Prayer and Fasting

Matthew 17:21 - But this kind are only cast out through prayer and fasting.

This verse was removed from my copy, suggesting that it's authenticity is disputed. Yet, I think it is important to think about. Prayer is something that is available to us all. Fasting as well. Fasting maybe not in the sense of not eating but perhaps not consuming more than our share of anything - clothes, electricity, gas, and of course food. So, by staying in constant contact with God and by being aware of what and how we consume - and why! - we become closer to God and to our true self.

For me, when I pray about something daily, hourly, every second, ideas come to me as I pray. Sometimes they are shit! Yet, other times, they are good and work. Prayer opens my mind to solutions rather than keeping focused on the problem. If I'm not praying about a problem, I get ideas about my next steps for the day. Prayer and fasting are truly actions for lent - yet we are in a kind of lent. Waiting for the president-elect to take office. We are, as Fred Clark would say, still in Holy Saturday. Yet, we know Easter will come.

What to do while we wait? Pray, fast, help others.
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Mustard seeds

Matthew 17:19-20 - And the disciples came to him privately and asked him, "Why could we not cast it out?" And Jesus answered saying, "Because you have little faith. For truly I tell you that if you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, "move here" or "move there." and it would. Nothing would be impossible for you.

This is truly a humbling passage. I mean if you weren't humbled by the previous passage, this will do it. Mustard seeds are tiny, tiny, tiny. To recognize that my faith is smaller than that forces me to rely on Jesus' faith. I cannot rely on my own resources alone. I need others and I need Jesus. In this, I am like everyone else. Considering the results of the election, I need to keep this in mind. When I take an action, I need to talk to others about also taking action. I need to join with others' actions as well. And maintain that contact with my source - God, Jesus, and Spirit.
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Faithless

Matthew 17:17-18 - And Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation! How long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And Jesus rebuked him, the demon came out of him and the boy was cured instantly.

Whoof. This is some pretty serious accusation! It seems Jesus is not being meek and mild here. Haha. This passage points out how far we are from where we could be. All of us. We can do nothing without faith. They could not heal the boy and we tend to fare just as well. Well, at least I can do nothing without faith. I can barely function without saying hi and spending time with God in the morning. I don't know how people do without that quiet time.

But, this passage is also very important for the United States right now. We have propped up similar people in other nations and the chickens have come home to roost. We are now doing it to ourselves. I'm worried about minorities. ... And in some way, we all belong to minorities. This is the time for faith to inform our actions. For faith to give us courage to fight the crappiness - the bigotry, the xenophobia, the unconstitutional plans, the bullying, the rape of medicare and social security for private gain.

Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Grant me courage to do what you would have me do today.
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Mercy

Matthew 17:14-15 - As they came toward the crowd, a man came up to him and knelt before him saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son for he has seizures and often falls into the fire and often into the water."

Thinking about this in light of the recent election: we, too, need mercy. Because we too have seizures - seizures of greed, anger, pride, fear, lust - overall selfishness. Sometimes it leads us into the fire, others into the water. THis is true both of society as a whole and of each of us as individuals. We could all rewrite this using different words for "fire" and "water". What actions get us into trouble with our friends/family/spouses? what habits do we have that take us far from God?

The good news is we too can go to God/Jesus and say Have mercy, Lord. We too can ask for healing and correction. We can ask for guidance when we need it. God is always available to hear us. Today I choose to be available to hear God.
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John the Baptist

Matthew 17:13 - Then they understood that he was speaking about John the Baptist.

The forerunner of God. The one who was not the light but who pointed to the light. There have been many incarnations of prophets such as John the Baptist. In our day, Jeremiah Wright, Father Michael Pflaeger, John Shore, Fred Clark, urging us and pushing us to resist injustice and oppression. God, grant me the grace to follow their urgings, according to your spirit.
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Suffering

Matthew 17:12 - Truly I tell you Elijah has come and they (we) did not know him, and they (we) did to them whatever they wanted. So also the sons of humankind must suffer at their hands.

These words to Jesus' disciples are words for all of us. I have changed them because our call is not to peace. Jesus said he came to bring discord, not peace. Discord because the message has been rejected, discord because those who fight for justice will be persecuted. I am grieving because my inaction has in some small way helped Donald Trump be elected president.

Now, I am feeling very strongly the Spirit's wish to put my principles into more action. I am feeling very strongly the call to work against the Republicans' plans to gut Medicare, Obamacare and Social Security. I am feeling the SPirits' call to work against all those who would hurt or harm another. To speak out against violence against women, LGBTQ people, people who are disabled in any way, Muslims, Jewish people, Mexican people. I cannot help but see the parallels to Hitler and I cannot stand by and see people harmed.

Lord, help me in my weakness to hear this call and to follow through. Help me to not become complacent again, to continually turn toward you for sustenance and support when I do become complacent.
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Restore All Things

Matthew 17:10-11 - And the disciples asked him why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? And Jesus answered them, "Elijah has indeed come and he will restore all things."

To which I say, Yes, come! Restore us, restore justice, restore peace. And guide me on the path that works for those things as well. Guide my discernment toward your justice, your peace and may it recognize your LOVE in the world today.
Amen

Tell No One

Matthew 17:9 - As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus strictly charged them saying, "Tell no one the vision until the Son of Humankind is raised from the dead."

I don't know how that was for the disciples, but hearing about Jesus raised from the dead after seeing the vision would probably overload my brain. Yet the disciples seem to take this without effort.

Anyway, I'm curious why Jesus didn't want them telling anyone. The one idea that keeps coming into my mind is that they didn't yet understand what Jesus was teaching them. They wouldn't understand until Jesus was raised from the dead. His resurrection would complete their knowledge and their discipleship. Of course, it can be argued that they didn't understand even then. I'm not sure what to think about that.
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Jesus alone

Matthew 17:8 - And when they lifted up their eyes they saw no one except Jesus alone.

One winter I went on my customary walk to Promontory Point. As I came over the hill, I saw for the first time, the lake frozen over. It was dark and my whole body froze. It just looked wrong. I could almost hear the ominous music in the background. It took me a few seconds to comprehend what I was looking at! It was very creepy.

I think it must have felt somewhat like the disciples in this story: awe, fear, a little weirded out, amazed. I can feel the hollow feel of their stomach when they realize that what they saw was special. And somehow they were aware of their own unworthiness to see such a vision. And yet ... When I was hearing God's voice that is what it was like. People imagine it would be a fantastic experience but there are a lot of other emotions going on too. What were they thinking? In Luke's story, they recognize him as the messiah. Here they do not.

The thing is, God is always speaking. For us to really hear, we need to get really quiet and centered. Sometimes God gets our attention in a big way - like here - but more often in my life, it's the small voice. Where am I/are you seeing GOd today.
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