“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!”

After the snowfall this past weekend, you just can’t miss it. Christmas is on the horizon!

Actually, you should have been able to see it anyway. The stores are decked out in holiday style, the music is everywhere, and the Salvation Army bell ringers are out in force. Christmas is here! Not to stay, of course, but for the next few weeks, it’s “the most wonderful time of the year!”

That means, of course, that it’s time to dust off the “Christmas spirit.” We live a bit differently, smile a little more, and rekindle our hope in our world and our future, for a while, anyway. And it works well for us, with New Year’s just beyond – the future beckons, and for a short while we can feel good and even have a wee bit of confidence.

So, enjoy it – enjoy it while it lasts, bask in the warmth and wonder, and soak it all in.

And then get ready – ready to embrace the new year, moving forward with confidence because, hey, 2019’s got to be better, right?

But that’s yet to come – four weeks to go for that. For now, it’s the Christmas prep hustle, in the midst of ever shorter days, and probably more snow and ice too.

Oops…forgot about that – snow and ice!

Yes, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The white brightens our world, and adds that little bit of nostalgia as we think “Jingle Bells,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and “chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” After all, aren’t we all “dreaming of a white Christmas?”

Until you slip on the ice, and head to the ground. And remember, its not the fall that is particularly painful, it’s the sudden deceleration when you and the ground collide!

So, there you go – it’s looking a lot like Christmas, until the ice well hidden under the snow takes you down. Then it’s just another painful moment in the journey of a cold and dark winter.

But it is Christmas, right? That’s worth something, isn’t it? Sure it is. It really is. For another 21 days. And maybe a few more days after that. But then…then wrapping paper gets tossed, the cookies are reduced to mere crumbs, the music begins to get really old, the tree comes down, and the decorations are packed away.

As we turn the calendar to 2019, what’s left? Maybe a few pine needles in the carpet, a few too many extra pounds to lose, and a bigger credit card bill to pay. And the snow and ice.

Like I said, “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…”

Now, don’t think I’m some kind of Scrooge…it’s December 4, and I have my Christmas shopping all done. How about you? I’ve got Christmas music playing, I just finished writing a drama about Christmas for worship on December 12, we ordered Christmas bulletin covers today, and now we are beginning to think through Christmas Eve/Day worship and sermons. We are immersed in Christmas!

And after all that, I’m really looking forward to worship on Christmas Eve. Yes, the music and decorations, the candlelight and carols, they all make for a wondrous, almost magical evening. Most of all, I’m looking forward to proclaiming the gospel, the good news of Jesus’ birth, and doing that in the midst of God’s people. Because in the end it’s the excitement and energy of the people of God who gather together around the manger that make the evening special. It’s Jesus – and you – that’s what I look forward too!

So, see, I am not a Scrooge!

But I am a realist. And I know that as wondrous as the season is, there is ice just under the gentle snowfall. Ice just waiting to take me down.

And I know that I can’t stop the clock. The season will end, and 2019, with all it promises – and threatens – is headed this way, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

In the midst of this time of wonder, I continue to find reasons – lots of them – for fear and uncertainty. From global tensions and conflicts, to the issues that challenge us right here in our own village. From the brokenness of the people around me, to my own moments of failure and vulnerability. From the things I know, to the things I don’t know, to the things I cannot share with others. All around, lots of “ice” under the snow, and unlike Christmas, this stuff doesn’t get packed away. This stuff, and even more, follows me right into 2019, even as Christmas gets left behind.

So, what to do? Ponder for a moment the magic of the “Eve” and “Day” that follows. Yes, music and decorations, candlelight and carols will make for a wonderful night and morning. None of that, however, will last. Like all the rest of the Christmas experience, it will embrace and fill us, but only for a moment. Then, when the moment is passed, it will all be packed away until next year.

But the story – remember the story? The simple story of something far from simple. The story of God breaking into our world. A story that begins with an ordinary looking child, born of a poor woman, lying in a the midst of a dirty barn. A child who is more than a child, but is revealed to be God’s presence in the midst of our cold, dark, broken world. And a child who in the fullness of time will act through the cross and the tomb to restore all of creation to the God who dearly loves it.

Yet this is also a story that speaks to us even today. In the child God’s work is not limited to a corner of the world 2000 years ago. The power and presence of the child turned Savior continues to break through the cold and ice, failure and brokenness even today.

But there is more to the story – we do not hear this story in a vacuum. We hear it in the midst of community, in the midst of others who are also broken, vulnerable, and frightened. Together we are embraced by the God who has sent the child. Together we are renewed and restored by the child’s work on the cross and empty tomb. Together we share with each other the hope and confidence we have in the child. And together we proclaim to a cold, dark, and broken world all that God has done – and continues to do – for creation.

So there it is. With three weeks to go, the snow and ice abound, the darkness grows, and sometimes the hope wanes just a bit. But I see the light – I see the star in the distance, hovering over the manger. And I know the child is there, waiting for me. Waiting to share the story, and to gather again the community of the faithful around me. Waiting to move us all forward into a new year. A year that will be blessed, not by luck or good fortune, but by God’s presence with us through the child who becomes our Savior.

And that is the best gift of all!

Have you noticed that its been a while – a long while – since I last shared a “reflections?” I did. It’s been since…I can’t remember. Sometime in early summer, I think.

So what’s that about? Life has moved forward. We’ve had disasters and tragedies, all sorts of brokenness in the world, and so many things begging to be understood in light of the cross of Jesus. Lots of material to work with. You’d think I would have had something to say, after all, it’s usually tough to keep a preacher quiet!

