Tag: jesus

Fully open for Christmas day.

Lenten devotionals offered at church have become one of my favorite pieces of literature each spring.  A great way to help set the tone for the forty day journey.  And now, Advent devotionals have  found a similar place of prominence in my heart.  

There is so much to the words that have been chosen to detail and reveal faith.  And as I have told a close friend on numerous occasions, each time I am present for a reading or the homily, I hear something new.  Another nugget of the greater lesson to consider and add to my understanding.  Words that if taken to heart and applied to life, affirm grace and provide peace 

Take “adventus” for example. 

The Latin word from which advent was born.  The Catholic Exchange takes it a few steps farther:

“Adventus is a form of the verb advenio which is defined not only as arrive, come to, but also as develop, set in, and arise. Adventus itself also refers to an invasion, incursion, ripening, and appearance—all denotations that are rich with implications for the gospel accounts of Christ.

So if you think about it,  the rhyme for this season is not only centered on an arrival, or the coming.  But in a deeper sense, it has everything to do with development.  Incursion.  And ripening. 

Advent is about developing a rhythm of life that instills purpose within the waiting.  It is about allowing the words to find their way not just into your head through your ears.  But into your soul through your heart.  Letting them nurture and sustain you throughout the coming weeks – and beyond. 

So that your faith can grow and bloom in full. 

Fully open for Christmas day.

“Meno.”

I have found great joy in reading the gospel each morning in three different versions, emailed to me overnight. Each provides one with some key insights to ponder for the day to come and really gets those creative juices flowing. As you can probably tell. Presenting me with words I was kind of aware of, thought I understood, but really did not know from Adam.

Sorry. Helps sustain my humerous daddus affliction. But I digress…

This morning in the first reading  of 1 Maccabees 2:15-29, there was a retelling of the enforcement of a king’s apostasy and Mattathias’ reaction.

Akin to the mother and her seven sons and how they chose the after life in lieu of an affirmation of not only a false prophet but false view of life.

I went back to “apostasy” and discovered the origins, the Greek word “apostasia” meaning “defection, rebellion or abandonment”. Recalling my fondness for Etymology class with Mr. Paris in high school back in the 70’s, I went a little deeper. Who knew today would start with some archeology.

“Apostasia” is formed from a prefix “apo” meaning “away from” and the verb “histemi” meaning “to stand”. “Thus, the literal meaning is to stand away from”. 

Since this was first written long, long ago it has taken on a variety of meanings each of which are related to discarding ones faith. At this moment of of my personal reclamation project, however, I prefer to apply it from its original, literal meaning.

“To stand away from”.

My apostasia involves standing away from the ill conceived habits and thoughts that took me away from my true self. Beholding the notion that I had all of the answers and that I could do everything for everybody. Equipped with the double edged sword that is ego, I wounded humility for the sake of pride. All of which simply made me an island, surrounded by an ocean that ebbed with low self esteem and flowed with no forgiveness.

But as I have increasingly sacrificed the tenets of a choices poorly made and a life ill lived, a true fellowship beckons. One that called to the mother and seven sons. One that touched Mattathias and the multitudes of those that have followed. Removing me from a self-designed poverty and enriching me with an altogether serene and peaceful wholeness.

You may not realize it at first, but when you simply let go and stand away from what you were, you can genuinely become what you are meant to be.

My “apostasia” began with moving away from being alone as self-induced outcast. It has since evolved into allowing Him in and truly living.

“Meno”.

With him.

Today’s reflection shared a story of a mother and her seven sons from the book of 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31. They were being tormented, tortured and murdered by Antiochus, one by one, one in front of the other, because they would not give themselves up to what he said they needed to be. Despite his vain offers of false glory, prestige, standing and power, to a person they deferred and accepted their end on earth so that they may live on in eternity.

I don’t think it is so much that I am looking for new meanings in things I hear or read. After spending much of my life headed in my direction, because I wanted to, of course because I am right and the rest of you can deal with it, let’s just say that my commanding, know it all inner Antiochus voice now has some truly loving company. Offering a more compelling way of living out my days.

When you hear things in that tone and tenor, it is like taking a deep breath, taking a step back, removing the “life vision goggles” and experiencing the moment as it truly is.

