Alleluia, He is Risen, Yee Haw!

AND,

We are in Jerusalem!

Come celebrate on Sunday, March 30th, at the 10:30 Service.

And do check back for a final mileage count and some stories of the journey.

Good Friday in Nazareth - Church of the Anunciation

Snapshots of Damascus

2 John v.6

And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning - you must walk in it.

The writer of 2 John is convinced truth abides in us and will be with us forever. The writer is a realist, however, and knows there are false teachers, and warns "the elect lady and her children" [the woman who is the head of the Congregation and the others who meet there] and us to walk in the truth we have received, the the teaching of Christ.

This will be my last post, as tomorrow I take the Sacraments to Shagaluk, Grayling, and Anvik. As you finish the walk to Jerusalem, please keep me in your prayers, and, far more importantly, that the Saints in these Villages may hear the abiding love of which the writer speaks.

Halab (Aleppo), Syria

We'll spend the night here in Halab, Syria. This city competes with Damascas and Sana'a for the honor of being the oldest existing city in the world.Although ancient Aleppo's roots lie buried out of reach beneath the modern city legend connects the site to the prophet Abraham. As he journeyed southward to the land of Canaan he paused in Aleppo. He milked his cow on the citadel hill; thus the city's Arabic name Halab which is derived from the word for milk (halib) ...

Click here to see some wonderful pictures of life in Halab today.

1 John 1:6-7

If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

It's a mistake, as we walk to Jerusalem, to deny the power of Sin. A student of history will remember the disastrous 4th Crusade, wherein, on that walk to Jerusalem, on at least two occasions, Christian fought Christian.

The good news is God is Light, absolute Holiness, without taint of evil, and God calls us and aids us to that same state of Holiness, though we will not be fully perfected until our own Resurrection. In the meantime, confession of our "occasions of sin" brings forgiveness and fellowship.

A visit to Tarsus

Walking at our usual pace, brings us to Tarsus, the birthplace of Paul, on the Mediterranean Coast.

An excavation of a first century home and well.

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Paul's House under glass

2 Corinthians 6:16

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said, "I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

The issue at the time was trying to prevent the congregation from falling back into idolatry. We have different idols now, but they are still there. That's the bad news.

The good news, however, is the relationship God has in mind, for us and with us. God will be within us and without us. God will walk with us, to Jerusalem, or wherever it is we walk (this coming week, weather permitting, I will be walking in Shagaluk, Grayling, and Anvik). God will welcome us wherever we are. God is our parent, and we are God's daughters and sons.

We're in Kayseri, Turkey

We're in central Turkey! In the the city of Kayseri in the region known as Anatolia. The city, known as Caesarea in the Roman times in in the region of Cappadocia, and in the 4th century Bishop Basil the Great organized Christian communities here.

At our pace, we'll be in Jerusalem on schedule by Easter!

A Walking Song for the Next Week

IT IS GLORY JUST TO WALK WITH HIM

“Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road?” Luke 2:32

Words: Avis M. Christiansen, 1918.

Music: Haldor Lillenas


Courtesy of Lillenas Publishing Company

It is glory just to walk with Him Whose blood has ransomed me;
It is rapture for my soul each day.
It is joy divine to feel Him near where’er my path may be.
Bless the Lord, it’s glory all the way!

Refrain

It is glory just to walk with Him,
It is glory just to walk with Him,
He will guide my steps aright
Through the vale and o’er the height,
It is glory just to walk with Him.

It is glory when the shadows fall to know that He is near.
O what joy to simply trust and pray!
It is glory to abide in Him when skies above are clear.
Yes, with Him, it’s glory all the way!

Refrain

’Twill be glory when I walk with Him on Heaven’s golden shore,
Never from His side again to stray.
’Twill be glory, wondrous glory with the Savior evermore,
Everlasting glory all the way!

Refrain

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Another famous passage. Oddly, though this passage is very often taken out of context, the section, vss. 1-10, is actually about confidence in facing death. Paul uses the analogies of a "tent" and a "building" to represent death and resurrection.

Paul is saying, once more, death has no power over us ["... we will not be found naked."]. Not only is there life after death, there is life after life after death. Just as Jesus has a glorious resurrected body, so will we (1 Cor. 15:44-50), and we will be "further clothed."

It isn't what is mortal is bad. God created us in the image of God. It's the mortal body is subject to sickness and death and decay. Our resurrected body won't ["what is mortal will be swallowed up in life"]. We have God's Spirit as the guarantee. We have confidence.

The "punch line" to this, for Paul and for us as we walk to Jerusalem, is we aren't to wait passively until we die and are resurrected. "So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please [God]. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ ..."

Romans 8:3-4

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Paul is convinced the meaning of God sending Jesus is the defeat of Sin and Death [we are "set free"]. The Spirit brings life ["... there is no condemnation"]. We belong to a new creation ["Christ has dealt with Sin"], with the Spirit as the presence of God in our midst, in our hearts.

It isn't that the Law is bad; indeed, as Jesus himself said, the goal is to fulfill the law, in us. The problem is, as Sin has power over us, we can't fulfill it without the power of the Spirit.

In the Spirit, we have righteousness, and we're to live according to that Spirit and implement, "on earth as it is in heaven," this righteousness we have been so freely given.

Romans 6.4

Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Paul's insistence we are saved by Grace through Faith, rather than by Works of the Law, laid him open to the charge he was saying it's OK to sin. Paul says this is nonsense ["By no means!"].

Our Baptism means, by Christ's death and resurrection, Sin and Death have been overcome - the meaning of his statement we are "dead to Sin."

He does not mean we will never, ever sin once baptized - we are human. What he means is Sin and Death no longer have ultimate power over us. We will be united to Christ in a resurrection like his, and this glorious resurrection, which will happen in the future, is partially available to us now - though then we will see face-to-face and now we look into a mirror darkly.

Our job in the meantime is to be "alive to God in Christ Jesus," to "present [ourselves] to God as those who have been brought from death to life," to "present [our] members [all our faculties and functions] as instruments of righteousness," and do our best to work toward the coming Kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven."

Cathedrals and Churches in Ukraine

Blagoveschensky

Pokrovsky Cathedral

Mark 8.24

And [the blind man of Bethsaida] looked up and said, "I can see people, but they look like trees, walking."

It's unknown why it took two tries for Jesus to heal this person. However, the allegorical meaning of Mark's story is plain - it is through the power of Christ we are able to see clearly.

Matthew 14:25, 29

And early in the morning [Jesus] came walking toward [the disciples] on the sea ... [Jesus] said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.

Many "natural" explanations have been given for this incident, and they all miss the point.

This section, which starts in v.22, has many implications for Matthew:

Jesus walk, as should ours as we walk to Jerusalem, starts with prayer.

Matthew places this story right after the feeding of the 5000, so he is teaching about the authority and power of Jesus. This power and authority is here with us now.

