Lection Reflections: The First Sunday in Lent

"Lection Reflections" is a short review of the themes of the coming Sunday's scripture readings as written in the Common Lectionary, Year B. For more information on the Lectionary, and how it can work to aid your Bible knowledge, click here!

The scripture readings in Lent invite our attention to a God whose work is the salvation of His creatures.

Psalm 25 is a Psalm of David, and is a prayer for protection, but is also a plea for God's guidance and pardon.

Genesis 9: 8-17 recalls the covenant of the rainbow, which is God's promise to never again destroy the earth by water and flood. Having lived for a time in Hawaii -- and enjoying every opportunity since to visit -- I saw rainbows nearly every day. In fact, until sometime around 2000, the University of Hawaii "mascot" was the rainbow!

It is worth noting that the rainbow described in Genesis is set "in the cloud." In the Bible, clouds are significant signs of God's presence, such as the 40-year sojourn of the Children of Israel in the wilderness where, by day, God led them with a cloud. Additionally, Jesus ascended to heaven in a cloud, and is to return in the same manner, according to Acts 1: 9-11.

I Peter 3: 18-22 addresses the "true, saving, baptism." Again, we see the theme of God's saving work as baptism is viewed, both in scripture and in the tradition of the Christian church, as a sign of becoming a part of God's family, and therefore under God's salvation and protection.

Finally, Mark 1: 9-13 (a portion of which was in the 1st Sunday after the Epiphany reading, so it may sound familiar) addresses the progression of baptism to affirmation to temptation to companionship with God -- even in the wilderness!

This scripture, which records Jesus' temptation by Satan in the deserted place, provides a model for Christian disciples. Beginning with baptism, Jesus is affirmed His father, but it doesn't end there. He is led into the wilderness by the Spirit of God and faces temptation by the master tempter along the three primary temptations of humanity: Pride, power, and sensuality (also known as the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life).

What is worth noting here is that although in the wilderness, facing temptation and deprivation, God is with Jesus, and offers His protection from the "wild beasts," and his comfort through His angels. The implicit message here, I think, is that God will do no less for us -- even while we face temptation and are undergoing trial.

All together, a great lesson for Lent!

Have a great Sunday!

The Party is Over; Bring on the Ashes

Today is Ash Wednesday, and it could not have come at a better time.

Of course, Ash Wednesday occurs every year, but until recently, most of us were not much interested in self-reflection, self-denial, and repentance for our trespasses against both God and others.

In a teleological sense ("teleology" being a 50-cent philosophical word for "end purpose"), we are all headed to the ash pit. It is the common denominator of human existence: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," are the words one usually hears during worship services as ashes are imposed on one's forehead. It is a solemn reminder of our common origins, our common humanity, and our common mortal destiny.

I understand why some people do not like days like Ash Wednesday, where fasting, self-reflection, and repentance is expected. No one wants to go hungry, or confront the private ugliness we've conveniently overlooked, or to turn our back to the things that give us temporary pleasure at the expense of our eternal destiny.

Whomever it was who scheduled President Barack Obama's televised address to the United States Congress on Mardi Gras - the last day of Carnivale -- is a communications genius. With growing numbers of American homeowners at risk of foreclosure, a banking sector with foundering confidence, and state and local governments on the brink of insolvency, it is clear that the "good times" of easy credit, opaque banking operations, and "best case only" government financial calculations have rolled to a stop.

We will yet again find the path to prosperity. Just as the "party" did not last forever, neither shall our time in the difficult task of getting out of the hole we've created for ourselves.

But, today, we are in a fix: Socially and spiritually; metaphorically and literally. In each sphere, the solution is the same: Self-denial, self-reflection, and repentance. So, for the sake of our temporal and eternal salvation: Bring on the ashes.

Not Only the "Heathen" Got Burned

One lesson of the Washington National Cathedral (see photo) that was lost on several other Washington-area churches is the wisdom of pay-as-you-go.

According to this morning's Washington Post newspaper, more than a few local congregations are in a bad way because of partnerships with property developers that -- in this challenging economic time -- have delivered far less than was promised. (Please click here to see the Post story.)

On a recent visit to the Cathedral, I was reminded that its construction was never permitted to get ahead of its financing. It may have taken 83 years to complete the job, but there is something to be said for both having a great house -- and no house payments.

I am more sympathetic than was one reader to the plight of the property-rich, but cash-poor, congregants featured in the newspaper story. Posting a comment in the online version of the story, "Bill," quoting Psalm 7:15, said: "He has dug a pit and hollowed it out, and has fallen into the hole which he made."

This story also reminds us that the current economic reckoning is adversely affecting even the kindest, best-intentioned, of souls, and that not only the "heathen" have gotten burned.

