I went to see the film...twice. If you're readings this, chances are you already know that I am a film junkie but you may not know that I am especially fond of adventure stories and science fiction. I have seen just about every disaster film ever made!
I've seen the classics; "Towering Inferno", the original and the remake of "The Poseidon Adventure." I've seen the more technologically-enhanced offerings like "Armageddon" as well as the films that have tried to tell the more personal sides of crises such as "Deep Impact" and "The Day After Tomorrow." And I liked them all! Of course, I watch disaster films on the Sci Fi Channel so my taste here is not exactly refined. I think I just like to see things break down.
"Independence Day" had set a pretty high bar. It would be hard to imagine a better "worse-case scenario" than what Bill Pullman and Will Smith had to deal with. But "2012" takes breaking down to a whole new level. It is a disaster movie of planetary proportions. The death toll is never cited exactly but at one point in the film, one of the characters makes the statement, "...that we might be able to save 400,000 people is nothing short of a miracle." Happily, we don't have to watch the other 6.5 billion perish but we do get a unique opportunity to use our imaginations as we watch the crust of the earth literally turn inside-out.
The story behind the story, of course, is the date. December 21, 2012 represents a curious convergence of science and religion. The scientific side has to do with planetary positioning and the Milky Way galaxy. The religious side has to do with the Mayan Calendar and some interpretations of Nostradamus. There is ample reading for all of this on the Internet and beyond so I will not get into it here--except to say that it is interesting--a bit more intriguing, I think, than say Y2K which came and went without inspiring even a modest disaster film.
As far as the meanings or predictions associated with the date... Or to a lesser degree, the possibilities suggested by the film... I say why not. Not in terms of digging a hole and waiting for the end or worrying about what will or will not be. But rather, why not pay attention--as Christians are called to do BTW. Jesus says, "watch." So why not ask a few questions? For example, in a universe that appears to be billions of years old, how is it that human civilization only appears to be a few thousand? Or, how is it that an ancient civilization like the Mayans could possibly understand the stars and planets so well? Clearly there is more to this amazing world than we understand. And clearly we are not going to ever fully understand it but why not widen our vision a little.
Jesus has already made it clear that no one knows "the day nor the hour." So it would seem ill-advised to turn our own worlds upside-down. If there is something to all this, then any amount of worrying (or digging for that matter!) is not going to change anything.
On a final note, I better make it clear that I am not professing to believe anything about December 21, 2012. The fact is, I wouldn't know where to begin. I am not a big fan of belief anyway. Belief, it seems to me, is a poor substitute for faith. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what we believe. What matters is what is true. Or specifically, whether or not our faith in God is grounded in something more than our minds. I believe (for lack of a better word) that it is. I have faith that whatever happens or does not happen two years from now is in God's care. This not only seems to help with the regular anxieties of life; it also allows me to sit back and enjoy a good disaster film.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
This is the Feast
We will soon gather for the annual Thanksgiving Feast. Now there's a phrase that has sort of lost it's meaning. Not only has Thanksgiving become more about vacation than giving thanks, it is no longer understood as a feast, at least not in the traditional sense. For the last two-thousand years, feast days have had religious meaning. Christians, especially have tended to tie remembrance to the practice of sharing in a meal. In addition to being a happy and practical means of celebration, this also served as an opportunity for teaching the young--again, usually something meaningful about God or some religious conviction.
Christians, of course, did not come up with this idea. The Jews were doing this long before the coming of Jesus and pagans held similar feasts to celebrate their own religious holidays--which were often tied to season events such as planting and harvest. What Christians did do was familiarize the practice. That is, the Church made these practices more common. The most obvious example of this is through the feasts of the saints. The Holy Eucharist of Lord's Supper is celebrated regularly within the life of the Church.
At Saint Francis we celebrate the Eucharist weekly but the truth is that somewhere in the world, at any given time on any given day, the Church is breaking bread in honor of the Lord's sacrificial death. It is important to remember that the Church is One. So even though we may be not be participating personally in the feast, we are still tied to it's observance. I had a professor who used to say that if the Church ever ceased this practice, God would destroy the world. While I am not sure about that, I do find it compelling that at any given moment in time some body of the faithful are reciting the words of the Holy Eucharist.
