Good Friday

It is weird to use the term Good for an execution, and I understand many will lean into the substition theory for what happens today in our journey. We see the betrayal, the denials (loss of connection, community abandonment): https://www.bible.com/bible/3633/JHN.18.FNVNT

Creator Sets Free, dared to challenge the Empire, the controlling powers that of political and religious might and oppression and control. Pontius Pilate and the false installed leaders…hmmm… any analogy to Alberta or America in this set up possibly?

Think it through to this moment though. Hundreds of crucified were hung on the roads into Jerusalem to remind the non-people the wage of speaking out of their caste, (do we not jail or ticket the poor in our own cities instead of solving the issue, UBI anyone?)? What is the rising death toll of drug poisonings but not road side crucifixions because we refuse to live as created? What is the rising use of MAiD for loneliness and poverty but us creating other caste’s of non-persons? We have our own road of crucified this week in Alberta and are ignoring, just as those aligned with Empire easily could walk in and tsk tsk those that risked, those that sought to only be person (think of the co-morbidity myth that was used for deaths during covid? Because of Wings and Beer my peeps).

A trial, where many fallacies flowed, where Empire deflected their responsibility, and let the appeal to emotion (that being fear and anger)– if this humble labour, that we know isn’t his father’s son, and the one who was betrothed was so unholy he did not stone his betrothed to death for her infidelity or cast her outside to be trafficked (oh my, seeing an arguement from analogy here for how religious families are supposed to treat their 2SLGBTQ+ children, and the constant gossip and attack when they do not cast out?).

The populist rage against the churning change, that which Jesus so radically pushed against in his non-violent protest and actions. Showing radical belonging, created interdendence of the Imageo Dei, and true egalitarian equity.

True Healing

The great sin that had to be silenced for if the masses caught hold, and realized they had been played and rose up against the overstretched minority oppressors—

And so the mock trial.

The playing on fear of being on the crosses.

The populist fuse of hatred lit.

And the mass murderer released to ensure the silencing of Creator Sets Free (imagine being so powerful in simply the use of Hope, that the greatest Empire in the history of the Western World, had to play a political game to execute you?).

The mocking, beating and dehumanizing found in John 1 9as linked above and here to remind:

https://www.bible.com/bible/3633/JHN.19.FNVNT

Processes of torture and humiliation, used to break not necessarily Creator Sets Free spirit, but to ensure his followers would understand it was over and time to go away. How often do we see this happen with movements? Leveraging legalities to ensure compliance and silence (hmmm… Alberta government’s new Trans policies anyone? The anti-human right breaking of encampments? Non-investment in affordable housing? Allowing coal mining which will poison our water? Not understanding or refusing to acknowledge we have damaged creation, that is dominionism is a fallacy, like colonialism, and a sin to be told the truth of and reconciliation work to be done while we still have air to breath and food to eat)…but how often are these tactics used? Reinvigorated in our gamification of war and playing with terms of genocide, yet not holding to account powers in the world and allies for acts of terror and genocide?

Yet this humiliation was meant to do what it did (and the Easter Sunday story shows who was courageous…but we do not know that yet so know reading ahead in this mystery).

And before Creator Sets Free breathed his last, he speaks, most likely gasping, blood burbling in his lungs with water as he was drowning, struggling through pain, dehydrated, most likely soiled himself several times over. Twisted and broken.

And yet, his final plea to the Beloved Disciple:

the much-loved follower of Creator Sets Free (Jesus), was also there with them.

When Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked down and saw them, he said to his mother, “Honored woman, look to your son.” 27Then he said to his follower, “Look to your mother.”

From that time the follower took Bitter Tears (Mary) into his family and cared for her.

On this Friday, what does this request and calling mean to you?

Tear equity in Reconciliation

Sacrament:

a religious ceremony or act of the Christian Church that is regarded as an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual divine grace, in particular.

For any pilgrim, it is the ceremony that is the outward reflection of our inward journey. Throughout Christendom there has been a sacrament of penance/confession. That is admitting when one has done wrong and seeking unity again with God. But this is a simpler understanding of what it has morphed into, now the sacrament of reconciliation. For this is a deeper understanding of holy relationships that permeate everything. The interconnection of the Holy Mystery in all, with all and through all. For Christians, it is the Holy Spirit, for others the creative force.

This is what ego, greed (pick your word for that which removes you from the flow, and allows “other” to create division) disrupts. It is the time of deep inward reflection, to be able to understand pain we have inflicted, or pain that has been inflicted, wrong done to us, or wrongs we have done to others, the list can go on and on.

Yet the piece of the sacrament that we have learned from our brothers and sisters around the world, is that the story needs to be told. It needs to be out there, and then we need to decide to move forward from that in a new beginning.

            My Father used to say,

Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.

-Desmond Tutu

The moment when you can move from shouting matches, to actual discourse, dialogue, debate and argument is the moment you are no longer seeing one another as other but as equals in discussion…once seen as equals, you can move forward.

This is the sacramental challenge that lays heavy on my heart. For I do much work with folks throughout their lives to speak the truth of their story, and then to reconcile to move forward. Then there are moments when I am too stubborn to do the same.

Yet the Creator knows those moments, and enjoys laughter. It is in these moments that outward acts begin forcing inward change. I do not know where it will lead or what it means. Am I in a hurry to once again become a member? No.

But the last several weeks being back in a United Church of Canada congregation has become a sacramental act of reconciliation for me. My story has been told, it is out there for the universe to know. Now, it is time of contemplative action, letting my kids wonder in Wonder Kids, and rest in a chair during the service with the wife. Am I ready to move forward?

The new beginning has been laid before me.

The soul sludge is burning off.