The easy explanation is some laziness- you know, take some summer time off. Maybe there’s an element of truth in that. But not really. The fact is, the summer was busy, packed, and a bit stressed. Lots of things were happening across the globe, and a few things even in my own little circle of life. Now, don’t jump to any wild conclusions. Nothing with any life and death implications, and nothing that I couldn’t handle. Just enough to divert my attention and wear me down a bit.

And so the weeks wore on and all of a sudden, it was early September, and I hadn’t written anything. The troubles of the world, however, continued. And then it occurred to me, I was really looking forward to the summer coming to an end. Really? The end of summer? Sure. Summer ends, fall begins. And then…winter…and finally, as promised, the new life of spring. So bring it on – bring the change of seasons, even winter upon us. Every day gets us one day closer to better days. And maybe in the midst of troubled times that works for more than just the weather. Maybe just gutting it through the coming months will bring us to new hope and new life. Maybe.

So I had it all figured out. Just write it. Some evening, a bit of free time, a little inspiration. It was already almost done. Simply put it down on paper.

It didn’t happen.

And then…I went apple picking yesterday. The end of the apple picking season (Shefelbine’s closes on Sunday). I figured we’d find at least a few apples left, and it would probably be worth our time. Wrong! There were apples, and apples, and apples. Here, only days before the end of the season, the trees were loaded with apples. Two trees – two trees! That’s all it took, and we had two half bushels. And we left a bunches of apples on those two trees.

The reason, of course, is that it was a really good year for apples. Yet, it was more than just a reminder of a bumper harvest. It was a sign, if you will. A sign of generosity and abundance, even as I have been feeling a bit drained and weary.

But “apples, apples everywhere” is also a reminder of God’s unexpected gifts of grace. I expected new life. I knew that God would act. But God action took me by surprise. I looked forward to new life in the coming of spring in another six months, God, however, wasn’t going to wait that long. Life, new life, life that is full, rich and abundant, is mine right now, even though the earth around us ready to lie dormant.

That’s the twist of God’s unexpected grace. God’s grace is always astounding. Grace is love we do not deserve. Yet, there it is – the love of God, in many ways, in many places, but most of all, God’s love in the crucified and risen Jesus. Love that comes even though we do just about everything we can to push it aside. Love that comes not because we have lived good, squeaky clean lives. Love that comes despite us. Love that comes in our worst moments, in our darkest days, and even when we wouldn’t (and many time don’t) love ourselves. That is grace – and that is an awesome thing to behold – God’s grace breaking into our world and embracing us, filling us with life.

But the twist – the twist is that God’s grace constantly takes us by surprise. We never see it coming. Think about it…God’s grace is an unexpected windfall, almost by definition. After all, if we don’t deserve God’s love, how can we expect it? And so even when we look ahead, thinking that in time, after we wade through difficult days and challenging times, that God will come through for us – eventually – that’s when we need to take a peek at the apples on the tree. To see the abundance of grace, of life, of hope. To see what God unexpectedly brings to us, but also to see that it comes when we aren’t, well, expecting it!

Isn’t that what the cross of Jesus is all about? Unexpected love? The cross – the place of bloody, violent, and shameful execution, becomes transformed into God’s instrument for new life and hope through Jesus. The world looks upon the cross and sees death and defeat. We look upon the cross and see life.

But we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)

Yet, even though we proclaim the cross of Jesus, and we know it’s the instrument of life, we are surprised again and again. Or, in other words…”Never saw that coming!”

Perhaps that is the most wondrous aspect of God’s gifts of grace – that when God acts, we usually never see it coming. God acts by bringing into being “grace filled moments” that surprise us, moments born out of the cross of Jesus, moments that renew us just when we thought we that the barrenness of our lives was all that was left.

And so we come to the orchard. Even at the end of the season, on a cold, damp October morning, the trees are full, the apples are there.

Even in our dark, weary, tiring, stressed, and broken days, the cross is full, Jesus is there!

Pastor Jean, Rebecca and I are currently at the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston, along with Cat Bottem and several of our young people. The Youth Gathering occurs every three years, bringing together 30,000+ young people and adults for worship, learning, fun, connecting, and service, from all over the country. Some drove, others traveled on charter buses, and still others flew. One way or another, they arrived on Wednesday, and will be here through Sunday.

As we have mingled, we’ve run into folk from all over – from Pennsylvania, Washington, and Florida. We rode the train yesterday with a crew from Holmen, and even ran into Pastor Bonnie Klos, from Our Savior’s, now serving St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Port Huron, Michigan – out of 30,000 people, there she was!

My favorite was the hug Rebecca got. Two guys came around with a sign that read, “Free hugs or fist bumps from Alaska.” They delivered!

So, what a wonderful event. Not much more to say!

Well, maybe a little. Not all was quite so perfect.

First, we had to get to our hotel. It’s Houston. We’ve never been here before. And there is lots of traffic.

The hotel? Nice place, but where’s the car going? Valet parking. Yeah, I know, I just like having my car outside my window, where I can get to it when I need something. At this moment I have no idea where my car is. A bit unsettling…

Then we took the train (that worked well) to meet up with the rest of the crew for dinner, but we had to walk a mile. In Texas heat.

With dinner done we headed over to NRG Stadium for the mass gathering. First we had to figure out what part of the blob of bodies in front of us was a line. We found the tail end of a strand of people, and joined them. And we stood…and we waited…and we stood… The line inched forward. We could see kids going up the ramps to the stadium, but only a few. They were checking bags. Every bag. Every bag from every one of the 30,000+. Through one gate.

Then, suddenly the line surged. Up on the ramps the few kids were now replaced by throngs. I guess they decided to give up on checking bags.

