Tales of dogs, left overs, and taking a risk

A sermon given at the induction for Sylvia 'Akau'ola Tongotongo 

into the Burwood Heights Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.  

Matthew 14.13-23a. Jesus wants to pray, but can’t get away from the crowd. He heals, teaches and feeds the crowd. His friends learn more about who he is, and what it means to follow him … 

and finally Jesus gets the space to pray.  

Mike turned up to church. His first time for a long time. They knew something wasn’t right, because he brought his dog to church – into church.  “She’s my companion”, he said to the greeters at the door.

 http://www.urbanpetservices.com/PetCare/PetPictures/DogPic1.jpg

Some were concerned, even worried. Murmurings, mutterings. The dog might soil the carpet. What about fleas? Don’t those dogs bite?

Through the service the dog sat quietly. Mike sat intently. And the back row did its ministry superbly.  The 4 year old stared at the dog, over the toys and crayons.  The 18 month old toddled over to pat the dog.  Her mother watched with a little smile on her face.

Fellowship time and a cuppa after worship. “You can’t have a dog around food. What about …” More mutterings. Someone talked to Mike. And then to the dog. The dog talked back. 

When the dog barked, someone came over and suggested to Mike that he might tie up his dog outside.  He smiled, said yes and took the dog out … and kept walking down the street.

Fortunately two of the blokes noticed and took off after Mike and his companion.  They talked, and eventually wandered back to the church together.

In the ministry and mission of the church, we are often faced with this dilemma.  We know how to cope when things are normal, when people are like us. But opportunities come in surprising packages, and sometimes even scary ones.

"Send them away.

We have nothing."

We echo the words of Jesus' friends.

Mike’s story is not one of an encounter with bad church people, but with a normal mix of human delight, confusion, fear, anxiety, hope and … What do you do with a dog in church – what do you do with a person who insists that she is his companion?

Mental health issues, alcohol or substance additions, anger, fear, cynicism, even hopelessness. As long as they are not obvious, we can cope.

But when they are obvious, and especially when they come to us from strangers, we struggle when we don’t know how to respond. “Send them to Harrison or Wesley or Lentara”, can be our reaction.

This Scripture and this day sit in a melee of the season of Epiphany, Valentines day, Lent and an induction of a congregation and minister into a new ministry.

Epiphany – Who is this Jesus?

Lent – How do we follow this Christ?

Induction – How do we do ministry together?

Valentines day – Did he remember the flowers, chocolate and cards!! (No relevance really, just thought I’d throw that one in!!)

This moment, and this scripture, is packed with pastoral, missional and discipleship moments and inferences.

“When Jesus heard that John had been murdered, he withdrew to a deserted place.” “And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.”

These are the bookends of this and other stories in the gospels … Jesus withdrew to pray.  He is not a superhero who flits from healing a blind man to feeding a crowd to preaching.  Jesus is deeply reliant on this relationship with God.

Think for a moment about the life and breathing in and out of ministry and mission in our congregation; ordained, lay, part time, full time, no-available-time-but-ok.  We need the space and time to reflect, to grieve, to gather our thoughts after all sorts of events. That’s the breathing in … the life-giving, sustenance of ministry and mission. Sometimes all the stuff we do takes our breath away, and we need to withdraw. Those of you who have led worship know that sometimes it knocks the stuffing out of you. We need to breathe in. We can’t always be giving and giving.

This is a missional perspective and posture, too.

As church, we are engaged in the mission of God.  It is God’s mission, for which there is a church. One of these missional moments happens when we recognize that it is God’s mission, not ours … and one of the ways we acknowledge that is to engage in a practice of prayer.  Busy-ness is not a spiritual gift.

As a Synod we have urged the Major Strategic Review to have on its agenda “faith formation and discipleship”.  Our spiritual disciplines of prayer, engagement with scripture, listening to God, our Lenten disciplines of fasting and reflecting on the life and passion of Christ … these are part of our formation as followers of Jesus.

But, as a church, we are also deeply engaged in understanding our context, our mission and ministry in 2015 and beyond.  Faith is best formed when it is tested in the real places of our world – in mission and in ministry. 

‘God, there are needy people.  Send them away’

‘You give them something’, is the reply.

‘We have nothing’, we say.

