tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11358237752687503122024-02-20T10:03:05.265-08:00Dei Dialectus Soloecismus"Four things I have never understood: the man who seeks the philosophers’ stone; the man who wishes to square the circle; the man who wishes to measure the sea; and the man who believes that a man of genius ought to possess common sense."
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~J.G. HamannBensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929958816368450152noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135823775268750312.post-32119235047633544432011-04-29T14:51:00.000-07:002011-04-29T14:53:05.792-07:00On "Religion"-- Barth and Babel<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://nickgauci.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/karl_barth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" j8="true" src="http://nickgauci.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/karl_barth.jpg" width="200" /></a><strong></strong></div></blockquote><blockquote>"Religious righteousness! There seem[s] to be no surer means of rescuing us from the alarm cry of conscience than religion and Christianity. Religion gives us the chance, beside and above the vexations of business, politics, and private and social life, to celebrate solemn hours of devotion—to take flight to Christianity as to an eternally green island in the gray sea of the everyday. There comes over us a wonderful sense of safety and security from the unrighteousness whose might we everywhere feel. It is a wonderful illusion, if we can comfort ourselves with it, that in our Europe—in the midst of capitalism, prostitution, the housing problem, alcoholism, tax evasion, and militarism—the church’s preaching, the church’s morality, and the “religious life” go on their uninterrupted way. . . . A wonderful illusion, but an illusion, a self-deception! We should above all be honest and ask ourselves far more frankly what we really gain from religion. <em>Cui bono?</em> What is the use of all the preaching, baptizing, confirming, bell-ringing, and organ-playing, of all the religious moods and modes, . . . the efforts enliven church singing, the unspeakably tame and stupid monthly church papers, and whatever else may belong to the equipment of modern ecclesiasticism?</blockquote><blockquote>Will something different eventuate from all this in our relation to the righteousness of God? Are we even expecting something different from it? Are not we hoping by our very activity to conceal in the most subtle way the fact that the critical event that ought to happen has not yet done so and probably never will? Are we not, with our religious righteousness, acting “as if”—in order not to have to deal with reality? Is not our religious righteousness a product of our pride and our despair, a tower of Babel, at which the devil laughs more loudly than at all the others?"<br />
(Karl Barth, <em>WGWM</em>, 19–20)</blockquote>I think Barth in this quote and Dietrich Bonhoeffer elsewhere--are very skeptical of what they call "Religion". <span class="text_exposed_show">Both Barth & Bonhoeffer would be concerned with the way in which "Religion" can simply facilitate our own crooked desires--"our pride and our despair". However, their concern was not merely personal-- "my desire, my despair, my pride"--but, also institutional. Barth and Bonhoeffer both critiqued what they considered to be "the powers". This theme later gets picked up by the theological work of William Stringfellow & Walter Wink. <br />
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Barth's concern regarding "Religion" is also a concern with particularity. One can readily see how this thing, this term, this metaphor called "Religion" can and has served to rob real religious traditions of their particularity-- their own uniqueness. The "Religion" that Barth is battering seeks </span><span class="text_exposed_show">to accomodate all religious traditions to a Hickean Exclusivism. This pluralistic proposal by theologian John Hicks argues that all "religions" are simply camped around the same mountain. In other words, Hick would argue that all religious traditions are really worshipping the same thing--the same God. However, here Hick is the example of "Religion" <em>par excellence </em>because he never lets us in on how it is that he has an unmediated, unitterupted, uninhibited view from above the highest mountain-top. Hick simply invades the territory of religious particularity, flattens out any difference, and continues marching on.</span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show"> Once particular religious traditions have been relegated to "Religion" they lose all particularity; they are flattened and marched over. This flattening of particularity hides the very object of our gaze by way of a western liberal colonialism. This colonialism constructs a map in order to put everything <em>(& everyone</em>) in its "proper place". Of course, in Barth's situation he would have been much more concerned with how the Third Reich (Hitler)was positioning the Church via the institution of "Religion"--how Hitler wanted to white-wash the Church in order to flatten its particularity and peculiarity.</span><span class="text_exposed_show"> One can see Barth's clear statement regarding such an accomodation in the "Barmen Declaration".<br />
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In much the same way as his "Barmen Declaration", Barth is here speaking out against the colonizing of God by humanity via our "righteous acts". Barth wants to make it abundantly clear that we cannot somehow tame God, postion God, or place God on a map. Rather, God has already and continues to position us via his Word. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Barth's attack on "Religion" & Institutions is a far cry from a western liberal relativism which is suspicious of all institutions and their practices.What is being attacked here is not "<em>De vera religione</em>" (the true religion) but, that false religion that is as old as Babel--the attempt of humanity to storm heaven through its "magnificent works".</span>Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929958816368450152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135823775268750312.post-19493609595540598912011-04-23T20:25:00.000-07:002011-04-26T12:50:39.862-07:00A Bare Bones Easter Vigil Homily<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://asstrector.podomatic.com/entry/2011-04-26T12_16_20-07_00">PodCast (Audio Version) of Easter Vigil Sermon</a></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HOMILY</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">St. Francis Episcopal Church, Great Falls, Virginia</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Rev. Benson E. Shelton, Assistant Rector</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">23 April 2011</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://trevinwax.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/christs-empty-tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" i8="true" src="http://trevinwax.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/christs-empty-tomb.jpg" width="173" /></a></div></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>(Section: Genesis 1:1-2:4a)</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In the beginning of the heavens and the earth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">There was only darkness. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In the poetic words of Johnson:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“As far as the eye of God could see<br />
