e-piphanies

Enemies of Discernment: Resistance

Spiritual discernment, whether it concerns a personal matter or a corporate matter, is an opportunity to experience God’s grace.  I am not certain a person can effectively reject God’s grace, but I know from personal experience that it is possible to resist it.  When the human will is in opposition with the divine will, God gives us the freedom to resist.  We seem to exercise that option on a fairly frequent basis.

I’m thinking about the patriarch, Jacob.  His name meant "supplanter."  He cheated his brother out of his birthright and had to flee for his life.  This became a pattern in Jacob's life.  Every now and again, Jacob would have an encounter with God.  Each time, he seems to have resisted less and less until, finally, years later, he was compelled to return to his family home and face the brother he had wronged.  Even on the way back, he sent his family and herds on ahead and spent the night alone on the bank of the River Jabbok, wrestling with the angel of God.  After that experience, Jacob was physically wounded and had a new name, Israel, which means “to wrestle with God.” Read the story in Genesis 31-33.

Discernment is often a wrestling match with God – our wills pitted against the divine will.  Ultimately, I believe God’s will is going to be done.  So, that’s why I hesitate to say that we can reject God’s will.  To say that we can reject God’s will suggests that we can defeat God.  Yes, God allows us to resist and we see how often asserting our will has taken us and the world in which we live in a direction other than the one God has in mind.

A clergyman I know, The Rev. Danny Morris, wrote a book years ago about the will of God.  It’s title is  Yearning to Know God’s Will.  He told me that his original title was Yearning to Know God’s Yearning, but the publisher didn’t think people would understand what the book was about.  The book is about discernment and Danny wanted people think of God's will as the yearning of God’s heart for us.  So, to yearn to know what is in God’s heart is another way to think of discernment.  Perhaps it will help you to be less resistant today in your discernment if you think of it as seeking to know what good things God yearns to give to you or the group of people with whom or for whom you are seeking spiritual guidance.

The prophet Jeremiah described God’s yearning this way: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).  The less we resist, the more we discover the goodness God is seeking to bring about through our lives.

Some say that Charles Wesley’s most famous hymn during his lifetime was “Jacob Wrestling” (Also known as “Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown”).  It tells the story of Jacob’s wrestling match with the Angel of God.  In Wesley's view, Jacob resisted as long as he could and finally understood in that encounter how much God loved him.  The original text had about a zillion stanzas.  Here are just a few.

 

Come, O thou Traveler unknown,
whom still I hold, but cannot see;
my company before is gone,
and I am left alone with thee,
with thee all night I mean to stay,
and wrestle till the break of day.

I need not tell thee who I am,
my misery or sin declare;
thyself hast called me by my name,
look on thy hands, and read it there.
But who, I ask thee, who art thou?
Tell me thy name, and tell me now.

Yield to me now, for I am weak
but confident in self-despair;
speak to my heart, in blessings speak,
be conquered by my instant prayer.
Speak, or thou never hence shalt move,
and tell me, if thy name is Love.

'Tis Love, 'tis Love! Thou diedst for me!
I hear thy whisper in my heart:
the morning breaks, the shadows flee.
Pure universal Love thou art;
thy mercies never shall remove,
thy nature and thy name is Love.

Enemies of Discernment: Time

Unlike our Creator, human beings are finite creatures, bound by time and space.  It seems that we have either too little time or too much time.  We arrive early or late, but seldom exactly on time. Time is a facet of human life and we will always have to contend with it, even if we are blessed with a smartphone. Because of that fact of life, time is one of the enemies of spiritual discernment.

We had a very nice chain of department stores in Texas called Joske’s. Once, when Gay and I were visiting San Antonio, I had failed to pack any underwear in my suitcase.  Not a problem!  There was a Joske’s store near the Alamo where I could buy what I needed. 

But when we came to the display where the men’s underwear should have been, they had nothing remotely near my size.  I asked the sales clerk to check the inventory.  She said, “It’s no use.  Everything we have is on the shelf.  It’s been this way since we started using the ‘just in time’ approach to our inventory.” 

As far as I was concerned, it was “time” and the system wasn’t working for me. We went to J.C. Penney and found what I needed.

When things don't happen on our schedule, or we find ourselves feeling that the time's not right, or we have too little time for discernment before a decision must be made, or we feel that discernment is taking too long, what’s new?  Time is a factor of human life and there is no escaping it.

Here’s the good news; God knows how much time we have because, after all, God created us.  So, when we are dealing with God, besides chronos, the time we count with clocks and calendars, we are also granted kairos, the kind of time God seems to like best – the “right amount” of time.

The biblical number forty is often used to signify a kairos experience.  The Great Flood lasted forty days and forty nights.  God’s Hebrew children wandered in the wilderness for forty years.  Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights and stayed with the apostles forty days and forty nights after the Resurrection.  In every case, the biblical account seems to say that these incidences took exactly the right amount of time.  And God never shows up late!

