Something very important happens to a church and its congregation when the symbols inside of a church start to become signs of a bigger reality. We have symbols all over our lives, but in the church these symbols can take on very sacred meaning when we begin to see the mystical reality of God’s presence that they point to. 

Let me show you what I mean. You probably haven’t been inside your church in a while. So let’s take a quick walk through it and, as we do, I’ll point out some of the symbols that you’re used to seeing in there that have begun to point to a higher truth in our faith lives. 

STOP 1: The Lenten Wreath just inside the main door. Do you remember seeing this? It’s our Lenten symbol that Debbie Howell and I placed at the entrance table. It’s still there!  Can you see how the dried stems have been made into a wreath, signifying the wilderness of Lent that we are entering, but also will be coming through? The little nest is there to remind us of new life that our Lenten journey will lead us to … and the “Amazing Grace” sign tells us that we will make it through not because we deserve it or earned it – but solely because of the “amazing grace” of our God. And, of course, the wooden plaque in front is what our journey is really all about … More Jesus in our life by Easter 2020! 

Stop 2: The Amaryllis plant at the top of the stairs. Do you remember this? It all began with a memorable (infamous?) Children’s Moment during Advent last year. The Village Kids planted this during church and we vowed to wait and watch as it grew, just as we wait and watch for Christmas and the arrival of the Christ child. Well, it finally did bloom, sometime after Christmas – in God’s perfect time! – And now it sits in dormancy as we wait for the next flower to appear. By the way … I put a little water in the pot as I walked up to it yesterday. God is always moving and growing in our lives. I wonder when the next big flower will bloom.

Stop 3: At the entrance to the Sanctuary. What a beautiful site! Do you remember what this looks like? Even in the darkness of midday, with only the chancel lights on, God’s radiance fills or Sanctuary with the wonderful and unique green hue of peace and comfort and joy. Can you find your seat? Let’s all take a moment to find our seats and sit together for a few minutes … as we will do again when the crisis passes. This is the House of the Lord! Amen! 

The more I have grown in my spiritual life, and the deeper my relationship with God has become – the more I see how God is working all the time, all around and within the things going on in my life, Even in the midst of my greatest hardships, God is already working to bring healing and wholeness . And on a much bigger scale, I know that God is already mitigating and rectifying the damage that has occurred from living in this fallen world. So when it comes to the COVID-19 virus, I know that God is already working to heal us from this dreaded disease, even while it is still going strong and gaining speed. 

In times like these, it’s important to remind ourselves how God works in the world. God did not take this wonderful creation of his and mold it into a world of perfection, so that everything works in perfect harmony with everything else and all God’s creatures – including us – experience an endless life of perfect divine love with all other creatures … and with other humans … and with God. To the extent that world ever existed here (see Genesis 1), it was in the time of creation before the first human beings (see Adam and Eve) exercised the greatest gift, and curse, that God had granted to them  … a free will. 

As soon as free will was first exercised (see Forbidden Fruit), bad stuff happens. Still, the gift of free will is the blessing from God that actually makes us who we are. Essentially, it means that Pastor Bob is not a faultless robotic example of living in perfect harmony with all God’s creation and experiencing endless divine love with all God’s creatures. Sorry about that. But if it was true, then it wouldn’t be “Pastor Bob” writing this article … or doing anything else. The free will that God gave me is the very thing that makes me who I am. And makes you who you are too. From the beginning, God gave each one of us our own freedom … to become ourselves … and to live in this world with everything that comes along with that freedom … including the bad stuff. 

You see, one of things that come along with that freedom is sin. God has given us the freedom to separate ourselves from God. And we have chosen to do that, and continue to do that. Our self-will can choose everyday whether we will go our own way or try God’s way. Our self-will has an inner inclination to go its own way! Have you noticed? And when we go the other way … and separate ourselves from God’s way, then sin occurs. By definition, sin is that which separates us from God. 

As the Apostle Paul so bluntly told us, “The wages of sin is death.” (See Romans 6:23) So, if we cut right through all the research and science to discover where the COVID-19 virus came from … it came from sin. It is a distortion in God’s quest for harmony that works to make people ill and even die. That is not God’s will … that is a separation from God’s will and it was caused by sin — a separation from God somewhere in the divine plan for harmony and perfection.

So, you ask, “Where is God in all this?” I understand that doctors and scientists are working non-stop to learn more about this virus and what we can do to eradicate it. But all of that is part of God’s bigger work every day to bring an end to sin and separation.  Watching this real-life drama unfold in front of us can also remind us how God works in our world. Even as the virus is causing suffering and death, God is already working to bring things back in the direction of perfect harmony and divine love. Even as we stop gathering and cease traveling, God is creating a response to this virus that will get us through it. 

