Beloved: Word Shop Newsletter February 2007
Throughout my life, I have had many loving and intimate relationships with people involved in homosexual activity. With my positive experiences, my scriptural understanding and long conversations with people on all sides, I have come to the conclusion that homosexual activity is a sin--it misses the mark. It is not a huge grandiose sin; just a common everyday garden variety sin like adultery, pornography, divorce, lust, sleeping around or any other of the many sexual sins that so easily beset us. This is not a popular opinion in most circles I travel in, but there it is.As we have struggled with this issue in the church, I have become aware of an attending sin, which is equally if not more common among us. That is the sin of placing our identity in something other than God. This is a pit that I regularly fall in. We are not Episcopal, Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, homosexual, straight, bi, right, left, moderate, doctors, lawyers or indian chiefs. We are beloved.
When I lose sight of being loved, I begin grasping at straws--muddling around in the pit of ambition trying to find some identity that will launch me into the green pastures of respect, value, honor, love. Searching for some shiny thing to trade for love, or standing with arms crossed insisting that prejudice is stealing away love rightfully due, is invariably rooted in a disconnect with my essential identity. How odd that we so often are willing to trade our truest selves, our inheritance, for the latest golden calf. Next time you see me, remind me that I am beloved. I will try to do the same for you.
"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8There are two kinds of people: those who separate everyone into two kinds of people and those who don't. Ronald Rolheiser is a grand separator. His book Holy Longing begins by separating out two functions of the soul. The first is to stir up desire, eros, the life force. The second, seemingly opposite function is to integrate and focus that energy in order to avoid dissipation. This was a nifty framework to start our 4-week Lenten Series on Spiritual Practices with. You missed the first one, but you can still come this Friday @ 1:30. The next three themes include Healing through Illustrated Journaling, Creating Sacred Space, and Repentance.
"Desire is the straw that stirs the drink." --Ronald RolheiserJim brought in another great stack of guy-sey mysteries. I couldn't resist picking up The Bookman's Wake by John Dunning. "Nail-biting suspense" with (here's the kicker) a BOOKSELLER detective. I started it over a late leisurely lunch at Carpos and decided it was time to leave when the place filled with the dinner crowd. I picked it up again around 9:00 that night after the First Tuesday Writers Group. A mistake. At two in the morning I finished the book and staggered off to bed. Talk about dissipation! He's written several other bookseller-detective novels. I have The Sign of the Book in hand, hoping for the spiritual discipline to read it in more reasonable chunks. Some people can't stop after one drink. Lord have mercy.
"It is better to have loafed and lost than never to have loafed at all." --James ThurberAfter unsuccessfully searching all over town for some inexpensive but solid manuscript boxes for my Great American Novel and other emerging works, I finally ordered a batch online. The term, in case you're interested is "Literature Mailers." Unfortunately they come in batches of 50, which is a few more than even I need. I have both 2" deep and 1 1/4" deep boxes. Do any of you locals need some manuscript boxes? $1.50 each, or 4 for $5.
"I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork." -Peter De VriesThe Sacred Heart of Jesus is a little book by Bernard Haring, which begins with a brief history of some noted players of this devotion. Each short chapter dips into the waters that spring from His heart, offering nourishment, wisdom, grace. A phrase that struck me was "healing of the public life." Now there's a phrase you can sink your teeth into.
"Unity, solidarity, peace, as they come from and lead to God are matters of the heart--the innermost being of those who are able and willing to build bridges between people and contribute to the healing of the public life." --Bernard HaringThe Order of St. Luke bunch is putting on a Healing Mission in Capitola with Rev. Mike Evans as the keynote speaker. Gracenotes are leading the music. (That's Carolyn and I.) The March 23, Friday evening healing service at 7:00 is free, the workshops on Saturday are cheap. We're going to have a book table there, too. (Tra La Tra La.) For more info, come by and pick up a brochure or check out the OSL website: www.orderofstluke.org
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. - Albert EinsteinAfter December's newsletter, both Patrick and Mary Ellen suggested the MOVIE of The Remains of the Day with Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. We finally watched it last night, snuggled close to see the computer in the middle of the bed. (We still don't have a living room.) Michael got fidgety waiting for an Orc attack or SOMETHING to happen. I enjoyed it. But the book is better (and still available).
"There is wisdom in turning as often as possible from the familiar to the unfamiliar: it keeps the mind nimble, it kills prejudice, and it fosters humor. -George SantayanaThea brought in a great load of books one weekend along with a note which somehow disappeared. On Monday, I shuffled through the stack, which included lots of Shaeffer, Elizabeth Elliot... "This bunch looks like Thea," I thought. A week later, her note surfaced on the desk. Funny to be able to recognize a person from the books they give away.
"I have a great deal of company in my house; especially in the morning, when nobody calls." -Henry David ThoreauThank you for keeping company with me.
Blessings,
Alliee +
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