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Pat Kriss
FORUM ON FAITH
Countering a narcissistic culture with the gift of spiritual literacy.
by Pat Kriss
Published: Saturday, December 25, 2009
Danbury News Times
Around this time last year, I found myself among the throng of last-minute shoppers in a candle shop at the Danbury Fair mall.
Standing in line with the other tired, yet happy shoppers, I noticed two young women ahead of me who were anything but aglow with yuletide cheer. I took them to be around 17, well-dressed and related, perhaps sisters. Amid the festive decorations, they were draped in glumness.
"This is so lame," one sighed to the other. "I mean, like, it's so stupid making us buy presents for the family."
"Yeah," the other teen whined. "We could put this money to good use."
Obviously, their parents had given them money to buy holiday presents for their families, an onerous chore that was cutting into their mall social time.
Suddenly, one of them brightened. "I know! Let's use the money to go buy something for ourselves instead. I saw the hottest pair of jeans downstairs."
Her companion, ditching the merchandise they were going to purchase, instantly agreed. "You're so right. We'll figure out something to tell mom."
As I watched them go, I found myself also agreeing. They did indeed need something for themselves. Desperately. A gift, but not of more stuff.
What they needed was a gift of caring for needs other than their own -- a gift that parents today yearn to give their children, but often aren't sure where to get it.
Parents today try so hard to do it right. They send their kids to the right schools, spend their lives shuttling children to the right sports activities, make sure their kids have the right credits on their transcripts so they can get into the right colleges.
But what loving parent in their right mind would allow their kids to enter adulthood being illiterate?
That's right. Illiterate. We work hard to make our kids intellectually literate. We try during non-school hours to make them physically literate in a variety of sports, so that they know how to compete and be healthy.
But what about spiritual literacy? What about the part of learning that teaches children that they belong to a community of other people? What about ethics or the divine?
"Community" belonging is something much bigger than being on a sports team made up of kids with similar goals.
Knowing you're a member of a community means acknowledging people who are different, people with needs that matter as much as your own -- people for whom you've grow to care.
Never learning that there's something bigger than your desires relegates your world to one small, needy planet around which the universe orbits -- Planet You.
Relationship specialist Dr. Jean Twenge has compassion for parents today who are raising self-absorbed, materialistic children and wondering how they got that way.
Parents, she says, are bombarded on all sides by the media and Madison Avenue. They are "in the same battle as parents all around the country, fighting against an increasingly narcissistic culture."
Well-intentioned parents, who have been instructed by "experts" on child development, have spent years telling their children that they're "special."
Twenge adds, "Unfortunately, much of what parents think raises self-esteem -- such as telling a kid he's special and giving him what he wants -- actually leads to narcissism."
What, then, is a parent to do? Twenge makes this recommendation: If you're tempted to tell your child "You are special," say instead "I love you." That's really what you meant to say anyway.
She notes that spiritual development has always been, and still is, an antidote to narcissism.
It's not too late to make a New Year's gift of spiritual literacy for your children or teens by visiting a house of worship with them. Perhaps it's been a long time since you were in one yourself.
If you consider yourself "spiritual, but not religious," you might find a lot of company there.
Connecting your children with a religious community is like filling in the missing colors in their box of perceptual crayons -- a community that, in all its diversity, will give them a way to express their world completely.
In other words, you'll finally find a place that has the gift parents want to give their kids, the gift of concern and compassion that will make them truly and totally literate.
And it won't involve making choices at the mall.
It's free.
Pat Kriss, a member of the class of 2010 at Yale Divinity School, is a pastoral intern at First Congregational Church in Danbury.
FORUM ON FAITH
Advent is a time of longing, hope and change.
by Rev. Iris E. Peterson
Published: Saturday, December 18, 2009
Danbury News Times
Advent is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming." It marks the beginning of the new church year for many Christian denominations. In the northern hemisphere the light of day is shorter and the darkness of night is longer. The cycle of nature we enter is the dormant waiting time of winter. The early darkness adds mystery to the season and seems to hide things from sight.
The season comprises four Sundays. The first Sunday falls nearest Nov. 30, the Feast of St. Andrew. That's why it seems as if the turkey is put away before we begin preparing for Christmas. The last day of Advent is always Dec. 24. Sometimes the fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve converge and make for an interesting day.
Advent is a time of longing, of hope and change. It is a meeting of heaven and earth, pregnant waiting ending with the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord while still anticipating His second coming among us.
The themes of Advent are about preparation. We are preparing for the Messiah promised by God and foretold of by the prophets. Many readers may remember the prophet Isaiah telling of the Messiah and George Fredrick Handel's use of the prophets for the text of "The Messiah." It is the expected coming of a baby to Mary of Bethlehem, the baby Jesus. Advent is the preparation for the Christ, the Prince of Peace. Longing for his coming to rule as Lord over the kingdom of God.
The symbols and traditions of Advent vary. For many the color of Advent is purple. This color is often associated with the penitential season of Lent. Advent is not `a little' and some traditions have moved to using blue during these four weeks. These colors symbolize preparation, penitence and royalty. The blue is for peace.
Another custom is the Advent wreath. This can be a simple circle of greens, often evergreens, surrounding four candles, one for each Sunday in Advent. Most Advent wreaths have three purple candles and one pink candle. The three purple represent penance, sorrow and longing. The rose candle, lit on the third Sunday, represents the hope and coming joy. The Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudette (Rejoice) Sunday. This Sunday has a joyous emphasis, the readings and music for this Sunday reflect our joy and anticipation of the future.
A long-standing tradition for some is the Advent Calendar. This calendar is used to mark the days leading to the Incarnation, the arrival of the Christ child in our empty créche. So, I shouldn't put the baby in the créche, you say? Well, his coming is what we are waiting for and that's not until Christmas EVE. During these 26 days it remains empty.
Many people put up and decorate the Christmas tree during Advent. However, some people have a bare branch in their homes, which may be decorated throughout the season with symbols of the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus' coming. This reminds us of the prophet Isaiah (11:1-10), the stem of Jesse and the peaceable kingdom. You might think of it as a symbol of Jesus' family tree.
There are many ways of living the Advent season. We can keep busy preparing for Christmas or we can take time out of the busy-ness to live a little differently. We can plan and keep a discipline of daily Bible reading and reflection and prayer time. We can talk about our dreams and hopes for the future for ourselves our families, our community and the world. We express our selves through art, song, dance and poetry. We can do something for others by collecting food, clothes or toys in preparation of sharing God's love with others.
Advent is a time of longing, preparation and waiting. During this time as we prepare for Christmas, we also take time to serve others: family, friends and strangers. We pause to take time to give thanks for the first coming of Christ and to anticipate His second coming as we pray, "thy kingdom come on earth as in heaven."
The Rev. Iris E. Peterson is associate rector of Saint James' Episcopal Church in Danbury.
Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer
FORUM ON FAITH
Hanukkah's primary message is religious freedom.
by Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer
Published: Saturday, December 11, 2009
Danbury News Times
The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah began on Friday and continues for eight days. The word Hanukkah means dedication, and the holiday celebrates the rededication of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.
Around 200 BCE (before the common era), Jews were living as an autonomous people in Israel under Greek rule. Twenty-five years later, Antiochus Epiphanes looted the Temple in Jerusalem and massacred Jews. He ordered a statue of Zeus erected in the Temple and sacrificed pigs on the altar, a great affront to Judaism that forbids the consumption of pork. Antiochus effectively outlawed the practice of Judaism.
A Jewish revolt broke out, led by Judah Macabee, whose name means Judah the Hammer. The Macabees defeated the Greeks and restored Jewish sovereignty. Judah then ordered the Temple cleansed and rededicated.
The primary message of Hanukkah is religious freedom. When the Greeks outlawed the practice of Judaism and desecrated the Temple, the Macabees fought back. As Jews, our history of persecution instills in us a strong sense of the importance of protecting our religious freedoms and the liberties of others as well. As Jews living in America, we are very fortunate to be in a country that protects the freedom to practice one's faith.
When the Macabees rededicated the ancient Temple, they went to relight the menorah, the ritual candelabra. There was only enough olive oil to last for one day. However a miracle occurred and that small jar of oil kept the lights burning for eight days.
Many of the customs and rituals of Hanukkah recall the miracle of the oil. We light a menorah (also called a Hanukkiah) for eight nights, adding one candle each evening. Jewish tradition teaches that the Menorah is to be lit near a window so that people walking by may see it and recall the miracle. On Hanukkah, we also eat latkes, small potato pancakes fried in oil, to recall the miraculous small jar of oil. My favorite recipe for latkes is one part onion to one part potato.
The miracle of the oil is also a powerful symbol of hope. Just as the light lasted much longer than expected, so too have the Jewish people lived on for millennia despite difficulties and persecution. One Hanukkah song begins: "Don't let the light go out, it's lasted for so many years."
The light of the menorah is also a symbol of God's presence and enduring relationship with the people Israel. Like the light of the menorah, God has been with the Jewish people for over three millennia, helping and guiding us through good times and bad. While Jews have a relationship with God, we also believe that God cares for all people.
On Hanukkah, children play a game called dreidel, spinning a small top and wagering on which side the top will fall with gelt, chocolate coins. The four Hebrew letters on the dreidel spell out the phrase: "A great miracle happened there," referring to the jar of oil that burned for eight days.
One final custom of Hanukkah is the giving of gifts to children, right after the menorah is lit. As Hanukkah falls in mid- to late December each year (depending on the Jewish calendar), the holiday has become, in many ways, about giving and receiving gifts. As a child, I remember the excitement I felt the day of our family Hanukkah parties each year and all of the presents from my parents, aunts and uncles.
However, Hanukkah is not a time only for gifts. It is a powerful and ancient Jewish celebration that reminds us of the importance of religious freedom, and gives us hope for the future of the Jewish people.
Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer is the spiritual leader of Temple Shearith Israel in Ridgefield (www.tsiridigefield.com) and author of the blog, The Fly Fishing Rabbi (www.flyfishingrabbi.com).
FORUM ON FAITH
Mary, the Divine Mother, offers her grace as an example.
by Rev. Aurora Mary Kilai
Published: Saturday, December 4, 2009
Danbury News Times
The season of Advent has begun for Christians everywhere. This is a sacred time when we become more mindful of our thoughts, words and actions.
The more conscious we are of how we choose to respond to others, ourselves, and life situations, the better we are prepared to receive Christ on Christmas Day, when he is "born anew" within our hearts.
During this holy season of Advent, there is a special day, Dec. 8, when Mary, the mother of Jesus, is honored for her immaculate conception.
This feast day acknowledges Mary as one who was pure from the moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, Anna. From the moment of her conception, she was being prepared to receive Christ as a young woman.
Throughout Mary's life, she was a pure example of courageous faith and obedience to God's will. Mary is recognized as the Divine Mother, who offers her grace to us to follow her example, to receive Christ in our hearts, and to live our lives with faith and obedience to God's will.
In the late 12th and 13th centuries, many cathedrals, like the cathedrals of Notre Dame in Paris and Chartres, were dedicated to Mary. This practice continues today. Grottoes modeled after the Lourdes grotto can even be found in Brookfield and Litchfield, where people visit for respite, to light candles for thanksgiving or for special prayer requests, and to receive the grace of peace in their lives.
Without detracting from a focus on Christ during this season of Advent, I write today about Mary, who has been a special guiding light and presence throughout my life. It began with my baptism, when I was given Mary as my middle name.
From the time I was an infant, my devout Italian Catholic parents brought me to church every Sunday. As soon as I could speak, I learned to repeat the three prayers of Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father.
My parents taught me that Mary was the mother of us all and graciously heard our prayers. My parents prayed the Rosary daily. They taught all five of their children how to pray it.
We prayed the Rosary together every Christmas Eve. Like a family troupe performing, Mom, Dad, my brothers, sisters and I lined up in a row, kneeling in front of the manger to offer the Rosary to Mary and the Holy Family.
As a young child, I dutifully did what I was told, impatiently counting down the prayers as we went along, looking forward to the festivities of the evening. Little did I know at that time the power of Mary's compassionate and loving grace.
Attending a parochial school afforded me many opportunities to learn about and practice my faith. I learned in the Scriptures that Christ respected his mother and performed a miracle at a wedding in Cana, even though his first response to her request was that it wasn't his time yet. I began to understand and respect Mary as one who could intercede for us.
I joined the Sodality, a young girl's group honoring Mary. Every May we processed from church after Mass to crown Mary as Queen of Heaven. The crowning was a high point in my life. Between the floral procession and the lyrics of the music we sang, I felt closer to Mary and privileged to be her "daughter" in the Sodality.
Several years have passed since the innocent beliefs and musings of my childhood. My life journey has taken me to places I never imagined as a child. There have been joyful experiences, great losses, heightened spiritual moments, and dark nights of the soul.
Through it all I have grown in my understanding of and relationship with Mary as mother, friend, intercessor and guide.
Often I find myself having conversations with her, sharing my deepest thoughts and wishes, my fears and hopes, my requests for clarity and understanding. Always I have felt her comforting compassionate presence.
In silence with her I have received deeper understanding about my experiences and further direction in my life. I find comfort in placing my loved ones in her care. Time and again, she leads me to open my heart to receive and accept the higher, compassionate love that Christ exemplified.
For me, Mary truly is the Divine Mother who embraces all as her children, ever ready to comfort, assist and guide us. I feel blessed to have her in my life.
The Rev. Aurora Mary Kilai is an independent Interfaith Minister in Brookfield.
Shazeeda Khan
FORUM ON FAITH
Domestic violence, a form of oppression, is against principles of Islam.
by Shazeeda Khan
Published: Saturday, November 27, 2009
Danbury News Times
Domestic violence. No community is immune to this problem, whether it acknowledges it or not. It's a gross violation against the sanctity of humanity. It leads to divorce, incarceration, or worse, death.
In some cases victims live in tolerance or in denial out of shame or cultural expectations. Its effect can be felt for generations.
No civilized individual or society could endorse this behavior as something praiseworthy, yet domestic violence is widespread.
Domestic violence is an oppression. All forms of oppression go against the principle of our creation. In Islamic understanding of God's words: "My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and I've made it forbidden for you so don't oppress one another." An-Nawawi
Marriage is a civilizing force that strives on the grounds of mutual love, compassion and justice. Domestic violence poses a contradiction and compromises the family structure, which is the foundation of ethical and moral principles of society.
Islam approaches this dynamic partnership from a holistic and proactive perspective where spiritual and moral responsibilities are essential. Also vital is acquiring the knowledge of our obligations toward our spouse so that we can become the "better half."
Spiritual responsibility is to be acutely aware of one's accountability to God. This serves as motivation to keep our behavior in check. This quality contributes to good character, which is necessary for a successful marriage.
Good character offers a chance for problems to be resolved justly and respectfully rather than escalating. We need to realize our response will have consequences. Even if we get away with injustice in this life, we'll be held accountable in the Hereafter.
Central to this relationship is developing the virtuous characteristics of patience and perseverance, to have resiliency and restraint and not be prone to fits of anger where insults and profanity are hurled, leading to emotional abuse and other types of abuse.
Justice is fundamental to every relationship in Islam. As it is a prerequisite for peace, it's also a prerequisite for domestic bliss.
Each spouse must be committed to fulfilling their solemn duty to God by accepting certain responsibilities toward each other. We shouldn't be among those who only demand their rights from their spouses while failing to realize that they are, in fact, accountable to God for fulfilling their responsibility toward their spouse.
Islam also recognizes that there are external elements that can be sources of problems, such as the use of intoxicants and gambling. Islam has prohibited these as they can lead to addictions, loss of wealth and health, and the breakdown of the family.
Prophet Mohammad (with peace) said: "The best among you are those who are best to their families and I am the best among you to their families." The Prophet has demonstrated the spiritually, restraint and good character to be emulated in the marital relationship.
He taught us that truthfulness and trustworthiness not only dignify oneself but it's essential for successful relationships, that kindness and compassion is charity.
He taught us that marriage isn't self-serving but it's concerned with the happiness of the spouse and that the spouse's needs are being fulfilled. It isn't domineering or stubborn, but there is mutual consultation and mutual cooperation.
It isn't lazy or selfish, where all the duties of family are placed on the shoulders one person so that person becomes frustrated and overwhelmed. Nor does it place undue financial stresses on the family.
Certainly, the one who is guided by God wouldn't be ruled by their desire for power and control over their partner, which is at the core of domestic violence.
Inevitably conflicts will arise in marriage; then mercy and compassion become crucial. Islam in no way permits physical violence, emotional abuse or the like. Prophet Muhammad intensely detested the idea of beating one's wife and he never hit a woman or child during his life.
Let there be no misunderstandings -- there are no contradictions in the ideology of Islam. It is fair and just to everyone.
Men who believe Islam gives them permission to abuse their wives are showing ignorance in their understanding of the Quran. Rather, the Quran recommends certain measures to resolve the situation soberly and peacefully.
Only when we undergo spiritual training and assume our responsibility can we be expected to be blessed with the type of marriage that God intended, one that brings tranquility. Quran 30:21
All civilized individuals and societies have the responsibility of eradicating the injustice of domestic violence. Victims must be given support. Perpetrators must not be excused but must reform.
Shazeeda Khan is a member of the Islamic Society of Western Connecticut in Danbury.
Rev. Vicky Fleming
FORUM ON FAITH
Consider including God in your Thanksgiving celebration.
by Rev. Vicky Fleming
Published: Saturday, November 13, 2009
Danbury News Times
At this time of year, our thoughts are turning to the celebration of Thanksgiving Day and the pies that are going to need to be baked (and do we really have to include pumpkin?) and the size of the turkey we will have to purchase and figure out how to cook.
Some of us also consider how we will be including God in our celebrations, perhaps by attending an interfaith or ecumenical worship service. But as I observe the state of the world around us, it seems that fewer and fewer of us include God as part of our Thanksgiving traditions.
Over the years I have come to believe that there is something within most humans that impels them to want to give thanks, and most religions, ancient and current, encourage some kind of acknowledgement of gratitude to our Creator or other deity.
The 13th-century Christian mystic Meister Eckhart once remarked, "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough."
Those of us who are Christian practice thanksgiving on a more regular basis, in the service of Holy Communion. Another word for this sacrament is Holy "Eucharist," a word meaning thankfulness. Each time we receive, we're reminded of what Jesus did for us in his life, death and resurrection. And we are told to be thankful.
But when we are planning which parades to watch (or attend), or which football game(s) to spend our day with, it seems as if we barely have time to fit in a family meal together, let alone attend worship.
Please know I am aware that there are also many families who spend their holiday serving food in soup kitchens, or packing special bags of groceries for the needy, or bringing extra food to food pantries. These are wondrous gifts of time, energy and monetary resources.
More of us probably need to be doing more of that on a regular basis. The world would be a better place.
As I was considering the many ways in which we give thanks, I came across a quote by Dante Gabriel Rosetti that really tickled me: "The worst moment for atheists is when they are really thankful and have no one to thank."
I have a hard time imagining not being able to say "Thank God!" once in a while. I don't believe we have all suddenly become atheists, but I think believers often take God for granted and forget to say thank you. And yet the scriptures resound with the idea that God wants us to be thankful. God wants to be in relationship with us.
For example, Psalm 100 verses 1, 2, and 4 says: "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. . . . Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, and bless his name." (NRSV)
That's what we can do on Thanksgiving Day.
Almost every year since our nation began, the president has issued a proclamation of a day of thanks. These usually include a paragraph that says something like:
"I encourage all the people of the United States to assemble in their homes, places of worship, and community centers to share the spirit of fellowship and prayer and to reinforce the ties of family and community; to express heartfelt thanks to God for our many blessings; and to reach out in gratitude and friendship to our brothers and sisters across this land who, together, comprise our great American family."
There is always an assumption that God will be part of the festivities.
Even in this very difficult economy, I suppose President Barack Obama will issue a similar proclamation. And I believe every president expects we will take some time out to count our blessings, even if we have to struggle to think of some.
In my family, as in many, we have a tradition of going around the table just before grace is said and naming one blessing in the past year for which we are grateful. It seems to help bring home the message of why we're thankful and sometimes to whom we're thankful.
Even this year, when the world is struggling with issues of war and peace, having nothing or having an overabundance, I believe there is much for which to be thankful. May all have some time in these coming days in which to consider our blessings.
The Rev. Vicky A. Fleming can be reached via e-mail at vafleming@comcast.net She is the pastor of Bethel United Methodist Church, 141 Greenwood Ave., Bethel.
Rev. Pat Nicholas
FORUM ON FAITH
Complex denomination results from weaving together four different strands of faith tradition.
by Rev. Pat Nicholas
Published: Saturday, November 6, 2009
Danbury News Times
The most frequent response I get when I tell people that our church belongs to the United Church of Christ (UCC) is a puzzled look. Then the questions begin, "Is it the same as the Church of Christ?"; "Is it like the Methodists or Lutheran Church?"; or "I thought it was called the Congregational Church!"
In this part of the country, where the roots of congregationalism go deep and are well know, there tends to be some confusion about how we can be a Congregational Church and the United Church of Christ at the same time. There is no simple answer; like the denomination, the explanation is complex.
The historic reason is that the denomination came into being in 1957 through the merger of the Evangelical and Reformed Church and Congregational Christian Churches. Each of those denominations first came from mergers of two other denominations. The result of all that merging is creation of the UCC, which from its inception wove together four separate and different strands of faith, practice and theology.
Our motto, "In essentials unity, in nonessentials diversity, and in all things charity," is the foundation of our original covenant and continues to be central to who we are and how we function together in diversity. The United Church of Christ is unique in its structure, which not only allows for a wide variety of faith, practice, and theological thought -- but celebrates the diversity. The UCC has a "ground up" organization; there is no hierarchy, no office of ultimate authority, no one person who mandates belief.
A national organization provides resources and support to the churches, but the policies and focus for ministry come from resolutions presented by both clergy and laity at the local and state level. Representatives of all churches vote on resolutions brought to the National Synod held bi-annually.
jEach church is completely autonomous, owning their property and their way of being church in a particular setting. They are free to accept or reject any resolution. Paradoxically, this strong spirit of independence holds us together so tightly.
Dogmatically undogmatic, the UCC does not impose litmus tests of creed or dogma. Our "Statement of Faith" is written in the present tense, because "God is Still Speaking." This document states our fundamental beliefs, but it is a work in progress.
Our faith is anchored on a firm foundation of basic core beliefs. The essentials on which we are united are sacred: We believe in one triune God, Jesus Christ as the sole head of the church, and that each person is unique and valuable; made in God's image. We believe in two sacraments: baptism, through which we become members of the universal "body of Christ," and communion, which is open to all people. We believe the UCC is called to be a prophetic church. Throughout our history have we stood together, even in our diversity, to uphold the rights of the oppressed.
The nonessentials allow space for dialogue, discussion, and debate. Because all things are first grounded in love, we are able to agree to disagree on the nonessential issues. For over 50 years the UCC has provided a space for searching and seeking, for questions and even disagreement.
Within our covenant, the diversity spans from the conservative theology of the Biblical Witness to the liberal theology of Open and Affirming. Yet, even with so great a difference we continue to honor our covenant and remain in dialogue that enriches us all. At times we fall short, many times the tension builds, but we never lose sight of God's love that ties us together.
This is an almost miraculous feat in this day and age. Within the UCC there is room for all; room to grow in faith, room to question, room to find your way on your journey of faith, room to agree and disagree.
It might be complicated to explain all that makes up the UCC, but in a time when difference of opinion and different theological or political views create an atmosphere of hate, when dividing lines are drawn and disagreements disintegrate into name calling or worse, the example of the United Church of Christ to value all people and opinions shines a light of hope into our world.
The Rev. Pat Nicholas is the pastor of New Fairfield Congregational Church
Rev. Leo McIlrath
FORUM ON FAITH
'Saints in the Paint'.
by Rev. Leo McIlrath
Published: Saturday, October 30, 2009
Danbury News Times
Most churchgoers have heard the song with the words that sing out: "For all the saints who from their labors rest, Who Thee, by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!."
For those who do not attend church, the term "saint" may only have meaning if one is a football fan, vis-a-vis, the New Orleans Saints. Those who only worship at the pigskin bowls Saturday and Sunday afternoon or Monday night are quite in tune with the liturgies of training, running, passing, kicking and the like, so beneficial to a "healthy mind in a healthy body."
Be aware that real saints also require these good habits. It is no great transition to translate celebrations around the "red zone" into faith tones. Some spirit is present on each field of play. Since you are about to enter a no-spin zone, let`s refer now to "Saints in the Paint." Saints are usually painted by religious and secular communities in either one or two ways, though many see no conflict in accepting both theories.
A) Roman Catholics canonize deceased people, determined "holy" after a long process involving several standards (Canons) and who, through the "saints" prayerful intercession, two miracles are proven to have taken place. Thus, we find more than 1,200 men and women, listed in Butler`s "Lives of the Saints," who are said to have met such criteria - apostles, doctors of the church, virgins, martyrs and confessors can be found on these pages, desert contemplatives and community activists among them.
Well known are Peter, Paul, Andrew, James, John, Francis, Mary and John the Baptizer. Lesser-known are Dominic, Thomas Aquinas, Isaac Jogues and Elizabeth Seton. Some names were symbolic of all Christians, such as Christopher (Christ bearer) and Veronica (true image.) Very recently, Pope Benedict canonized Blessed Damien of Molokai, the Leper, and Blessed Jeanne Jugan, foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor.
B) Many Protestant traditions favor the terms "holy ones" or "saints," taken from the biblical narratives of Saint Paul, while not subscribing to the Roman view of canonization. In the early church, saints were acclaimed by the people, themselves witnesses to the holiness of a person`s life. Faithful members of the community later referred to as "the Way" and later still, the Church. Paul says: "Give my greetings to every holy one (hagion) in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:21). These are "the saints."
Holiness was considered the mark of one who was in relationship to the Sacred One, namely, God. Whether we favor the Hebrew (qodosh or quodesh,) the Greek (hagios or hagiosyne) or the Latin (sanctitas, sacer or sanctus,) we are referring to what pertains to God. Thus, holiness (saintliness) extends to whatever is in relationship with the divine, including the idea of separation and opposition to what is profane.
One caveat I should mention at this time: Holiness does not necessarily mean getting out of the world, seeking holy asylum in a monastery . . . . avoiding one's mandate to wash each other`s feet; feed the hungry; shelter the homeless.
No! "Holiness is Wholeness" (J. Goldbrunner)
In the Hebrew scriptures, we read: "The Lord came with ten thousands of saints." (Deut. 33:2); "all Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord, and Thy saints shall bless Thee." (Ps.145); Leviticus 11:44 "For I, the Lord, am your God and you shall make and keep yourselves holy, because I am holy . . . " Saints are really people!
In the Christian Scriptures, we find: "Now you are no longer foreigners and strangers but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." (Ephesians 2: 19)
I would recommend the reading of "For All The Saints," by the Anglican theologian, Bishop W.T.Wright and Father Richard McBrien`s two volume work: "Catholicism." In a full theological treatise, I would expand upon both of these authors` ideas as they have delved deeply into the history and practice of Christianity`s evolving thoughts on saints, especially focusing on their (our) community with one another.
The Communion of Saints includes all of those currently enjoying the beatific vision in heaven, those on earth who are people of integrity and faith, and those whose faith communities label "in Purgatory" (deceased but, not yet, purified for glory) - all praying for one another in one great communion of saints. Halloween is over; take off your masks and Be (Saints!)
"From earth`s wide bounds, from ocean`s farthest coast, Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, Singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost: Alleluia! Alleluia!"
The Rev. Leo McIlrath is the ecumenical chaplain at the Lutheran Home of Southbury.
FORUM ON FAITH
Monastic sabbatical confirms calling to parish ministry
by Rev. Suzanne R. Spencer
Published: Saturday, October 23, 2009
Danbury News Times
Last week I experienced my first first day of school.
On Labor Day weekend 2006, I began a pilgrimage. I left everything behind -- boxes of books, a house full of furniture, and a seven-year ministry -- and made my way to a small monastic community for women.
