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There is a song written some time ago titled, “Mary Did You Know.”  Here is a sample of the lyrics. “Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?  Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?  This child that you have delivered will soon deliver you.”

I think the song is beautiful and it has become somewhat of a classic.  But the questions raised by the lyrics are answered in Luke’s Gospel. We learn through the Gospel of Luke that Mary did indeed know that the child growing within was very special and one of a kind.  

God told her she would bear a child that would change everything and direct the course of history.  Indeed this has been the case. While Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection tell us that God’s spirit is ever present, we are forgiven, we need not live alone on our on our own power, death is nothing to fear, and eternity beyond description awaits each of us, there is something else to remember from Mary and her life.

As far as we know, Mary lived on the margins, was poor, and certainly had little if any influence of the forces affecting her life.  But one day God made a decision to come into the world, into a very messy world, into the life of a very ordinary person, in order to initiate a new covenant, a new understanding, a new way of doing things with human kind.  When God did so, his message to Mary was clear and powerful.

In essence, when Mary birthed Jesus, God was telling Mary the following.  “I love you Mary. I created you. You matter profoundly to me. And I have something very special for you to do.”  Mary understood these things which is why she broke out in song, “Oh how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

While this was Mary’s story, I believe this Christmas it is important to remember it is our story as well.  Although we will not give birth to the Savior of humankind, by coming into the world as God did, God’s message to each of us is the same one Mary understood.  God says to each of us, “I love you. I created you. You profoundly matter to me. And I have very special things for you to do on my behalf.”

Knowing, believing and trusting these things transformed Mary’s life and enabled her to endure through pain and thrive when things were going well.   Knowing she was loved, mattered, and had a Godly purpose sustained her through the ups and downs of life. And I believe the very same is the case for you and for me.

Regardless of our lot in life or what we have done or where we are in our faith journey, God loves us, created us, we matter profoundly to God, and God has things for each of us to do day in and day out for God. l  I invite you to join me in praying about this truth because when we embrace it, it changes not only how we live, but how we overcome.

Merry Christmas

With the arrival of the Advent season this weekend, we begin our new church year.  Many churches internationally use the same church calendar. This helps us not only remember and reflect upon key events in Jesus’ life and that of the early church, but enables Christians all over the world to be focused upon similar biblical stories day in and day out creating a synergy among followers of Jesus.

Advent, which means coming, is the season in which we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth while anticipating His return. Other seasons include Epiphany, Lent, Pentecost etc., each with specific focal points.  On a side note, you may notice that our wall hangings and the stoles clergy wear all reflect the current season. You will notice an abundance purple now in the Chapel, which is the color representing Advent.

Advent becomes more meaningful as we engage and immerse ourselves in a sense of anticipation not only for Jesus coming again, but for His daily arrival in our daily joys and sorrows. Advent also is, of course, when people all over America feel enhanced pressure and distress over all the demands of the season, both real and perceived.  And as we approach Christmas, which is joyful for many, I invite us all to keep squarely in view that this can be a brutal time of year for others.

Grief, loss, physical illness and family separation exacerbate emotional upset, but so does mental illness.  Mental illness is widespread in our country. Sadly, pervasive effective treatment does not yet exist in all areas and potent stigmas remain.  CS Lewis once wrote, “Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden.  It is easier to say ‘My tooth is aching’ than to say ‘My heart is broken.’”

As we begin this season of Advent, I invite us all to be sensitive to those around us who are struggling and to be intentional with our sensitivity. While how to do this is beyond the scope of this blog, remember that listening rather than speaking, being empathic rather than offering advice, asking questions rather than making assumptions, simply taking the time to be present without an agenda and diligently praying for the person, all go a long way as we join others in their healing journey.

A great gift we can give to others is to invite them to share and bring their pain into, and alongside of, the joy we may be feeling during the season. This is why Paul wrote, “When others are happy, be happy with them.  If they are sad, share their sorrow.” (Romans 12:15 TLB) While there is much work to be done with regard to mental illness, there is much that each of us can do to help alleviate and share the burden of others. Know that I along with our entire Snowmass Chapel team are here to help.

Jesus’ loving presence in our lives is the greatest gift of all, and we can share that gift with those who need it the most.  After all, the reason for the season is precisely this: Jesus came into the world to end destruction, pain and suffering. He came to mend a broken world and to heal our broken hearts. The true meaning of Christmas is that God has come near to us in our suffering. Often, His presence is felt most palpably in the presence of someone who cares.

