Lenten Blog – Day 18 – Baptismal Covenant, Part 4

Celebrant	Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
People	I believe in the Holy Spirit,     the holy catholic Church,     the communion of saints,     the forgiveness of sins,     the resurrection of the body,     and the life everlasting.

Every year there’s a Sunday where the priest has a sermon on the trinity and, every year, there’s a bit of what I would call “hedging our bets.”  Seemingly the concept of an all creating God is fine.  Jesus, his son, is historically accurate.  But then there’s this whole “Holy Spirit” thing and how does that all equate in this picture and how do you believe in THAT?

Some have even gone so far to say that even trying to preach about the Holy Spirit is, in itself, a bit blasphemous.  Trying to put into words that which can’t be worded.  Put into image that which can’t be imagined.  Conceptualizing that which can’t be concepted.  You get my point.

Miriam has used the concept of an apple.  The Core is God.  The Flesh is Jesus.  The Skin is the Holy Spirit.  It’s all an “apple.”  But, yeah, is it Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Granny Smith? I NEED TO KNOW!

I think the best description I’ve heard of the Holy Trinity was spoken by one of my friendly church goers.  He said that he looked at the Holy Trinity as water.  It can be a liquid, a solid and a gas – but it’s all still the same thing: H2O.

That concept is particularly good to lean on, in the sense that we, as a species cannot live without water.  That it is, the lifeblood for all creatures and it has been with us since the start of time constantly recycling.  I’m sure some scientist will disagree with this – as I’m certain some water escapes into the heavens – but no new water is being made.  The water I drink at work may very well be the same water that baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.

Okay – now that we’ve narrowed down the Holy Spirit concept of this passage from the Baptismal Covenant – let’s move on to the rest of it.

“holy catholic Church.”  Note that it’s catholic with a little “c.”  Not the CATHOLIC (ie:  Pope, Vatican, Nuns, etc.) church but catholic as in universal.

Is the church holy?  There’s sure a helluva lot of evidence it’s not.  But like a person, there might be holiness in the struggle.  There might be a desire to be holy.  That may be the ultimate goal.  Is it there yet?

“communion of saints” – No brainer.  I believe other people came before me doing some amazing things (and not amazing things) in bringing the message of Jesus (love and forgiveness) to the masses.  Someday I would like to hang with them and talk to them and have a microbrew with them.

“forgiveness of sins” – That’s what this is all about, ain’t it?  Somehow taking the dirty messy parts of our existence and humanity and trying to make it clean.  Finding redemption, closure, and moving forward.

“the resurrection of the body” – a bit more tricky as I wasn’t there – but I’ll talk more about this in a later blog.  For now just look at this as a place-holder.

“life everlasting” – I like life.  There have been times where I’ve struggled and felt that the burden of life was too much.  That there is an easy way out and maybe I could do something to stop this whole life thing.  And, indeed, there is an everlasting life that I would like to have.  Surrounded by my family and friends and love and peace and my cat Motorboat.  I don’t know if this concept in this piece of the covenant is referring to that but, for now, I’ll take it.

Lenten Blog – Day 17 – Baptismal Covenant, Part 3

Celebrant

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

People

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,     He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit         and born of the Virgin Mary.     He suffered under Pontius Pilate,         was crucified, died, and was buried.     He descended to the dead.     On the third day he rose again.     He ascended into heaven,         and is seated at the right hand of the Father.     He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

Here’s our “Come to Jesus” moment.

When the film “Oh, God” came out, I went and saw it at the Northgate Theatre on a double-bill with “Bugsy Malone.”  I remember seeing it with my mom.

In the film, John Denver has been challenged by God (George Burns) to confront a fake televangelist.  When he does so, a fight breaks out and the televangelist sues John Denver for libel.  A court case ensues and John is sequestered away in a hotel room awaiting God to come help him.

Locked away in this hotel room, John has a collection of questions provided by the court.  These are questions John would not be able to answer, only God could.  Thus proving that John is talking to God and not being delusional.

When God eventually shows up he complains that John is being charged $16 for a steak dinner.  As they go through the questions, one of the questions is:  “Is Jesus Christ the son of God?”

This is the ONLY time that Christ is mentioned in this film.

