breaking bread

Scripture says "and He was made known to them in the breaking of bread". Wow!
Most of us know that during the Eucharist, Jesus makes himself known to us in the breaking of bread . But through the sharing of a meal? Absolutely!
This afternoon I spent time with some members of our church family. On the last Sunday of the month we shoot trap (basically breaking dishes in the air with shotguns) at a local gun club. After we finished shooting I asked everyone over to my house for a libation (beer or soda). But I have too much Mexican blood flowing though my veins so I to stop and get food for everyone to eat. Mexicans don't invite people over if they're not willing to feed them. It surprised them to find out that there was going to be a meal.
It was a wonderful time. And Jesus did indeed make himself known to us . Was it the Eucharist, No! Was Jesus present, Yes! Even in our frivolous banter . Well , except maybe Scott (jk).
Jesus really does make himself known to us in the breaking of bread. Thank you LORD!
Going Big! But slowly cuz I'm full.

DO NOT WORRY .

I have been a worrier most of my life. What a waste of time. To worry is to enter a lie. There's a fine line between prudent concern and worry. Concern and caution are often warranted and can often times prevent catastrophe. But worry is an illusion of control. A concerned and cautious person makes preparation so as to prevent the best they can an unfavorable outcome. A worrying person doesn't just take precaution and leave it in Gods hands but dwells on the possibility of the unfavorable outcome,lamenting something that hasn't happened yet and may never happen. The illusion is that worry could actually do some good or maybe we're not totally powerless as we truly are most of the time. Concern and caution can do some good but worry displaces faith in Jesus. If we are worrying where is our faith? How can we stop worrying?
Jesus gives a formula to stop worrying in the 6th chapter of Matthew. In this chapter he tells us not to worry 3 different times. In the 33rd verse he says"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Basically he says "Don't worry, seek God. God has you covered. Pray more. Worship more. Praise more. Displace worry with seeking God.
GO!

Gen Rex

I am coining a new term for the people of my generation. Technically I'm the last year of the BOOMER generation . But I'm not a real boomer. I was born in the 60's but I really came of age in the late 70's to the 80's. I think that many of the kids born from nineteen 58 to 70 fall through the cracks of the of the boomer and Xer generation. I don't limit Gen Rexers to those dates though. I think it has more to do with era your parents were in combined with the era you came up in . Classic Boomers were born to WII era parents. Xers are the products of boomers. My folks like the parents of many of my friends aren't in either category of parents. They(my folks) were late depression babies. They didn't fight in any war, grew up poorer than most boomers and they didn't lose faith as many of the boomers . Integrity, working for what you got and the golden rule were king. My cousins (their dad's fought WII and KOREA) that are Twelve years older than I grew up questioning authority but my cousins who were closer to my age did not. Me and my friends (Reagan era teens) rebelled some but it 'seems that we grew up thinking that authority needed to be respected (more or less) because someday we were going to be that authority.
Generational sociology is pretty much guess work anyway. Hey, I can guess just as good as any sociologist. I actually think I have a minor in it . Classification never totally works , there's always an exception.So I'm just arrogant enough to expand common generational classifications and add GENERATION REX.
I have more thoughts on this subject. but I will have mercy upon the readers (both of you).
Go Big or Go Home!
For those Boomers that may read this and be offended by the last sentence because it sounds like a command and may jeopardize your personal authority over your own life.
Dude! read the bible and say goodbye to that personal authority crud.

playing hurt(scared)

