I love silence. What a precious commodity it is. Have you ever stopped and tried to enjoy the silence only to have it intruded upon by the whirling of an air unit, the wail of a siren, the roar of a jet flying above? Silence is hard to find. And yet silence is essential for the health of the soul.
God calls us to silence. He tells us to be still in order to know who He truly is as God. The prophets of old wandered in the deserts to find silence. Jesus retreated to the desert and to the mountain tops to find it. The monks have retreated to the deserts, islands and monasteries in search of it.
As a modern monastic I can't always go to the desert (not too many of those in South Carolina!) or to the mountain top to seek out the silence of God. But I can seek it out in my car, my home, my walk through the woods. In a world consumed by the chaos of noise we must be intentional in our search for silence. Turn off the car stereo and meditate upon God. Get up early in the morning and leave the television off. Walk through the woods alone and leave the IPod at home.
I am a morning person. I wake early so that I can pray the Morning Office, read the Scriptures, and read religious literature. All of that is well and good, but my favorite part of the morning is sitting in a quiet house, or on my quiet patio, and listening to God speak. I hear God in the chirping of the birds. I see God in the twinkling stars. I feel God as I sit alone with Him and the gentle breeze caresses my cheek.
The Eastern monks began using the Jesus prayer to center their thoughts and then listened for the voice of God: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner." By calling upon our Savior, acknowledging who He is, and asking for His mercy, we are opening up ourselves to the Mystery that is God and seeking the divine mercy that must come through Him. Jesus himself said that if we seek Him we will find Him. That is a promise. The Apostle James echoed this thought when he said that if we draw near to God He will draw near to us.
So what are you waiting for? Turn off the stereo, shut off the TV, and get to work listening for God to speak to you. Be still and know that He is God.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Getting My Feet Wet
This year I will celebrate my 20th year of pastoral ministry. A few years ago I began making some notes on my early years in ministry with the thought of writing a book about my adventures. This is the first chapter of that book. I hope you enjoy. Fr. Rick
"Peter answered him and said, 'Lord, if it be thou, bid me to come unto thee on the water.' And He said, 'Come.' (Matthew 14:28-29a)
When I felt called to enter the ministry I had visions of grandeur. I envisioned myself standing behind a large, oak pulpit with a Bible the size of the I.R.S. tax code and a congregation of thousands. I imagined a huge pipe organ pumping out Bach preludes and processionals with dozens of people, banners, and crosses. I could see the nimbus encircling my head as the light of glory shone around me.
What I could not envision was the reality. The reality was the living room of a rented house that was converted into a sanctuary every Sunday. The reality was a wobbly lectern built by my step-father from some scraps of wood found in his workshop. The reality was an electric keyboard purchased by my grandmother and played by my wife. The reality was a 100 watt light bulb hung from the ceiling fan over the makeshift pulpit.
The first church I pastored was made up of a few family members and friends from the neighborhood surrounding Fort Jackson, South Carolina. We named it Faith Community Church. "Faith" because that was definitely what we started on! "Community" because we were located in the heart of the Drexel Lakes community. And "Church" because, even though there were only twelve of us, Jesus said that we qualified by having more than the pre-requisite "two of three gathered" to worship Him.
The adventure lasted almost a year. During that time we had several conversions, several baptisms (held at a neighborhood Baptist church), and a wedding which was held at a local Methodist church to accommodate the crowd. I was also ordained at this church. My father, who was a Baptist minister, the Baptist minister who married my wife and I, and my former police chaplain made up my ordination council. These were the high points of my tenure as pastor of Faith Community Church.
The low points were many. The death of my grandmother, and the subsequent funeral, nearly devastated me both emotionally and spiritually. The lack of money devastated me financially. And because of all of this my family life was less that idealistic. Within a year it was all over. Faith Community Church was no more.
But there was a glimmer of hope over the horizon. A small Southern Methodist congregation just down the street from Faith Church was looking for a pastor. I sent them a resume' and made some phone calls and within a week I met with the pastoral search committee at Enon Southern Methodist Church. A month later I was standing behind the pulpit as I began a new journey at the helm of a new church.
