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From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Blessings to all of you as October comes to a close. Do take a moment to remember those who have gone before you, both in your professional lives as well as your personal. May we continue to learn from one another. Scripture: Book of Ruth, Chapter 1:16-18 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. Meditation I first gave the Book of Ruth some serious thought in a Bible study years ago. There was a woman in the study who was from Amsterdam, and she had followed her husband to the United States. She understood what it was like to dare to follow someone simply because of love. In this story, there is famine in the land and Naomi, whose husband had died, is planning to return to Bethlehem. She believes that her daughter-in-law Ruth should not follow her. Naomi could not see what was ahead for her and was not feeling optimistic. Ruth, also a widow, was from Moab, and it seemed to be logical that she should return to her homeland. However, Ruth was determined to stay with her mother-in-law, and could not be convinced otherwise. She vows to accompany Naomi always. Love, as we know, is often not logical. We will continue with the Book of Ruth for a week or two, because it is a rich and beautiful story. Sometimes love will carry us to a new way of being in the world. That is at the heart of the faith journey. We can be faithful to God because God is faithful to us. We will be shown the way. We do not travel alone. Blessed be. Prayer I leave you with the first verse and refrain from the lovely hymn, "Be Not Afraid," written in 1972 by Father Bob Dufford, S.J.
Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor
San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
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From Rev Dr Tom Nibbe
"...the One who is in you is greater than the one in the world..." 1 John 4:4 Prayer Lord Jesus, by faith, we receive your unconditional love and acceptance in this time of world pandemic, this time of curtailment of activity and overabundance of hurt, and as well, great human loss, and we trust you to meet all our needs, and as well, those we pray with and those we pray for. We take authority over the Enemy, and in the name of Jesus, we take back the ground we have allowed Satan to gain in our lives because of our attitude at times in the midst of really tough days. Right now, we give this ground back to the Lord Jesus Christ to whom it rightfully belongs. We pray for abundant grace, patience, and peace. In your magnificent, holy name. Amen
I assume you're feeling much the same. I find myself lacking the practice of the faith disciplines I would have daily practiced in former years...a positive attitude...a good word to a partner, a neighbor, a friend, and even, an enemy. I've said things with these lips I really thought were behind me long ago. I've made up my mind that I'm not going to let the Lord take a "back seat" in my life after nine months of pandemic. Are you with me?
"...for everyone born of God overcomes the world...This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith..." 1 John 5:4
Imagine what those go through who don't have the Lord in their life. We don't really know when this trying time will decisively end, if ever, it seems at times. We frequently think of what Covid-19 does to our life every day...and of course what it could do. I keep thinking of the great multitude of coronavirus patients who die totally alone lest they give someone they love the virus. What a difference it makes, I would imagine, to have the Lord make that journey with you. Furthermore, we know what coronavirus can do...for a moment today, also, I paused to think of what Covid-19 can not do to women of faith and men of faith:
"...make every effort to add to your faith --- goodness, and to goodness, knowledge --- and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance --- and to perseverance, Godliness, and to Godliness, brotherly kindness --- and to brotherly kindness, love...for if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ...but if anyone doesn't have them, that person is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that she or he has been cleansed from past sins... therefore, my sisters and brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure...for if you do these things, you'll never fall...you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ..." 2 Peter 1:5-11
As we sometimes fall into apprehension and fear, we wonder regarding the great things the Lord God is silently doing in our present-day world! "...to Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence, without fault and with great joy --- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now & for evermore..." Jude 5:24-25 Cordially, Tom
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
I apologize for being a day late with this week's meditation, but I have just concluded a four day Zoom retreat. I am part of a group of spiritual directors who meet for a four day retreat once a year. Normally, we meet at the beautiful Villa Maria del Mar in Santa Cruz, but this year it just did not seem wise to try to gather in person, even though the retreat house is open on a limited basis. We are an older group and several of us live in other parts of the United States. Flying to California just did not seem wise. While we were not sure how our retreat would work on Zoom, we were surprised at the ease of the gathering. Our conversations were just as warm and intimate as they always have been. Yes, we missed the ocean and the gentle presence of the Sisters of the Holy Names. We missed hugging one another. Yet, overall, we consider the retreat a success, and no one had jet lag! When you are ready to see if Zoom might work in your community, do let me know, and I do want to say thank you to the communities who have invited me in via Zoom. God continues to gather his people in, and in surprising ways!
