Venturing Into Deeper Waters

I love Jacopo Bassan's The Miraculous Draught of Fishes (above), completed in 1545. It recalls the scene in the fifth chapter of Luke's gospel, when Jesus calls his first disciples. Take some time to go back and read the familiar story (Luke 5:1-11) again.
Very early in Jesus' ministry he is being follwed by a large crowd of people eager to hear God's Word. Jesus is standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and the people press in on him so much that he climbs into one of the fishing boats sitting there by the shore. It is empty because the fishermen are cleaning their nets after finishing the overnight shift. This particular boat belongs to Simon. Jesus beckons him and asks him to put his boat out from the shore. There Jesus sits down and teaches the crowd from the boat.
When he is finished he turns to Simon, and directs him to "put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." The fisherman protests that they have been fishing all night and caught nothing at all! Nevertheless, he will do as Jesus asks.
When they "let down their nets"with Jesus, Simon and his fishing partner (probably Andrew his brother) catch so many fish that their nets begin to break! They signal their companions, James and John, to join them in the deeper waters and help them to receive the catch. Bassano's painting captures an overwhelmed Simon (now called Simon Peter) kneeling before Jesus and exclaiming, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" Jesus does not leave, however, telling Simon not to be afraid. "From now on you will be catching people." When the fishermen come to shore, they "leave everything and follow" Jesus.
Notice that at the beginning of the story, Jesus is preaching the word to everyone who wants to listen. But then he calls Simon in a very particular way, asking him to serve God's purposes, to risk being changed, and to be part of a new community dedicated to the good news being lived out in the world.
(1) Every week we hear the Word of God proclaimed. But what comes next? How does God's Word speak specifically to you? And how do you respond as a disciple of Jesus? Take time to go back and review our earlier post about discipleship. Is being a disiciple more than just being part of the crowd?
(2) Jesus calls Simon to venture into the "deep water." How will you and I explore the life of faith more deeply? What kinds of questions do you have that will require deeper thought and study? In what ways do you think Jesus is calling you to risk new experiences in serving him?
(3) Simon Peter confesses his sin, but that in no way disqualifies him in Jesus' eyes. Jesus will now teach him how to use skills and gifts he already has in order to reach people with the good news of God's love. How does Jesus take talents we already have snd show us how to use them to glorify God? How will your faith bring others close to Jesus?
At this point in the Confirmation Journey, we are entering "deeper waters" of growth and discipleship. This is a great blessing for all of us!

Three Temptations . . .Three Blessings!

Last Wednesday we delved deeply into the story of Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Mark 1:12-13). This immediately follows Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River. We remembered that the name Jesus means "the one who saves," and that the Christmas story had also referred to him as Emmanuel, "God-with-us." Coming out of the waters of baptism, God's voice names Jesus additionally as "My Son," "the Beloved," and "God's Pleasure."

Before Jesus can begin his ministry, the Holy Spirit leads him (in Mark's Gospel he is pushed) out into the wilderness. Jesus is there for forty days. It is a time of clarification. The names he has been given are wonderful. But what will they mean? What kind of person will Jesus really be? The wilderness retreat will help Jesus, and us, find out!

We talked about the characteristics of the wilderness, describing it as: dry; a "no man's land;" isolated; deserted; solitary; arid; full of sand and snakes. We wondered what the experience is like for Jesus: a barren place; he's "by himself;" he "gets a chance to think;" it can be a place of prayer; a place "not to be busy." Perhaps he draws in the sand, or sings hymns. He is hungry and thirsty. There is little or no water; no Mickey D's.

In the wilderness Jesus is emptied; he has very little of what he is used to relying on, other than God's loving power, manifested in the Spirit that leads him! After forty days without food Jesus is famished. The story is asking us to consider the different ways that we are nourished in our lives, and how we are sustained and nurtured for God's purpose.

In the story, a figure called "the devil" or "Satan" tempts Jesus to deny who he truly is.

From the start, he is challenged to prove himself. "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." Have you ever been challenged to"prove yourself" in some way? How did you respond?

Jesus refuses. When we know who we are--specifically, when we know who God has created, named, and loved us into being--we don't need to prove ourselves to other people. We seek to fulfill who God made us to be!

Class members believed that in the first temptation Jesus was being tempted to "do stuff for himself instead of others; to use his power to take care of himself first." Hearing Jesus' quotation, "One does not live by bread alone," we made a list of other ways we are nourished:

--love

--friendship

--self-respect

--caring

--learning

--thought

--actions (life experience)

--understanding

--values

--family

--choices! Our choices offer opportunity to be nourished, and led by the Spirit!

We might also add additional blessings: encouragement; community; purpose; direction; and most importantly, inspiration and the promises of God!