Matthew is telling his flock, as Jesus is in charge, they need not be afraid. Neither should we.

Matthew is also demonstrating what we, not just Jesus, can do if only we have faith. This lesson still applies.

Finally, Matthew says to his flock, and to us, Jesus rescues us when our faith is weak and our doubts assail us.

Preparing for Easter - Ukrainian Style

OK, so this picture (the egg is 9 meters long) is actually in a part of Canada where a large number of Ukrainians have made their home. But, this tradition of making these eggs, called Pysanky, as intricate symbols of new life speaks to me of the importance of Easter to these people. Even though the tradition of decorating the eggs stems from pre-Christian times, for centuries now, setting aside the time to prepare the eggs for Easter has been a way that Ukrainians have prepared for the joy of the resurrection. It causes me to pause and think about the place of Easter in our own culture.

This Week's meditation

Romans 8: 8-11

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

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This week allow yourself to become more and more aware of the Spirit of God that dwells within you and within those with whom you share your days.

John 11:54

Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from [Bethany] to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples.

This is more of the story of the raising of Lazarus, this Sunday's Gospel. It might seem such an act would produce only awe and wonder, not plans for death. We must, however, not be too hard on the leadership in Jerusalem. They're trying to survive in an occupied land, and they're afraid the Romans will see crowds following Jesus as insurrection, and will destroy the Temple and the Nation. It's in this context Caiaphas suggests it better one person die instead of a Nation. It's no wonder Jesus, on the Cross, said, "Forgive them, Father, for they don't know what they're doing."

The punch line of this story, howevr, is in verses 51-52, [Caiaphas] did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God.

As we walk to Jerusalem, it may be well to remember three things:

1. God expects us to walk as rightly as we can;
2. Often people, being human, do very bad things for very good reasons; and,
3. God understands, and can take our mistakes and turn them into good.

A Walking Song for the Next Week

I WALK WITH THE KING

“Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.” Isaiah 9:6

Words: James Rowe, circa 1913.

Music: Bentley D. Ackley).

In sorrow I wandered, my spirit oppressed,
But now I am happy—securely I rest;
From morning till evening glad carols I sing,
And this is the reason—I walk with the King.

Refrain

I walk with the King, hallelujah!
I walk with the King, praise His Name!
No longer I roam, my soul faces home,
I walk and I talk with the King.

For years in the fetters of sin I was bound,
The world could not help me—no comfort I found;
But now like the birds and the sunbeams of spring,
I’m free and rejoicing—I walk with the King.

Refrain

O soul near despair in the lowlands of strife,
Look up and let Jesus come into your life;
The joy of salvation to you He would bring—
Come into the sunlight and walk with the King.

Refrain

Luke 20:46

"Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets ..."

This, or something very like it, is in all three synoptic Gospels. It reminds us we walk to Jerusalem for the Glory of God, and not so we can say we walked to Jerusalem.

Matthew 15:31

... the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

This passage and others tell us there are many, many more healings than the ones fully detailed. God is constantly at work, in the minute as well as the grand. As we walk to Jerusalem, it calls us to be alert to what God is doing around us and to respond with praise.

Mark 5:42

And immediately, the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this, they were overcome with amazement.

This is the healing of the daughter of Jairus.

In a society where women were defined almost totally as wives and mothers (Mary was not much older when she gave birth to Jesus), and the "jewishness" of a person was through the mother, the age of the girl is more than a mere parenthesis. Mark includes this as the death was occurring when she was on the cusp of adulthood. Her death would mean she would never fulfill what was [then] seen as her adult function. Jesus intervenes, and the child is able to grow up, to change from child to adult.

Jesus does the same for us. Through Jesus' intervention, we leave our own spiritual childhood behind, and become spiritual adults.

Reflections on today's work

I had a client today .......... not the first time I've seen her but she's still fairly perplexed by the energy work that I do when I work with her. She asked me at one point if I was channeling energy into her side and I said something about how I consider it just "holding the sacred space" so she can heal at her own rate with her own understanding. She was processing the pain she felt in her side and then she then asked me a question that is still making me think. She said, "is the Sacred Space where it hurts?"

I didn't know how to answer that, frankly! I think I glossed over it with some kind of healer-psycho-babble but I'm not sure. What does the pain our bodies carry tell us about the aches in our souls? What does the pain in our body tell us about our spiritual connection (or lack thereof)? As anyone in physical medicine knows, pain is a sign that something isn't right: over stretched, over worked, just plain tired. But how does our spiritual pain manifest to give us those warning signs that our psyche's and spirits are overstretched, over-worked, and just plain tired? I wonder. I know from experience, my own and helping others in their journeys that if we ignore the spiritual pain long enough it becomes physical. But I have to wonder....

So, I pose the question to all our readers:

is the Sacred Space Where it Hurts?

John 12:35

Jesus said to [his disciples, "the crowd," and "some Greeks"], "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going."

There have been times in my life I have felt as if I were walking in the darkness, and certainly times I did not know where I was going. The disciples felt this way after the crucifixion, despite, here, Jesus trying to prepare them, and even a voice from heaven supporting him.

Jesus also prepares us, to become children of light. He said - to them and us - the evidence is in and we should act on it.

Most of the people listening to him did not believe. As we walk to Jerusalem, will we?

Matthew 9.5

For which is easier, to say "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Stand up and walk?"

Which indeed. This story, the healing of a paralytic, is important enough it's found in all three synoptic gospels. The importance is not the specific healing; Jesus did a lot of healing. The importance is the faith of the persons who brought the paralytic for healing.

Jesus was calling those who witnessed the healing to the same strong faith and, as we walk to Jerusalem, he asks the same of us.

John 11.9

Jesus answered [his disciples], "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world.

This is part of the Gospel reading for this upcoming Sunday, the raising of Lazarus. The disciples are trying to talk Jesus out of going to Judea, due to threats on his life. Jesus is expressing his total trust in God, and is saying his life would end when God willed it. His enemies could not shorten it.

Though we may not face such life and death issues as we walk to Jerusalem, Jesus calls us to the same total trust in God.

A Walking Song for the Next Week

BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE

“Take…no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:34

Words: Fanny Crosby, 1901.

Music: Charles H. Gabriel

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Smiling so cheerful and bright,
Chasing the mist from the mountain,
Flooding the world with its light.
Hark! the sweet voice of the Master
Whispers in accents divine,
“Take thou no thought for the morrow,
Only the present is thine.”

Refrain

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Smiling so cheerful and bright,
Chasing the mist from the mountain,
Flooding the world with its light.

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Falling in waves from the skies,
Gilding the streams and the valleys,
Scatt’ring the shadows that rise.
Hear the sweet voice of the Spirit
Softly and tenderly say,
“Trust for what may be tomorrow,
Live in the joy of today.”