George/God’s response?  “Yes.  Jesus Christ was my son.  You are my son.  The guy who charged you $16 for a steak is my son.”

My mother was bothered by this because it seemed, rightly so, that Jesus’s place in the passion and redemption of our sins was being tossed on a shelf with a handful of knick-knacks.  She mused that maybe the writers couldn’t really focus on that because it might bother Jewish people or don’t believe that Jesus Christ is our savior or…

Years later I brought this up in my Confirmation class and the priest said:  “That movie was 100% true.”

So what to make of this Baptismal Covenant moment?

Of course, over the years, people have watered down the virgin birth story saying that during that time many stories were told about people with special powers or special abilities were born of “virgins.”

There are also stories of Jesus in the New Testament Apocrypha that talk of him battling dragons and killing other kids.  Seriously.

http://www.cracked.com/article_18948_5-real-deleted-bible-scenes-in-which-jesus-kicks-some-ass.html

Again, what to make of the above?

Do I TRULY believe that?

I think that with anything there is some “wiggle room” for logic and reason to infiltrate.

But, yes, I truly believe a lot of the above.  It doesn’t mean I don’t question.  It doesn’t mean I don’t wonder.  It doesn’t mean that I’m going to tattoo it on my inner thigh.

What’s that line from “Miracle on 34^th Street?”  “Faith means believing in things that your brain tells you not to.”

Yeah, that:  Faith.

Lenten Blog – Day 16 – Third Sunday in Lent

Luke 13:1-9

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’ Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.  So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it.  If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’

Taking a break from the Baptismal Covenant, here’s my sermon for the third Sunday of Lent.

What to take from the above?  I was hoping, in a way, that it would be another politically motivated Jesus so I could tie in issues of our political nature and Trump and whatnot - especially the whatnot - but here we get words like repent and perish and I try to look at in the context of the people and the situation.  Not knowing what lead into this reading and what followed, what I take from this are two things:

Thing 1:  Repent.

Thing 2:  Give yourself a chance.

I am reminded that the people in biblical times are not as “learned” as us in the 21^st Century.  How many people during this time of Jesus were illiterate?  How many people during this time of Jesus had any sort of formal learning?  Or could understand concepts beyond good/evil, black/white, hate/love?  Sure, you had the learned scholars, the rabbis, the people in power who used fear and intimidation to control the masses but the masses were controllable by fear and intimidation.  Me thinks there wasn’t a lot of talk of hope and change and promise.  And if there WERE talks of hope and change and promise, it was wrapped in power, war, revenge, retribution.  I have to remind myself that the people who were under the thumb of the Roman Authorities expected their Messiah to come in on a white horse, guns blazing.  Not a carpenter talking about things like love.  They wanted an eye-for-an-eye and Jesus was talking about turning the other cheek.

Understanding the audience then, what to take from Jesus’s words?  Again, this was a time that if you got sick it was because of something your father or mother did.  Karma seemed to be the overwhelming concept:  You stubbed your toe?  You must have told a lie the week before.  Someone has an epileptic seizure today we know what’s going on.  2000+ years ago, they’re inhabited by the devil because they or their parents did something wrong.

In Jesus’ words he’s saying “repent.”  Talk about what you did wrong, own up to your failings, come back to God.  Maybe implying to them that if they repent, bad stuff won’t happen to them (or their children) but also saying:  “Look at those who died when the tower fell on them.  Do you think they deserved that because of their sins?”

I imagine the listeners looking at Jesus and then one another and saying:  “you know, he has a point.”

And then Jesus ends with a parable about the fig tree where I think what he’s saying to these people is this:  “Give yourself a chance.  Dig your soil, feed your soul, work on your love for God and see if it bears fruit.  I know it’s a struggle and that you haven’t bore any fruit...yet.  But work on it.”

At least that’s what I took from this scripture.

Lenten Blog – Day 15 – Baptismal Covenant, Part 2

Baptismal Covenant, Part 2

Celebrant	Do you believe in God the Father?
People	I believe in God, the Father almighty,     creator of heaven and earth.