Darkness covered everything,<br />
Blacker than a hundred midnights…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(J.W. Johnson—“Creation”)</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">All was dark.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">All was silent.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">All was still.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There were no song-birds to sing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There were no creatures to crawl.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There were no plants to pray to the beauty</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Of a dying sun.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Then, the Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the ears of creation stood at attention.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the face of creation lit-up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the body of creation began to stir.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, there was Light.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<strong>(Section: Genesis <span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13)</span></strong><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Then, the clouds came.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“The Fountains of the Earth burst forth.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And, the windows of heaven were opened.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As far as the eyes of Noah could see,<br />
Water covered everything.</span><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was water.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was lost.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was dark.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Outside the cold, hard, wooden-walls of the Ark</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There were no song-birds to sing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There were no creatures to crawl.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There were no plants to pray to </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">the beauty</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Of a dying sun.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Then…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the ears of creation stood at attention.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the face of creation lit-up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the body of water began to stir.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, there was Light.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">(RAIBOW HAND MOTION)</span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>(Section: Exodus 1-8,4:10-31, 15:20-21)<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Then, the light of the Sun beat down </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">On the over-burdened backs </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Of the Hebrew people</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">As Pharaoh’s Phalanx backed them</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Before a Body of water—</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Red Sea.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As far as the eyes of Moses could see,<br />
Water covered everything.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All hope was lost.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All were cut-off completely.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was darkness.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There were no songs to be sung.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There were no paths on which to crawl.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Israelites were planted and praying</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In the presence</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Of a dying sun.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Phalanx of Pharaoh would soon be </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Falling upon the Hebrew People....</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Then…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the ears of Moses stood at attention.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, Moses stretched<u> </u>out his staff</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(ARMS IN BROAD ORANS)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, the walls of water lifted-up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the body of water began to stir.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, there was Light.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And, Moses led his people through </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The valley of water </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">On dry ground.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><strong>(Section: Ezekiel 37:1-14)<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">But, the valley in which the Prophet </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Ezekiel found himself,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Was Dry as a dusty, old, tomb.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">As far as Ezekiel’s Vision could cast,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bones covered everything.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><u></u></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was lifeless </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was dry</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was darkness</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><u></u></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Then, God asked the prophet Ezekiel:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“Mortal, can these bones live?”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“Mortal, can these lifeless bones live?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“Mortal, can these dry bones live?