Faith Emergent/Divergent-Reborn?

Ah the set list for today’s reflections as we enter the time of Faith. yes, I know for some Advent weeks, Faith is overlooked and in our push to collapse everything to Sundays, it is replaced by Love, which is the gift that should be celebrated at the Christ-Mass (typically at the chime of Midnight at Christmas Eve/Christmas Day). So today, Faith and an exciting time in the Chateau that once was known as the Rainbow Chapel.

A John Lennon Refletion in Song:

Happy Christmas (War is Over) Listen here.

Imagine listen here.

For music has been used since the beginning of spirit-religious gatherings, much like art to share the story, the old old story of Love made incarnate. This is the foundation of faith, time in contemplation, time in creativity, and time in action. In our current world, it can be said that memes speak the same language to some teaching lessons, as was spotted this season:

What is faith?

How does the Holy Mystery speak to you?

For it is in those deep quiet moments of hearing the call, and answering that we challenge and change our world.

This is what brings us into this Advent season during as we await the world changing, structure shattering moment of new birth. Each of us can have a moment such as this… For me, it is in the midst of an epilogue of a formation preparation. The outcome of a time of healing, and reconciling. Now preparing, with my loved ones what to expect or to do next. What is on the horizon? For one so firmly formed in the social gospel-liberation theology roots of transfiguration?

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It was in this formation process, discovering myself through living the Franciscan Charism, I would find myself as a Lay Minister of Praise in the Roman Catholic Church, praying a rosary after a night shift in an emergency shelter, barely awake, waiting for the mid-week Mass to begin. I was never sure if it was lack of sleep, too much coffee, or Spirit, but I would hear a voice that sounded like my Granddad-who had passed away many years earlier- (not an odd occurrence for advice in my head at that point and time in my life), simply saying, “build my church”. At the rise of the church plant movements this is what I thought as I dove in building ministries and quite miraculously productive throughout my life with parallel careers/callings on going under the giant umbrella of “making my own corner of the world a better place one act of kindness at a time”.

Until now, when we look at what is next?

For anyone who has been a friend, acquaintance, congregant, reader or student knows pieces of the story. A story that the application into the next phase asked for:

ty-ragan-testimonyDownload

Yes, as you read the title correctly– a return to—

Seminary.

Firstly, yes I do have a life long learning compulsion, but this is also to renew skills and learnings. Pick up important aspects for ministry of the languages for not only my own writing (that book around community building I keep alluding too), but also the re-birth of this season. The re-focus, and back on track for next spring 2021.

Back to the church based ministry.

Like the voice of the Holy in that late night/early morning pre-mass prayer, or as my wife phrases it:

“Hubs is at the point of the journey if we can’t find healthy churches, then lets build it”

What has c-tine shown? That change is possible, that the old will fall away, be renewed or re-born. That it is a time to wonder and dream once more. Things such as peace, joy and hope can re-emerge within each of us and our community, simple steps (or in my case, a huge leap) of faith out of this time apart, this imposed time to reflect and contemplate what our true passion and calling is in life.

Not only what they are, but how to make them a true reality.

A loving reality.

Stepping out in faith to live the Love of the Holy.

Simply put, prepare, connect, be and do. That is the calling on my family, take time to prepare, learn and grow, with prayerful hope there is a part-time role to be in to apply the learnings in the work (the best model for me to learn), and then see where we are meant to be at the end of this…

Prologue of Book 2 of our life trilogy.

P.S. (From CP Kids & Families Facebook Page) Let’s step into a new reality of love, and shatter the old norms eh?

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Do Something: A Spectrum Reflection

In the emerging c-tine I am beginning to gather material for a new book, that I hope to be able to put together in the Spring of 2021. The topic is one that reflects my spiritual life, community-belonging-connection. Now one may ask in a work reflecting on Preston Manning’s new book, Do Something, I would share this. I to ponder, but because there are some points that he writes that speak to health community. Much like I suggested Christians read Irshad Manji’s The Trouble with Islam so I suggest Manning’s new work to those of any political stripe to begin to ponder some key points.

Once I as a reader navigated through the conservative partisan bias (which is to be expected for one from a conservative political thought writer), there was some kernels to share. Yes, I had to set aside some of the partisan broadsides, accept there was some kernels of truth in some, some continued bias ideological statements overshadowing seeing the good in other. What was refreshing in Manning’s writings, was his open sharing about third parties moving Canada forward in a healthy way, including his positive reflecting and sharing around other political heroes of mine, Rev. J.S. Woodsworth & Pastor Tommy Douglas, as well as the usefulness of populism section touching on the Famous Five, and other human rights matters but also touching on the chaos it can wreck with separatist movements and “western alienation” to the information of a data and science informed conservatism, that illustrates, how off track the current Alberta government is, the Federal party. As long time readers will also know, I do not give much time to the concept of private encroachment into our just society safety net (whether health care or education). It was beneficial to have an “elder” of current social conservatism, even while arguing against identity politics, point out the need for truth and reconciliation with our history of racism and oppression.

