Trying not to BNeg » religion

I Can’t Be Humble, I’m On Facebook

admin — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:24:07 +0000

For the first time ever, our church gathered writings from parishioners and created a Lenten devotional booklet.

Do we need these writings? Yes.

Today I found myself looking at an Easter display and thinking I needed to get the ingredients for our Easter dinner. “Wait a minute,” I thought, “Easter is 40 days away.”

I need Lent.

My writing is based on the passage for Ash Wednesday, Luke 18:9-14. For those of you who know about our decision to move our local site, Rockville Central, exclusively to Facebook, I wrote this before we had the idea. We’ve had so much publicity because of the move that I believe my resolve was being tested.

During Lent I never give up or “fast” from something. When I was younger my minister encouraged us to add something, perhaps to make the world a better place, and this idea has stuck with me. To me Lent is a time to take a look at myself by adding a daily reading of the Bible, a contemplative book, or a Lenten study. This is why I love the idea of our church having a Lenten Devotional so much.

In today’s reading, Jesus tells the story of a Pharisee who is praying with a tax collector. The Pharisee thanks God that “I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers or even like this tax collector.” Meanwhile the tax collector beats his breast and begs “God, be merciful to me a sinner.”

Jesus’ response is to be humble because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.

How often do we think we are better than others and “toot our own horn”? In today’s world Facebook and other social networking sites are always open for bragging, pride, narcissism and egotistical behavior. We’re encouraged to market ourselves and list our accomplishments. Where do you draw the line when you can broadcast anything every hour of every day? Can you find the restraint to not judge others and be modest?

Lent is a time to turn to a daily reading and find the strength to look in your heart and be humble.

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A Real Life Parable Made Me Think

Cynthia Cotte Griffiths — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:04:00 +0000

After church started on Easter Sunday, an Asian man in his 30’s sat down in the pew in front of me. I had the feeling he was homeless but it wasn’t obvious. I handed him my bulletin and showed him where we were. When it came time for the offering, I couldn’t help but watch. I worried because if I was right about him, this could be an uncomfortable situation. He opened his wallet and all I could see was a coupon and two dollars. He pulled out the two dollars and put them in the offering plate.

We all know about the parable of the woman giving her small amount in the temple showing far more love than the rich man who gave a larger amount but a smaller fraction of his wealth. I had witnessed the real thing. While I thought selfish thoughts on his behalf, he emptied his wallet.

So today I sit here thinking I would never give away all our money. Who would empty out their mutual funds, retirement plans, savings accounts and stocks? I wouldn’t, not in a million years. Where does this leave me?

When my husband and I were young starting out, we had very little. I knew in the back of my head we were “safe” from this parable lesson. The day I married my husband he was ABD without the dissertation started and had no income. He didn’t even have a car because he had to junk it on the way to the university one morning. Meanwhile, I was working at a local nonprofit. We had nothing but our love and my large inherited real estate debt.

I learned real estate, bought and sold property, then refinanced our current house seven years ago when the interest rates hit rock bottom. One day I told my husband we had earned what we had. He was quick to point out that it was all a gift from God. He was right.

The homeless man reminded me of my wealth.

All the gifts in our lives are precious. Sometimes I think I squander love and friendship much more than money. We can lose everything we love very quickly.

While adding up the terrible investment losses from last year, I thought about everything I could have done with the money to help others and fulfill our dreams. Now I’m reminded it’s never too late to start.

Maybe I shouldn’t have been hanging onto it after all.

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Learning to Love Letting Go

Cynthia Cotte Griffiths — Mon, 18 May 2009 06:09:00 +0000

Scaffolding rose up toward the ceiling where the altar usually stands at the front of the church. Even though this was a special day for my son to celebrate Communion, we were not going to be kneeling at our familiar altar. Nothing was usual.

When I first heard the stained glass window was to be re-installed and the church would be in disarray, all I could think was “bad planning”. In my life, both personally and professionally, I plan everything. Schedules, timetables, and details are paramount.

But I think God had a strong message for me today.

The makeshift altar and distribution held the same promise. This Christian family meal provided the same joy of celebration with the millions of Christians who have lived or will live around the world. Life can’t be typical with so many people in the chaotic throws of life. You can’t plan everything with thoughts and power crashing in all directions.

When I became pregnant with my first son, a colleague told me having a child would be good for me because I would have to learn to let go. Everything would not go exactly as I expected. For the past dozen years, her words were a daily invitation to put each instance in perspective. I have changed.

Today’s free-wheeling service took my thoughts a step further and made me appreciate the unexpected, embrace the uncontrollable unknown. After all, earthly objects are immaterial.

A couple of weeks ago, our seminarian preached about his first time in our church. Our minister told him how he loved the stained glass window of the Ascension. As Jesus rises, the disciples are all standing around with expressions on their faces which seem to ask “Where are you going and what are we supposed to do?”

I ask myself the same thing everyday.

Today I realized I’m supposed to take Communion even when there’s no altar and be glad while I do it. After I am fed, I’m responsible for feeding, or looking after, others.

In life we often have to succeed with a failed plan. We will, by letting go of our perceived failure and finding joy in the situation.

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