The hard part of this scenario is that we cannot always see God working in the midst of a crisis. It’s hard for us to believe that God is winning the day even as the COVID-19 virus spreads its dastardly consequences to innocent victims. But just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Right now, in this moment, God is working to restore harmony and perfection to his creation. How do I know that? Because that is what God is always doing! We disrupt it by our sin – our separation from God, and God is there to respond with God’s ability to heal and restore. 

We disrupt. God restores. And the consequences of sin continue to show up in all kinds of various phenomena of life … including viruses. We do not know exactly how sin led to this virus, but we rarely know the full implications of our separation from God. We don’t often get to see the direct line between the act of human self-will and the disruptions to God’s will that it causes. But that’s how this fragile beautiful world of ours has kept from completely unraveling. God walking right behind us, picking up and cleaning up the debris left from our sin. 

Regarding COVID-19 — Yes, God will win, but not without a struggle. Think about Jacob wrestling with the angel (See Genesis 32:32-22). God will win, but it will be a struggle. And then we will go on our way, again, but we will not be the same as before the struggle. And because of how God works in the world, even that will be a good thing! God will take this curse of COVID-19 and, in God’s time, according to God’s will, turn it into a blessing for how we continue to live.   

So, my “good word” to you is this: As this nasty virus spreads across the world, God is on it. God’s got this. It will take time. The virus is powerful and very contagious. But, it’s not stronger than God. Yes, many will be made ill. And many will die. Without wishing to sound harsh … such is the way of the world … not just this virus. Why? –Because the wages of sin is death. Separation from God brings about death … in all sorts of ways. That is precisely why the rest of Paul’s statement is so crucial. Paul says that the wages of sin is death, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (See Romans 6:23 again) 

Death has been conquered, so it will never win. And sin is constantly creating separation from God … which causes hardships, and struggles, and pain and suffering, and even earthly death. But God is already working, all the time, and will win every time. I know, because I believe it, and I can see it. When we say, “God is good – All the time,” it’s not just a hope and a prayer … it’s the truth.

Blessings to all – 

Our congregational conversation at Vine Street CC has turned toward the mystical – that is, the reality that lies beyond our physical senses and that opens the door to experiencing the absolute divine – God – in the moment.

As we have traversed down this path, it becomes more and more evident that our common everyday words often fall short in our attempts to describe the spiritual reality of the mystical presence of God in our midst. Words are often lacking the depth of meaning which describing spiritual realities requires. But every now and then, when words are chosen carefully and used in a manner that opens our heart to new insights, words can take us to where we otherwise could not have gone. 

That is indeed the case with one of my all-time favorite poems, “The Woodcarver,” by the ancient Taoist philosopher, Chuang Tzu. Upon first encounter, it may seem like a fuzzy attempt to tell a story about a job assignment that a certain woodcarver received from the Prince. But, as the soul enters into the spiritual realm of the story, it becomes clear that Chuang Tzu is opening up a whole new reality that goes beyond our eyes and ears, and takes us to a truth beyond the mere words of the story – and down a path to eternal and universal truths.

What at first seemed a little story about a job assignment turns into a spiritual creed about how one is called to live out this precious little time we have on earth, with all the competing demands for our attention, time, and energy. “The Woodcarver” teaches us that our true calling is always about more than what it seems to the world … and that we all have the power to stay true to ourselves and our God even against the pressures of cultural and social norms and expectations. And, most importantly, this woodcarver who claims to have no secrets, teaches us that when we “do our life” in sync with our spiritual reality, then even the spiritually uninitiated will attribute our work to the gods! 

Since moving to Illinois about 3 years ago, I must say that I’m impressed with the fan loyalty and dedication to University of Illinois sports teams. The football team was much improved and went to a bowl game last season, and the basketball team has played well all season, and is battling for the Big Ten crown. And just about everyone here is an Illini fan!  

Of course, I’m a big fan of University of Kentucky sports. I grew up in Lexington and played baseball for the Wildcats. Go Big Blue! But UK basketball is known in Kentucky as the state’s official religion. Everybody is all in, and the fans live and die with each game. 

Because of their extreme popularity, UK players are celebrities in the state. Fans from one end of the state to the other know just about everything there is to know about these 18 and 19 year olds, and because of that they have a monumental influence on the lives of the fans. Fans will find out the players’ favorite ice cream flavor, music performer, restaurant, brand of jeans, hair style, tattoos, and anything else that comes to mind, and will adopt the same favorites as the players. That is monumental influence, especially for teenagers.

But I wonder if knowing all those things actually helps us to know the players very well. I’m always curious about the faith lives of players, and every so often will play a video or tell a story in church about the faith life of a sports star. So, when I came across this article about the faith lives of 3 UK players, I soaked it in. I realized that of all the trivial things we want to know about “our” players, we rarely hear about their relationship with God and how that impacts their life in sports. 

(This article appeared in the Arthur-Graphic last week. In case you missed it, I thought it might be helpful as think about your own Lenten journey ahead.)