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Ezekiel </span></span><span class="citation1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">eeks</span></i></span><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> out an answer:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“Uhm, Uh, uhhm only you know, Lord.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Then, the Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the bones began to rattle.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the bones came together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the body of bones began to stir.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Lord spoke his Word into creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, there was Life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><strong><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">(Section:</span> Matthew 28:1-10)</strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">This Easter Vigil Night </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">We are presented with the same question:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“Mortal, can these bones live?”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></span><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“Mortal, can these lifeless, old, rickety-bones live?”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></span><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“Mortal, can these dry bones live?”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Unlike the Prophet Ezekiel we know </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The answer to this question </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Because we know the rest of </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">This stirring-story:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">When Mary Magdalene</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And, the Mother of Jesus</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Saw Jesus, the Messiah, </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Nailed to the cold, hard, wood</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Of the cross they knew the Son</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Had died:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
“Darkness covered everything,<br />
Blacker than a hundred midnights…”</span><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was lifeless </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was dry as dust</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">All was darkness</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Word of God was Silent.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Song of God had Ceased.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">God, the Father Almighty,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Was Speechless.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“The Son of God was Dead,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And we killed him.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">In the words of those dry, dry, bones of Israel:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Our hope was lost; we were cut-off completely.”<span class="citation1"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">But, then, the wind began to stir...</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And, as the Sun began to Fall</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">God, the Father Almighty,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">(BREATHE IN)</span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Caught his breath.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And, as Mary Magdalene </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And the other Mary</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Made their merry way to see </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The dry, dusty tomb</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Of Jesus:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">God the Father spoke his Word into Creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the Ears of Creation stood at attention.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">God the Father spoke his Word into Creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the Face of Creation lit-up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">God the Father spoke his Word into Creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the Body of Creation began to stir.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">God the Father spoke his Word into Creation</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, there was a Life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">God the Father spoke his Word into Creation</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, the Earth began to tremble.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">God the Father spoke his Word into Creation</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, that heavy stone rolled away.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">God the Father spoke his Word into Creation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And, there was Light.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And, when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Came to the dry, dusty tomb</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Of Jesus:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Tomb was empty…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><em><strong>Amen.</strong></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="citation1"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><u></u></span></span></span></div>Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929958816368450152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135823775268750312.post-23793393373586365982011-04-19T12:54:00.000-07:002014-03-17T08:26:11.369-07:00Getting 'Real': A Meandering Blurb On Rabbits, Horses, and Sanctification...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Me and Calvin)</span></em></div>
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As a Lenten Discipline I have been reading John Calvin's "Institutes on the Christian Religion." In the past I focused on Calvin's thought regarding what Protestant Theologians refer to as "sanctification." Sanctification is simply a fancy word for discussing the Christian's growth in holiness through the work of Christ. Many of us have met a person in our lives that exemplified such a sanctified life--a life so broken open by the grace of God that that life cannot help but be a witness to the coming Kingdom of God in our midst. But, I am equally as sure that just as many of us have "entertained [such a person] unawares" (Hebrews 13:2). Much as Christ was passed over in his life, we pass over witnesses of God's grace everyday. Many times the grittiness of Grace is easily over-looked.</div>