Refrain

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Jesus thy footsteps will guide;
While thou art safe in His keeping,
Evil can never betide.
Hear the sweet voice of His mercy
Kindly and lovingly say,
“God will take care of the morrow,
Be thou content with today.”

Refrain

John 8:12

Again Jesus spoke to [the Scribes and the Pharisees], saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

There is really little more to be said, so what follows can be seen as trivia, and skipped:

The setting is important here. Jesus is saying this in the Temple, in Jerusalem, during the Festival of Booths. During that Festival, huge golden lamps were lit in the Temple court, giving great light to the entrance to Israel's chief place of worship. Jesus is saying, in essence, "You think these give light; you've not seen anything yet."

The great and glorious lamps lit only the Temple court. Jesus is the light of the world, and those who follow Jesus will never walk in darkness.

Luke 24:17

And [Jesus] said to [the two disciples on the road to Emmaus], "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad.

Just being on the journey, just being close to Jesus, does not always mean we will recognize what we perceive. These two people, as far as we can tell very good people, let the events of the past blind them to what was happening in the present, to accurate testimony of "the women," and to statements of other disciples.

Fortunately, Jesus can get past our blindness and open our eyes. Our prayer, as we walk to Jerusalem, is that our eyes will be opened as we break bread together, and our hearts will burn within us. Then we can also return, and tell others about the Risen Christ.

Jesus, be known to us in the breaking of the bread.

Ferapontov Monastery

Luke 11:44

Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.

Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees and the Scribes. It is hard, in the present day, to understand how horrifying this statement would be in Jesus' day. Contact with the dead made a person ritually unclean and unable to participate in Temple worship to God. What Jesus is telling these persons is their very actions make not only themselves unclean and unfit for worship, but also those with whom they come into contact, without these others even knowing it, and bars them all from the true worship of God. It is hardly surprising the Pharisees and the Scribes have the reaction of vvs. 53-54.

The point He is trying to make is, however, as important to us as it was to them. As we walk to Jerusalem, our inner life is just as important as our outer life, as it determines our outer actions, which can be either cleansing or corrupting to those around us.

So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you. [vs. 41]

The Country of the White Lake

The Kirillov Monastery


As we walk southward toward Moscow, we are passing through an area of Northwestern Russia that is dotted with small lakes. The history of this area includes the development of many monasteries. Our path takes us directly through the town of Belozersk. The description that follows is from a tour company's website.

"… Deserted refuge and heaven for countless souls who left everything behind for higher calling. This is one of the many places that gave Russia the name of a Holy Country. This is the Russian desert that blossomed with a multitude of spiritual flowers, like the ancient deserts of Egypt, Libya, Palestine or Syria. Some of its past glory can be seen even today. The might of the Kirillov Monastery, once the largest monastic settlement in Russia, the splendid glory of Dionysius’ frescoes at Ferapontovo, or the quiet beauty of one of Russia's oldest towns – small and remote Belozersk. It is a glimpse of the past, but it is the kind of past that brightens today and gives inspiration and hope for tomorrow."
http://www.iconsexplained.com/iec/03000_kirillov.htm

The Ferapontov Monastery

Matthew 11:4-5

Jesus answered [the disciples of John the Baptizer], "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them."

This is an incident important enough both Matthew and Luke [7.18-35] record it for their Communities, who were very different - Matthew's largely Jewish and Luke's largely Gentile.

What is so important?

If we focus on the individual incidents mentioned, we miss the point. These happenings are signs, pointing to something else - the authority claimed by Jesus. This is not just any authority, as there were lots of "miracle workers" in Israel at the time [as there are now], but the authority of the Messiah, as detailed in Isaiah 29, 35, and 61. Jesus is telling John the Baptizer who he is. Jesus is appealing to John to believe because of the evidence God's purposes were being realized.

As we walk to Jerusalem, Jesus is making the same appeal to us.

Zechariah 10:12

I will make them strong in the Lord, and they shall walk in his name, says the Lord.

In this chapter, the Prophet expresses his conviction it is God who controls both history and nature, and will gather the redeemed, even though, at present, they wander like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus looked at the people of his time and saw them in the same way. God is compassionate, and the ultimate sign of that compassion is Christ. God's people will "pass through the sea of distress."

That's good news.

This Week's Meditation

John 4: 10-14

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, `Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life."

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This week, as you walk or exercise, ask Jesus for a drink of the living water. Then, walk with Him and drink deeply.

Zephaniah 1.17

I will bring such distress upon people that they shall walk like the blind; because they have sinned against the Lord, their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.

Once more, the context is important here.

At the Prophet's time, as in ours, there were persons yearning for the "Great Day of the Lord" to come, and, indeed, hatching plots to hasten its coming. The Prophet is reminding those interested in "pie in the sky by and by," rather than what is going on at present, the Day of the Lord will not be sweetness and light. In opposition to those who propose, then as now, the "Gospel of Wealth," the Prophet says neither silver or gold will save. The Prophet tells us, then as now, there is no such thing in God's Realm as a "Most Favored Nation" status.

The important things, the Prophet tells us, then, and today as we walk more toward Jerusalem, is right worship and doing justice. It is the humble of the land who will be redeemed, those who follow God's commands and seek righteousness and humility.

A Walking Song for the Next Week

WALK IN THE LIGHT

“If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

Words: Bernard Barton, Devotional Verses (London: 1826).

Music: Richmond (Haweis), Thomas Haweis, Carmina Christo, 1792

Walk in the light: so shalt thou know
That fellowship of love
His Spirit only can bestow
Who reigns in light above.

Walk in the light: and sin abhorred
Shall ne’er defile again;
The blood of Jesus Christ, thy Lord,
Shall cleanse from every stain.

Walk in the light: and thou shalt find
Thy heart made truly His
Who dwells in cloudless light enshrined
In Whom no darkness is.

Walk in the light: and thou shalt own
Thy darkness passed away,
Because that light hath on thee shone
In which is perfect day.

Walk in the light: and e’en the tomb
No fearful shade shall wear;
Glory shall chase away its gloom,
For Christ has conquered there.

Walk in the light: and thine shall be
A path, though thorny, bright;
For God, by grace, shall dwell in thee,
And God Himself is light.

Micah 4.5

For all the peoples walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.

What more needs to be said?

Amos 3.3

Do two walk together unless they have made an appointment?

One of the stranger Bible passages, if lifted out of context. Amos is telling Israel it cannot rest on its own laurels as God's chosen people, because this status comes with great responsibility. If they cannot be a good example to the nations around them, they can always be a bad example. Vss. 3-8 tell Israel they ignore the word of God at their own peril, as God has sent it though the prophets, and, "... The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?"

It is probably a good idea, as we walk to Jerusalem, if we listen for the voice of God in those around us as well.

Hosea 14:9

Those who are wise understand these things [that it is God who cares for us and from whom our accomplishments come, and not idols]; those who are discerning know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

What more needs to be said?

