Musings in this Holy Season

In this season of Passover and Easter, my thoughts are drawn to mankind’s search for God and Wisdom and how that is relayed in Bible Stories.  I approach those stories with 21^st Century reasoning while keeping in mind that each generation’s search reflects their society’s stage of development.  Do I believe the Bible is God-inspired?  Indeed I do; but God’s inspiration passed through the minds and hands of men in an era of limited knowledge.  Before there was writing, information was passed on orally thru story telling with no requirement for factual accuracy.  The Bible writers were from that tradition and used stories to convey the wisdom that was beyond their ability to fully reckon with.

In our present information age, we read stories to find the essential facts or points the story is making—that was not the ‘norm’ four thousand years ago, they just told interesting stories to get something across.  I’ve considered some essential points from stories in Genesis.  The first chapter of Genesis is the story of creation; I’ve selected the wisdom points that it conveys.

1)   God is the Creator.  Can we translate that to mean ‘that which called being into existence’?  [Being = materialization; (i.e. the universe, world, life forms, humanity . . .) existence = the known and experienced reality]   

O.K., that’s a bit much to process, but the rest of Genesis’ wisdom is easier.

            2)  It describes an order of creation (1^st day, 2^nd day, 3^rd day, etc. that

                  agrees with Science)

3)  God made man in God’s own image (able to create and bring order)

4)   In contrast to other creatures, humans had the unique ability to make choices (free will)

5)   some of the choices made by man would be to his own detriment. (sin,. . . Atomic bombs?)

From Creation, my thoughts take a jump to Abraham and the ‘chosen people’.  Chosen how?  Why?  For what?  The story tells of God directing Abraham to “leave your home country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation . . .”  [Gen. 12, NIV]

The point seems to be that the Jews were to make a significant contribution to the world and civilization.  (they have)

Some four thousand years ago (estimated to be the time of Abraham) humanity was emerging from the primitive world whose only rule was largely ‘survival of the fittest’ and ‘might means right’ with honor going only to the rulers and virtual enslavement of the masses.  Yet since the beginning of civilization there is evidence of humanity’s reaching for ‘something’ beyond the immediate experience of life—1) burying of their dead, 2) collecting and honoring totems, 3) developing dances and rituals, 4) calling upon spirits . . . the ‘something’ sought was vague and without a clear direction.  The descendants of Abraham and Sarah were to begin the movement of humanity toward a God of purpose and direction.  God as God truly is.  Over time the Jewish people (the ‘chosen people’)  established laws, both for settling disputes (legality), and of personal conduct (The 10 Commandments); to teach of One God; and to assemble sacred literature (the Old Testament/the Torah).  From my vantage point I see that as the advancement of civilization.  But the essential point was not that the Jews would advance civilization, but they were chosen to be the genetic line from which the Messiah was to come.  Messiah:  “the one chosen to lead the world and thereby save it”,  “the anointed”, “God’s appearance on earth”.

Approximately two thousand years after Abraham, Jesus entered the world.  Jesus was a Jew.  He instructed people in how to live with compassion and kindness, forgiving enemies and caring for all in need.  He performed miracles, prayed to God, calling him ’Father’; his followers—first Jews then others—believed him to be the Messiah, but the Jewish authorities did not.  He was crucified and rose from the dead.

Stories of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were added to the Bible as the ‘New Testament’ for Christians.  For Jews, the Torah alone is their sacred scripture.

Each year Passover and Easter come at the same time.  I am pleased that there is mutual respect and at times there is sharing together of their celebrations.

The Letter 'o'

The difference between ‘God’ and ‘good’ is the letter ‘o’.

In all that I say and do, in all that I think and write, that which is of prime importance is God—not the god of the images we have rendered, the theologies we have developed, nor the religions we have created—but the God of the reality of our human existence.  It isn’t of concern to me what church, synagogue or temple you attend, nor even the images and institutions you may have rejected in coming to unbelief.   What is of concern is how intentionally we each live our lives.  Are we consciously seeking ‘the good’?  I believe that is God’s concern also—many Bible passages state that rather than burnt offerings (sacrifice and ritual), God wants clean hearts; and in Matthew 7:21 we find, "Not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of my Father.”

 I believe we are created in the image of God—but most of us have a very murky idea of what that image is.  God is so beyond our ability to comprehend, we cannot know God—and those who are sure they do know, are wrong!  In our unknowing we have constructed multiple and massive falsehoods that have caused great human suffering and led many to reject the concept of a God.