Meditation
I read this beautiful Psalm when I feel I am in danger of falling into the trap of forgetting that God is always with us. Here, we have the psalmist remembering when he was part of a large group who were in procession to the house of God. He remembers the glad shouts and songs of the multitude. It does indeed sound like a wonderful memory. He assures his soul that God will once again be praised in the temple. Many of us are exiled from our temples, church buildings, and even our families. However, because we celebrate the incarnation, we know that God is very much with us. God cannot be extracted from our souls and God refuses to be trapped in any one building. God will not go away, even when we are angry and frustrated. We can never be exiled from God, but we can forget to get in touch with that Divine Spirit within. Too often, we turn away from ourselves and our love. Yet, even when we do that, God is steadfast. We can always return to that abundant love. God is always right here, right now, ever ready to fill our hearts with peace. If possible, spend some quiet time with God today. You can verbalize your prayers if you want, but if you find you can't find words, just sit in the sacred silence. You can take a few breaths, and then simply say, "Welcome, Lord Jesus, or 'Welcome Holy One.'" It may feel odd at first, but it should not be too long before you begin to feel the comforting presence of the One who has been with you all along.
Katherina von Schlegel, 1752. This version is from The New Century Hymnal.
-- Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
As you have loved me without condition, assist me in understanding and appreciating this human vessel you have come to save and fashion. Help me to come to a heart knowledge of you as I discover new things about myself. May I get to the bottom of things in my life and in my world. Amen
Message The message for this Sunday comes in remembering the recent confusion of a very smart and able gentleman who was surprised I would draw a remarkable distinction between the terms "religion" and the term "faith" and connect them up with the term "form" and the term "substance". One term deals with what we are able to observe in terms of human conduct and the other deals with the amazing undeserved love of God and how He works in our lives to bring about confidence in times of doubt and assurance in terms of our daily lives on earth and our eternal destiny in heaven. Some distinction in terms of words seems important as you consider what brought about the message for today. I would put that distinction this way. Let me introduce the word, "form"...that's the way things appear to be...and the word "substance"...the thing that is essential for our being and well-being... Way back when, indeed, years ago, when I was younger, I was looking for a way to express in words a concept of mind. I kind of knew what it was...what seemed to be like a door which needed to be opened, but remained closed. I thought I wanted to determine the difference between what is normally routine, work-a-day, and yet, necessary...and on the other hand...that which is essential, at the very heart of things...not only important to consider...but essential. I really hate to admit it, but for a number of reasons, I spent a good deal of my life focusing in on "form" and much less, unfortunately, on "substance". I sense this is a problem for many, not only for me. It's easy for us to observe things with our eyes and hear them with our ears, but it's tricky most of the time to be able to conceptualize and visualize the reality of things unseen and and unheard.
Why was it that I wasn't able to identify what seemed "at the heart of things" for me? I seemed to be wasting away trying to figure things out. It was embarrassing for me. I thought I was smart enough. What was going on in my life that I couldn't come to terms with what I needed to know and be able to adequately communicate to others and for others?