Okay, just a quick editorial note for clarification. What I had started including in these blogs about the Baptismal Covenant was the actual Baptismal CEREMONY. Still, I wanted to make some points and tell that story (see Day 14 Part 2 of Part 1) but now we’re into the whole Baptismal Covenant thing. My apologies for any confusion that may, or may not have, happened.

Thank you. Now, where were we?

When the priest of our church left after 30 years of being in charge, I was put on both the committee to write up the priest proposal (basically an elaborate job description) and the committee to interview priests. I suggested that we use the Baptismal Covenant as a template, if you will of talking points. To show how our church lives out the baptismal covenant and, hopefully, that would be a selling point to those interested.

I think, during Lent, it’s also a good time to figure out these talking points in our own lives.

Above is the first question and it brings me back to my initial blog points. In 2016 with the in-roads in science and nature and life and all, do I truly believe that someone named “God” created heaven and earth. And then it brings in the whole “father” thing again. And, damn, I’m right back to square one struggling with the concept of anthropomorphic and “father” and all the baggage those images or words entail. Add all the sciency stuff and I truly do have to ask do I believe this? Well...do I believe that the world is only 6,000 years old as many fundamentalists do? No, I gather it’s much MUCH older than that. Then where did it come from? What about the Big Bang? And what if that Big Bang is God?

When stories of creation come up and Noah and the flood, all I imagine is that people are so intent to find some discernible TRUTH that God exists that there would be no questions whatsoever and people can say: HA! See!! Right there, buddy. PROOF! I think someone was even saying that the design of the banana was proof that God exists.

I imagine that I will struggle with these concepts my entire adult life but that’s what makes it fun, in a way. If I can just believe there is no God, then I feel my sense of wonder is diminished (and I truly believe there is SOMETHING beyond all this).

Whether God created the Heaven and Earth in seven days or seven quintillion days, I think the lyrics to the Iris Dement Song “Keep Me God” sums up how I feel.

Now, I don't know just where God lives
ain't all that sure just exactly who God is
I don't know if there's a church
that deserves to take God's name
I just know that when I look around here I see
the hand of someone or something
that is bigger than me
and I call that God
and then I pray "Just, keep me God"

And if that’s believing. I’m good with that.

Lenten Blog – Day 14 – Baptismal Covenant, Part 2 of Part 1

I prided myself on being a “good kid.”  One of those you can count on.  I remember when I was nine or ten I would stand in the Ballard lobby area and open doors for people.

Being nice was instilled in me from a young age.  Was this something that was intrinsic in my upbringing or just something I learned going along?

Nice guys do, indeed, often finish last – and we often get “friend zoned” during those awkward high school years when the hot girl(s) we’re attracted to are only interested in the bad boys or the hot clueless guys and I’m stuck listening to them lament that so-and-so doesn’t like them, or doesn’t take them out anywhere and blah blah blah.

So, yeah, it’s not all peaches and cream being the nice guy, the good kid, the one “everyone can count on” because sometimes you don’t want to be nice, or good, or countable on.  Sometimes you want to skip church or tell your friend you don’t have time to talk (or most likely listen) and sometimes you just want to eat cinnamon rolls, by yourself, while watching terrible films – but I digress.

When I was 16 or 17 and squarely in my “good kid” phase I had made a number of friends with kids at church.  One of the kids was a gal by the name of Katy.  She was completely and totally adorable and just a year or two younger than me.  I liked her.  A lot.  If we could have dated, I would have been happy with that.  She had started going to our local church youth group and she had gone to our regional church functions and she was fun and sweet and she saw something in me that she liked.  Maybe my “goodness?”  (((shrug)))

As she delved deeper into her faith she decided she wanted to be baptized and asked me to be her Godfather.  How could I refuse her?  But when I asked the priest if we could be boy-friend/girl-friend after I pledged to be her Godfather he said:  “No.”  (Now, of course, 30+ years later I realize that’s probably not in any sort of biblical or liturgical writings strictly forbidding this but, yeah, at the time it probably sounded a bit sketchy.)  So I bit my tongue and did the right thing and on that wonderful Sunday morning (maybe Easter?) I pledged to be her Godfather and to see that she was brought up in the Christian faith and life.

See, it says so RIGHT HERE:

When all have been presented the Celebrant asks the parents and
godparents

Will you be responsible for seeing that the child you present
is brought up in the Christian faith and life?

