The Latest…

It was a pleasure to work with Faith Today to see this short piece come to fruition, enjoy!

https://www.faithtoday.ca/Magazines/2024-Mar-Apr/Learning-from-Jesus-and-the-woman-at-the-well

The Service I was reflecting on:

Sonrise

Betrayed, tortured, executed, and abandoned. The betrayer taking his own life. And a wealthy follower provides the burial, his close friends deny and flea into the shadows, awaiting the knock that can mean the end of their own life. This is the journey from Good Friday through Holy Saturday, a time of disruption and not knowing, of non-entities being further oppressed (and why, this year it is such a healing moment the church can embrace that Trans Day of Visibility, and Easter share the calendar).

As the sun is coming up, the women come, after having watched the tomb sealed by Empire so as to ensure the story of Creator Sets Free return (like Lazarus, Father Martin SJ’s most recent book explores this story wonderfully) could not happen.

or could it?

Then, on the first day of the week following the Day of Resting, as the sun began to rise, Strong Tears (Mary) of the village of Creator’s High Lodge (Magdala) and Brooding Tears (Mary) went to see the burial cave.

2Suddenly the earth began to shake, and a spirit-messenger from the spirit-world above came down from the sky, walked to the burial cave, rolled the stone away—and sat down on it! 3He was shining as bright as a flash of lightning, and his regalia was pure white like freshly fallen snow.

4The soldiers staggered back, trembling with fear, and fell to the ground like dead men.

5-6“Do not fear!” the spirit-messenger said to the women. “The one you are looking for is not here. Creator Sets Free (Jesus), who was killed on the cross, has come back to life again—just as he said. Look! Here is where they laid him. 7Now hurry and go tell his followers that he has risen from the dead. Tell them he is going ahead of them to Circle of Nations (Galilee), and they will see him there. Now remember what I have told you!”

The words echo, in the Gospel of Mark (16:4-8), the original ending is simply:

But when they arrived, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled away. 5When they went inside the burial cave, they saw a young man, dressed in a pure white garment, sitting to the right side of the cave. This filled the women with fear that covered them like a blanket.

6“Do not fear!” the young man said to them, “The one you are looking for is not here! Creator Sets Free (Jesus) from Seed Planter Village (Nazareth), who was killed on the cross, has returned to life. See for yourselves. Here is where they laid him. 7Now go and tell his followers, and Stands on the Rock (Peter), that he is going ahead of them to Circle of Nations (Galilee). It is there that they will see him again—just as he told them.”

8Terror and amazement came upon the women, and they ran as fast as they could from the burial cave

This idea of leaving the empty tomb, and the question left before us what would we do? How do we empower and elevate the voice, that was beyond voiceless at this time, as it was the women’s voice?

Much like the Trans voice today as both corporate, political and religious empire attempt to silence and exterminate from the commons, and yes even from existence (just note the rise of misinformation and violence towards this group of siblings in humanity). This is where the beautiful alignment of the risen Christ, the Sonrise, and Trans Visibility Day matters for healing (actual justice work in our world), and I do pray that the church as whole answers the prayer.

As we can be like the women at the empty tomb (as one online meme phrased it, we’re going biblical this Sonrise, only women may attend, but I digress), as the community of John shares, as the Empire tried to continue to spin misinformation and hide away what had happened:

The women ran from the burial cave to bring the good news to his followers. Their hearts were trembling with fear and great joy. 9Suddenly, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was standing in front of them.

“It is a good morning!” he smiled and said to them.

They came close, held tightly to his feet, and gave great honor to him.

10“Do not fear!” he told them. “Go and tell my brothers to go to Circle of Nations (Galilee), and there they will see me.”

Showing the true belonging community, where all voices were heard… and welcomed… For the Imageo Dei is a beautiful and wonderful mosaic.

This Easter/Trans Day of Visibility may we embrace and live into this calling.

Reconcilaition Next Steps

Tuesday April 16, 2024 @ 7 p.m., come and join speaker, passionate advocate and worker for reconciliation Mizze Walker at Knox United in Calgary, details and where to RSVP below

Release

If it was 2023

with how disjointed family is,

I ponder if he would have still existed in our spheres.

If he would have been able to be there

if it would’ve happened

a kept secret of a tormented soul

A long history

shaped by a long family history of patriarchy and predators that shaped a young soul on what broken and violence love should never be.

some say a Jekyll and Hyde personality

that finally burned out?

the struggle with internal and what some thought eternal demons

harm done from being prey to predator to husband

liquors hold ceased

how different would the story have been

if not for the mind experiments on a broken soul at McGill

under the Government’s “ethical” guide?