At times I would say to myself, what is it I want to express about some distinction between one kind of emphasis in life and another. Finally it came to me. Form, rather than substance, had been controlling too much of my life...good hygiene...eat properly...go to work...you've got to rest when you get exhausted... all necessary things...but not all there is to life and well-being. Something was missed. Something essential. I wanted to put my thumb on what it could be...I knew what was needed...a clarification of some distinct sort. Yes. I came down gently and mightily on the term. Substance. The "form" aspect in life is necessary...things one can see...the obvious things in life we have to do...but it cannot be the ultimate focus to tie the various components of abundant life together... I finally put my finger on the answer...the notion of the "substance" of things had really always there... [taken for granted...an adopted child placed in a loving, Christian family...privileged...spoiled rotten...] having been provided by my family background...but I hadn't identified what it was...it was the foundation. The Scripture came to mind... "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the assurance of things unseen..." (the profound definition of faith) Hebrews 11:1 Okay...the word "substance" in some translations does appear...that helped a great deal...I must have faith...but what about religion. Isn't faith and religion the same thing? Not really. One is based upon the notion that we trust the only Being worthy of being fully trusted...that is, God...we don't earn the things in life we hope for. We ask in order that we might receive...trusting in God's promise that He is worthy of trust. On the other hand, our best definition of religion we find in Micah 6:8, "And what does the Lord require of you? ...to act justly...and to love mercy...and to walk humbly with your God..." Good spiritual stuff...but... In religion, obviously, you must earn merit...do this...do that...don't do this...don't do that...in one sense faith and religion are opposites...though they connect up...nonetheless...religion is form...faith is substance... Even though it is absolutely necessary, don't get caught up and focus only on "form"... what you can see...what is obvious...make it the point of your life to seek after "substance" in the midst of the "forms" and not get lost in them...use the "forms" (building, flowers, robes) but concentrate upon the "substance" of faith, the Lord! Form without the substance is a rabbit-hole...a great abyss...[Some extraordinary church folks are stuck there.] Jesus suggested this as the most important verse in the Bible: "...hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One, and you shall love the Lord your God with your heart, and with your soul, and with all your strength and with all your might..." Deut. 6:4-5 This verse embodies the very essence of substance...everything else pales in the splendor of this verse. In terms of spiritual matters, "form" can choke the life out of the "substance" of what we call, faith. Faith in this regard is the essential thing. Mere religion as well as the other important things of life, is still form, and needs to be brought to life, through radical focus upon substance, a personal relationship with God. Let the church building, the candles, the robes and gowns, the flowers, the altar area be...LET THEM BE...let them serve their purpose...but leave them where they lie in order to participate and bloom in substance...a personal relationship with the Almighty. Form is necessary, but not the heart of things. We need to have a church building, church property, church social occasions. So how would certain utilizations of form restrict the access to substance. One Bible notion of restriction to access would be worshipping images of God instead of appealing directly to God without the visual aids. These days I have become greatly concerned, and maybe wrongfully so, with such focus in church life on who is going to be the next leader of the denomination, fighting to determine what kind of candles should be used on the altar, or who's going to provide napkins for the social hour. Let Christ Jesus be the leader. Let's see if we can use the old candles or do without candles for one Sunday. I'm going to commit to have coffee and donuts without napkins...and choose to focus on what we've learned from a good biblical sermon... Now...don't get me wrong! Form gives us a place to begin. But we often stay there and don't move on. For all too many occasions, form has been the substitute for substance.
The train, the Gospel train, is faith. We achieve God's acceptance, not when we (in all circumstances) prove to be perfect, but when we "put on" the righteousness of God, through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.
So what's the difference. Again, religion is connected with "do this" and "don't do that". Religion is connected with being good, being worthy of trust, and seeing that you don't live for yourself...essentially being a good person. We all strive for that, of course. The problem is...you and I are not perfect. We can try to live a perfect and ethical life, but we will fall short. (So we all try to do our very best to be the most ethical and compassionate person we can be...) I am so glad as I affirm that the essence of Christianity is that no perfect people will go to heaven. Now, how can I know that...? Because there are no perfect people! Thank you, Lord, for your provision of forgiveness for us...the greater the offense, the greater the mercy...and the assurance of an eternal home, not based on human perfection, but on trusting God's love. My point is this. It's a tragedy when followers of God cannot discern the difference between form and substance when it comes to spiritual matters. It has brought about the Crusades instead of the profound example of Saint Francis and William Penn. It has brought about the "witch hunts" of the 16th Century rather than a profound sense of the Divine Community in Christ (Massachusetts). I thought today would be a great time to just share some thoughts out loud that I've kept inside. I want to thank the openness of the gentleman that I mentioned at the beginning who can figure out everything and anything, but this concept really had him confused and befuddled. Sorry if I bent your ear a bit today. Have a superb Sunday! God bless you! Cordially, Tom
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Good morning, everyone. I pray that you all are able to find time for prayer and/or meditation, and that you are also finding ways to balance your work with your home and family life. Please take some time for recreation if at all possible, and remember that we are praying for the health of you, your communities, and your families. Do let me know when you are ready to explore worshipping with Zoom. These services can be surprisingly meaningful for all of us.