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However, there are those times when the wearying worries of the day subside and we find ourself smack-dab in the midst of grace. There are those times when we recognize God's witnesses all around-- the trees reaching forth their hands in silent prayer and the sun bowing before God's earthy-creation. God's Grace abounds; God's witnesses abound. Yet, many times we do not see ourselves as such a witness. We do not see ourselves as being broken open by God's Good Grace. We do not see ourselves as being consecrated by God. We do not see ourselves as God's beloved. We have been convinced that such sanctimonious speech is reserved for the likes of certain Saints. </div>
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Soren Kierkegaard presents us with one such image--an image that may leave us feeling as though we have two left feet -- that of a Dancer:</blockquote>
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"Most people live dejectedly in worldly sorrow and joy; they are the ones who sit along the wall and do not join in the dance. The knights of infinity are <em>dancers</em> and possess elevation. They make the movements upward, and fall down again; and this too is no mean pastime, nor ungraceful to behold. But whenever they fall down they are not able at once to assume the posture, they vacillate an instant, and this vacillation shows that after all they are strangers in the world."</blockquote>
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(Excerpt from <em>Fear & Trembling</em>)</blockquote>
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However, what for Kierkegaard was mere vacillation--a stutter step of hesitation betraying one's dancing to the beat of a different drum--John Calvin saw as a steady limp:</div>
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"That, with wavering and limping and even creeping along the ground, they move at a feeble rate. Let each one of us, then, proceed according to the measure of his puny capacity and set out upon the journey we have begun. No one shall set out so inauspiciously as not daily to make some headway, though it be slight. Therefore, let us not cease so to act that we may make some unceasing progress in the way of the Lord. And let us not despair at the slightness of our success; for even though attainment may not correspond to desire, when today outstrips yesterday the effort is not lost. Only let us look toward our mark with sincere simplicity and aspire to our goal; not fondly flattering ourselves, nor excusing our own evil deeds, but with continuous effort striving toward this end: that we may surpass ourselves in goodness until we attain to goodness itself. It is this, indeed, which through the whole course of life we seek and follow. But we shall attain it only when we have cast off the weakness of the body, and are received into full fellowship with him.” </blockquote>
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(<em>Institutes</em>, 3.6.5 or pp. 1:689)</blockquote>
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In typical Calvinesque fashion we are reminded of humanity's weakness and sinfulness. No longer are we in Kierkegaard's ideal world of "Knights of Infinity" and "Dancers possessing elevation"! No longer are we singing sweet songs of sanctimonious saints!</div>
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For Calvin there is no dancing, the Christian life is one of a <em>steady limping towards holiness</em>. For the everyday Christian, life is no dance. However, in today's world many want to feel a though they are dancers. Limping just does not seem as graceful! But, perhaps the subject of sanctification should not be cast in these terms. Perhaps, the subject of Sanctification should not be cast as a matter of <em>dancing</em> or <em>limping.</em></div>
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Rather, perhaps, s<u>anctification should be viewed as the process by which a person becomes "real":</u></div>
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"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become real."</blockquote>
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"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.</blockquote>
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"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."</blockquote>
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"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit."</blockquote>
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"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."</blockquote>
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(Excerpt taken from <em>The Velveteen Rabbit</em>)</blockquote>
It is undeniable that God makes many dancers. And, for these dancers--these "knights of infinity"--we are thankful. However, it is just as undeniable that God presents many of us with two left-feet. Perhaps, by the time most of learn to "dance", "most of [our] hair will have been loved off, our eyes failing, our joints aching, and our body shabby". However, "by that time these things will not matter at all, because once [we] are real [we] cannot be ugly, except to people who don't understand." Becoming "real" is the sanctification of the everyday-- the gracefulness of the gritty.<br />
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Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929958816368450152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135823775268750312.post-89174425449683871962011-04-19T11:30:00.000-07:002014-03-17T08:21:50.928-07:00What is in a Name? Tuning Our Ears to the Grammar of God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TGhlwjPAcqaDUsOhc68Ys6T4dMeBF6VCMuEH2MjKIiJMM10kRVULPJEW3gQfXDXPM7ZQjw4Sa0QXSsFUHFeQ5xspboiOy0foC7_KvUgGqUhk8CcPDrEODViFdgByk9C856iXODcp7Bs/s1600/smoke+stack.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TGhlwjPAcqaDUsOhc68Ys6T4dMeBF6VCMuEH2MjKIiJMM10kRVULPJEW3gQfXDXPM7ZQjw4Sa0QXSsFUHFeQ5xspboiOy0foC7_KvUgGqUhk8CcPDrEODViFdgByk9C856iXODcp7Bs/s320/smoke+stack.bmp" height="240" i8="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These two quotations are the lens through which I view God's Providence. They are also the source from which I draw the name of my blog. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"For who even of slight intelligence does not understand that, as nurses commonly do with infants, <i>God is wont in a measure to 'lisp' in speaking to us?</i> Thus such forms of speaking do not so much express clearly what God is like as accomodate the knowledge of him to our slight capacity. To do this he must descend far beneath his loftiness."</span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(Excerpt from Calvin's <i>Institutes of the Christian Religion</i>, 1.13.1, 1559)</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote>