This meant leaving my Unitarian Universalist tradition for a time. But the lure of the monastic life, it turns out, does have a place within my tradition.
Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau expressed the monastic impulse in explaining his move to Walden Pond: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach.
To live deliberately. To front only the essential facts of life. To live in a state of radical simplicity, in communion with nature, or in the presence of God.
This desire led Thoreau to Walden Pond, and for centuries has led women and men into convents and monasteries.
One of the reasons I felt drawn to monastic life was that my own life felt cluttered. There was the physical clutter of too many books and too many papers.
But more important, my ministry felt cluttered. I felt swamped by inessentials, what Stephen Covey calls the "urgent but not important." Some kind of radical shift was needed.
Over the years, I had felt deeply at peace while making retreats at monasteries. I wondered if such a community might offer a way out of my predicament. In the absence of a UU community to join, I turned to the Episcopal Church.
Altogether, I spent 20 months with the Community of the Holy Spirit, "discerning my vocation," as they say. This included eight months in CHS's Manhattan convent, and a full year with the sisters' "earth ministry" in Brewster, N.Y.
What did life have to teach me through this experience? It will be a long time, I imagine, before I fully understand what I learned, and how I have changed. I did acquire many practical skills, such as organic gardening, food preservation, and turning sap into maple syrup.
I was also stretched personally, as an introvert used to living alone and setting her own schedule.
Living in community meant grappling daily with the threefold vow of poverty, chastity and obedience. These vows are ancient, but each speaks to our time with radical urgency.
Living in monastic poverty declares solidarity with the peoples of the world who hunger for food and justice. Chastity entails a deep respect for the personal boundaries of others.
Obedience means a profound listening, not only to those around us, but also to the still, small voice within.
Obedience to that deep, inner voice led me into the Community of the Holy Spirit -- and eventually led me back out again. During Lent in 2008, when things had gotten very quiet at the convent, an inner longing began to make itself known.
I first became aware of it when, awakening one bright February morning, the thought crossed my mind: "You know, Sue, your real passion is congregations." Immediately I knew it was true. "Oh!" was all I could say at first.
Similar thoughts backed it up in the days that followed; dreams at night offered confirmation. The most vivid dream, from which I woke up deeply agitated, involved missing a bus full of women clergy in bright stoles. Some dreams are hard to interpret, but not that one!
In the end, the most important thing the sisters taught me was a renewal of my own distinctive vocation and of the vows I took at my ordination in 1985. Looking back, I know that I needed a sabbatical from parish ministry -- but I also needed to come home to it.
I believe this kind of obedience is for everyone, not just for monks, nuns or ministers. From deep within the heart of life comes an invitation to become our most authentic selves, and to understand to whom we truly belong.
This is not about doing whatever we please. But neither is it about trudging along, governed only by some grim sense of "should."
Novelist Frederick Buechner once offered this definition of vocation, and it has become a touchstone of mine: Your vocation, he says lies in "the place where your deep gladness meets the world's deep need."
To discern your calling, it's important to ask what the world needs. But one's own unique response may come from answering a second question: What fills my heart with greatest joy?
The Rev. Suzanne R. Spencer, D.Min., is the interim minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury, 24 Clapboard Ridge Road, Danbury. She can be reached by e-mail at RevSueSpencer@gmail.com.
Polly Castor
FORUM ON FAITH
God's complete control can cancel disease
by Polly Castor
Published: Saturday, October 16, 2009
Danbury News Times
Last week I experienced my first first day of school.
People often think of Christian Scientists as "those people that don't go to doctors." This is misleading. We are simply people that go to God first when we have a need, instead of seeking Him as a last resort, as is so often the case. When we turn to God in scientific prayer, our needs are directly met, and then we have no reason for any other remedy.
I bring this up because of all the attention given to the swine flu lately. This affliction has been healed in my practice of Christian Science by logically and prayerfully applying an understanding of God as infinite, all-powerful, ever-present and good. But for our purposes here, I am much more interested in seeing it prevented than having to cure it.
he foundation of any pandemic is fear. Fear is also the major cause of disease.
The Bible tells us that, "Perfect Love casts out fear." It also declares that, "God is Love." God, or Love, is infinite and you can't get outside of infinite Love. We live and move and breathe and literally have our being in a divine atmosphere of Love that surrounds and envelops us. There can be no contagion of anything but good in God's presence, which is where we are.
However, in our efforts to be wise, informed and prepared, we inadvertently stoke fear in the mind of the public by advertising disease, creating fertile ground for exactly the problem we say we want to avert. We need to be removing fear, not inciting it. We need to shut out unhealthy thoughts and fears instead of nurturing and feeding them, watching them grow, and sharing them.
Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, recommends in her groundbreaking book on Christian healing, "Stand porter at the door of thought, admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, and you will control yourself harmoniously."
Disease itself has no intelligence; it can do nothing on its own. Disease is not what's contagious; it's our thinking that's contagious. Disease requires our complicity for it to spread. Disease is a mental state imaged on the body; if it can't enter thought, it can't enter the body.
God is not only infinite, ever-present good, but all-powerful good as well. And if God is all-powerful, what kind of power does disease have? Can disease cancel God's complete control? No, but God's complete control can cancel disease.
In Mary Baker Eddy's book titled "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she asserts, "Let us banish sickness as an outlaw and abide by the rule of perpetual harmony -- God's law. It is man's moral right to annul an unjust sentence, a sentence never inflicted by divine authority."
In thinking about something like the threat of the swine flu, I find Psalm 91 in the Bible very reassuring. It tells us that when we dwell with God (who is always with us!) He is our refuge and fortress and no harm can befall us there. We are told we can trust in that. He will shield us from any form of error. It says we have no reason to be afraid because we will be delivered from any pestilence. The Psalm promises that no evil will happen to us, nor any plague will come into our home.
My favorite part of this Psalm is when David asserts, "He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust." I love that image of being tucked under God's wing, all nestled in: cozy and safe and comfortable and cared for in all those soft downy feathers. There is no fear or threat there. There, we have immunity not only to disease, but to anything unlike good. There, not only are we healed, we're unassailable.
Mrs. Eddy tells us, "A calm, Christian state of mind is a better preventative of contagion than a drug, or any other possible sanative method; and the `perfect Love' that `casteth out fear' is a sure defense."
Come join me under God's wing, safe in those wonderfully fluffy feathers, assured that there is no reason to fear, where infinite, all-powerful good, God, is present.
Polly Castor is a Christian Science Practitioner and a member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Ridgefield. She can be reached at PollyCastor@aol.com.
Rev. Cindy Maddox
FORUM ON FAITH
Parenting teaches us about God.
by Rev. Cindy Maddox
Published: Saturday, October 2, 2009
Danbury News Times
Last week I experienced my first first day of school.
Not as a student, of course. I have had 20 of those. I've even had nine first days at new schools. Today was my first day of school as a parent.
Actually, I am a stepmom, and the role is new to me. I wasn't around for her first day of preschool or kindergarten or any of the first days since. She's a big kid now, compared to then. But to me she still seemed small as she headed out the door, ready and eager to attend her new school and make new friends. Her parents were more nervous than she was.
Of course, we know things she doesn't know. We know that the world she is facing includes bullies and bigots and people who could harm her body or soul. It is our job to protect her. Yet it is tempting to try to do more - to shield her from pain, to isolate her from the threat of injury, to wrap her in physical and emotional bubble wrap so that our precious child will not be bruised or broken.
We can't, of course; nor would we if we could. She needs the freedom to run and fall, to try and fail, to trust and be let down. It's part of growing up. It's part of life. As the story of the Velveteen Rabbit taught us, it is part of being real.
Still, even as a new stepmom, I can't help but want to try.
This desire has made me think about God a little differently. In the Christian tradition we often call God Father, as the Gospel writers tell us Jesus did. Some of us use the word Parent when we refer to God because it reminds us that God possesses the traits we typically associate with each gender.
Thinking of God as my parent is not new to me. I was raised in church and biblical language is my native tongue. My new experience as a parent, however, opens new paths of understanding. Now I wonder if God looks at me as I look at this child in my life. When I eagerly begin a new adventure, does God see me as a vulnerable child in need of protection? When I head out the door to a new job, empowered by my "power suit" and with briefcase in hand, does God see me as a first-grader whose socks don't match and whose backpack is bigger than she is? And when I'm so sure that I'm right and God is wrong and life is unfair, does God see me as a toddler upset because she didn't get her way?
The good news is that if the answer to these questions is "yes," I can at least trust that God will be more patient with my immaturity than I sometimes am as a parent. Sometimes I have to take a deep breath and remind myself of her age. That's just what kids her age do. I'm pretty sure the same applies to God, but without the impatience. I'm pretty sure that sometimes God looks at me and says, "That's just what 45-year-olds do."
And sometimes 45-year-olds hurt one another.
One of the arguments I have heard against a belief in God is the reality of suffering. If there is a God, and God is both all-powerful and all-loving, then why do bad things happen to good people? The best answer I have is that God is a parent who chooses not to surround us in bubble wrap. We need the freedom to run and fall, to try and fail, to trust and be let down. We will get bumped into, and we will bump into others, and there will be bruises. Sometimes we will even join with others and will form a large blundering group that will bump into others and cause far more than bruises. And the same will happen in reverse. It is part of life. It is part of being real.
Does this mean our Parent doesn't care? Absolutely not. It means our Parent cares enough to let us live, and live abundantly. But just as I will listen every day about my child's day at school, God will be there when I pray. And just as I will drop anything to wrap my arms around my wounded child, so God will do the same for me.
We are not surrounded by bubble wrap. We are surrounded by love.
The Rev. Cindy Maddox is the pastor of King Street United Church of Christ, 201 S. King St. in Danbury. She can be reached at pastor@kingstchurch.org.
Rev. Ocean Sakya
FORUM ON FAITH
Take time to cultivate True Compassion and Love.
by Rev. Ocean-of-Wisdom Sakya
Published: Saturday, September 26, 2009
Danbury News Times
Over the years I have been fortunate enough to be able to study with His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, a number of times. Before my first time with him I had long followed his writings and speeches, and as a Buddhist you might guess I was quite excited to be with a man who exemplifies the full potential of human life through his example of non-violence and a "Policy of Kindness." I should make a quick note here that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not a Buddhist Pope. He is just an exceptional Buddhist teacher.
Every time I meet with him, his teachings include a strong focus on Compassion and Love. In Buddhism there are two types of compassion and love, the illusory love and compassion of attachments, and then True Compassion and Love. Illusory love has conditions and boundaries, it is the love we set limits on, and is usually conditional on what others do for us. True Love and Compassion are inexhaustible, they do not bring anger, greed, or personal striving with them; they are unconditional.
For example a person might say to themselves, "I am full of love and goodwill towards all beings." As they drive with their love and goodwill, however, they might suddenly get cut-off by another driver. Their anger might arise and their love and goodwill might suddenly be laying on the horn and yelling out the window. Where is the love and goodwill they were full of? They did not have real love and compassion because it was conditional to the other person doing what they wanted -- their love was contractual.
Likewise, we place other conditions on love which by their nature make that love unreal. A person may slander us, they might beat us, they may even force us to leave our homes, and in Buddhism they may even kill us or others. However, True Love and Compassion generate no anger towards those who perform these deeds on us. It is self-less Love that allows us to recognize the suffering even of those who inflict harm on us.
His holiness' life is an excellent example of this principle. In Tibet, the home of the Dalai Lama, 1.2 million Tibetans have been massacred by the Chinese government that occupies that land. His holiness has been evicted from his homeland and has suffered several assassination attempts. Under the Chinese Government all Tibetan cultural practices such as song and dance, even the flying of the true flag of Tibet, are crimes punishable by life imprisonment or death. Yet the Dalai Lama has never spoken an ill word about the Chinese Government. He even came to the Chuang Yen Monastery, a Chinese Monastery, to teach some of the lessons I attended. What Compassion!
One might say that this type of Love and Compassion is impossible. The Dalai Lama said the cultivation of True Compassion is not without difficulty. It is likely the most difficult thing in the world; it takes real strength to cultivate a Love and Compassion that doesn't have a conditions. That is why I believe a person like the Dalai Lama is so important to all of us. I believe he reminds all of us of what is possible if we focus on our spiritual life. I believe this applies to all the sacred traditions and not just Buddhism.
One might otherwise say, however, "This Love is not impossible, but it is impossible for me." During one of his teachings His Holiness stopped and said that his spiritual journey was no different than our own. He warned that doubts about our own ability to nurture the Love and Compassion spoken about in all the great spiritual traditions is a fundamental mistake. He says we are each born with the full capacity for true Love and Compassion. We must merely recognize and grow it like a flower in the seat of our being, no different from what he had to do himself. Whichever religion is chosen for this cultivation is not as important as selecting one and reaching the goal.
I cannot do justice to all the lessons I have learned from his holiness, however let me make the briefest of summary. Take the time to cultivate the boundless gardens of Love, Compassion, and Wisdom that already reside in your being. From this all suffering ends, for all beings.
May you and all beings be well and happy.
Rev. Ocean-of-Wisdom Sakya is a Buddhist priest and abbott of Middle-Way Meditation Center. He can be reached at twjarvis1@gmail.com.
Rabbi Nelly Altenburger
FORUM ON FAITH
Jewish High Holy Days offer opportunity for leave-taking.
by Rabbi Nelly Altenburger
Published: Saturday, September 18, 2009
Danbury News Times
One thing I would like to write about these holy days of the Jewish calendar, called Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, and the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, is the importance of what is called leave-taking, and how the many hours that the Jewish people are going to spend in synagogues have the potential for renewal.
It's baffling to the outsider how it happens: the prayer books are as hefty as any novel. Half of it is in Hebrew; the other half is written in a somewhat arcane language, an English that I am sure if any of us tried to speak people would look at us funny. Besides, services last anywhere between two and four hours, depending on the particular High Holy Day.
But the High Holidays should be much more than just sitting in the synagogue for hours on end, reading from a book with fancy words and singing in Hebrew. These days are selected for what we call leave-taking, taking leave from our life to take stock of what we are doing with it. What you, the individual, are doing with it. What are we doing, what are we going to do with the time we have left? We can run, run, run and be plugged-on computers, TV, phones and iPods for 24 hours a day, but have no idea what we are doing with those hours. I think this is one of the basic questions of the High Holidays.