Meditation
I love the Psalms and it is rare when I do not begin a worship service with a reading from one of them. At times, however, some of the old militaristic language of these ancient songs and poems do not bring comfort. This week has been one of those times, so I have been sitting with Stephen Mitchell's adaptation of this Psalm. My mother had a phrase that she often declared when she felt she was embroiled in a task or situation that seemed to be taking too long to resolve or complete: "This is taking longer than a month of Sundays!" In other words, the usual rhythm and flow of life felt disrupted, and she wondered when things might get back to "normal." Yet, God is infinite and immeasurable. Impatience is a reaction of our restless minds. When we are impatient, we are really being impatient with God. May we all learn simply to sit in God's presence, and trust this time. God is always creating and re-creating. Let us accept that rhythm as our own and treasure it as the divine inheritance that it is. Prayer If we are having trouble putting words to our prayers, then let us simply and quietly turn to Jesus. Words are not necessary; only a willingness to sit and let God's radiant love and wisdom into our hearts. May we all linger in our prayers today, and discover the infinite patience that is waiting for us.
Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor
San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ SpiritCare Ministry to Seniors www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
From Rev Dr Tom Nibbe
...dedicated to Warren, Jan, Jim, Anna and Mike in recovery...Kelly and Chad, Patricia in their loss... Scripture "...but the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere...peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness..." James 3:17
"...we love because He first loved us...if anyone says "I love God", yet hates his brother or sister, that person is a liar...because anyone who doesn't love his brother or his sister, whom that person has seen, cannot love God, whom that person has not seen...and He has given us this command: whoever loves God must also love his brother and sister..." 1 John 4:19-21
"...there will be terrible times in the last days...people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God---having the form of Godliness but denying its power..." 2 Timothy 3:1-5 "...like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to Him, the living Stone---rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to Him---you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ..." 1 Peter 2:2-5
Prayer
Okay, Lord, I praise you. I love you...I know you are there! I sense your presence and, yes, I love you, but yet...today I'm feeling alone as a human being among other human beings, and I am reaching out to you... I'm fed up with artificial human relationships. I'm tired of hiding. Give me the courage to reveal who I really am, as you have revealed who you really are to me. I want the satisfaction of others knowing the "real me", and yet, loving me, and wanting fellowship with me. I sense you have called me to this hour... Thank you for your Church and true believers who are committed to embrace imperfect human beings like me...Lord, aren't we all the same? Understanding who we really are? ...and afraid to open up...? Motivated, I'm starting out again today...risking disclosing who I really am to at least one person with whom I feel safe...I'm letting go of my protective devices and risk being vulnerable---even though I've been taught and encouraged differently---even though I've taught myself to hide. I'm going to disclose who I am in a way that reflects Christian directness, self-responsibility, honesty, and self-love bestowed upon me by Christ. We will know, Lord, our local church community will be stronger and more influential because we do so. God...help me let go of my fears in regard to other human beings. Help me accept who I am, and help me let go of my need to be who other people want me to be. I know you will. I know that once I am committed to remaining pliable---I can remember that you, Lord, are the Potter and I am the clay. This decision will make me happier and make me feel genuine. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me as I am. Amen.
The Message
The inspiration for this message is the result of a conversation recently with a dear friend I have known for years. I've shared one significant experience after the next with her over many years. We have been good friends and creditable ministers together. Recently she chose to tell me information about herself that she had kept from me for decades...and I understand why. I wasn't astounded by knowledge of the information she shared, nor was I shocked by her story. I felt so rewarded and so gratified that she had trusted me with the information. It was as if I had succeeded in fulfilling my intention decades ago of being accepting of others without condition. I call that empathy. In addition, I appreciation of her openness. It is the courage of genuine person wanting me to know. Isn't life just great? As I accepted her disclosure, I felt accepted.
Learning to gently reveal who we are is how we open ourselves up to love and intimacy in our everyday relationships. Many of us have hidden under a protective shell that prevents others from hurting us. It is so true. But, No! All too often we don't want to be that vulnerable. We don't want to expose our thoughts, our feelings, our fears, our weaknesses, and sometimes (even often) our strengths to others. Might I add, these days, when people will reject us discovering that we are meat-eaters or vegetarians, Californians or from the State of Utah (suspecting that we just might be Mormons), Republicans or Democrats, Roman Catholics or Protestants, Evangelicals or Jews, we can very readily hide within ourselves with good reason...