‘Give what you have to me …’

The disciples see a hungry crowd.  They see a problem.  They form a committee and decide that the budget won’t meet the need.

What builds their faith is when they realize what it means that God is there with them:  Twelve disciples, twelve baskets.

This is not an instructive story about how to feed a large crowd at a church pot luck.  This is a story of revelation and call – A narrative about understanding who Christ is, and of what it means to follow this One. Epiphany and Lent: Recognizing God in many different spaces, and responding to a call to follow, which means acknowledging that its not all about me and my resources. 

This is one of many moments which the gospel writers use to describe this stumbling, growing faith of the disciples; and which the gospel writers use to feed the stumbling, growing faith of the people in their communities … and ours.  Who is this Jesus? How do we follow?

We are invited, called, welcomed to participate in the Mission of God in the world – and specifically in this postcode, on this corner, with this shopping center over the road and this tram stop outside.

Like the disciples, our focus can too often be on our activity and participation, what we can and can’t do, what we have (or more often what we don’t have!) rather than on what God is doing – on the mission of God. When we focus on our participation, we too often limit what might happen, what could be done, what is possible when the needs or the crisis is so urgent, rather than on what God is doing in this moment.

YES we need to watch budgets, and care for buildings and plan events. But they are means to another end – what is God doing in our neighbourhood, in our community, in our lives. 

Mike lives with a mental illness.  He spent years caring for his sick mother. After his mother died, the home they lived in was sold, and he had to move out … to a shabby one bedroom flat behind the shops.  The family never spoke to Mike again, and all he had was the dog.  Faithful companions to each other.

Mike turned up to church.  And he got to experience a congregation. And a congregation got to experience Mike.  Growth in discipleship, expression of mission and pastoral care all rolled into that moment when the community struggled with not knowing what to do, but trusting that God might do something in this moment.

Being a welcoming community can often challenge our understanding of ‘our community’. Mental illness, dogs as companions, heavy drinkers, and ‘my rights’ don’t always sit comfortably in the same space. But when we look into another’s eyes for long enough, and when we listen to the stories, we discover a space of freedom, ‘comfortably uncomfortable’ – where we rediscover welcome and community.

Sylvia. People of Burwood Heights.

As you begin in this new ministry together, and as you continue in your ministries, take the time necessary to listen to what God might have to say to you. In times of grief. In times of planning. In times of meeting as a council or as a congregation … allow silence, prayer and listening to be means of grace to you in your mission and ministry.

I have experienced Sylvia as a woman of prayer and deep compassion.  No doubt that you will too.  But you will need to care for her and John as well. Ensure that she takes her leave and days off; and respect her space to do so. Pray for her. Pray with her. And welcome her prayers and compassion as gifts that grow your own faith and discipleship and mission.

And when the Mikes of this world come to your door, and the opportunities for Mission and Ministry are vast (and they are), listen for the voice of One who might ask you to give them something.  You may find resources beyond what you expect, an epiphany of Christ in that place, and a chance to grow as disciples and as a missional community.  

And there will be bread for sharing, friendship for strengthening, grace for renewing, and the Spirit of God for breathing.  May you share and breathe, be strengthened and renewed through all the delights and struggles of your moments together.

May the grace, love and presence of Christ be with you, those you love and those you are learning to love.

Refugees: Why they may not be someone else's problem

(with a tip of the hat to Moses' encounter with a burning bush)

Sometimes holy places are unexpected places;

Like bike-paths.

Sometimes holy moments are in everyday life;

Like workplaces.

Sometimes God calls ordinary people to lead;

Like Moses the shepherd.

Always God hears the cry of the oppressed.

And sees the misery of the tormented.

And knows the pain of the lonely.

Always God sees the acts of the oppressor.

And the grip of the tyrant.

And the cruelty of slavery and war and racism.

And often

Holy places and

Ordinary people and

The cry of the stranger and

A listening God

Are in the same place,

At the same time,

For a good reason.

A reason that starts with God saying

“I have heard”

and continues with

“It's your turn to do something”

(ref to Exodus 3.1-15)

Who is this? (Palm Sunday and a Baptism)

Several years ago I joined my sister for a church service in Japan.  It was December and Winter – a white Christmas was to follow. I was in a country where I didn’t understand the language, let alone the street signs. In church that Sunday, I had no idea what was being said or sung or prayed.  But when a young woman came forward, knelt at the front and was baptised – I knew exactly what was happening.  Matthew 28.19 was being lived out and this young person was being welcomed into my family. Our family.