OOPS: Comments and Calendars!

My apologies to those of you who have been trying to post comments: In the set-up for the blog, I inadvertently set the feature so that even I couldn't leave a comment! It has now been corrected, so you may -- if you wish -- register your comments on my old postings, and leave your comments on any future postings. (To leave a comment, click on the "comment" line at the end of the post, and you'll be on you way!) I am really looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

I also apologize for getting lost in the church year. As you know, each week I post a synopsis of the coming Sunday's readings from the Common Lectionary. Somewhere along the way, I lost a couple of weeks, and posted the wrong readings for the coming Sunday. Imagine my surprise this morning when the readings in worship were different from what I had said on Friday were the readings for the 7th Sunday after the Epiphany! I know, I know, if only the comment feature were working properly. . .

Sorry for the inconvenience! Thank for your patience!

Lection Reflections: 7th Sunday after the Epiphany

"Lection Reflections" is a short review of the themes of the coming Sunday's scripture readings as written in the Common Lectionary, Year B. For more information on the Lectionary, and how it can work to aid your Bible knowledge, click here!

Any one of this Sunday's readings could easily become the text for your preacher's sermon.

The reading from the Psalms (32) addresses the blessedness of divine forgiveness, and trust in God. It begins: "How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." Since we've all been on the wrong end of wrong, we all ought to be able to appreciate the relief of being forgiven.

Isaiah 43: 18-25 is the Old Testament reading for the day, and concerns Israel's shortcomings as regards its dealings with God, particularly in the area of what I call "relationship maintenance." To be sure, the personal nature of the divine-human relationship requires the investment of time and attention. However, Israel had become distracted, and Isaiah calls the people to repent of their ways. Certainly, the blessedness written about in Psalm 32 can, once again, become the gift of the Children of Israel -- and for us.

II Corinthians 1: 18-22 is the Epistle reading. It reminds us that Jesus is God's personal delivery on His promises.

Finally, the Gospel reading (Mark 2: 1-12) relates the story of the healing of a paralyzed man. It is a remarkable story -- not only because of the miraculous healing, which alone was God's work -- but because of the indomitable faith of the unnamed persons carrying the paralytic, who overcame human and physical obstacles to present the man to Jesus.

I hope that you will hear a message from one of these texts on Sunday, any one of which will encourage your resolve to walk more closely with Jesus. On the other hand, if your preacher chooses more than one of these texts to fully explore, eat a good breakfast. It could be a long morning.

Have a great Sunday!

A Friend Remembered: Brad Ableson

My friendship with Bradford E."Brad" Ableson began 20 years ago when the U. S. Navy ship he was serving as chaplain visited Hong Kong.

As the chaplain assigned to the U. S. Navy Contracting Department in the then-British Crown Colony, I was a member of the party that greeted each visiting U. S. warship. Maybe it was the fact that we were both from the great "fly-over" land more commonly known as the Great Plains (he from Oklahoma, and I from Kansas); or maybe it was that we were both Navy chaplains having the time of our young lives in the Western Pacific theater, but we spent a lot of time together during his ship's five day port visit.

Brad was witty, irreverent, insightful, intellectual, and deeply spiritual: Qualities not commonly found in coexistence in clergy (especially in my case, which made Brad all the more fun to be with). He was a man of great accomplishments: Graduating from the Yale Divinity School (the photo above was taken from a recent Yale Divinity School newsletter), and the Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta, where he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree. However, Brad would never tell you these things. You'd have to read it, or hear it, elsewhere. (Click here to read more!)

I remember meeting Brad and his lovely wife, Julia, in the San Francisco International Airport during one of my many stop-overs between Hong Kong and Kansas. It was my first time meeting Julia. It was apparent that they not only loved one another, but that they loved being with one another.

Some ten years or so passed before Brad and I renewed our friendship. At that time, Brad was in the Navy Chief of Chaplains Office in Washington, D. C., and I was in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In the intervening years, he had served two tours with the Marine Corps, including time in combat during the first Gulf War; and he was the chaplain at the Presidential Retreat at Camp David during the Clinton administration.

When he landed in the Chief of Chaplains Office, he cheerfully became my greatest and most reliable source for information about the machinations of the Chaplain Corps. He would often preface his statements with the phrase, "The tom-toms are saying. . . "

Brad died at age 50 on Tuesday, February 17, after a long bout with cancer. (Click here for obituary.) We last saw each a year ago at a conference for senior Navy chaplains. It was going to be the last of the annual meetings for us, since Brad and I were retiring from active-duty long before the next one.

February 17 is also the 50th birthday anniversary of my brother, Olian Calvin Alexander. Is it ironic that as I celebrate the birthday of one brother, I mourn the death of another?