"It is part of the unity of the divine revelation that the Spirit of God lowered himself, and emptied himself of his majesty, in the human style of holy men who were led by him, just as the Son of God lowered himself in the form of a servant, and as the whole creation is a work of the highest humility. Simply to admire in nature God only wise is perhaps an offense similar to the affront which is shown to a decent, reasonable man whose worth the crowd estimates according to his cloak. So if the divine style chooses the foolish, the shallow, the ignoble, to put to shame the strength and ingenuity of all profane writers, there is certainly a need for the illuminated, inspired, and eager eyes of a friend, a confidant, a lover, in order to recognize in such a disguise the rays of heavenly splendor. <i>Dei dialectus soloecismus-</i></blockquote>
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<blockquote>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">God speaks bad grammar... "</span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(Excerpt from J. G. Hamann's <i>Cloverleaf of</i> <i>Hellenistic Letters, 1759).</i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Growing up in the foot-hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains has influenced not only my view of grammar as such, but also my view of God's Providence - those unique ways in which we perceive God's hand working in our lives. In other words, I take a descriptive approach to both grammar <i>and</i> God's Providence. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My own experience of God's speech is one of babbling-stutters, interrupted glottal-stops, inarticulate mumblings, and sign-languages rendered in "bad-grammar." My experience of God's Providence rings out with both the deep-darkness of the hollows and the pointedness of the mountain peaks - the rushing rivers lilting to the steady trickle of a blocked stream wating to be free. This I take to be God's Grammar. This I take to be God's "bad-grammar." God's Grammar is bad not because it is incorrect, not because there is some magic formula by which we are to judge the careful and careless ways in which God speaks, but God's grammar is bad because it is place-ridden. God's grammar is bad because it smells of the Incarnation - of a God made flesh. God's "bad-grammar" smells of a body lying dead three days in a sealed tomb. God's "bad grammar" is graced with the grittiness of dust and ash blown by the stirrings of a harsh-wind. God's "bad-grammar" is bad not because it is incorrect, but because it is not easily understood. God's "lisping", "bad-grammar" takes the "eager eyes of a friend, a confidant, a lover, in order to recognize in such a disguise the rays of heavenly splendor."</span>Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929958816368450152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1135823775268750312.post-79440370341562696592011-03-23T12:36:00.000-07:002011-04-29T11:24:53.242-07:00A Lenten Meditation--The Death of My Father<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BWE8N8KXgHtU_dFT4yzatM5m7HAZ7B6MMfq7ilRQiTelYujEhjeJ4F8DH652G9VgEg-08QWVcF2MHBzVSVovXaxKCzj4Kwaw-RDh0T6JM27vmmduYG2KYp81yuERMD9y9SePcOk9V4C2/s640/AshWednesdayCross.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BWE8N8KXgHtU_dFT4yzatM5m7HAZ7B6MMfq7ilRQiTelYujEhjeJ4F8DH652G9VgEg-08QWVcF2MHBzVSVovXaxKCzj4Kwaw-RDh0T6JM27vmmduYG2KYp81yuERMD9y9SePcOk9V4C2/s200/AshWednesdayCross.gif" width="167" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">On Ash Wednesday I imposed ashes on the foreheads of both young and old alike. I told everyone from a small child to an elderly man that they are dust, and to the dust they shall return. The following Sunday, the First Sunday of Lent, my father killed himself. On Thursday I watched as my father’s body was returned to the earth. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">From the earth we come, and to the earth we shall all return. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">His death has become my Lenten Meditation. I have not the detached, elegant-terseness of the much-maligned Meursault in Camus’ novel <i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Stranger.</span></i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> I cannot simply say, “[Father] died today. Or maybe yesterday, I don’t know.” I do know. My father killed himself on the First Sunday of Lent. The last time we spoke was on Ash Wednesday.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Unlike Camus’ strange novel there was no telegram sent saying: </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“[Father] passed away. Funeral tomorrow. Yours sincerely.”</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">In my case there were only sincere voices passing through lonely telephones.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">God does indeed speak bad grammar.</span></span><br />
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<strong><em>Marked by Ashes</em></strong><br />
<strong>Walter Brueggemann (b. 1933) </strong><br />
<br />
Ruler of the Night, Guarantor of the day<em> . . .</em><em> </em>This day — a gift from you.<br />
This day — like none other you have ever given, or we have ever received.<br />
This Wednesday dazzles us with gift and newness and possibility.<br />
This Wednesday burdens us with the tasks of the day, for we are already halfway home<br />
halfway back to committees and memos,<br />
halfway back to calls and appointments,<br />
halfway on to next Sunday,<br />
halfway back, half frazzled, half expectant,<br />
half turned toward you, half rather not.<br />
<br />
This Wednesday is a long way from Ash Wednesday,<br />
but all our Wednesdays are marked by ashes —<br />
we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth:<br />
of failed hope and broken promises,<br />
of forgotten children and frightened women,<br />
we ourselves are ashes to ashes, dust to dust;<br />
we can taste our mortality as we roll the ash around on our tongues.<br />
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We are able to ponder our ashness with<br />
some confidence, only because our every Wednesday of ashes<br />
anticipates your Easter victory over that dry, flaky taste of death.<br />
<br />
On this Wednesday, we submit our ashen way to you —<br />
you Easter parade of newness.<br />
Before the sun sets, take our Wednesday and Easter us,<br />
Easter us to joy and energy and courage and freedom;<br />
Easter us that we may be fearless for your truth.<br />
Come here and Easter our Wednesday with<br />
mercy and justice and peace and generosity.<br />
<br />
We pray as we wait for the Risen One who comes soon.</div>Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06929958816368450152noreply@blogger.com0