When we set out to spend time in spiritual discernment, we have a natural impulse to take hold of the problem of time by the wrong end.  We think of time spent in discernment as our time with God.  I invite you to consider that time spent in discernment is God’s time with us.  With all God has to do throughout the cosmos, God makes kairos for us when we are facing a decision that requires spiritual discernment.  If somebody shows up late for such an appointment, it’s not going to be God.

After complaining about how little time God gives us, the Psalmist prays, “So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart” (Psalm 90:12).  In other words, since this is the way things operate in God’s administrative policy, we need to be careful to put whatever chronological time we have at the service of the God of kairos, who has a way of making just the right amount of time to accomplish the divine purpose in our lives.  For, as the Psalmist points out, “a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night” (Psalm 90:4).  God's time is not measured by our standards!  We spend time.  God makes time.  It's an important distinction and those who are wise recognize that distinction when engaging in spiritual discernment.

God has made time today for you to spend in discernment.  How will you spend that time?  My prayer for you today is that you will devote whatever time you have, whether it seems too little or too much, to spiritual discernment with the One who has the power to make it just exactly the right amount that is required.

The English hymn writer, Isaac Watts, paraphrased Psalm 90 in his great hymn, O God, Our Help in Ages Past.

 

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

Sermon at Calvary Church ~ September 2, 2012

Proper 17B

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Enemies of Discernment: Static

Have you ever tried listening to a newscast and found it difficult to understand what the reporter was saying due to static?  Of course you have.  It may have been electronic static in your television or radio.  Or, it may have been the static caused by wind blowing into the reporter's microphone.  Maybe the reporter was standing near a very noisy crowd.  Static makes it hard to hear and understand what is being said.

Spiritual static interferes with hearing the voice of God and is an enemy of discernment.  For this reason, it is wise to discover ways to tune out the static and wait in silence for God to speak. St. James offers wise counsel in his epistle, "You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak" (James 1:19).  Stephen Covey offers similar advice in his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, when he says, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." It's good advice whether you are trying to understand the divine Voice or the viewpoint of another person.

I recall the story of a dog that wandered out onto a baseball field during a major league game.  The players, coaches, umpires, and people in the stands were all shouting to the dog, "Get off the field!"  The dog didn't know which way to turn and kept running around on the field.  At one point, the sportscaster who was describing the incident said, "He's confused because he can't detect the one voice he needs to hear; that of his master." The dog couldn't discern what to do because of the static of so many unfamiliar and angry voices.

When we are discerning what God would have us do, eliminating the static is one of the first things we need to do.  Other voices and distractions make it very difficult to hear and recognize the "still small voice of God." 

Certainly, we need to listen to what others have to say about the subject, as long as they are speaking the truth.  But the time comes when we have to place the matter before the One whose opinion matters most. We fail in our spiritual discernment when we confuse the static for the divine Voice. We cannot hear God's response with our physical ears, but what we do hear with our phyiscal ears can block what we need to hear with our heart.

The Venite, Psalm 95:1-7, is the Invitatory Psalm we often use in Morning Prayer.  Verse seven is a daily reminder of the need to eliminate the static so we can hear the voice of God: "Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!"  That is my prayer for you during this day of discernment.

Horatius Bonar wrote this familiar hymn about hearing the voice of Jesus - I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say. Here it is sung by the Choir of Manchester Cathedral, using the tune Kingsfold.

 

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
lay down, thou weary one, lay down
thy head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting place,
and he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
the living water; thirsty one,
stoop down and drink, and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's light;
look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
and all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my Star, my Sun;
and in that light of life I'll walk
till traveling days are done.

Enemies of Discernment: Fear

Fear is one of the greatest enemies of spiritual discernment.  If you are involved in a process of spiritual discernment, you need all the verifiable facts and details of the situation before you.  But you also need wisdom, courage, hope, and vision in seeking God's will and fear gets in their way.

• If you find yourself feeling afraid, breathe deeply and listen for the still small voice of God saying, "Peace.  Be still." 

• Go to your bible concordance and see how many times someone facing a spiritual decision is told, "Fear not!" or words to that effect.  Some say there are at least 365 instances.

• If there are people in your life who are saying things that strike fear in you during discernment, RUN!  Get away from them.

• When you are speaking to another person and begin a sentence with, "I'm afraid that..." STOP!  It may be hyperbole and, what's worse, you may be instilling fear in someone who needs your encouragement.