So what exactly is happening here? The practice is first about the holy commandment of the Lord, "Do This In Remembrance of Me." But in some traditions, it is also an opportunity to teach the faith by retelling the story--not only of Jesus but also of the faithful men and women who have sought to follow him down through the ages. So, for example, in the Catholic tradition, the regular observance of the Mass might be called "The Feast of St. Francis" or "The Feast of St. Anthony." The options are rather surprising. If you have never seen it, the list will likely shock you. See http://www.catholic.org/saints/f_day/nov.php
Protestant Christians might find this a bit overdone. And sometimes we hear the suspicion... --so many feast days for so many different people... celebrating The Lord's Supper over and over... reciting those same words... doesn't that make it lose it's meaning?
But of course it is more than mere words and recitation, isn't it? The prayer of the Holy Eucharist is, after all, called "The Great Thanksgiving." It is a remembrance and celebration of what God has done, is doing and will do in Jesus Christ. It is an act of Thanksgiving in the truest sense--which is an opportunity for us to re-posture our lives. It is a chance to reorient ourselves toward God and neighbor. To give thanks is to be humble as well as grateful. It is to take time to celebrate the good blessings of life and to make room for others who God also blesses and desires to bless. How can something like this possibly be done too frequently?
As the nation takes time out for it's annual day of giving thanks, let us join them. May we share in the food and the fellowship and the time off work. May we joyfully laugh and enjoy the company of friends, family and others...
But let us also remember that such things are not to be reserved. God desires us to be humble, grateful and joyful each and every day. And God has made it so that we can be. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwdZGPK6iTQ
Christians, of course, did not come up with this idea. The Jews were doing this long before the coming of Jesus and pagans held similar feasts to celebrate their own religious holidays--which were often tied to season events such as planting and harvest. What Christians did do was familiarize the practice. That is, the Church made these practices more common. The most obvious example of this is through the feasts of the saints. The Holy Eucharist of Lord's Supper is celebrated regularly within the life of the Church.
At Saint Francis we celebrate the Eucharist weekly but the truth is that somewhere in the world, at any given time on any given day, the Church is breaking bread in honor of the Lord's sacrificial death. It is important to remember that the Church is One. So even though we may be not be participating personally in the feast, we are still tied to it's observance. I had a professor who used to say that if the Church ever ceased this practice, God would destroy the world. While I am not sure about that, I do find it compelling that at any given moment in time some body of the faithful are reciting the words of the Holy Eucharist.
So what exactly is happening here? The practice is first about the holy commandment of the Lord, "Do This In Remembrance of Me." But in some traditions, it is also an opportunity to teach the faith by retelling the story--not only of Jesus but also of the faithful men and women who have sought to follow him down through the ages. So, for example, in the Catholic tradition, the regular observance of the Mass might be called "The Feast of St. Francis" or "The Feast of St. Anthony." The options are rather surprising. If you have never seen it, the list will likely shock you. See http://www.catholic.org/saints/f_day/nov.php
Protestant Christians might find this a bit overdone. And sometimes we hear the suspicion... --so many feast days for so many different people... celebrating The Lord's Supper over and over... reciting those same words... doesn't that make it lose it's meaning?
But of course it is more than mere words and recitation, isn't it? The prayer of the Holy Eucharist is, after all, called "The Great Thanksgiving." It is a remembrance and celebration of what God has done, is doing and will do in Jesus Christ. It is an act of Thanksgiving in the truest sense--which is an opportunity for us to re-posture our lives. It is a chance to reorient ourselves toward God and neighbor. To give thanks is to be humble as well as grateful. It is to take time to celebrate the good blessings of life and to make room for others who God also blesses and desires to bless. How can something like this possibly be done too frequently?
As the nation takes time out for it's annual day of giving thanks, let us join them. May we share in the food and the fellowship and the time off work. May we joyfully laugh and enjoy the company of friends, family and others...
