Astronaut Scott Kelly recently returned to earth after living 340 days in the International Space Station. He set the record for the longest time an American has lived in space. It was inspiring to see him lifted out of the capsule and take his first steps in earth’s gravity.
Kelly is a modern-day explorer and guinea pig for space travel. The goal for this 52 year old astronaut was to see what life would be like up in space for that long. His twin brother, Mark Kelly, a retired astronaut, is also a guinea pig. Since their bodies are remarkably similar, multiple tests have been taken both on Scott and Mark over the past year to see what, if any, changes happen to the human body in space. The question NASA wants to answer is what will happen to astronauts in flight to Mars, a trip that would take more than two years. After touching down on earth, Kelly was immediately put through physical endurance tests to see what he could do. This was a simulation of what would happen on Mars. It dawned on me that on Mars there will be no helpers to lift him and his crew out of the capsule. They’ll have to do it all themselves. What will it be like for the first humans on Mars to try to stand and walk again. One of the first reports (as of this writing) is that Scott has grown two inches taller than Mark. Apparently, being freed from gravity will do that. I do need to point out that it is impressive what Scott Kelly has done in the name of science and for America. Nevertheless, to put it into perspective, former cosmonaut and space agency chief Talgat Musabayev said to Kelly, “Congratulations on your record. Of course, it was already done 28 years ago.” Back in the mid-1990’s, Russia set the still standing record in space at 438 days on the Mir space station and prior to that, two cosmonauts stayed in space for a full year. Scott and Mark’s contribution to space travel, however, has added important understanding of the changes that happen to the human body in space flight. Scott Kelly’s partner, Amiko, told a story about talking with him on the phone one day – she was in Houston, he was 220 miles above earth. He told her that they were about to fly over Houston. She ran outside and watched the station pass by – all the while screaming, waiving and jumping up and down. He didn’t see her but mentioned in an interview that the hardest thing about extended time in space is being away from family and friends. Scripture tells us that Jesus is not of this world. We are told that we are citizens of another Kingdom – one that belongs to God. I’ve often wondered if there is gravity in heaven. Will we be taller there than on earth? And if there is no gravity in heaven, when Jesus returns, how will he deal with the change? Will one of us be there to help him move around and get used to it again. Or, what if he’s already here; what if he’s our neighbor that we pass by every once in a while. After all, time in space is hardest because of separation from loved ones. He loves us more than we can ask or imagine. Something tells me he’ll be quite familiar with our own gravitational forces when he returns. -Fr. Marshall Several parishioners have told me a story I want to share. A 17-year-old boy wearing a cross necklace was shopping at a sporting goods store. The Muslim cashier asked him to put the cross under his shirt because it offended her. The manager got involved and told the boy to just put it under his shirt and everything would be fine. The customer refused and left without purchasing anything.
This story is not true but has provided some interesting discussions. I am going to suggest the hypothetical boy should have concealed the cross. Had the story been about an American flag lapel pin, I would say he should not hide it. Likewise, if government at any level told him to conceal his cross, I’d insist he wear it because we have the right of expression and religious freedom. In my opinion, however, this fictitious story says something different. It is not about a repressive government taking away a constitutionally guaranteed right. It is about a fictitious Muslim telling a fictitious Christian that the cross offends her, individual to individual and, as individuals, we are called to love the Lord our God and to love our neighbors. As a congregation, we are reading Jesus on the Margins – daily meditations on chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel. Therein, the righteous people ask, “When did we visit you in prison?” The response is, “When you did it to the least of my people, you did it to me.” As individuals, we give up certain rights to visit someone in prison such as privacy, bearing arms, speech and expression. In some ways, we become prisoners in order to visit prisoners. Would you argue if the guard told you to remove all jewelry, including your cross? Paul writes to the Church in Corinth that if eating meat causes a brother or sister to stumble, he will never eat meat again. (1 Cor 8:13) That seems like a prison Paul has created for himself in order to help those with weaker faith. At the diocesan Leadership Academy this past Saturday, Fr. Mark McCone-Sweet and I took off our clerical collars in a symbolic attempt to break down walls between clergy and laity. We also sang secular songs to reveal the power of Christ in our everyday lives. Did those actions make Mark and me less Christian or less priests? I hope not because we were trying to help people from stumbling because of rank and position. Christianity can be represented in different ways by how the teenager responds to the fictitious request from the Muslim cashier. If he conceals the cross because he is ashamed of the Gospel, that is one thing. If he refuses and tells the cashier to remove her head scarf one could say that Christ triumphs over all which is both true and representative of our faith history. Yet, quietly putting the cross under his shirt represents our faith, too, if he conceals it out of respect for another and to further Christian dialog. If after concealing the cross the teen asked, “Why does my cross offend you?” a meaningful spiritual conversation might follow. For example, if the cashier replied that to her the cross represents 15th century Spain and the convert-or-leave approach the Church took at that time, it would be a good opportunity for the teen to exhibit the Christian virtue of seeking forgiveness. And, that could open the door for the teen to share what the cross means to him. Speaking of spiritual conversations, if you’d like to talk about this, or if you’d like to talk about Jesus on the Margins, I’d be happy to listen to your thoughts. Let’s meet on Sunday right after church. -Fr. Marshall “When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink?” Matthew 25:37
Despite the fact that we live in what seems like a desert, water flows all around us. There are drinking fountains in public places and virtually any restaurant will give out water if asked. In our day and time, when have we actually seen someone who was really thirsty? When have we been given the opportunity to give water to someone in need? For myself, I cannot really recall a single instance in which a truly thirsty stranger walked up to me and asked for water. In a way that is a shame because I am sure great blessings come to the giver in that situation. Below is a meditation written by someone I know, Richelle Thompson. It is from a daily meditation book, Meeting Jesus on the Margins, and is based on the above quoted Scripture from Matthew’s Gospel. She makes me rethink what a truly thirsty person is. Perhaps I have met thirsty people before. And I wonder, did I give them something to drink? As they settled into the pew, I began the spiel. I introduced myself and welcomed them to the church. I asked whether they had ever attended an Episcopal church before. When they said no, I launched into spiel, part 2. I explained that during Holy Eucharist, all baptized Christians were welcome to receive. I told them the options for intinction or common cup, how the congregation typically files to the altar rail and kneels. And I explained they could receive a blessing if they didn’t want to take communion. Then I asked if they had any questions. “Um, yes,” the wife murmured. “What’s a eucharist?” I had skipped right over the heart of the service and into the mechanics. It was like offering high heels to the barefoot. Or seltzer water to the thirsty. If folks don’t’ know about the body and bread of Christ – about this sacred meal that connects us to Christ – then they probably don’t understand instructions about whether to dip or sip. Most people in my social circle are church-going Christians. And if they don’t attend now, they used to, or are at least familiar with the traditions. But I too often forget that one in five Americans are, as the Pew Research Center states, “religiously unaffiliated.” More and more people are growing up without ever attending church. For them, the parables of Jesus aren’t rich examples of grace and love but social media memes and movie quotes. After all, I wonder how many know that Spiderman’s Uncle Ben was paraphrasing the Gospel of Luke when he cautioned his nephew, “With great power comes great responsibility.” The spiritual-but-not-religious, the religiously unaffiliated, are searching for meaning in their lives. They are thirsty, and Jesus is asking us to share in the living water. If you’d like to talk about this, or any other meditation, let’s get together right after church for some coffee and a chat. -Fr. Marshall Why
We are reading a book together for Lent – Meeting Jesus on the Margins. Below is the first meditation written by Mark Kinman. His reflection is a good rumination for thought in the days that follow Ash Wednesday, when we ponder what the meaning of Lent really is. The simplest question is the most useful: Why? We need always to be asking “Why?” and not letting our quickest answers, which are often deeply rooted in our prejudices, be our final answers. When we see someone using the steps of a public library as a bed at night, we need to ask “Why?” When we read a story about a transgender teenager committing suicide, we need to ask “Why?” When we go into a grocery store in an impoverished neighborhood and see a fully stocked liquor shelf and no fresh produce, we need to ask “Why?” When we learn we incarcerate a higher percentage of our citizens than any other nation in the world, we need to ask “Why?” When we see young people of color burn down the Quik Trip convenience store in Ferguson, Missouri, we need to ask “Why?” And as we embark on our Lenten journey, we need to ask “Why?” Our first answer, rooted in what we’ve always been taught, might be that we observe Lent as an exercise