Fear is a natural and instinctive response, which human beings have in common with reptiles, aquatic life, birds, and other mammals.  It stems from the brain's limbic system and is necessary for survival. However, unlike the other creatures with which we share this planet, we are endowed with the cerebral cortex, giving us the ability to reason and to find resources with which to overcome fear.  That ability is necessary for human beings to be stewards of creation and co-creators with God.  The ability to overcome fear is essential for any pioneering endeavor.  Every person or group who have ever contributed to the forward progress of civilization have had to overcome fear, and that is particularly true in the realm of spiritual progress.

It is fair to say that the entire canon of Scripture is a testimony to the triumph of spiritual discernment over fear. Some examples:

• Abraham had to overcome the fear of leaving everything familiar, his lands, his kinfolks, and the comforts of his life in order to go to "God knows where." 
• Moses response to God's call was the excuse that he would be afraid to speak God's words because of his speech impediment. 
• The prophets were all frightened when God called them. 
• Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds in the field - all had to be told to "fear not."
• Jesus sweated drops of blood, the product of fear, the night before his crucifixion.
• Do you think St. Paul was frightened out there on the Damascus Road?

When God's people were in exile, their fears almost overcame their hope of ever returning home.  The prophet Isaiah gave them a message from God to overcome those fears.  Those words, recorded in the 43rd chapter of the Book of Isaiah, inspired the talented Anglican musician, Philip Stopford, to compose this lovely anthem.  My prayer for you, in the midst of your time of discernment, is that they will help you rise above your fears and hear the words of wisdom, courage, hope, and vision God has for you.

 

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name;
you are mine.

When you walk through the waters,
I'll be with you;
you will never sink beneath the waves.
When the fire is burning all around you,
you will never be consumed by the flames.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name;
you are mine.

When the fear of loneliness is looming,
then remember I am at your side.
When you dwell in the exile of a stranger,
remember you are precious in my eyes.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name;
you are mine.

You are mine,O my child,
I am your Father,
and I love you with a perfect love.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name;
you are mine.

To Discern or Not to Discern...

The word "discernment" is used often in the Episcopal Church.  At Calvary Episcopal Church in Ashland, Kentucky, it's been used quite a lot lately as the leaders of the parish are attempting to discern who should be called as the next rector. Those priests who are under consideration have also been discerning if they are called to come to Calvary.  We describe it as a process of mutual discernment. But what is that and how does it work?

In attempting to understand the meaning of words, I find it helpful to know something about their etymology.  For example, the word discern is directly from the Latin discernere, meaning "to separate, set apart, divide, distribute, distinguish, or perceive." The word is made up of the two Latin roots,  dis, meaning "off or away," and cernere, meaning to "distinguish, separate, or sift." So, discernment is a process of sorting that leads to a decision about something.

We use the term very intentionally in Christian circles when the decision has spiritual significance and requires the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  For example, we probably would not speak of "discerning" which brand of pet food to buy, which flight to take, or which direction to walk around the park. As important as those decisions may be, we probably don't need much guidance from the Holy Spirit to make them.  However, if we are attempting to reach a decision about an action that may be good or evil in the eyes of God, about whether we are called to a particular ministry in the Church, or about which priest will be our next rector, that would be discernment.  We need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to reach decisions like those.

Hiring a CEO of a corporation, a member of a company staff, or a lawn service, usually requires a very thoughtful process that includes reviewing resumes, calling references, performing background checks, and interviews. We might pray about it, but it would not normally be a requirement in the secular setting.  In this Church, clergy are not hired; they are called. Search committees, vestries, and clergy are all very well aware that there is a distinction and that distinction has to do with the work of the Holy Spirit among us. Remember that God called the prophets, they did not volunteer.  Jesus called the Disciples, they were not hired.  It is in that spirit that clergy in this Church are sought out and, following a period of mutual spiritual discernment, may be called to a position.

The practices of deploying clergy in different places of ministry varies from one communion to another.  However, in every instance I am aware of, there is some discernment on the part of the calling or sending body, those who provide oversight, and the clergy under consideration.  These decisions are made after a prayerful, godly process in which there is a sorting out or sifting that leads to a decision.

The process we follow is informed by scripture, tradition, reason, and experience.  These are the lenses, as it were, through which we examine one another, all the while asking the Holy Spirit to help us to see what we need to see and hear what we need to hear.  After we've done our "homework", following the pattern of St. Ignatius, we ask God a somewhat simple question.  "God, is this your will or not?"  And God answers with a somewhat simple answer, "Yes or No."  Ignatius said we would normally sense the answer as a feeling of consolation or a feeling of desolation.

So, as the discernment process for calling a new rector for Calvary Episcopal Church in Ashland, Kentucky nears its conclusion, I invite you to uphold the nominating committee, the vestry, and the candidates in discernment with your prayers.  May they yield to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and continue to rely upon the same Holy Spirit in carrying out the decision they are called to make.

Here are two prayers from the Book of Common Prayer.