But let us also remember that such things are not to be reserved. God desires us to be humble, grateful and joyful each and every day. And God has made it so that we can be. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwdZGPK6iTQ
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Not-quite Instant Karma
Occasionally, we hear people judge God. Actually what they are doing is judging God on the basis of things that take place on earth. They will claim that God must not exist because innocent children suffer or they will claim that God is irresponsible because there are clearly horrible things going on. The fact is, most people say these kinds of things not because they are looking for a meaningful conversation but rather to offer a veiled excuse for not taking their own faith more seriously.
But for the sake of those who might actually raise such questions in good faith, I want to share a story. But before I do, I need to offer a little context and a few caveats. First, things like the Holocaust or Rwanda or the history of slavery in America are complex and frightful matters. They involve not only the reality of human sin but also the evils of secular structures like nation-states and economic ambitions. Second, the story I am about to tell is trivial and silly. It is in no way meant to be equated with the kind complexity and urgency involved with real human suffering. Rather, I offer it precisely because it is so small and silly and therefore, safe. If we can perhaps see God or at least signs of God’s nearness in tiny things, then it seems to me we can be more assured that God is very near to what we might call big things.
I bowl on Wednesday nights. This is after our regular mid-week meal and programming here at Saint Francis. Though most of the folks in the league know that I am a pastor, no one attends the church so it serves as an opportunity to wind-down and decompress. My teammates are a Korean couple, Young and Chung, and a friend named, John who has a healthy understanding of people and the world in which we live. They are all great. We always have fun and generally bowl well enough so as not to embarrass ourselves.
Last night we were bowling a team that has been doing very well. We won the first game and were mid-way through the second when Chung lost her balance while throwing her first ball in the fourth frame. She didn’t fall but she did step forward into the right gutter. Meanwhile, the ball hit for a strike. Chung was excited but as she made her way back from the alley, I could already see that the opposing team was not going to let this stand. Officially, stepping over the line, even into the gutter, is a foul. Two of the bowlers on the opposing team wanted to ignore the infraction as did John and I. After all, this is a fun league and the woman just threw a strike! But the other two bowlers saw that it might change the outcome of the game and as they understood it, a rule was a rule… So I had the joy of explaining that her strike would not count and that she would have to throw a second ball. Meanwhile, the opposing team captain corrected the score. Afterwards, I walked to the table and almost at the same time John and I said the word “Karma.”
Chung is about the sweetest person you could meet—if that reference is still acceptable. She is always respectful and cheerful and you cannot help but hope that things will fall her way. And they don’t always. But John and I both sort of sensed that this time they might…We ended up winning the second game as well.
Then came the third game. None of us were bowling very well and we ended up being down by over 50 pins in the tenth frame. The opposing team bowled well extending the lead a bit further but Chung and I still had a chance and we were both working on a strike in the ninth. Chung then threw what appeared to be a perfect shot but rather than a strike, it turned out to be a split. She was unable to make the spare. I remember thinking at the time that it seemed wrong. I am no Karma expert but it seemed to me that she should have at least had a chance to make it close—but a split???
Anyway, I got up to throw the last frame of the night. At this point, the opposing team was finished and I figured that they were well out of reach. My first ball was a solid strike—fun, because it seemed to send a message of what might have been… But my second ball was another strike. I heard a cheer in the back but I honestly didn’t know the score. My third ball was a final strike with the seven-pin wobbling and then falling with the rest. I walked back to John’s outstretched hand. We had won the third game by a single pin.
Now I am capable of throwing three strikes in the tenth frame. I’ve done it before although certainly not often—and certainly not to win a game by a single pin. In other words, this might be considered nothing more than a cheesy, self-aggrandizing story. And you are welcome to take it that way, I guess. But that’s not the way it felt. John and I wanted to see our opponents pay for needlessly hurting our friend—not a lot—we certainly didn’t want anyone to get hurt but we did want to see Chung vindicated. And truth be told… that was just about right. You could see the look on the faces of the two guys…A rule is a rule, I guess, even in God’s sometimes mysterious sense of justice…
But for the sake of those who might actually raise such questions in good faith, I want to share a story. But before I do, I need to offer a little context and a few caveats. First, things like the Holocaust or Rwanda or the history of slavery in America are complex and frightful matters. They involve not only the reality of human sin but also the evils of secular structures like nation-states and economic ambitions. Second, the story I am about to tell is trivial and silly. It is in no way meant to be equated with the kind complexity and urgency involved with real human suffering. Rather, I offer it precisely because it is so small and silly and therefore, safe. If we can perhaps see God or at least signs of God’s nearness in tiny things, then it seems to me we can be more assured that God is very near to what we might call big things.
