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dreamprayact

~ Reflections of a preacher, poet, and contemplative activist

dreamprayact

Monthly Archives: September 2012

Blessed are the Peacemakers

21 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by mark lloyd richardson in Peace with justice, Prayers

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Colman McCarthy, International Peace Day, Jim Wallis, Martin Luther King, nonviolence, peacemakers, Prayer for peace, St. Francis of Assisi, Thich Nhat Hanh

Today is the International Day of Peace.

Here are a few quotations to inspire us to continue to walk the path of peace through how we choose to live. Especially in these tumultuous times of global unrest the world needs more people who will risk being peacemakers.

“The earth is too small a star and we too brief a visitor upon it for anything to matter more than the struggle for peace.” ~ Colman McCarthy

“Returning violence for violence only multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

“If we want to reap the harvest of peace and justice in the future, we will have to sow the seeds of nonviolence, here and now, in the present.” ~ Mairead Corrigan Maguire

“We know that peace is only possible when it is the fruit of justice. True peace is the result of the profound transformation affected by nonviolence which is, indeed, the power of love.” ~ Perez Esquivel

“Anyone can love peace, but Jesus doesn’t say, ‘Blessed are the peace-lovers.’ He says ‘peacemakers.’ He is referring to a life vocation, not a hobby on the sidelines of life.” ~ Jim Wallis

“While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.” ~ St. Francis of Assisi

“Be peace, don’t just talk about it.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

A PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ Mark Lloyd Richardson
We struggle for peace, God, beginning with our own hearts.
We do not always see the light within ourselves or others.
We do not always speak with words of understanding.
We do not always sow the seeds of nonviolence in the present.
Make us into light-bearers, justice-seekers, peace-makers!
Help us to believe again in our vocation as pilgrims of peace!
Transform the world through the tenacious power of love!

 

Rolling Around in the Grass Laughing

14 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by mark lloyd richardson in Reflections

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

Dogs, friendship, humane society, joy, laughter

Opie & Trooper at Santa Maria Valley Humane Society, Santa Maria, California
Photo by Dallis Day Richardson (c) 2012

It is important from time to time
to drop everything
and roll around in the grass
laughing with a friend!

“So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” ~ Jesus
(John 16:22)

Look Who God Let In

09 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by mark lloyd richardson in Reflections, Sermon portions

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Book of James, faith, God's grace, God's Realm, Inclusive church, love of neighbor, open doors, Religious pluralism, welcoming

Photo: http://mattandjojang.wordpress.com

The New Testament book of James reminds us that we do well if we fulfill scripture’s royal law, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (2:8). Our neighbor is not only the person next door, but the one we haven’t yet bothered to get to know, the one of a different socioeconomic class, the one of another religious or cultural perspective. Our neighbors are increasingly diverse. As Diana Eck reminds us in relation to our own Constitution, “We the people” in our religiously pluralistic society includes the Muslim, the Buddhist, and the Hindu.

“If you show partiality,” James warns, “you commit sin” (2:9). The command to love our neighbors challenges us at the core of who Christ calls us to be. It challenges us to be inclusive in our welcoming. It challenges us to widen the scope of the ones we call our neighbors. It challenges us to live the gospel values of hospitality, compassion and grace.

When it comes to the church and who is in and who is out I am always stunned by God’s graciousness.

People I cannot relate to, God lets in.

People I don’t understand, God lets in.

People whose life decisions I can’t embrace, God lets in.

People who are stubborn or opinionated or worse, God lets in.

People who are not like me – fine, upstanding sinner that I am – God lets in.

God lets in all kinds of people. It’s the church that sometimes closes the door in the face of the hurting, the addicted, the self-righteous, the poor, the sojourner, or the different.

I favor the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the life of the church.

I am constrained by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to accept those whom God accepts.

As a follower of Christ I believe in my heart that God accepts me and loves me as I am.

God’s grace is so unfathomable that you and I experience it even when the people around us know we don’t deserve it.

God’s love comes to us even when we know ourselves to be unlovable.

I have felt the assurance of God’s forgiveness and grace in my life. How can I deny it to other sinners?

The doors to God’s grace open wide to a vast array of imperfect people. How can I close a door that God opens?

As another pastor is quoted as saying, “I am so glad that God wants people who sin and struggle with sin to come to church, because as Pastor, I would hate to be excluded from the church I serve in.”

God’s kingdom is an alternative Realm where the least, the last, and the lost are God’s most urgent concern. How these neighbors are treated is a sign of how well the church understands God’s purposes.

A wonderfully inclusive welcome statement at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Community in Daytona Beach generated a lot of buzz on the Internet recently. It reads:

“We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, y no habla Ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying new-borns, skinny as a rail, or could afford to lose a few pounds.

“We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or like our pastor who can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re ‘just browsing,’ just woke up, or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s baptism.

“We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, and junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like ‘organized religion,’ we’ve been there too.

“If you blew all your offering money at the dog track, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.

“We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts … and you!”

Again I ask, if God opens a door to my neighbors, who am I to close it?

Words (c) 2012 Mark Lloyd Richardson

 

Working on Sundays

06 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by mark lloyd richardson in Reflections

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

Christian ministry, church, Outreach, Pastoral ministry, Sunday worship, work week

Every so often someone says something to make me realize that what I do for a living is a mystery to many people!

I was on the phone with a new acquaintance to schedule an appointment, and he asked me, “How about this afternoon?”

It was a Saturday and I explained that I work on Saturdays, and he said (I kid you not), “Oh, I thought you worked on Sundays.”

Now before you cut him any slack, it was clear to me from our conversation that he assumed I work only one morning a week.

I was a bit stunned, and for a few moments I was speechless.

I was beginning to like this guy and now I just felt insulted … or hurt … or something. I wasn’t sure how I felt I was so shocked by his comment.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself.

Then I said, “Well, believe it or not, being the pastor of a church involves a lot more than showing up on Sunday morning.”

“Oh?” he replied in an innocent tone.

Now generally I don’t talk about the kinds of responsibilities my work entails because when I do I begin feeling as though I am trying to justify my paycheck. However, in this instance I had little choice.

I said, “There are many things involved in helping a congregation do what it’s supposed to do. There are committee meetings, financial considerations, and building upkeep. I’m involved in teaching classes, planning worship services, preparing relevant sermons, visiting people in their homes, praying with those in the hospital or other care facilities, counseling individuals and couples in crisis, comforting the grieving, and conducting weddings and funerals. There are community outreach efforts to support, social injustices to fight, staff to supervise, volunteers to appreciate, and emergencies to address.”

He said, “Yeah, I guess it makes sense that there would be more to it.”

“YOU GUESS?” I wanted to scream!

Instead I just quietly responded, “Now you know.”

Words (c) 2012 Mark Lloyd Richardson
Photo (c) 2012 Dallis Day Richardson (not that anyone would steal a photo of a Methodist preacher)

September 2012
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