What can we do to break down the walls we ourselves have built?
We are often afraid others will judge us, that they will go away, or not like us---that they will cut us short. We ourselves may be uncertain that...who we are...is okay. We don't really know how much of ourselves we should reveal to others. It is seemingly more difficult to vulnerable these days than ten years ago. I've been there...and you have, too...being vulnerable can be outright frightening, especially, if and when we have lived with persons who have abused, mistreated, or manipulated us...or didn't really appreciate who we are, giving us no sense of their self-esteem. Slowly...one day at a time, one week at a time, one month at a time, one year at a time...we can learn how important it is to take the risk of revealing ourselves, and begin to disclose who we are---our inner self---by bits and pieces. Sometimes in the past or recent past, out of reasonable fear, we've withheld information about ourselves, thinking it would help a relationship here and there...or would help others to like us more...and as we recall... It proved to be a false supposition. The notion of self-fulfillment as we hide proves to be an illusion. ...GROW UP IN YOUR SALVATION... (Saint Peter---above) [...now what could that possibly mean...] Yes, withholding who we are...doesn't help us...withholding is behavior that backfires on us. For true closeness to exist and flourish we need to be known for who we are. For us to love others unconditionally...to be reasonably content in a nurturing relationship we need to risk exposure with wisdom from above. We need to disclose who we are and let the chips fall where they may.
Our faces are nice to look at...our hearts are a treasure to embrace by others.
That doesn't mean---without having common-sense wisdom---we can tell everything to everyone all at once. I've had opportunity to notice that this particular approach to openness is self-defeating. My response...just be yourself...there will be ample appropriate opportunities to "open-up"...and...it will be a double blessing, especially in the church setting...to others to know they don't need to hide...and often the opportunity for ourselves to open up. So, we can learn to trust ourselves about who to tell, when to tell, where to tell, and how much to tell. I am so glad to be in my present church community this "openness" has been a blessing over the decades. That's one of the reasons we exist.
To trust that people will love us...and like us...exactly as we are...is a goal worthy of the pursuit. We can become frightened to reveal ourselves at times, but this will not be the case once we get into the habit of self-examination and healthy, balanced exposure. In any case it's the only way we can experience what we aspire to in relationships. To let go of our need to control others...their opinions...their feelings about us...is one essential key. The opportunity to share the truth about ourselves will come at just the right time. We will readily recognize it. God's timing is perfect. Our timing will become likened to the Lord's. We need to commit to come clean with ourselves and others. Authenticity. Transparency. I am ready. Are you?
What is the key to starting? What is the winning presupposition underneath becoming known to others? TO LOVE GOD SO MUCH YOU WE ARE NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT OURSELVES THAT WE LIVE IN CONSTANT FEAR OF BEING EXPOSED OR GET THE IDEA THAT WE ARE NOT WORTH THE EFFORT Deuteronomy 6:4,5 --- The "Sha'ma" (I gave my youngest daughter this name.) "Here, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one... You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." [Jesus of Nazareth (4 BC-29 AD) identified this verse as the greatest commandment in the Mosaic Law, the greatest verse, if you will, in the Bible. Why is this? What are you saying---I thought John 3:16 was. In a sense it is, but please note that John 3:16 wasn't yet written by the Apostle John until decades after Jesus' death and resurrection...we'd have to wait until about 85-90 A.D. for this verse to eventually appear.] This is not a "religious verse", per se. You cannot step up to the level of this Spiritual wellness by being ethical and by doing good. This deep spiritual teaching goes beyond the ethical dimension of a religion of "do this" and "don't do that".
It's really not all about me hiding in the shadows of spiritual health and well-being anymore. Herein we establish our priority in life that will ultimately set us free to be authentic and known to all who come into our life.
Remarkably, like a plant which develops a blossom, we start to bloom and we learn to open up because the desire to do so rises up within us. Jesus is pulling for us mightily in the process. We prosper when the brilliant orb shines into our darkness and there is warmth that comes with exposure to the Son... May this Sunday be especially good for you and those you love! Cordially, Tom
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Dear Friends, I know that some of us may be feeling that we are experiencing a set-back, but know that we of SpiritCare are still with you, and praying for you. We are in this journey together. If you think you are in a position to offer your residents and patients a Zoom worship, let me know. If someone might need a phone call (and that includes you) let me know that as well.