"Peter answered him and said, 'Lord, if it be thou, bid me to come unto thee on the water.' And He said, 'Come.' (Matthew 14:28-29a)
When I felt called to enter the ministry I had visions of grandeur. I envisioned myself standing behind a large, oak pulpit with a Bible the size of the I.R.S. tax code and a congregation of thousands. I imagined a huge pipe organ pumping out Bach preludes and processionals with dozens of people, banners, and crosses. I could see the nimbus encircling my head as the light of glory shone around me.
What I could not envision was the reality. The reality was the living room of a rented house that was converted into a sanctuary every Sunday. The reality was a wobbly lectern built by my step-father from some scraps of wood found in his workshop. The reality was an electric keyboard purchased by my grandmother and played by my wife. The reality was a 100 watt light bulb hung from the ceiling fan over the makeshift pulpit.
The first church I pastored was made up of a few family members and friends from the neighborhood surrounding Fort Jackson, South Carolina. We named it Faith Community Church. "Faith" because that was definitely what we started on! "Community" because we were located in the heart of the Drexel Lakes community. And "Church" because, even though there were only twelve of us, Jesus said that we qualified by having more than the pre-requisite "two of three gathered" to worship Him.
The adventure lasted almost a year. During that time we had several conversions, several baptisms (held at a neighborhood Baptist church), and a wedding which was held at a local Methodist church to accommodate the crowd. I was also ordained at this church. My father, who was a Baptist minister, the Baptist minister who married my wife and I, and my former police chaplain made up my ordination council. These were the high points of my tenure as pastor of Faith Community Church.
The low points were many. The death of my grandmother, and the subsequent funeral, nearly devastated me both emotionally and spiritually. The lack of money devastated me financially. And because of all of this my family life was less that idealistic. Within a year it was all over. Faith Community Church was no more.
But there was a glimmer of hope over the horizon. A small Southern Methodist congregation just down the street from Faith Church was looking for a pastor. I sent them a resume' and made some phone calls and within a week I met with the pastoral search committee at Enon Southern Methodist Church. A month later I was standing behind the pulpit as I began a new journey at the helm of a new church.
Monday, January 17, 2011
A Treatise on Human Sexuality
The desire for sexual gratification can become all-consuming. Every moment of every day can be possessed by this desire. One begins to meditate upon the act so as to experience the delights of passion.
I am thoroughly convinced that the sexual act is more than a natural instinct but rather a spiritual impulse. Maybe this is peculiar to me, I don't know. All that I do know is that I have never been able to fantasize about an abstract "super-babe." For me, I must know a person to fantasize about them. I must have more than visual stimulation. I must be able to remember a touch, a look, a smell. I must be able to hear a voice and imagine a response. These things are essential.
To this extent my wife is obviously the choice of fantasy. I can relate all of these things to her. I can recall moments of passion and seduction. I can imagine new delights and pleasures. And the wonderful thing is that I can usually experience these delights in reality. When these imaginations are fulfilled the act of love becomes a sacrament. I now have a tangible expression of that mystical desire upon which I meditated for so long. I have become the priest and she, the priestess, offering up our sacrifice of body and soul upon the altar of passion. We, in that moment, become one. We have entered into the mystery of divinity. We have become, in our own way, the imagio dei, the image of God. We two distinct personalities become "one flesh," one substance, just as God is three distinct personalities is one substance, one essence.
This union of man and woman is perhaps the greatest gift that humanity has been given besides life and salvation. Through this union we can create life. Through this union we can experience, even if briefly, true joy and bliss. The mystery of this union is the mystery of eternity itself, because these are things that we will experience permanently in the next life.
It saddens me to hear of adolescents having sexual intercourse. They are not old enough to understand the implications of the act. They certainly don't realize the sacredness of this activity. They defile themselves by having sexual relations at so young an age. They cheapen that which is holy. It is like an atheist going into church and partaking of the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Sure, he or she has taken the Bread and Wine, but they have missed the Mystery! They defile themselves, but not the Sacrament. To partake of the Sacrament one must believe in it and be part of the Church. To partake of the sacrament of love one must also believe and be a part of the other.