When we take leave of our regular lives, and open space in our scarce time to come and sit in a synagogue, putting whatever else on hold, we are taking leave to take stock of our structures and how we relate to them. Above all, how the last year of our lives changed and challenged those structures.
This is why we also love vacations so much. Why we really feel we need them -- because we take leave from everything around us and we see who we really are. A family I know -- four kids and parents -- used to take long trips in a van every two years across the country because away from friends, school, jobs and whatnot, they could remember what it's like just to be them, together, the Cooper family.
Which leads me to think about what we are doing on Rosh Hashana. At the risk of sounding alive during the late sixties, I would venture that the Rosh Hashanah liturgy is begging people to search for their "self." Behind all these structures, behind all you were taught about people -- how to behave, how to relate to Judaism, to the world -- the big question is the first one that we read in the Torah: Where are you?
Now, a friend of mine has children. And once, a hippie-ish type of guy came to their Shabat table. Between courses they learned that this guy had been to Israel, Pakistan, China and India. So their 6-year-old girl asked: "Why did you go to those places?" To which the guy answered: "To find myself." The girl opened her eyes big; to a 6-year-old that answer makes no sense whatsoever! You are where you are! How can you lose yourself? But the guy, like us, knew better.
He knew that as we grow up, we can physically be here and still not be here. We learn, throughout our life, that we lose ourselves. We lose our center. Our judgment gets clouded. We forget our values. We do and say things that if they were printed in tomorrow's newspapers we would be ashamed of ourselves. But we still do them. Sometimes we do those things because of our past, what is called baggage.
The greatest example I know about it was told to me by a rabbi colleague of mine. Brand-new to his synagogue, where they have daily morning services, he notices that a middle-aged man comes in, sits for about 10 minutes, and as the warm-up prayers are almost over, before the service really begins -- and we are only talking about a 35-minute affair -- this man stands up and leaves. The man arrives with an angry face and leaves with an angry face. The same thing happens on the Sabbath.
After two weeks of that, the rabbi is puzzled enough that he asks someone else to lead the prayers and when the man is about to leave, he runs after him and asks: "Sorry, sir, but what are you unhappy with? What are we doing that you can't stay? Do you need a transliterated siddur? Maybe someone to help you with the service?" To which the man says: "Oh no, rabbi, don't worry. It's nothing about you or any of those people inside. The thing is, when my father was about to die he made me promise I would come to synagogue every day. So, that's what I do. I have no connection with any of it."
And my friend tells me that the man is still doing it, for more than a year now. Every day.
Can you imagine how incredibly conflicted this man's relationship with his father is, that he would begin his daily routine by renewing his fight with his father?
On the other hand, we can do the same with our future. Decisions that we made long ago about how life was supposed to be can prevent us from living now.
Rabbi Alan Lew once told me about his becoming a rabbi. He is older, so his parents were of the generation in which there were only two choices in life for a Jewish boy: being a doctor -- the preferred choice -- or a lawyer, a second, less desirable outcome. It sounds like a joke, but it certainly is not. And Alan had a terrifying time with blood, so after a few fainting spells when opening frogs, medical school was out. He went on to law school, and failed over and over and over. For two years he tried to be what he was not because that was the future established for him by his parents and by himself.
This is one reason I think we read the binding of Isaac on Rosh Hashana. God had just asked Abraham to take leave from his past, and from his past structures -- go away, away from your country, away from your city, and away from your father's house -- so the past is out. In the reading of the binding of Isaac, God is asking Abraham to take leave of his future and of his son, the only one he has, because sometimes our obsession with goals and decisions taken long ago cloud who we really are today. So, Abraham also needs to take leave of the future, just like Lew did -- to become Rabbi Alan Lew.
The questions those stories bring are: How do we do certain things? Do we repeat over and over old structures, never to break away and renew our reactions? Are we going to stay prisoners of our past? To our expectations of the future? Are we going to spend three days sitting in the synagogue, and still be the same when we leave? Or are we going to use these hours, these words inside this book, to find a source for renewal? To find the courage to change? Or are we going to be trapped again, and make this new year look old, just as that middle-aged man with his deceased father still does every new day he has?.
Those are good questions to carry with us through the next year. Have a Shanah Tovah Umetukah, a sweet and good year.
Rabbi Nelly Altenburger is the rabbi of Congregation B'Nai Israel in Danbury.
Rev. Leo McIlrath
FORUM ON FAITH
Are you Pentecostal?.
by Rev. Leo McIlrath
Published: Saturday, September 11, 2009
Danbury News Times
Sermon writer the Rev. Leonard Sweet tells a story about a speaker at a seminary who was about to address a gathering. A student who was sitting toward the back of the room cried out, "Are you Pentecostal?"
Sweet responded, "Why do you ask?"
The young man shouted even louder, "Are you Pentecostal?"
Sweet asked, "Do you mean do I belong to the Pentecostal Church, or to the Assembly of God communion, or am I charismatic?"
Once again, the man called out, "Are you Pentecostal?"
Sweet patiently replied, "Are you asking if I speak in tongues, or do I prophesy, or do I have a healing ministry?"
But the questioning continued, "Are you Pentecostal?"
Finally, the exasperated pastor said, "I don't understand your question."
The man responded, "Then you are not Pentecostal," and left the room.
My topic for this column on the 13th week of Pentecost in the Christian tradition is "Are you Pentecostal?"
I believe that Pentecostal is an adjective describing Spirit-filled individuals gathered together for prayer and praise to God and a host of services to one's neighbor in the name of God.
The history of Pentecost is inspiring to me. The Israelite-Jewish agricultural feast - called "the feast of first fruits" or "the feast of ingathering," according to the Book of Exodus, and "the feast of weeks," in both Numbers and Deuteronomy - occurs seven weeks after the grain harvest, according to the Book of Leviticus.
When Passover and Mazzoth were combined and set on the 14th of Nisan, the feast of weeks received a regular date in the calendar, seven weeks (or 50 days) after Passover. Thus, we find why so many people were in Jerusalem at that first Christian Pentecost, as indicated in the Acts of the Apostles.
People from all over the civilized world are listed (Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, among them). All who have read the story of Pentecost in Acts 2: 1+47 are familiar with the power of the wind and the vision of the tongues of fire resting on the Apostles' heads, and the words of St. Peter who, although he was a Galilean, was understood by all the people, who spoke a wide variety of languages.
So, was the early church Pentecostal?
The fifth chapter of Paul's Letter to the Galatians says: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and if we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit."
The Holy Spirit produces character traits.
As Christians, if we want the fruit of the Spirit to develop in our lives, we must recognize that all of these characteristics are to be found in Christ. And the way to grow them is to know, love, remember and to imitate him.
Can we now better answer the question "Are you Pentecostal?"
You may also have heard the expression "gifts of the Holy Spirit." Some liturgical churches in earlier days spoke of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as those listed in the Book of the Prophet, Isaiah 11:2 - namely, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, piety, counsel, justice and fear of the Lord.
These gifts are strongly enunciated in my tradition as we receive the sacrament of confirmation, which completes what was begun by the Holy Spirit in baptism.
In biblical times, these traits were given to kings to ensure their inspired rule over the people of God to bring about the perfect kingdom.
When it was quite clear none of those anointed kings (David, Solomon, etc was about to restore the earthly kingdom, Isaiah applied the text to the ideal king of the future "the Anointed One" the Messiah of God: which is a text that I believe is appropriately evoked in the New Testament description of the baptism of Jesus (Mt. 3: 16; Mk. 1:10.).
Faith communities such as the Pentecostal and Holiness persuasions have practiced charismatic-type spirituality for hundreds of years (speaking and interpretation of tongues, discernment of spirits, healing, etc.) More recently, these charisms have been rediscovered by the main-line churches.
It is not the charism itself that makes one an authentic Christian. If one is authentically Christian (or Pentecostal,) he will not only preach and proclaim the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but as a temple of the Holy Spirit will actually live that life of Christ.
So, are you Pentecostal?
The Rev. Leo McIlrath is the ecumenical chaplain at the Lutheran Home of Southbury.
Rev. Laura Westby
FORUM ON FAITH
Jesus was a health care reformer.
by Rev. Laura Westby
Published: Saturday, September 1, 2009
Danbury News Times
There seems to be little disagreement that our health care system is in desperate need of reform. But there is a great deal of disagreement about how to do it.
Who should pay? How do we maintain a high standard of care while keeping care affordable? How do we ensure equal access? What role should insurance companies, the medical community, government agencies and the public play in shaping a new system?
These are just a few questions with which we must wrestle.
There is an additional question which people of faith must answer. What role should WE play?
Some argue health care reform is a political issue, not a spiritual one. If that's the case, why did Jesus reform the health care system of his day?
Jesus was a healer who overturned the established method of providing care to the sick. He made house calls. He treated body, mind and spirit. He criticized a system that required costly sacrifices that not all could afford to make.
He did not require that those he healed belong to his "network" but healed everyone who came to him with a genuine desire to be healed. In short, Jesus was a health care reformer.
If we were to follow Jesus' example, how might we do that?
I think it would be by advocating for ways of delivering health care that are consistent with his emphasis on care that is inclusive, accessible, affordable and accountable.
Consider the story of the man with paralysis in Mark's account of Jesus' life and ministry. In chapter two, the Gospel of Mark relates the story of a man with paralysis who is brought to Jesus for healing by four of his friends.
The man can't get to Jesus because crowds have blocked the door. So his friends climb to the roof of Jesus' house, dig a hole in the earthen roof, and lower the man into the room below.
Jesus doesn't complain about the damage to his home. He doesn't make the man wait his turn or prove he has the right credentials to be healed. He doesn't require payment of any kind. Jesus doesn't even ask his name!
He diagnoses the problem and heals the man, body and spirit, and restores him to full participation in his community. All he asks is that the man takes responsibility for seeking care and maintaining his newfound health.
This is only one example of Jesus' passionate concern for the sick. His healings were more than personal, private encounters. They were public acts with political consequences. They were implied (and sometimes outright) critiques of practices which excluded those who were poor and marginal and placed an undue burden on some so others might benefit.
If Jesus cared about health care for all, so should his followers.
If Jesus worked to ensure that health care is affordable and accessible to all, his followers must do likewise. If Jesus held everyone accountable for good health care - patient, healer and community - can his followers do any less?
The United Church of Christ, in partnership with a large and diverse interfaith coalition, has selected August as a time to join protest to prayer in calling for health care reform.
In a pastoral letter to members of the United Church of Christ, church leaders have called upon local congregations "to actively work towards the creation of a national health care system and to affirm the moral and justice imperatives of equal access for all people."
By engaging in passionate discourse that brings all points of view to the table, we believe a solution can be found.
This is a pivotal time for people of all faiths to come together for the common good. Our traditions contain valuable resources for building community, engaging in dialogue, and transcending the temptation to give in to fear and self-centeredness.
Our faiths have taught us to seek the truth and speak it, even when such speech is costly.
The First Congregational Church of Danbury has been hosting informational forums for the community and urging participants to contact their government representatives.
My blog, First Things (www.firstchurchdanbury.blogspot.com ), features an entry on this topic, offers resources for study and action, and invites dialogue from readers.
The Rev. Laura Westby is the pastor of First Congregational Church of Danbury and a board member of The Association of Religious Communities (ARC).
Rev. Cindy Maddox
FORUM ON FAITH
Faith gives hope in difficult times.
by Rev. Cindy Maddox
Published: Saturday, August 31, 2009
Danbury News Times
Years ago a woman named Ruth Jones wrote a simple song called "In Times Like These." The first verse proclaims "In times like these, you need a savior. In times like these, you need an anchor. Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the solid rock." The song quickly became a Christian classic, driven in part by its relevance to real life during the difficult times in which it was written.
The song was written in the early 1940s, during World War II, but it could have been written at almost any time in our history. It could have been written during the 1910s and World War I, or the late 1920s with the stock market crash. The 1930s certainly would have been an appropriate time, given the perils of the Great Depression.
Every decade brings its own difficulties, and in each period of time we discover new challenges we must face. Ruth Jones' song is still true today: in times like these we need something solid to which we can cling.
When we lose our job, or we're afraid of losing our job, or when our retirement funds seem to dwindle every day, we begin to feel as if nothing is in our control. In response, we try to control everything we can. We grab power wherever we can get it, and we begin to dictate, dominate, and manipulate. But control is not an effective support system; in fact, it rarely works because so much is simply outside of our control. Control is not a rock to which we can cling.
Others of us respond to a lack of control by creating a different problem which we believe we can control. In other words, "I can't do anything about this crisis, so I'll create a crisis over there to distract me." But creating drama-personal or professional-does not provide stability, either.
So many things in life promise us security, but ultimately they fail us. Status, prestige, money, even health-any of these can disappear with little or no notice. In times like these, we need a savior, an anchor, a rock.
How we define our anchor or savior will vary based on our religion or faith tradition. Mrs. Jones, being a Christian, declared in the chorus to her song that the solid rock is Jesus. For others, the stabilizing force in their lives might be the teachings of Buddha, or the Torah or Koran. The world's major religions may define and relate to the Divine in different ways, but they all provide an anchor, a rock, something to which its followers might cling.
Most churches, temples, mosques, and other communities of faith have programs or systems in place through which we can help people during difficult financial times. Requests for such assistance have increased in the last few months, just as the number of meals served at the Dorothy Day soup kitchen have increased drastically this year. However, financial assistance is not the primary strength that faith communities offer to the community or to individuals.
We also help one another through the other difficult times in our lives. We provide a sense of belonging, a place of rest, a safe space in which we can express our fears and speak our doubts.
No matter how deep our personal spirituality might be, most of us still need a community of believers to help us survive the "times like these." We need to gather with others who find strength and stability in the same truth. Those of us who gather with a community of believers weekly (or at least regularly) discover that we are buoyed by one another's faith. When my hope is faltering, I can hold on because yours is strong. When you are feeling fragile, I can do the same for you.