              I remember one of my favorite trips as a kid. My cousins had come from Ohio to Lexington, KY (where I lived) on their way to Mammoth Cave, in the western part of the state. I had heard a lot about Mammoth Cave, but had never been there, so they decided, with my parent’s permission, to take me along. It was exciting to be going on an excursion like this without my parents! 

We did a lot of neat things around the caves, but of course, going into the Mammoth Cave system was my favorite. At that time, it was without a doubt the most exciting journey I had been on in my life. It was a journey into the great unknown – the dark – the underneath – the mysterious – all wrapped into one. 

In order to go into the cave, you had to be led by a guide. A guide is the person who knows the way. They have been there before. They know what to look for and what to avoid. And they are equipped if anything goes wrong – they have a light and a first aid kit and some water. Without a guide, there is no way of taking the journey safely, or successfully. But with the guide, we knew we were in good hands, and we could settle in and truly enjoy the journey. 

Later in my life, much later, I came to realize that while the journeys we take outside of ourselves are fascinating and exciting, the most important journeys that we take in this life are the ones within ourselves. As I have delved more and more into the meaning of God in this world and my relationship with God, I came to understand that the life within me, where God is, is my vast unexplored frontier. 

God has planted a divine spark within each one of us, and at some point in our lives, we must come to discover that place within us where God lives. It’s a place that reflects our eternal nature, not just our earthly existence. There is a part of each one of us that was in existence before we got here, and will exist after we leave here. It’s our eternal being. It’s what truly defines who we are for eternity, not just who we are in this world. 

Seeking that place in our lives is the most important and fulfilling journey anyone can take. When I was younger, I thought that trip into Mammoth Cave was a journey into the great unknown – the dark – the underneath – the mysterious. But as I have grown older, I have come to know that the spiritual journey within is the greatest journey of life for each of us. 

But, as I learned from my trip to Mammoth Cave, it’s never a good idea to journey into the unknown without a guide. Just as we had a guide to lead us through the caves back then, today I have several guides who help lead me through the mysteries of the great unknown within me. Without them, I would be lost, and afraid, and I would be left in the darkness. But with them by my side, I can settle in to this amazing spiritual journey I am on into the depths of my soul. I can listen to their voices explaining to my why things are the way they are, and how with God, all things work for good.

We all need guides like that! Here are some of mine that have accompanied my on my journey, and who continue to lead me to the light, the divine spark, that is deep within. 

1) Thomas Merton: the late monk from the Abbey of Gethsemane in Kentucky (not far from Mammoth Cave!) who helped me see that the mysteries of the inner life are all reflected in the smallest and simplest things around me. God’s creation is the model for perfect harmony that we all crave, and can experience within ourselves. But first, we must surrender our quest to live for external things, and come to trust God for everything in our lives. Then, and only then, will we be given the eyes to see the internal, the spiritual, and the eternal things of our lives. 

2) Richard Rohr: this priest runs the Center for Action & Contemplation in New Mexico. He has helped me understand what I always believed in my heart to be true – that there is a universality to God that touches every part of creation, including every single person, and for Christians, that universality is represented by Christ, who as John’s Gospel tells us, was the in the beginning and nothing came into creation except though him. Beyond all the labels that we throw around about others, we are all actually of one family – one tribe – one spirit. No matter how much the world wants to divide and separate us. And the sooner we live into this reality, the more harmony comes into our life and the more of God’s peace we experience. 

3) St Augustine: He was the Bishop of Hippo who came to God the way many of us do – through the dark and flaming pits of hell. His autobiography, “The Confessions,” is a story that could be written about many of us. “How long, O Lord, how long have I waited to love you?” Augustine tells us that the journey within is always hard, and scary, and lonely, but worth more than all the diamonds in the world. He is the prefect guide for one like me. He’s been in the same places I’ve been. And he has helped my crawl out of them, with him by my side, one day at a time. 

4) John S. Dunne: was a theology professor at Norte Dame who wrote more than 20 books. His ability to understand and explain the connection between the inner life and eternity was crucial for my journey to move beyond the temporal existence I am living right now as a mortal human being. Because of Dunne, I have gained a much better grasp of my life as an eternal event that exists both within time and beyond it. I always knew that my life was more than just this earthly existence, but Dunne explained it to me in a way that absolutely convinced me of it, and thereby filled me with the faith of an Abraham – meaning, the journey to the promised land is not a destination to reach, but rather, the journey is the life – and the promised land is all around us! 

Of course, many of my most important guides are people that God has put into my life on any given day. I wonder if you have some guides in your life as you seek more and more of God’s divine spark within you. Obviously, my guides may not be the guides you need. We all have a completely unique inner journey to make with God, and I would love to hear about the guides who have helped you on your way. Please be encouraged to text me or email me and share with me some of the folks who are helping to guide you on your way. 

A few weeks ago the “Village Kids” class, with assistance from our own Goddess of Wisdom Sandy Dolan, came up with a list of bad behaviors called “Sins ????.” 

Their fundamental underlying questions were these: