I respond to Mint.com's recent visual comparison between the US and China. 

 

I read the Economist, so I tend to see/read this economic/political/spiritual stuff - at least from their paper's view.  And I read a few other items about China here and there, because I have my antenna up for anything on China.  The Newsweek special reports never satisfy me.  Just too entertainment driven.  So the Mint.com stats revealed more.

What gets interesting to me with the Mint.com and China "vs." USA  (vs?? really? they are our enemy?) scenario is this:  you have a cash-rich China, and no customers now (our money dried up).  If they can sell to themselves, good.  But they'll have to spread that cash (our cash btw) around.  Which they are attempting lavishly. 

But will it be enough?  Furthermore, China seems a little "angry" with the west b/c we aren't buying as much (amids other things like...

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"Whoever would save his life will lost it and whoever loses his life will find it" - Jesus, Matthew 16:25

The Apostle Paul repeats an anthem of the early church...

Though his state was that of God, yet he did not claim equality with God something he should cling to.  Rather, he emptied himself, and assuming the state of a slave, he was born in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5ff)

I am reading Cynthia Bourgeault's book, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening.  She states that all great religions/faiths have as their goal "death to self."  True I suppose.  But let us not confuse "interior death" with a more holistic view.  I deeply embrace meditation and contemplation.  I lead retreats, guide people into silence, listening prayer, and centering prayer.  All of this rich spirituality is meant to "plug in" our heart and world to god.  It is not meant to simply a self---ish (self focused, self centered) spirituality, where god is just there to help us idolize our Self.  No.  Taking Jesus' prime...

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Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen!

 Why do we continue to look for Jesus amongst the graves of our dead ideas? ... the dead idea of war, where military violence is suppose to bring peace; the dead idea where Christian moralism replaces sitting at the feet of Jesus; where terrorists replace prophets; where busyness replaces significance; where consumption replaces contentment?

Jesus shows us what it takes to have peace: go and be with your enemy; how to pray - come together for daily worship and scripture contemplation; be the bold voice of truth! rest, re-create and wrestle in solitude with the Author of Life; and store up treasures in heaven. 

When British missionary Bishop Lesslie Newbigin was once asked when reflecting on the future, 'are you an optimist or a pessimist?' he answered: "Neither.  Christ has risen from the dead!" 

If Jesus is risen then all things are possible.  If he has not risen then all we have is religion.

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Going to Conception Abbey soon

On a crisp Spring day like this fine morning I'd love to be walking across the Abbey's hill toward prayer (Lauds) as the bells toll.  After prayers, go eat some simple breakfast with that particular taste of institutional coffee. 

Then later find a warm baking place in the sun, and like some content dog just BE, no worries.  And then listen for the Voice.  Windmills, flowering trees, orchard, the smell of dirt, the smells of the Abbey - frankincense and polish... my journal, a book maybe, a gritty Bible story about some despot ruler who failed to honor god - and as a result the price everyone must pay... imagine myself the prophet who 'told them so'... then wander out in a quiet field... find a tiny obscure rivulet to watch the water drip and gurgle, singing its happy tune of praise. Feel small.  Hear the Voice.

And we are redeemed, like turning in a lost muddy Coke bottle, you found in a ditch as a kid.  You walk into the grocery store, and...  Three cents! ...

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"Set the captives free, defend the poor, share bread and one cup with everyone"

We want to bite off more than we can chew in the inner city.

We want to purchase an apartment complex and rehab it, have spiritual retreats there, and work in the neighborhood.  This will be more than we can handle - and that is exactly the idea.

Those of us in the outer city (suburbia) never drift into rebuilding the inner city in the name of Jesus unless we own the problems, unless we get in over our heads.   This is a theological point, and a good point to make near Easter:  In Jesus, god comes to be with us, he lowers himself, empties himself (Philippians 2:5-11) and enters into "solidarity" with us - he...

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Jesus announced 'the kingdom of heaven is near'.  The kingdom was called good news precisely because it was "news" - it was happening - and not just a wish.  The kingdom was present because Jesus was present. 

So - where's the kingdom?

This is Albert Schweitzer's question (1900).  Schweitzer read the gospels and deduced that Jesus was an apocalyptic figure, a messiah, a savior.  But says Jesus was crushed by the times - he failed. "Where's the kingdom? " 

The more accurate question is this: "What does the kingdom of heaven look like?"  If we go to Matthew's gospel, chapter ten, we find a description of the kingdom of heaven...

heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons freely give, freely receive - no money and few possessions needed - live off others' generosity if you are received then your hosts are "in" and if you are not welcomed, then judgment upon them you are sheep among wolves; wary as snakes, harmless as doves Then...

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Silence gives my words strength

wraps its vines around my muscles

and tightens, squeezing my body into attention

 

Delving deep into earth and restful decay,

roots penetrate me, searching out my rot

And Oh! Is it there

right there on the surface

amidst the litter,

claver and natter

cleverness and schemes

beliefs and systems of conquest

building ramparts and engines

to hurl down my enemies and problems

 

Then - Then my sins are revealed

poking out of earth, the rot and nutrition of fallen wealth

 

I cannot fly

these clicks and snaps haunt me

the breeze comes through my silence unbidden

and disturbs me:

"Be warned! I come as a thief;

I am your oracle

pronouncing doom but hope."

These written words are as organized

and telling as a bright yellow sign in the woods:

"No trespassing, Private property"

 

I hear all at...

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I know Jesus said we should "store up treasure in heaven," but I take this thought a step further:  surely by now a few saints have stored up some treasure in heaven.  And let's not forget the well-spring of Jesus' ransom and the inexhaustible life of the resurrection.  He is not decaying!

Add to this treasury our role as stewards of everything g-d gives us... our comforts, our children, our money and time -- all of these assets belong to g-d.  As stewards we bring forth the treasures of heaven into our world.  G-d has blessed us so we may bless others.  We are the fragrant aroma of Christ in our world.  We are heralds of hope. 

I renounce the defeatism of some followers who think we are a poor and beaten-down rag-tag of exiles and vagabonds.  We are not "just-a-passin' through".  Nor are we 'subversive'.  No, we are the breath of life, the presence of Jesus unto our world.  We are watching and following the Spirit of the Almighty.  Justice flows from heaven through us.  Well-being flows through us from heaven.  When we walk into a room, in walks Jesus. 

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Dr. Dallas Willard says we live in a god-bathed world.

That phrase "god-bathed world" has stuck with me.  It is my job to fill my children's' world with the presence of god. PBS Kids isn't going to tell my children they live in a god-bathed world.  Public school isn't going to either.  Church only has my kids for 60 hours per year.

But I go with my kids some 3,000 hours per year. I am their god-given tour guide. What we need for this job is imagination more than lots of information.  I've never failed to look at a work of art in a gallery and not think, "I wonder what motivated the artist... I wonder what I am supposed to see or understand... what does this art tell me about the artist?"  Likewise, we see our world around us and it is not just a pile of pop art - pretty colors and shapes.  It is there as pure beauty and fun, exhilaration, speed, light - and it all points to the Artist. 

Willard:  "We pay a lot of money to get a tank wit ha few tropical fish in it and never tire of looking at their brilliant iridescence and marvelous forms and movements.  But God has seas full of them, which he constantly enjoys." (The Divine Conspiracy, p63)

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The KC Star is bemoaning the plight of our inner city.  Lakeland is doing something about it.