in self-flagellation, so that, in Paul’s words, we might not “think of ourselves more highly than we ought” (Romans 12:3). We might tend to think our Lenten observance is grounded in our unworthiness. If so, we need to dig deeper. The prayer at the beginning of our Ash Wednesday liturgy gives us the answer. We observe a holy Lent to remember Jesus’ gospel of “pardon and absolution.” Lent is not about confession and repentance as punishment but as a profound, grace-filled unburdening so that we might encounter the living Christ in all Christ’s abundant joy. Our Lenten journey should be viewed within the context of meeting Christ – meeting Christ right where he tells us he will be – in the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the prisoner. It is a journey of seeing all those people as Jesus. Of asking “Why?” and not being satisfied with our first answer or realizing that those whom the world of power and privilege label as “them” are really the deepest and most sacred portion of “us.” If you’d like to ask why in a group, let’s get together after church, have some coffee, and talk about why. - Fr. Marshall Lent begins next week. In sharp contrast to the Super Bowl celebrations this Sunday, Lent is a season of penitence and fasting. Although that doesn’t sound like much fun, it is an important season for the Body of Christ.
In our Anglican tradition, we are invited to the observance of a holy Lent by self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, self-denial and reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. I’ve often wondered if this tradition is best served buffet-style. For instance, with my purple Lenten tray in hand, I’ll take a small scoop of self-examination so I can leave room on my plate for what I really like to eat – God’s Word. And, in a small bowl off to the side I’ll toss in some fasting and self-denial which, if I have room, I’ll eat (but probably dispose of with my tray at the end of the meal). Or, does our tradition mandate to all believers that we must repent, pray, fast, deny-oneself, and read God’s holy Word. I think that if you treat Lent like a buffet, or if you mandate your life around those tenets, you will be in a deeper walk with Jesus by Easter. Regardless of how you choose to treat Lent this year, I’m inviting you to read a book with me and the rest of the congregation, Meeting Jesus on the Margins. It consists of daily meditations on the 25th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells how it will be at the end. God will separate all people into two groups. One group he invites into God’s kingdom because when he was hungry they gave him food; thirsty – they gave him something to drink; homeless – a place to stay; naked – they gave him clothes; sick and in prison – they visited him. The people asked, “When did you we see you hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick or in prison.” The reply, “The truth is, anything you did for any of the least of my brothers and sisters here, you also did it to me.” To the other group… well, things didn’t turn out well for them because when they didn’t take care of the least of these, they didn’t take care of God. This is a challenging and inspiring chapter in Matthew’s Gospel. At times, I read this story and feel self-congratulatory because I did help someone. But other times I find myself ashamed of the times I didn’t help someone. Meeting Jesus in the Margins has daily meditations looking at different aspects of chapter 25. Each reflection provides boots-on-the-ground stories of serving and being served by the “least of these.” To read the first week, click here http://www.forwardmovement.org/Content/Site170/FilesSamples/180357978088028_00000099003.pdf I am inviting you not to read this book alone, but rather, let’s read it together. Each day know that other folks at Saint John’s (and around the country) are reading what you are and perhaps feeling what you feel when you read it. But, let’s not stop there. On Sunday, after services, let’s get together during fellowship time and talk about what we read the past week and perhaps what God is inspiring us to do. To order the five dollar book, click here http://www.forwardmovement.org/Products/2381/meeting-jesus-on-the-margins.aspx Regardless of buffet-style or strict mandate, we are called to do something for Lent. Let’s pray and reflect on God’s holy Word and see where God leads us into the world to serve in Jesus’ name. -Fr. Marshall I remember when my family got our first answering machine. It had two, full-size, cassette tapes. One tape was for the outgoing message, the other tape to record incoming messages. All my friends had similar answering machines. We realized that the tapes also fit into regular stereo systems. It didn’t take long for us to figure out how to record better sounding outgoing messages and put the new tape into our answering machine. At home, we played the Star Wars soundtrack and recorded our outgoing message over the top. And, of course, we ended the message with, “May the Force be with you.” We also figured out that we could play the incoming message tape on our home stereo really loud. We could bring the tape to school and share with our friends. And, in one rare and very sad case, someone figured out how to play part of a recorded voice message over the sound system in the choir room.