Now into some of the meat if you will, that I found useful in Mr. Manning’s discourses. These would touch on topics of science, political spectrum, religion, preparation, and community involvement. In reading Manning’s words, I was reminded of reading some of the writings of Stanfield and his team in the Trudeaumania era of Progressive Conservatives. Shifting from populist drive of Diefenbaker, to a data and science driven policy approach.

This is a key understanding I think any political group needs to get to, for us to return to healthy discourse in our country (and religious groups, as it is the science that explains the how of creation). For it then shifts from yelling matches, gotcha politics and social media sound bytes to raising the bar back up to policy discussions. Manning’s example was pollution pricing (carbon taxes) and not arguing against the practice, but rather the implementation. His challenge that if one cannot believe in climate science, rather look at environmental impacts and work to solve that which they could understand. For those who may be too young to remember, I believe it was when Jim Harris stepped down as leader of the Green Party of Canada, Manning aided in raising them to prominence. The intertwining of his faith and love of science has led him in my understanding to find ways to be a caretaker of the environment (if only more in his ideological realm would hear the call).

The concept that is also helpful, is the false dichotomies we want to exist within politics (liberal or conservative, left-centre-right), where he would share a 12 axis assessment on issues for aiding in defining what one held to be true. As most Canadians, exist somewhere in the centre, not wanting to make a decision, but wanting to ensure the most possible are included in the decision (a consensus as much as possible) this does raise some ideas. Within the 12 axis were topics such as environment, trust, jurisdiction, values, health act, education, etc.

It does also aid I believe as it moves one from blind ideology to one party, making each candidate needing to work beyond their party affiliation and leader to win the trust of the voter. This speaks to the need for character, and connection within the community. Does the candidate belong? Are they known for being a positive community member and builder? Stepping back into the concept of what public service is to be about– that is service for all citizens for peace, order and good governance. The role of government being to create the best possible life for citizens, and through that, the healthy environment for creativity, and business will happen (in my opinion and experience).

It also speaks to preparation for community leadership. Do we expect people to prepare for a vocation? Manning admirably used the example of Brother Jesus, and for each year of his public ministry, he had 6 years of life (and for some preparation). What would shift and change within our municipalities, counties, provinces and country if for each year of elected office we expected a certain number of years of preparation? Work/service in their local community? Connection. Belonging. The bottom line of the thesis do something is the suggestions of how to become active in community leagues, groups, political parties, research whether as a participant, donor or volunteer…the old adage of giving of time, talent and treasure (from small steps to large leaps depending on personal capacity).

With a final nod to the religious aspect of community life. This section was handled well, had a conservative bent, but could easily be expanded to all parties. Manning shared of those who served of all political stripes and faith. The idea being simple and familiar, we need to acknowledge the harm that has been done in the name of religion. But for those with authentic faith, you cannot separate the value system from who you are (goes back to core character and integrity), but it is not about imposing that on the populace. The other piece, is creating space for discussion, debate and acceptance within political movements.

So yes, is it everyone’s cup of tea this book? Probably not. For the entrenched partisan depending on which primary colour they are in it can be vilified or beatified. Both responses would miss the point of a call to action work. This was a call to action that can be read at the surface level for Canadian conservatism and democracy to what it means to moderate. For any other politico or religious politico, it can be read for ideas and concepts on how others think, how to do a mirror reflection into your own movements, and how to engage at the local community level to grow engagement, connection and belonging.

To extend a metaphor from the c-tine. Where we live is our household, each of those households creates a community, each community a village/town/city, and those a province and then a country. How are we creating health households, then communities? How are you choosing to do something to create a healthy ripple in your pond? What simple action- step are you going to choose to do?

To do something to effect positive change in your world.

Unbelievable: An ending that hopefully builds…

Progressive spirituality/Christianities within their current context I find tedious.  There is no scholarship building upon what has come before, rather it is a re-treading of old battles already fought. Why is this? I blame the regressive state of Western Culture. The loss of the ability to critically think, coupled with the conglomeration of media and the commodification of the human experience has led us down a rabbit hole. There is also the drowning with knowledge overload, and opinion as fact that has removed the ability to discourse, and discover wisdom.

It is a sad state on my journey as I look upon those writers that have shaped them, death, illness and retirement has stripped away those that have crafted cornerstones we should be building upon. The voice of progress, universal love and inclusion, liberation and social gospel is shrinking. Thinkers such as Marcus Borg, Desmond Tutu, Peter Maurin, Dorothy Day, Agnes MacPhail, Pierre Trudeau, Padre Pio, Leonardo Boff, meta-physicians; Dalai Lama, Pope Francis I, transcendentalists, Pope John Paul II, Pope John XXIII, Multiple saints & mystics, Mother Teresa, Nikos Kazantzakis, Stuart A. Schlegel, John Dominic Crossan, Matthew Fox, Martin Luther King Jr., Tommy Douglas, J.S. Woodsworth and the list goes on and on. The voices of and for the marginalized have been relegated back to the beginning of a cycle still debating that which human rights and suffragettes should have dealt with.