Angels and people hold their breath in awe as another person is baptised and welcomed into this huge, complex family: Baptised into the family of Jesus Christ, the church of God that expresses its life, witness and service in every corner of the world, ever since that first Christmas, that first Palm Sunday, Good Friday, that first Resurrection day and first Pentecost.

So today, Sarah is both this tiny dot in a very large ocean of people, AND the centre of attention of God’s people. 

Baby Sarah.  Who is she?

Obviously a daughter, Grand-daughter and niece and cousin.

Cutie, chatterbox, wriggler and giggler.

Her parents already know that she is the very best gift they have ever received … and the most frustrating human being in the universe.  They already know that she will grow to be a young woman with her own opinions and perspectives (Exclamation mark!!!).  They now know that a whole congregation has committed itself, with them, to raise her in Christian faith with them as parents.  And they know that they have done so on behalf of millions of others around the world.

Today, all around the world, Christians will celebrate Palm Sunday.  

They will do so in hundreds of different languages;
They will be out in the streets of their towns in South America in processions waving palm branches,
Hunkered down in cold cathedrals as spring starts to make its presence felt in Northern Europe,
Sweating in mud-brick buildings in Kenya,
Or speaking in quiet voices in lounges or cellars in Turkey

-       all of them joining in a huge chorus of voices singing “Hosanna”. 

This is the family that Sarah has been baptised into.

These people will also join us as we step tentatively into this week, the days leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday, to listen again to the stories;

of Mary and perfume and anointing;

of washing feet and love;

of bread broken and wine poured;

of Judas and betrayal;

of Peter and denial;

of a garden and light and darkness and whips and spears and crosses and nails and … that final, chilling cry, “It is finished”.

They too will hold their breath … or go about their daily tasks with that nagging hope that the story isn’t over.

And then.

And then on Sunday, many will rise early and, still half asleep, slope again into cathedrals and mud huts and on beaches and lake-fronts and lounges to hear the astounding story of an empty tomb and resurrection and Mary and Peter … and “yes it is true”. Life has triumphed over death; hate can never defeat love.  They will join their voices with millions of others around the world and over centuries to shout “He is Risen; Christ is risen indeed.”

This is the beginning of Holy Week – the Holiest of weeks – the week that this Christian faith is all about – the one central story that binds us together around the world and through many centuries.

“This week is the most beautiful and the most important of the Church’s year. It is the drama of our salvation and our life. It is also a week of profound renewal. We renew our baptismal life because we see again the battle that God in Christ wins against all the powers of darkness and destruction in our world and in our lives. We know that our baptism makes us participators in his victory and so we have the courage to follow him on his journey and to contemplate the mystery of his love for us.” prayasyougo

This is the story that Sarah was baptised into.

All around the world in churches, some will be here for the first time, hearing the story fresh and new.  Others will hear it for the hundredth time.  And wherever the story is retold and relived there are tears, and anger and a wondering. "Would I be Peter or Judas or Thomas or Mary?"

Some who gather will mumble and doubt and puzzle, and wonder if they will be back next year.  But they said that last year too, and something … something in the story brought them back ... a whispering and a nagging that somehow nothing else has come as close to making any sense of the mess that they see around them.  Their doubt is carried by love and community and someone else’s faith and curiosity and a flicker of … maybe, just maybe …

And in all the stories is this one remarkable man.  Jesus goes to Jerusalem knowing that this will probably mean his death.  And the city is abuzz. This royal, political, religious city and its people ask the question, “Who is this?”  And the crowd, who come from the country and other towns and nations, the crowds reply, as if with one voice, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

In this week, of all weeks, we are reminded that God’s way is not our way. We expect to see celebrity and superhero. But the way of this One is not about force or coersion or power.  In Jesus Christ we see God in a different way; a way of humility and powerlessness – and yet of immense strength and love. It is what someone would later call “the foolishness of the cross”. His is a love so deep and strong and free that it can hold all doubt and fear and hopelessness. He is even prepared to take on death – the ultimate power.  

And then?  Then comes resurrection – not a logical conclusion or predictable outcome – but a mystery, an ultimate victory and God’s greatest act - in Jesus.