The sudden movement also meant,however, that when we finally got up the ramps into the stadium, it was just plain crazy. With no “tickets,” and no idea where to go we wandered until we ended way up in the upper sections with something of a view. But no matter, the noise, the vibration, and more that I will get to in a few moments, was still pretty intense. Too intense for Rebecca, so we headed off for the designated “quiet room.”

This morning we headed back for our “service day.” The gathering involves a “service day,” a “synod day,” and an “interactive fun day.” We do fun on Friday, and synod on Saturday; others did those things today.

Arriving at the NRG Center with 10,000 others we looked for our bus (number 55). There, we found ourselves in a group of 50, with kids from from Pennsylvania and Washington. We would head out when the coordinators gave us the word. And so we waited. We stood and waited. For 2 hours (2:09 to be exact), we stood and waited. Until the bus finally came. Then, off to an elementary school, where we stained outdoor equipment and cleaned up a garden. Summer school was in session, so kids were around (more on that in a moment too).

So, what’s my point here? Lots of standing, lots of heat, and a bit of disorganization. No, this is not a perfect event! Not even close!

But…remember the noise and vibration in the stadium during the mass gathering? That noise and vibration was accompanied by energy – lots of it. 30,000 kids pumped up and excited to be here to worship, learn, have some fun, connect with others, and serve. An imperfect event, filled with imperfect kids (and a few imperfect adults, like me), embraced by Jesus Christ and energized by the Holy Spirit. Kind of like the life of the baptized! For as baptized children of God, imperfect as we are, God still embraces us and energizes our service.

And the scene of 30,000+ young people getting all excited, really gives me hope. We live in a world where “church” is more challenging than ever. But seeing (and feeling) the energy and excitement renews my hope. Not because of the kids, but because of the power of the Spirit working in their lives. The church experience I grew up with might be changing, might even be gone. But Jesus is at work, the people of God are Spirit-led, and the church will continue. Not because, but perhaps in spite, of me!

But there’s more. Remember too our time at the school this morning. We saw children, walking to and from class, probably a bit bewildered by the strangers in their midst.

Then, as we were breaking for lunch, one of the teachers asked if some kids could come and share a bit of our story with their 5^th graders. I corralled two girls from Pennsylvania and their pastor to join me. The girls shared with the class our event, and our desire to serve. The class (and teachers) thanked us. Service, you see, makes a difference in the world. And the morning after 30,000+ energized the stadium, in a small corner of Houston we touched lives. Just like 200 other groups did in other small corners of Houston this morning. And another 200 on Friday, and another 200 on Saturday.

There you have it. Discipleship in a nutshell. Imperfection, the embrace of Jesus and the energy of the Holy Spirit, and the making of a difference in the lives of others.

So, take a peek in the mirror – look at imperfection (that’s you and me). Then ask yourself how you feel the embrace of Jesus, and sense the energy of the Holy Spirit. And finally, how did you make a difference today – and how can you do it again tomorrow.

Or, in other words, be a disciple!

The ongoing crisis at the border with children taken from their parents, resulting in families being torn apart, continues to dominate the news. Even though as I write this word is out that the President will reverse the policy, there is still concern about families and the ways in which public policy has impacted their lives. So many – all the living First Ladies (including the current one), to 70 ex-US Attorneys, to the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, to a number of CEOs of the nation’s largest corporation, to even the most senior members of Congress from both parties, all these and more have decried this action as immoral, even akin to “child abuse.”

Sadly, however, those in support have cited another authority, to justify their actions – the Bible.

Seriously! That’s what has been claimed. Bet you didn’t know that, did you? That the Bible supports the taking of children from their parents?

Well, not exactly. The quote given by the Attorney General of the United States is from the New Testament, from Romans 13. Here’s what it says:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.  (Romans 13:1-5)

The rationale that supporters point to is pretty simple and straightforward. Since government is in place, it must have been put there by God, and if God put it there, it must be good and right. So don’t argue, just go along with what the government is doing. After all, government is “God’s servant for your good.”

OK, I’ll buy it that God’s word is in there somewhere, but not as obviously as one might imagine. After all, the American Revolution opposed a government – was the King of England “God’s servant” for the good of the colonies? Hardly? That’s why we have a July 4th celebration – because long ago, Patriots decided that the government isn’t always doing God’s stuff.

And then, what of those who in the middle of the 19th century defended slavery, in part because government allowed it, and government was provided by God, so it must be OK? We ended up fighting a bloody civil war over that one.

But this is even more personal for me. I am of German descent. My ancestors on both sides of my family came to this county in the mid-19th century, almost 100 years before the Nazis took over Germany. Even so, I cringe when I think of what Germans did in the Holocaust and in WWII. And then I “double-cringe” when I think of how German Lutherans bought into the Nazi message. How could that happen? Romans 13. Don’t argue. God is at work. Even in the Nazis!

The German experience is more than an embarrassment – it’s disgraceful, revolting, and utterly sinful. And it is a painful reminder that government is not always of God!

Yet, there is an irony in the claim being made that Romans 13 justifies the ripping of children away from their parents. In fact, Romans 13 proclaims the opposite. You just need to read a little bit further, down to verses 9-10:

The commandments…are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.  (Romans 13:9-10)

There it is, right there in Romans 13. The call, not to rip families apart, causing emotional trauma for children and parents alike. The call to love others, and the proclamation that we fulfill the law, not when we demand that laws be kept, but when we love our neighbor.

Now, that is radical.

