Why Are We Here?

I returned this holy week from Kansas University Med Center where dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.  A physically active, hard working man, dad’s grown tired of his pre-existing diabetes and MG, a neural degenerative disease attacking his 82-year-old body.  In frustration he lamented, “What’s the purpose?  Why’d God bother to put us down here (on earth)?  Do our lives matter?  Is all this physical erosion meant to appease God?”

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Dad wrestles with these questions now as his body is failing him.  But I’ve wrestled with these questions for some time.  I like the cyclic nature of the Church’s calendar re-immersing me into Paradox and Mystery.  Though I believe God is a constant, my understanding and relationship with God is definitely evolving.  As a young person, I felt offended as I listened to Catholic homilies indict humanity, me included, as complicit for Jesus’ crucifixion.  “I wasn’t there.  I’d never have had any part of that.”  Sound familiar?  As I entered university studies, I grew to understand community sin, prejudices, lifestyle choices I’d inherited and perhaps have perpetuated.  “Yes, I nailed our Lord’s hand to the wood.  I am responsible.” I’d arrived.  I got it!  Jesus came to save us from our sinful nature and lead us through his resurrection to salvation.  I internalized this to soak and to nurture for years, but new growth eventually contracted.

     An emptiness expanded with each passing year.  I struggled with “atonement,” Jesus dying on Good Friday and the role a loving God performed.  Jesus was the ultimate atoning sacrifice to reconcile creation.  However, I found atonement unsettling, not because this is indeed what happened, but that it seemed too incomplete to me, something critically vital remained missing … a fog of discouragement settled.

     I revisited Genesis where God creates humanity, bestows freedom to make choices, and then gets angry when man exercises his options.  Evil, characterized by the serpent is also created by God.  I’ve always had problems with an all-loving God creating a serpent with greater persuasive powers than He has.  God seems to have set Adam and Eve up for the inevitable fall, to be punished, banished from the garden and forced to roam the earth for survival.  Throughout the early scriptures, a temperamental God continues to express anger with humanity’s infidelity.  He seems no better than His creation, appearing to be imperfect with his anger management issues.  It is as if redemption, literally meaning “buying back” has to happen … the ultimate sacrifice is made.  We had to crucify Jesus.  It was in the historical plan to fulfill this need in God.  

     Herod could have murdered Jesus while slaying the infant innocents.  Or God could have sacrificed Jesus early in Galilee for all the trouble and dissonance he was creating … and we all know he created quite a mess!  If Jesus’ purpose on earth was to die, then why give him nearly thirty years of early life and three years of ministry?  Those years were not for God.  Jesus, incarnate, came for us!  For as dramatic and loving his sacrifice is for us, Jesus came to show us how to live a radical life.  He asks us to imitate him in loving the Father and one another.  He came proclaiming the Kingdom of God is present.  Find the divine presence “within” yourself and others.  He threatened socio-economic structures, unjust governments, artificial religious authorities, and power structures. And for his living, actions and convictions, humanity executed him. 

             I’ve always struggled with the atonement idea that God was sent to die for our sins … and that Jesus was playacting some pre-planned script as if he knew what was coming.  I don’t think Jesus, fully human, was clairvoyant.  Not unlike other courageous individuals who entered life threatening situations, Jesus understood the tremendous risk he was taking and indeed, surrendered his life for love of us! 

            As dad and I watched life taken in Brussels, we witnessed a culture of death in ISIS, whose actions they justify as if earning a special place in eternity is a complete disconnect from life on earth.   Though nearly not as harsh, atheists’ perceptions of faiths around the world are not much different in that “the Kingdom” so many talk of is some mythical place beyond where we are now.  Why did God bother to put us here?  Do our lives matter more than simply existing then dying?  At the moment of conception, one enters the Kingdom.  Hopefully, we receive purpose and direction.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog (What Kingdom? Where? Jan 15), we experience in moments of grace … love, beauty, celebration, the Holy Spirit …  when God’s gift of His kingdom is more evident to us than others.  

Despite our imperfections, we have been entrusted with purpose to care for and to build up the kingdom throughout this life and the next.  While we move through it, we do not move through quantum states like steps of a staircase, but through a continuum, a ramp in life that grows more positively with our relationship with God.  It means choosing a culture of life and love in our relationships with every one … as God resides in each of all creation!  Here I am aware I lack that quality relationship!  My journey is not smooth, actually quite rough, as I experience the road to Emmaus where I rely on God to give me course corrections often.  God continues to call us regardless of age or circumstance. 