I went to high school with with a guy named Gaston Green who went on to be a Heisman trophy candidate and professional running back. Gaston was notorious for saving himself from injury. Professional sports was the goal and you couldn't get there if you were injured. He opted not to go to the state track and field championships and it was speculated that it was for fear of injury so as not to jeopardize is scholarship to UCLA. I never followed sports much but Gaston was hometown hero so I would watch his games and listen to the occasional interview. On one occasion there had been a lot of clatter whether Gaston was going to play in a big game because of an injury . Reports were that the injury was minor and something that could be played through. This was no surprise to many people. Gaston was always saving himself. For folks that wanted to see him in the NFL that just fine with them but there were rumors that his team was unhappy. I don't know what's true. I do know that Gaston played that game and did well. In an interview after the game the interviewer said that he could not detect an injury while Gaston was playing. Gaston said that he learned that he could play hurt and it was a confidence building experience.
Fear attacks all of us .In addition to the actual injury it was fear that almost stopped Gaston from playing. All those what if questions can weigh very heavy. What the injury hampers performance and you look bad? What if it gets worse? What if it stops a career?
Athletes aren't the only ones who need to play hurt (scared) especially when other are affected.
Jesus played the game scared to the point that he sweat blood. We benefit because he persevered through his fear to do the will of the father.
Fear can be a show stopper but it doesn't have to be.Jesus says "do not fear " and "I remain with you to the end of the age ". He never says specifically to "play scared" but it's implied .
The what ifs can get really loud. But God's will is louder if we listen . His voice encouraging us is even louder still if we just listen.
PLAY SCARED!
RECKLESS ABANDON STARTS HERE!

a ministry of balance

I was meditating this morning. The republican and democrats are a good example of lack of balance. Everything the other side does is wrong . I was reading a magazine for liberals the made the republican party look like the Nazi party. And there is conservative publication that makes liberals into flower holding Hippies.
Both are untrue and out of balance.
Balance is truth. I believe that the CEC seeks to bring balance to the church. Liturgy by itself will tip toward blind ritualism. Charismatic worship unchecked will eventually slide to doing the Macarenna with a rattlesnake. Evangelical bible centered fanaticism will lead that "me my bible and Jesus " attitude. All these are arrogant errors. We need balance. Let's find it.
Going big

Nostalgia- Is it good for anything?

I've always liked old stuff. Those of you who know me, know I have a soft spot for antiques. The stuff I normally like is from the 30's or earlier. I hardly even look at stuff from my era. But Lately I have this need to surround myself with the things I grew up with. So far I have been able (mostly because I'm poor ) to resist the temptation to buy stuff. I was at a swap meet two weeks ago and saw a remote control car (I normally loathe them ) that was made to look like "the Mach 5". It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. I had to shake my head vigorously to get out of the trans that I was under.
Then one day I are started humming na na na - na nana na -na na na -na - na nana na . OH MY GOD IN HEAVEN ! I was humming the Banana splits theme song. What is happening to me ? I think I'm being sucked back in time to the early 70's .I long for the days when the Snufalupigus couldn't be seen by any one but Big Bird. I want my hot wheels back. I want to go to Thrifty's riding my purple sears spyder and buy a single scoop of pistachio ice cream for a nickel. I want a tarnished St. Christopher medal and coin purse with a Mexican calendar and two dimes inside.
This whole nostalgia thing started a month ago when I realized (all of a sudden)that I was going to have more responsibility than I've ever had in my life when Fr Jim leaves . HMMMMM, I wonder if that's why I suddenly have this need to revisit the most carefree segment of my life.
---------- NAH!
Anyway if you guys know of anyone selling some hot wheels cheap let me know .

Today's blog was brought to you by the numbers 4 and 7 - and the letter P
GO BIG OR GO HOME !