As I ponder the cruching loss of life on the street’s today

He entered my thoughts,

one of the first accelerated healings,

and the words also echo about was there no good in the pain?

And the release came in the season of Christmas

the story was re-written for healing and function

but the burden had still rested

a burden I will no longer carry

May the purgatory as you entered heaven

finally bring your tortured soul piece,

Grandpa.

Calling all Youth Artists in YYC

Want to be able to share what the pandemic has been like? Here’s your change:

email is cdw@knoxcalgary.ca

And for some inspiration, my youngest is an amazing emergent artist and chose to work in the electronic art format. Viewing layering effects, and learning, here is– C-Tears:

It’s Okay…

13 days to one year, 14 days to the first day of c-tine at home for our whole family (the college I teach at shifted to online delivery March 17, 2020). It’s okay to admit you have hit a threshhold for learning new things.It is okay to breathe.It is okay to take time alone (which is different than being lonely if lonely reach out for phone calls/online calls to folks), for being alone can aid in renewal.It is okay to cultivate new ideas or to simply keep on keeping on with what renews you.It is okay if you haven’t saved any money like the media is saying what a time of savings, cause y’know what being home is costly.It is okay to have ended relationships during this time, because the break made you realize they were toxic, or simply the only thing that kep the relationship going was proximity (nothing positive or negative).It is okay to be tired for no reason.It is okay to admit to not being okay.It is also okay to realize compassion for many in our society who are suffering, who have been excluded, who have been without voice. It is okay to speak about mental health, mental illness, chronic disease death, suicides, and overdoses (for those new to the advocacy call for help, I hope you continue once you no longer have to wear a mask for covid).It is okay to be frustrated/confused/angry due to the restrictions (sorry Alberta still not a lockdown), but end of day, what are you doing to cultivate health and optimism for you and your personal circles of support?It is okay to be okay with the restrictions and masks, and taking extra steps of care for self and neighbour.May as, this time moves forward, and eventually winds down, may we be continue to be okay with discussing tough topics with one another, okay with seeing one another as a full person, and yeah, be okay with doing things for the good of community and neighbour, even if doing that good and support has no direct tie to my own story.Let’s be okay with our journey, our healing, and seeing the good that can be cultivated and emerged from this time.

Day 89: PSA on Care for You

PSA on Care for you: I have been having conversations virtually and on social media with folks who are feeling more anxious, tightness/heaviness in chest, nausea, or gastro-intestinal symptoms that doctors can’t tie to a physiological (physical) illness and wondering what is happening? We are in the in-between phase of life, our bodies are in recovery–full recovery of a constant 24-7 on call lifestyle that abruptly stopped, and new stressors both conscious and unconscious took hold upon our systems that now our holistic system is trying to figure a way to burn out of, and move beyond the constant overlapping flight-fight-freeze responses (conversion). It is normal, it is also normal to take time to pause, to rest, to renew, to reflect on your life. Below is a tool for self-care, defining each area, you rate yourself from 0 (at the hub) to 10 (at the outside wheel), in each area, this is the wheel you are travelling on. Pick one area you would like to grow, it is not an audacious plan, but one simple thing you can do each day to grow it by one point. For example: Watch 1 sitcom that makes me laugh, take 1 hour where I unplug from the computer, read 2 chapters on a mystery novel I picked up at the grocery store. These moments of pause, and care for you, aid in your body rebooting, and reduce (because elimination is probably impossible at this time) the conversion symptoms. As always speak with your family doctor as well:

69

Yes that awkward day for all those with a British (or naughty sense of humour), so get the giggles out before we move on to the rolling thoughts of this Sunday, as dusk settles in (or is it possibly more rain?).

The first thoughts wrestling through during this is what grows out of the memories tab at Facebook, a reminder of my own meandering journey over the last 3 years connecting to the satirical meme to the left in regards to the grand concept of life planning/goals of the “5 year plan”. For it is definitely not unfurling like I pictured the last few years would’ve been. Although, I was never one to really plan, just follow the path to live out the mission of making my own corner of the world a little better, one act of kindness at a time.

During C-tine as Alberta’s government and health minister continue to attack our medical community, and the fabric of public-universal health care in my province. It reminds me, that during the time I was down,  as I was going down, and going through PNES-PTSD- the diagnosis, and the phased healing– that the private medical practitioners the insurance company wanted to send me to, to get me off the LTD claim faster, refused to accept the referrals as the complexity of what was happening (the idea that it was not a simple cause and effect solution) led them to decline, while the public system rose to the challenge. Yes, reflecting back on some Facebook memories, there was nervousness, and some trepidation into the unknown once the path and treatments started…but the system supported through to the best outcome, and a year after the feelings of trepidation have me back in the field and now working from home, serving the next generation of practitioners to grow their knowledge base.