Yes, the sparrow too has found a home there
the swallow has found herself a nest where she can lay her young beside your altars, Lord of heavenly forces, my king, my God
The psalmist reminds us that God will always lead us to cool waters. This Psalm also tells me that we are always in God's temple, whether we are in the desert, or sitting at the dining room table. Psalm 84 reminds us that God's temple, that is all of life, provides refuge for the sparrow and the swallow. We know that if they are being provided for, then so are we. Does not Jesus promise us that in Matthew 6:26 (see below)?
Our life journey is a pilgrimage, and we go together. Therefore, let us not despair, but rather look for those pools of spring water where we can pause and drink our fill. God is with us, and it is to God that we are journeying. This is the paradox of the faithful life: That we are right where we need to be to experience God, and God has been with us all along. Prayer I leave you with the first verse of the beautiful Advent hymn, "With Joy Draw Water," written by Anne McKinstry. "With joy draw water from the spring, salvation's living well. The Holy One is in your midst, glad praises sing and tell!" Holy One, thank you for guiding us. We know that whatever we need to move through, you are there. We are not stranded; we are held. Blessed be and Amen. Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Blessings to you all, and please, let us stay in touch. Rev. Sue Ann -- Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ SpiritCare Ministry to Seniors www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com
In many ways, we are so very blessed to live in the San Francisco Bay Area. The City of San Francisco was named after "Poverello"...the poor little man...none other than, Saint Francis (1182-1226). He was a man born into great luxury and wealth. He forsook everything to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in poverty and obedience to the Word. His father was not pleased. He brought Francis before the Bishop of Assisi to straighten him out. Francis took off the last remnant of symbolic wealth provided by his father, his clothing, and stood before the bishop naked. Looking toward his father he said, "Until now I have called you my father on earth. But henceforth I can truly say, 'Our Father, who art in heaven...'" The bishop provided a humble robe to Francis and he went on his way...wholeheartedly to serve Christ Jesus.
In this time period around 1205, Francis had a vision...it is recorded that the Lord spoke to Francis, "Go, Francis, and repair my house, which as you can see, is well-nigh in ruins."
The fabulous story of what God had done in Christ Jesus with yet another unlikely human being, touched with the power of the the Holy Spirit, boggles the mind. Francis, with incredible affluence and wealth, would have literally by comparison wasted his life in luxury. As it were, in forty-four years, with Christ working within him through the Holy Spirit, he was able to change the world. He is, as if alive, with us today...
Last night I had the privilege of talking on the telephone with a very Protestant, well-educated, well-endowed and also well-known friend of at least twenty years. He was concerned about receiving a book as a gift from his church upon the occasion of recovery from a fall. His concern to some degree was that Saint Francis was a Roman Catholic. I reminded him that there was no Protestant Reformation yet at the time, and that Francis, to me, was in the same category as Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, Jan Hus, John and Charles Wesley and John Knox. I think that impressed him. I hope this pertinent thought may impress you.