What I believe about God is not only ‘God is good’, but that ‘God is in all goodness’.   You may say, “What is goodness? . . .Who can say with any certainty? . . . Isn’t it just a matter of opinion?”   But I would argue, “No!  What we like, what we champion or what we want is a matter of opinion, but what is fundamentally good is implanted in our soul and can be recognized and agreed upon when honestly evaluated.

My daughter sings a lullaby to her little one each night as she tucks her in—that is good.

A neighbor yells loudly and harshly at his son whenever he messes up—that is not good.

Genesis tells us that as God created each element of existence, “God saw that it was good”.  The issue here is not the ‘how’ of it, but the issue is of the goodness of it.  Life is the essential good; ‘to be’ opens the door to experiencing, feeling, knowing and understanding. 

What follows is that ‘the good’ is what sustains and enhances life, both materially and spiritually; while what is not good is whatever destroys life either physically or psychologically.  If we back up all the way to humanity’s first recognition of the basic good of relationships we find some form of what we call the ‘Golden Rule’ that has appeared in every society and religion.  ‘Do unto others what you would have them do unto you’.

 When we earnestly seek God, we seek the good; and when we seek the good, we are seeking God.   God contains only the good, and too, God is contained within all that is good.

* * *

Are We There Yet?

All religions are fallible—

Each structured by fallible men.

Yet each one discovers

some aspect of the Divine

that leads its followers

on a numinous path to God.

But oh how rocky the path

and circuitous the route!

Have faith, God is patient,
Evolution is measured in eons.

Heed His Precepts

In his 2015 Encyclical On the Care of our Common Home Pope Francis spoke of “irresponsible use of the earth” and exhorted all people to take heed of Climate Change.

On a regular basis now, we see record-setting storms: tornados, floods, windstorms and hurricanes.  The ice caps are melting and oceans rising.  NOAA & NASA released their global temperature data: 15 of 17 of the hottest years on record have come since 2000, and 2016 was the hottest ever.

Presently uncontrollable wildfires are raging in our country’s Heartland, in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas over a million acres have been incinerated—this, following years of severe drought.  Also this week in New York, windstorms sent trees crashing on homes, cars and power lines.

 When will we wake up to the reality of this threat?  Our planet is in crisis!  The key to our world’s smooth functioning is equilibrium—our careless actions have upset the balance.

Pope Francis’ Encyclical made me think of Psalm 29 in which David was addressing the leaders of his time, telling them to be mindful of the mightiness of God and His great power in nature.

In my contemporary version I change from David’s voice to that of Pope Francis, exhorting our leaders to better care for our Common Home and attend to what is happening with climate change, for we are failing to honor God in Nature.

It begins with a confession—

Psalm 29  (B. S-C contemporary version)

We have not kept your precepts, Lord.

We have not shepherded the earth by your formulation,

We have plundered for private gain

            and trampled the lowly to amass profits.

Ascribe to the Lord, O world leaders,

            ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the reverence due his name

            and take heed of the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the LORD is heard in Nature,

            the God of glory thunders.

The Lord gives us warning as we despoil the earth;

            the voice of the Lord breaks the cedars

            and howls the winds.

The voice of the Lord shakes the mountains

            and strikes with flashes of lightening.

The voice of the Lord twists the oaks

            and strips forests bare.

Look, listen and know!

The Lord sits enthroned over the waters and land,

The Lord reigns King forever.

The Lord gives warning to his people!

Heed his precepts and principles

            lest man’s choices bring destruction

            to this wondrous earth and all its inhabitants!

I say again . . .

A few days ago I wrote of ‘Seeing Oneness’ in which I referred to The Women’s March 2017 as having brought to the fore the women’s voice— loud and clear.

A voice calling for peace, equality, human rights, concern for Planet Earth, unity, love and respect is not exclusive to women, but is characteristic of them.  That voice seems to have once more gotten lost in the violence, aggression, supremacy, exclusivity and nationalism being championed by men of power around the world.

It is promising to see that many men, especially of the younger generations, are listening to and supporting a kinder more compassionate voice and have joined with that voice to shout it to the world—five million strong.

As appropriate follow up to my last entry I repeat the poem I posted earlier on October 28, 2016.

                                       * * *

                                          HEAR ME

I am Woman, hear me oh Man!

You have intercourse with life from the outside,

            I from within.