Yet “Progressive Spirituality” much like “Conservative Theology” got subsumed by “Prosperity Gospels” and “Salvation/Sanctification” (look at a Joel Osteen for the epitome of the lost track of universal love for the progressives). This is why during my time of medical sabbatical I was excited to find out post-stroke Bishop Spong had written a new book, but saddened as I read his preamble to it that this was definitively his last. It is his call for reformation, for the work already done and grow upon it.

He touches on the different times the Christ experience has been mislaid. The Fourth century experience we had codified as “Christendom” which would be as unrecognizable for the original community as it is to us in this day. He also touches on the Reformation, which aside from the land and power grab of the princes/royals to break the state hold of the Vatican. It was possible as well do a shattering transformation of cultural understanding as the plagues had shown that even the “Holy” lost a 1/3. The peasant class was open.

We are in a time like this. Even if traditionalists keep fighting against it. Holding to outdated understandings. Science has revealed much on creation, maybe not the why, but the how. We are in a world where we are taking control over our own destinies. Where we can accept equal marriage, we can accept medicine, accept being able to transplant organs, understand different ways of experiencing life. We can see through new eyes, yet we bring the old eyes leaving our understanding of the intrinsic piece that makes us whole left out in the old patriarchal imperial cycle. And yes, progressive thinkers who are emerging today instead of referencing what came before and building, are trudging up the same mountain again.

This is where Unbelievable (2018) rises. It is still American-centric, but Spong roots his 12 Thesis firmly in what has come before, and lays out a path forward. A new starting point for dialogue and discourse, being able to let go of what is no longer working or that which is harming.

So as we seek to understand the love triangle of My Neighbour, I leave you with excerpts for this work to see if it is something you wish to purchase for your journey, or to explore within your community:

John Shelby Spong (2018) Unbelievable: Why Neither Ancient Creeds Nor the Reformation Can Produce a Living Faith Today (HarperOne).

“what we must do is find the meaning to which the word “God” points.” P. 31

“Is the denial of theism the same as atheism? Is there no other alternative?” p. 38-39

“That is the universal human experience that our ancestors once called “Original Sin”. The experience was real; the interpretation was false. We are not “fallen sinners”; rather, we are incomplete human beings. Our old theology is dead. The door begins to open on a new way to tell the old, old story.” P. 89

“Every Jew would know that to refer to a grown man in Jewish society as “the son of a woman” was to suggest that his paternity was unknown. … we might infer a covert reference to her being pregnant outside of marriage, for there was no estate more lowly in in first-century Judaism that that of an expectant mother with no male protector.” P.112

Atonement theology, especially in its most bizarre “substitutionary” form, presents us with a God who is barbaric, a Jesus who is victim and it turns human beings into little more than guilt-filled creatures. P.153

Bulletins during Lent in many churches look as if they might have been purchased in a local sadomasochism shop. They feature whips and nails, and if they elicit any emotion at all, it is guilt. P.162-163.

In Jewish worship, however, the lamb was a symbol, not of a sacrifice that an angry God required, but of a human yearning to achieve the fullness of human potential. P. 165

The Easter experience in the new Testament, contrary to what we have traditionally been taught over the year, is not about bodies walking out of graves. It is far more profound than that. It is about God being seen in human life. By “God” I do not mean a supernatural, invasive God, who violates the laws of nature in order to enter time and space. I mean a transcendent dimension of life into which all can enter, an experience in which life is expanded, love is unlimited and being is enhanced. P. 188

The ascension story is both powerful and real, but it is not, and was never intended to be, literally true. P.196

Before prayer can be made real, our understanding of God, coupled with our understanding of how the world works, must be newly defined. P. 249.

I have no use for life after death as a tool or method of behaviour control. P.258

We are called by this new faith into radial connectedness. P. 270

When I contemplate the meaning of Jesus I come back again and again to his image as the ultimate boundary-breaker, in whom what it means to be human is constantly being expanded. P.278

Who is my Neighbour? The pratfalls of the stereotype

 

Brad Paisley & LL Cool J Accidental Racist video: https://youtu.be/QPl-Ss-iJLo

I remember learning the trade of script writing. Whether it was for comics, theatre or cinema it definitely was the challenge of showing over telling anything. It is a medium that the viewer or reader needs to instantly identify where someone’s role falls (for the comic reader this was in the era when 1 to 2 pages would take the story in places that today would see 3-6 issues needed). Enter the love of the stereo type.