Faith communities help their members believe that no matter how difficult the present time might be, the light of the future is every bit as real as the darkness of today.
The Rev. Cindy Maddox is pastor of King Street United Church of Christ in Danbury.
Rev. Leo McIlrath
FORUM ON FAITH
The feast of Corpus Christi brings nostalgia to a believer.
by Rev. Leo McIlrath
Published: Saturday, May 29, 2009
Danbury News Times
The feast of Corpus Christi has an impact on many believers. And, as I await its arrival, I sit here, in a pew, at St. Peter Church in Danbury. It is my 43rd year of ordination to priesthood and I am having a nostalgic moment.
As I look at the interior of this awesome house of worship, I ponder all of the physical changes that have occurred -- what this church building looked like so many years ago, when my peers were receiving their "sacraments of initiation" into the faith: baptism, first Eucharist and confirmation. O yes, we also repented for our countless faults - "I kicked my sister three times" -- through the rite of confession and the sacrament of penance (reconciliation).
I observe the many changes that have been made over the years to its interior. As I look to the bema area (the sanctuary), I notice the following: the high altar is only one third of what it once was, a smaller altar now facing the people where the sacred Liturgy of the Eucharist takes place. This, plus the removal of the altar rail that once separated the clergy from the laity, has brought the total community into the center of the service. All are now on holy ground.
A baptismal font, reminding people of their own initiation rite into the community of faith, stands in clear sight of all. The elevated pulpit with an umbrella-like hood was replaced with a beautiful, though much less conspicuous, lectern.
The magnificent organ in the choir loft was removed and a new one was installed near the sanctuary of the church. Statues, rotated; confession boxes, gone; a reconciliation room, built near the entrance; many other changes in color and design. Most came to appreciate the architect's dictum that form really does need to follow function. And that the real Church is people, not a building. So, here I sit in this church.
As stated earlier, the feast of Corpus Christi is upon us. And while the ceremonies surrounding this feast are somewhat dated in the eyes of some, there are countless believers who still have warm thoughts about how things once were.
Consider the long processions of the faithful walking along city streets, singing hymns and inspired songs, the young boys dressed in neatly pressed suits and the little girls in their white lace-trimmed dresses. Two by two they process while a cleric carries a golden monstrance (window-centered vessel) holding the sacred host, previously consecrated at a Eucharistic service.
Some in our local community experienced such an event only a few short years ago. I enjoy a public witness to faith when it is performed in a non-threatening manner. And I am disappointed that more of our multi-cultural communities do not celebrate more often in this fashion.
jWhile resting here in this church, I ponder such thoughts. Yet, there's so much more to Corpus Christi, isn't there?
Corpus Christi, as sacrament, refers to the sacramental body of Christ, the Holy Eucharist that becomes present, usually at the altar of a church building (the people, themselves being "The Church").
A priest-celebrant through the God-given powers of ordination, changes the common ordinary elements of bread and wine into the sacramental body and blood of Jesus, the Christ. Participants receive the sacred hosts/bread and cup (Communion) and the leftover consecrated breads are placed in a tabernacle where they are later carried to the homes of the sick or shut-ins. No one should be left out.
Church communities celebrate this sacred rite in different ways, each emphasizing a particular theological aspect of what they interpreted the sacred scriptures as saying.
I believe the Body of Christ also needs to be understood as "the People of God." St. Paul's letter to the church at Corinth likens all believers to the human body, emphasizing the importance of each of its member's actions.
"There are a variety of gifts but the same spirit; a variety of ministries but the same Lord." (1 Corinthians 12:4); and a few passages later, "there are many members (the eye, ear, hands, feet, etc.) but (only) one body."
So too, there are many ministries in the church (apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, administrators, speakers in tongues, and interpreters of tongues). All have a role to play as does each member of the physical body. No one member can be the whole body, physically or spiritually. You, and all who are Christian, are what make up Corpus Christi: the Body of Christ.
The Rev. Leo McIlrath is the ecumenical chaplain at the Lutheran Home of Southbury.
FORUM ON FAITH
Forum on faith Celebrate denominations' differences, not just similarities.
by Rev. Robert M. Ross
Published: Saturday, May 8, 2009
Danbury News Times
My sister, Lauren, went to a bank to get a savings bond in honor of my son's baptism. The teller asked her "what denomination?" My sister replied "Episcopalian."
This true story reminds me how people of faith have organized themselves into denominations. In the Christian faith there are Lutherans, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and many others. In all, there are more than 2,000 Christian denominations.
This division caused me to wonder what is it that caused earnest people to split from their denomination and form a new one.
In seminary I learned, put very simply, that people left the Episcopal and Anglican churches to form the Methodist Church because we sang too much. Then, from the Methodists, a group moved away and called themselves Presbyterians. Their complaint? Not enough singing! I wondered why they didn't just come back to the Episcopal Church. We've been singing all along.
When the Episcopal Church was in the midst of a very public struggle with some contemporary issue, my father-in-law, Ted Gleason, also an Episcopal priest, went to his mentor, Dr. Charles Price , for some counsel.
The professor listened intently to all the issues facing the denomination and then asked my father-in-law, "have they stopped believing in God?" "No," Ted replied. "Have they stopped caring for the needy?" "No, not that, "said my father-in-law. "Well," Price said, "the rest is just detail."
He reminded Ted that these people, all Episcopalians, had far more in common than they had apart.
At Wooster School , where I serve as chaplain, we happily acknowledge the similarities of the world's religions. But we go beyond that to celebrate the differences.
As Episcopalians, we are deeply respectful of all those who seek God or a greater knowledge of God. On the door to the chapel the words read, "Believers say a prayer, non-believers be respectful."
At Wooster School we seek to help students in their spiritual journey as they try to make sense out of life and beyond. There is no Christian hegemony here. We are respectful of all the world's great faiths.
There is an historical origin for this point of view. The Episcopal Church has a nearly 500-year history, dating back to Queen Elizabeth I, of acknowledging that there are many paths to God. The queen insisted that Catholics and Protestants learn to live together in peace and harmony. Years of denominational strife ended upon orders from the queen.
In the case of Wooster, our school was founded by the Rev. Aaron Coburn, then rector of St. James Episcopal Church on West Street. He wanted to create a school that would be able to live out this commitment to inclusivity.
Although it was after he died, in 1956 Wooster School became the first independent school in Connecticut to integrate. There were fundamental issues at stake here, and denominational barriers were not going to impede John Verdery, headmaster at that time, from doing what was right.
As we look out from this holy hill (up near the airport) to the world at large, we wonder if this sort of approach to faith could be the answer to many of the world's great conflicts.
In the Islamic faith there is a great denominational or sectarian division between the Shiites and the Sunnis. The roots of the division go back to succession questions after Muhammed's death. Both sects are devotedly Muslim, yet these divisions have caused great sadness and sorrow.
"Do they still believe in God? Do they still help the needy?" These two questions could be asked of nearly all the great faiths of the world and the rest would be just detail.
At Wooster School we have a true commitment to inclusivity. We work tirelessly to insure that small differences don't separate us. We do that by affirming that we are all called to a common mission to serve others.
Although my sister never told me what she told the bank teller when she was asked "what denomination?" I hope the next time she goes to buy a savings bond and is asked the same question, she'll say, "Oh, it doesn't matter. You pick."
If only we, too, could be that way.
The Rev. Robert M. Ross is chaplain at Wooster School in Danbury. His e-mail address is robert.ross@woosterschool.org.
FORUM ON FAITH
Proof isn't needed to believe teachings in sacred books.
by Bishop Joseph Summerhays
Published: Saturday, May 1, 2009
Danbury News Times
Mormons believe the Book of Mormon is a prophetic book, fashioned to protect us from pride and reliance on anything other than Christ.
At a recent symposium on Mormonism at Yale University , Mormons were challenged by a Scottish priest from the Church of England to "stop digging around looking for evidence to prove its authenticity, and start looking to the text of the book itself and take its teaching into your lives."
He had a point. Since the Book of Mormon claims to be a religious history of the American continent, complete with a visit from Christ, many LDS scholars, anthropologists and scientists have explored the parallels between the Book of Mormon and what we know about Mesoamerica circa 600 B.C. to 400 A.D.
The temptation to try to "prove" a book of sacred Scripture is not unique to Mormons. The Bible has a long line of apologists demonstrating proof of its people, places and sacred events.
Our Scottish friend was right. It is understandable to defend sacred texts from the atheistic claims against our sacred works, using the best proof from linguistics, anthropology, geography and such. But in the final analysis, our sacred texts are sacred because our prayers and thoughts have resonated with the teaching contained within the pages.
When Mormons study the Book of Mormon as believing, thoughtful followers of Christ, what they find is very similar to what they find in the Bible. Mormons accept the Bible to be the word of God. They find testaments to Christ's divinity.
In 1981, for the first time in the LDS church history, the title of the Book of Mormon was changed. Its new title became "The Book of Mormon; Another Testament of Christ."
The title change accurately reflects what Latter-day Saints experience when they read the Book of Mormon with the eye of faith.
The Book of Mormon is a narrative history of more than 1,000 years. Within its pages are included stories of exodus, promised lands, civilizations growing and shrinking, conversions, missionary journeys and miraculous visitations by angels.
What is peculiar about many of these stories is the repetitive pattern which emerges. And it is a pattern that is highly relevant to our day.
Throughout the Book of Mormon, throughout each story, the authors and abridgers of the divine message repeatedly demonstrate what Mormons refer to as "the cycle of pride."
The cycle of pride goes something like this. When people are in poverty or dire circumstances, they are humble and walk daily with their Lord in prayer, fasting and worship. The Lord blesses them. They begin to prosper in the land and receive the Lord's good blessings. As they prosper, they begin to make distinctions among themselves and things begin to change.
The spirit of cooperation and community deteriorates into class struggles and demonstration of status. At the zenith of this cycle, the people are "stiff-necked" and "prideful." Then comes the fall. They lose their lands, their possessions and their relationship with God.
The Book of Mormon's narrative arc is a repetition of this cycle, period. We see the cycle play out again and again. Thematically, the Book of Mormon is the story of pride.
The parallels to today are striking for avid readers of the Book of Mormon. The cycle of pride has played out in front of our eyes as a nation, and globally.
The Book of Mormon teaches only one remedy to this cycle of pride -- Christ. Almost every page of the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ's ability to save us from our natural, prideful state.
The last two lines of the Book of Mormon include this cry to our generation: "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
"And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot."
Our Scottish friend was right. Staying tuned into the teachings, rather origins and proof or our sacred text, will be the only preserving grace and will allow our cherished book to save us from the cycle of pride.
Bishop Joseph Summerhays leads the Danbury Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints in Newtown. His e-mail address is joeshays@mac.com.
FORUM ON FAITH
'Recognize the seasons' and put trust in Jesus Christ.
by Apostle Bobby G. Gardner
Published: Saturday, April 24, 2009
Danbury News Times
Three weeks ago we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is one of the most important events of the Christian faith -- or better yet, it is the very heart of Christianity.
Scripture declares that if Christ was not raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your trust in God is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God, for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave, but that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless and you are still under condemnation for your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished!
And if we have hope in Christ only for this life, we are the most miserable people in the world.
But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again (1 Corinthians 15:14-20).
Many of you may say, what does the resurrection of Jesus Christ have to do with "recognizing the seasons"?
Well, there's a cliché we often use during the Christmas holiday, "Jesus is the reason for the season." Therefore, I believe with all my heart that by the resurrection of Jesus Christ we see the clear demonstration of the power of the true God, not only at this season, but throughout the entire year.
As we go into this season of spring, not only do we witness the budding of the trees, the fragrance of fresh-cut grass and the experience of new growth, but we also are seeing some things that exceed natural newness.
I am seeing more of a spiritual hunger toward the things of God. When that happens, there's always a blessing awaiting those who long for more of God.
What fascinates me most is the fact that there is beginning to be an influx of the younger generation who are seeking God. In experiencing this, I believe that the present state of our economy is forcing not only our young, but every individual in our nation and around the world, to recognize the season we are now experiencing.
The beginning of Chapter 3 of the book of Ecclesiastes declares that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.
Every season is different, and we must recognize and understand that in most cases, we have to adjust to each one.
We also know that some seasons are more challenging than others; however, we somehow manage to turn our trials into triumph.
If we would only learn to put our trust totally in our resurrected savior, Jesus Christ, I believe we could withstand the challenges we encounter through each one of life's seasons.
Galatians 6:9 declares: So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessings at the appropriate time.
All we need to do is learn to "recognize the seasons."
Apostle Bobby G. Gardner is senior pastor of the Victory Christian Center in Danbury.
Polly Castor
FORUM ON FAITH
See God's goodness in spring, a sweet season of renewal.
by Polly Castor
Published: Saturday, April 17, 2009
Danbury News Times
While Mary Baker Eddy is best known as the founder of Christian Science and author of the bestselling book "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," which presides alongside the Bible as the pastor of the Christian Science Church, she was much more.
She healed people the way Jesus did, and taught others to do that as well. She was also a poet, seeing both metaphor and God's glory abounding everywhere. Full of the wonderment of life, she knew we possess and reflect God's dominion over all the earth.
She especially loved spring as a "sweet season of renewal," and rejoiced when seeing "floral apostles" which so beautifully direct our thought to "the one source, divine life and love, in whom is all salvation from sin, disease and death."
She spoke of leaves clapping their hands "as nature's untired worshipers," and even heard the grass underfoot silently exclaiming with Jesus that, "The meek shall inherit the earth."
She saw nature in spring "like a thrifty housewife" which "sets the earth in order, taking up the white carpets and putting down the green ones."
She refers us to little birds out in all kinds of weather, which are not susceptible to coughs, colds or contagion, since these things are "engendered solely by human theories."
In one of her other books, "Miscellaneous Writings," she waxes eloquently about the voices of spring:
"Spring passes over mountain and meadow, waking up the world; weaving the wavy grass, stirring the soft breeze. her little feet trip lightly on, turning up the daisies, rocking the oriole's cradle, challenging the sedentary shadows to activity, and the streams to race to the sea. Her dainty fingers put the fur cap on pussy willow, paint in pink the petals. The snowbird that tarried through the storm now chirps to the breeze; the cuckoo sounds her invisible lute, calling the feathered tribe back to their summer homes. Old robin, prophesies of fair earth and sunny skies. The brooklet sings melting murmurs to merry meadows; the winds make melody through dark pine groves. Human hope and faith should join in nature's grand harmony, and make music in the heart."