Daniel 4:37

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are truth, and his ways are justice, and he is able to bring low those who walk in pride.

This is a fascinating story. The goal is to demonstrate how helpless is even the greatest of heathens against the God of Israel. The King, very successful, believes his victories come from himself, and not from God. To demonstrate this is not so, God both causes insanity in the King and then cures it.

This is a common theme in the Bible - the first becoming last and the last becoming first, within and without Israel. Similar realizations came to the Pharaoh in Egypt and to King Cyrus, for example, and Jesus spoke of this often.

It is a good thing to walk to Jerusalem, but we must not "walk in pride." As with the King, our accomplishments are due to the Grace of God.

Kinda Sounds and Looks Like the Kenai Peninsula

Kola River -- The Destination for Trophy Atlantic Salmon. The Kola is the largest river on the Northern Kola Peninsula emptying into the Barents Sea. No wonder the entire peninsula derives its name from it.

Jeremiah 6:16

Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, "We will not walk in it."

Ah, the humanity! One of the first words we learn to say is, "No!" Anyone who has been around a two-year-old has seen this, and, in some sense, we carry that two-year-old within us until we join the Church Triumphant. We substitute ritual for obedience. That's the bad news.

The good news is the ancient paths are there, and God sends us sentinels to point the way; all we have to do is ask, listen, when we stand at the crossorads. There will be, as we walk to Jerusalem, rest for our souls.

Keep your eyes open

Are there any geologists along on this journey?

How about rock hounds?

As we walk, let's keep our eyes open for a mineral found here on the Kola Peninsula. It's called Staurolite.

Yee Haw! We found one.

Hooray! Here's another.

This week's meditation

Genesis 12: 1-3

The Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

What was Abram’s yearning?

What is your yearning?

What is Christ Church’s yearning?

Who is the WE that we yearn to be?

Isaiah 59.9

Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us; we wait for light, and lo! there is darkness; and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.

We've all felt this way at times; I have, certainly. This section, 59.1-21, tells us, however, this isn't all there is. God isn't impotent and/or deaf. God's hand isn't too short to save or ear to dull to hear. We've often placed walls between us and God's salvation; I know I have. We go down blind alleys; I know I have. Yet God is always ready for us to return. Isaiah is convinced that, when there is no human helper available, God intervenes. Christians believe, of course, the ultimate intervention is Jesus. The Chapter ends as it begins, with the assurance God will come as our redeemer. God will keep covenant, even when we do not.

I guess I can sign on again! A note of gratitude.

The last several times I've tried to sign on I was told that I "wasn't allowed" ....... Hmmmmmmmm. I guess I was supposed to just be with my thoughts and not share them with the world wide net. LOL

I just want to say that I am so proud of the volunteers who have come to the last two choir rehearsals!! They are hard-working, surprising themselves and each other (and actually not me, I figured they'd be fabulous).

If I were keeping a gratitude journal, I'd have to put the 10 people who have shown up for the last two choir rehearsals at the top of my list. They just get better every week. I'm looking soooooooooooo forward to moving the congregation with these folks' ministry in the coming months.

Soli deo gloria!

St. Christopher, Patron of Travelers

St. Christopher was martyred in Lycia, in what is now Turkey, in the mid-3rd Century.

A Walking Song for the Next Week

WALK THOU WITH ME

“Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way?” Luke 24:32

Words: E. B. Barnes, cir ca 1911.

Music: Confidence (Rodeheaver), Homer A. Rodeheaver

Walk Thou with me, nor let my footsteps stray
Apart from Thee, throughout life’s threatening way;
Be Thou my Guide, the Path I cannot see;
Close to Thy side, Lord, let me walk with Thee.

Refrain

Dear Savior, let me trust my hand in Thine,
And let me know Thy steps are guiding mine;
Life’s changing way is oft times dark to me,
I fear no ill if I may walk with Thee.

Through weary years my way hath miry been;
My bitter tears Thy pitying eye hath seen;
My fainting heart hath heard Thy voice divine;
My trembling hand asks but to rest in Thine.

Refrain

No earthly foe can give my spirit fear;
No threatening woe can quail when Thou art near;
No tempter’s snare can turn my steps aside,
For in Thy care, I’m safe whate’er betide.

Refrain

Isaiah 42:24

Who gave Jacob to the spoiler, and Israel to the robbers? Was it not the Lord against whom we have sinned, in whose ways they would not walk, and whose laws they would not obey?

Yesterday, our daughter-in-law, Emily, gave birth to our second grandchild, Paul Fain Hanscom:

http://www.hanscomfamily.com/?p=14455

Our Parish is trying to reduce its energy profile, both collectively and individuallly. The innocence of any newborn, not just Paul, reminds us, politics aside, there is no such thing as a victimless crime. Whatever we do on our walk to Jerusalem is either for or against God. It is God for whom we act or against whom we have sinned, and our actions will have future consequences for such innocents as Paul, as, with or without God, our actions have consequences.

Isaiah 42:5-7

Thus says the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the Lord, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

This is from what is known as "The First Servant Song." In total, it affirms God's glorious victory and that God is creator of all and source of life. God has called Israel to bring light to nations groping in darkness.

As we walk to Jerusalem, these words can be seen as our "marching orders."

Isaiah 40:31

... but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Next to the "valley of death" verse in Psalm 23, this may be the most famous "walking verse" in the Hebrew Scriptures. The word which translates "wait" doesn't mean we're to be passive, and do nothing until God does. It is an active term, and connotes we're to walk on in confidence, knowing God will not desert us. Our faith, regardless of circumstance, is an active faith.

Nice Quote

The circumstances of our lives are another medium of God’s communication with us. God opens some doors and closes others.... Through the wisdom of our bodies, God tells us to slow down or reorder our priorities. The happy coincidences and frustrating impasses of daily life are laden with messages. Patient listening and the grace of the Spirit are the decoding devices of prayer. It is a good habit to ask, What is God saying to me in this situation? Listening to our lives is part of prayer.

- Marjorie J. Thompson
Soul Feast

Isaiah 35:8-10

A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God's people, no traveler, even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come upon it, they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

What a contrast to Monday's reading - here, when Zion is restored, even fools won't go astray!!! God is our redeemer and ransomer, and the land upon which we walk is like a paradise, like a walled garden full of beauty and rest. There is singing instead of sorrow and sighing. All creation will see God's glory. And, little is asked of us but to walk the Holy Way.

On the Barents Sea

(Photo: IMR)

Franz Josef Land

Isaiah 8:11-13

For the Lord spoke thus to me while His hand was strong upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: Do not call conspiracy all that this people call conspiracy, and do not fear what it fears, or be in dread. But the Lord of Hosts, Him you shall regard as holy; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.

