the empty tomb and the magnificent ceiling of Resurrection far above - the Great Dome of the Resurrection. As one looks from the empty tomb upwards, you are given that sense of Light and Life. 

Dome of the Resurrection directly above the empty tomb

As interesting as today’s experience was, it was certainly a reminder to me that God is so much more than these places and things. They are important shrines and reminders of what has happened in our sacred stories, but we are not to hold on to them. Jesus says “I will destroy this temple and raise it up in three days.” Jesus calls us to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth. He calls us to live the Risen Life of His Divine Love. He calls us to love and serve him in all people, especially those most in need. “What soever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, that you do unto me.”

Faith in Christ is a living dynamic faith. Faith in Christ is relational in expression and experience. Faith in Christ loves and serves the world.