Passionate Spirituality with Benedict - 2 Intelligence to Understand.

Passionate Spirituality with Benedict – 2

Intelligence to Understand...

Almighty God, give us

Wisdom to perceive you

Intelligence to understand you

Diligence to seek you

Patience to wait for you

Vision to behold you

A heart to meditate upon you

A life to proclaim you;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord

Who lives with you

and the Holy Spirit

One God now and forever.

In this prayer we ask for wisdom to perceive God – but more than that, we need intelligence to understand.

Here's a short intelligence test: Fill in the blanks: 24 D IN A W, 26 L OF THE A, 7 D OF THE W, 12 S OF THE Z, 66 B OF THE B, 1 C ON A H T R, 1 S SHORT OF A P.... How did you do? Does it matter?

Is it possible to understand God?

We ask for wisdom to perceive God – but more than that, we need intelligence to understand Him.

What? Is that even possible? Isa 55:2 says “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord”. How can a mere sinful human being have a hope of understanding the creator and sustainer of all things? And yet...

Throughout scripture God chooses people of “understanding” to build temples, cities, rule his people. Solomon earned God's approval for asking for “Wisdom and understanding” rather than power and might. Don't be like a Donkey, says Psalm 32. Think! Thinking is Good.

Intelligence is a Renewed MindAugustine famously said “I believe that I may understand” - it is important to know that it is that way round in the life of faith. But you can't leave it out. The old US evangelist who would roar out “We don't want to theee-ology. We just want the Powwww-er of Gaaad” was on very thin ice. The Jeremy Clarkson approach to spirituality will make a wreckage in real life. The incarnation tells us that God can be expressed in all of human life – body, mind and spirit. It may be more than this -but it is definitely not less. You can't leave any of yourself out when you follow Him. He wants it all. Paul says “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” - renewal not anaesthetisation.

Intelligence is Learning from Mistakes

Questions are Good, We learn in theory and in practice – from our mistakes.

In Luke 9 we see some mistakes that people might learn from.

The “Quick fix” mistake. “Shall we call down fire from Heaven, Lord.” Yeah. Like you've been doing that for a while now, have you? Your path is singed with reluctant villages is it? Jesus rebukes them. Lesson: Don't be a twit. But also – Jesus is going to give up his life to save those who reject him. That's his whole purpose. Zapping them with judgement fire would be counter productive.

The “I can do it too” mistake. “I will follow you wherever you go”. Right. Before you know where I am going? Did you not here me says that where I am going you cannot come? You have to learnt to let Jesus be Saviour and Lord. Not you.

The “In your own time” mistake. “Let me first just.....” No. This is of prime importance. It's got to be all or nothing. Now or never. Not what I want but what you want. Now is the hour. You will not have this moment again; this meeting again; this chance again. Take it.

To understand something is to know what stands under it; what its foundations are.

For Jesus it is all about serving the Father in love.

As Father's say “When I say Jump you only ask How High?”

So what?

Jesus says “Follow me” - and he means all the way, now.

I expect we've made a few mistakes along the way?

The question is – do we have the intelligence to learn from them?

“Give us intelligence to understand you” Amen.

Passionate Spirituality with Benedict 1 Wisdom

Almighty God, give us

Wisdom to perceive you

Intelligence to understand you

Diligence to seek you

Patience to wait for you

Vision to behold you

A heart to meditate upon you

A life to proclaim you;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord

Who lives with you 

and the Holy Spirit

One God now and forever.     A prayer of St. Benedict

Passionate Spirituality – means everyday encounters with Jesus.

Do we have these? Do we want them?

Do we sometimes fail to recognize God's moment with us?

Can we train ourselves to recognize them more often?

St. Benedict wanted to develop a way of approaching God in our daily lives. Through Work, Rest and Play. I'm surprised he didn't invent the Mars Bar! We are looking at his prayer which asks God to help us to develop our sensitivity to His presence.

Wisdom – Intelligence – Diligence - Patience - Vision – Meditation – Proclamation are all part of this spirituality.

We need Wisdom to perceive His presence.