When Priscilla and I were serving at the Union Church of Lima in Miraflores, Peru, in the 1990s, those were the days of "Sundero Illuminoso" and great national upheaval, death, and destruction. Despite the enforced restriction imposed upon American citizens not to venture into Old Lima, I used to love to visit the Monastery of Saint Francis (circa 1540) right next to the plaza where Francisco Pizzaro, as matador, fought the first "Bull-Fight" in the New World. In the monastery, the first formal library in the New World was established in about 1542. Also featured are priceless works of fine art, classic paintings of Native-South American (Andean) masters (having been schooled by Spanish masters deployed to Peru in those days), fine sculptures, and priceless art objects, pottery, and such. Among those works of art is a sculpture carved out of pure Nicaraguan cedar by one of the friars, a Native-American master. This masterpiece is located on the northeast corner of the second floor of the monastery. He had heard the story of Francis and the Pope. He decided, evidently, to make a statement in his artistic masterpiece. Now imagine this in your mind. He carved a relief of thousands of heavenly faces and angel wings in the background with a ragged human figure in the front sitting on a throne. There was another figure carved out at the bottom of the piece dressed elaborately in obviously fine robes with a clerical miter on his head crawling before the ragged figure and kissing his feet. This friar wanted to let well-endowed representatives of the earthly church know what it would be like in heaven. Things would be turned completely around. The figure in fine robes was meant to be the pope. The ragged figure was meant to be Saint Francis in heaven surrounded by the heavenly host. The masterpiece, largely unheralded in our post-modern world, is one of the most meaningful pieces of fine art I have ever experienced. Many times in those years I'd marveled at the work, and thought of the outrageous sense of humor, as well as the tenacity and spiritual insight of this Native-American master. His work...a product of the sixteenth century...sending a definite message to all Christians in our twenty-first century Church... Some Quotable Insights of Saint Francis [with insights] "...all the darkness in the world can't extinguish the light from a single candle..." [YOUR CONTRIBUTION MAY SEEM INSIGNIFICANT...IT DOES MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE...ALL WORK IN CHRIST IS REWARDED] "...if you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men..." [THE PERSONS WHO MISTREAT ANIMALS AND VIOLATE GOD'S CREATION WILL EVENTUALLY MISTREAT YOU] "...the deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today..." [BE JESUS IN WHAT YOU DO - AND IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY - TELL SOMEBODY ABOUT HIM] "...vi volglio tutti in paradiso..." (literally in English) [I WISH THAT EVERYBODY WOULD GO TO HEAVEN] "...above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to His beloveds is that of overcoming self..." [THE GREATEST GIFT WE CAN RECEIVE FROM GOD IS TO STOP CODDLING OURSELVES] "...when we pray to God we must be seeking nothing---nothing..." [WHY IS IT THAT WHEN WE ASK THE LORD FOR THE INCREDIBLE JOB WITH THE GREAT SALARY, THE FANTASTIC, ATTRACTIVE PARTNER IN LIFE...AND NEW CAR...HE DOESN'T SEEM TO LISTEN TO US...??? THIS RELIGION THING JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK FOR US.] "...we should seek not so much to pray...but to become prayer..." [I'LL LET YOU CHEW ON THIS ONE FOR YOURSELF AND COME UP WITH AN IDEA OR TWO] I am so glad for the conversion, the life, the deeds and the legacy of Saint Francis, touched by the power of the Holy Spirit, to live a genuine life in Christ...a life of willful denial...a life of Godly love... a life of personal acts and insights that cause us...(as true, genuine believers in the 21st Century to live freely, modestly, compassionately, and confidently even during a time of pandemic and widespread abuse and upheaval of every kind in our world)...to follow the Lord Jesus and really live. Let me close with a quote from Saint Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 10:3-5... "...for though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does...the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world...on the contrary...they have divine power to demolish strongholds...we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ..." Have a terrific day and a fabulous week. Delight yourself in your relationship with the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart. Remember. There is no failure in the Lord. Trust Jesus! Cordially, Tom
From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough
Good Morning, everyone. My apologies for being a little late with this week's meditation. Blessings on this day! Do let us know how SpiritCare can be of support to you and your community. I have a couple of Zoom services coming up this month with some of your residents and patients. I am so grateful. I miss being with you, your staff, and those you serve. May we find new ways of coming together.
We just need to listen.
Another insight I get from this passage is that in their frustration, disappointment, and sorrow, the disciples decided to go back to fishing. After all, it was a life they knew well, and the last three years had been confusing, and at times very difficult. However, Jesus knew that previous phase of their lives had come to a close. There is great tenderness in this passage, and I do recommend reading it in its entirety. I believe the lesson here is to remember that we are always being called forward into new life. Yes, sometimes we are reluctant to go. We want to return to what we once knew. Yet, a Christian life is one that follows the Good Shepherd into a life of transformation. Let us learn to trust the journey. We are being led with care, and we are being made anew in surprising ways. Jesus calmly waits. Let us go. Prayer This prayer comes from the wonderful book, Following Jesus, Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety, by Henri J.M. Nouwen. (Ed: See Resources For Caregivers on Henri Nouwen.org)
Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor
San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ SpiritCare Ministry to Seniors www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com |
AuthorsRev Sue Ann Yarbrough Archives
March 2022
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