I bowl on Wednesday nights. This is after our regular mid-week meal and programming here at Saint Francis. Though most of the folks in the league know that I am a pastor, no one attends the church so it serves as an opportunity to wind-down and decompress. My teammates are a Korean couple, Young and Chung, and a friend named, John who has a healthy understanding of people and the world in which we live. They are all great. We always have fun and generally bowl well enough so as not to embarrass ourselves.
Last night we were bowling a team that has been doing very well. We won the first game and were mid-way through the second when Chung lost her balance while throwing her first ball in the fourth frame. She didn’t fall but she did step forward into the right gutter. Meanwhile, the ball hit for a strike. Chung was excited but as she made her way back from the alley, I could already see that the opposing team was not going to let this stand. Officially, stepping over the line, even into the gutter, is a foul. Two of the bowlers on the opposing team wanted to ignore the infraction as did John and I. After all, this is a fun league and the woman just threw a strike! But the other two bowlers saw that it might change the outcome of the game and as they understood it, a rule was a rule… So I had the joy of explaining that her strike would not count and that she would have to throw a second ball. Meanwhile, the opposing team captain corrected the score. Afterwards, I walked to the table and almost at the same time John and I said the word “Karma.”
Chung is about the sweetest person you could meet—if that reference is still acceptable. She is always respectful and cheerful and you cannot help but hope that things will fall her way. And they don’t always. But John and I both sort of sensed that this time they might…We ended up winning the second game as well.
Then came the third game. None of us were bowling very well and we ended up being down by over 50 pins in the tenth frame. The opposing team bowled well extending the lead a bit further but Chung and I still had a chance and we were both working on a strike in the ninth. Chung then threw what appeared to be a perfect shot but rather than a strike, it turned out to be a split. She was unable to make the spare. I remember thinking at the time that it seemed wrong. I am no Karma expert but it seemed to me that she should have at least had a chance to make it close—but a split???
Anyway, I got up to throw the last frame of the night. At this point, the opposing team was finished and I figured that they were well out of reach. My first ball was a solid strike—fun, because it seemed to send a message of what might have been… But my second ball was another strike. I heard a cheer in the back but I honestly didn’t know the score. My third ball was a final strike with the seven-pin wobbling and then falling with the rest. I walked back to John’s outstretched hand. We had won the third game by a single pin.
Now I am capable of throwing three strikes in the tenth frame. I’ve done it before although certainly not often—and certainly not to win a game by a single pin. In other words, this might be considered nothing more than a cheesy, self-aggrandizing story. And you are welcome to take it that way, I guess. But that’s not the way it felt. John and I wanted to see our opponents pay for needlessly hurting our friend—not a lot—we certainly didn’t want anyone to get hurt but we did want to see Chung vindicated. And truth be told… that was just about right. You could see the look on the faces of the two guys…A rule is a rule, I guess, even in God’s sometimes mysterious sense of justice…
Age Before Beauty
O.K. This one is primarily for all the basketball junkies out there... And for old people like me. The truth is I can barely stand the NBA. I only watch the games on television when there's is absolutely nothing else on--which sadly is more and more often.
Steve Nash is once again leading the NBA in assists. He is currently averaging 12.9 per game. These are assists, mind you, not points. In order to average 13 of them, a player has to make a pass that leads directly to a basket. And these aren't like the assists in soccer where you can pass it to a guy and he can then dribble the ball for 30 yards and kick it in. A true assist in basketball occurs when the last thing that happens before the shot is a pass. A good high school guard will average 5 of these per game. Bobby Hurley (hmmmm, where did he play?) still holds the NCAA record for most assists (1076). That record has stood since 1993. As good as Hurley was, he never averaged more than 8.2 assists per game in a single year. I think that he had 13 just once.