Moments of laughter.

A social gospel congregation?

Yes, it is easy to rest in the labels of other, but at our core we part of the family of humanity on a journey to make our little corner of this world better.

Sometimes, it is simply easier to release that which may be holding us back on the journey towards the heart of the sacred, and the sacred heart that exists within us.

And yes, sometimes, that which we thought had been put to rest and released, was not and it takes literally stepping across a new threshold to reveal the light that burns off the darkness.

Now the question that remains when reconciliation work is working…

What is next?
What is the new beginning?

For, that is yet to come…

and blessedly undecided…

yet will be chosen with a refreshed heart, mind and soul.

Spiritual, but not religious?

Okay in the big debate that comes up around census time, and the “nones” or spiritual, but not religious quotient rises I must admit that I see it as a false dichotomy.

-Waiting for the gasps to subside-

It is yet another thing we use to create Us/Them waves. Instead of looking beyond the label we choose (Religious, Spiritual, Atheist, Political, Philosopher, Ethics, Humanist—do I need to digress into the different ways we label ourselves as children of the creator?). It is a system we use individually and collectively to feed the intangible piece of our whole. Some call it Spirit, others soul, some the Cosmic Christ…you can fill in the Holy Mystery term for that piece of you, but we all know it is there. It is the piece that binds the whole physical, mental and emotional together. It is the piece that drives our purpose and belonging.

Now, this is the time, when someone will look at me and go, you are an intelligent person, you trust science. How can you buy into this? Sometimes nicer, sometimes more vulgar.

It is simple, boil down science to what it truly tells us about our origins and we are literally created from stardust. What is more mystical than that?  Seriously…I want to know.

But I digress in what my wife calls my smart ass quotient. It starts there, but it is also knowing what lens to bring to what issue. Science explains the how of the beautiful creation around me and in me, that I am a part. Spirit tells me the why…and that is the rub. For we are created from star dust, to be an interdependent in the web of life on this earth within this solar system and apart of the multiple galaxies.

Yet (there’s always a yet)…we are here for a purpose.

That is the question of the Spirit each of us must answer. Why did the stardust take your form? Why are you here?

So are you brave enough to let go of the dichotomy. Let go of the labels. Exist in the here and now, blessed with the holistic you, and simply discover, why am I here? And live fully into it, and out of it to transform this world for the better in your actualization of love?

Of Rebus and Religion

Ian Rankin (2016) Rather be the Devil was the latest delight of the Calgary Public Library hold shelf at their Village Square Location (and yes I have been around this community long enough that I remember the original library van when I was a kid). But why does this percolate a post even before I have cracked the cover on the newest Inspector John Rebus mystery. The roustabout musicphile of Scotland who is no longer an inspector in the last few outings.

You read that right, he was retired a few novels ago but brought back in a consulting role. Whether or not this was Rankin’s intent with a character he created back during his doctoral days or not is truly not the point of this reflection. For it is something that tickled my mind, coupled with a lasting image from a few nights ago when we popped over by the Community of Temple Fire Hall (okay it was the 7-11 for slurpees as a family, but still).

Next to the Fire Hall used to stand an Anglican Church, St. George’s, a parish that has roots going back almost 50 years in this area as well, but it did not start out as a building. It started out as a parish without walls in local Catholic School gymnasiums. How do I know that? I was the fist babe Christened on the baptismal roles in said gynnasium (even down to the pic with the priest and shamrock backboard behind the head).

Now it is simply an empty field (though the Altar Guild at my farewell gave me a banner of the Saint and Dragon as a reminder that still is displayed in my home), the building had become condemned, the amphitheater I used to host outside concerts and road hockey tourneys for the community just over a decade ago back filled in. The sign with pithy sayings to attract new comers–gone. Just the wild grass taking hold and rumours of one day it being the site of seniors housing, but so far no sign of ground breaking.

It was my last paid post in ministry, there was two other church postings to follow that were tent making for myself as I was paid to be apart of another. But it was that baptism in a school gym that shaped my spiritual DNA of the irrelevancy of labels, walls and barriers we tend to create in the world. Anglicans and Catholics working together. Then in pre-school, at an Alliance Church with the diversity that makes up NE Calgary (loved singing those kids hymns with my Sikh and Hindu neighbours), and a Presbyterian Vacation Bible School (that my own daughter still attends).

I am not going to get into my spiritual journey in Junior and Senior high school, or shaping in Indigenous, Pagan, Mystery or Eastern Traditions or digress into evangelical theological formation in Bible College and Seminary; while serving and practicing in mainline churches, or monastic formation with Anglican, Catholic and Ecumenical Franciscans. Some would say, that I have removed myself from the Progressive Christendom voice by act of, well, leaving the physical church buildings and to be honest becoming tired with the mundanity that Christianity has created for itself in its fear of becoming irrelevant.

Yet.

As I look upon this character who in retirement from his life passion is still pursuing truth and justice, and I look at the reclaiming by nature of the former site of the parish that sparked my journey.

I no longer wonder, I know.

A voice is only not relevant when it is not used.

An act of kindness is only not relevant when it is left undone.

A kingdom act is only not a kingdom act when the source is not the love that opens one soul to the Cosmic Christ, and out of that soul lives in unity with all that is.

The question is not whether or not I am Christian, Progressive, New Thought, Science of Mind, New Age (and yes the litany of the pieces that feed my spiritual piece of the medicine wheel, and by proxy my whole self can go on and on)…the question is whether or not is founded and lived out of Love?

And the name for this love for me is the Cosmic Christ, whose example is the Master Teacher, Brother Jesus, and that flowed from the Loving Creator.

So…all that remains to ask as a life is lived is simply:

What Would Love Do?