Humility, Death, Resurrection

Faith, hope and love.

Who is this?

This is the One into whom Sarah has been baptised;

Joining this family, to live this story, and to follow this Jesus Christ.

Loved and Living (Adelaide and Lazarus)

This time last week, I was sitting in a café in Adelaide watching people, and listening to the city.  Homeless, lovers, families and those who were there because there was obviously no where else for them to be – we observed and listened and participated in the life of the city centre.  It was a gift to us to be able to slow down enough to really see more than the people across the table and the bottom of our coffee cups.  Each one of these people have a name and stories of life and death, of pain and joy.

Our attendance at the UCA’s Mission and Evangelism conference was a deeply personal reminder that the gospel is not a program, an event or a task to do.  It is about living genuine relationships with a wide variety of people. Even evangelism is about what we do and say about this life-giving good news that God whispers into our hearts every day.  It is about living and being loved today.  It is about allowing God’s stories to slip out of our experiences and seep into our conversations – off our lips and through our hands to others.

Wandering through the Art Gallery in Adelaide, I came across a plate, made around 1840 – obviously meant to be mounted on a wall.  It said, “Prepare to meet thy God”.  It represents a theology that says that what happens after death is more important to God than what happens now – and I don’t read that in scripture.  But more than that, it states that I cannot “meet my God” now – that meeting God is something that has to wait until I die.  It states that “I am” cannot be a currently lived reality.

If the gospel is only about what happens after we die, then Lazarus should have stayed dead.  But this tells a very different story for Lazarus, Mary, Martha and the other astounded people looking on; it is a story of Jesus love, Martha and Mary’s faith, and Lazarus’ new living because of this God-moment.

The one you love is ill

Being loved is an amazing experience – the love of a parent, spouse, child, friend.  Sometimes love is experienced in a deeply moving feeling of warmth and acceptance. At other times it is found in conversations with friends that reach deep into your soul – into your life-stories – and give hope and life to experiences of despair and grief.  In our evening Lenten studies this week, we were talking about friends and friendship – that those rare close friends are people who you can call on at 3am – and whom you know that you can call on for anything. They are people with whom there are shared stories, deep trust and unconditional love.

There is a story in John’s gospel that starts with this line, “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.”  And John’s gospel emphasises this through each personal encounter with Jesus.

We are told several times in this story that Jesus loved Lazarus.  The sisters send a message to Jesus to say that “the one you love is ill”.  As Jesus wept the crowd say, “see how he loved him”.  Martha and Mary deeply loved their brother, and Jesus obviously loved him too.  This is love that doesn’t turn away when the loved one is sick or dying – it is a love that turns up at these times.

Through the story, Lazarus doesn’t say anything.  Love says it all.  Lazarus is known by name, and called out of the tomb by name.  And Jesus, who seemed to be absent earlier, is now very much present.

If you had been here …

We know the feeling of God being present … or at least not being distant.  We have had moments in our prayers or singing or living where God feels closer than our breathing.  They are moments when we are calmer, or more joyful or more alive.

But then there are these moments when we feel very, very alone.  Sometimes it seems like God is absent – like our prayers hit a ceiling and come crashing down around us.  It feels like darkness is closer than we want … and that God must have abandoned us. 

You thought you were the only one who felt this?  

Mary and Martha did.  The psalmist did.  Many of the old testament prophets did. And preachers, poets and prophets have done through the ages.  One wise man in the 15^th century, St John of the Cross described it as “The dark night of the soul”.  Doesn’t that say it all? The dark night of the soul.

What do we do when it happens?  Martha and Mary both take the opportunity to tell Jesus off!  “If you had been here …” I’m pretty sure it wasn’t in a nice voice either!  The Psalmist very clearly describes to God what he thinks, and reminds God of what he promised.  And that got published for people to read!

This is a faith that is bold enough to tell God what is going on in our hearts – in good times and bad. In the words of Psalm 23, its not all banquets and green fields. Sometimes we need to describe the valley of the shadow of death.  But we do so in faith that God is with us. In some way.