"The alders bend over the streams to shake out their tresses in the water-mirrors; let mortals bow before the Creator and, looking through love's transparency, behold man in God's own image and likeness, arranging in the beauty of holiness each budding thought."
"With each returning year, higher joys, holier aims, a purer peace and diviner energy, should freshen the fragrance of being. Thus abiding in truth, the warmth and sunlight of prayer and praise and understanding will ripen the fruits of spirit, and goodness will have its springtide of freedom and greatness."
It is no surprise that someone who treasured the slightest flower, bird, leaf or grass as evidence of God's majesty, should spend her life relieving mankind from suffering.
Just as Jesus healed the suffering multitudes by seeing God's inherent goodness as ever-present and indwelling right before him and in everyone, Mary Baker Eddy healed others by his example. She teaches us to do so as well, by scientific reasoning and demonstration, along with poetic metaphor.
We start to learn to heal by seeing God's goodness expressed wherever we can, like in the sprouting spring flowers and cheerful bird song at dawn. These point up to bigger manifestations of God's goodness.
As we practice finding goodness, we will get better at it. Like any muscle, the more we use it, the more capable we become. Soon you can see God's goodness blooming everywhere and, proportionately, healing will naturally unfold. It is a joyous, invigorating prospect bearing abundant fruit.
Meanwhile, we can celebrate springtime with Isaiah of the Old Testament when he says in Chapter 61, "For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."
Polly Castor is a Christian Science practitioner and member of First Church of Christ, Scientist in Ridgefield. Her e-mail address is PollyCastor@aol.com.
Rev. Cindy Maddox
FORUM ON FAITH
'Unity in Diversity' builds mutual understanding, respect forum on faith
by Rev. Cindy Maddox
Published: Saturday, April 10, 2009
Danbury News Times
The past week has been a tumultuous one in the life of the Christian church. It began with Palm Sunday, the day we commemorate Jesus' final entry into Jerusalem. According to our Scriptures, he was greeted by crowds of people offering him praise. In many Christian churches we celebrate by waving palm branches and singing songs of "Hosannah."
On Thursday, called Maundy Thursday, we read the story of Jesus' final meal with his disciples, where he shared bread and wine and washed his disciples' feet. We also remember his prediction that one of the 12 disciples would betray him, and we honor his teaching to love one another.
Good Friday is the day we remember the betrayal, arrest, trial and ultimately the crucifixion and death of Jesus. We remember that some of the same people who shouted "Hosannah!" on Sunday also shouted "Crucify him!" on Friday. Many Christians gather on this day to hear the last words of Jesus from the cross, or to visit the 12 Stations of the Cross.
Today is different. In the Christian church, today is what we call Holy Saturday. It is the day between Friday's death and Sunday's resurrection. Catholic Masses are not offered, and most Protestant churches are dark. It is a time of waiting, a day of the in-between. We are caught between death and resurrection. We are trapped between despair and hope.
Liturgically, it only lasts a day. Practically, it can last much longer.
Many people live in the space between loss and hope. They have lost a job, and they despair of finding work in the current climate. They have lost a dream, and they have nothing left for which to strive. Or they have lost a loved one, and they cannot see that life will ever be worth living again.
Three years ago I performed a funeral on Holy Saturday. The date seemed quite fitting for a man who had been ill for many years and had been waiting for death. He had been in an extended Holy Saturday -- no longer living life to its fullest, but not yet ready for the new life to come. With his death, Ed was no longer in the Holy Saturday of waiting. For Ed, it was Easter morning.
When we experience heart-breaking loss, we need to stop and grieve. We need to mourn. Rushing that process is not helpful to anyone. But sometimes we get mired in our grief. We are tempted to take up residence in Holy Saturday, to remain in that space between death and life, despair and hope.
In my role as a pastor, I have seen many people experience times of great loss and unimaginable grief. Each person's grief is different, and our unique approaches to mourning must be acknowledged. There is no set timetable for mourning.
But I have seen some people who choose to live in the grief, and others who choose to live through it. The difference is not a measure of the individual's love. The difference is not due to a lack of devotion or a lack of faithfulness. The difference is that those who are ultimately able to move forward are able to realize that they are living in the Holy Saturday of grief -- the in-between time, the time of waiting.
Holy Saturday may last months or years. But those who are best able to move forward are those who realize that Holy Saturday will ultimately be followed by Easter morning.
Resurrection -- in whatever way you might define it -- is possible. New dreams can be born. New life can be discovered. New reasons for living can emerge from the tomb of our despair.
We may be in the Friday of death or the Saturday of grief, but Sunday's resurrection will occur. It just may be a while in coming.
The Rev. Cindy Maddox is pastor of King Street United Church of Christ in Danbury. Her e-mail address is pastor@kingstchurch.org
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Rev. Leo McIlrath
FORUM ON FAITH
'Unity in Diversity' builds mutual understanding, respect forum on faith
by Rev. Leo McIlrath
Published: Saturday, March 27, 2009
Danbury News Times
During the past eight years, along with some very dedicated volunteers, I have had the pleasant experience of presenting "Unity in Diversity," a cable television program over two local cable systems, Charter and Comcast, reaching out to 17 towns. It features interviews with leaders and representatives of local faith communities.
Discussions about the respective communities, as well as the personal journeys of those interviewed, give viewers an opportunity to better understand these sometimes very different faith traditions in a nonthreatening way. The purpose of the program, from its very inception, was meant to be a teaching tool for both ecumenical and interfaith dialogue.
As the producer and host of the program, I wish to promote religious, spiritual and cultural understanding in order to help people appreciate other people, even when their respective traditions and customs appear quite foreign.
The format of the program includes an introduction of the guest or guests, followed by the host's quizzing them about the history, theology and social customs of the faith tradition they represent. Pastors, rabbis, theologians, religious leaders and/or representatives of various faith communities openly discuss their foundational beliefs and those key personalities involved in their roots and expansion.
We look, then, at the signs and symbols, structures and furnishings that identify their physical places of worship and the use of music and other media in their respective services.
Finally, we consider their outreach into the local communities and any focus each might have on foreign missions.
Among the guests who have thus far participated in these programs are people from Christian communities, including Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox persuasions, rabbis from Judaism, a monk from Buddhism, representatives from Islam and Hinduism, Baha'i and Unitarianism. In addition, a number of other religious community participants, social service agencies and a host of joint ecumenical and interfaith programs have been seen.
The original idea for the program came to me while hosting an earlier cable program for the Danbury Department of Elderly Services , called "Seniority," based on all aspects of aging (health, housing, legal services, finances, counseling and leisure-time activities). After approximately 40 taped programs, the then-Danbury town historian,Jerrold Davis, focused in on "spirituality and aging," two programs on the buildings that housed faith communities in Danbury.
Superimposing pictures of each facility on the television screen, we discussed the history of said buildings and those divergent communities that utilized them over the years.
As the facilities changed hands, they were often gutted to accommodate the furnishings installed by the new owners. Consider, for example, the 2nd Congregational Church on West Street (as viewed in Bailey's "History of Danbury") later becoming Immanuel Lutheran Church, and even more recently being acquired by Lighthouse Ministries. Another example of diversity was seen in the former Assembly of God edifice on Deer Hill Avenue being purchased by the Portuguese Roman Catholic Church.
Each of these communities, though classified under the umbrella of the Christian faith, clearly celebrates quite dissimilar services and, therefore, has a need for equally different building styles and the furnishings that fill them. Jerrold Davis and I thus set the stage for a new program called "Unity in Diversity."
This program is now sponsored by ARC -- the Association of Religious Communities in the Greater Danbury area.
It was no surprise then that early on, the former executive director of ARC, Sam Deibler, co-hosted the program with me and, eventually, before leaving ARC, became my special guest on the program. At a later date, Sam's successor at ARC, the Rev. Phyllis "P.J." Leopold, came onto the program, as did the Rev. Angelo Arrando, the then newly elected president of the ARC board of directors.
Others would follow -- including Lutherans, Episcopalians, Baptists, Roman and ecumenical Catholics, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Christian Scientists, Quakers (Friends), Seventh-day Adventists, Greek and Russian Orthodox, Maronites, Unitarian Universalists, Churches of Christ and Christ Disciples, and a large array of nondenominational Christians.
In addition, chaplains to hospices, nursing homes and hospitals -- all of these plus leaders from a number of faith-based services, such as Dorothy Day House , the Shelter of the Cross, Kevin's Community Center and the United Way of Northern Fairfield County -- each told his/her story.
I hope that you have enjoyed these programs and can better appreciate your brothers and sisters from other faith persuasions as you are fulfilled within your very own.
For those who observe Lent, I propose this as a meaningful Lenten resolution.
The Rev. Leo E. McIlrath is ecumenical chaplain at the Lutheran Home of Southbury.
FORUM ON FAITH
The light of God shines in times of great darkness.
by Rev. Dr. Gail Keeney-Mulligan
Published: Saturday, March 20, 2009
Danbury News Times
It was a long road, a journey I could not have possibly made alone. In spite of all of the challenges, hardships and grief, it was the rainbow of God's love shining through so many that enabled me to endure the challenges and loss over these last eight months.
I was in Corrymeela in Northern Ireland, part of a team at the Corrymeela Center for Reconciliation that was instrumental in bringing peace and unity in Northern Ireland and now builds bridges between religions and cultures throughout the world.
I was awakened in the middle of the night by a call telling me my husband of 24 years had an aneurysm and was being taken by ambulance to Yale New Haven Hospital for surgery.
It was 3 a.m. when I packed my bags, cleaned my room and went to the lobby to find help to get to Belfast and then home to my husband.
I tried to locate someone to help me, but there wasn't even a phone available. Then a nurse came down the hallway headed for work at the Belfast hospital . I asked if she could take me to the ferry to cross the channel to Liverpool, and she readily agreed.
After an eight-hour ferry trip, I took a taxi to the train station and waited an hour for the rush-hour train to London. There was no place to sit because the benches were filled with people and their belongings. Then a Muslim women with several bags beside her saw me with all my bags and moved hers, waving for me to sit down. I thanked her and sat down quietly beside her.
A couple of minutes later she leaned over and said, "What is wrong?" I turned and told her about my husband and that he was already in surgery and the doctor said his kidneys were not functioning. She said she was a nephrologist and explained that under these circumstances the kidney problem was not unusual and patients usually recover from it
She asked for the name of my husband and for a couple of minutes she was quiet in prayer. Then she said, "He is going to recover."
She sat near me on the train, and as we neared London I asked what was the best way to get to the airport -- subway or taxi. "Neither," she replied, adding she and her husband would take me there.
It was 10:30 p.m. when we arrived at the airport and everything was closed, but people were lying all over the floor, waiting for morning and their flights to various places. Many flights between the United Kingdom and United States had been canceled, and I feared not getting back at all.
When I found my way to the American Airlines check-in counter, there were 50 people sitting and lying on the floor in front of it. I could not imagine I would be able to get a ticket. Then a man sitting nearby asked me where I was going, and I told him my story.
He said he was a professor at a university in Florida and all of these people were his students. He called them together and told them to let me go to the front of the line because I needed a seat on the plane.
By the time I got to Yale New Haven Hospital, my husband, Jim, was still hooked up to many life-support tubes and was not very conscious, but he did open his eyes to see me.
In the days before I got there and through the last six months of his life, so many people carried us through. We never walked alone.
My bishops had arranged a place for my daughter and son to stay in a hotel close to the hospital. Two deacons stayed with them until I arrived. Episcopal and Roman Catholic clergy drove to the hospital from throughout the state to see Jim and to support us.
He was home for a few weeks, back in the hospital at the beginning of the new year and then in rehab for a month before he died.
During all this time, people in the New Milford community, of all denominations, came by to see him and let him know he was loved.
They knew to engage him in telling stories of the passions of his life -- birds and their songs, nature, spirituality and our family life. He lived his last month at a local nursing home, surrounded by loving care. Each time I walked in, he smiled and was eager to tell me who he had seen that day.
In his passing, the support grew ever stronger as people gave so much of themselves and so many gifts to help us remember him in the wake, the burial service, the preaching, the music and the Irish reception that followed.
A New Milford rabbi told me I could and should call him any time of the day or night as the weeks passed, knowing that it is harder in the weeks and months after a death when things become quiet and the house feels empty. He was so right.
My Methodist clergy sisters have called and e-mailed. My Catholic priest friends have said Masses for Jim and have reached out to me in pastoral care, as well as to my son.
And across the world is a brother I met for the first time at Corrymeela, where he and I shared a bonding of friendship and passion for world peace. A Muslim brother in Sri Lanka, working at the Center for Global Reconciliation there, e-mails me every other day with his thoughts, prayers and support.
God has a dream, a dream that we can and will walk together in joy and sorrow. We are one race, a human race, called to live as one for and with each other.
I only hope I can be for you what you have been for me, the light of God shining in a time of great darkness.
The Rev. Dr. Gail Keeney-Mulligan is rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in New Milford.
Ocean of Wisdom Sakya
FORUM ON FAITH
Do no evil, practice only good, purify the mind.
by Ocean of wisdom Sakya
Published: Saturday, March 13, 2009
Danbury News Times
Generally speaking, Buddhists do not involve themselves in politics beyond advocating a method of governance and diplomacy that decreases suffering for all beings.
However, from time to time, Buddha and Buddhist leaders have been asked by political leaders for their counsel. I'll share a few of these stories after briefly introducing the Buddhist theory.
Buddha's mission was to eliminate stress and suffering. He taught if people replace greed, anger and ignorance with generosity, compassion and wisdom, then they will be free of stress and suffering.
Since this is a cause-and-effect (karma) relationship, his counsel to kings was no different than his counsel to beggars. If beggars or kings increase their generosity, compassion and wisdom, then they will be free from stress.
Though this is an overly simplified explanation, I will leave it at that for the sake of brevity.