Certainly, the day is coming when I will again enjoy the company of all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Brad will be there. Indeed, Brad is there now.

A Picture's Worth: Taxes

Wichita, Kansas -- I saw this particularly appropriate message for the tax filing season over the weekend while visiting relatives in Kansas.

Lection Reflections: 6th Sunday after the Epiphany

"Lection Reflections" is a short review of the themes of the coming Sunday's scripture readings as written in the Common Lectionary, Year B. For more information on the Lectionary, and how it can work to aid your Bible knowledge, click here!

Students of Hawaiian history will find resonance with the two lectionary readings for Sunday that feature individuals afflicted with leprosy.

The 19th century Roman Catholic priest, Damien de Veuster, who is more commonly known as Father Damien, devoted his ministry -- and literally surrendered his life -- for persons cruelly quarantined on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. (Please click here for his biography.)

The Old Testament reading (II Kings 5: 1-15b), and the Gospel reading (Mark 1: 40-45) record the healing of two men with the disease we know today as Hansen's Disease. Before effective treatment for this disease was discovered in the 1930s, lepers were often segregated into colonies, and deprived of all social contact, including contact with family members. Quite literally, a leper could "never go home again."

While leprosy is the situation, the "cure" in the readings is an enduring faith in God.

Readers of these lections may also be challenged by the fact that the "faithful" in the Old Testament reading are not the Children of the Covenant, but are outsiders -- and even potential adversaries -- to the Israelites. On many levels, these readings challenge our thinking of how God works, and with whom God chooses to work.

Of the remaining two lections, the common thread is the necessity of "staying in the game."

The Psalm (42) is an encouragement to recall God's enduring faithfulness, even as one faces trial and trouble.

The Epistle (I Corinthians 9: 24-27) is a concluding thought from last week's lection, and should be considered together with that passage. Of interest in this brief passage is the repudiation of the idea, popular both then and now, that if good deeds out-number bad deeds, then one may be considered a "winner."

Using sports metaphors, Paul states that how one finishes is as critical as how one runs. Or, as contemporary sports notable Yogi Berra once said: "It ain't over, 'till it's over."

Okay! Keep your eye on the ball. Stay in the game. And have a great Sunday!

Professor Michael Phelps?

He may not be coming to a classroom near you any time soon, but Olympic champion Michael Phelps' continuing string of embarrassing, public -- and illegal -- behaviors brings to mind a quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt: "Learn from the mistakes of others; you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself."

No one should derive joy from the troubles of the 23-year old swimmer. He has been blessed with extraordinary athletic abilities, and he has put in the time and energy required to capitalize on those abilities. The result: A record eight gold medals in the 2008 Olympic Games and, as of this writing, seven world records in swimming.

Nor should we excuse his offenses -- which include underage drinking, and driving under the influence (2004); and his admission to having used marijuana after a British tabloid recently published a photograph of Phelps with his mouth on a bong (a water pipe).

What we can do is to learn from the mistake -- yes, mistake (singular) -- of Professor Phelps.

Phelps' critical error is in thinking that he is a common guy. He is not.

Most people are not widely known outside of their immediate circle of friends. He is. Most people -- let alone 23-year old people -- do not earn $5 million a year. He does. By any measure, Michael Phelps has been given much, but has failed to understand an axiom grasped by others, both prominent and obscure: "To whom much is given, much is required."

You may not be a Bill Gates, but you can use your financial power -- as he has -- to relieve the suffering of others. You may not be a Paul Newman, but you can use your influence -- as the late actor did through his food company, "Newman's Own" -- to champion support for worthy causes.

All of us have squandered blessings that we've received because we've wanted to appear to be the common guy. (Don't get me wrong, it feels good to be special. And the advertisers and marketers play to this desire in us.) But, being the one gifted one is often inconvenient. Sometimes, it makes other people uncomfortable. Sometimes, it means that others want us to "perform." As a result, we are tempted to ignore the fact that it is these blessings that distinguish us from others; and provide us opportunities for good and for God.

Professor Phelps provides a good reminder. Let's hope that the next time we hear from the young professor, he isn't "Exhibit A."

Lection Reflections: 5th Sunday after the Epiphany

"Lection Reflections" is a short review of the themes of the coming Sunday's scripture readings as written in the Common Lectionary, Year B. For more information on the Lectionary, and how it can work to aid your Bible knowledge, click here!

The common theme of Sunday's readings is personal crisis. (Remember, sometimes a common theme cannot be found, so don't fret if one does not present itself.)

The reading from the Psalms (142) requires the most background in order to fully appreciate. This background may be found in the Old Testament book of I Samuel, Chapter 22, where we read of a personal crisis of David that led him to hide in a cave. Psalm 142 is David's prayer for God's help, and a good one at that!