I am proud to be an American, and I relish a justice system which, while being very imperfect, is a whole lot better than the systems in many countries. Yet, as a patriotic American (which I believe I am), I also can’t deny that much too frequently our system, in the hands of very imperfect people (just like me) can go far astray. Laws are not always just, and laws are not always justly applied.

Moreover, while I am an American, I am first a disciple of Jesus. And what does Jesus call us to do? Work justice in the lives of others, love our neighbors, and even love our enemies.

The message of the gospel, from Paul, from Jesus, from God is truly radical. It calls us to see the law as something very different. Not as keeping the rules and regulations, but as a guide to reaching out to those in need. I observe the law best, I fulfill God’s commandments, when I love my neighbor!

Some will say, “Ah, but immigrants are not my neighbor.” A certain lawyer once tried that trick, but Jesus put him in his place (see Luke 10:25-37 – the parable of the Good Samaritan).

I do understand that this is part of a larger, political debate over immigration and immigration policy. I get that. Immigration concerns do need to be addressed. But don’t separate families. And then, don’t blame the Bible!

Ripping apart families is not the answer. “What would Jesus do?” This isn’t it! We can and must do better. Work to develop an immigration policy that recognizes territorial integrity, but does so without the moral wrong of ripping apart families.

And we can start by reading a little more of Romans, and using God’s word for what it is intended – to reveal to us God’s work in the crucified and risen Jesus, the one who died for me, yes, but also the one who died for families that have been separated. And even for government officials who did the separating. The one who loves all people, those who are victims, and even those whose actions frustrate and anger me. The one who calls us to do the same!

Let’s pray that this is the end of a bad policy, and let’s also pray for the wisdom and inspiration of the Holy Spirit to meet the legitimate needs of all of God’s children.

Pastor Jon

Another horrific school shooting. This time in Texas. And right before graduation. How frighteningly tragic can it get? Students, on the verge of graduation, just about ready for summer break, terrorized, wounded, even killed. Again. And we still haven’t figured out what to do.

While answers are hard to come by, I also wonder how hard we have really tried. We get a bit numb after a while, almost as if we are frozen. We get tied up in the political and partisan debate, debate that distracts us from the need to do some things – maybe some tough things – in order to protect our children. And most tragically, perhaps, we are desensitized to the violence. We begin to see this as the norm. It’s “normal” for kids to be shot at school!

There are limits, of course, to what we can do. After all, we live in a sinful world, and I can’t change that. There will always be hatred and violence; there will always be those who seek to hurt. Karl Marx, for example, developed Marxism (Communism) with the belief that changing the system will bring new outcomes. He didn’t take sin into account! No matter how perfect the system, there will always be those who will take advantage of it, for their own benefit. So, perfect answers won’t be found. We live in an imperfect, even broken, world.

Now I need to be careful here. That is also the line of those who want to do nothing. It’s people, they say, not the instruments of death that are the problem. And so some would advocate going the other way – more guns (arming teachers) is the solution!

Really? Throw more gasoline on the fire?

Look, I understand hunting and hunters, and their desire to engage in their sport, and I support that. I used to live in the UP of Michigan, where hunting is a way of life, even more than in Wisconsin. Deer hunting season begins on November 15, and if it’s a week day, most school systems shut down. They called it, “UP Holiday.”

But I have never seen a hunter head to the woods armed with an AK-47, or a Uzi. So why are those guns out there, easily available?

And I know, killing can occur with many weapons – a knife or a hammer, for example. But knives and hammers have other uses. Guns don’t. They are designed for one purpose – for killing.

Politics aside, it is way past time to do something. The absolute, obstinate “we won’t touch guns at all” is not working, and it is not serving our children.

So, what do we do? The story out of Texas (at least at the moment – the story may not be fully out yet) is that the guns used were owned legally. Are there ways to prevent, or at least reduce, the use of guns by people who should not have access to them?

I’ve already read some suggestions that might have prevented this from happening. Maybe they would have worked. Maybe not. But even if solutions don’t prevent all violence, if they even prevent one shooting, isn’t that worth it? And wouldn’t that mean the world to the one…or ten…whose lives might have been lost, but now are not?

But remember – we are numb and we are desensitized. We begin to believe that there is not much you or I can really do. We are frozen, going nowhere quickly!

And this is such a political issue, with heavy hitters on all sides, hard to imagine anything happening here.

But the Texas shooting didn’t just happen right before graduation. It also happened right before Pentecost. Tomorrow (May 20^th), is Pentecost. We celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift that filled the disciples, and even changed Peter – you remember Peter, the ultimate “chicken,” the one who in fear denied that he knew Jesus – and did that three times. But in the embrace of the Holy Spirit, Peter, the “chicken,” stood up in front of the crowds in Jerusalem a mere 52 days later, and proclaimed the good news of Jesus. Boldly and publicly.

The Holy Spirit did the unimaginable – transformed the followers of Jesus from a group of frightened, clueless bumblers into a group that had few answers, but also had the willingness to trust the Spirit’s guidance.

Two thousand years later, embraced by the same Spirit, we gather for worship and for service, to proclaim good news and make a difference in our world. And it all started on that first Pentecost.

So consider this. We face challenges, and we have significant conflict over how to fix what’s wrong. This is political explosion waiting to happen. And so we duck, we hope, we even pray. But we don’t do anything.

Moreover, I have my ideas, but I also know my limitations. I don’t have all insight and wisdom. I know where we need to go, I’m just not fully certain how we will get there.

But I also know we have the presence of the Holy Spirit. Maybe it’s time we, as faithful Christians, insist that the conversation begin. Maybe we need to stand up to those who insist that nothing can change, and nothing should change. Maybe we also insist that we don’t have to have our way completely, and that we can even see that others may have ideas and insights worth considering. Or to put it another way, maybe, in the embrace of the Holy Spirit, we can put our children first, and be bold.