Parents and Godparents

I will, with God's help.

AND THIS!

Celebrant

Will you by your prayers and witness help this child to grow
into the full stature of Christ?

Parents and Godparents

I will, with God's help.

To make a long story short, or to keep this blog at a reasonable length, I failed.  Failed.  Failed.

Katy and I stayed friends through the rest of high school but then life interrupts and things happen and excuses are made and we completely and totally lost touch.

I have very few regrets in life and not following through with the above is one of them (I even included this, kind of, in the film I made:  “Daylight Saving Time” – check it out on Vimeo.com).

Sure, maybe I didn’t truly comprehend what I was getting into when I said I would be her Godfather.  Maybe the depth of the pledge skitted along the surface like a skinny stone on water.  Maybe I still hoped we’d date.  I don’t know.  I’ve run out of excuses.

Years went by and I lost touch with that entire group of friends.  Babies were born and raised.  Jobs were won and lost and I wondered about Katy and my lack of commitment.

Then, finally, I made the effort.  A chance meeting or conversation with one of the group of friends lead to a phone number or an e-mail and I called or e-mailed her.

It would have been great if after losing touch for 20+ years I found her to be a good solid Christian living the good life and accomplishing all those things that I pledged to do (WITH GOD’S HELP FOR GOD SAKES!).

Alas, she had struggles.  She had run into some hard times and things had been rough.  Even if I wasn’t her Godfather at least I could have been the ear on the other end of the phone to listen or help in SOME way.  You know, that whole “nice guy” thing that I aspired to be.  Could I have eased a burden?  Could I have helped?  Could I have given some half-assed advice?  Could I have just BEEN THERE?  I sure as hell could have…but I wasn’t.

She still lived nearby and we planned to meet but, even then, I failed on that.  It was as if it was all so much easier to kind of pretend that it never happened, though the hole in my spiritual heart reminded me.

Years passed from those conversations and I took solace in her words of “That’s okay.”  Sure, at 15 or 16 she probably didn’t fully understand the commitment found in baptism and I, certainly didn’t fully understand the commitment found in being a Godfather.

Eventually we found each other on Facebook and have been Facebook friends since.

Have I seen her in person in 30+ years?  Maybe it’s about time I stepped up.

Lenten Blog – Day 13 – Baptismal Covenant, Part 1

I was not baptized in the Episcopal Church.  When I was probably 7 or 8 I was baptized by my Uncle Pete who was a pastor in a church in Indiana.  This was a “dunking” baptism.  I don’t recall there being any Godfathers (or Godmothers).  I don’t recall reciting anything other than agreeing to do it.  I don’t even think it was part of a church service but more a:  “Hey, let’s baptize Matt today!”

What I truly remember about my baptism?  My mom bought me the soundtrack to “Godspell” as a gift.  At Northgate Mall.

During Lent it is common for people, at Easter, to get baptized.  The process of Lent has been used for centuries to prepare people for baptism or to bring people back into the church who may have strayed from the path and did something wrong.  The forty days became either a learning period up to the Baptismal Ceremony or it was a “come to Jesus” period (literally) to make one right with the Lord and reunited on Easter day.

In the Episcopal Church, the Baptismal Covenant is pretty darn important and, even if we don’t have an infant, child, adult to baptize, you can be darn sure clear that a few Sundays out of the year, we’ll be reciting the baptismal covenant.  Kind of a “refocus” on the basics.  Every Sunday we recite the Nicene Creed which is kinda like the Baptismal Covenant but sometimes you need to the read and response to maybe align the ol’ synapses in your brain.  (Or maybe you don’t, I don’t know how your brain works).

Figuring I have 40 of these things to write, I decided to tackle the Baptismal Covenant and figure that should take up a handful of blogs and it’s something that I, too, need to be reacquainted with on occasion.

Let’s start with just the basics.

In our church we have a baptismal font in the back (basically a large brass tub) – and when the ceremony is about to start – the candidate(s) and their sponsors are asked to move to the back.

They surround the font and the priest pours in water (typically warmed up especially if you’re dealing with an infant) and blesses the water with a prayer.