My friend, Geoff, had an answering machine that would not cut off the incoming message at two minutes. One night, at a sleep-over, we called his machine and read from one of our history books. We figured we read for over 20 minutes. Another night, we called the machine and then set the phone down in front of the stereo playing the entire two album set of Saturday Night Fever. What we didn’t know is that they were waiting for someone else to leave a message. So, the unexpected outcome of our prank was that they had to listen to the entire tape to see if there was another message on it. To this day, hearing the Bee Gees reminds that family of our joke which I’m thankful they find funny. Answering machines have come a long way. Yet, I kind-of miss those fun days of playing tapes and making fun (“far out”) recordings. I’d like to listen to one of them just to hear the voices of my friends back when we were eleven years old. I have a daily desk calendar of church signs. Today’s sign read, “When the past calls, let it go to voicemail. It has nothing new to say.” There are times when we let things from our past call us up. Unlike the happy thoughts of my friends and me pranking one another, calls from the past can be negative. Sometimes they remind us of our shortcomings, things we failed at, or things we never even tried. At our Annual Meeting this past Sunday, we didn’t allow negative phone calls from the past to interrupt our progress and our joy of being together. We talked about the past but showed how we are stronger now and are certainly moving forward. Saint Paul had to deal with his past calling him. After all, before his conversion, he persecuted Christians. In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul writes, “I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (3:13-14) And, in his second letter to the Church in Corinth, he writes, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (5:17) Paul is talking about letting go of the past and moving into new life in Christ. I think he’d agree that when the past calls we should let it go to voicemail. I would suggest that when the past leaves an unwelcome message, delete it and move on in your new life. -Fr. Marshall A Time to Laugh
The Rev. Tom Morelli was our facilitator at a recent School Board of Trustees three-year strategic planning retreat. Prior to the weekend meeting, Deacon Morelli had us complete a Myers-Briggs personality profile, an ice-breaking exercise designed to help us see ourselves and each other through the lens of personality traits. Although it doesn’t appear on this exercise, one of my favorite personality traits is the ability to laugh. And, not just laugh, but to be able to laugh at myself. A friend of mine, after completely messing up a solo in our high school jazz band, sat down, chuckled, and said, “Boy, I really blew that one.” Two songs later, he nailed a much harder and more technical solo. I think laughing at his missed opportunity likely helped him to excel on the next one that came his way. Last week on “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” a son and his father from Hawaii were featured. The son was behind the camera and his dad was center screen. The son said, “For the fifth time, Y-E-S spells yes.” The dad nods and says, “Yes.” The son says, “E-Y-E-S spells?” The dad says, “I don’t know. I have no idea. I’ve never heard of such a word.” In the next clip, the son says, “For the seventh time…” and they go through the same routine as before. The dad tries to pronounce the word, “e-Yes” but it doesn’t work which makes the son laugh even more. They try a few more times and the son, and others, laugh even more as the dad gets more frustrated. Finally, they hand him a piece of paper. He spells out E Y E S, and says, “Oh, eyes!” and gives out a belly laugh for at least half a minute as did everyone else in the room. When my dad taught biology, for a time he was also the cheerleader faculty member. To celebrate the end of the football season, my parents invited the 14 member squad for dinner. Mom cooked all day, we borrowed tables from church, and made it so 18 people could eat in the dining and living rooms. Saturday night at 5 pm came and went. No cheerleaders. 5:30, still no cheerleaders. Dad called one of the cheer moms to find out if everyone had our address. As it turns out the captain was supposed to talk to dad about rescheduling but didn’t. The bottom line – no one came. Dad hung up the phone and told mom the news. My brother and I watched to see her reaction. She thought for a moment and then started laughing. And laughing and laughing. We invited friends over for an instant party and the fellowship time after church the following day got a lot of really good leftovers. I think Jesus has a sense of humor. He said, “Why is it you can see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but you can’t see the log in your own eye!” (Mt 7:3) This, I believe, is not condemning or judgmental, but rather a funny over-exaggeration of what we choose to see and ignore. I also think Jesus talks with large hand movements. The “speck” he would show with his index finger pressed against his thumb and the “log” with outstretched hands for emphasis. I think it made people laugh and also see the silliness of their own ways. The Book of Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time to laugh and a time to cry. As Christians, we’re doing a lot of crying lately. Let us also remember there is a time to laugh. And maybe laughing at ourselves is a good place to start. -Fr. Marshall A friend of mine passed away last week and I’ve been thinking a lot about him. His name is Dave Otto. He was the senior warden at the first parish I served after seminary, the extraordinary St. Luke’s in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Dave and his wonderful wife, Marilyn, welcomed us to the church and helped my family and me get our feet on the ground. In addition to being senior warden, Dave was an active and energizing member of the men’s group and Marilyn was, and probably still is, very active in the altar guild. Both cared for me, my family, and my budding ministry in ways that I could never repay.