You know only half of the reality that is

            --as do I.

Rigid and absolute, your aim is to impose and control;

Yielding and accommodating, mine is to accept and adapt.

You fear that I will limit your fecundity

            your self-serving pleasure pursuits

And so it is, for I seek compassion and understanding

            and protection for my vulnerability.

What you fail to know--for you know only half of reality--

            is that there is satisfaction of a different kind as well as wisdom

            in my experience of life and living.

What you have demonstrated to me--for you have been in charge--

            is that your outside knowing, adventurous to be sure,

            is empty and meaningless without my insights!

You’ve insisted upon leading--your power and logic made it seem right--

            but narcissistically you fell in love with your own reflection

            and forgot to keep my voice alive with your love...

            instead, you asked of me only that I serve and service you

            --forgetting you know only half of reality.

Learn from me, not in a subservient way, but as an equal

            and we will both be enriched.

                                         - - -

Your vital virile outside knowing has changed the face of the earth

            you’ve built and discovered and re-created...

But without the within, it is all empty, hollow, meaningless

            --and above all infinitely dangerous!

You disdainfully dismiss what I have to contribute

My accomplishments seem mundanely simple and unimportant.

I cannot do what you have done

Your achievements are in fact glorious!

You infuse, you initiate, you achieve

            --but you also rape and plunder,

            immediate gratification and conquest is your goal.

Your arrogance is your curse

            because you won’t admit what you don’t know

            or can’t do alone.

You don’t nurture and sustain the developing potential

            you don’t watch and wait and hope for the promise to come

            --that is my task.

You know only half of the reality that is!

Would that you look at me...

            but you only glance at my form

Would that you listen to me...

            but you only scoff at my awarenesses

Would that you learn from me...

            but you only yawn at my wisdom.

Look at me and see me,

Listen to me and hear me,

Understand me and learn from me,

I am Woman, hear me oh Man

Seeing Oneness

In past entries I have written of Teilhard de Chardin and evolution, of our One World, of the Voice of women and most recently The Women’s March 2017 . . . seemingly disparate topics yet I see relationship among them.

Teilhard (1881-1955) a brilliant Scientist and Mystic saw clearly the interconnection of Science and Religion (‘the without’ and ‘the within’) as two sides of the same coin—humanity’s search for understanding and meaning.  In that pursuit we explore, dissect and analyze our world; we philosophize, hypothesize, and theologize our mortal existence.

The world we inhabit is one tiny unit in a vast universe, in its singularity providing all that is needed for its functioning as a life support source—so long as the elements stay in balance.

Throughout the eons of evolution that allowed mankind to develop from primitive, uncivilized, violent cave-men to sophisticated, articulate, rational beings, the voice of women was not permitted to influence the expanding social order (government, religion, conflict resolution . . .) Stated another way: Until recently the unique voice of half of humanity has been omitted from the planning of how we proceed with civilization.  Only within the last century have women gained the right to vote and hold office.  And in that brief 100+ years we’re coming to recognize that the silenced voice is not exclusive to women alone but is the missing piece for achieving ‘full humanity’ and it is women’s privilege and responsibility to awaken and articulate it—the voice of love, compassion and mercy.   It is the same voice that Jesus, the man, spoke with.

The Women’s March of January 12, 2017 was unprecedented—more light needs to be shone on it.  All over our world, groups of women recognized their call to make that voice heard.  Estimates say five million people—women, men and children—walked with dignity and calm, without violence, on some part of each of the seven continents of our One World.  Five million people gathered in one day in unity, calling for a voice other than that of violence, division, falsehood, and supremacy . . . a voice calling for peace, justice, equality, unity, love and respect.  Thousands of hand printed signs: “Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, Human Rights”; “Build bridges not Walls”; “Save our Planet”; “Love not Hate” . . . . .

It is that voice which must be heard if we are to survive.

                                                    _ _ _

                        Conduit of Life’s Flow

I write of our One World in infinite space

A singular whole—God, nature, humanity

            This world is given

            with laws of nature

            guiding its continuance.

            That humankind is here

            is not of mortal doing,

            ‘Something’ (I call God)

            gave order to being.

            Life is the miracle

            to which we’ve been called,

            blessed with consciousness

            and the freedom to choose,

            we’re able to bring change.

Life continues its flow—now, through us!

            Only in seeing our Oneness

            and choosing to honor it

            will our world be sustained.