What is a sponsor?  Well, the sponsor is someone who may have brought the child or friend to church.  Someone who supports them in their spiritual journey and can vouch for them.  Now this isn’t something that just happens that morning.  Typically there are a few classes or sessions where things are discussed as to what’s going to happen and what is expected of the sponsor.

Sponsors are typically for adults or teenagers while Godparents are for the “wee little ones.”

Adults and Older Children

The candidates who are able to answer for themselves are presented
individually by their Sponsors, as follows

Sponsor

I present N. to receive the Sacrament of Baptism.

The Celebrant asks each candidate when presented

	Do you desire to be baptized?
Candidate	I do.

Infants and Younger Children

Then the candidates who are unable to answer for themselves are presented
individually by their Parents and Godparents, as follows

Parents and Godparents

I present N. to receive the Sacrament of Baptism.

When all have been presented the Celebrant asks the parents and
godparents

Will you be responsible for seeing that the child you present
is brought up in the Christian faith and life?

Parents and Godparents

I will, with God's help.

Celebrant

Will you by your prayers and witness help this child to grow
into the full stature of Christ?

Parents and Godparents

I will, with God's help.

Let’s just stop here for a moment.  There’s a bunch to think about in just these few words.  “…brought up in Christian Faith and Life?”  Are we talking “Jerry Falwell Christian Faith and Life?  Billy Graham?  Ted Cruz?”  Or…

“…child grow into the full stature of Christ?”  Help the child grow into a Christ like person?  A Christ who advocated for the poor and the hurting and the sick and the needy and showed love and challenged authority and, ultimately, was crucified, died, buried and risen again?

Wow.  Now you know why babies often get pretty dresses to wear on the day of their baptism.

But twice the parents and Godparents say:  “I will with God’s help.”

When you look at the Episcopal wedding service the bride and groom do not say:  “I do.”  But they say:  “I will.”  To do is to accomplish and be done.  Done is done and did.  To will is to progress, it is not accomplished, it is not done.  It is a promise to move forward. I will try.  I will succeed.  I will stumble.  I will fall.  I will struggle.  I will get back up.

“…with God’s help.”

Acknowledging that we’re not in this alone.  Whatever your image of God is (see previous blogs if you want my muddled thoughts), there is help.  There is a basic understanding that this journey you are setting on to help a child to be “brought up in Christian Faith and Life and grow into the full stature of Christ” is not a solitary journey of deep responsibility but a journey of faith through assistance and help.

But that doesn’t mean stumbles don’t happen, certainly.  More on this tomorrow…

Lenten Blog – Day 12 – Soul Feeding

They come from everywhere and that’s the way it’s always been.  One drives 30 minutes from Renton, one comes from West Seattle (South End even).  One comes from a mile away.  Where are they going?  What are they doing?  They’re going to the Shorecrest Performing Arts Center to perform in “(Not your Mom’s) HMS Pinafore.”

And this is just these two weeks of performances, not the many miles spent driving to two different rehearsal locations and the hours upon hours of rehearsing at home and singing the same songs over and over and over…again.

My brother played soccer into his 50’s but his body has finally told him to stop.  PLEASE!

My mother paints.

Miriam works on scrapbook pages.

I stage manage play productions and I write, too, on occasion – even more than an annoying Lenten blog.

People will write these things off as a “hobby” or an “interest” or a “sport” or something.  That, my friends, undercuts what we’re truly doing and that is feeding our very souls.

I mean, what else is the answer in terms of time and energy and money?  What could they possible get out of it?  Countless hours away from loved ones.  Feeding a gas pump like it’s a slot machine.  Stress, pressure, angst.  Frustration.

Why else do we do this?

Certainly people can psychoanalyze and come up with some basic reasoning as to why people take on tasks that provide little or no reward.  I mean it’s not like my brother is being slipped $50 for keeping a ball out of a net for 90 minutes.  And, sure, there could be some terms of level of satisfaction that people get when a job is complete – Miriam’s scrap book pages are amazing works of art – truly.

But I honestly think that we do these things to connect with our very soul.  That, deep down, we need these things (whatever your thing is) to touch a part of us that is possibly unexplainable.

So I ask you during this 2016 Lenten season:  What are you doing to feed your soul?