Jesus uses this phrase “I am” on seven different occasions in John’s gospel; I am the bread of life, the light of the world, … and here “the resurrection and the life.” These are statements that intentionally describe a present reality, not something we need to wait for until after death. These are signs that point to Jesus as God’s presence with them.  They are John’s version of the Kingdom of God.  For John, Jesus’ presence NOW is that kingdom.  And that presence is Resurrection and life – and the “I am” says that at least a part of that is available now.  It is a lived reality.  Martha operated under the assumption that real living, real life with God, starts after death.

Death is a reality too. I’ve been privileged to walk alongside people in their final moments or days.  My faith rests on an assurance that whatever is beyond death, God is present.  But it also rests on an assurance that God is present now.

Loved and living

Even in life there are deaths and tombs – places where people are bound and dying.  There is an invitation to us to be part of this story of resurrection. When Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb, the people need to “unbind” him.  There is a responsibility for us as a community to be involved in the lives of people, to be present where there is darkness and addiction, abuse, injustice, hopelessness and grief; and to offer that tender touch of grace and loving and gentle release from these deaths. Resurrection might seem impossible – for people who are called hope-less - but the gospel word is that there is new life and living to be found. Here and now.

“We are called to know people by name, to be in places of despair and pain in order to unleash the awesome power of love, and we are to walk beside each other, hand in hand, with the one who has loved us from the start.” – Rev Jennie Gordon

Beyond Supervision

They told me that I needed supervision in order to stay safe in my ministry.  As with many people, I did it because I was told to - and then found myself enjoying it and growing. I am committed to ongoing growth and learning, so supervision and its accountability have injected new life into my development.  But I have found myself questioning several assumptions about what we call "Supervision".

Supervision is a requirement of many of our organizations (and churches) for those engaged in working with people.  It gives opportunity for a person to reflect on their work, and the relationships within that, in a way that ensures effective and ethical work practice, and growth of the individual.

There are four different areas of supervision which I have identified, some of which can or do overlap. The following are my words and should be ‘reshaped’ for your own context!

a. Spiritual Direction: This is seen as necessary in an organisation where leadership is selected and maintained by a Spiritual focus.
b. Supervision: The art of working with a person on their work, with a particular focus often on the various relationships
c. Mentoring: Often done by a person who has ‘been there – done that’ and can provide some assistance and direction when facing questions about direction or actions.
d. Management Supervision: Looks at areas of time management, staff management, some leadership issues, recruitment etc. Where this is done with executive staff (CEO’s etc), it can be termed ‘leadership coaching’

As I say, they all can overlap.  Some are more strategic for some jobs than others – e.g. a, b, c are essential for congregational ministers, while c & d may be better suited to a new CEO.

But beyond this lose definition, I'm not sure there is much agreement.  My critical reflections on this are around 3 key areas: Safety, Supervision and Spirituality, Coaching.

1.  Safety: I don't find that phrases like "keeping you safe" are all that helpful.  They assume a negative starting point, that those who don't do supervision are "unsafe", and that supervision has a force-field like quality that keeps you from harming others (but the power of the force-field runs out every month to 6 weeks!).

Supervision only 'works' in any sense when the person being supervised is open and vulnerable with their supervisor.  As long as I am hiding my 'addictions', supervision can't help me with them. Being open and accountable to a supervisor is a skill. These conversations are not always easy.  However the harder the work, the greater the potential for growth.  

A key phrase used by one of my supervisors was to have the courage to talk about those things that you would rather not talk about – to name the things you struggle with – and to continue to confront the areas where you are not strong!

The result of this is not to make you safer, but to make you more effective (and safer as a bi-product): Rather than learning not to tell lies, you learn to tell the truth; Rather than learning to bury your feelings more effectively, you become more comfortable with them.

If you would like to look at a description of Supervision, you'll find one here on the Mission Resourcing website. 

2. Supervision and Spirituality: Several years ago a friend and I talked about how 'clinical' supervision was frustratingly ineffective for ministers, as it didn't ask the question "So where is God in this?". I soon discovered that we were not the only ones struggling with this.  The reason for this struggle is clear; Ministry (and life in general) is not a series of separated activities.  In this case our 'God understanding' effects how (and why) we relate to others and ourselves - and therefore should be part of a supervision process.

So I worked with my Supervisor to put some Spiritual Direction type questions into our work.  It worked really well - and continues to. It makes sense that people in church work don't separate effectiveness in work and relationships from spiritual growth and understanding.

