After the events of the last few days, Sunday morning must have really caught Jesus' friends off guard. First they came into town greeted by shouts of joy. People were waving at Jesus and calling on God in praise. But then it all started to go down hill.
Jesus went to the temple and started to drive out the money lenders and merchants who were profiting off others in the courtyard. Judas started acting a bit cagey. Jesus' stories and teachings got even more long winded, like he was in a rush for some reason. Then Jesus gets taken by a mob that Judas led to them in the garden. Peter followed them for a time, but he ran off when he got worried they would take him too. Jesus was taken first to the chief priests and then handed over to the governor and accused of sedition. Beaten, he was bound to a tree to die.
And then he did.
From Celebration to Devastation
As I read the scripture passages for this week, my first thought was that I really wanted to do something with the naked man. This is my favorite text of the arrest of Jesus in the garden because of his appearance. I really wanted to do something about us being laid bare before God or maybe even something about the beginnings of the return to Eden.
But then I thought maybe I should do something about being an ass for Jesus. I really got caught up on the donkey that Jesus rides into town on Palm Sunday in certain Gospel stories. What does it mean to take a lowly place in the story to glorify God? On the other hand, why do so many of those who claim to serve God act like an ass?
But as I worked on an idea for the service this week, I was struck yet again by the flow of this particular Sunday. In many churches, this is not just Palm Sunday but Palm/Passion Sunday. We go from the triumphant entry into Jerusalem straight through Gethsemane and into the arrest, the trial, and the Crucifixion. There is a lot packed into this service.
But then I thought maybe I should do something about being an ass for Jesus. I really got caught up on the donkey that Jesus rides into town on Palm Sunday in certain Gospel stories. What does it mean to take a lowly place in the story to glorify God? On the other hand, why do so many of those who claim to serve God act like an ass?
But as I worked on an idea for the service this week, I was struck yet again by the flow of this particular Sunday. In many churches, this is not just Palm Sunday but Palm/Passion Sunday. We go from the triumphant entry into Jerusalem straight through Gethsemane and into the arrest, the trial, and the Crucifixion. There is a lot packed into this service.
Disruptive Discords: On Leave Taking and Transitions
It has been a while since I have posted here. A sudden move across the country and an extended period of liminality have left me somewhat bereft of words. As this initial year of transition draws to a close, I finally find myself with things to say.
I moved to Evanston, IL, in September 2001 to attend Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. I had never visited campus, never even been to the Chicago-area. But for most of the past 16+ years, Garrett-Evangelical has been my home. It was the first place I truly considered home after moving out of the home I grew up in.
I entered seminary knowing I was called by God to, well, something other than what I had been doing. But I was also fairly certain I could never be like the "preachers" I was familiar with from growing up in the church in the South. As I began my classes and began to reflect on what it meant to be called, two things happened. I began to recognize the echoes of that call in my own life going back at least into high school and to understand the ways in which the stories and rhythms of Jesus' life were woven into my own. And I began to see different models for ministry beyond those I was familiar with.
I moved to Evanston, IL, in September 2001 to attend Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. I had never visited campus, never even been to the Chicago-area. But for most of the past 16+ years, Garrett-Evangelical has been my home. It was the first place I truly considered home after moving out of the home I grew up in.
I entered seminary knowing I was called by God to, well, something other than what I had been doing. But I was also fairly certain I could never be like the "preachers" I was familiar with from growing up in the church in the South. As I began my classes and began to reflect on what it meant to be called, two things happened. I began to recognize the echoes of that call in my own life going back at least into high school and to understand the ways in which the stories and rhythms of Jesus' life were woven into my own. And I began to see different models for ministry beyond those I was familiar with.
Hope? Rebellions Are Built on Hope
In anticipation of the new Star Wars movie, I decided to rewatch much of the previous saga. I say much because even though I tried to watch the prequels I just couldn't finish them. So I gave up on the prequels and jumped into Rogue One.
Now for me, Star Wars has always been space fantasy and not strictly sci fi. Star Trek is sci fi. Star Wars is wizards in space. If you think about the differences in the films, hopefully the distinction will be clear.
What this also means is that as much as I enjoyed Rogue One, it did not fill me with the same sense of awe as watching Star Wars when I was a kid. It is too gritty, too real. It inhabits the same universe, but it is a war movie in space, not wizards in space (except for the parts that were, which were my favorites scenes). The parts related to faith and the mystical, while present, were secondary to the story-telling even as much as they were primary for many of the characters.
Now for me, Star Wars has always been space fantasy and not strictly sci fi. Star Trek is sci fi. Star Wars is wizards in space. If you think about the differences in the films, hopefully the distinction will be clear.
What this also means is that as much as I enjoyed Rogue One, it did not fill me with the same sense of awe as watching Star Wars when I was a kid. It is too gritty, too real. It inhabits the same universe, but it is a war movie in space, not wizards in space (except for the parts that were, which were my favorites scenes). The parts related to faith and the mystical, while present, were secondary to the story-telling even as much as they were primary for many of the characters.
Dangerous Waters
A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were each attending to some things in the evening. I believe she was working on a sermon and I was folding laundry. I put on a familiar movie that would not be too distracting from our tasks. I decided to put on Moana, which has become one of our favorites.
When the movie begins our title character is a toddler starting to learn the way of life expected of a chieftain even as she is constantly drawn to the ocean surrounding their island village. Without giving away anything critical to those who might not have seen the movie yet, there is a particular scene where Moana is playing in the sand staring at the waves when the sea begins to pull back, exposing a conch shell. As she approaches and picks it up, the sea pulls back again exposing another shell. A path forms in the water with the sea to either side as she picks up each shell in turn.
When the movie begins our title character is a toddler starting to learn the way of life expected of a chieftain even as she is constantly drawn to the ocean surrounding their island village. Without giving away anything critical to those who might not have seen the movie yet, there is a particular scene where Moana is playing in the sand staring at the waves when the sea begins to pull back, exposing a conch shell. As she approaches and picks it up, the sea pulls back again exposing another shell. A path forms in the water with the sea to either side as she picks up each shell in turn.
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