What’s that you ask?

C’mon. We all have them. Alberta politics created Harry and Martha as the stereotypical Albertans in the 1990’s. For most of the pre-21^st century you know that if a nun in a habit or a collared priest enters a scene it is for a religious reason. A rumpled trench coat-probably a detective. A corrupt politician- thy of the heftier set with the rumpled suit big stone pinky ring and ruddy complexion from imbuing too much “holiday cheer” if you will.

There are also other stereotypes that have emerged in how a gang member dresses depending on the era, type of speech used by certain classes (just think of the Newfie jokes in Canada or Southern jokes in the U.S.)…yet each of these set a specific tone when used in a medium to convey something quickly.

The challenge we face as we continue to sanitize our history, remove critical thought and discourse from the education system, move away from the arts and sciences as the basis for education, and do not allow for free and easy ways for neighbours to gather..well…what happens?

The stereo type takes over the reality. In a world where someone can get their “facts” based on a meme or 140-280 characters in social media the stereotype becomes the facts of life. Even more so, you take in to play isolation, segregation due to labels, and other life struggles where you may believe you are the only one. Then these stereo types can drive further wedges.

What comes from these wedges?

Collaboration. Community. Belonging. Become impossible.

Instead we see a repeat of history. Things we figured out how to solve we throw up our hands as  a society and saw we don’t know what to do.

Whether it was Nazis, KKK, Neo-Nazis, Irish Republican Army, youth gangs, extremists of hatred in all shades and sizes, religious zealots and currently terrorists…. What lies at the core?

Being labelled constantly as the other. Being segregated and stripped of worth. That simple intrinsic worth we all have for simply being human beings and key pieces of the eco-system. We are not people, each of us is an individual person, with a separate story and journey, a separate set of skills, calling of vocation, and place in society. This role moves beyond any stereo type the world wants to place upon you, and is you. Live into the you, you are meant to be.

In fact: Be the person that extends the hand of welcome to the stranger.  For as the old saying goes, there is no strangers just friends we haven’t met yet.

Or from my mentoring days with youth in public schools, churches and the youth criminal justice system it spoke of the transformative power of investing an hour a week in the life of an adolescent for huge results. What does this have to do with breaking down stereotypes you ask?

Simple. There is more wisdom in this than any other idea. A stereotype exists because we are unwilling to see beyond. How do you see beyond? You build a bridge not a wall.

Who is your neighbour?

It can be as simple as the one you share a cup of coffee with to discover about who they truly are beyond the social media stereotype.

What stereotype do you need to step outside of and break bread with to move forward together as one community?

The challenge for you…which stereotype are you going to enter into a discourse with the reality of?

Let’s change our world one cuppa at a time.

Monsters amongst us: Are these texts of hate?

With each new passing or announcement of retirement from the progressive theological movements I share with my wife, we ask, who will take up the torch?  And no, Rob Bell is not the answer or the Emergent Church movement. Yes, they are doing good things in pushing boundaries in their traditions, but compared to where Labour Church, Social Gospel, Creation Spirituality, Progressive Christianity, Liberation Theology, Feminist Theology, Queer Theology, Truth and Reconciliation resonances, Human Rights, Social Justice, New Thought, Metaphysics, Jesus Seminar, Philosophy, history, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, science and ecumenical dialogues (to name but a few) have brought us, they are reinventing the foundation stones, instead of adding new floors to the towers already standing tall and strong.

I have been trying lately due to some health challenges of the holistic being to reclaim the towers, and not have to reinvent the foundation stones (I am stubborn that way). After the first night of decent rest in months it hit me, that part of continuing to build the towers is to go to your own spiritual roots.  Within myself, and my family those roots are the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Testament. I will be the first to admit, the Hebrew Bible can at first blush appear to contain stories of hate, genocide, blood lust and horror. They are foundation myths and legends of their time speaking to the people then and what they had gone through. The challenge for us is not to take a 21^st century lens back to the historical story, but rather bring the story into a 21^st century lens.

Huh?

A 21^st century lens pushes these stories to obscurity, or that which should not be spoken about.

Yet bringing the story into a 21^st century lens allows us to see what we have missed and continued to repeat due to our literal, fundamentalist or non-reading of the text.

This is one of the things that struck me as I sipped on my fourth cup of morning coffee. It pertains to the horrid collection of laws found in the Third book of the Torah (or Pentateuch for those Greek types), Leviticus.

Really these are laws about how to keep yourself alive, don’t spark wars with your neighbours and by bringing the story into the 21^st century lens that abuse shall not happen without consequence (as seen with the hard passages around abuse of women in Leviticus 19:29:

^c“Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity.

(English Standard Version)

            For me speaks directly to the abolishment of the Sex Trade. All of us are either children of someone’s daughter, or have a daughter, and forcing anyone to do what they choose not to do, or to make profit from the dehumanization of another is reprehensible evil.

