Genesis, Vocation, and Master Penmenship

Every human being has a call to be a maker. This vocation is one of cultivation, of using the resources before us, alongside the talents within us, for betterment of those around us through partnering with the God among us. This is (partly) what it means to be made in God’s image.

This is part of the creation mandate found in Genesis. Many readings of “the beginning” focus on particular polemical readings, either glossing over or completely ignoring the narrative trajectories these primal texts put us on. From the onset of our story, we find a God getting down in the dirt – the image of a gardener on his knees comes to mind – hands covered in earth. Breath is infused into the earthenware known as human and he is told to get on with being this cultivator, this maker. In short: be a culture maker. This is not a solo venture, but one completed and carried out in community, as the Genesis story tells.

And so we find that our spiritual life is comprised of our physical life. Our vocation is a holistic one: the spiritual manifesting itself in the physical. The two are intimately incorporated into one. Proper usage of earthly materials along with the proper wielding of our personal beings is at the center of the spiritual life. We do damage to the Genesis story and in turn to what it means to image God when we set up false dichotomies between the spiritual and the physical. God is one who gets down in the muck, not who stands above it all.

True spirituality, therefore, is not a denial of or seeking an escape from earthy stuff, but is a participatory relationship with and resting in one’s interconnected place within all this earthiness.

This vocation is not dependent upon one’s occupation. The call – vocation literally means “calling”; same word as vocal – is to use and put forth objects of love. Love in the sense of making them with love for others whom you love because you know a God who does the same. Be it a plumber, teacher, or mayor; those employed, unemployed, or under-employed; the call is the same: creatively use what you are given and who you are to be a cultivator of love.

To be human is to cultivate love.

An example of these thoughts is found in the video of Master Penmen below. I hope you find it both challenging and inspiring as I did.

Jean Vanier’s “Seven Aspects of Love”: Day 11 of Lent

One of the books I have been reading during Lent is Jean Vanier’s Becoming Human. As I shared here, I have worked with special needs students for the past 7+ years and have learned much more than I have taught. The marginalized, the overlooked, and the oft-neglected are those whom Vanier has dedicated his life to and has lived with and among. He has learned and written about this shared life and its resulting wisdom.

The first chapter of this book deals with the universal condition of loneliness. He begins with, “This book is about the liberation of the human heart from the tentacles of chaos and loneliness, and from those fears that provoke us to exclude and reject others.” Vanier describes loneliness as “a taste of death” that is “essentially a human experience.”

It is not just about being alone. Loneliness is not the same thing as solitude. We can be alone yet happy, because we know that we are part of a family, a community, even the universe itself. Loneliness is a feeling of not being part of anything, of being cut off. It is a feeling of being unworthy, of not being able to cope in the face of a universe that seems to work against us.

It is a feeling of being unloved and, as a result, unloveable.

Vanier has found love to be the antidote to loneliness. And love occurs, grows, and flourishes in community.

“There are for me, seven aspects of love that seem necessary for the transformation of the heart in those who are profoundly lonely.” These aspects are extremely helpful in opening up the layers within love and hence community. Here they are:

To Reveal

The first aspect of love, the key aspect, is revelation…To reveal someone’s beauty is to reveal their value by giving them time, attention, and tenderness. To love is not just to do something for them but to reveal to them their own uniqueness, to tell them that they are special and worthy of attention…As soon as we start selecting and judging people instead of welcoming them as they are – with their sometimes hidden beauty, as well as their more frequently visible weaknesses – are reducing life, not fostering it. When we reveal to people our belief in them, their hidden beauty rises to the surface where it may be more clearly seen by all.

To Understand

To love also means to understand…I believe that every act of violence [which stems from loneliness] is also a message that needs to be understood. Violence should  not be answered just by greater violence but by real understanding. We must ask: where is the violence coming from? What is its meaning?

To Communicate

Communication is at the heart of love…I have learned that the process of teaching and learning, of communication, involves movement, back and forth: the one who is healed and the one who is healing constantly change places. As we begin to understand ourselves, we begin to understand others. It is a part of the process of moving from idealism to reality, from the sky to the earth…We must learn to listen and then to communicate.

To Celebrate

It is not enough to reveal to people their value, to understand and care for them. To love people is to celebrate them…they need laughter and play, they need people who will celebrate life with them and manifest their joy of being with them.

To Empower

It is not just a question of doing things for others but of helping them to do things for themselves, helping them to discover the meaning of their lives…not to make people…’normal,’ but to help them grow towards maturity. For each person…growth towards maturity will be different.

To Be In Communion

Communion is mutual trust, mutual belonging; it is then to-and-fro movement of love between two people where each one gives and each one receives. Communion is not a fixed state, it is an ever-growing and deepening reality that can turn sour if one person tries to possess the other, thus preventing growth. Communion is mutual vulnerability and openness to the other. It is liberation for both, indeed, where both are allowed to be themselves, where both are called to grow in greater freedom and openness to others and to the universe.