Light enters the eye and an electro-chemical impulse is produced by the retina to stimulate the occipital cortex of the brain. But this raw data needs to be interpreted by the brain. It compares it in a millisecond to patterns held in the memory so that we become conscious of what provoked the response previously. That perception is what we call “sight”.

We need wisdom – the awareness of the presence of God. The “fear of the Lord”. And the more we know the patterns of God's activity – the more wisdom we have – the more we will be aware of His presence. Where do we see these patterns? First of all – in Jesus. Read the stories. Also in the testimony of others – Benedict and your Cell or small group. And in our own experience too. Look at this story: Mark 5:21-43

The woman was “incurable”, a hopeless case. The girl had become incurable, a hopeless case. There is some “resentment” here. – “Spent all her money”, “why bother!” but also perseverance in hope. “If I just...”

Don’t be too quick to limit what Jesus can do.

How can you perceive – meet - God this week? Keep D.R.Y!

Determined: Woman: ill for 12 yrs! Not put off by the crowd,ignoring the urgency of her “betters”, knowing what she wants. Jairus: putting his beloved daughter forst, waiting for Jesus to deal with this mad woman, deaf to the bad news, willing to trust Jesus word “Do not fear”. e.g. determination: “You’ll go on and go on until you go on”as my Mum used to say in exasperation at my importuning. Jesus responds to those who are determined. Do you know what you want of God today?

Risky: the 4-letter word. Faith to be made well is true faith for Mark. Not doctrinal purity. Woman: Unclean but risks touching. Jairus: risks approaching this unrecognized teacher, risks leaving a dying daughter. Take a prayerful risk with God this week – how else will you know if he’s there? Speak, visit, invest, pray! Jesus responds to those who risk reaching out. Do you believe that God can and will do what you want?

Yourself: Jesus meets people face to face. Just a faceless, nameless woman - but He wanst to acknowledge her in public “Who touched me?”. At the home of  Jairus: “He took her by the hand.” He calls her by her name. A name says  "This is me".

Jesus calls us by our name – the real, now, you. As you are. It's personal.

Are you willing to trust yourself to Jesus today?

Almighty God, give us wisdom to perceive you. Amen.

Is Religion Worthless?

Luke 7:36-8:3 Is religion without works worthless?

Is it no use to venerate the temple of the Lord?

Is it no use to know the law?

Is it no use to seek righteousness and to eschew the company of sinners?

Nope. Not on its own. OT and NT agree.

Jeremiah 7:6 links ethical behaviour to true religion. “do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm.”  So does Jesus in Matthew 25 – to serve the poor, the homeless, the destitute, the imprisonment – is to serve God. To refuse is to refuse God.

In Luke 7 Jesus stresses that this is not a matter of theory or ethical debate. He says quite plainly that our faith is shown by our actions. As James puts it: 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.

So the Pharisee Simon who is hosting this new Rabbi, Jesus, has been well taught. He knows the requirements of the law to maintain righteousness and ritual purity. He sets himself in judgement over Jesus. He wants to weigh up what Jesus does and so decide if he is a prophet or not.

But Jesus is not primarily interested in what Simon thinks of Him.

He is not primarily interested in what human beings think of Him. 

He is more interested in saving them – making them whole. So he demonstrates to Simon how to judge.

You judge a person by their actions. Actions speak louder than words. We need to take notice of what we are saying.

Is Jesus Welcome – where is the water for washing? - kiss? - oil? - love? The woman's response shows that she has been forgiven. That's the defining difference – love for Jesus. It's not that you earn forgiveness, of course, but that when you have been forgiven, forgiveness and gratitude flow out from you.

We rightly pour scorn on the tabloid newspaper presentation of those who think they can sin freely because they can go to confession afterwards. (Have you ever really met someone who lives like that?) But we are not so far from the faith called “Churchianity” as seen in Jer 7:4. The priority of buildings over ministry costs. The desperate need to cling onto our traditions – ancient or modern - even though they are not working. Schisms between people because of language, music, tradition or practice all simply demonstrate that these are people who do not have the love of Christ in them. They have not been forgiven. Therefore they cannot forgive others. Their “faith” is demonstrated by their actions. “Me, Us, Ours”.