In the second temptation, the tempter offers to give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, and authority over them, if Jesus will only worship him. But the world doesn't belong to anyone but God. Such authority is not for the devil, or anyone else, to give. We talked about answering to authority in the world. We recognize that we will work for bosses at different jobs, and we will live in a nation and in communities that have authorities who will direct many things. There are many times when we will receive orders and directions, or be given laws to follow. And we will follow them. But it is important to realize that a key part of our Christian faith, and being disciples of Jesus, is that we will not follow orders or comply with laws that go against the love of God and the teaching of Jesus. We will have no other authority higher than our Lord! This sometimes makes for difficult and important decisions. Can you think of any examples?

When we worship God, we live humbly, empowered by the Spirit to love others as Jesus has loved us. Other people are our brothers ans sisters, never objects to dominate so we can get what we want for ourselves. And God entrusts us all with the world's resources, abundant enough to meet everyone's need . . . but not everyone's greed! We learn ways of dedicating and sharing blessings so that all can have what is truly needed.

In the third temptation, Jesus is challenged to demonstrate his invulnerability, to show that God will keep him perfectly safe from any harm. But Jesus shows that we are created for relationship. To live in relationship. with God and with each other, requires vulnerability. It is in our blessed but fragile humanity that we love the best and look out for the common good!

When Jesus quotes the Hebrew Scriptures again, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test," he is saying that God is vulnerable and intimate in relationship. Jesus demonstrates this throughout his life. How do you share vulnerability and trust with God, and with other people?

In what ways do you seek to love as Jesus loves? Give some concrete examples.

Earlier in the year, we read and discussed the story of Jesus' baptism, and related it to our own baptisms. We realized that like Jesus we have received names from God in addition to the names our parents have given us. God has called us Child, Beloved, God's Pleasure.In the face of the three temptations, God blesses us with three expressions of our true identity!

It is in our lives, in the choices that we make, and in the ways we dedicate ourselves, that we will give those names real meaning. The Spirit will inspire us and lead us. We will never be alone, even when we feel lonely! And if St. Andrew's is a Spirit-led community, we will give body and shape to God's love for the world, together.

Jesus helps us to recognize ourselves as all being God's children; that we are deeply and eternally loved by God (don't let anyone try and tell you different!); and that communion with us is God's delight.

Retreats, and even difficult "wilderness experiences," are important. Times of prayer, and deep thought. When we are emptied of some of life's illusions, we get to celebrate the best of what is God-given.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Epiphany!

"And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went home by another way."

Together, we read and discussed the Epiphany story, the coming of the magi, in Matthew 2:1-12. We realized that if the "wise men" were to go back to Jerusalem and report to Herod as the king had commanded, it would be safer personally for these visitors from the east. But it would be very dangerous and even deadly for the young Jesus.
To "go home by another way" would be to risk joining God's conspiracy of loving salvation for the world, God's life-giving, ever-enlivening web. But the magi would be in real trouble if they were to be caught by Herod's police. Self perservation . . . or to live beyond themselves? These are the matters of an emerging faith. Class members said that it can be hard to do the right thing. It's hard because doing what's right often requires more from you, and you feel vulnerable when you are doing something different than what everyone else seems to be doing. We thought of the wise men; all the "religious people" and "legal" citizens were following Herod's voice, but they were listening to God's! And God was asking them to do God's new thing! In our class, I suggested that my recent research indicated that, when considering the story for today,there are not three magi but four. The group includes male and female. Rather than carrying the odd names legend ascribes-- Caspar, Balthazar and Melchoir-- these magi have parents who've named them Erin, Nikolas, Max, and Austin. We know that the original magi brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus, but of what value will these gifts be to a toddler at risk. So, I asked, what will our present day magi bring to young Jesus when you come to worship him and pay him homage? Class members are bringing: (1) mint leaves (they are soothing) (2) good clothing (3) sports memorabilia (something of great value) (4) music. Jesus will be gift-ed! The wise folk in Matthew 2:1-12 brought other gifts than those from their treasure chests, we believed. They brought themselves, they brought their love, they brought their emerging faith. These are the gifts being offered when the magi make thier inspired choice for the child, when they listen to God's voice and envision God's dream being realized. They go home different than the way they came. Amen! When have you been faced with important decisions where to do the right thing meant taking risks on behalf of other people? Where protecting someone else, or doing God's will as you have learned it from Jesus, makes you different? When do the choices you make for yourself have a powerful impact on someone else?

Nativity

Here are six different images of the infant Jesus and the scene of his birth. They include: Janet McKenzie's"Holy Family;" Paul Gaugin's "Baby;" the Kempele mural from Finland; Leonardo DaVinci's "The Adoration of the Magi;" a more traditional European painting; and a Latin American Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Which do you find most interesting? Why? How do you picture Jesus' nativity?