Can’t – and won’t – happen, some say. But then again, no one saw Pentecost happening either.

I once saw a cartoon in which one character said, “I’d like to ask God why he allows poverty, hunger and injustice.” The other asked, “Why don’t you?”

“I’m afraid he might ask me the same thing!”

Time for us to stop being afraid of the question.  Time to pray for the strength and presence of the Holy Spirit. Even here, far from Texas. To be renewed by the Spirit. To hear God calling us to make a difference – and to act.

Because I don’t want your daughter (or son) – or mine – to be next!

On a beautiful spring day, sunny and bring, Pastor Jean and I go to hang out Sugar Creek Bible Camp, at our synod’s Spring Theological Conference, connecting with colleagues and enjoying the camp setting.

(By the way, later this afternoon we found out we have another young “Bible camper” for this summer, bringing us up to 25 for the year, busting our budget! Hey, isn’t that a GREAT problem to have???)

But back to the conference. Before the program, several ministries shared a bit. Pastor Ben Morris thanked the synod for embracing campus ministry and making it happen (and another by-the-way – Our Savior’s is a leader in supporting campus ministry, so thanks to you all for making ministry happen on college campuses in La Crosse.)

Then there was Pastor Dave Bersagel, our former pastor. He stood up, and declared, “World hunger. Sheep.” And sat down. He made his point – we all knew about the sheep project for Synod Assembly – each plywood sheep brought to assembly represents $500 toward the World Hunger Appeal). Now, it’s time for us at Our Savior’s to get to work and get our sheep in line! (And yet another by-the-way – Our Savior’s was fourth in the synod last year in support for the work against hunger, and that does NOT include the food pantry and the summer lunch program. So thank you yet again for your ministry on behalf of those in hunger.)

And finally, a chaplain from the Wisconsin National Guard made a pitch for pastors to consider becoming a chaplain in the Guard. Great idea! Don’t you think Pastor Jean would look good in fatigues?

Seriously, that’s not happening. But he share something interesting. He said that hears a constant theme from soldiers, typically younger men and women – “I believe, but I don’t belong.” He said, “My response to that is, ‘If you believe, then you already belong.’

“If you believe, then you already belong.”

Great words for those who have found the institution of the church to be less than helpful. They understand the presence of God, perhaps even Jesus. They know that God is active in their lives, and to some extent they might even have a sense of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. For whatever reason (and there are a lot of possibilities) the just don’t see the church as being a place where their faith can be nurtured and their discipleship strengthened. And they don’t see the community in the church as a community they need to belong to. So, they believe, they just don’t belong.

The chaplain’s response, however, redefines the conversation. This is not about the church, as in “Our Savior’s,” or any other congregational body. It’s about something bigger. It’s about Jesus. Or more properly, it’s about the Body of Christ.

“If you believe, then you already belong.”

Those who profess faith in Jesus have experienced something. “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3b). We can’t profess faith without the Holy Spirit working in our lives.

But…the Holy Spirit is hardly satisfied with me, all by myself, off on my own. And so the Holy Spirit connects me with others, weaving me into the fabric of the Body of Christ, so that, whether I realize it or not, “I belong.”

Which means, for the young soldier, or the college student, or the young adults in our midst, “If you believe, you belong.” And not just the young folk – the older folk too – all ages. Young, old, and everything in between, “If you believe, you belong.”

Realize it or not, like it or not, “You belong.” Not because you choose to belong, or did the right stuff, or signed the right papers. You belong because the Holy Spirit has embraced you and connected you with the community, with the Body of Christ.

Now, I know – I’m probably preaching to the choir on this one. But hear me out on this.

We know that we belong. Most of us, maybe all, are members of Our Savior’s, or another congregation. We are a part of an outward sign of our unity in the gospel, gathered by the Holy Spirit in the community of the faithful, woven into the Body of Christ. We gather with others around the Word and the Sacraments, we find our life and hope in the crucified and risen Jesus, and we work together to proclaim good news to a broken world. Together – we belong!

But what if something happened, and you become immensely disillusioned with congregational life. What if you decided to leave the congregation, even formally cutting ties? God forbid, of course, but it does happen…what then?

Sorry, you’re not getting off that easily. If you believe, you still belong!

No, perhaps not to the congregation, but the congregation is not the point. We don’t gather together each week in worship, we don’t teach and sing, feed and sew, for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to Our Savior’s. We do it for Jesus!

The point is very simple – what we do as disciples is not about us (as individuals), nor is it about us (the congregation.) Rather, it is about us – the Body of Christ!

Or more simply, its about Jesus!

Someone once said that the church (and the congregation), does not have a mission. God does. We have a role in that mission.

We have that role, not because we are incorporated under the laws of the State of Wisconsin. We have it because are a part of the Body of Christ. That role, that calling, that “belonging” transcends our organizational lines. It is what we have, and in the end, it focuses us on what we are – mission. We are mission because we are the Body of Christ, and we are the Body of Christ because we belong.

And we belong simply because we believe.

Believe it, or not.

Occasionally I come across an article that intrigues me enough to hang on it. That happened again last week, as on CNN.com I read an article on “elevation.” No, I’m not talking about floating in air, or mountain climbing, or fear of heights. This is about something much bigger.

So for starters, I invite you to check out the article. And in true “Trinitarian” fashion, I’ll even give you three openings to read the article. I am aware that you might just decide to skip my reflection. After all, I’m hardly at the level of published authors! Still, once you’ve read the article, I invite you back. It might help you understand where I am coming from, or maybe you will be able to point out how wrong I am. Regardless, read the article!