During his life, Buddha gave counsel to kings and princes when they came for it, but for the most part was only politically pivotal in one instance. The kingdoms of Kapilavastu and Kilivastu were going to war, so Buddha traveled to where the armies were stationed.
Buddha put himself between the armies, and the soldiers from both sides refused to fire their arrows while Buddha was present. In this pause, Buddha called to the chiefs of the respective armies to come to him.
He asked them why they were about to battle and they replied they were fighting over water to use for irrigation. He asked, "How much value do you think water has in comparison with the lives of men?" They replied, "Little value."
jBuddha then asked, "Why do you destroy lives which are valuable for valueless water?" Both chiefs scratched their heads, as they had not thought about it quite that way.
Buddha then said, "Since people cause war through misunderstanding, thereby harming and killing each other, they should try to understand each other in the right manner."
In this case, the two kingdoms came to see the needs of the other and war was averted. With Buddha's intervention, the two kingdoms learned to share and work for mutual benefit.
Because the chiefs put away their greed and anger and harnessed their generosity, they stopped what certainly would have been great suffering for the many families who would have lost members.
Another story is that of Ashoka the Cruel. King Ashoka was a bloodthirsty tyrant who waged mammoth battles. However, after one such battle he reflected on the carnage and turned against war. He went to speak to the monks at the Buddhist temples and became a strong Buddhist practitioner who started teaching about the sanctity of life.
He became a vegetarian, outlawed hunting, directed that funds be used to build schools instead of armies and passed edicts to ensure that all people were treated equally regardless of their politics, religion or caste.
He returned conquered lands to their former kings and apologized for his aggression. These previously conquered nations later became trusted allies.
Ashoka the "Cruel" would eventually state, "All men are my children. I am like a father to them. As every father desires the good and the happiness of his children, I wish that all men should be happy always." (The use of "men" during this period referred to both men and women.)
Ashoka conquered his greed, anger and ignorance by cultivating his generosity, compassion and wisdom, thus creating peace and well-being for himself and his subjects.
The last story takes place in East Asia. An Indian monk named Bodhidharma was called to the Chinese emperor's hall. The emperor boasted to Bodhidharma that for Buddhism he had numerous temples built, statues carved and paintings commissioned.
He then asked Bodhidharma triumphantly, "How much merit (good karma) have I earned?" Bodhidharma replied, "No merit (good karma) whatsoever!" Needless to say, the emperor was not pleased and dismissed him.
The point Bodhidharma was making to the emperor was no merit had been earned because he was "greedy" for merit (and fame), so in the end, despite his perceived "piety," he only strengthened his greed, thus earning no merit. This story doesn't end like the other two, but it's a good story anyway.
Buddhists have acted primarily as advocates for political policies that decrease stress and suffering, but political leaders in the past also have asked them for counsel. The counsel is always the same: "Do no evil, practice only good, purify the mind."
Venerable Ocean-of-Wisdom Sakya is a Buddhist priest at the Middle-Way Meditation Center in Danbury.
FORUM ON FAITH
Appreciate traveling companions on life's spiritual journey.
by Rev. Martha Klein Larsen
Published: Saturday, March 6, 2009
Danbury News Times
"An ancient Hindu story in the Mahabharata tells of a group of men searching for the road to heaven. Over the years all but one died on the journey, so the last man had to continue with only a stray dog to keep him company.
"They traveled together, sharing whatever food and water they found, helping each other over rough places in the road. After some years, they came to the gate to paradise.
"The gatekeeper greeted the tired holy man and invited him in, but refused to allow the dog to enter, telling the man to drive it away. The holy man would have to enter alone.
"The man looked at his dog and then at paradise, and he remembered all that he and his dog had been through together, the dangers they'd faced, the distance they had traveled. He turned away, saying that paradise was not worth the price of betraying a companion who had stood by him.
"As the pair started back down the mountain, the dog revealed himself to be the god Dharma, who thanked the man for his friendship and care and granted him admission to heaven."
("Entering the Castle" by Carolyn Myss , Page 189.)
I ran across this story in my daily devotions a couple of days ago. I had just returned from Colombia, South America, and a visit to our companion diocese, the Diocese of Colombia.
The trip was sponsored by the cathedral in Hartford and was meant to be a goodwill mission, to connect with and meet Episcopalians doing ministry in Cartagena and Malambo.
This story got me thinking about who are my traveling companions on life's spiritual journey.
Lent is a season in the Christian year that is often thought of as a journey, the journey to Christ's cross and resurrection. We follow our Lord on that journey and choose to crucify that which is death-dealing and to seek new life in the power of God.
We cannot make this journey alone. It is a journey through the wilderness and facing the truth of who we are. We do not know what the destination is. We need one another and God to show us the path, to avoid the pitfalls that isolation and wandering aimlessly can bring.
I was absolutely amazed to discover that Christians from far-away congregations in Colombia are, in fact, my traveling companions on this Lenten journey.
I was one of the members of the mission trip who did not speak Spanish. But that did not matter. The smiles of the children and members at worship on Sunday morning needed no translation.
I knew enough Spanish to join in the singing, and even though I didn't know what I was singing, I understood that we were all praising the same Lord at the top of our lungs.
One afternoon we were walking through a neighborhood in which displaced families from the Colombian countryside were living. They build homes with wood from shipping pallets and scrap metal for roofing. The floors are dirt, and there is no indoor plumbing of any kind.
I asked through the translator why folks were displaced. One of the priests explained that if you were a farmer, your choices were to grow coca for drug cartels or give up your land. The families who did not want to participate in growing cocaine give up their land, move to the cities and try to eke out a living.
There is high unemployment and no government services, so the churches try to do ministry on behalf of these new neighbors who suddenly appear in their barrios.
Walking through this particular neighborhood, I was joined by a little girl who must have been about 8. All of a sudden she took my hand and began speaking softly to me in Spanish as if I knew what she was saying.
I had a member of the group explain to her that I didn't speak Spanish, but she didn't care. She kept walking with me, holding my hand and talking like we were companions on the journey through this neighborhood.
We were. She was one of the children that members from the Episcopal church , Nuestro Salvador (Our Savior), seek to serve.
The children in this neighborhood do not attend school because the public school is too far away. The church is hoping to start a school as soon as possible and I hope this little girl will be able to attend.
In the meantime, I give thanks for those who are companions on my journey, whether here in Danbury or in far-away Colombia. And that I do not walk alone.
The Rev. Martha Klein Larsen is interim rector of St. James' Episcopal Church in Danbury.
Polly Castor
FORUM ON FAITH
Christian Science Monitor redesigned for the digital age.
by Polly Castor
Published: Saturday, February 27, 2009
Danbury News Times
The Christian Science Monitor just celebrated its 100th birthday last fall as a respected international daily newspaper.
It is now in the process of redesigning itself, converting from a daily paper to a 24/7 online news service, with a paper edition published weekly on Fridays.
It is the first newspaper with such a wide audience to make this dramatic leap to align with our increasingly digital age.
"Online journalism is more timely and is rapidly expanding its reach, especially among young readers," editor John Yemma says. "There's still a role for print, but one that is geared to weekends, when people still can find time to catch up, look behind the headlines, and experience the pleasures of print."
While readership habits have changed, and therefore the delivery methods must also change, the essence of the paper will remain the same. The Christian Science Monitor will continue with its 18 worldwide bureaus and its renowned thoroughness in reporting global and national news.
The outstanding articles still will be detailed and insightful. The mission of the paper also will be maintained.
The founder of the paper, Mary Baker Eddy , is also the founder of the Christian Science church . She was dissatisfied with the "yellow journalism" of her day, and yearned for a newspaper that operated from higher motives.
She wanted a paper that functioned from the premise that resolution, healing and peace are always possible. She sought accurate, factual information in a newspaper that did not try to dictate what one should think. She desired a paper that left the reader thinking about and working toward solutions, as well as praying about issues.
Even though the paper is not religious in content, she saw a spiritual need and filled it -- finally founding the Christian Science Monitor newspaper to expressly "injure no man, but to bless all mankind."
This approach has led not only to the paper's high regard, but to seven Pulitzer Prizes as well. The paper's emphasis is fair, unbiased, unsensationalized journalism, which was not only a need 100 years ago, but is in so much more demand today.
The Christian Science Monitor has been an example of excellent journalism all these years and now it is forging courageous new ground for the newspaper trade by taking this bold step in specifically accommodating today's digital and weekend readers.
The switch from a daily print edition to a weekly will take place in April. The weekly edition will have more color photos and be printed on bright white stock. It will highlight the news of the week with in-depth coverage.
As always, the print copy is available in many libraries including the Ridgefield Library, in Christian Science Reading Rooms everywhere, or by subscription.
You can view the online edition at www.csmonitor.com. The Christian Science Monitor is positioning itself well to bless mankind for the next 100 years.
Polly Castor, a Christian Science practitioner, is a member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Ridgefield.
FORUM ON FAITH
Show love for God's children more than one day a year.
by Rev. Stephen M. Hoder
Published: Saturday, February 20, 2009
Danbury News Times
For a short month, February has more than its fair share of holidays and observances.
Just take a look: Ash Wednesday, Groundhog Day, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington 's birthdays, Presidents Day and St. Valentine's Day are all celebrated in February. But the holiday that captures our collective attention the most is St. Valentine's Day.
Every Feb. 14 across the nation, flowers, gifts, candy and greeting cards are exchanged between loved ones -- all in the name of St. Valentine.
But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? There are many stories surrounding the origins of our modern-day Valentine's Day.
Even though St. Valentine has been removed from some church calendars as an officially celebrated feast, the common practice of expressing our love for an individual, or for that matter many individuals, is still practiced.
How did it all begin? According to history, St. Valentine was a priest in the Roman Empire who helped hide and save persecuted Christians during the reign of Claudius II.
Claudius had a number of wars going on, and he found it difficult to fill the ranks of his legions with able-bodied men. They simply weren't willing to leave their spouses or fiancees to go off to war in the far-reaching Roman Empire.
To alleviate this shortage of manpower, Claudius outlawed marriage in the empire, thereby avoiding, at least in his mind, this major recruitment obstacle.
Enter St. Valentine to the rescue. Valentine secretly married those men and women who came to him for a nuptial blessing. When his disobedience was found out by Claudius, he was imprisoned and beheaded on Feb. 14.
So St. Valentine lost his head over love. Maybe that is why so many men and women seem to lose their heads when they think they are in love.
We are confronted with many variations of the love concept. The spectrum runs from physical attraction to a truly spiritual bonding.
St. Paul, the author of many letters, or epistles, in Christian Scripture, sums up what love truly is in these words, "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud."
It is not the sexual or physical attraction that counts, but the deeper spiritual actions one puts forth toward others.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta put it nicely when she would tell people, "Give your hands to service and your hearts to love."
Christ told us that love was the greatest commandment -- love of God and love of neighbor.
Today the word love is far too often confused with the purely physical aspect of the attraction. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
When two people are deeply in love, yes, sex is a means of creating a physical expression of that love and, in the case of heterosexual couple, of creating a physical expression of their love in their children.
But for true love to blossom and bloom, there has to be understanding, honesty, trust, cooperation and devotion. These are qualities not particular to any specific group of the human family.
Isn't it ironic that one of the hot-button issues in our current struggle for equality in the expression of love between two individuals mimics the way that Claudius II dealt with his shortage of manpower for his vast legions? Just outlaw or legislate away the prerogative of two people to officially and publicly express their love for one another.
Here in Connecticut we are an example, along with our neighboring state of Massachusetts, of legal inclusivity rather than exclusively when it comes to love and marriage.
As a member of Clergy for Marriage Equality, I applaud the actions of our Supreme Court in removing not only the legal prohibition outlawing the marriage of same-sex couples, but more importantly to the not-so-sublte message that love knows no boundaries.
Such was the practice of the early church as expressed in what is known as Agape, the love feast. Prior to the celebration of worship and yet integral to the celebration of the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup, the local Christian family of faith would gather to share a meal.
For those of us who enjoy partaking in a potluck dinner, remember that not only do we bring food, but we also bring a little of ourselves in the love of sharing. The same attitude is expressed in the celebration of a fellowship social after our religious observance.
Now that St. Valentine's Day has come and gone -- and the cupids have been removed from retail establishments and the numerous boxes of chocolate are on sale for 50 percent off -- let us continue to show our love for God's family by doing more than sending a special greeting on one specific day to a few friends and lovers.
Let's show our love for God and for all God's children by voicing our indignation for the actions of governments and individuals who promote hatred, bigotry, discrimination and violence.
A young woman in Baghdad, Iraq, by the name of Namhi, remarked that, "Life without love is unbearable." St. Valentine surely realized this, and I would venture to say that in our hearts we concur.
Happy post-St. Valentine's Day greetings and may the joy of love that we just celebrated follow you and be a constant daily practice so that life as it touches us and those we encounter may be a joy and not a burden.
The Rev. Stephen M. Hoder is pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Community of Danbury.
Rabbi Jon Haddon
FORUM ON FAITH
Daughter's marriage a time to celebrate circle of friends.
by Rabbi Jon Haddon
Published: Saturday, February 13, 2009
Danbury News Times
As a congregational rabbi for the past 28 years, I have been honored to officiate at probably more than 400 weddings. Last weekend, I participated in, but not totally officiated at, the marriage of my own daughter.
Instead of me choreographing the entire ceremony, as I am used to doing, Abby and Stephen wanted to celebrate their amazing circle of friends as part of the service, with me adding the Jewish rituals of the vows, exchange of rings, kiddush (wine ceremony) and priestly benediction.
jMy daughter's friends wrote their own interpretations of the traditional "sheva brachot" -- the seven benedictions which are part of every Jewish wedding ceremony.
As today is Valentine's Day, it seems appropriate to share their lovely words. I think they will speak to all of us who have ever been in love or would certainly like to be:
Tonight we watched Abby walk down the aisle and circle Stephen seven times. In Scripture, seven symbolizes completeness or perfection. On the seventh day, God rested from his labors and Creation was finished.
Abby circled Stephen seven times and now they are both close to being complete, close to perfection, because they will soon be joined together as one.