This method also brings a different reading into those infamous few of Leviticus 18:22-23:

^22 hYou shall notlie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. ^23 i And you shall not lie with anyanimal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to ananimal to lie with it: it is ^jperversion.

(English Standard Version)

 

These texts have nothing today with the LGBTTQ2+ community. They are a direct redaction into what is legendarily believed to be the writings of Moses post exile from Babylon. In Babylon, the free and slave were forced into sexual predatory worship within the temple. It was led by the Clerics and to show worship after providing the usual animals and money forced participation for absolution was found in sexual penetration through varied orifices of animals, and/or human beings by the worshipper or with the Cleric (yes historical anthropological context can be disturbing).

But wait…removing the literal sentiment, what type of warning does this sound like for the people?

That your worth as you are created matters.

Do not let one in authority force you to that which you do not want to do.

When one in power forces you under the auspices of atonement, absolution, because God said, because you will make first line, I will ensure you get an A, you will get the role only if you….

Hidden in a text we have argued over a literal understanding of, we have missed a millenniums long warning of metaphor and allegory going:

Children,

You were abused in captivity, and were not allowed to flourish healthily into the true you. Do not repeat this pattern of abuse. Be the ones that shatter the cycle, know that you are loved, equal, and belong together in loving communities, loving relationships with whomever you choose.

BUT (and this one is important) you must choose the path of new and love, not the path of known hurt and abuse.

I implore you as you lick the wounds of leaving slavery and abuse, PLEASE, speak the truth, then CHOOSE to move forward as a healthy community by throwing off the monsters and casting them out.

Choose L-I-F-E.

Choose L-O-V-E.

Amazing what happens when you contemplate deeply into the Holy Mystery and attempt to answer the WTF as to why this passage exists.

So as community in the Christianities, are we going to answer the Levitical warning and:

           Choose L-I-F-E?

           Choose L-O-V-E?

The Social Gospel Conclusion (for now): Why little dreams matter

38. And Jesus spoke a parable; he said, The kingdom of the Christ is like a little seed that one put in the ground;
    39. It grew and after many years became a mighty tree, and many people rested in its shade, and birds built nests and reared their young among its leafy boughs.

–Aquarian Gospel 140:38-39

You can read the rest of chapter 140 that leads up to this parable, but it is safe to say the journey we have been on in this social gospel series has reached a zenith or a climax for the literary about. The rising action in this short length of Jesus-story has achieved to this parable just in case the preceding 140 chapters were not clear enough on the world that is possible.

That is what this is about. A little idea, a little dream, one little thing planted within the Holy Mystery—within us—and watch it bloom. Want to know something else that happens out of the original blessing we are created and called into/out of???

The tree that provides for all, welcomes all exactly where they are and who they are. It provides not just a space for existence but belonging, growth and thriving into who they are and are meant to be and become.

How?

The space to rest is the beginning.

For when you can pause enough in the rat race of survival. One can then have time to dream a dream. Baptist Pastor,  CCF Premier of Saskatchewan, and Greatest Canadian Tommy Douglas would remind us “dream no little dreams” for any dream in the fertile soil of the love (cosmic dust) we are bound through…creates new reality, new life and like the tree that springs from the smallest tree— H-O-M-E.

What a wonderful outcome of our original blessing when creation was given to us to explore.

So what is your little seed?

What soil will you plant it in?

Interdependent Love: A Reflection on the Parable of the Sower

Ah parables. How best to reach an oral culture only kind of coming into written records. And those written records are tied more to the authorities, the wealthy than the collected masses, or as Marx would dub us the proletariat. The working classes. These are the classes that Jesus of Nazareth, Brother Jesus would emerge from. AN unwed mother married to a carpenter/labourer to literally save her from an unkindly street death. But he was one that got it, connected deeply to the source of all that is. Showing the way that we all could be connected into the source of Love.

It is the parable that touched into the deeper levels of the person, and allowed for the early followers of the Cosmic Christ in the flesh so diverse. Just think of it—outcasts, those with health issues, mental health concerns; sex trade workers, labourers, wealthy religious (in secret), Roman soldiers/officers and Zealots to name but a few. It was this type of parable that the social gospel movement in Canada tied into to get folks active for political and societal change. For example the story of Mouseland, with one of the most famous being Tommy Douglas, but also among the ranks Bible Bill Aberhart, Preston Manning, Joe Clark, Pierre Trudeau, J.S. Woodsworth, Agnes MacPhail (her image now gracing the $10 Canadian note), Paul Martin Jr., Rev. Bill Phipps, Elizabeth May, my own parents and grandparents,  to name but a few. But truly it is those driven by a deep conviction that we are created good, and as such we are to live out this ideal of justice, peace, faith, hope and love as laid out by Brother Jesus. So, I am sure there are many examples within your own world and life if you take but a moment to pause and ponder.

