Holy Week in Christendom is a period when the world comes to a stand still. The sacredness of time and the sanctity of space are enjoined and profoundly celebrated.
I use here the devotional language of the faithful. Familiarity with metaphysics and its queen discipline, theology, were once the mark of a scholar and a learned person. In recent times, metaphysics has become the currency of the squawk box along the backwoods and the backwaters of our sanity, and theology the pretentious handmaiden of the obscurantist and the antagonist of the open mind.
And yet the four words in the title are code words that clamor for understanding. Of late, they have become benignly and justifiably ignored by a world immersed in historical awareness and sociological wisdom, where the common mind is a liberated creature of unflinching science and neutral technology. Is it possible to understand them without falling into the circuitous appeal of biblical metaphors, or the self-serving allure of devotional piety?
We give it a try. After all, the honorific word 'God' used to be a prominent icon in serious discourse, and in the solemn recitation of the oath of public office. With the collapse of Wall Street before the bailout and the stimulus package, pundits suggested that the phrase “In God We Trust” be replaced by the more accurate phrase, “In Greed we Thrust.”
This week's series explores what sense these words might mean in sociological terms, and what reality they are pointing to that is recognizable in any clime and culture in the human realm.
G-O-D
We recall the comic incident when Time magazine printed for its cover in bold red-on-black the question, “Is God Dead?” The furor that followed saw cardinals and bishops up in arms in defense of their suddenly threatened theological underpinnings-as if God needed defending!
The word “God” is a recently coined European word that refers to a supreme or mighty power, appropriate in the medieval context of the feudal liege. It is the word used to translate the Semitic “el” as the primal force. YAH (YHWH) is the biblical term for the mysterious power that undergirds and defines all of life.
Now, before we quickly fall into the trap of abstraction, imagine a herder driving a camel in the desert, momentarily unmindful and temporarily oblivious of the immediate environment, and in receding into the recesses of his mind, the camel suddenly flops a cake of fresh do-do into his face. The primordial cry of “YAH!” naturally comes out as the outburst of surprise and rude awakening.
Demythologizing the word back to this kind of earthiness gives one the existential flavor of the experience of awe and wonder, of the profound mystery of the ever-present unknown.
We all run into the limits of our existence. In the '60s, the youth phrased a query fraught with deep meaning: What are you up-against? It is in this up-against-ness that the significance of the word “God” made sense. The God who is rightfully dead in Christian atheism is the grandfather figure in the sky that monitors and assesses the state of human moral rectitude and civil order.
The overt and quiet railing against the heavens over the demise of the garment industry's golden goose came as an assault on revered ideology for some, and the comfort of well-padded pocketbooks for others. It is no surprise that one had called it the judgment of God!
When the authenticity of life awakens humans to the reality of finitude, of limits and untrustworthy dependencies, then the utterance of “YAH” might be painfully but liberatingly appropriate. Everyone longs for truth and knowledge but “more” only leads to added confusion and uncertainty; everyone clamors for an eternity of peace which only accents our experience of an eternity of struggle; everyone senses the demand of conscience but we resign to the ease of expediency or the haze of moral ambiguity. For all our yearnings comes a terminus of fulfillment. We are in our experience never satisfied.
When confronted by the awesome and the awe-full, humans had been known to flee from the threat of the unknown into the comfort of the unexamined commonplaces and familiar; or humans have been known to go into a defensive frenzy of fear-filled rhetoric and stoic belligerency, inventing ogres and monsters as enemies, as well as prop-up someone/something to blame for our miseries.
Religious understandings that remain accountable to the assessment of reality and not default into the authority of a person or the legal dictates of calcified writings, stand the chance of making an authentic relational choice to that mysterious power in the midst of life that frustrates every vestige of our human assertions and aggressions.
In a sense, Jew and gentile, religious and secular, believer and agnostic, we stand at every moment between what is no-longer and what is not-yet, between memory and anticipation, and in the language of this week, at the borders of faith and hope.
Sometime somewhere, a group of people made a conscious choice that for the unknown Unknown that called every morsel of the past into being, the proper stance is gratitude; that for all the uncertainty of a future careening into our existence unannounced and in a manner like the bull in the proverbial china parlor, the desired response is hopeful anticipation; and that which sustains the bottomless pit of the abyss that accompanies any serious affirmation of what-just-IS, the gracious response is more than just to let it be! That reality in fact is our parent (in the cultural myopia of Mesopotamia, they called it “Abba,” father)!
It is then that the word “God” might begin to make any sense, not as something among other things that one can believe in, but as a word pointing to an inescapable reality one is compelled to relate to, in which case, one can understand that since the life that gives, and life that takes away is our eternal up-against-ness, then blessed, indeed, be its name!
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Each generation strives to discover their unique self; often inspired by the music, writers and artists of their day. Yesterday's “rebel without a cause” has simply shifted across the sands of time into today's free-spirited youth.In a few generations, what was once taught and considered common courtesies now seem to be lost as young people mimic the nihilistic actions and attitudes of pop-culture icons. Instilling a solid foundation of core values gives young people an anchor, while still allowing them to find their true self.