There are seven days of Passover, seven branches on every menorah. There are seven virtues. In the human body, there are seven types of joints and every seven years every single cell within our physical body is replaced and renewed.
According to traditional Indian medicine, there are seven chakras, or energy centers in the body. In nature, there are seven colors of the rainbow and seven spots on a common ladybug.
Just as Abby circled Stephen seven times, there are traditionally seven blessings said for the bride and groom in every Jewish wedding. Six of the seven blessings represent the six days of Creation.
Abby and Stephen have asked some friends and family to participate in a modernized version of this custom, as a symbol of the importance they place on the love and support that comes from the community surrounding them.
The seven blessings:
1. May you be blessed with love. May your admiration, appreciation and understanding of each other foster a love that is passionate, tranquil and real. May this love between you be strong and enduring, and bring a deep and abiding peace into your lives.
2. May you be blessed with a loving home filled with warmth, humor and compassion. May you create a family together that honors traditions old and new. May you teach your children to have equal respect for themselves and others, and instill in them the value of learning and tikkun olam (repair of the universe).
3. May you be best friends and work together to build a relationship of substance and quality. May your sense of humor and playful spirit continue to enliven your relationship. May you respect each other's individual personality and perspective, and give each other room to grow in fulfilling your dreams.
4. May you be blessed with wisdom. May you continually learn from one another and from the world. Together, may you grow, deepening your knowledge and understanding of each other and of your journey through life.
5. May you be blessed with health. May life bring you wholeness of mind, body and spirit. May you keep each other well-balanced and grounded, and live long that you may share many happy years together.
6. May your life be blessed with the art and beauty of this world. May your creative aspirations and experiences find expression, inspire you, and bring you joy and fulfillment. May you find happiness together in adventures big and small, and something to celebrate each day of your lives.
7. May you be blessed with community. May you always be blessed with the awareness that you are an essential part of a circle of family and friends. May there always be within this group love, trust, support and laughter, and may there be many future occasions for rejoicing in their company.
Before we conclude the ceremony, we have one important question to ask all of you. Please rise for our final vow.
Abby and Stephen's family and friends, "Do you all take Stephen and Abby as husband and wife." All together please say, "We do."
Rabbi Jon Haddon is rabbi emeritus of Temple Shearith Israel in Ridgefield.
Denis Bouffard
FORUM ON FAITH
Many still searching for right way to express our love.
by Denis Bouffard
Published: Saturday, February 6, 2009
Danbury News Times
Readers who are old enough will recognize the lyrics "Love is in the air. Everywhere I look around love is in the air, every sight and every sound."
With Valentine's Day approaching, these words are very appropriate. While the markets may profit from flowers, candy and cards on the theme of love, many of us are still searching for the right way to express the love we have for another.
The desire to find love in our lives is ongoing. In the many relationships that we experience, the affections vary. We grasp with hope that these experiences are genuine and meaningful.
Another song might express this yearning. In the movie "Oliver" we hear: "Where is love? Does it fall from skies above? Is it underneath the willow tree." Must I travel . . . far and wide?" Where? Where is love?"
Our language uses the one word "love" in many ways and with different meanings. We may love chocolate or a new car. We may love that great vacation and the people we met in our travels. We love our relatives and friends.
Yet the term love, in the context of "like" or, more significantly, in the context of infatuation and in a loving attraction to another, can be very confusing. It may lead to disappointment or heartache. From childhood through adulthood, we learn from our many experiences what and where is love.
The ancient Greeks had three terms for love: filia, eros and agape. In the Christian Scriptures, it is agape that is our focus. This is the unconditional love one has for another. It is the challenge of loving your neighbor as you love yourself.
In this context it is not just a feeling, but a decision and a commitment. Love is lived in the moment, in the encounter with another in the circumstances we find ourselves.
Consider the diverse relationships we experience. In a social setting, we meet and talk with another. We may volunteer to serve the elderly in a nursing home or the homeless at a shelter. At work we are committed to do the work that benefits the consumer or client. Our patriotism is an expression of our commitment to enable all people to pursue happiness. These are decisions coming from our commitment to others. We do to others what we want done to ourselves.
Our friendships vary with the different levels of commitment we have to our friends. The coworker and employer are given the respect they deserve. The friends we associate with are given the commitment of our time and energy. The best friend is the one we hold dearly as we share our ideas, feelings, secrets, etc.
In the family there is a deeper love among siblings who look out for each other. There is the unconditional love parents have for their children. Spouses express their ultimate commitment to each other on their wedding day and strive to build upon that commitment throughout their marriage. That love is a reflection of God's unconditional love.
We read in I Corinthians 13:4-6 that "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous" it is not rude, it does not seek its own interest, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury. It does not rejoice over wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth."
When reading this passage, one may ask oneself, "Am I patient, kind, jealous, rude, etc? Do I seek my own interests or brood over injury? Do I rejoice with the truth?"
On Valentine's Day next week, as every day, love is in the air. It is lived in the many experiences and encounters we have. The varied relationships with individuals offer moments to express the love and care we have for another.
Love is lived. It is a decision and action. Love is a habit we develop throughout our lives. Agape love is the unconditional commitment made between people. We are challenged to keep developing that commitment.
On Valentine's Day, when we say "I love you" to the ones we are deeply committed to, we attempt to express the significance of that relationship. The man and woman exchange the love-filled expressions written on the Hallmark cards.
Between them there is the realization that says "I love you, I care for you so much. I want you to know everything that is important in my life and I want to share everything that is important in your life. I love you, I care for you so much that there is nothing I would ask of you that could create a problem for us in the future."
Agape love is that commitment.
Denis Bouffard is a member of St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church in Danbury.
Rev. Cindy Maddox
FORUM ON FAITH
Samuel Sewall's journey of justice began with a vision.
by Rev. Cindy Maddox
Published: Saturday, January 30, 2009
Danbury News Times
The last time I wrote a Forum on Faith column, I made note of several people in the history of my denomination, the United Church of Christ, who took a stand for social justice. One of the people I mentioned briefly was Samuel Sewall, who, in 1700, wrote the first anti-slavery pamphlet in America. His writing laid the foundation for the abolitionist movement that came more than a century later.
After reading my article, a friend asked, "You do know what else Sewall is famous for, don't you?" I was embarrassed to admit that I did not.
She informed me that he was one of the judges involved in the Salem witch trials. One quick Internet search later, I learned that the wealthy merchant was appointed to the court in May of 1692 and participated in the trials and ultimate hangings of numerous people accused of witchcraft before the last of the accused were freed early in 1693. His diary during that time provides important information about this disturbing event in our nation's history.
Fortunately, his story does not end there. Four years later, Sewall publicly apologized for his role in the trials, and he wrote a proclamation calling for penance and reparation by the government for the atrocities of the witchcraft trials. Each year following, he personally set aside a day during which he fasted and prayed for forgiveness for his sins in the Salem trials.
Perhaps it was this recognition of his own failure that helped him see others in a different light. Perhaps his remorse for his involvement in the Salem witch trials contributed to his ability to write "The Selling of Joseph," with its religious arguments against slavery.
Perhaps his awareness of his sin in condemning others with no evidence allowed him to pen these words: "Liberty is in real value next unto Life: None ought to part with it themselves, or deprive others of it, but upon the most mature Consideration."
Perhaps the death of innocents opened his eyes so that he might proclaim, "man-stealing [is] an atrocious crime."
Although Sewall maintained a strong belief in segregation, he took important steps on the path toward justice.
Justice is a journey. We rarely have the strength to see it to its completion and fullness when the vision first catches our imagination. This is why our Founding Fathers could write that "all men are created equal" while allowing voting rights only to white men who owned property, and while counting slaves as three-fifths of a human being. They had the vision for justice -- they simply were not yet ready to live into that vision fully.
Nineteen years after the Salem witch trials, the colony of Massachusetts restored the rights and good names of those accused of witchcraft. It took 265 years for the state of Massachusetts to formally apologize for those events.
In 1862, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which pronounced freedom for slaves held in those states currently in rebellion against the union -- a noble ideal that began the process of emancipation.
Eight years later, the 15th Amendment to the Constitution awarded the right to vote. Still, it took 95 years for the Voting Rights Act to enforce that ruling, and it took 138 years for a person of African descent to be elected to the position of president of the United States of America.
Justice is a journey. We are rarely able to live into the vision when it first captures our imagination. Therefore it is our responsibility to follow that vision as far as we possibly can, and to teach the next generation to take it further. As human beings and as citizens of the United States, we share this responsibility.
For those of us who consider ourselves people of faith, the responsibility goes even deeper, for the call for justice comes from God. If we call ourselves children of God (or Elohim or Allah or Great Spirit), we recognize that each one of us is created in the image of the Divine.
I believe we are compelled to honor the divine within each of God's children by apologizing for our failures, atoning for our sins and continuing to pursue justice. Then our vision will more truly reflect God's vision.
The Rev. Cindy Maddox is pastor of King Street United Church of Christ in Danbury.
FORUM ON FAITH
Rev. Dr. Sheldon Smith
Light of Epiphany translates faith into daily living.
by Rev. Shelton T. Smith
Published: Saturday, January 16, 2009
Danbury News Times
I am partial to the light. I rejoice in the fact that light moves at the rate of 186,000 miles per second; even though I really cannot fathom that number. Nevertheless, I do understand about light because I experience it.
The same is true for spiritual light. For Christians, this is the season of Epiphany. We are told that the word "epiphany" comes from the Greek and refers to a "manifestation" or "revelation."
The season of Epiphany begins on Jan. 6 with the celebration of the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. Led by the light of a star, the Magi travel to Bethlehem with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The Epiphany season lasts for about seven weeks, ending with Transfiguration Sunday. The Scriptures for Transfiguration Sunday speak of Jesus on a mountaintop where he appears transfigured, or changed by light.
I find the season of Epiphany to be helpful because it comes at a time of the year when the daylight is short and darkness seems to prevail.
This year, the world appears to be especially dark. We face an economy that presents increasing challenges. Some folks are facing the loss of jobs or foreclosure on their homes. International conflicts loom large. Issues of health, energy and the environment present major obstacles to peace and happiness.
In moments like this, I am reminded of a favorite Scripture that proclaims, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:5). For me, that is a gift of faith and hope that leads me on when things seem dark or, as we often refer to it, "the bleak midwinter."
The light of Epiphany is a light that translates faith into daily living. It is seen in the lives of people who touch our lives in many and various ways, bringing a lift to our step, a smile to our face and joy to our hearts.
Think for a moment of someone who has brought light to your life. Perhaps you will remember a special teacher, a pastor, a parent or a friend.
While I have been fortunate to have many people light up my life, the name that comes quickly to mind is Harry. Harry and I once led youth retreats in the wilderness of Maine.
Actually, Harry did most of the leading, while I helped with the planning. Harry not only understood nature, but also human nature. His gentle, humble manner provided easy access to communication with the young people.
Harry knew the struggles of life. He was dyslexic. Yet he always persevered; and eventually become president of the Learning Disabilities Association of America . He helped me to see that people with learning disabilities often have many other special abilities.
Harry is gone now from this world, but I can assure you that his light, which provided epiphanies for so many of us, is still shining.
This weekend we will celebrate the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His life was a source of illumination and revelation that led to a new direction of thought and action in our nation.
By the light of his words and deeds we have come to share his dream, that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed -- we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal." Martin Luther King Jr. continues to hold the light of Epiphany before us.
In the light of Epiphany, we come this week to the inauguration of our nation's 44th president. This is, without a doubt, an historic inauguration. We pray that the light of Epiphany will shine through the person and the administration of Barack Obama as he confronts the challenges that await his office.
As we give thanks for all those who have brought light to our lives, we might do well to reverse the thought and ask: For whom have we been the light?
Jesus, whose light we celebrate in the Epiphany, sets a challenge before us when he says, "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
I take that to mean that each of us has something to offer, regardless of how small or large, that will help to dispel the darkness of the world and contribute to the good of all humankind.
Do you remember the words of this beautiful children's song? "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine."
It is a wonderful expression of confidence and commitment to the future. When that happens, the light of Epiphany will penetrate the dark places with the light of hope that shines forth in faith.
The Rev. Dr. Sheldon T. Smith is minister of the First Congregational Church , United Church of Christ , in Bethel.
FORUM ON FAITH
Despite dire economic times, don't lose faith in God.
by Apostle Bobby G. Gardner
Published: January 2, 2009
Danbury News Times
I would like to begin by wishing everyone a prosperous new year.
As we all know, last year was quite challenging, and the way things look at this present time, there aren't many improvements. So the question is, as people of faith, what exactly can we do to make a difference in our church, school, the marketplace and in our general community?
We've all heard the various reports of the economists and politicians, but what is the church saying? We, the spiritual community that believes in Jesus, know that we are to "walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7), which simply refers to the things we can presently see. Faith is what guides and encourages us, not what we see around us with our natural sight.
A little over a week ago most of America, along with myself, and people from around the world celebrated the Christmas holiday. It was a special time for all Christians to honor the birth of Jesus Christ.
For many, the holiday season is a special time for families to join together and share their love, reminisce and exchange gifts. However, this past year was very disappointing for many people.
Thousands of Americans were laid off in 2008, and because of it many families were unable to buy gifts and toys for their family, friends and loved ones.
I remember a statement I made in a previous forum: Sometimes circumstances in life seem hopeless; however, we must realize that life is filled with many hurts, struggles, disappointments and what sometimes appears to be impossible situations. Yet Scripture declares, in Luke 18:27, "And (Jesus) said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
As part of the spiritual and general community, I believe with all my heart that in spite of the present situations in all our lives, we must embrace each other with the God kind of love and strive to make the quality of life in our world more peaceful and enjoyable.
I know many who are spiritual will more than likely say what's happening in our world is merely prophecy being fulfilled, which is true in many instances. However, let us just learn to love one another as Christ loves us.
In Philippians 4:11-13, the Apostle Paul wrote these words to the church in Philippi: "I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy, whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."
So let us always remember, regardless as to what the challenge is, with the help of the Almighty and a lot of faith, we can all be overcomers.
Apostle Bobby G. Gardner is senior pastor of the Victory Christian Center in Danbury.