Do you remember when the U.S. Navy shot a missile at the moon? Frankly, I thought the moon deserved it because it’s been taunting us for years; but seriously, that project was a part of what Dave did for the Navy. He and his team developed a system to track objects in the sky and to launch stuff at those things. Another of his projects was protecting our ground forces in Kuwait from SCUD missiles. I asked him how. He replied it’s pretty simple because they didn’t have to cover the entire country of Kuwait. Instead, they created a few circles in the sky and anything that entered those circles would be immediately shot down. He also spent time on the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) while it was being finished. They took her out on a full speed run (completely empty) but for classified reasons he couldn’t tell me how fast they went. Dave had a contagious energy about things. He evangelized for two annual events, the Men’s Chili Feed and an annual fishing expedition. The Chili Feed is a fundraiser. The men make huge pots of chili and then fill the Parish Hall with folks who pay to get in. The money raised helps to fund his other favorite project, the fishing expedition. Every year, the men partner with the local homeless shelter to give kids fishing equipment and take them to a near-by fishing hole for a day of fishing, food and fun. On those days Dave was the most alive. I asked him why we bombed the moon. His response was in his usual dry sense of humor – because it is there, and because we can do it. Oh, and also for science to see if there are water particles on the moon. I asked how we did it and he said simple, you draw a circle in the sky, get a Navy ship as close as you can under that circle, and give it everything you’ve got. The Chili Feed doesn’t underwrite the entire budget of St. Luke’s. The fishing expedition won’t solve the homeless problem in north Idaho. But, as Dave would say, they don’t have to. The men draw a few circles in the sky that will help the community, in this case, serving chili and helping children. They park as close as they can to those circles and then they give it everything they’ve got. I am lucky and honored to have known this man and to be placed in one of his circles. My life and ministry are better because of him. I wonder how many other circles he made in the sky; probably a lot because I know that I am not alone in my thankfulness for his life. I am sure that Jesus made a circle in the sky for Dave who is now part of the cloud of witnesses who are preparing the Great Chili Feed in heaven for all of God’s children. -Fr. Marshall Are you ready to say goodbye to 2015? Ready or not, here comes 2016 and, speaking for myself, I am looking forward to the New Year.