The invisible parish and the small picture

The parish I serve is much bigger than I first thought. We have under 40 show up for worship on a normal Sunday . Yet during the week I find myself loving and ministering to faces that never have and probably never will show up for a Sunday Mass. This is nothing new, it's been happening since I've been in ministry. It's seems where ever I go, God gives me people to love and minister to. About a year ago I was crying out to the Lord and lamenting the fact that I had ministered to a dozen people that day yet none were in the church and would probably never come. The Lord answered me very simply "but they were blessed today" then he asked me a question-"Where is the parish you serve?" Immediately I saw in my mind a aerial view of of the building we use - then I heard a loud "that's not the parish I gave you to serve " then in my mind I saw a slide show of the aerial view getting larger with every click until I was looking at the whole planet from space.
I understand what God was telling me, unfortunately as a human I find comfort in the small picture. How nice it would be to have a parish of 300 to 500 and just serve those souls. I thought that my parish was comprised of those who show up on Sunday. Again, the small picture. My parish has no boundaries.
Why should I have ever thought my ministry should be any different than the Lord's. He ministered where ever he was. I always have too but always with I my eyes pointed back at the small picture hoping for the day when the parish will be large enough that I would just minister there . The outside stuff was supposed to be temporary. Well , it's been 7 years and what's gotten larger is my ministry to those outside the immediate parish. The people in my parish don't know this. I don't hide it from I just don't make it a big deal. I have been wrong. It's not just my ministry. Again I was holding on to a small picture. Now I have to share that with the folks that come on Sunday. I'm calling the greater community that we serve "The Invisible Parish ". This parish doesn't show up for the Eucharist on Sunday but need receive the "Body of Christ " during the week. But only if we take it to them!
Well , I've accepted the big picture now. Any ideas where I can get a frame for it ?
LIVE THE BIGGER STORY!

Service etc. continued

Jesus submitted to the will of the Father unto death. If we submit in like fashion we will die too. Not necessarily a physical death but death none the less. Death to the world and death to self. "You gotta die so you can really live"(yes Cody, I'm saying it again ). So go ahead and die. There is life far more abundant than you could ever imagine in self death. Start by serving and serving that goes beyond what you think you can give. Submit to God and those he has put over you. Learn to tolerate the discomfort of not being in control by emptying yourself to let the Holy Spirit fill you up. Say goodbye to fairness and embrace a life of service to God and others.
GO BIG OR GO HOME

Service , Submission and Fairness

As Christians we are called to serve. W e serve God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) first then others and we relinquish our desire to be served. That's a tough one. It goes against all human sense of fairness, right?
I don't believe in "fair" anymore. The more I meditate on God's gift to me through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the less I believe that I can ever be justified in saying "Hey that's not fair ". What's fair? Was it fair that God had to suffer so that I might be saved from sin that I freely committed. Sin that should bring me an eternal death penalty. No, It's not fair but I am thankful for that sacrifice. I am forgiven yet it's not fair by human standards that Jesus died for sin he didn't commit. He said he came to serve and not be served and he did so unto death. If he is our only true example of how to live this life (which he is ), then we must serve also.
In my ministry I have found that it is submission that helps me beat down the desire to shout aloud "it's not fair". I am submitted to Jesus and those who he has put over me. I have given my life over and have knowledge that I'm no longer in control (actually I never was but I thought so or needed to think so.) Submission is difficult but very freeing. True submission is Christ like ...
More later.
Live your christian life with reckless abandon!

An attempt at consistency

I feel that I need to write more and more often (OK that's redundant-and repetitive too). So I'll do that. Not that there's anyone out that can't live without my scribblings but I need to do it because of what I said in the first contribution of this blog. My goal is to be wholly known. I can't do that in this blog if I don't write. In a couple places the scriptures say that Jesus knew their hearts and or minds. I want the body Christ to know my heart and my mind. I have an easier time with the heart part. My mind is a little more elusive. It seems that I'm always losing it. Lets look for it together, shall we?
Go extremely Large or go back to the place where you dwell! For Fuller graduates or seminarians of any variety that means
GO BIG OR GO HOME !

A Church Full of Worms

"I am so happy we have worms!" Yes , this church has worms. If I were to put them on the scale I'm sure they would weigh well over a thousand pounds. One might think that we must be infested with thousands of worms. Actually there are only five. And they have names. David, Scott, Jim, Carsten and Cody.
They are really sub deacons who have, very graciously for the most part, the title of W.O.R.M..
Which stands for W.ithO.ut R.eal M.antel. They are subdeacons that will take on the duties of a Deacon but not ordained.
I am proud to serve with men who are committed to Jesus Christ so strongly. Our Church is blessed to have them.
Stay tuned for the occasional WORM story.
Go live the BIG story