While our children were young and we were new parents, we wondered what we could and should do to best raise them in our home so they would become good people in the community. One of the things we did was to create a family mission statement that summarized our core beliefs, or at least those values that we hoped our children would someday use to guide their own lives. Before we wrote the mission statement, we made a list of all the worthwhile values we felt they should be taught. From the dozens listed on a piece of paper, we whittled them down to the principles that were absolutely essential, and from those we came up with three core values that we felt were imperative to instill so our children would grow to become responsible adults.
Like a three pronged-hook, these three values became the unifying anchor to help keep our children from drifting in the philosophical sea of life. We felt that if they were taught these three principles, they would have a solid foundation that would allow them to still discover their unique voice in the world.
The three values are our version of the three Rs, and they are: to be Respectful, to be Responsible, and make Right choices. We feel that if all people truly lived by these three values, there would be less fighting within families, fewer divorces among spouses, less conflicts and lawsuits in the community, and fewer wars would be fought in the world.
Eighteen years later, we can now see the impact that these three Rs have had on our children and without tooting our own horn too loudly, we are delighted to see the kind of adults our older children have become. We've recently decided to reassess our child-rearing methods with our next crop of children, to examine what worked best, and one of the things we will definitely re-emphasize is the three core Rs.
To clarify what each value stands for, we've included 12 Common Courtesies that we learned, but are becoming more uncommon among people. Come up with your own examples or adapt these for your own situation to create an anchor for your family. Hopefully you'll be able to look back 18 years from now and observe the impact it has made on your children and in your lives.
Respectful
1. Respect the rights and feelings of others.
This includes their ideas, beliefs, property, and body. You don't have to agree with everyone, but recognize their rights as long as it does not disrespect or infringe on the rights of others.
2. Try first to understand before trying to be understood.
Too many people are so caught up in their own thoughts and problems that they fail to respect and understand what others are trying to say.
3. Think before you speak, and consider how your words will impact others.
Words, once released, are like a bag of feathers thrown into the wind. They are easy to say, but once let out of the bag, cannot all be taken back.
4. Show more gratitude for the simple things, and recognize and praise the efforts of others.
Respect is revealed by the way you treat others, and it creates a reciprocal effect as others show more respect toward you and your ideas.
Responsible
5. If you see or know something needs to be done, then do it.
Don't wait to be told what to do, or leave it for someone else. If it takes another person or agency to get it done, then report it and follow-through until it is accomplished.
6. If you borrow it, wear it or drop it, return it to its appropriate place.
We've found this to be one of the major causes of frustration among people who live together as families or roommates. Clothes, toys, and other items that are dropped on the ground, quickly turn into a mess. Money and things borrowed and not returned create resentment and distrust.
7. If you break it, fix it or replace it.
This makes sense, but it's amazing how many people don't do it if they've been irresponsible with someone else's things.
8. Leave a place or item in better condition than when you arrived.
This is one way to get people to welcome you back to their home, community or country. Can you imagine the difference it would make in public places if instead of leaving trash, everyone cleaned their messes and even picked up a few littered items before they left?
Right Choices
9. Consider the consequences of your actions in the next 7 minutes, 7 days, and over the next 7 years.
Consider what impact your choices will make immediately, and in the near and far future. Robbing someone's money, time, property, or virtue for immediate gratification can leave a permanent scar, mar your reputation, or make you less desirable to be around.
10. Consider the feelings of others in your thoughts, words, and deeds, but always be true to yourself and your purpose.
It's important to live in harmony with others, but there are times when your choices may contradict with the masses because you are being true to your inner self, a higher cause, or a higher power.
11. Speak the truth, live with honor, and keep your reputation spotless.
Your integrity is one of the most valuable assets you can cultivate throughout your entire life, and one of the few things you can take with you after this life. People who have left legacies and are remembered well by others are those who lived with honor.
12. Treat other people how they want to be treated.
How you want to be treated may be different from the way others want to be treated. This is especially true with men and women who live under the same roof and with people from different cultures. You should try to understand the unique needs of others, and how they want you to treat them. The world would become a much better place if we only lived by this one “common” courtesy.
Rik is a business instructor at NMC and Janel is a partner with BizResults, LLC (www.bizresults.org). They can be contacted at biz_results@yahoo.com
Like Jesus, we are known by the spirit we leave behind
In Exile
By FR. RON ROLHEISER, omi
There is a statement, generally attributed to G.K. Chesterton, which runs something like this: Catholicism is the most hated of all religions, that’s why I know that it’s the right one. That’s an intriguing comment, but it needs a lot of qualification.
In our present world, extremist Islam (not to be identified with mainstream Islam) is probably the most hated of all religions. But is that a criterion of authenticity?