There is little to be added here. God's ways are not the ways of human beings, and we should keep this always in mind as we walk to Jerusalem. God can either be a sanctuary or a stumbling-rock for us, depending on out choice.

Isaiah 3.16-17

The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet, the Lord will afflict with scabs the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.

This sound misogynistic, but God is equally hard toward the men of Jerusalem. This verse teaches us it is not enough just to walk, but we need to walk rightly.

St. James the Greater, Patron of Pilgrims

Tradition holds St, James preached the Gospel in Spain before returning to Judea, where he was killed by Herod. His body was, legend says, miraculously transported back to Spain. In art, St. James is often depicted as a pilgrim carrying a staff and a bottle of water and dressed in heavy walking boots, a cloak, and a large hat.

Protect Polar Bear Habitat

We are called to be good stewards of the creation. This little video is a reminder to all of us to do all that we can to reduce our carbon footprint and thereby protect this polar ice pack that we have been "walking on" for several weeks.

This Week's Meditation

Matthew 4: 8-10

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."

Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'"

***********************

Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.

Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.

Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.

This week, let this verse resonate for a day or two and then ponder this question:

What is your mission/vocation/work in life?

A Walking Song for the Next Week

How wonderful it is to walk with God

How wonderful it is to walk with God
Along the road that holy men have trod;
How wonderful it is to hear Him say:
Fear not, have faith, ’tis I who lead the way!

How wonderful it is to talk with God
When cares sweep o’er my spirit like a flood;
How wonderful it is to hear His voice,
For when He speaks the desert lands rejoice!

How wonderful it is to praise my God,
Who comforts and protects me with His rod;
How wonderful to praise him every hour,
My heart attuned to sing His wondrous power!

How wonderful it is to fight for God,
And point poor sinners to the precious blood;
How wonderful it is to wield His sword
’Gainst sin, the enemy of Christ, my Lord!

How wonderful ’twill be to live with God
When I have crossed death’s deep and swelling flood;
How wonderful to see Him face to face
When I have fought the fight and won the race!

Isaiah 2.3

Many people shall come and say, "Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths."

This is a deceptive verse. It looks straightforward, but the writer, known as "1st Isaiah," is taking Judah to task for their rebellion and religious superficiality against God. He is telling them they are ignoring the consequences of past rebellious behavior. Judah can, of course, repent and return; however, should they not, the consequences will be destruction [and, since we have the good fortune of hindsight, this is what occurred]. Jerusalem, toward which we are walking, is lamented for its sin.

What this section is saying is, even with all this, God will not give up. Out of the destruction will come a time, a "new age" [before this became a trite catchword] wherein God's reign will be recognized by all and there will be peace.

God will not give up. There will be peace. That's good news.

Proverbs 3.23-24

Then you will walk on your way securely and your foot will not stumble. If you sit down [or lie down] you will not be afraid; when you lie down your sleep will be sweet.

This is part of a section which contains an admonition followed by six prohibitions. The admonition is not to let God's wisdom, knowledge and understanding escape from our sight and for us to keep sound wisdom and prudence. If we do that, the Writer tells us, ... the Lord will be [our] confidence ...

Proverbs 2.20

Therefore walk in the way of the good, and keep to the paths of the just.

The word "therefore" is one of the most important words in the Bible, oddly enough, and appears a lot, particularly in the writings of St. Paul. It is a word which keep us grounded, keeps our spirituality from just being "within" and helps us to take it "without."

The word "therefore" is usually in a formula something as this:

God has done X; therefore we should do Y.

That is certainly the formula here - the writer is saying: God has given us the benefit of wonderful wisdom, protection, and understanding; therefore our response on our walk to Jerusalem should be right behavior in thought and deed.

God is always the actor; therefore, we are always the reactor. That is actually Good News.

Proverbs 2.6-8

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly, guarding the paths of justice and preserving the way of his faithful ones.

Any who complain Religion is nothing but "pie in the sky by and by" has never read Proverbs, with its practical, down-to-earth advice on daily living. This can be seen in this short selection. The wisdom God gives to those who walk to Jerusalem is not for its own sake [what my grandfather would call "book learning"], or even for the sake of the individual alone [though the individual is certainly included], but for justice and preservation for all.

Psalm 138:7

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me.

This is a thanksgiving for deliverance from enemies. The Psalmist has gone to the Temple courts to offer thanks.

When we think of deliverance, it might be easy to want God to rid us of our enemies. God, being God, could do this, but it would violate one of God's great gifts to us - our free will. Humans would be robots programmed by God.

Our deliverance on our walk to Jerusalem is far better than a no-peace, forced upon us by taking away our freedom [however badly we use it]. Our deliverance is God's steadfast love and faithfulness, knowing God answers when we call, God increases the strength of our soul, and God regards the lowly but is distant from the haughty.

And, mostly, our deliverance is knowing we are not left to ourselves:

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever ...

If I am God's Beloved .....

then what are we looking for?

I was talking to someone today, telling them about walking through the bookstore the other day and perusing the "New Age" spirituality aisle -- one of my favorites for years. There in front of me, between wicca, astrology, "new age thought", buddhism, sufi, hindu, philosophy, etc. are ever guru's answers on how to have "it" -- whatever 'it' is. I had to kinda laugh when, the last few times I've stood there looking for a new book to read, I've heard this voice in my head telling me to go home and write my own.

I take this a couple different ways:

first, maybe it's time I wrote my own spiritual journey down....or updated the one I started twenty years ago. Twenty years ago, after reading one of Shirley MacLaine's books, I decided that all she was doing was writing her random musings and travels for others to relate to ... how was my journey any different than hers? Okay, well, mine takes place in the midwest and in various spots on this continent, not experiencing Masai warriors and adventures in Tibet. But how is that any different spiritually?

second, why do I keep looking outside myself for answers? What can Sylvia Brown, John Edward, The Secret, or Blavatsky tell me that I don't already have deep in my core? All I'm doing is helping them buy their next BMW, and I'm going into debt to buy bookshelves to house all these books! (LOL)

But if I can only go within and embrace the fact that to God, I am beloved, perfect in my imperfection; just fine the way I am... I can quit worrying about the next "it" book, the next outfit, or my kitchen for that matter. I know that I am exactly where the Universe thinks I should be ... on my path to connect to the Infinite.

Psalm 119.45

I shall walk at liberty, for I have sought your precepts.

Some might find the precepts of God limiting; it is just the opposite. Just as children long for structure and guidelines in order to understand their freedom, so do we, as Children of God. Having a framework for life allows us to walk at liberty.

A Walking Song for the Next Week

TRUST AND OBEY

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Refrain

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Refrain

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain

Words: John H. Sam mis, 1887.

Music: Daniel B. Towner

This Week's Meditation

Matthew 17:1-5

Six days after Peter had acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"



A few weeks ago, in Matthew 3:17, God spoke from the heavens at Jesus’ baptism saying the same thing, “This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” For this week’s meditation, you might try sitting quietly and hearing God saying this to you, “You are my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” How does your outlook change when you think, “I am God’s beloved, with whom He is well pleased.”