If you want to read some good material on Spiritual Direction, you will find it here on the Mission Resourcing website.

3. Coaching: Supervision will often work to draw out the answers from a supervisee's experience and background, rather than 'giving answers'.  This is great for building tools for reflection and growth, and avoiding dependency on others for solutions.  However sometimes I just don't have the resources - I have never been in that situation before.  The Counselling methods on which much modern supervision is based does not cope well with a 'coaching' function - but supervision by nature needs to cover a wide array of the known and unknown.

In those cases I need some coaching or mentoring.  Sometimes that comes from books or podcasts, but other times it comes from someone who can tell their stories (for example) of having dealt with a compulsive liar or a suicidal young person.

So part of the function of a person in supervision is to find enough people who can walk alongside them. And part of the function of the supervisor is to be flexible and clear when other methods of companionship are required.

I don't think one can or should find all 3 of these characteristics in one person.  But I do think that all 3 should be available to us on a regular basis - The Supervisor, Spiritual Director and Coach.

Which of these have you found to be the most helpful? How do you use supervision, spiritual direction, and coaching?   

Prayer and reflection in Holy Week

Note: This post is longer than normal.

Today is the Monday of Holy week - the week before Good Friday & Easter Sunday; Crucifixion & Resurrection.

This week gives a unique opportunity to allow a different pattern of prayer and listening to God to be part of our lives.  Holy Week gives an opportunity to listen to the stories of Jesus, the followers of Jesus and others in the lead up to Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday - and to allow those stories to speak to us in a way that is different to the normal pattern through the rest of the year.  

However for many of us to do this well means adopting a different model and habit of prayer.  

Here are some steps or habits you might consider for this week.

1. Set aside a chunk of quality, uninterrupted time every day.  

Intentionally put this in your diary or daily routine.  Give more time to this habit than normal - you might want to try 30-45 minutes. Doing this in the morning allows the readings, prayers and thoughts to speak often during the day.  Switch off email, mobile phone, landline and TGIF (Twitter, Google, iPhone, Facebook) and find a quiet place where you will not be distracted or interrupted.  It sounds easy, but for many of us doing it is much harder.

2. Gather some necessities before you start.

A Bible, the readings for the day (see below), pen or pencil and journal. You might want to have a small cross you can hold in your hand or a Palm Sunday flax cross or some other item that helps you focus your prayer. Tissues might come in handy too, as the stories of this week touch the deepest emotions we have! If you use the suggestions below, you will want a device to play the reflections (iPod/mp3 player/cd player).  Setting an alarm means you won't need to look at a clock or watch constantly. You might choose to sit or kneel - helpful if you have a prayer stool!

Creating a ‘prayer space’ is a good way of entering this prayer – a specific corner of a room in your house.  Collect images, icons, pictures and other items through which the meaning of this time can be made more real for you.  Some of these might be contemporary pictures from the newspaper, remembering that the passion of Christ is for the world.

For some people, their prayer space may be a familiar, quiet walking route – maybe repeating a simple prayer phrase like “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom”

3. Find a ritual to start your prayer time

Light a candle; take a couple of deep, slow breaths; pick up your pen, write the date in your journal and then put the pen and journal down - Anything that engages your heart and mind into ‘changing gear’ and being in a different space. 

4. Bring yourself to the scriptures

Approach the scriptures with an attitude that allows them to speak to your heart.  Read the scripture out loud, slowly, a couple of times.  This is not sermon preparation time, but a space for God to reach deep into your head, heart and emotions.  Prayer enlarges our consciousness of God and the world, and deepens compassion; it changes the one who prays.

5. Get together with others who pray

Look out for a church that offers a Tenebrae service (Service of Shadows, normally held on Holy Thursday) and Good Friday service.  Attending a service that someone else is leading allows you to relax and experience the story for yourself.

Ways to pray and meditate in Holy Week

1. Gospel Readings

You might want to listen to the introduction to Holy Week from Pray As You Go;  "The best way to pray this week is simply to follow it, content to receive what God wants to give us.  Allow yourself to be taken on a journey - 'thy will be done'.  Let scripture take you on this road.  Be attentive to the details of scripture and trust yourself to it.  Don’t fill up your prayer with too many words - let each period of prayer begin simply by asking for the grace of this week, to be close to Christ as he does his father's will - to touch something of the mystery of his life and love."