So here’s your first chance…you can find the article right here: https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/06/europe/pope-elevation/index.html

Now that you have read he article and have returned, or just decided to stick with me, let’s move on. The article explores the phenomenon known as “elevation,” where an individual observes an act of genuine kindness, an act of care from one person to another. The author’s interest was piqued after seeing Pope Francis offering a blessing, first to an older gentleman, then to a younger child, both in wheel chairs. He realized that while something might have happened to them, something definitely happened to him. He was filled with a strange, hard-to-define emotion. Wondering what was going on, he began to search. What he found was that when we observe an act of kindness to others, we ourselves are “elevated” to do something similar. That is to say, witnessing others making a difference leads us to want to do the same.

Even more than that, he says, “the sentiment I felt may be more common than you think, and it can be very contagious.”

Its also rather historical. Thomas Jefferson first identified “elevation,” and explored its dynamics. Primitive in his understanding, perhaps, but Jefferson’s observation is quite profound. You see an event, you have a physical reaction, you experience the motivation to do something similar, and as a result you are uplifted and feel a new sense of optimism. The key, however, is not that you simply feel good – it compels you to want to DO something.

The article digs a little deeper into all of this, so if you haven’t read it yet, here’s your second chance…go read the article, and then come on back!

[Pause for you to read the article…or skip on to the next paragraph!]

Interestingly (for me, at least), the article seems to occasionally dart into the spiritual, and then back out again. It’s as if the author knows that on one level this can be explained by psychology, that this is a psychological phenomenon, a facet of human behavior. And I suppose that, to a certain extent, that is true. This is about behavior, and it has psychological elements – maybe even a lot of them.

But at the same time the author seems aware that there’s something more, that somewhere in all of this, God is at work.

Psychology and human behavior? Probably.

The work of the Holy Spirit? Definitely!

This “elevation” concept affirms that what I do to help someone quite likely makes a difference in their life. My care and concern, my act of kindness, my reaching out to touch their life, my lifting up of their dignity and worth – all of this impacts the life of the other person.

On a deeper level, however, “elevation” says there is more. There is you, the observer, you the one who sees what I am doing, regardless of whether I realize you are watching. You, witnessing what I am doing, do more than merely note my actions. YOU are changed by what I do for someone else, even when I am unaware that are even there. That I can make a difference in the life of the one whom I care for makes sense. But what sense is there in thinking that I touch you, even when I am unaware you even exist?

Unless, of course, I had a little help. Like the Holy Spirit.

So, off I go into the world, seeking to change the life of the one whom I care for, never imagining the impact I have on others. And then, when others are “elevated” to do likewise, I have an indirect impact on even more. Think of the exponential increase in lives touched, changed, and renewed.

And that is the power of witness. Or more properly, the power of witness in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Really, it works!

This past Sunday our text in worship was Luke 24:36b-48. The passage ends with Jesus sending out his disciples to proclaim the good news. Jesus reminds them of the revelation of Holy Scripture, which points us to God’s work of new life in the cross and the empty tomb. And then, in the next verse, just beyond Sunday’s reading, Jesus tells them to wait for the Spirit. Why? Because, it is really the Holy Spirit at work.

But while it is the Spirit’s work, the Spirit works through you and me. The Spirit uses our witness, and then works in the lives of those who see us making a difference, changing them too into “difference makers.”

So here’s my point: Go out into the world to make a difference, but just know that you may very well be making a bigger difference than you ever imagined. Know that even small acts of kindness and care for others, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, might just make a saint or two!

Or, as the article ends: “It’s not a new thing under the sun, but maybe each generation needs to learn the lesson again: Edicts and rules may keep us from behaving like devils, but if you want us to be saints, it helps to show us how.”

And so, if you have not yet read the article, here’s your third chance. Read it. And then, in Biblical language, go and do likewise!

Lots of things in the news lately – from turmoil in Washington to elections to another storm in the northeast to bombings in Texas. But nothing has captured the attention of the nation like shootings in schools. And in the aftermath of the Parkland shooting in Florida, students have led the way to challenge the status quo on gun control, and have challenged us as adults to do more than talk.

The most recent shooting is, however, different. For me, at least. The shooting in Maryland earlier this week, which left the shooter dead and two students hurt (including one who is not expected to survive), is personal. That high school is two miles from the first church my Dad served in his ministry. In fact, my mother taught in that school (OK, that was over 60 years ago, but it was that school!). I wasn’t born there – I was born six months after my parents moved to New York City – but there is still a sense of belonging and connection. Lexington Park is a naval town, so there has been a lot of turnover and change, and a visit there ten years ago was a visit to a different community than my parents knew. But it was still Lexington Park. And today it is experiencing a lot of brokenness.

What’s the significance? I know our world is broken. We see it all the time. From shootings and international tensions, to hunger and poverty, to illness and natural disasters, there’s plenty of hurt and pain out there. And it’s easy to see – its all around. Just not here. Its always out there, somewhere else.

But the shooting in Lexington Park makes this different. This time it is MY world that is broken. Not some unknown place in Florida, or a city in a state I’ve never visited (Austin). No, I never lived there, and Lexington Park has changed, but there is still the possibility that one of the victims, one of the students now traumatized by a shooting in his or her own school, or even the perpetrator, is the grandchild of a couple my Dad married. Or maybe they attend the church my Dad served. This time it’s personal.