A few years ago, Allen Iverson and Carmello Anthony were battling for a scoring title one year. They were both flirting with the magical number of 30 points-per-game. Someone consulted Michael Jordan about this (Jordan averaged 30.1 over his entire career). Jordan just chuckled. He rhetorically asked, do you have any idea what it takes to average 30 a night? Here is a recollection/paraphrase of the conversation: Let's say you have an off night and you only score 20--which is still well above what the average NBA player can score in any given night--but you want to average 30 so that means you have to score 40 the next time out. Or, let's say you've got the flu and you get 15--now you're looking at a 45 point outing... just to keep pace. And, of course, you are playing against the best competition in the world. They know full well that you are the leader so while you are doing your best to average 30, they're doing their absolute best to keep you under 20.
So, we get it. Michael Jordan's accomplishments are even greater than we thought... But Steve Nash is no Michael Jordan...Right? He's that pale, anorexic guy from Canada. He looks more like a guy who works at a mom and pop video store than a serious athlete. And he's getting old or at least older for NBA point guards...
And yet--there it is--almost 13 assists per game. Once again, Nash is setting the bar. At 35-years-old, Nash, along with 37-year-old Grant Hill (hmmm, where did he play college ball?) have led the Suns to an 8-1 start this year. Nash is outplaying younger and seemingly more talented players, sometimes to the disgust of what my dad would have referred to as all the Prima Donnas out there.
So hat's off to Steve Nash and to all those folks out there who are making other people shine, Assists are great and so is playing the game with respect and style at 35! Here's a link to the article that inspired my blog http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/11/11/steve.nash/index.html?eref=sihp
Steve Nash is once again leading the NBA in assists. He is currently averaging 12.9 per game. These are assists, mind you, not points. In order to average 13 of them, a player has to make a pass that leads directly to a basket. And these aren't like the assists in soccer where you can pass it to a guy and he can then dribble the ball for 30 yards and kick it in. A true assist in basketball occurs when the last thing that happens before the shot is a pass. A good high school guard will average 5 of these per game. Bobby Hurley (hmmmm, where did he play?) still holds the NCAA record for most assists (1076). That record has stood since 1993. As good as Hurley was, he never averaged more than 8.2 assists per game in a single year. I think that he had 13 just once.
A few years ago, Allen Iverson and Carmello Anthony were battling for a scoring title one year. They were both flirting with the magical number of 30 points-per-game. Someone consulted Michael Jordan about this (Jordan averaged 30.1 over his entire career). Jordan just chuckled. He rhetorically asked, do you have any idea what it takes to average 30 a night? Here is a recollection/paraphrase of the conversation: Let's say you have an off night and you only score 20--which is still well above what the average NBA player can score in any given night--but you want to average 30 so that means you have to score 40 the next time out. Or, let's say you've got the flu and you get 15--now you're looking at a 45 point outing... just to keep pace. And, of course, you are playing against the best competition in the world. They know full well that you are the leader so while you are doing your best to average 30, they're doing their absolute best to keep you under 20.
So, we get it. Michael Jordan's accomplishments are even greater than we thought... But Steve Nash is no Michael Jordan...Right? He's that pale, anorexic guy from Canada. He looks more like a guy who works at a mom and pop video store than a serious athlete. And he's getting old or at least older for NBA point guards...
And yet--there it is--almost 13 assists per game. Once again, Nash is setting the bar. At 35-years-old, Nash, along with 37-year-old Grant Hill (hmmm, where did he play college ball?) have led the Suns to an 8-1 start this year. Nash is outplaying younger and seemingly more talented players, sometimes to the disgust of what my dad would have referred to as all the Prima Donnas out there.
So hat's off to Steve Nash and to all those folks out there who are making other people shine, Assists are great and so is playing the game with respect and style at 35! Here's a link to the article that inspired my blog http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/11/11/steve.nash/index.html?eref=sihp
Friday, November 6, 2009
Elegance
A friend took me trout fishing yesterday. I had a great time and we caught a few fish but it was hard not to notice the sophistication. If I were a lesser man—which would be hard to imagine—I could probably write a pretty funny blog about all the sophistication that goes into fly fishing. But instead, I thought I’d write about how little sophistication goes into so much of religion these days.