Psalm 119.1-3

Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Happy are those who keep his decrees, who seek them with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his name.

Our meditation for the week is the Beatitudes, and this is another instance of this genre in the Bible. This is the longest Psalm and is a meditation on the Law of the God. Though we are not saved by the Law, but rather by Faith, our Faith generates the desire to do what God wants. Our Faith generated the walk to Jerusalem, but there would be worse things upon which to meditate on the way than God's Law, especially as summed by Christ.

Psalm 116:9

I walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

This seems a rather obvious statement, but isn't when taken in context. The Psalm is a thanksgiving for healing from serious illness, in which death was a very possible outcome. The Psalmist is giving public thanksgiving in the midst of a congregation. Even when most profoundly depressed, the Psalmist trusted in God.

Our walk to Jerusalem may not be so fraught, but we can have the confidence of the Psalmist God will hear our voice if we are in distress or anguish. God is gracious and righteous and deals with us bountifully. Our response is summed in the Psalm:

I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord ... I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice ... Praise the Lord!

Psalm 115.7

[The idols of other nations] have hands but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; they make no sound in their throat.

This Psalm was most probably sung in a liturgy. It urges listeners, including us, to concentrate on a God who is loving and faithful, a help and shield, rather than a No-God, however glitzy and beautiful - a No-God made in our image [as opposed to realizing we are made in God's image].

As we walk to Jerusalem, we will encounter many No-Gods. Our task is in the last verse:

But we will bless the Lord from this time on and evermore. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 101:2b

... I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; ...

This Psalm may have been used for coronation ceremonies, and, in total, is a king pledging to rule justly.

It tells us, while walking to Jerusalem is a good thing, we can also walk with integrity in our own house [which, at the time, meant more than just the physical structure, but included family and all which the person influenced]. If we fixate on the walk to Jerusalem, it becomes an idol. The important things upon which to fixate are loyalty, justice, study, faithfulness, and combating evil.

... whoever walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me ...

Psalm 89:15

Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance; ...

This is another prayer for deliverance from enemies [specifically a battle defeat for King David], obviously a reoccurring theme.

This Psalm repeatedly makes use of the Hebrew term hesed, which can be translated many ways, but in the NRSB is rendered "steadfast love." God is seen as continually faithful. God's hesed is as firm as the heavens. God continually keeps covenant with God's people. The Beings which surround God in Heaven praise God's hesed. God's hesed is joined with righteousness and justice. Even when we transgress, God corrects us but maintains hesed. Even when we cannot see God in the world, hesed is there, and our prayer, as we march toward Jerusalem, is the same as King David's in the last verse:

... Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen and Amen.

Psalm 86:11

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.

Once more, this Psalm is a prayer for deliverance from personal enemies. Many Psalms are in this category and tell us, as we walk to Jerusalem, it is OK to cry to God for help, and to admit we are, at times, poor and needy. The Psalmist is sure the present situation will not end in death, and we can have that same certainty.

There is an interesting aside: When the Psalms were written, the society was patriarchal. People were usually identified by whom their father is or was. In a sign of humility, the Psalmist asks God [v.16c]: ... save the child of your servant girl.

This Week's Meditation

Matthew 5:3-10

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.


This week, you are invited to meditate on these Beatitudes…Attitudes of Being, and to consider the question:

What does it mean for me to be Christlike?

A Walking Song for the Next Week

Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John

Refrain:
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
To walk in Jerusalem just like John

John said the city was just foursquare
Walk in Jerusalem just like John
And he declared he'd meet me there
Walk in Jerusalem just like John

Refrain:
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
To walk in Jerusalem just like John

Oh John oh John oh didn't you say
Walk in Jerusalem just like John
You'd be there on that great day
Walk in Jerusalem just like John
(repeat Refrain)

Some came crippled and some came lame
Walk in Jerusalem just like John
Some came walking in Jesus' name
Walk in Jerusalem just like John
(repeat Refrain)

Now brother, better mind how you step on the cross
Walk in Jerusalem just like John
Your feet might slip and your soul get lost
Walk in Jerusalem just like John
(repeat Refrain)

Psalm 84:11

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; He bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.

We are not the first to make this journey. This Psalm is a song praising Zion as the longed-for goal of the pilgrim. The singer envies sparrows and swallows which can build their nests in Zion. The pilgrimage is seen as a joy and not a duty.

This is not, however, idolatry; Zion is not worshipped in itself, but for what it represents:

... my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God ... Happy are those ... ever singing Your praise. Happy are those whose strength is in You ... O Lord of Hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in You.

I keep re-reading this week's scripture verse about "no divisions among (us)" and reflect on the fact that division is what some people thrive on. Sad, but true. Divisions cause weakness, cause us to question, and feed feelings of inadequacy and paranoia. Divisiveness tips the scale of "power" and keeps the masses unbalanced. Division feeds on fear.

The Mind of Christ is one of Compassion and Love. Not that gooshy, Victorian love-thing, but a serene caring that comes from understanding we're all connected.

This also has made me reconsider our use of the term "enemy". We even have a prayer in the BCP that is for "our enemies and those who wish us harm". I really think it's time we remove the term "enemy" from our language as well. Who is our enemy? Who is our brother? Aren't they really the same person with a difference of opinion?

We all come from the same God. We all belong to the same God -- the same Universe. We should remove the word enemy from our prayer language, and simply pray for our brothers and sisters who wish us harm. Pray for our brothers and sisters who are frightened, insecure, and who are seeking power over others. Pray for them to understand the truth.

I am God's. I am Christ's sister. It's my responsibility to be Christ-like and promote reconciliation and truth.

If we really want Peace on Earth, we need to change our vocabulary and pray for our brothers and sisters who need Understanding and Love. Pray for our brothers and sisters who wish others harm. Let's the Mind of Christ be opened in all people on this tiny marble-earth, on which we live.

Psalm 82:4-5

[God is speaking]"... Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hands of the wicked." They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

This is a Psalm which makes use of an ancient conception that there are many Gods, in sort of a Divine Parliment. This Psalm tells us the need for justice and righteousness applies in "Heaven" as it does on Earth. "False Gods" are recognizable by their unrighteousness.

"Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one ..." As we walk to Jerusalem, we should keep in mind our God is a God of justice and equity. All the nations, ultimately, belong to the one God.

Heard around the Fellowship Hall

Just want to share some bits and pieces of conversations about "the Walk" so far:

"I'm aiming for one more mile this week than last."
"I feel like one more piece of my life is getting integrated with God."
"It's neat that we have friends outside the parish walking with us."
"My goal is to do a little bit more each week."
"I felt like skipping my exercise time today, but then I thought about 'Walking to Jerusalem' and I got up and went to the gym."
"I like the way the meditations give me something to focus on."