The Old Testament reading, II Kings 4: 8-37 (please note that I am using the recommended expanded reading, because I think these readings give me the context, which is invariably helpful), is about a woman's kindness to the prophet Elisha, which leads to God giving her and her husband a child, despite their advanced years and childlessness. The trouble begins when the child suddenly dies and the grief-stricken mother presents herself to Elisha with a plea to remedy the situation.

The Gospel reading (Mark 1: 29-39) recounts the healing of Peter's mother-in-law by Jesus -- and the deluge of people who arrive to have their sick friends and relatives healed, too. This passage has many facets, such as the observation of Mark that the busy healer took time to be with God in prayer.

The final lection is found in I Corinthians 9: 16-23. In this passage, Paul defends his right -- based on biblical evidence and common practice -- to make a living from his work as a preacher and a teacher. He also defends his freedom to not receive money for his work, which was his preferred status. The underlying crisis here was the poisonous atmosphere that is often created when a concern for money is guiding the conversation, and its adverse effect on work that benefits people. Paul's response is to do all things for the sake of the Gospel, meaning, "what's good for God's "good news" message of help and hope is good for him." We see this theme repeated in Paul's letters, regardless of the crisis he is facing at the time.

In the words of Thomas Paine: "These are the times that try men's souls." Paine's anti-church writings notwithstanding, he was right.

In our day, the bedrock of our crisis is not financial, political, or social; although growing numbers of our friends and family members are experiencing dark futures and financial hardship. At its foundation, ours is a crisis of the soul. Sunday's readings are a beginning toward a new way of facing personal crises.

A Ray of Hope from the Oval Office

Buried in yesterday's stories about the withdrawal of Thomas Daschle as President Barack Obama's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the withdrawal of Nancy Killefer from consideration for the newly-created Chief Performance Officer position, was something you don't normally see when things go sideways: Someone admitting that they had made the mistake.

Usually, when things go wrong in government, the military, or in business circles, about the closest we get to someone -- anyone -- owning-up is the statement: "Mistakes were made." It is more an acknowledgement of the obvious than the acceptance of responsibility.

But yesterday, for all the world to hear, President Obama admitted that he had made a mistake in nominating two persons with serious federal income tax issues for high government positions. (Click here for the full article.)

"Did I screw up in this situation? Absolutely. I'm willing to take my lumps," the President told NBC's Brian Williams, in a television interview that aired on Tuesday.

The candidate of hope has given America reason to hope that its leaders will not only be as accountable to the law as the rest of us, but that when things go awry -- as they will from time to time -- the person responsible will own-up.

Beyond the "Year of the Black Man"

This has been a very good year for the American black man.

One year ago, Tony Dungy coached the Indianapolis Colts football team to victory in the Super Bowl, becoming the first American of African descent to achieve such a distinction.

Of course, we all know of Barack Obama's numerous achievements on his way to becoming the first African-American elected President of the United States.

Last weekend, Michael Steele became the first American of African descent to be elected to the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee.

A glance at the past reveals a history that has not been as bright for us as tomorrow appears. Today, black men are as under-represented in the college classroom as we are over-represented in prison and jail populations. Overcoming decades of excuses, neglect, poverty, and social dysfunction will likely take unrelenting progress totaling decades more; but it seems we're nearing a tipping point. That is good news, indeed!

However, our goal needs to be reset to a point beyond the "year of the black man." Imagine a society where a black man is not only the President of the United States, but where a white man is the chairman or the president of the NAACP. Imagine a society where men are as interested in the rights of women as women. Imagine a society where the banner of equality is championed by the enfranchised, not primarily by the disenfranchised, as is commonly the case.

Ahead and beyond is a time and place where we will no longer wait for the "first," and we will no longer see the need to maintain a tally.

The past 12 months have been good for the American black man, but this year is over, and there is more work to be done in the future for the poor, the weak, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised. Having just received a boost-up is a great time to offer a hand-down.

NFL Sheds War Metaphors

Good on the National Football League for officially abandoning terms borrowed from combat to describe what is happening on the field of play. (For the full Washington Post story, please click here, or on the title above.)

Sportswriters, coaches, players and fans have all been guilty of dressing the game of football in fatigues and war paint, oblivious or unconcerned that doing so made them look ridiculous, while glorifying the horrific nature of war. Over time, a game became "war," and war became "a game."

As one observer, who was both a former Army officer and a former NFL player, said in the Post story, "A football game is a battle between two teams, but you don't die."

So, on this Super Bowl Sunday, I salute -- er, cheer -- the NFL for taking a needed, and long overdue, step toward civility and common sense. Now, if we can just get the folks in the business and financial worlds to do the same.