"I am responsible"

There is a sign that generally hangs in 12-step meeting halls: 

I am responsible.

When anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there.

And for that, I am responsible. 

Imagine the same principle adopted by people of faith. 

It is some years ago now that I began participating in 12-step meetings again. And as they say, I've kept coming back. In some ways the 12-step groups are a direct offshoot of Christianity, having been born out of "the Oxford Group", a Lutheran minister's outreach to alcoholics in the early 1900's which was founded on explicitly Christian principles. The founders of AA were influenced by that and kept much of the spiritual practice. However, the Christian origins were disguised: instead of "self-examination", the 4th step calls for a "fearless and searching moral inventory of ourselves". Instead of "confession", the 5th step walks through admitting "to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs." It continues through penance in a more classical sense, where the point of the actions is restoration and healing. There are a number of other disguised Christian practices and beliefs, seen easily enough by those who are familiar with both. 

Where many spiritual practices have fallen out of our culture, those original practices have remained vibrant and strong in 12-step groups. I think it is the core reason why the "twelve steps" -- spiritual exercises based on Christian beliefs -- have been of help in so many different fellowships, and adopted as the foundation for so many recovery and support groups. So this year as we approach Lent, my intent is to take a classic "resentments inventory" as the act of self-examination for this year's solemn season. (Yes, by this point I've done an inventory more than once, including of course the standard resentments inventory. Still, it needs doing again.) 

What Christianity shared with the 12-step groups in the early 1900's, the 12-step groups may yet share again with the Christian community here in the 2000's. 

A family of saints and heroes

Did it start with Naomi's kindness? One thing led to another, and her daughter-in-law Ruth came back to Judea with her. Ruth's heartfelt bonds and fierce loyalty are still much quoted at weddings: "Where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God." Ruth's grandson David started as a shepherd, and even as a shepherd gained a reputation as a skilled musician. When David the shepherd became King David, he was still famous as a wordsmith, a songwriter, a musician -- one who loved God, and a man of courage. As so often happens with success in this world, King David's reign was tarnished by scandal. The more lasting legacy has stayed with us through the ages in his devotion to God in psalms, including songs of heartfelt repentance after his scandal. His son Solomon followed David on the throne, and in some ways followed David in scandal. But his pursuit of wisdom has been his most honored legacy. 

The devotion to God showed up in different ways: wisdom, music, personal loyalty, a love that was strong enough to anchor a home, acts of kindness that brought a young widow to a new land. A love of God can pass along from generation to generation and leave a bright trail that still shows from a great distance in time. 

Sometimes it happens that a saint or hero of faith is alone in his faith, or very nearly so. Abraham comes to mind. And great things can come of one person of faith. But when two or three gather together? The shockwaves can last for generations, and the light can linger for thousands of years. 

Lord, may those who love you gather together and be encouraged by each others' devotion to you. When we gather together in your name, be with us, and may your light shine. 

Thanksgiving, praise, and the peace that passes understanding

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise." -- Psalm 100:4

There is something about an earnest gratitude that is open to the world and open to God. There is something about honest praise -- even enthusiasm -- that lifts and expands the spirit. And so I take Psalm 100 to have a meaning apart from a physical place of worship: that thanksgiving opens the door to God in our spirits, that praise brings us to a sanctuary inside his courtyard. There is the peace that passes understanding, as St Paul says "with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God, and the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep (guard) your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus". (Philippians 4:6-7)

So Paul connects thanksgiving to the peace that passes understanding. He also connects that peace to turning our minds to things worthy of praise, as his very next thought continues: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report; if there is anything of virtue/excellence, and if there is any worthy of praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

My favorites among the psalms and hymns are often ones of thanksgiving and praise. Worshiping with them brings my heart and mind into that sense of sanctuary, or the safety of the sheep-pen. There his presence is more felt, and his blessings are more clear to the senses. 

May this strengthen my desire to practice thanksgiving and praise. 

Simeon and Anna: Waiting on God's Salvation

Luke's Gospel tells us about Simeon and Anna, two people who met Mary and Joseph at the Temple when they brought Jesus there as an infant. Luke notes pieces of their conversation -- presumably passed along to others by Mary. While the pieces of conversation are worth noting, so are the actions: they waited. They waited and waited. They kept coming back. People only wait -- and keep waiting -- when they expect something. They trusted God. They trusted when the wait seemed endlessly long. They trusted that if God made a covenant, then God kept his covenant. If God promised something, then it would come in its time. They expected God to keep his word, so they waited. 

In comparison, our age's cynicism seems like bitter despair masquerading as realism. Our age's irreverence consists, in the main, of mocking hostility toward reverence -- toward virtues of respect, hope, and faith. Our age is full of "virtue signals" but not of virtue. 

Simeon tells us what he expected, what he considered fulfilled when he saw Jesus: A light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel. Simeon had hope and faith even before he had seen. May our day be capable of hope and faith again. 

