Into the Sacred Hills of Jade

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. – Mark 10:9

This phrase, used by Christ in a discourse on marriage and divorce, could it possibly be applied in other aspects of life?  What God has joined together, let no one separate?

Possibly.  If so … might it apply to vows made at baptism or at the joining of a congregation?  Might it apply to even a larger community?  A church denomination or a nation?  Our relationship with Christ or our commitment to His teachings?  What indeed has God joined together?

I reckon all this pondering of implications is about the matter of sacred vows.  Sacred vows … those we make with holy intention … those we make in partnership with the Lord.   Are sacred vows in truth inviolate?  Are we accountable for the sacred vows we make?

Oh, it is all very complicated with so many factors to consider.  I believe it may be one of those Divine-human matters that one finds difficult to codify in all the many variables and circumstances.  But I do believe that the sacred vows we make are to be reverently respected, cherished as being an aspect of the Holy Life.  Yet … I have witnessed an erosion of the sacredness of vows during my lifetime, an erosion into lesser and lesser significance.  We find ourselves in a culture where lying is merely what everybody does.  And as those sacred bonds of trust are broken … we grow more and more distrusting of each other.

Loved Ones, be thoughtful in making sacred vows … and when entered into … be trustworthy no matter the gain or loss.

Always in Christ’s Service,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Monday, July 30, 2018

Christ unrolls the scroll which contains the words of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s blessing.” – Luke 4:18-19

If our Christian mission is to continue with the mission of Christ, then these words of our Lord, first written by Isaiah centuries before and brought once more to life in the voice of Christ, then this must be included in  our mission statement.  To bring good news to the poor … to set free the imprisoned … to help the blind to see … to liberate the oppressed … to announce that the time for God’s Mercy to abound.  And yet … such a mission goes counter to those who claim to be Christian and those who claim that this is a Christian nation.

Christ’s echoing of the words of Isaiah go counter to our “worldly common sense”.  They go counter to our sense of punitive justice and  works righteousness.  They go counter our culturally accepted norms for controlling the actions of people and nations.

By our actions, is it possible that we think the vision of Christ and Isaiah are but ethereal wishes and castles in the sky?  I do not think we like to think that way … so our well-practiced skills of rationalization are to put to use.  We take the words of Christ and simply rationalize them away.

I am one who believe that both Christ and Isaiah meant every word they said … and declared their faithfulness to the wishes of the God who inspired them.  I believe that God actually expects us to bring hopeful good news to the poor, to find ways to save those sentenced and condemned, to restore clear vision to those near-blind by the clouds of culture and prejudice, to spread the news that the Lord’s Mercy and Grace are creating a new world where the ways of Heaven become the ways of the Earth.  But oh how it seems so unreasonable to my worldly ways!

Always in Christ’s Service,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Sunday, July 29, 2018

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,  but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! – Matthew 5:22,23

I am an aging man with diabetes.  And men like me usually struggle with eye problems, the consequence of the deterioration that diabetes does bring.  And as a result, I have my eyes checked quite regularly.  Still … there are those mornings when my vision is rather cloudy.  Our eyes truly are both windows into a person’s soul and a window to the world around us.

Prayer, especially contemplative prayer, lingering prayer that asks for a clearer vision and a deeper look, is about keeping healthy the eyes of one’s soul.  This quality of prayer is about removing the specks of dust in one’s own eyes.  This quality of prayer is about polishing the lens so that clarity might be found.  This quality of prayer is finding one’s focus so that the Divine Light might fill one’s soul with both life’s wonders and needs.

Such a sad, tragic state it is to have one’s eyes so damaged that only a deepening Darkness fills one’s soul.  And what is this Darkness?  It is bitterness; it is hatred; it is fear; it is hostility; it is distortion of values; it is prejudice; it is greed; it is self-centeredness; it is lust in all its pursuits; it is jealousy; it is envy; it is even hypocrisy that seeks to hide the shadows within us.

In our present day, I find so many who seem to be afflicted with such blurred vision that a growing darkness is overtaking their souls.  Blinded by the shimmer of gold, blinded by the allure of power, blinded by a desperate need to control the world that frightens them, we are quickly losing clarity of vision and the Light that it brings.

Take care of the eyes of the soul for the blindness is blind to its advance.

Always in Christ’s Service,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Jesus said to them, “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. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” – John 12:35-36

I focus on one of those near-invisible words in the passage and that is the verb “become“.  Some might read into that word “become” the sense of instant conversion but the more accurate sensibility is the sense of slowly transforming.