Not that I should really need Lexington Park to see personal brokenness. I might like to think that all is well, but my own corner of the world has its own brokenness. I’ve got my fears and anxieties, failures and sinfulness. Like everyone else, I work hard to hide my flaws, and I pretend all is well. It isn’t. I need something, anything, that can redeem the broken world around me, and restore my weary soul.

But Lexington Park blows up my illusion that somehow all that big time brokenness is someone else’s problem. It couldn’t happen here, it doesn’t really affect me, it’s just something I see in the news. Lexington Park makes it really apparent – it is not just the world around me that is broken, it is my world – and it is me – that is broken. And broken as I am, broken as my world is, I really do desperately need my world, MY WORLD, to be redeemed. And my soul restored. Big time!

That is what next week, Holy Week, is about. It is about God acting, in a deeply mystical, spiritual, and sacrificial way, to redeem a broken world. To take a world that is full of sin, ugliness, pain and sorrow, and to redeem it and make it holy again. And as God does that, God restores broken people – people in Florida, Austin, Lexington Park, even in Washington. Even me.

The importance of Lexington Park, for me at least, is the reminder that just as the brokenness really hits home, so does the gift of grace. God’s gift of grace and life in the crucified Jesus is about me and real life. Its not an abstract, theological construct, or something for people far, far away. It is about local stuff, it is about me. It exposes my fears and my vulnerabilities. It calls me to accountability for the times – the many times – I have failed to live faithfully.

Yet the cross doesn’t stop there. Yes, it exposes and calls to me accountability, but it also embraces and holds me. As I shudder, filled with anxiety, apprehension, and uncertainty, the cross comforts me, rekindles in me God’s gifts of life, and then challenges me to live life faithfully. I am sent out as a disciple of the one who has given me new life. I go out into the world filled with confidence, not in myself, but in Jesus working in and through me.

That’s why next week is not just about remembering events almost 2000 years ago on the other side of the planet. Its about what is happening right here – in the places in the headlines, and in other places that rarely make the news. Even in West Salem.

For me, that’s what Lexington Park .makes crystal clear You may not have such a place, but you do have such a Savior. Embraced by the cross, may you too be comforted, rekindled and challenged. And my you too go out with confidence, as a faithful disciple of the crucified – and risen – Jesus!

It’s February 13…Mardi Gras…Fat Tuesday…and two things have not escaped my attention.

First, it’s been over six weeks since my last reflection. Sorry about that. It’s been a long six weeks, as the winter has worn on. Cold – really cold at times, along with a particularly nasty flu season. And busy – lots to do with annual meeting, and other sundry items. But more on that in a moment.

The other thing I can’t help but notice is that if today, February 13, is Mardi Gras, then tomorrow, February 14 – Valentine’s Day – is Ash Wednesday. Yes, indeed. The day of valentines, loves, flowers, and candy is also the day of ashes. Yipee…

But at least we can have some fun today. So, if you haven’t taken the time today to celebrate to excess, to revel in all that Lent is not, you still have some time. Not a lot, but if you hurry…

After all, the fun stops tomorrow. Ashes, no alleluias (we “buried” them in worship on Sunday), and a journey focused on the cross, don’t make for much of a party.

But wait, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. February 14. So, there is that. We can, for a moment, or maybe for more than a moment, forget about the bleakness of Lent and instead imagine that all is really quite well, and that the power of romantic love can triumph over all things. After all, isn’t love the greatest emotion around?

Of course, it is! Love is greater than all else. And that’s why the meaning of tomorrow, Valentine’s Day, is wrapped up in a kiss.

And that’s why the meaning of tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, is wrapped up in a kiss.

Come again?

Valentine’s makes sense. Whether it is a tender kiss between spouses or romantic loves, or the gentle kiss of a parent to a child, the kiss is an intimate expression of something really deep. Psychologists tell us that the kiss is a most profound expression of our connection to another human being. For whatever reason, the kiss triggers in us powerful feelings of caring and belonging. In a kiss I express a profound and deep sense of security, even as I receive the same in return. Awesome stuff!

And so Valentine’s Day, with the flowers and candy adding to the moment, really can be wrapped up in a simple kiss, in that act of affection that becomes the emotional embrace that binds us together.

Not only powerful, but heavy too!

With all that, it would seem reasonable to spend our time tomorrow focusing on the gift of love and affection. What else could be of such importance?

Well, how about love and affection? Only this time, of a different sort.

So, let’s go with February 14, this time as Ash Wednesday. And keep the kiss. Not the kiss of a spouse or lover, not even the kiss of a parent or child. This kiss is deeper. This is the kiss of a good and gracious God.

Ash Wednesday marks a moment in time, both for Jesus, and for us. Each week, as we hear the story of Jesus in the Gospel readings, we walk the story that begins at Christmas and ends with the joy and wonder of Easter. Ash Wednesday is when the story turns and Jesus begins to make his way to Jerusalem, and then to the cross On the cross, Jesus will take upon himself all of our failure, brokenness, sin, and vulnerability. That, by the way, is the point of the cross. Yes, Jesus suffers greatly and dies on the cross, but many people have died agonizing deaths. The difference with Jesus is that he carries all of our stuff with him, and in fact, carries all of the agony of the world on his shoulders. That’s is what the cross is about. And that journey begins tomorrow. February 14. Ash Wednesday.

But that journey is also our journey. Through Lent we walk with Jesus, recognizing our weakness, and coming to grips with our need for something beyond ourselves. Our need for the gifts of the crucified Jesus. In the journey of Lent I am reminded of how truly broken and vulnerable I am.

All of that makes for a gloomy time. Lent is not much of a party!