Passion and desire, fantasy and lust, are not bad in and of themselves. In the beginning God created them all, and when He had finished He said it was "very good." But it only remains good in a monogamous, marriage relationship. As long as it is in its proper sphere, the act of love-making is a truly beautiful thing. If you doubt this just read The Song of Solomon in the Bible. That makes for some good erotic reading! The passion found there between husband and wife should be an inspiration for us all. Their desire, for a time, had become all-consuming. Their every waking moment was possessed by desire. It was spiritual. It was "good." And it was given by God.
I am thoroughly convinced that the sexual act is more than a natural instinct but rather a spiritual impulse. Maybe this is peculiar to me, I don't know. All that I do know is that I have never been able to fantasize about an abstract "super-babe." For me, I must know a person to fantasize about them. I must have more than visual stimulation. I must be able to remember a touch, a look, a smell. I must be able to hear a voice and imagine a response. These things are essential.
To this extent my wife is obviously the choice of fantasy. I can relate all of these things to her. I can recall moments of passion and seduction. I can imagine new delights and pleasures. And the wonderful thing is that I can usually experience these delights in reality. When these imaginations are fulfilled the act of love becomes a sacrament. I now have a tangible expression of that mystical desire upon which I meditated for so long. I have become the priest and she, the priestess, offering up our sacrifice of body and soul upon the altar of passion. We, in that moment, become one. We have entered into the mystery of divinity. We have become, in our own way, the imagio dei, the image of God. We two distinct personalities become "one flesh," one substance, just as God is three distinct personalities is one substance, one essence.
This union of man and woman is perhaps the greatest gift that humanity has been given besides life and salvation. Through this union we can create life. Through this union we can experience, even if briefly, true joy and bliss. The mystery of this union is the mystery of eternity itself, because these are things that we will experience permanently in the next life.
It saddens me to hear of adolescents having sexual intercourse. They are not old enough to understand the implications of the act. They certainly don't realize the sacredness of this activity. They defile themselves by having sexual relations at so young an age. They cheapen that which is holy. It is like an atheist going into church and partaking of the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Sure, he or she has taken the Bread and Wine, but they have missed the Mystery! They defile themselves, but not the Sacrament. To partake of the Sacrament one must believe in it and be part of the Church. To partake of the sacrament of love one must also believe and be a part of the other.
Passion and desire, fantasy and lust, are not bad in and of themselves. In the beginning God created them all, and when He had finished He said it was "very good." But it only remains good in a monogamous, marriage relationship. As long as it is in its proper sphere, the act of love-making is a truly beautiful thing. If you doubt this just read The Song of Solomon in the Bible. That makes for some good erotic reading! The passion found there between husband and wife should be an inspiration for us all. Their desire, for a time, had become all-consuming. Their every waking moment was possessed by desire. It was spiritual. It was "good." And it was given by God.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
God is Near
When life becomes a trouble
And all around seems drear,
When vexations seem to double,
Know that God is near!
When all about is discontent
And the world so full of fear,
When evil doth your joy prevent,
Know that God is near!
When your heart is full of sorrow
And your eyes are full of tears,
When your soul pangs in horrow,
Know that God is near!
Look up! O beleaguered child
And know that He doth hear.
For when the world hath you defiled,
Know that God is near!
And all around seems drear,
When vexations seem to double,
Know that God is near!
When all about is discontent
And the world so full of fear,
When evil doth your joy prevent,
Know that God is near!
When your heart is full of sorrow
And your eyes are full of tears,
When your soul pangs in horrow,
Know that God is near!
Look up! O beleaguered child
And know that He doth hear.
For when the world hath you defiled,
Know that God is near!
Friday, January 7, 2011
A Divine Requiem
The Bread is given to me
By the servant of the Lord.
I can feel His holy Presence
As I open my heart's door.
The Wine shines red in my eyes
As I bow my head to sip.