To a certain extent we lose control in our lives when we are open to others. Communion of hearts is a beautiful but also dangerous thing. Beautiful because it is a new form of liberation; it brings a new joy because we are no longer alone. We are close even if we are far away. Dangerous because letting down our inner barriers means that we can be easily hurt. Communion makes us vulnerable.

God is present in this liberating communion.

To Forgive

The most crucial of all in our equation…is forgiveness. The bonding between people in communion implies that we forgive each other and that we ask each other for forgiveness…As we live and work and pray together, we build a new form of family.

Which aspect of love touches you the most?

Which aspect of love are you longing for the most?

How have you found these seven aspects in community?

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Other posts in this Lent series:

Moving Beyond Immediate (and) Affirmation or Why I Will Be Blogging Through Lent

“Divine Sorrow” and Remembering: Ash Wednesday

Longings, Presence, and Vulnerability: Day 2 of Lent

Being Led by the Gentle Voice of God: A Notebook and 3 Questions: Day 3 of Lent

Lent Around the Blogosphere: 10 Links: Day 4 of Lent

First Sunday of Lent: A Prayer

Psalm 91 and Cliche: Day 5 of Lent

Community and Prayer: Henri Nouwen on Pushing Through Individualism Via Communal Prayer: Day 6 of Lent

Humility, Place, and The Everyday: Lessons in Mission From John the Baptizer: Day 7 of Lent

Lenten Reflection and Fasting According to Joan Chittister: Day 8 of Lent

Who Will You Grow Old With? – Not a Question About Marriage

This past week my wife and I took off for Ohio with all three of our beautiful daughters. Typically, the trip from Syracuse to Cleveland takes about five and a half hours. That, of course, is without three children under the age of 4. Due to the children – and my need for coffee – we tend to stop and take our time, letting the kids stretch and run around for a bit. This trip we stopped at a Panera in Erie, PA for an hour or so.

One of the things my wife and I both love to engage in – whether consciously or not – is, what is normally deemed, people-watching. Across from us sat an older couple with another older woman all of whom were dressed nicely in the best Sunday religious garb. Chatting about the Sunday service and the screaming baby of an obvious visitor topped the list of topics for this midday.

Soon another older couple joined them and the older woman’s husband came in as well. As is the norm, they were blatantly taking in the scene across from them, namely, my wife and our three daughters. The age difference was great enough that we could have been their children for the day, our children their temporarily adopted grandchildren. And as the one woman asked if she could buy our older girls some cookies, we quickly became just that.

But then something struck me. As I sat there with my wife of 6 years and my three children, I began to wonder about this questions: Who will I grow old with? The people surrounding me was the obvious answer, but then as I continued to gaze at these friends, it became clear they had spent a good amount of years together. Beyond their marital vows and relationships, this group seemed to know each other well; they seemed to have the type of knowing that comes from laughing and weeping, from eating simple meals at each others’ homes and fancied up ones at their children’s weddings, from deaths in the family to new babies being born. Of course this could all be in my imagination, but like a Normal Rockwell painting, I felt like their simple meal together filled with familiarity was speaking volumes.

Once back in the car, I asked my wife who she thought we’d grow old with besides ourselves. In our neo-nomadic lifestyles of 21st century America, the odds of growing old with neighbors, friends, and, unfortunately, even family are growing worse and worse. Searching for a better house, a better church, a better job, a better climate, etc. seem to be the carrot in front of the horse of modern citizens of the West. The story of easy mobilization combined with individualism and consumerism has continually crashed over us rendering us frightened of things such as stability and rootedness. It is difficult to grow old with those we move away from.

Perhaps it is from the reading I’ve been doing. Perhaps it is from the community I’ve been attempting to cultivate. Perhaps it is from seeing pictures of my friends and family from yesteryear. Perhaps it was a simple contrast of a table of older friends with my younger family. But I wonder, what do we need to do to have a community that grows old together? What intentional decisions and sacrifices need to be made to move towards that end?

As we continued to talk and drive with our lovely ladies in tow, I continued (and still continue) to wonder about encounter that had just taken place. Perhaps it was a road trip version of lighting the fourth Advent candle of love and anticipation. Whatever the case may be, I want to run with this experience and its implications and see where the Spirit may be leading and waiting.

What about you? Who will you grow old with?

Love Your Neighbor: Begin with Their Name

The idea of names has been bouncing around our house for awhile now. This is due mainly to the upcoming birth of our third daughter and the responsibility of naming her. We’ve quickly come to realize our first two daughters are named with all-too-common names. We didn’t know it at the time of their namings, but Lily and Ava apparently are the names of practically every third girl between 1-4 years old around here.