But Ash Wednesday…and Lent…is about a kiss. It’s about God’s kiss through Jesus. For in the midst of all my failure, brokenness, sin, and vulnerability, the kiss of God through Jesus renews and restores me. The crucified Jesus takes from me all that weighs me down, and revives my life.

That’s what I need – now and, well, always. But especially now. Remember? It’s been a long six weeks. The winter has been hectic and wearing on me. So now, today (Mardi Gras) and again tomorrow (Ash Wednesday) and Thursday…Friday…and on and on…I need that kiss. More than even the powerful romance of Valentine’s Day, I need the kiss of Jesus, the kiss of life!

So, what about you? I invite you to ponder...what is weighing on you these days, that you need the kiss of God through Jesus? Where is your need, your brokenness, your vulnerability? Where have you failed, and desperately need the embrace of a loving God?

And then think back…when have you already been kissed by God? When, in a big – or small – moment, did the kiss of God lift you to new life?

Or when, looking back, did God’s kiss restore you, and you only realized that gift in hindsight?

Looking ahead…looking back…God’s kiss, in the crucified Jesus is the kiss of life!

That’s why, in the end, it’s not just Valentine’s Day or Ash Wednesday that is wrapped up in a kiss. It’s today, tomorrow, and everyday.

Let’s start with the obvious – it’s 9:30 PM or so, on New Year’s Eve. So…Happy New Year! Whenever you read this, let me wish you a wondrous 2018!

That said, it’s a bit of a deja vu moment. Heard that before? Happy New Year? May the new year be a great one for you? Yep – again…here we are again. New Year’s Eve. Another year down, the next ready to roll. And the good wishes are flowing.

I checked – almost exactly 365 days ago, to the hour, I wrote a reflections. I lamented the hoopla over a new year, and all the seemingly endless – and usually unfulfilled wishes that the next year would somehow be a great one, that the turn of the calendar would the difference.

Eh, well…maybe…

Or maybe not. So, how did 2017 work out for you? Good? Bad? Ugly? Of course, we all have our ups and downs, our good times and tough times. For most of us, we can probably make a list – the good and not so good – a bit of each. For some, 2017 might have ended up as a year to forget, or at least to leave behind as quickly as possible, hoping that 2018 will be better. And for a few, it can’t possibly be worse!

Beyond our own individual lives, there are the big issues in the world around us. The news today reported a former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff lamenting that we are closer to war with North Korea than ever. Would such a war include nuclear weapons?

And then the seemingly endless parade of sexual misconduct cases impacting politics, entertainment, sports, and business. Necessary, and critical to get this out in the open, to make changes, to ensure that this comes to a stop – now! No more sweeping it under the rug, but a bummer nonetheless. We have to deal with this, but still makes for a painful and challenging time.

And then there’s the violence. Another shooting, an ambush really, of a sheriff’s deputy in Colorado.

Or the tragedy of the apartment fire in New York yesterday. Will this never end?

And how about the political climate? Republican or Democrat – or Independent, you just can’t like the atmosphere right now.

So, there you go. 2017. The year for which so many had such high hopes.

But don’t fret. There’s 2018, right on the horizon, another year in which to hope. Another year to eagerly await. Another year that will be better, because, well, it just has to be.

Or not.

So what are we to do? Chalk it up to fate, and enter the year with fear and foreboding?

Hardly! No, I’m not into a sort of “polyanna-ish” approach to the new year. Just because “the sun will come out, tomorrow…,” a la Annie, doesn’t mean much of anything.

What does mean something is the Child in the manger. I said that last year, on the cusp of 2017. And no matter how the year turned out, it remains true. The Child in the manger makes the difference. It’s the Child, it’s Jesus who transforms our world. The mystery, the marvel, is that Jesus doesn’t suddenly make all warm and fuzzy, wonderful and delightful. In fact, the presence of Jesus is most profound in the midst of challenges, brokenness, even darkness.

There, in the worst of our times, Jesus – the crucified and risen Jesus – brings us life and future! I said that a year ago, and it’s still true, even more for me today. Jesus is the gift of life that continues to embrace me – and you – giving us the assurance that the new year will be a blessing, no matter what the year brings!

Earlier today we worshiped, with Jake Iliff (as part of his Senior Exit Project), sharing the message. Jake shared the story of a nursing home resident who considered everyone she met a blessing. What would happen to us if we lived our lives that way, intentionally looking for the blessings that surround us? What would happen if we entered 2018 with an eye to blessings, even ones that are harder to see?

Or put another way, what if I looked at 2018 as a gift of God’s grace, and recognized that the Child of the manger, who becomes the crucified and risen Jesus, transforms our world even in the most fearful and anxious of times. What if I entered the new year expecting not brokenness or simply “happy times,” but instead expecting – and looking for blessings, real blessings. Blessings, in the people God places in my presence. Blessings, in the opportunities (and maybe even the challenges) that come my way. Blessings, in knowing that no matter what, I am a baptized child of God, connected to the Child of the manger, but even more connected to the crucified Jesus (Romans 6:3-5). What if I just entered the year confident that God is at work, and that I am incredibly blessed simply because I have Jesus, or more properly, Jesus has me?

Perhaps, there with Child and the cross he bears, I see a new year that is filled with hope and promise. Hope and promise guaranteed and assured by the one who has shattered the darkest of the dark, with the light that the darkness cannot overcome (John 1:1-5).

And just maybe that allows me to enter the year with confidence, and at the end of year, to look back and see God’s hand, no matter what the year brings!

So, Happy New Year ! And, in the word’s of Tiny Tim, “God bless us, every one!”

Look and see – in the Child, in the Christ of the cross and the empty tomb, in Jesus, it really is true!