            We have choices in this world.  The kingdom is precious.  Our choices are not only personal, but social as well, influencing the journeys of others.  When I make detrimental choices, I am diminished.  Though I am a small part of the world, it is diminished some also.  Though I make personal choices, they are never private.  I may be optimistic, but I do not want to mislead.  Folks may choose permanent deadness often referred to as hell.  Do we do what we do as a response to Jesus’ compassionate invitation to love, faith and hope?  Do we work to improve the quality of life for all?  Do we promote a culture of life above that of violence and degradation?  Do we care for our environment and its homeostasis?  Do we share mercy in justice?  Do we offer thanksgiving and forgiveness?  I am limited when considering the elements of heaven.  I cannot imagine the Beyond.  But in the kingdom in which we live I am in awesome wonder of the magnificence and mystery of creation.  I cannot even take it all in.  I am so overwhelmed!

            Jesus’ death and resurrection authenticated his infinite love for us.  He invites us to live, to imitate with radical purpose!  May you have a blessed Easter!

Footnote:

As shown in the green, community sin such as racism, genocide, holocaust are examples of dips, while peace, environmental accords, social justice are positive rises.

Individually in yellow, character assassination, arrogance, greed are negative slopes, while mercy, forgiveness, and gratitude are builders of relationship with God and others.

Overall, we hope both are trending positively!

Resurrection completes life as we know it and introduces new life with the Father.

The Second Commandment

by Fred Vilbig

“Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord they God in vain.”

When God appeared to Moses on Mount Horeb, Moses asked for His Name. When “they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what do I tell them?” Ex. 14. At that time, God reveals His name to Moses, and apparently in the ancient world, that was significant.

The Jews held the proper name of God in high regard. The Second Commandment says not to use God’s name in vain, but the Jews seem to have taken that Commandment even further. When Jesus would use “I am” in a sentence, the Jews would accuse Him of blasphemy. John 8:56-59.

I don’t think the Jews would have used “I am” in any casual sentence. It would probably have been blasphemous to say, “I am cold,” or “I am thirsty.” If you use a translating app to translate “I am thirsty” into Hebrew, it comes up with something like “ani tsa me.” That clearly is not the “Ya” we think of in “Yahweh.”

In order to avoid using God’s proper name, the Jews came up with ways to refer to God without using it: El Shaddai; Elohim; and Adonai are just a few examples.

In contemporary American society, we banter the word “God” around like we would “cat” or “dog.” One of the common phrases you see in emails and texts is “OMG.” People don’t think anything of it. When something (almost anything) happens, you’ll hear people say, “Oh my God!” This can be used as an expression of joy, of surprise, or of disgust.

We also regularly hear God’s name in hellish curses. They can either be directed at a person or just as an indirect expression. If you think about that, what a horrible thing it is to ask God to send someone to hell. Hell is a horrible place, and it is eternal. How hateful that is.

If we’re going to follow the Second Commandment, we should avoid any casual, flippant use of God’s name, or even a reference to Him. God forbid that we would ask Him to send someone to hell.

I was once driving with a priest friend, and someone cut us off. Instead of cussing at the guy or insulting him (which was a bad habit of mine), I simply said, “Well. Blessed be God!” The priest looked at me for a moment and then said, “What’s wrong with you?”

One night at dinner, one of my daughters said, “Oh mis gatos!” Not being fluent in Spanish, I needed a translation. She said that it’s Spanish for “Oh, my cats!” She said that instead of saying “OMG”, she would say “Oh mis gatos!” I use that every once in a while, and it can really change a conversation. Of course, people think I’m nuts, but who am I to argue.

If you want to stand out in a crowd, don’t use God’s name in vain. Who knows? That might be the beginning of an interesting conversation.

How to survive torture

Sometimes I feel like I’ve been blessed to live in a country that allows for such prosperity. When I look at the rest of the world, even throughout history, I can’t think of another place, at another time, I’d like to live and raise my family. However, I also am reminded at times how “the good life” can distract me from pursuing an “interior life.” This true story I was recently told is one of those reminders….

Unpack Your Heart

So it’s Lent and I still haven’t gotten to confession.  There are plenty of excuses, but the truth is, I don’t like it.  Sometimes I’d rather stay dirty than deal with the hassle of getting clean.  When I get like this, God usually gives me a push.  He reminds me of how great it feels to have the warm cleansing water of His mercy pour over me.

So he put a song in front of me.  He’s sneaky like that.  This is a secular song, that I’m sure the writer had not intended for this divine purpose, but for whatever reason, as I listened to the lyrics, it felt like a call to the confessional.

So I thought I would make a video to the song.  Hopefully it pulls on your heart like it did mine.  If you haven’t made time this lent to sit with Christ in the sacrament of reconciliation, what are you waiting for?  Go, and unpack your heart……

Prodigal

For as many times as I’ve read the story of the Prodigal Son, (Luke 15:11-32) I’m never certain how the story will strike me.  Today, I share may latest reflection live (as in hive) and in composition from HI’s chapel.

Prodigal … spending resources freely and recklessly, wastefully extravagant, giving on a lavish scale.

“Where’s the fire?”  A reclining servant questioned as others raced chaotic as ants with mission and purpose.

“Remember our master’s young son?”  A field worker reminded him.