"This is my blood...shed for you."
Rings true upon His servant's lips.
In the midst of holy silence
As I return to my own pew,
I think about the grace of God
Which was shed for me and you.
Fr. Rick
By the servant of the Lord.
I can feel His holy Presence
As I open my heart's door.
The Wine shines red in my eyes
As I bow my head to sip.
"This is my blood...shed for you."
Rings true upon His servant's lips.
In the midst of holy silence
As I return to my own pew,
I think about the grace of God
Which was shed for me and you.
Fr. Rick
Sunday, December 26, 2010
What's Your Perspective
In the Gospel reading for the first Sunday after Christmas St. Matthew tells the story of the newborn Christ-Child. He tells the story of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt at the instruction of an angel. He tells how the Wise Men deceived Herod so that he couldn't murder the newborn King. He tells of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents and of the return of the Holy Family from Egypt to a little village called Nazareth. Basically, St. Matthew tells the story of the Birth of Christ from a human perspective.
But if you were to go and read Revelation 12:1-6 you would see the same story told from a different perspective, a heavenly perspective.
St. John speaks of a woman clothed with the Sun, the Moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Obviously he is describing the Blessed Virgin Mary. The world looks at the Mother of God and they see a poor Jewish girl from a hick town. When the host of Heaven looks at her they see a woman robed in glory. When the world heard a young girl crying in the pains of labor, they felt pity. When the dragon (Satan) heard the cries of labor he felt his world reverberate in fear at the sound of the birth of the One who would defeat him. The world saw a power-crazed potentate named Herod trying to protect his meager little kingdom by attempting to murder an innocent child, but the host of Heaven saw this as a satanic plot to kill the King of Kings.
When the Child was born the world saw another peasant child born into an oppressed society with no future in front of him, but the host of Heaven saw the Ruler of all nations being born so that He could take His rightful place on His throne. When the Holy Family fled into Egypt the world saw a terrorized family running for their lives, but the host of Heaven saw a royal family resting in the safety that God had prepared for them.
What a difference perspective makes!
What perspective do you see the Birth of Christ in? Do you see it only from a human perspective or from a cosmic perspective? Do you see it as a quaint little story told and believed by a third of the world's population or do you see it as the Story of the ages - good versus evil, light versus dark, God versus Satan?
What's your perspective?
During this season between Christmas and Epiphany I encourage you to truly contemplate the great mystery of the Incarnation. I encourage you to stand in awe of the Event that the world takes so flippantly and lightly. Emmanuel - God is with us. Let us be humbled by the magnitude of this Mystery.
Fr. Rick
But if you were to go and read Revelation 12:1-6 you would see the same story told from a different perspective, a heavenly perspective.
St. John speaks of a woman clothed with the Sun, the Moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Obviously he is describing the Blessed Virgin Mary. The world looks at the Mother of God and they see a poor Jewish girl from a hick town. When the host of Heaven looks at her they see a woman robed in glory. When the world heard a young girl crying in the pains of labor, they felt pity. When the dragon (Satan) heard the cries of labor he felt his world reverberate in fear at the sound of the birth of the One who would defeat him. The world saw a power-crazed potentate named Herod trying to protect his meager little kingdom by attempting to murder an innocent child, but the host of Heaven saw this as a satanic plot to kill the King of Kings.
When the Child was born the world saw another peasant child born into an oppressed society with no future in front of him, but the host of Heaven saw the Ruler of all nations being born so that He could take His rightful place on His throne. When the Holy Family fled into Egypt the world saw a terrorized family running for their lives, but the host of Heaven saw a royal family resting in the safety that God had prepared for them.
What a difference perspective makes!
What perspective do you see the Birth of Christ in? Do you see it only from a human perspective or from a cosmic perspective? Do you see it as a quaint little story told and believed by a third of the world's population or do you see it as the Story of the ages - good versus evil, light versus dark, God versus Satan?
What's your perspective?