Wonderful.

That is, wonder-full.

The voice of Antiochus that had ruled my way of being and was intent on doing so for the rest of it has faded into the noise of the background. Another, that had been patiently waiting in the wings has resonated in my soul and spirit, in a symphony of love and understanding. It is that voice I now hear. One that has overcome the cacophony of selfishness, ego and self-righteousness.

So you can never really know when something totally life changing will occur. The latest one for me was today at about 7:29 AM, in the kitchen, watching the sun come up. With any luck, maybe there will be a return engagement later this morning, afternoon or tonight when the stars come out.

The Antiochus’ in your life may seem to be all powerful. But they consist of the things you really need not possess to fully live.

Tell him “no thank you”.

Embrace His voice.

Move towards life.

With Him.

I see.

“Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch; like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,  Was blind, but now I see.”

– John Newton 

This hymn swells my heart, fills my soul and wells up my eyes with true gratitude.  Speaks to the twin blessings of both a divine and self forgiveness.  How the sense of being saved rings true in a new found presence for life. 

Whatever the source of one’s  wretchedness,  state of sin, spiritual need, distress or desperate need for rescue and redemption, His presence, love  and loop of grace leads one to a saving source of repentance.  Bringing forth an entirely different sensory affirmation of life in the world about us.  An unmistakable melody of gratitude heightened by a new found vision. 

Being lost is an orientation far more than simply geographical.  It may not be readily apparent from an external perspective.  But internalized, it can assume  an excruciatingly  painful and perilously winding nature, replete with false starts, stops and changes in direction.  Dishonesty, self righteousness and a self absorbing sense of ego leads one to isolation and a perpetual nonexistence.  Being present, engaged and invested are exchanged for absence, disconnection and apathy.  

With renewed vision and a truer recognition of this existence  born of His grace, that blindness gives way to an awareness of life and all it is meant to be.  That loop born of His mercy for you  is such that when you witness and receive  it for yourself, you cannot help but to embrace the thoughts, words and deeds that can be freely given to those around you, so they might too  live it for themselves.  

Given the circumstances of the author of this replenishing hymn and that of the author of this post, we can all enslave others or enslave ourselves by and through sin.  No matter our origin, that we all share in common.  That is what gives us our original nature.

And as such, He encircles us with true redemption through grace in a heavenly embrace.  A gift that once received that is intended to be given back.  Not in terms of or in the form of a transaction. But just as freely as we ourselves were compensated as such. As a gift.

So that we all may know the sweetness of its sound.  And follow its path leading our way back into His light.  

Was truly blind.  

But now?

I see.  

For serving them is truly serving yourself.

We are all a part of a much bigger purpose. 

Take a moment and reflect on just how many are involved in this event. 

Despite that fact, we are all just bit players, none more important than the other.  Each role that we play in this worldly act can have a tremendous impact on those all around us.   Appreciating and honoring our role in the grand production called “life” and how our performance can help or harm those around us is the true essence of humility. 

Humility is the trait that allows those that serve to lead to raise the level of those around them, by genuinely making it all about them. This is not as easy as it sounds.  This requires letting go – a surrendering of a portion of your self  – so that others may rise to their potential.  It means that you might have to learn to do without something you cherish, so that those around you can have it for themselves. 

“Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself.”

Charles H. Spurgeon

Ultimately, humility is one of the most powerful building blocks of a servant approach to leadership. It establishes a lasting and powerful connection between individuals. And it is through that sustaining linkage, that a powerful bond is not just born, but grown.

A true leader not only understands but embraces the importance and value of those around him.  Everyone has a role to play, and none should be diminished in order to raise another.  Those that need raising cannot be brought up due to whim or fairness. That elevation needs to be earned, and the effort genuinely recognized. 

When it comes to humility, as Pastor Spurgeon offered, much is made of “making the right estimate of oneself”.  What is making the right estimate of one-self?  Does it mean that you should not have confidence in your abilities?  That you should try any less?  That you are not worthy?

No, on the contrary.  It simply means that you recognize your role and that without others – with their varying abilities and talents – you cannot fulfill your true potential.

Thinking of them more never means you think less of yourself.

For serving them is truly serving yourself.