“Yeah, the one always drinking, whoring our women, thinking he was better than everyone else.  Ran off with daddy’s money.” 

The field worker nodded.  “Saw him earlier, today.”  He shared as if he was the first to know.  “While channeling water to the wheat, I didn’t recognize the rogue walking up the road off some distance away, but our master came down the road past me in a hurry, determined.  He had no doubt.  No guards, no weapons.  Hell, I could have killed him.”  Mud creased his dimples as if he’d committed a noble act.

The reclining servant sat up, attentive.  Unknown to the servant, the farmer hated him especially after he was elevated in privilege over the farmer.  However, the servant waited to understand the flurry of activity that had erupted around him.  The farmer appeared visibly confused with the father’s actions.  Why tell the servant, a man he loathed?  He didn’t deserve to know.

The farmer recounted what he’d seen.  “The kid smelled like swine, his hair tangled, matted filth with the mange.  His bare feet swollen, callused, toenails blackened.  His skin hung like hide on a rack, nearly naked except for rags he wore.”

“Whoa…  He got less than he deserved!”  The servant interrupted.  “Appeared greed consumed the son of a bitch and spit him back out.  Surprised a landlord along his trek home didn’t indenture him into labor or beat him to death for sport!”

“You would think.”  Servants scurried carrying fine linen and ornate pottery.  “But with tears of joy in his eyes, our lord embraced the stench and dressed him in a fine robe … and gave him a ring!”

            “He gave the bastard a lordship’s ring; one he can seal contracts?”

            “Yes.” 

            “Where’s the justice?  All hell’s going to break loose!  Doesn’t make sense.  The master should have him beaten, cast into darkness, eat the slop of our cattle, wear scraps from the servants’ quarters.  He was given his father’s wealth, gifts.  The boy is done!  His father must throw him off his land, sell him to another lord.”  The servant stood with pronouncing judgement.  He warned.  “Others among us will see this wasted kindness … such ridiculous extravagance.  These actions will ruin the father.  People from within and from other lands will see him as weak.  They will plot to ransack him, kill him.  The older son is now justified in overthrowing his own father!”

            “His ways are obviously not your ways.” The farmer reminded him of their positions of servitude.

            The servant sat again thus refusing to join preparations for the rebellious son’s homecoming.  “Screw the spineless master and his stupid son.  I’ve already put in a hard day mending rock fence for cattle.”

            “You’re not the only one …”  The farmer paused.  His mind struggled to unravel the entangled mess.  “The older son is pissed.  He’s jealous, demanding his father elevate him above his brother.”

            “What’d I just tell you?  The master’s kingdom is already unraveling.  This celebration is all smoke and mirrors.”  He paused, eyes slit to those of a viper.  “I bet the master is setting his younger son up so that he can beat the shit out the thankless wretch in front of all of us, relatives and servants alike, to reestablish, reinforce his power.  Punish the reckless kid before us all.  Show us his strength, his might.  The older son is more than justified.”  The servant stood and casually moved toward the enormous wine jugs.  “I want to see this.  There is going to be satisfaction for everybody except the errant son.  Our master is a cunning, wise man.  He knows where power comes from and how to maintain it.  Strike fear in us all!  Either fall in line or be banished.”

            “You’re going to be disappointed.”  The wheat farmer told him what he knew to be true.  “The master recognized his son from a far greater distance, far sooner than I.  I saw mercy and gratitude in our master’s eyes for his son choosing to come home.  His son returned, shamed, guilty, embarrassed…  Since the boy was a child, his father has remained the same man.   But I imagine the son desires to know his father in a new way for I heard him admit ‘I have sinned against you.’  It seems to me; the father is punishing his son through loving him more.  I don’t understand it!  I hope the older son can appreciate his father’s mercy and reconcile with his brother.”

            “You got shit for brains!  You’re in for one hell of a surprise!”  The man circled behind a wine jug to secure a grip.

            With callused hands, the farmer approached him.  “Remember when our chief servant flogged me?  Ripped open my flesh and bled me before all the servants.  Then threw salt into my deep cuts.”  The farmer leveraged his weight down upon the servant’s jug.  “You were there.  You thought I didn’t know it was you who stole the salted meat!  You accepted an elevated position over me.  I have hated you for that.”

            The true thief froze mentally arranging his defense, preparing to lie.

            “The scars I can not erase…”  The farmer eased his force on the jug.  “Your act of betrayal is behind me.  From today on, we mend our relationship…  You think the father foolish.  I find him to be a man of exceptional wealth!”

Who is the prodigal son in the parable?

The servant thought the father to be a fool, a man of abundant wealth who gave it away to a thankless son and … even more foolish to accept his son back.  On the other hand, though confused, the farmer followed the actions of the father, his master.  He realized the father is the prodigal Son, our Father, one who gave his real wealth, his love freely and recklessly, wastefully extravagant, lavishly to transform and restore not only his son, but all who encountered him. What is your response as the father notices you from a distance and races to greet you?