The Gospel readings for Holy week are

 Monday of Holy Week

March 25, 2013

 John 12:1-11

Tuesday of Holy Week

March 26, 2013

 John 12:20-36

Wednesday of Holy Week

March 27, 2013

 John 13:21-32

Maundy Thursday

March 28, 2013

 Holy Thursday

 John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Good Friday

March 29, 2013

 John 18:1-19:42

Holy Saturday

March 30, 2013

 Matthew 27:57-66

 or

 John 19:38-42

Holy Week Audio

I'm a fan of seeing and hearing. I often use the daily reflections from the (Irish) Jesuits, which can be found at Pray As You Go.  You can download individual reflections or the whole week to your computer. Or, if you have iTunes (Mac or Windows) or Juice, you can subscribe and have them come automatically.  Instructions for this are on the website.  

The link for the Holy Week reflections is http://www.pray-as-you-go.org/.  This week the reflections are 12-15 minutes long, with Good Friday being almost 17 minutes.

2. Stations of the Cross

Another pattern of scripture at this time are the Stations of the Cross.  These can be used in worship services and personal worship.  These stations are best engaged on Thursday or Friday of Holy week.

Again, the Jesuits have some very useful resources for personal prayer and reflection.  Here they provide 10 stations. Alternatively a local Catholic Church will probably be open, with  Stations available for contemplation.

3. Other Lenten Reflections

Another resource of short thoughts and reflections through the day is 

http://lentenreflections.org/

I wish you well in your journey with the passion of Christ through Holy Week.

A blessing

May you have ears and eyes to see God at work in yourselves and others

And hands and words ready to serve and witness.

And may the stories of Holy Week speak deeply to your heart and mind, leaving you changed and hope-ful.

Whisperers of hope

I have grown up with images of Evangelism that portray street preachers, megaphones, bible-thumpers and people going door to door giving out tracts - and it can be very difficult to imagine a different way. These were the images and models I was given in my formative years as a young disciple - like they were the only way.

While many of us have (for better or worse) abandoned that way of speaking our faith, the gospel keeps poking us with an imperative to speak of our faith. With words.  So how can we 'talk' the gospel in ways that are more natural, more loving, more honest? 

I'm exploring what it might mean to be a witness. I'm not avoiding the "E" word totally; I'm trying to reframe it in biblical terms. Acts 1.8 talks about the followers of Jesus 'being witnesses'; Matthew 28.18 talks of 'making disciples'. Neither of these phrases talk of converting or evangelizing. Both focus on the task at hand, not the end result. Both imply that the task belongs to everyone. 

One of the ways in which witness holds my attention is that it seems more of a relational term. It has unhelpfully been used as a verb ("I'm going out to witness"), when its intention is as a noun - a word that describes one's being. Being a witness means being in relationship

This phrase grabbed my attention in a sermon recently;

"We do not shout the gospel from afar: We whisper it in the ear".

In order to whisper, we need to get close to a person; 

inside their personal space; 

with their permission.  

To do this, we must have built a certain level of trust; 

trust that is both given and received; 

trust that takes time and shared experiences to build. 

It is a kind of trust that requires respectfulness of the other.  That sort of closeness is vulnerable, intimate and personal.

Whispers are not long speeches. 

They can be as short as a word or two, or as long as a short story. 

Whispers are not read, they come from the heart. 

They allow time for thinking and response.  

Whispers can come in all sorts of ways.

Ric Stott, in the D:Sign podcast from the Methodist Church in Great Britain (Scroll down to find this one - The D:Sign Podcast: Ric Stott, 23 December 2011) talks about his ministry as an art therapist, but especially his experiences painting and drawing in public places where people will come and watch and talk. (This 20 minute podcast is worth taking time over a  cup of coffee to listen to).  Ric talks about the work of the church not as evangelism, but as creating life-giving communities of people centered around Jesus Christ.  

In this context witness, relationships and these whispers are important.

From the beginning a genuine witness watches and listens before speaking - they take the time to observe what God is doing in others lives, and whisper gently and hope-fully.

Question: In what ways have you seen "whispers" of witness contribute to the creation of this life-giving community of people centered on Jesus Christ?  You can leave a comment below.