Recently I came across an article written a few years ago by Tullian Tchividjian.  The title of the article is “Theology of Glory vs. Theology of the Cross.” These terms have been around at least since the 1500’s when Martin Luther wrote about these two ways of viewing God and human life.

While the reality that these two lenses exist through which to view our existence is complex and subject to much discussion, I like how Tchividjian summarizes them.

He writes, “Theologies of glory are approaches to Christianity and to life that try in various ways to minimize painful and difficult things or move past them rather than looking them square in the face and accepting them.  Theologies of glory acknowledge the cross, but view it primarily as a means to an end, an unpleasant but necessary step to personal improvement, the transformation of human potential…

A theology of glory prefers works to suffering, glory to the cross, strength to weakness, and wisdom to folly. A theology of glory operates on the assumption that what we need is some optimistic encouragement, some flattery, some positive thinking, some support to build our self-esteem.

A theology of the cross, in contrast, understands the cross to be the ultimate statement of God’s involvement in the world on this side of heaven. A theology of the cross accepts the difficult thing rather than immediately trying to change it or use it.  It looks directly into pain. A theology of the cross defines life in terms of giving rather than taking, self-sacrifice rather than self-protection, dying rather than killing. Such theology shows us we win by losing, triumph through defeat, and we become rich by giving ourselves away.”

If we spend time thinking about these two perspectives, you can see them play out in the lives of people day in and day out by where people focus, how people speak, and how people approach life. It has also been said that third world countries tend to adopt more of a theology of the cross than first world countries do.  In fact, it is suggested that first and third world countries need to more closely understand and appreciate such differences in perspective.

Wherever one is with regard to these two approaches to life and God, I believe it is essential to embrace them both.  If we don’t, we can become desensitized to pain and distort reality to such a point we become blind to widespread massive suffering. Conversely, we can focus so much on pain we can lose hope and our ability to see God powerfully acting in the world for good in amazing ways.

The theology of the cross reminds us who saves us and that we are wholly dependent upon God, while the theology of glory causes us to remember the talents God has given each of us to use in changing what is wrong in order to continue to bring about what is right. The theologies of the cross and the glory remind me too that while the sun sets, it also rises and that when the sun rises, it also sets.

Our views about ourselves, our opinions, our politics, our way of relating to God and others are all influenced by these two perspectives.  I invite us all to see the necessary wisdom in both.

This last week, 17 of us from the Chapel had the opportunity to spend some time along the border in El Paso, Texas, my hometown. El Paso is part of my soul as are the people of Mexico and their magnificent culture. My family has lived in that region since the late 1800’s. It was an eye-opening experience for many as was the intention, including the fact that it is one of the safest cities in the US, despite the deadly conditions in neighboring Ciudad Juarez.

Our time was spent walking along the border wall, meeting with the Mayor, as well as with the Director of a bi-national health care operation and an Art Director. We also served at a food bank distribution center, and visited with local people from both the US and Mexico, many of whom I have known for years. Our discussions in Spanish, broken English, and Spanglish were enlightening and honest. In addition, we spent three nights in an area of El Paso called the Segundo Barrio, one of the poorest places in the US. Despite the poverty, there is much pride among the residents of the area and I had zero concern for our safety, even though we were five blocks from the border.

The house in which we stayed is owned by a school named Lydia Patterson Institute. It was formed in the early 1900’s as a Methodist Church outreach to boys from Mexico and South El Paso. The purpose was to teach English and train the boys for future ministry. In fact, Lydia Patterson Institute is where ESL programs were created and started.

Today, Lydia Patterson is a day school for boys and girls, grades 7-12. Three-hundred of the 350 students live in Juarez, Mexico, a stone’s throw from the school campus. The students, some of whom live in cardboard shacks with pallets, rise early and walk to one of the international bridges close to the school. On the bridge they wait between one and four hours to cross on foot, legally. We met the students at the bridge early one morning and walked with them to the campus.

The vast majority of the students are on scholarship as their family members at home, if they are employed, have little to nothing. Scholarships come for the Methodist church and private donors and tuition is $500 per month.