For it is in the parables that Brother Jesus lays out a path of self-discovery. A path that shows where we and our neighbours can be existing, but also at different phases in our lives where we have existed. For with planting soil changes over time, that which was not able to grow previous with the right tending and additions can become quite fertile.  This is the thrust found within the parable of the sower.

It is in most gospel texts that one would class as canonical, so if you wish to use this reflection with those texts, they can be found in the synoptic gospels in: Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:1-15. Though we will continue to use Levi’s Aquarian gospel from the early 1900’s as the newer wording may touch a different chord. In that text it is found in chapter 115, which you may read here for full context

As always, I invite you to get comfortable where you are sitting. It is a meditative lectio divina as you hear the parable three times, with different focus questions to see where the soil of your heart is at, and where it is being renewed.  Before you begin, write on a scrap of paper that which you need to leave in the hear and now that can distract you. Once written crumple up and throw into the recycle. Those distractions, busyness, weights of the heart can come back after, but here, now your full presence is asked for.

Take time to slow your breathing, deep breaths in of cosmic love, the dust that formed your very essence as good. Breathe out the chakra sludge that separates you from that goodness.

Feel the 21^st century technological buzzing fade away. Feel the chair you are sitting on disappear, along with the walls of where you are. The time. Travel back. Feel the dust and fresh breeze untouched by the Industrial Revolution. Smell the sea air.  The smell of the crowds, intermingling. You are on the outskirts of the crowd. People had spoken about this teacher, this Jesus of Nazareth. Some called him a bastard child and/or insane. Others said he was a master teacher, one with a new way to truly transform things.

As you hear the story the first time, think of when your heart was like the rocky soil where messages/actions of love were easily carried away by others, like the birds. Sit with one memory, what has or has not changed in your life since then?

The first hearing:

1. And Jesus stood beside the sea and taught; the multitudes pressed close upon him and he went into a boat that was near by and put a little ways from shore, and then he spoke in parables; he said,
   Behold, a sower took his seed and went into his field to sow.
   3. With lavish hand he scattered forth the seed and some fell in the hardened paths that men had made,
   4. And soon were crushed beneath the feet of other men; and birds came down and carried all the seeds away.
   5. Some seed fell on rocky ground where there was little soil; they grew and soon the blades appeared and promised much;
   6. But then there was no depth of soil, no chance for nourishment, and in the heat of noonday sun they withered up and died.
   7. Some seed fell where thistles grew, and found no earth in which to grow and they were lost;
   8. But other seed found lodgement in the rich and tender soil and grew apace, and in the harvest it was found that some brought forth a hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold.
   9. They who have ears to hear may hear; they who hearts to understand may know.
   10. Now, his disciples were beside him in the boat, and Thomas asked, Why do you speak in parables?
   11. And Jesus said, My words, like every master’s words, are dual in their sense.
   12. To you who know the language of the soul, my words have meanings far too deep for other men to comprehend.
   13. The other sense of what I say is all the multitude can understand; these words are food for them; the inner thoughts are food for you.
   14. Let every one reach forth and take the food that he is ready to receive.
   15. And then he spoke that all might hear; he said, Hear you the meaning of the parable:
   16. Men hear my words and understand them not, and then the carnal self purloins the seed, and not a sign of spirit life appears.
   17. This is the seed that fell within the beaten paths of men.
   18. And others hear the words of life, and with a fiery zeal receive them all; they seem to comprehend the truth and promise well;
   19. But troubles come; discouragements arise; there is no depth of thought; their good intentions wither up and die.
   20. These are the seeds that fell in stony ground.
   21. And others hear the words of truth and seem to know their worth; but love of pleasure, reputation, wealth and fame fill all the soil; the seeds are nourished not and they are lost.
   22. These are the seeds that fell among the thistles and the thorns.
   23. But others hear the words of truth and comprehend them well; they sink down deep into their souls; they live the holy life and all the world is blest.
   24. These are the seeds that fell in fertile soil, that brought forth fruit abundantly.
   25. You men of Galilee, take heed to how you hear and how you cultivate your fields; for if you slight the offers of this day, the sower may not come to you again in this or in the age to come.

-Aquarian Gospel 115: 1-25

As you prepare for the second hearing. Think of the next step of life in self-discovery, within that inner battle of transfiguration. When have you been like the seed battling in the soil with the weeds to emerge and not taking hold? Let these memories move from your mind to your heart. Spend time with the root cause of rooting in the weeds instead of the seed of love? Are you ready to breathe out this sludge?