The giving and changing of names (typically) occur in serious times of life. Births, marriages, divorces, and in some cultures, religious events bring about names and/or their alterations. Some people have names of familial importance; others names that will hopefully be lived into as future realities. Either way, there always seems to be discussion and thought put into the words by which we will be identified.

It is interesting to me to see how in the beginning of God’s story (what we Christians call the Bible) God gives the first human community, Adam and Eve, the names by which they will called. Throughout the books of the Story, we first see YHWH and then Jesus changing certain peoples’ names for differing reasons: Abram and Sarai are now Abraham and Sarah; Jacob is now Israel; Saul is now Paul; to name a few. Names seem to be rather important.

Today as I was reading over at Abundant Community I came across the second post in the series on being a neighbor, The Neighbor Challenge #2.  In it the author talks about how knowing the names of our neighbors is essential to actually knowing our neighbors. Taking the time to know the name of another demonstrates a tangible way of demonstrating their value. She says

Knowing someone’s name is fundamental to relationship building.  It’s the start of our story, and when you take time to learn someone’s name you show you value them.

Your intention of cultivating a knowledge of and relationship with them begins in the simple act of saying, “Hi, I’m ______. Your name is?” Then, and this is crucial, you must actually stop and listen. Listen to your neighbor. You’ll never get anywhere in developing community if you haven’t developed ears that listen.

For far too long we have allowed ourselves to get away with a simple wave or “Good morning” and wonder why relationships aren’t being developed. Those who claim to follow Jesus are not called to merely wave, but to love our neighbors. Love builds community for love springs from the being who is communal love: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As Icons of this being, imperfect as we are, we are called to live in community with each other. Hiding behind an anonymous wave just won’t do.

And I think this is the beauty of knowing others’ names that this article brings out. God doesn’t merely wave to us from across the street. No, God came into our neighborhood and took time to know our names because it is intrinsic to the cultivation and development of relationship. God doesn’t just say, “Hey…you…dude from across the street.” No; God says, “Hey Jim. How was your day? I’d love to hear about it.” And then he listens. Beginning with a name breaks down the anonymity so common today and allows us to move towards further discussion and story telling.

So, as Abundant Community has blogged and challenged, I’ll throw it out there as well: Do you know the names of your neighbors? Can you draw your street (a box for every house) and then write the names of those who live there?

People of Possibility

Here is a great video on what a church group did in getting to Jesus’ idea of loving their enemies, even Osama bin Laden. Check it out.

Osama bin Laden’s Death (Part 2): Jesus loved Osama bin Laden

Sunday night we heard the breaking news that Osama bin Laden had been killed. Not only had he been killed, but it was at the order of President Obama and carried out by an elite team of Navy SEALs. In response Americans began to celebrate at Ground Zero in NYC, in front of the White House, Shanksville, PA where Flight 93 crashed, and during the 9th inning of a Phillies-Mets game. American flags returned as the images and emotions of 9/11 flooded the communal memory of most Americans. In a wave of – depending on your view – relief or vengeful delight or fearful dismay or sorrow the events of the day had culminated with this news.

Now before I carry on I want to say that what follows doesn’t mean that I abhor America, our troops, the government or anything like that. I went to Ground Zero shortly after the attacks; I walked through the corridor in the Pentagon where the plane crashed soon after reconstruction began; I mourned at the grave site of Todd Beamer (one of the many who died in Flight 93) one year after 9/11. I have dear friends and family members who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What I offer below are mere thoughts and reflections on how I, as I attempt to follow Jesus, view the events surrounding Osama bin Laden’s death.

I was rather amazed at the reactions that sprang forth on the news. The celebratory delight that came as a result seemed to be founded upon the death of a man. I can understand this (as much as one can understand death and war) from the perspective of national or governmental relations. According to the narrative that the West lives out of, we were attacked and the natural outcome of this is to return violence with violence. The aim of our government is to obviously protect its citizens and its interests. Since we killed the enemy of the state before he was able to inflict more pain and death upon us we win. We win because he lost. He is dead and therefore we are alive. This is the Western narrative in which celebratory actions embody its ideals. So, as an American, I found some relief in his death. But is life really that easy? Is it really that violent? Is life actually that flat?

As a Christian, I cannot accept this because Jesus could not accept this. The narrative that Christians should be living out of has a Jesus at the center of it who tells us odd, countercultural, non-instinctual things. He tells us that when we are hit to turn the other cheek. He tells us that when someone takes away our shirt, we should offer them our jacket as well. Jesus takes things even further when he tells us that we are to love and pray for our enemies. Sure, says Jesus, most people will do this for their friends and family, but, if you are going to follow me, you will go the extra mile and will do this for your enemies.