The children were respectful, kind, loving, full of life and motivated. Ninety-nine percent of the kids graduate from 12th grade at Lydia Patterson and 98 percent go on to college in the US and Mexico. Many graduates of the school accomplish extraordinary things upon completion of college.

All of us visiting were deeply impressed by their character, strength, integrity, motivation, courage, and commitment. We reflected how much children in the US have to learn from these kids who have to go through so much just to get to class each day. Sure, kids are kids, but these students respect their teachers, don’t complain, have no sense of entitlement, and drugs and alcohol are a zero problem.

One morning we spent time in the school Chapel with about 50 students hearing their stories in English. What we heard was deeply moving and awe-inspiring. In the midst of this time, the students became aware of the fact that one woman traveling with us was celebrating her birthday. She is a parishioner at the Chapel and is from Guadalajara. Spontaneously the students stood and began to sing “Las Mananitas,” a traditional song in Spanish. When the song ended, without any prompt, all 50 children surrounded our parishioner and gave her a group hug to celebrate her life. All were moved to tears by this expression of selfless love.

Near the end of the trip, one person said to me, “It is impossible to know what we have experienced living so far from the border. You must experience it to even begin to have a glimpse about what those living on the border are like.”

I believe that regardless of where one is politically or philosophically on concerns that divide us on border issues, one thing is very clear to me. The rubber meets the road as we follow Jesus precisely in those places in which there is the most pain, dissension, division, misunderstanding, and heartache. It is in such places we encounter a mirror that shows us where each of us is in our walk with the Risen One who is love.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  Paul wrote these words to the people living in an area called Galatia long ago. His words really are quite extraordinary if you think about the culture at the time in which women had few if any rights.  I have never understood patriarchal societies, inequality of any kind between the sexes, nor limiting the roles that men and women can have.

I am who I am because of the women in my life.  Women have shaped who I have become in every area of my life.  I have been blessed not only by an extraordinary wife and daughters and of course a son, but I have been taught and mentored by astonishing women over the years.  This in part, is why I have always loved the Book of Esther. What a hero she was.

Esther’s story is about a woman, a woman of courage, guts, and doing the right thing even when the consequences of doing so could have been catastrophic.  But in addition to Esther, there are so many stories of amazing courageous women throughout scripture, so astonishing in fact it is unbelievable that any church got started without having women at the top of leadership.  Many of the greatest leaders, passionate faith followers, and engagers of bold action in the Bible were women.

Take the Samaritan woman at a well in John’s Gospel.  She was a foreigner and part of a despised religion. And yet, she does not run from a man named Jesus.  Instead she engages him, questions him, and takes the news of who he is to disparaging men. Take Deborah, an amazing leader at a critical time who was instrumental in military victories that freed the people of Israel.  Take Hannah who boldly prayed to God over and over again and dedicated her son to God’s service.

Take Abigail whose husband nastily rejected a request from King David.  It was Abigail who intervened in the situation with tremendous courage and insight that kept David from murderous revenge.  Take Mary, the mother of Jesus, who praised God in spite of the surface odds against her. Take Ruth who put commitment and integrity ahead of her personal interests.  Take Mahlah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah who went to Moses over a land distribution issue. Their actions expanded the rights of women when such actions were unheard of.  And the list goes on and on and on.

I share these stories because I believe we have a long way to go in our country when it comes, not only to eliminating discrimination based on gender, including within many communities of faith, but that men in particular need to continue working on speaking less and listening more.  

Not long ago I joined the Board of Response, the organization whose purpose is to support, educate and empower survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.  Tragically such issues are rampant in the Roaring Fork Valley. I believe we are compelled by our walk with Jesus to respond and confront these issues head on.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month  Quoting from Response, “The purpose of DVAM month is mourn those who have died because of domestic violence, celebrate those who have survived and to engage communities with those who work to end domestic abuse. Domestic Violence – or Intimate Partner Violence –  is a pattern of abusive behaviors including physical, sexual, and psychological attacks as well as economic coercion that are used by one intimate partner against another to gain or maintain power and control in a relationship. Batterers use a range of tactics to frighten, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, blame and often injure and sometimes kill a current or former intimate partner.”  

Eighty-five percent of victims are women and 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes.  It is also important to point out that men too suffer from inexcusable rates of domestic violence.