The second hearing:

2. And Jesus stood beside the sea and taught; the multitudes pressed close upon him and he went into a boat that was near by and put a little ways from shore, and then he spoke in parables; he said,
   Behold, a sower took his seed and went into his field to sow.
   3. With lavish hand he scattered forth the seed and some fell in the hardened paths that men had made,
   4. And soon were crushed beneath the feet of other men; and birds came down and carried all the seeds away.
   5. Some seed fell on rocky ground where there was little soil; they grew and soon the blades appeared and promised much;
   6. But then there was no depth of soil, no chance for nourishment, and in the heat of noonday sun they withered up and died.
   7. Some seed fell where thistles grew, and found no earth in which to grow and they were lost;
   8. But other seed found lodgement in the rich and tender soil and grew apace, and in the harvest it was found that some brought forth a hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold.
   9. They who have ears to hear may hear; they who hearts to understand may know.
   10. Now, his disciples were beside him in the boat, and Thomas asked, Why do you speak in parables?
   11. And Jesus said, My words, like every master’s words, are dual in their sense.
   12. To you who know the language of the soul, my words have meanings far too deep for other men to comprehend.
   13. The other sense of what I say is all the multitude can understand; these words are food for them; the inner thoughts are food for you.
   14. Let every one reach forth and take the food that he is ready to receive.
   15. And then he spoke that all might hear; he said, Hear you the meaning of the parable:
   16. Men hear my words and understand them not, and then the carnal self purloins the seed, and not a sign of spirit life appears.
   17. This is the seed that fell within the beaten paths of men.
   18. And others hear the words of life, and with a fiery zeal receive them all; they seem to comprehend the truth and promise well;
   19. But troubles come; discouragements arise; there is no depth of thought; their good intentions wither up and die.
   20. These are the seeds that fell in stony ground.
   21. And others hear the words of truth and seem to know their worth; but love of pleasure, reputation, wealth and fame fill all the soil; the seeds are nourished not and they are lost.
   22. These are the seeds that fell among the thistles and the thorns.
   23. But others hear the words of truth and comprehend them well; they sink down deep into their souls; they live the holy life and all the world is blest.
   24. These are the seeds that fell in fertile soil, that brought forth fruit abundantly.
   25. You men of Galilee, take heed to how you hear and how you cultivate your fields; for if you slight the offers of this day, the sower may not come to you again in this or in the age to come.

-Aquarian Gospel 115: 1-25

Prepare yourself for the last hearing. When soil is fertile for the seed to take hold. Is there a time of remembrance in your life, your very soul energy that you can remember this? Even in the journeys that go to and fro where we exist mostly in rocks and weeds, there are glimmers of this or long lived life in the nourished soil. Take hold of the memories. Spend time going deeper into them to the core spark/stardust that is the ember of the Cosmic Christ within.

The Third Hearing:

3. And Jesus stood beside the sea and taught; the multitudes pressed close upon him and he went into a boat that was near by and put a little ways from shore, and then he spoke in parables; he said,
   Behold, a sower took his seed and went into his field to sow.
   3. With lavish hand he scattered forth the seed and some fell in the hardened paths that men had made,
   4. And soon were crushed beneath the feet of other men; and birds came down and carried all the seeds away.
   5. Some seed fell on rocky ground where there was little soil; they grew and soon the blades appeared and promised much;
   6. But then there was no depth of soil, no chance for nourishment, and in the heat of noonday sun they withered up and died.
   7. Some seed fell where thistles grew, and found no earth in which to grow and they were lost;
   8. But other seed found lodgement in the rich and tender soil and grew apace, and in the harvest it was found that some brought forth a hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold.
   9. They who have ears to hear may hear; they who hearts to understand may know.
   10. Now, his disciples were beside him in the boat, and Thomas asked, Why do you speak in parables?
   11. And Jesus said, My words, like every master’s words, are dual in their sense.
   12. To you who know the language of the soul, my words have meanings far too deep for other men to comprehend.
   13. The other sense of what I say is all the multitude can understand; these words are food for them; the inner thoughts are food for you.
   14. Let every one reach forth and take the food that he is ready to receive.
   15. And then he spoke that all might hear; he said, Hear you the meaning of the parable:
   16. Men hear my words and understand them not, and then the carnal self purloins the seed, and not a sign of spirit life appears.
   17. This is the seed that fell within the beaten paths of men.
   18. And others hear the words of life, and with a fiery zeal receive them all; they seem to comprehend the truth and promise well;
   19. But troubles come; discouragements arise; there is no depth of thought; their good intentions wither up and die.
   20. These are the seeds that fell in stony ground.
   21. And others hear the words of truth and seem to know their worth; but love of pleasure, reputation, wealth and fame fill all the soil; the seeds are nourished not and they are lost.
   22. These are the seeds that fell among the thistles and the thorns.
   23. But others hear the words of truth and comprehend them well; they sink down deep into their souls; they live the holy life and all the world is blest.
   24. These are the seeds that fell in fertile soil, that brought forth fruit abundantly.
   25. You men of Galilee, take heed to how you hear and how you cultivate your fields; for if you slight the offers of this day, the sower may not come to you again in this or in the age to come.