There are no recorded celebrations of the New Year listed in the Bible. Maybe that’s because the Bible is significantly older than our current calendar. Nevertheless, every year it’s difficult for people like me to come up with Bible passages that could specifically help you ease from one year to the next. But, as you would expect, I have some thoughts about some indirect references. Transitions happen in the Bible all the time. One of the greatest transitions is from John the Baptizer, the voice crying in the wilderness, to Jesus. I wrote a paper in seminary that asserted one of the main points of emphasis of Luke’s Gospel was to make it easier for followers of John to become followers of Jesus. The Gospel according to John (not the Baptizer) shows a different sort of transition. In this Gospel account, John the Baptizer is baptizing and sees Jesus walk by. He shouts, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” Two of John’s disciples suddenly follow Jesus, literally. When they were walking behind him, Jesus stopped and turned to look at them. He said, “What are you seeking.” That question, what are you seeking, is the first one Jesus asks. In fact, it’s the first thing Jesus says in John’s Gospel. Here is God-made-flesh, walking around on the muddy banks of the Jordan River, by himself. Suddenly two men start to follow him. He stops, turns around, and out of all the things that he could ask about them, their families, or their spiritual lives, the Human One who knows all simply asks, “What are you seeking?” Were they seeking love, health or a deeper purpose in life? Were these two men seeking a military ruler that would defeat all their enemies? I wonder what caused them to leave their discipleship to John the Baptizer and unquestioningly follow Jesus? They certainly were seeking something, maybe what I felt when I decided to follow Jesus. As we follow Jesus into this New Year, I imagine him looking at us and asking the same question. What are you seeking? If you are seeking love, you can find it in Jesus. There is no deeper love that anyone has for you than how Jesus loves you. If you are seeking health, Jesus heals. If you are seeking a deeper meaning in life, he provides that, too. However, if you are looking for a military ruler, you’ll have to wait for his return although, maybe, 2016 will be the year. Regardless, if you are looking for a good transition from 2015 into the New Year, following Jesus is a good choice. -Fr. Marshall The last week of school before Christmas break was our last shot at the virtue of enthusiasm. Using the second chapter of Luke, we read about the enthusiastic shepherds who were told by an angel that Christ was born. As the message sank in, the whole sky filled with angels singing to the glory of God. The surprised and overwhelmed shepherds “hurried off” and found the holy family just as the angel had said. They told Mary and Joseph what they had experienced. Later, the shepherds “went back singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen” and Mary remembered all these things and thought about them deeply.
This story follows on the heels of our very successful Guadalupe Day celebration when we remember that Saint Mary appeared to Juan Diego in 1531 on a hill just north of Mexico City. The event converted millions of indigenous people. I told the students that if they were Juan Diego, they could have asked Mary about those shepherds. Since she “remembered those things,” I bet she could have told them all about them. At our Saint John’s celebration, we had two services for about 450 people – students, parishioners, teachers, parents, grandparents, family members – all in worship and celebration of the great things God has done. In 6th grade religion class, I asked twelve reflection questions about this story. Question 10: “Where were you when you first heard about this good news” that Jesus, the savior of the world, is with us. There were three categories of answer. A few students responded they heard the good news at their church. The next, still a small percentage, recalled that a family member told them the story of Jesus. Of 36 students, by far the most answers included “Chapel,” our Wednesday morning worship service at Saint John’s. In our sixth decade as a school and church, Saint John’s has been a spiritual beacon and teaching resource to generations of kids. Over the years, fewer and fewer students are participating in traditional Sunday morning services and churches. For those students, Saint John’s is it – the place – for their spiritual nurturing and growth. Did you know we are the first witness to many children about the good news? We have our first international student with more on their way. These students are interested first in how Saint John’s School can place them in the top high schools but also in our spiritual activities and instruction. The witnessing of Jesus Christ at Saint John’s is now extending beyond our roots in Chula Vista and Tijuana. I had a dream almost a year ago in which I was with a small delegation from Saint John’s at a huge meeting of various churches held in an indoor football stadium. The doors that led into this meeting were based on church size. Big churches were led in through the main gate which meant their seats were on the ground level. Each level up meant a smaller sized church. I figured we’d be in the 200 or 300 level. But then I saw our name at the turf level. I was surprised but walked in through the main entrance. Inside, various churches cheered when our delegation walked in. They said our church and school is changing the world. We are wrapping up our first-ever Christmas Village at Saint John’s. More than twelve neighbors, who have never been inside Saint John’s before, have visited and were hosted by our enthusiastic shepherds who gave them a tour of the beautiful Christmas trees, nativity scenes, and the church. It is a rare opportunity to share God’s love with our neighbors and our shepherds hosted Saint John’s very well. If asked, what is Saint John’s doing, you might want to mention that we are witnesses of God’s love to many, including generations of school children and our neighbors. We are the enthusiastic shepherds who are proclaiming that Christ is here. -Fr. Marshall |