Hatred is not all of one piece. We hate for different reasons. Moreover, hatred, as we know, is not the opposite of love. Indifference is. Hatred is love gone sour, love grown jealous. We can only hate someone whom we love.
WHY WAS JESUS HATED?
Jesus was hated and was the object of bitter jealousy. He was crucified because of that. But why was he hated? Why were people jealous of him?
Jesus was hated because of his inclusivity, because of the indiscriminate, seemingly careless, character of his embrace. He reached out and embraced sinners and those deemed unworthy and he cleansed the Temple in a way that was meant to show that people no longer had to go through the established intermediaries to get to God. He made God and his love as accessible as the nearest water tap and took control of that away from the established political, social, and religious authorities.
He was hated because he challenged the normal exclusivities that surround God and religion.
And people were jealous of him because of his goodness, because of his virtue, because he radiated the kind of love that, paradoxically but invariably, spawns envy and jealousy until the person carrying it has either died or been killed.
They were jealous of Jesus because he was good and could find it in his heart to love everyone.
Extremist Islam is hated for mostly the opposite reasons. It is hated for its exclusivity, for the narrow character of its embrace, for the rigid boundaries it sets around God and religion, and for the seeming ease with which, in God’s name, it can bracket love, goodness and human compassion in favour of violence and lack of mercy.
Like Jesus, it is hated — but for different reasons.
So we must be careful not to uncritically lean on Chesterton’s little axiom when we find ourselves hated or the object of jealousy, especially if we are hated because of our religion or our moral stance on some issue.
Saints are often hated, but so too are dictators and mean-spirited people. But saints are hated in a different way than are dictators, just as authentic religion is hated in a different way than is false religion.
The hatred directed at a saint is real, real enough sometimes to lead to murder and crucifixion, as it did in Jesus’ case and in the case of many martyrs. But once the object of that hatred has died or been killed, once the hatred has had its cathartic release, the spirit that flows out of the person who was once hated often changes the hearts of the very persons who did the crucifixion — they looked upon the one whom they had pierced.
This happened after Jesus’ death and it happens in less dramatic ways in our own lives.
Have you ever had the experience of knowing a person who for all kinds of reasons irritated you and triggered a certain inchoate mix of irritation, frustration, hate and envy inside of you which you had difficulty both in describing and accepting; then, after that person dies, in the light of her going away, the irritation, hate and envy wash clean and you are left with a clear sense of the goodness and integrity of her life, along with a certain sorrow and regret about how you reacted to her during her life? Your hatred and envy have turned into respect and you realize you are a better person for having known this person you once hated.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
After the death of every person, we receive his or her spirit in a way that was not possible before he or she died. This was true too of Jesus and that is why he tells us that he must first go away before he can send the Holy Spirit.
Only after Jesus died did his followers understand fully who he was — as did some of the people who crucified him. The spirit that we receive after the death of someone clarifies the quality of his or her life in a way that we were never able to perceive before he or she died, when for every kind of reason, we reacted to him or her with admiration or irritation, graciousness or frustration, love or hatred, or various combinations of all of these.
It’s the same with the resistance and hatred that people sometimes feel towards us as they look at our religious and moral lives. Their feeling towards us, hatred or admiration, doesn’t determine whether we are good or bad, saint or fanatic.
Only the spirit we leave behind will eventually determine that.
Virginia Tech is reopening the section of the academic building where a student gunman killed 30 people nearly two years ago in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
The university is scheduled to hold a ceremony Friday to mark the reopening of the west wing of the second floor of Norris Hall. The 4,300-square-foot area has been converted into six new rooms and laboratories, and will house the new Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention.
Gunman Seung-Hui Cho killed 30 students and instructors in the building, then himself, on April 16, 2007. Earlier that day he killed 2 students in a dormitory.
Divine Love and Anger
But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. (Psalm 86:15 NIV)
I must confess that after I became a believer it took sometime for me to overcome the feeling that the New Testament was a book of love and the Old Testament a book of judgment. I have given the proposition much time and study, and I am able to make a report. You should know that there are three mentions of mercy in the Old Testament for every one found in the New Testament!
I find there is equally as much recorded in the Old Testament about GodÃs grace and faithfulness as there is in the New. Go clear back to Noah and you will find the record plain: "Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8). Favor, or grace, is an Old Testament quality. "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love" (Psalm 103:8).
On the other hand, judgment is a New Testament quality. Read the words of Jesus in the Gospels. Read Peter's warnings. Read the letter of Jude. Read the Revelation. In the New Testament we learn of the terrible judgments God intends to bring upon the world.
Why do I mention these things? Because God is a God of judgment, but He is also the God of all grace. God is always the same. He will never change or falter. And when I say God I refer to the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Prayer O God, how patient and gracious You have been with me. I want to hide in You.
Thought The Triune God is compassionate, gracious, abounding in love and faithfulness. He is slow to anger but He does become angry with sin and He is a God of judgment. Let's flee to Him rather than from Him!
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