How is “ethical behaviour” shown by Jesus? In welcoming sinners, touching  lepers, healing infirm women, rescuing the demon possessed. All those who are beyond the pale. It is relatively easy to learn to approve the latest trend, sing the latest songs, appreciate the latest choral piece, iron the surplice etc. but real love is too demanding. The cracks show.

What can we do? First remember the love of Jesus for you -just as you are – warts and all. Then let your gratitude to him flow out to those whom He loves. Sometimes, when people practice doing these things- especially when they are against their natural inclination, they find that something miraculous happens. They start to become the person that they are imitating. To be like Jesus.

Simon found no forgiveness, no healing, in Jesus but the woman did.

What failing, what illness, what need compels you to come to Jesus? What is on your heart? What is your passionate desire? Come and bring your concerns, your tears, your thanksgiving. And as you welcome Him in your daily life, He will assure you of His welcome.

Pentecost 2013

1. Pentecost.
40 days of resurrection joy – Ascension triumph.....
Waiting: what do you do? Read, Play, Work, Sleep
Waiting for something. The Promise: "I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth." Jn 14:16
If.... John 14:15

 2. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not a new idea. It is part of God's plan of salvation. His Spirit is not to be confined to Priests or Temples. Holy People or Holy Places. All peoples. This is the same Spirit who moved over the waters in Creation, spoke through the ancient prophets, incarnated Jesus and raised Him from the dead. This is the promise in Joel 2.
 If.... John 14:15


 3. The disciples had experienced the Spirit without recognizing Him because He is the Spirit of Jesus. When Jesus says “He lives with you” he meant “I live with you”.
We can live in an environment of faith and experience Christian fellowship, appreciate it, benefit from it before realizing that “It could be in me too”. There is another, deeper, more personal level of relationship that is awakened in us.
 If.... John 14:15

 4. What has Jesus been doing? Giving his own life up to serve the Father by saving his lost children. Yes there have been miracles, inspired teaching, liberation, healing, confrontation with evil. These are all means of bringing in the Kingdom rule of God

 5. Is that your experience?
Did you grasp this promise eventually. (I can be a bit slow. A bit fearful). But you step out tentatively in faith. Praying for something in secret and being amazed when God answers.
Sitting in a meeting for an hour with something you ought to say on the tip of your tongue, waiting for the courage to speak.
Inviting someone to the carols service by gong round when you're sure they are out and still crawling up the drive and creeping under the front windows so you can put a card through and run away before you have to speak.
Then you get hit by a storm – something that challenges your thinking. Why did that happen?

6. If we believe that Jesus succeeded, then we will be able to do the same things. And there are more of us! Thousands, Millions, Billions. Other people have the Spirit too. They shield you. Pick you up sometimes. Help you to laugh at your weakness. It's hard to grow on your own. In a team sport individual talent has to be blended in. The winger who only played on the beach gave away lots of throw ins and couldn't cross when confined to a pitch. “Cross” might be the instruction to the self focused christian. Give yourself up to save those in need. The church. The kingdom is not diminishing but increasing.

 7. Of course Life has a way of tripping you up. Illness, family responsibilities, work pressure, relationships, bereavement, finances – can all flatten you when you feel you just got going. What's going on? Do you have to pretend to be happy and satisfied and spiritual when your life is falling apart? Or is it better to shout “HELP!” When we suffer, can this be part of “do what I have been doing”? Well it can.
If...Jn 14:15

8. Orphans know that their parent will never return. Jesus says that He will return. And we have phone, email, facebook, skype.... distant, yet here in your living room, car, church. Kids don't always want their parent to come home – party, girlfriend, french polisher... Yet Jesus promises that, even when we have been flattened, or have fallen or failed, “I will come to you”. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to find Him. He will raise you up. Again and Again

 9." But my situation is more serious.I'll never get over it. I'll never forgive them. I've lost hope and faith. I'm helpless under the weight of sin or failure. That “If...” Jn 14:8 seems to rule me out. I can't obey. I can't love. What can I do?"
 Call!
Not in your own “name” – depending on your character – but on His. He is love. He promises. He is to be trusted. Refreshment. Renewal. Revival. Rescue He says “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh”

Yours included.