I have a neighbor who divides time between Maine and Florida, winters here, summers there.  Up north, he lives in a cabin deep into the woods; down south, he lives in his condo by the dock.  I have noticed over the years how when arrives he is rather pale in complexion, but when he packs to return north he is tanned to deep bronze.  With my neighbor, he literally is transformed by spending much time in the sunshine.

The contemplative approach to the Christian life is to devote intentional-time to placing one’s soul in the Light of God.  Sometimes it is in the prayerful reading of scripture that brings to life those historical moments; sometimes it is in the beholding of Christ in prayerful imagination; sometimes it is in experiencing Christ appearing in the moments of person-with-person servanthood.  And as this daily practice stretches over time, this Holy Light in which we immerse our souls slowly transforms the soul within and the countenance we express to the world.

Also in these words of Christ, we are reminded of why people so often see a circumstance in such diverse ways.  If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going.  Of course, this leads to that question … who walks in the Light and who walks in the darkness?  And that is the question that requires profound humility and honesty with self in order to be answered with any measure of assurance.  Am I walking in the Light?  This is not an assurance that comes from the crowd, but only in that deep-hearted conversation with the Lord.

In Christ’s Service always,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Friday, July 27, 2018

Then Christ took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” – Luke 22:19

We see the words often carved into the wood of the table that abides at the front of the sanctuary.  We see the words placed in the stained glass window that portrays the Last Supper.  And we see the words in the liturgy for holy communion, liturgies ancient and contemporary.  We hear the words in the lyrics of hymns, old and new.  “Do this in remembrance of me.”

After probably 10,000 times being the priest for the Holy Communion, now in these gloaming years of reflection, I am appreciating more and more the subtle significance of those words, “Do this in remembrance of me.” 

What is the deeper understanding of those words?  Is it merely to keep doing this rite of bread and wine?  Or is it more?  What is involved in this mysterious rite of “doing in remembrance”?  What is this practice, this “practice of remembrance”.

As a pastor of forty years, I have done more than my share of funerals.  I have experienced loved ones for whom either the sense of loss or the sense of lingering regret was forefront in the time for preparing for the services.  Yet … among families where love was flourishing … the tears always gave way to the “practice of remembrance”.  Where once there was the vacancy of the departed, now there was a bringing back to life the remembrance of the departed now returned in a different form.

“In remembrance of me!”  The sharing of the Communion-Moment is the bringing back into our human experience the memories of Christ.  Not only His words, not only the stories, but His Voice, His manner, His mission, His quality of spirit.  The practice of remembrance is to bring back to life in our spiritual imagination and in our spiritual reincarnation of the very Life of Christ in our midst.  Though Christ may have gone to heavenly places, Christ still lives in these earthly place.  In the remembrance of Him, Christ is with us always until this age we have known is no more in limited form.

In Remembrance of Christ,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon.  Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.”  But Christ did not answer her at all. And His disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” 

Christ answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”  He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”  She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly. – Matthew 15:21-28

I find this encounter between Christ and a foreign woman to be so confounding.  The conversation seems to indicate that Christ was persuaded to change His mind.  It is as if Christ “repented”, as if Christ made a course correction.

The reactive impulse is to state that Christ and God never change, that God has had galvanized “destiny” into “fate”.  But if one spends a lifetime reading the scriptural history one finds that God does sometimes change His course.  This constancy of God to reserve the right to change His mind is really at the heart of true prophecy, for true prophecy is not about predicting the future but rather forecasting the future if changes are not made.  This responsiveness of God as we witness it in Christ’s interaction with this foreign woman is what is constant within the grace and mercy of God, not to condemn the world but to save the world.

Another aspect of the recording of this moment is the rather harsh reaction of the disciples to this woman who begs for a miracle.  “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.”  I sense that Christ also changed His course to correct the attitude in the disciples, an attitude of indifference and an attitude of subconscious tribalism.  I sense the disciples might have been thinking, “We are rabbis to Israelites, not to you lower caste Canaanites, forever our enemies!”  If this attitude was still lingering in His disciples, Christ would not tolerate it.

Finally, a bit of theology … faith, genuine faith is found everywhere even among the Canaanites … even among the Samaritans … even among the Romans … but far too often, not in the hearts of supposedly devout Israelites.

Always in Christ’s Service,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. – Luke 14:11

Some might refer to these words of Christ as a paradox, never-ending cycle of humbling and exalting only to be humbled again.  I see this enigmatic phrase as a contrast between worldly values and the values of this New Realm of God. Worldly thought is to climb to the top that is where the material rewards are found; New Realm thought is find the reward of true nobility in the life and work of the servant.

The Walls of Jerusalem and the audacious Temple of Herod would come crashing down … but the humble soul kneeling in prayer would lifted up into glory.  It is the template for centuries of saints … to pursue not the honor but to pursue the humility.  At least it used to be … and I know it still is … but there is a strain of Christianity that has flourished in recent years that has rationalized away the holiness of humility.