-Aquarian Gospel 115: 1-25

 

Are you willing to take hold of that ember and fan it?

Are you able to live from that spark into and out of the divine?

When you are ready with that spark. Visualizing it moving through each of the seven chakras to firmly root in the opening/awakening crown chakra. Breath in deeply the love of all, breathe out the love of all. Feel the fresh air fade away. The breeze on your face stop. The noise of the crowds. You are the fertile soil the Master Sower has found.

Hold to this truth.

As you move forward through time.

As your room reforms around you.

Your chair.

Your breath slowly returns to normal.

Your eyes re-open.

Your very essence awakens.

Are you willing to truly live as the Master Sower has sowed you?

What are you going to do today to step into your destiny of love?

A Little Vanishing Act

It’s funny. If you are an Albertan you know we have this tendency to elect governments that overstay their effectiveness, but are populous and then vanish. One of these was the Social Credit Party.

Outside of family discussions, the full introduction to SoCred Ideology was actually at a family reunion where my Great Uncle Ed well into his 90’s actually tried to sell me a party membership at the humble age of 16 years old.

Yet what would inspire such loyalty in a constantly changing political landscape. Some say it was Ernest Manning (no one remembers the 3rd SoCred premier who lost to that guy Peter Lougheed)…yet Manning was the apprentice, and actually moved the SoCred’s to the right.

No, where the movement was inspired and rose to power overturning the United Farmers rule. It goes to a small charismatic baptist preacher (what was with those baptists in the Dirty Thirties? The Great Depression church basement spawned many a preacher trying to change the world, note another gent named Tommy Douglas from Saskatchewan)…this preacher, who also founded the Prophetic Bible Institute, and a radio hour, leveraged tea/coffee times in peoples living rooms to explain a progressive-social ideology to change the world.  His nick name was Bible Bill, and William Aberhart took his young upstart SoCreds into governance as the third party to govern Alberta.

Now under Manning the progressive was forgotten, yet under Aberhart they were so progressive, Aberhart and Douglas came to agreement to stay out of one another’s provinces to allow CCF/SoCred governments to flourish without splitting the vote.

Quite a history lesson on how the progressive voice for change, inclusion and love can make our country better. What sparked this political digression?

On one of my whims of fancy to share the province’s history with my kids, thought hey Westbourne Baptist still exists and has a seniors manor attached and pre-school, should take in a service with the family…only to go on their website and find after 104 years they have moved into a new journey, and from what the internet has shared it looks as if it stalled out after dissolution.

So another piece of history has lived its life cycle, and the question still remains, where will these types of individuals rise up within the spiritual realm to speak into the soul of a country? Province? City? for the simple gift of equality, justice, compassion, peace, and joy. All that comes out of the root of Love.

Refugees, Homeless, Middle Class Oh My: A 42nd Election In Canada

Regular followers of my writing will know the last free e-book I tossed up centered on reflections around the Good Samaritan parable from the Christian Gospels. The ethos of the story is simple, a question given to reflect on: Who is My Neighbour?

In the early 1900’s it led J.S. Woodsworth who was superintendent of the Winnipeg Shelter to reflect on this, as his shelter aided immigrant and refugee resettlement into the Canadian prairies. It was the question that led to decisions to march in the General Strike and go to jail.

Now it is time to raise this question as a nation again. For one drowned Syrian boy has sparked outrage in the world about the refugee crisis in Syria. In contemporary/modern western world fashion it is not about vision and answering the call of our shared humanity, it is about managing the spin, the “economic and political cost”; what is the numbers game we should play. In some circles it is creating the divisive debate of whose taxes will pay? It is about choosing between refugees and our current Canadians living in poverty and without homes of their own.

But what if this ancient story held a deeper truth for us in building our national and local communities. Who is my neighbour? Go and do likewise… Provide aid, provide shelter, provide H-O-M-E. Cross international borders, drop stereotypes, and see that at our core we are a shared humanity. Quit stating the issue as helping our own first, and then possibly the other later. It is not that type of issue, or that type of answer.

Help both, nay, help all in need to have a home, and an ability to grow into a new hope, a new community, because of a simple principle of love in this global family.

The question for us as politicians avoid our door steps, a try to duck questions at debates, are we willing to hold the candidates to account to a higher level of dialogue, a higher level of vision…how are they going to build a New Canada where we do not FEAR but WELCOME the strangers at our shores? Where the neighbour in our community is helped before they lose hope and home?

What is the Liberal? Green? NDP? Conservative? Add your own political colour of the rainbow true vision for building a nation that will leave the world in awe for its wonder, inclusion, kindness, empathy, love and beauty? As Tommy Douglas once said, “dream no little dreams” Let us raise the level of debate in our great nation from one of management to one of vision and accountability as citizens of our city, province, country and world.