And why should we do this? Because this is what Jesus did. He turned his other cheek when he was hit. He offered his jacket when his shirt was torn from him. He loved his enemies to the point of actually dying. And in the midst of taking upon himself the violence of the religious, political, social, and supernatural of the world, he humbly forgave the ones doing this to him.

Therefore, I can’t take pleasure in the death of an enemy. And, to be quite honest, as a Christian first and foremost, was he an enemy of Jesus and the Church? Or was he an enemy of the country I just happen to find myself in? A huge problem I see this event pointing out is the true allegiance of people. For quite some time I saw myself as an American Christian, emphasizing the nationality aspect of my identity. The truth is my allegiance is to Christ and the kingdom he brings, which includes loving my enemy. This is the challenge I try to make small steps towards every day.

As Stanley Hauerwas has said,

“I have argued that Christians’ first political responsibility is to be the church, and by being the church they should understand that their first political loyalty is to God, and the God we worship as Christians, in a manner that understands that we are not first and foremost about making democracy work, but about the truthful worship of the true God.This is a deep misunderstanding about how Christianity works. Of course we believe that God is God and we are not and that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit but that this is not a set of propositions — but is rather embedded in a community of practices that make those beliefs themselves work and give us a community by which we are shaped. Religious belief is not just some kind of primitive metaphysics, but in fact it is a performance just like you’d perform Lear. What people think Christianity is, is that it’s like the text of Lear, rather than the actual production of Lear. It has to be performed for you to understand what Lear is — a drama. You can read it, but unfortunately Christians so often want to make Christianity a text rather than a performance.”

Perhaps part of the problem in our world is that we have mistakenly separated out the beliefs of Christianity with the embodied life and practices of Christianity. We all seek peace, regardless of ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, but how can a world believe in a Jesus whose church doesn’t embody its ideals?

Perhaps speaking about loving an enemy, like an Osama bin Laden, seems rather outlandish. And perhaps it is since, in all likelihood, he wouldn’t have had a great influence on our day to day lives. So, for me, I have to wonder how this is actually lived out in my day to day life. It makes me wonder about the reality that there is a convicted felon in my neighborhood. He moved in, fixed up a house, and seems to be contributing to our small neighborhood. Then everyone found out that he is a convicted pedophile who committed an atrocious crime. In many ways, he could possibly be my enemy. Yet, when the rest of the neighborhood has been attempting to evict him from our community, how am I to apply Jesus’ command to love my enemy?

How am I to love a pedophile? Or what about the known drug house down the street? Or the kid who speeds past my house when my daughter and I are outside playing? These are questions I must wrestle with in light of Jesus’ high call to love them.

Can we imagine this? Can the church really be a people that loves that those who are different than us? Are we Americans first and then Christians or Christians first and then Americans? What would it look like if we had actually loved Osama bin Laden? When was the last time you prayed for Osama bin Laden?

How do we come to grips with the reality that Jesus loved Osama bin Laden?

Father’s Day Wouldn’t be So without Children

This is my second Father’s Day, by which I mean my second time being a father on this day. It’s an interesting day in that we don’t usually throw too much of a fit in its name. Mother’s Day turns into a day when we take mothers out to eat, clean the house, buy flowers, and Hallmark makes a fortune. I’m guessing most fathers don’t really long for a mushy card telling of the love and admiration of our children. Not that we don’t want to hear those things, but dudes are different. Most of us don’t cherish cards unless they are some hilarious farting card or something. Those are worth cherishing.

I guess when I first think of Father’s Day I think of the relationship behind the day. We’re not fathers until we have children. We can be awesome brothers, sons, uncles, nephews, but until we find ourselves holding our own children, we aren’t fathers. The day is full of relationship and intimacy. The title “father” only stands in for the relationship between child and father. There is no other meaning behind the title. You aren’t the father of anyone else. Your children are yours and you are their father. Be it by physical birth or adoption, your children are your children and there is nothing that can break that bond. Our culture makes it easy and accessible for the splitting of husband and wife, but that doesn’t cease the love and bond between parents and children. Just because there may be a piece of paper saying otherwise, fathers are always fathers to their children.

A friend of mine recently entered into the relationship of being a father. He has entered into uncharted waters because nobody has been the father to his daughter. Sure, we who are fathers can give tips and hints, but she is his daughter and he exclusively is her father. The love he feels for her will resonate with the love I have for my daughter, yet it will be completely different because she is different than my daughter. It will function similarly, but its form will look drastically different.

Father’s Day is named for fathers because of the relationship we stand in with our children and only our children. Let us not forget the reason we have for the privilege of being called fathers. Let us love with a love worthy of being called a father: sacrificially, humbly, and unconditionally.