Almighty God, giver of every good gift:  Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a rector for this parish, that we may receive faithful pastors, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

 

Sermon at Calvary Church ~ August 26, 2012

Proper 16B

 

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To (and From) This Temple Where You Call Us...

This portion of Solomon’s Prayer at the Dedication of the Temple (I Kings 8:27-30, 41-43) has always impressed me:

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! Regard your servant's prayer and his plea, O LORD my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, `My name shall be there,' that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive.

 “Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a distant land because of your name -- for they shall hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm-- when a foreigner comes and prays toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built.”

Like so many before and after him, Solomon erected a physical monument to mark a place where the Divine Presence had been manifested.  Thereafter, that place and that monument became revered as what some might call a “thin place” where the presence, mystery, and power of the Eternal could be experienced.  The Unseen Deity dwelt in a physical structure and those who came there to worship the Deity would have their prayers answered and the hungers of their hearts satisfied.

What is especially fascinating to me is that Solomon, King of a specific and chosen race of people, makes it abundantly clear that the God whose glory dwelt in this physical Temple was not their private God.  This God of Israel also answers the prayers of foreigners who are not of God’s people Israel.  How often people who think of themselves as God’s own people have forgotten this kind of radically inclusive monotheism!

Years ago, when Gay and I were visiting Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, I was impressed that they opened the great central doors in the west end of the Cathedral during the reading of the Gospel and at the time of the dismissal.  As the procession passed through the worshipping congregation during the singing of the last hymn, everyone turned around and faced that open door.  Then, at the end of the hymn, the Deacon gave the dismissal, “Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.”  And we all responded, “Thanks be to God.”

I have borrowed that ceremonial custom in congregations where I have served, although people on the back pew have convinced me that there are some Sunday mornings when the weather is just too cold to open the doors.  It seems to me to be a powerful way to remind ourselves that the Gospel with which we have been entrusted is not meant to be confined to our beautiful sacred building, but is for the world beyond those doors.  When we are dismissed into that world, it reinforces the belief that the nourishment we have received in Word and Sacrament inside the house of worship is to fortify us for the work God has prepared for us to do outside in the mission field at our doorstep. What happens inside the edifice with the gathered congregation is in the service of the purpose we are to pursue as we scatter after worship.  It is not just to make us feel holy.  It is to make it possible for us to be witnesses to God's holiness in the living of our lives.

As my mother used to say, "You may be the only bible some people ever read."

Whenever the structures of Christianity, whether our buildings or our governance, become more important than God’s mission, we have drifted into idolatry.  The God we worship cannot be contained in our structures any more than in the highest heaven.  The God we worship is not our private God.  The God we worship took on human flesh in Jesus Christ, went to and from the Temple, and became the Temple so that all people could be drawn to him when we lift him up.  That is our mission, both inside and outside the structures we have created. 

When these structures cease to serve that mission, we don’t need to tear them down.  But we do need to revise them so that they may be restored to their rightful purpose in service to the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of all Creation.

 

 

 

P.S. - This great English hymn comes to mind, especially the second stanza.

 

 

Sermon at Calvary Church ~ August 19, 2012

Proper 15B

 

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About the Ministry of Bishops...

On Saturday, clergy and lay deputies from the Diocese of Lexington will gather at Christ Church Cathedral to elect the Seventh Bishop of Lexington.  The election will take place in the context of a celebration of the Holy Eucharist.  Prayers are offered as each ballot is taken.  Votes are taken by orders – lay and clergy.  A majority of the deputies and a majority of the clergy are required to elect the bishop.  Following each ballot, those present are told how many votes each candidate received from each order.  Occasionally, a bishop is elected on the first ballot.  However, it usually takes several ballots.  One candidate begins to “rise” and is finally elected.

Each of us has a role to play in choosing the Bishop as well.  In addition to all the things we’ve been doing to become acquainted with those who have offered themselves as candidates, we are invited to pray for them and for those who will be voting.  It should come as no surprise that the Book of Common Prayer can help us do our part. 

I recommend that you begin by reading the simple description of the ministry of bishops that is found in the Catechism:

“The ministry of a bishop is to represent Christ and his church, particularly as apostle, chief priest, and pastor of a diocese; to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God; to act in Christ’s name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up of the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ’s ministry” (BCP, pg.855).

Then, turn to page 512 and read the text of the liturgy that will be used in December when the new Bishop is ordained by Presiding Bishop and at least two other Bishops.  There you will find the ministry of Bishops described more fully.  You will also find the questions the new Bishop will be asked to answer and the declarations her or she will make in the presence of the Church in Lexington.

Finally, I invite you to offer the prayer we have been using in worship for the last six months:

Almighty God, giver of every good gift:  Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

When we gather on Sunday morning, we’ll start saying a new prayer for the one who has been chosen to lead the people of this diocese into the next era of mission.