I mean, of course, there’s a point at which you begin to fall over the edge. I am not exactly sure how much the average fly fisherman spends on his/her passion but it is clearly more than say the average worm fisherman. You’ve got the rod, the flies, the extra license and the exotic location… And these are the absolutes. But very quickly you need to be thinking about vests and waders and hats and shirts and sunglasses. You should probably be thinking about a guide and digital camera and maybe a surgeon to safely remove the hook should you happen to actually catch one of these precious things. That would be unlikely though. What is the average SAT score for a trout anyway? It’s gotta be higher than most NCAA athletes.
As off-putting as all the regalia might be for some people, I’m a little drawn to it. It's kinda nice to be reminded that the whole world is not made out of particle board and cheeseburgers. Of course, I don’t have the time nor means to fund a fly fishing addiction at this point in my life but I do like the fact that those who do seem to genuinely respect their pursuit. They take the fish, the process and themselves pretty darn seriously… O.K., maybe a little too seriously.
There was a day when Christianity was more like this. The buildings were gargantuan structures of mystery and wonder. The priests wore the finest linens. In some places, even the service was offered in an exotic language that only a few people even understood. So when someone came into the sanctuary, they would quickly understand that there was a grace about the place. Worshipers and adherents were reverent and respectful because that was the nature of the world that they had now entered. The process might be elaborate and the learning curve a little extensive but this too was part of the value.
Contrast this with the consumer-driven examples out there today. There is no longer any danger of asking too much of the worshippers and adherents, at least in these most modern expressions of Christianity. If anything, the Church has fallen over backward in its effort to strip-out anything that might come across as exotic or exclusive. For many Christian bodies, mystery has become more an enemy than an attraction. Whereas worshippers and adherents were once humbled to come before the presence of God, it would now seem that God has been humbled before the appetites of consumers. I think of Kurt Cobain’s timely assessment, “Here we are now, entertain us!”
Of course, we are never going back to the days when the service took place in a foreign language and the priest was the only person who understood what was going on--and for good reason… But at the same time, I hope that the Western Christianity can recover some of the elegance and respect that it has traded away in the name of reaching people.
I mean, of course, there’s a point at which you begin to fall over the edge. I am not exactly sure how much the average fly fisherman spends on his/her passion but it is clearly more than say the average worm fisherman. You’ve got the rod, the flies, the extra license and the exotic location… And these are the absolutes. But very quickly you need to be thinking about vests and waders and hats and shirts and sunglasses. You should probably be thinking about a guide and digital camera and maybe a surgeon to safely remove the hook should you happen to actually catch one of these precious things. That would be unlikely though. What is the average SAT score for a trout anyway? It’s gotta be higher than most NCAA athletes.
As off-putting as all the regalia might be for some people, I’m a little drawn to it. It's kinda nice to be reminded that the whole world is not made out of particle board and cheeseburgers. Of course, I don’t have the time nor means to fund a fly fishing addiction at this point in my life but I do like the fact that those who do seem to genuinely respect their pursuit. They take the fish, the process and themselves pretty darn seriously… O.K., maybe a little too seriously.
There was a day when Christianity was more like this. The buildings were gargantuan structures of mystery and wonder. The priests wore the finest linens. In some places, even the service was offered in an exotic language that only a few people even understood. So when someone came into the sanctuary, they would quickly understand that there was a grace about the place. Worshipers and adherents were reverent and respectful because that was the nature of the world that they had now entered. The process might be elaborate and the learning curve a little extensive but this too was part of the value.
Contrast this with the consumer-driven examples out there today. There is no longer any danger of asking too much of the worshippers and adherents, at least in these most modern expressions of Christianity. If anything, the Church has fallen over backward in its effort to strip-out anything that might come across as exotic or exclusive. For many Christian bodies, mystery has become more an enemy than an attraction. Whereas worshippers and adherents were once humbled to come before the presence of God, it would now seem that God has been humbled before the appetites of consumers. I think of Kurt Cobain’s timely assessment, “Here we are now, entertain us!”
Of course, we are never going back to the days when the service took place in a foreign language and the priest was the only person who understood what was going on--and for good reason… But at the same time, I hope that the Western Christianity can recover some of the elegance and respect that it has traded away in the name of reaching people.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