"Remission" of sins: layers of meaning, layers of hope

Languages are multi-layered things, and a translator's job is not a simple one. Sometimes we come across  other shades of meaning when we study how a word is used. I've long found it interesting that the Bible talks about the "remission" of sins. These days our English word remission is often a specialty-word for early success in cancer treatment. But that use was repurposed from older uses. In the New Testament, here are a few familiar verses that all contain the same Greek word, most commonly rendered into English as remission: 

For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:28)

John baptized in the wilderness, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4)

To give his people knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins. (Luke 1:77)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to announce good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are bound. (Luke 4:18)

Going through all the uses in the New Testament, all the uses of that Greek word (aphesis) are typically rendered into English as remission or forgiveness except in Luke 4:18, where the English is typically given along the lines of deliverance, liberty, or freedom. 

It lends me hope that some of those shades of meaning, too, were meant about our sins: deliverance, liberty, and freedom. Forgiveness for them is a treasured promise; freedom from them even more so. Even if the final freedom is still to come, it will be cause for celebration. 

Fighting Temptation: Where we find our strength

Every year we remember Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. This year, I have spotted some things I had missed before. First, Luke's account for reference; then some notes: 

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness ² for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry. ³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”

⁵ The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶ The devil said to him, “I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want. ⁷ If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.”

⁸ Jesus answered him, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”

⁹ He led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here, ¹⁰ for it is written,

‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’

¹¹ and,

‘On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’”

¹² Jesus answering, said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

¹³ When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time.  (Luke 4:1-13)

Jesus was fasting. The devil came at a time of weakness. He watches and waits for us to be isolated from help, weakened in our resolve, in need or in distress. If he roams like a lion looking for those to devour, he looks for a moment when we are vulnerable. We can expect him. 

The first temptation is a temptation of human flesh.
Satan tempted Jesus to strengthen himself in the face of his human weakness: hunger.
Jesus deflected the temptation with the Word of God, and had strength enough. 
When we can resist the temptations of the flesh it is good, but we can expect more temptations to come. 

The second temptation is a temptation of human spirit. 
Satan tempted Jesus to gain authority and splendor in a corrupt way: by bowing to Satan. 

Jesus deflected the temptation again with the Word of God, and had authority enough to deny the prince of this world. It is a hopeful thought what kind of power we have through the Word of God, that we can deny the dark prince of this world. In the face of temptation, we can stand our ground. It must bother the evil one that there are people walking this world who do not answer to him, who hold fast against him. Enjoy that for a moment, take satisfaction that by knowing the Word of God, we can thwart the plans that evil has against us: and give glory to God. God's word continues to be our strength.
When we can resist the temptations of the human spirit it is good, but the devil is not quite done trying. 

The third temptation is a specifically religious temptation. 

Satan tempted Jesus to act rashly to prove his faith in his Father: here Satan used Scripture against him. Satan turned God's word, our strength, into a trap. Jesus deflected the temptation again with the Word of God: that Word is enough, understood rightly. And there is no need to worry that the Scriptures are too much for us to know and find the right word: Jesus fended off the evil one from a single book (Deuteronomy). When the adversary uses Scripture too, we must know more than the words: we must know God. When we set our course to honor God, the devil flees. 

The devil does return in our times of weakness. We know where to find our strength. 

Fear not: there's a reason to take heart

An often-used phrase in the Bible is "Fear not!" On various occasions it is spoken by God or by one of his messengers. Reading the Nativity accounts in the Gospel of Luke, I see "Fear not" used several times. It is never used as a raw command; there is always a reason given assure the hearer and to renew confidence. 

As Luke records the events surrounding Jesus' birth, he records three times when the angels announcement begins, "Fear not": 

• To Zechariah: "Fear not, Zechariah: for your prayer has been heard." (Luke 1:13)
  The angel continues to announce that he and his wife will have a son, John. 
  
  
• To Mary: "Fear not, Mary, for you have found favor with God." (Luke 1:30)
  The angel continues to announce that she will have a son. 
  
  
• To the shepherds: "Fear not, for I bring you good news of great joy, which shall be for all people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)

Today I am thinking mainly of Zechariah's encounter with the angel. 

Zechariah's news would be near and dear to anyone who has offered prayers and waited on the Lord: "Your prayer has been heard." When Zechariah heard the angel's message -- of which I've only included the very start -- Zechariah's answer was in the same neighborhood as "Took you long enough" or "Aren't you a little late, considering our ages?" It is easy to feel frustrated or even cynical when a prayer's answer is delayed, and seems to have been ignored or denied. Still, regardless of outward appearances, God had heard, had loved him, had listened to him -- and even considered it right to grant the request. Why had God waited to fulfill Zechariah's prayer? Was He waiting for Mary to grow up so that John and Jesus would be close in age? Was He waiting for the years of the prophet Daniel to be fulfilled? Was He waiting for Zechariah's priestly division to take its turn at the Temple, so that Zechariah could learn of God's gift as Zechariah offered the incense? We do not know the answer, and this side of heaven we have no way to know the answer. But looking back, it is easier to give God the benefit of the doubt that the timing was right, despite how hopeless things must have looked to Zechariah during the long years he may have waited. That's a thing I would do well to remember when I consider unanswered prayers. It may be that the timing matters for reasons I cannot yet see.