It does lead one to pause, and consider the wisdom that guided many, spear header by (Pastor) Tommy Douglas, leader of the then named CCF to take up the struggle for universal health care, the concept that no one should have to choose between money and health…

And it makes one wonder, how any government can look at the history of medicine, and decide that it as a for profit endeavour is ethical, let alone moral.

But as we segue way, the announcement has been made by our illustrious premier that June 1 places of worship (with precautions) can re-open. It did make me wonder what this would look like? Would the mega-churches, or mid to large size churches take the risk? Yes, it is a risk assessment and liability. As one church, Living Spirit United, here in Calgary shared that just before the shut down they were following guidelines about 40 in attendance, and still 24 became ill, and 2 died.

Will this serve as a prophetic warning to places of worship? The very nature of closeness that comes with a “faith family” (regardless of religious stripes), is connection, embracing, how do you stop children from touching? Who will turn away the extra’s that turn up that are not allowed in due to restrictions who will turn them away? Will they listen? Will people wear masks (as we are already seeing the direction from the Federal Chief Medical Officer Doctor Tam going unheeded already).

From my sociological tracking of churches though, it again is creating poverty as a petri-dish. I don’t want to make a blanket generalization, and I won’t. But what I do see is those that will jump back into opening are those that may not fully understand the implications, or are able to leverage “spiritual language” to convince in a populist movement because what is being heard is not, with precautions- but “open as normal”. The other plausibility, is smaller to mid-size congregations who have been struggling financially before this time, and were unable to adapt a method of donation stream during, re-opening and welcoming back the congregation for both donations but also re-connecting with what has created a mass shut in situation. The third point, is the confusion of church/worship with the building, not the spiritual practices and connection with the belief system and members that can happen without the physical building until things are in a safer situation.

But all these musings will fall I do not want to say on deaf ears or hardened hearts, but I would say driven by a fear or better anxiety, of necessity for what worship/ritual is to them and tied to a specific holy space and time.

I am not sure what my church (yes I am switching to my own faith background from the meta) will decide on re-opening. But as a family unit we have looked at who we are, the health needs, and our own connectivity to people and faith. Really it is tracking numbers, that is not only infection/recovered/new, but total daily tests (are Albertans seeking out testing when exposed even asymptomatic, or when feeling ill, or not) to see what is happening over the summer before choosing possibly by late summer or fall to make a choice to return.

Why? Well, the letter from Paul of Tarsus to those in Colossae was touched on today in the service, and the words of what it’s all about hit home (Colossians 1:15-20, The Message):

15-18 We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
18-20 He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.

What does it come down to?

Living out the life of love of self, neighbour and God–that the life, death, and resurrection of Brother Jesus laid out as a road map for all of us. So yes, being in a building with others is a wonderful additional experience, but I do not think it is a calling at this time to partake in.

Rather it is a calling for care and kindness of other by distancing, by doing things that encourage corporate health.

Take time, we are still in the precautionary stage, we are easing some restrictions to aid our neighbour…take the lead of that sentiment…choosing actions of kindness and economy that aid others. For we all deserve to be healthy, cared for, and belong.

Sunday Song- Brad Paisley’s Me and Jesus

Shar-D’an: A Reflection on Reclaiming Wellness

IDW’s 2017 collection Star Trek: Waypoint is a collection of one and done short comic stories in the tradition of the Star Trek shows, it was part of the 50th anniversary celebration. Long time readers will remember I have drawn upon these short stories for other reflections.

For this time on the Holy Week Pilgrimage, it was appropriate to once again tap this resource, as the ancient friends of Jesus’ journeyed into darkness latching on to hope to decolonize their own whole beings, throw off the colonizers (the Empire) and create something new, so to are we at a crossroads in Canada, and the world from the Inter-generation traumas of this cycle of conquering, dominance, dehumanization, and genocide in its variety of forms. A time where truth needs to be spoken, intrinsic worth and being reclaimed, and moving forward in reconciliation in a new way. Which brings us to the Mother’s Walk story in this collection. Set in the world of Deep Space Nine. The former Cardassian space station being reclaimed by the Bajoran government, and United Federation of Planets.