Psalm 56.12-13

My vows to you I must perform, O God; I will render thank offering to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from falling, so that I may walk before God in the light of life.

This Psalm is attributed to David, and it is thought he composed it when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Not suprising, as with Psalm 26 and others, it is another prayer for deliverance from personal enemies. It was sung to the tune "The Dove on Far-off Terebinths," and we have no idea what that tune sounded like.

This was written when he was in the midst of his struggles, not when they were over. Nevertheless, David has absolute trust in God. The last two verses above are not "bargaining with God" ["If you save me. I will do this or that!"], but David's response to the graciousness of God, even in the midst of trouble.

It would be nice, on our walk to Jerusalem, to pray for the assurance of David - even when trampled on, even when oppressed, even when others stir up strife, even when they hope to have our life, we put our trust in God. We remember God knows our tossing and tears, and God is for us. That's why we perform our vows and give thanks, in the light of life.

... what can flesh do to me? ... What can a mere mortal do to me? ...

Psalm 26

Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity ... I walk in faithfulness to you ... and go around your altar ... I walk in my integrity ..."

This is a very exciting Psalm. The speaker has been falsely accused of something and is praying for deliverance from personal enemies. The Psalmist is asking for vindication against an unjust charge and loudly protests personal innocence. The speaker is so convinced this is so God is asked to test the Psalmist's heart and mind. The speaker is so sure of innocence some sort of liturgical ceremony is involved, and makes comparisons to those who have actually sinned. There is absolute assurance God can and will redeem the speaker.

We, as we walk, need not be quite as sure as is the Psalmist, but the Psalmist's conviction and integrity is not a bad goal for our journey.

Psalm 23.4

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff - they comfort me.

This is, in it's KJV translation, probably the most famous "walking verse" in the Bible. There will be dark valleys on our walk. God does not promise to keep us out of dark valleys or keep evil away from us. What God promises is even better - to be with us, to guide us, and to take care of us, as a shepherd cares for the flock.

1 Kings 8.35-36

When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and then they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin, because you punish them, then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and grant rain on your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

Once more, this is from Solomon's prayer at the Dedication of the 1st Temple. The theology could be seen as a little primitive - when bad things happen, such as a draught, it is our fault for sinning.

On another level, there is more here.

There is a wonderful book of anthropology, published years and years ago, Magic, Science, and Religion, by Stanislaw Malinowski. A statement such as above is not science, as it involves a intervening force outside of the scientific process, God. It posits an open system, not the closed system required by science. However, it is not magic, as our efforts, such as walking to Jerusalem, do not manipulate God. It is not, "If we do X, then God will automatically have to do Y. God remains God. God is the actor, not the reactor.

Our actions toward God are of religion - prayer, belief in the Power of God, listening, and repentance, and we believe God will forgive and instruct, not because we have done this or that, but because God is God.

Meditation for the Week of January 20th

1 Cornithians 1: 10-14

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.' Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Questions to consider as you walk or exercise:

Whose are you?
Who do you belong to?
How do you know?
What does that mean to you?

In Epiphany, in particular, we celebrate Christ being the light of the world and we are also charged with being the light of the world. How are you the light? How can you shine more brightly?

A Walking Song for the Next Week

We're Marching to Zion

Text: Isaac Watts; refrain by Robert Lowry
Music: Robert Lowry

Tune: MARCHING TO ZION, Meter: SM with Refrain

1. Come, we that love the Lord,
and let our joys be known;
join in a song with sweet accord,
join in a song with sweet accord
and thus surround the throne,
and thus surround the throne.
Refrain:
We're marching to Zion,
beautiful, beautiful Zion;
we're marching upward to Zion,
the beautiful city of God.

2. Let those refuse to sing
who never knew our God;
but children of the heavenly King,
but children of the heavenly King
may speak their joys abroad,
may speak their joys abroad.
(Refrain)

3. The hill of Zion yields
a thousand sacred sweets
before we reach the heavenly fields,
before we reach the heavenly fields,
or walk the golden streets,
or walk the golden streets.
(Refrain)

4. Then let our songs abound,
and every tear be dry;
we're marching through Emmanuel's ground,
we're marching through Emmanuel's ground,
to fairer worlds on high,
to fairer worlds on high.
(Refrain)

Love your neighbors as yourselves....

I've made a rather regular, and somewhat sarcastic, comment on this "commandment" that I think that's the problem: we do! In a generation where it's almost chic to have a therapist, and self-help books seem to have their own store, we're still completely clueless when it comes to loving ourselves.

How many of us really know how to Love someone? how many of us really Love ourselves? Experience on many levels has taught me that most humans' love for others comes with a litany of expectations and/or projections. We "love" husbands and family; and that "love" comes with unspoken expectations of what we'll receive from them in return, or projections of our past experience and self image. And, what happens if the other doesn't respond the way we'd imagined/hoped/expected? Resentment builds. Not very loving. But who pays the ultimate price? We do.

Then there's the other side of the coin: our waning self esteem. Most of us don't believe ourselves to be worthy. But what does scripture tell us? We are God's. We are incredible miracles. We're perfect in our imperfection. Twelve-step programs have a slogan: Progress not perfection.

I'd like to see us work to Love and act out of gratitude instead of expectation and fear. Respond, not anticipate. Look at the Perfect expression of God's unexpressible Self that resides in each of us.

Physicians? Heal thyselves. And Go forth into the world with the Knowledge of who you are at your Core.

1 Kings 8.23

... [Solomon] said, "Oh Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heaven above or the earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart ...

This is the opening of Solomon's prayer of dedication of the 1st Temple. The only comment necessary is to emphasize we are to walk with our heart as well as our feet. Note, it does not say "hearts," but "heart." We are certainly individuals, but we are part of a single Community of Faith, even when we disagree, as families sometimes do.

Week 2 Travelogue

This week takes us from Anaktuvuk, to the north coast of Alaska and out onto the Arctic Ocean. So here are links to a couple of short (1 to 2 minute) videos that give a flavor of the journey.

Landing on the airstrip in Anaktuvuk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtMEZhHFwS8

Arctic Ocean in January in Barrow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbzARYVWlB0

1 Kings 3.14

If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and commandments as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.

Little needs to be said here, save that the same promise made to Solomon is also made to us.

Another map [I Hope]

ANC (61°10'28"N 149°59'47"W)

JRS (31°51'53"N 35°13'09"E)

Judges 5.10-11

Tell of [God's Victory], you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way. To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they will repeat the triumphs of the Lord, the triumphs of his peasantry in Israel.