During this season between Christmas and Epiphany I encourage you to truly contemplate the great mystery of the Incarnation. I encourage you to stand in awe of the Event that the world takes so flippantly and lightly. Emmanuel - God is with us. Let us be humbled by the magnitude of this Mystery.
Fr. Rick
Friday, December 3, 2010
Waiting
Waiting. It's one of the hardest things we ever have to do. I think back to the times I've sat in a hospital waiting room with a family as they've awaited the news on the condition of their loved one. I think back to the time my wife and daughters went to Guatemala on a mission trip and I sat waiting in the airport lounge praying for their safe arrival. I also think of the many Christmases that I woke up early in the morning waiting for my parents to awake so I could tear into those beautifully wrapped packages. Waiting does not come easy for us.
Even though we have pithy little sayings like, "Good things come to those who wait," it doesn't get any easier. And yet it seems the majority of our lives are spent waiting on something else. "I can't wait until I finish school!" "I can't wait until the weekend!" "I can't wait until I retire!" But I've discovered that often times when we're focused on the object ahead of us we forget to enjoy what we have right now. We tend to wish our lives away, hoping for something better, when we should be enjoying what we have now.
Advent is about waiting. While everyone around us is focused on Christmas morning, we who celebrate Advent, are focused on the now. We, too, are waiting for Christmas but we do so by celebrating the NOW. For us Christmas is not the end, but the beginning. While everyone is scurrying around shopping we can slow down and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. We wait expectantly, all the while enjoying the gifts that God has already given us.
While some are already reading the Christmas story we who celebrate Advent are waiting for Christmas by reading the prophecies of old. We are immersed in the stories of Isaiah and John the Baptist. We light candles to mark the time as we wait. We sing of the future while we enjoy the blessings of the present. Advent is about the future, and the past. The Birth of Christ and the return of Christ. The visions of old and the visions of the New Jerusalem. The life of darkness and the life lived in the Light.
Waiting is not a passive thing. Waiting is being actively engaged in the now while steadily looking to the future. The early believers thought that the return of Christ was eminent so they stopped doing. But the Apostles and Saints told us that we would have to wait. And while we wait we are to do the work of the Kingdom: feed the poor, heal the sick, and set the captives free. Time seems to fly when we are actively engaged in doing something while we wait.
During this Advent season learn the lesson of waiting. Learn to embrace patience and do the work of the Kingdom; pray, preach, live! Christmas is coming, but not before we have to wait.
Even though we have pithy little sayings like, "Good things come to those who wait," it doesn't get any easier. And yet it seems the majority of our lives are spent waiting on something else. "I can't wait until I finish school!" "I can't wait until the weekend!" "I can't wait until I retire!" But I've discovered that often times when we're focused on the object ahead of us we forget to enjoy what we have right now. We tend to wish our lives away, hoping for something better, when we should be enjoying what we have now.
Advent is about waiting. While everyone around us is focused on Christmas morning, we who celebrate Advent, are focused on the now. We, too, are waiting for Christmas but we do so by celebrating the NOW. For us Christmas is not the end, but the beginning. While everyone is scurrying around shopping we can slow down and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. We wait expectantly, all the while enjoying the gifts that God has already given us.
While some are already reading the Christmas story we who celebrate Advent are waiting for Christmas by reading the prophecies of old. We are immersed in the stories of Isaiah and John the Baptist. We light candles to mark the time as we wait. We sing of the future while we enjoy the blessings of the present. Advent is about the future, and the past. The Birth of Christ and the return of Christ. The visions of old and the visions of the New Jerusalem. The life of darkness and the life lived in the Light.
Waiting is not a passive thing. Waiting is being actively engaged in the now while steadily looking to the future. The early believers thought that the return of Christ was eminent so they stopped doing. But the Apostles and Saints told us that we would have to wait. And while we wait we are to do the work of the Kingdom: feed the poor, heal the sick, and set the captives free. Time seems to fly when we are actively engaged in doing something while we wait.
During this Advent season learn the lesson of waiting. Learn to embrace patience and do the work of the Kingdom; pray, preach, live! Christmas is coming, but not before we have to wait.
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