See the quick version of the back story is the Cardassians conquered Bajor, enslaving the population, strip mining it for resources, and doing what ever they could to destroy the populace’s spirit. Sound familiar from our history books? It is within this emergent new reality that Major Kiera Nerys shares the story of a revelation to Commander Dax now that she is in space and can see the stars. The story of the Mother’s Walk–Shar-D’an. An ancient Bajoran ritual for the women, that was shared in the value of women working together, tied to a sacred story of family. It was a time of the year when the women would gather, embroider names of those they were connected to, walk in and with the Sacred.

It was seen as a point of power, a world of matriarchy, the Cardassians saw it as dangerous. As such, for those caught living their faith and doing this ceremony their embroidered sashes were used to hang them from as an execution warning. See something familiar in the use of Crucifixion in the Easter Story? In the use of violence in colonization across the nations and suppression of religious-spiritual practice? Forcing change on how a society functions stripping away the matriarchy to impose a hierarchy?

Kiera shared her truth with Dax, and that she had no family to do this with now that she could. As this truth spread on the station, those that new and cared for Kiera reached out to do the ceremony with her- O’Brien and his wife Keiko, who Kiera had carried their child by surrogacy, Dax, Quark, Bashir, Odo, Sisko (The Emissary for Bajor’s religion), all had reached out and been denied by Kiera for not being her “family”.

Yet, think of what happened?

The growth in the short story towards, Kiera’s realization of whom her new family had become. For family is not just blood, it is those that come to care, support, see the inherent being of another, connection, belonging, sharing life together, willingness and openness to be a part of the life cycle of another, and the benchmark’s of the sacred.

Who are your family?

Those that share the sacred journey with you.

Core (Identity) Crisis

For comic fans 1984 was a big year. It was the year of the 12 part Crisis on Infinite Earths mini-series from DC Comics, the first ever cross over in a comic universe that shook the foundations and brought the deaths of Supergirl and The Flash (Barry Allen). Flash forward to the CW Arrow-verse and it has been a recurring theme in the Flash t.v. show, Crisis and the Flash’s vanishing, it has shaped his character and actions knowing that it is about preparing his family, friends and team for the time in history when he is no longer there. That’s right, Barry’s identity has been shaped by this momentous martyrdom.

Hit 2019 and the Crisis on Infinite Earths cross over hits the airwaves, and the Flash episode is the 3rd part (and since we have Netflix and not cable in my house, sadly the only part we get).

But it was fun. What kind of fun? Two of my favourite dark universe creations, John Constantine Hellblazer goes searching for the soul of Green Arrow in purgatory and on Earth 666, Luci (yes I love Luci as a great foil, and he was in pure splendid Vertigo form).

Aside from these types of team ups…the core story was the time for Barry Allen to Martyr himself. It is like vocation for all of us, we have a career path, what we do in life, whether or not we want it to, it is what defines us  because it is what society asks us to define who we are in our societal caste system. Employment/career/vocation you are what you do.

This is what Flash is in this moment, a hero, a soon to be martyr. Yet to stop the anti-matter wave of destruction he is not the only Flash, there is the Earth-90 Flash (yes the 1 season fun show on CBS) is there as well…and…well a Flash perishes to stop the crisis, and our Flash of Earth-1 is left stripped of the identity that had defined his herodom.

It was glanced over rapidly in the episode obviously his move through the emotional spectrum, but it is something to remind us when friends are unemployed, or something has shifted health wise so that they may not be doing what they used to do. It is a trauma to them. May sound like a powerful word, but it is a word that builds an image I hope, as it is something that cuts to the core of identity that society has shaped us with–it is about our purpose in community. As such, it takes us through the stages of change and grieving whether you use Kubler-Ross, Stages of Change or U-Theory (or a plethora of others) there is the event- the struggle (anger/denial/bartering) acceptance- healing– moving forward…

Too often though we trap ourselves within the microcosm of pain…and lose ourselves in the anger and denial over our current spot in life. What is lost when that happens is that we cannot see through the current darkness to follow the constant light to what awaits. For with each challenge, loss, grief, that we continue to walk through the valley of– a new and better us emerges. Wiser, and more able to be the authentic us, and define who we are through our true core values not a faux litmus test of society. This was what was glanced over in mere minutes of the episode for Barry (Flash), that if it had not been a cross over would’ve made an exceptional story arc of re-establishing who he was as a hero without the identity of self-sacrifice.

As we move through change whether chosen or forced, it is about re-focusing, and re-establishing who we are, stronger in the here and now.

BUT

We must make the journey through the valley, and not freeze at the lowest point, but rise into the light of the new.