 10. 11. 12.

Jesus is Alive: What's chocolate got to do with it?

Jesus is Alive  What's chocolate got to do with it? 

 John 20:1-18 Easter 2013

You might be expecting a model of the Easter grotto, lots of moss, a few violets and daffs (which probably weren't there) and with a stone rolled away? (Because it was)

Perhaps a dramatic powerpoint grave with carefully positioned grave clothes as if the body had been teleported leaving the clothes to collapse in a heap? (Because they were).

Maybe an angel or two complete with a bemused and grieving disciples? (Yes, They were there alright).

A sunrise, a spring bulb, even an Easter chick as a not-too-subtle symbolism of new life might be unsurprising?

But chocolate?

They didn't even have chocolate in Jesus time.

And Easter eggs are no longer very closely attached to our festive season – you can buy them on boxing day these days. Why chocolate?

Mark 16. Matthew 28. Luke 24. John 20. You can read these eye witness accounts of an experience that changed and shaped the lives of the first disciples; completely transforming them from feeble doubters afraid for their own skins to a group so filled with certainty and zeal that they have changed the world with their message of resurrection. It's all true. You can piece the picture together from their different standpoints just as you do when you read a newspaper article.

But try as you might, you will find – there's no chocolate!

There are some Easter truths hidden in the easter egg though if you think about it. (It's always better to think about it yourself than to read a long sanctimonious sermon) – think about this.....

(- volunteer to eat a cadburys crème egg in one mouthful)

• There's much more to resurrection than you can handle. At least in one sitting.
  (how about trying to get THIS in your mouth instead – BIG Egg)
• You have to break it up to eat it. Take one aspect of resurrection at a time and savour it. Death defeated. Sin forgiven. Old lives can be changed. Pain sanctified.
  (smash it and eat some)
• You can't keep chocolate without eating it: it will go white and inedible. Resurrection becomes just a “happy ending” if it is just kept as a memento of the past. You have to live the new life out. In the real world.
  (give some to children to hold tightly)
• If you hold it close it will soften and melt, covering every part of your life with its sweetness. (If you don't, it won't). It's best to do this in your mouth! Resurrection should be on your tongue – Jesus is alive, so tell everyone you know.
  (Lick it off!)
• It will become part of your body – Resurrection life fills you with life, energy and power to serve others....

(put on plates and pas it round)

• It is so good that you will have to share it with those around you.

That's what Matthew. Mark, Luke, John, Mary, Billy, Fred, Sue, Pam, George, Tracey, Jason – in fact everyone who has ever realised the truth about Jesus has discovered.

So we can all celebrate at Easter that God loved the world so much that he gave his only son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have everlasting life. Sweet! 

Passionate Spirituality 10 - Social Action

The Sore Thumb: Luke 19:28-40 Passionate Spirituality: Social Action

When we grow in our passionate spirituality it means becoming more attuned to the heart of God. Thus the things that offend the heart of God become more offensive to us and we will find ourselves wanting to act for social justice.

Our awareness of social injustice is like a sore thumb. How?

Irritation: When we have a sore thumb we try our hardest not to knock it or catch it on things. And guess what? The more you try to guard it, protect it, forget it – the more often you bash it, catch it and have it jump painfully into the forefront of our consciousness. It just won't let us alone.

Safe in the cinema, sitting down – it makes you spill your popcorn. It catches on your pocket if you try to wander casually. It bashes on the bannister. It presses the wrong lift button. You can't get your gloves on so your hands get cold. You can't pick up the credit card you dropped. Irritating!

An awareness of social justice won't leave us alone either.

Walking down the street we become aware of the unkempt house, the broken water main, the littering, the second homes, the discarded syringes and we feel provoked to love those who are struggling. We feel prompted to pray for them. We feel prompted to act. Maybe not the first time, or the second – but in the end we will be unable to stop ourselves.