All of us are called, I believe, as people of faith, to celebrate and uphold women in our lives as fully equal partners, and work to model listening more than speaking and then acting upon what we hear from those who have suffered in a culture that often turns the other way in disbelief.

Shortly after my mom died at age 95 in July, my wife Regina found the following letter in my mother’s desk drawer. Her letter is a brief reflection on her three sons, one of whom is gay. While there is much within the letter, at its core, it reflects not only who my mom was, but the essence of Matthew 22: 36-40. I love my brothers and I love and miss my mom.

Written some time ago by Mardee de Wetter:

“On this small earth, we equally receive the love of God. But as the world sees, we are differently disposed. Some of us have lived the simplest sort of lives, cradled from the beginning by loving parents, growing up in ways that pleased. We had the opportunity to meet and fall in love with God’s own choice for us. We spent our lives in chosen fidelity and in constant love for one another.

When children were born to us, one grew up worldly-wise and made his way, living by prescribed civic rules, honored because of his many contributions and loved by his wonderful wife and children. One was born with great sensitivity and spiritual gifts with which to become a pastor, a preacher of unique ability. He too had the great love of his wife and children. Then among the three sons one was born with a difference, though his talent and intellect told us at once he was gifted.

This special one, the creative child, found his rather lonely place among those who compose the music, play the instruments, paint the art, and pen the books. He learned to fend for himself in a world so hostile that those of us who live in pristine elegance of spirit never know their pain.

Every once in a while God looks down and selects a family, so sublimely blessed with understanding that He says, ‘Ah, here are those that will welcome this child of mine and learn of him and love him. They will always cherish him as my own child, vouchsafed to them. He, in turn, will open doors for all of them as many lives are better for his touch.’

Does it matter then that the self-righteous Pharisees offer him condemnation? Does it matter that the church which nurtured him through childhood now renounces him? Does it matter that he who served his church in its choir, as an acolyte, as a vestryman now finds rejection? It must not matter, because in the end this is God’s world and Jesus takes each one of us unto his breast and comforts us. Our family, learning through its pain, has found that all God’s people are intended to share His Rule of Love, as Jesus, our persecuted Savior, taught the Way.”

Claire Wineland had a national social media following and it is no wonder given her character, strength and wisdom.  She died this last week following a 21 year long struggle with Cystic Fibrosis. I never had the blessing or opportunity to meet her, but I wish I had.  Near the end of her life, Claire, as quoted on CNN, said, “Go enjoy your life. Really. I mean that seriously. Go enjoy it because there are people fighting like hell for it.”

These are powerful words worth not only reflection, but incorporation.  For a number of years I had the privilege of working in oncology with both staff and patients when I was a psychologist.  So many of those I worked with, in essence, said the same thing Claire Wineland did as she neared the end of her life.

Enjoying life is not a self-centered, egocentric, narcissistic stance.  Rather it is an approach to day to day living that is based on a heart of gratitude. I believe if more of us woke each morning with gratitude and began our days with such intention, we would find our culture to be vastly different than what we are experiencing now.  

Fighting, caustic commentary, negativity, hostility, division, hatred, and quick reactivity is not reflective of people who are living from a place of gratitude.  Yes we can have passions and convictions, but who said we need to be so ugly about it all. I believe gratitude, while not a panacea, would address much that ails what has been happening in the country.  

Gratitude is not a denial of what is wrong.  Gratitude is not about sticking our heads in the sand. Gratitude is not about inaction.  Rather gratitude enables us to face difficult and complex problems from a vastly different place in our hearts and minds.  Gratitude can be a common ground from which we approach each day with an expectation for positive change, listening, empathy, and respect.   

And let us all remember that our walk with Jesus is all about gratitude whether we work as a server, in business, at a school, or even if we work in Washington at whatever level.  From beginning to end, scripture is filled with stories of gratitude and what happens when gratitude is lost and replaced by much of what we see happening in our nation today.

I invite you to join me in spending some time thinking about Claire’s words.  “Go enjoy your life. Really. I mean that seriously. Go enjoy it because there are people fighting like hell for it.”  Ponder how such a stance might lead us to gratitude and how gratitude could change everything in our own lives and those around us.

On Tuesday, July 3rd, at 6:30 PM, I was at Snowmass Chapel preparing for my Gospel Choir Rehearsal when I received a call from one of our housemates:  “There is a fire.  We are being evacuated.  What can I grab for you?”