A little known but true bit of Biblical history is that most Biblical experts believe the two oldest parts of the Hebrew Scriptures are about women - here, in what is called the "Song of Deborah," and the "Song of Miriam" in Exodus 15.21. Some believe the Song of Miriam may actually be the reporting of an eyewitness to the event. In both, the women and their [presumably] female companions are leading the people [including the men] in praise of God for deliverance, in Miriam's case from the Egyptian Army at the Sea of Reeds and, in Deborah's case, from the Canaanite Army led by General Sisera.

Both Miriam and Deborah are described as "prophets."

So, if these are women are prophets, what "forth-telling" message have they? This oldest of the old forth-telling is the same for both - our victories, be they battles of war or walking to Jerusalem, are from God, not from us, or from riches [one had to be pretty wealthy to own a rare white donkey or to sit on rich carpets].

Much, much later, the [probably] male Psalmist echoes this forth-telling in the opening to another Song of Praise:

Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomine tua da gloriam!

"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but the glory is given to Your Power [Name]!"

Proclaiming the Good News

Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? This question, from our baptismal covenant, is the first of our meditation questions this week.

(These musings are offered here as a way to start a conversation. After you read them, please click on the comment button and share your own thoughts and musings.)

Most of the conversations I've been involved in with fellow Episcopalians about this question come around to comments like:

"I don't talk about church or God much, but I think I do a pretty good job of being an example. I try to smile, be kind, be friendly and show people I care about them. "

While I exercised today, I pondered this question and the typical responses. I wondered why in this instance it seems so much easier to act than to talk. It seems at odds with the sense we have in other arenas that "talk is cheap." After all, it is much easier to talk about building a house than it is to build one. And, we certainly value the actual building of a house more than we value the talk about it. It's also true that we need to be and we need to meet good, kind, friendly people and we value our encounters with such people. But, in those encounters, are we really proclaiming the Good News of God in Christ? Are we really COMMUNICATING the Good News of God in Christ,? Is that what the people we meet are walking away with? I think we tend to see the question as "Will you proclaim by word OR example... " But the question we are asked is "Will you proclaim by word AND example..."

It seems that without the words, the people we meet may not get to hear the Good News of God in Christ.

Salve me, Domine, ...

... e manibus iniqui, superbi qui cogitant evertere gressus meos, qui abscondunt laqueum mihi.

[Save me, Lord, from the hands of the wicked, the arrogant who plan to overthrow my course, who conceal a trap for me.]

A Prayer for Protection on our Journey

Walk In My Ways [KJV, Many Places]

There is a problem with more accurate translations - sometimes the poetry of the archaic language is lost. The phrase in the title of this post is used in the KJV to mean "obey My commandments" or "follow My teaching." Both of these, however more accurate, are more passive that the KJV translation. The KJV version is more physical, gets us more involved.

It actually does not matter much which translation of the Bible is used on the trip to Jerusalem. What matters is walking in God's ways, and doing it poetically - brightly, proudly, and with great, great beauty.

Another Map [I Hope]

Heading from Anchorage

Latitude: 61° 13' North
Longitude: 149° 52' West

Initial heading: 355.7° North
Final heading: 182.4° South

Jerusalem-Pony

A donkey or ass, allusive to our Savior's entrance into Jerusalem on an ass.

G.F. Northall's Warwickshire Word-Book, 1896

Leviticus 26.12

And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people.

This verse is part of "The Holiness Code," often thought rather daunting, as over and over, God commands us, "You shall be holy, as I, your God, am holy." That's a pretty heady command, especially taken out of context. In context, however, God is about to lead Israel into the Promised Land, and God does not want them to stray away toward idols, carved images, pillars, or figured stones.

It is not that these are bad - it is not necessary to restart the "Iconoclastic Controversy" and throw out every painting and statue at the Parish. We will experience wondrous things on our journey. If these things we encounter get us closer to God, swell!!! However, our focus should be on God, and not the site, picture, statue, or whatever, which points to God.

God is both transcendent and immanent, and walks with us as with Adam and Eve in The Garden. The fundamental theme of The Holiness Code is God has come to dwell in the midst of God's [sometimes sinful] people.

I feel the earth.... move .... under my feet

Well, that was a friendly little jolt at 11PM tonight! I just keep hanging on to the edge of my daybed and plead with the Universe NOT to send us another "big one" when it's below zero!!

Walking to Jerusalem while there are jolts here and there that make me stop and hold my breath! Every day there are experiences that do the same thing -- those little (or not so little) events during our week that stop us in our tracks. Little wake-up calls that jolt us to pay attention.

As with the earth's seismic activity, I ask only for the ones I can handle; knowing I'm never sent anything I can't handle and reminding me that it's all out of my control.

Respecting the dignity of every human being ...

We always seem to get on our civil rights high-horses when this topic raises it's philantropic head -- and rightly so. What's happening in Darfur is unconscienable. Extremists and power-mongers world wide are oppressing and displacing people right and left. We pray diligently in our services and our private prayers for the victims of these horrid attrocities. But I wonder, does anyone ever pray for the terrorists? What would happen if we launched a communion-wide prayer discipline of praying for Osama Bin Ladin, the Taliban, and their desperate suicide bombers who feel their only recourse in this world is to blow themselves up? Do we ever pray for them to have a change of heart? For them to feel God's Love and know what is right?



I posed this question to several friends across the country. I was met with answers that ranged from "I'm not there yet; I just can't pray for them" to "no one has ever asked me that ..... I think it's about time we do. Do we have a choice?" "I bet it'd make a difference." Hmmmmm. somewhere between hostile and non-committal. It's that old "great idea! You do it." mentality.

So really, are we ready to look beyond the obvious and actually lift prayers for the perpetrators of the terror? Care to join me?

A WEEK AT THE GYM

This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine.

Dear Diary,

For my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me.

Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football
cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.

My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

MONDAY:

Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She is something of a Greek goddess - with blonde hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo-Hoo!! Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!

Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week-!!

TUESDAY:

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.

Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT-!! It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.

Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why the !@#$ would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other %^&* too.

THURSDAY:

Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes.

Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. She sent another skinny ()_+! to find me. Then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.

FRIDAY:

I hate that @#$%^ Belinda, more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it.

Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the &*()_+ barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

SATURDAY:

Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I didn't show up today. Just hearing her made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

SUNDAY:

I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter (the little !@#$) will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

Exodus 21:18-19

When individuals quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or fist so that the injured party, though not dead, is confined to bed, but recovers and walks around outside with the help of a staff, then the assailant shall be free of liability, except to pay for the loss of time, and to arrange for full recovery.

On one level, this is part of the obscure legislation seen so often in the latter part of Exodus and in Leviticus. And, that's true.

It is also true there is more here.

The whole section from which this comes contains laws protecting human beings. The underlying assumption is human life is valuable. It reminds us, in these fractious times, the ideal is for members of the Community of God not to quarrel and fight. It also, however, dispenses with "cheap justice," and affirms persons must be responsible for their actions.

This is important to remember as we walk toward Jerusalem together.