Jesus enters Jerusalem because the people needed a saviour. Hosanna! The Lord Saves.

Because we love God we will welcome the irritation.

Limitation: Grab, grasp, grip, hold, handle, hang on – all these words and phrases are used to signify being in control of ourselves or our situation, obtaining things for our own well-being or preservation. It's a good thing. It's what we have been brought up, educated, trained to become. But it can get “out of hand”!

With our “sore thumb” of social justice, we find it much harder to be grasping in desperation for our own survival or our own needs. In fact its much easier, much more comfortable to be “open handed” - to offer up rather than to hold tight.

As we become more aware of the poor, the refugee, the homeless, the addict, the victim, the foolish and all those who are unable to cope with the pressures of the society that we have helped to create. We will be unable to walk by on the other side of the road, holding on to our extra coat, blanket, food, cash. When the government tries to create help for the poor to buy houses we will realise that the rich and greedy will be able to hijack this help – and we assume that, in our society, they will – but we will not be able to. We won't be able to grasp the best for ourselves. Our sore thumb will get in the way.

Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey because the people needed a humble king. Hosanna! The Lord Saves.

Because we love God we will embrace the limitation.

Manifestation: What have you done to your thumb? When people see an injury or even the bandage, they want to ask how it happened. That's why people have skin shade plasters – or bright blue dinosaur ones if you want sympathy. We like to cover up our weaknesses and hurts. With out heightened awareness of society's illness we will be asked more and more “How on earth did you get to be like that?”. You may well stick out like a sore thumb. Woolly liberal. Holier than thou. Twit.

And some may see it as our own carelessness or foolishness on display.

Worried too much about the poor and bit my nail too far. Making soup for the homeless I tried to clean the liquidiser blade. Wanting to brighten up someone's life I trimmed the flower stalks with the bread knife. Building a shelter I hit my thumb with a hammer.

People often don't like it. They take it as an attack. Are you saying that I didn't love my neighbour? I voted for my own interests? I read the wrong newspaper? I am culpable too? Who told you to do all this anyway?

That's the question. That's what we need to ask. The answer is, as always, Jesus.

Jesus enters Jerusalem with a children's parade because the people needed to be released in praise. Hosanna! The Lord Saves.

Because we love God we will celebrate the manifestation.

Lord we pray that you would irritate us, limit our freedom to be selfish, and help us to be a manifestation of your love for all your needy children. Amen,

Passionate Spirituality 9 - Contemplative

Passionate Spirituality- CONTEMPLATION

Passionate Spirituality is not only to do with developing our relationship with God but allowing ourselves to be transformed by it and to have our deepened understanding direct our actions. This takes time as we meditate on scripture and on the person and actions of Jesus/God

Mary of Bethany was a contemplative person. Naturally retiring she was attracted to Jesus and loved to sit at His feet listening. When Jesus visited the family home she shared with Lazarus and Martha it was her chief delight. Martha whose expression of love was shown through service was irritated by her lack of support. She was unable to understand that Mary was also doing something worthwhile. But in a situation where so many people were demanding things from Jesus I think that He was blessed by Mary’s committed undemanding love.

When Martha asked Jesus to tell her to help He defended her saying that Mary had made the best choice.

As we follow the story of Mary we discover that she was changed by her time spent with Jesus. When Lazarus died it is Martha that goes to greet His late arrival but when He asks for Mary, the stay at home girl, runs to meet Him and later sees Jesus raise Lazarus from death. She grows from a retiring girl to someone affirmed by spending time with Him and hearing His approval.

Our third account of Mary shows a transformed person who takes expensive perfume into a crowded room and pours it over Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her loosened hair. Her love is extravagant and embarrassing to some there. Judas accuses her for her wastefulness but again Jesus defends her. He appreciates her show of love and her understanding of His coming situation.

Mary’s life challenges us to spend time with Jesus contemplating Jesus’ love and ways so that our lives may be transformed too.

Fey Holtum 17-3-13