We live in a culture where people listen to celebrities and not to humble preachers who have achieved no fame.  It is not the wisdom or insightful thought that determines the worthiness of the preacher but rather the extent of the preacher’s fame.

We live in a culture where everybody wants to be a famous star, as though being but candlelight is a sign of failure.

We live in a culture where the winners tread upon the losers and vault themselves ever higher to the top of the pyramid.

We live in a culture where the ways and means of worldly success become the ways and means of the Christian endeavor.

Will we ever recover the holiness of humility?  Will we ever recover the exaltation of those who do servant’s work?  Will we ever recover the dignity and nobility of those who are poor in the eyes of the world?

Always in Christ’s Service,

F. Charitas de la Cruz

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

The Christ said, “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”  The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. – John 12:27-29

While many said that they heard but thunder, others declared that it was the voice of an angel.  And such is life, not only in the realm of spirituality and faith, but in almost all aspects of life from politics to economics … different people hear the same voice differently, see the same moments differently, experience the same circumstance differently.  It is a human frailty … we hear what we want to hear, we see what we want to see, behold a person’s words and action in the manner which coincides with our preconceived notions.

I believe more and more that life in Christ is about change and changing.  In Christ, our trust allows Christ to transform us including how we perceive the world about us.  In Christ, our obedient servanthood allows Christ to transform our understanding of people and their needs.  In Christ, our mission enables us to change the world and not condemn it.  In Christ, we can hear angels when others can only hear thunder.

If there is one powerful need in today’s Christian community it would be that we underappreciate the absolute necessity of the transforming power of the Spirit.  Through serious devotion to prayer, through our willingness to be personally involved in mission and servanthood, through our daily confession and repentance, we then acquire the qualities of the Spirit that transform both ourselves and the world about us.  I find that today’s world is not so much about the doing of the transformative work of Christ and more about maintaining the status quo and defending the ways that were.

Always in Christ’s Service,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Monday, July 23, 2018

While Christ was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.” At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” – Matthew 26:47-50

With a kiss!  Betrayal in a most intimate manner.  I have always found that moment significant, one filled with human pathos, one that reveals the darkness that is often lurking within even a believer.  But, it is only of late that I have noticed something I somehow overlooked.  After the kiss, Jesus calls Judas, “friend”.

In spite of Judas’ misunderstanding the circumstance, in spite of Judas being taken over by the clever darkness, in spite of Judas’ willful pride to force the crisis, Christ still refers to Judas as Friend.  No greater mercy I have I known.  No greater love than to forgive at the risk of one’s own life.

After a lifetime of ministry, I have observed that Christians easily say they are a forgiving people, but when it comes to an intimate betrayal, to forgive is an act of great struggle.  It is that “kiss of betrayal”: a trust broken, a rumor spread, a confidence not honored, a friendship exploited.  When betrayal comes by way of kiss … it is desperately difficult to forgive.

Two matters I suppose … have we ever betrayed another in intimate ways; have we had to forgive an intimate betrayal?

To maintain the “Friend”-ship  in spite of it all … that takes the power of Christ to do.

Always in Christ’s Service,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Sunday, July 22, 2018

But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. – Matthew 6:6

Christ teaches by way of contrast.  Oh, you can make your prayers a showy public display of your devotion, but the more rewarding, satisfying, meaningful prayers are made privately in an intimate conversation with God.  Yet still today … I observe the displays of showy devotion and I observe the quiet prayers of saints.

Throughout Christian history there has flowed this stream of “showy” religion.  Sometimes we call it ecstatic religion; sometimes we call it enthusiastic religion; sometimes we call it holy-roller religion … and their prayers are still valid though weakened by the rewards of public recognition.  Though they try to put the focus of God, in actuality, they split the focus between God and themselves.  Christ offered a more meaningful, helpful, even more purely holy manner of prayer … that prayer that only  you and God can hear.

Here in this private room, this room that is within one’s own soul, one can be honest without fear of the judgment of others.  Here in this private room, one can listen without fear of the silence and begin to hear both the whispers of God and the echoes of one’s own words as they journey back from heaven.  Here in this private room, one can make the heartfelt confession and experience the life-changing mercy of God.  Here in this private room, ego can dissipate so that the soul might emerge.  Here in this private room, one can drift into heaven and heaven can drift into you.

Christ often prayed in public.  So praying in public is not a sin except for the reasons of why.  But the greater reward, the greater gain, the greater peace, the greater wisdom is gained when we pray in that private place.

Always in Christ’s Service,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz