The Autumn Tabernacle Choir

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts.

Worship the LORD in holy splendor; tremble before him, all the earth.

Say among the nations, "The LORD is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity."

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar and all that fills it; let the field exult and everything in it. 

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his truth.

Psalm 96: 8-13 NRSVue 

Today the Common Lectionary scripture readings offer two psalms for the price of admission, 99, and 96. Of course, most congregations don't include one psalm, let alone two, sadly, a habit of omission I got into as a worship leader before I retired. Don't ask me why because I don't really have a decent reason other than changing liturgical fashion. 

I love the notion of the Creator arriving to a fanfare from Creation itself, not just fickle humans. There are some Christians who are endlessly suspicious of pantheistic thinking. worshipping the Earth like ill-defined pagans, rather than the "true" God. Yet if God brought all things into being, and chose to be with us in the person of Jesus, and blows through our midst as the Spirit/Wind/Breath, do they really have a leg to hop around on? Doesn't it even vaguely occur to them that we are in this frightening environmental crisis because of a "beam me up Scotty" theology that isn't scriptural? 

This is the time of the year here in Ontario when the voice of the choir that is Fall foliage offers a unique rustling song to accompany the changing colours of the leaves. I'm totally on board with this being an encore performance of awe and gratitude to the Creator. Eugene Peterson's The Message scripture paraphrase offers an exuberant interpretation of this psalm: 

7 Bravo, God, Bravo!
Everyone join in the great shout: Encore!
In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might.

 Bring gifts and celebrate,
Bow before the beauty of God,
Then to your knees—everyone worship!

 Get out the message—God Rules!
He put the world on a firm foundation;
He treats everyone fair and square.

 Let’s hear it from Sky,
With Earth joining in,
And a huge round of applause from Sea.

 Let Wilderness turn cartwheels,
Animals, come dance,
Put every tree of the forest in the choir—

 An extravaganza before God as he comes,
As he comes to set everything right on earth,
Set everything right, treat everyone fair.

,

Psalm 96: 7-13 The Message

A Warm Canadian Welcome on a Frosty Morning

 

                                     The late Cliff Foster at Belleville Farmers Market

When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.  The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19;33-34 NRSVue 

This morning we picked up bins of baked goods from the endlessly generous Cobbs Bakery here in Belleville and transported them to the kitchen of Bridge St. United Church where they will be used in the meal ministries. 

Then we slipped around the corner to the Farmers Market where we made some vegetable purchases from one of our favourite vendors. The late owner, Cliff, was also very generous to the meal programs so we have tried to return the favour, even though he's been gone for a while now. It had always been Cliff, along with his right-hand woman, and a somewhat taciturn guy who was endlessly in motion. The two of them are still running a thriving business at the market and in Prince Edward County. 

It was 2C when we arrived, one of our first frosty fall mornings, and this fellow was blowing on his hands (we know his name but I am respecting his privacy.) He is from the Caribbean island of St. Lucia and he isn't a fan of the cold. Yet he was all smiles today and talked with us excitedly, more in a few minutes than he's said in the past 13 years. 

This week he received his Canadian citizenship after a lengthy process. Two weeks ago he nervously attended his interview and sailed through with flying colours. The final documentation came a few days ago, somewhat to his surprise and delight. His happiness was infectious and we were enthusiastic in our congratulations.

I wrote not long ago about my concern that the anti-immigrant poison south of the border is seeping into Canada after generations of welcome to newcomers from around the world as part of our national mosaic. I commented on the kindness of Canadians to Syrian refugees, including in this community, and wondered if they would receive the same reception today. The same Bridge St UC congregation half a block away was a key part of the coalition of faith groups that sponsored 23 members of an extended Syrian family. Since then the Canadian government has drastically reduced the number of refugees and other immigrants allowed in.

We agreed afterward that our encounter today made our day despite the chill and we hope we contributed to a warm welcome. This wasn't going to be today's blog subject but I had to share. I'd like to think Jesus was there this morning, although he too may have been blowing on his hands and wearing a toque. 

 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,  for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink?  And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’  And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’ 

                                           Matthew 25: 34-40 NRSVue 

A Culture of Death & the God of Life

 

In  The Third of May, 1808, along with its companion work The Second of May, 1808, Goya sought to commemorate Spanish resistance to Napoleon's armies during the occupation of 1808. Both were produced in 1814, while the print series was in progress.

1 Beneath the cross of Jesus

I fain would take my stand:

the shadow of a mighty rock

within a weary land,

a home within the wilderness,

a rest upon the way,

from the burning of the noontide heat

and the burden of the day.

Francisco Goya was a Spanish painter and printmaker who worked in the latter 18th and early 19th centuries. He became a sought after artist by the influential people of his time and created idyllic scenes along with a couple of controversial nudes for a government official. Later in his career Goya created a series of grim prints called The Disasters of War which graphically portray scenes related to the French invasion of Spain and the atrocities of that conflict. 

Earlier this week I thought about a stark Goya painting from that same time period called The Third of May, 1808 which depict the execution of Spanish insurgents by French soldiers. This work came to mind because of the stunning news that the Pentagon under Pete Hegseth had decided to put a former military officer, a mass killer to death by firings squad, a form of execution not employed since 1945. The controversy over this choice was deepened with the additional announcement that the execution would be live-streamed for any and all to watch. 

Thank God that there was an immediate outcry about this barbaric spectacle with both Roman Catholic bishops and Evangelical Leaders making strong statements in opposition, along with other denominations. Many politicians on both sides of the aisle condemned the live-streaming, although not necessarily the execution. A poll found that about 80% of Americans were against the live-streaming and soon after it's release President Trump, who was initially in support, decided that it wouldn't happen. This is politically expedient when the mid-term elections are just around the corner. 

How did bloodlust become so deeply rooted in a segment of this society that the notion would even be entertained? Hegseth constantly huffs and puffs about his own Christian faith and maintains that America is a Christian nation. Has he ever read the teachings of Jesus or given serious thought to Jesus' choice not to fight for his freedom? How can Christians claim that the suffering love of God on the cross is central to their faith and then gleefully support a public execution? Crucifixion was the Roman equivalent of a firing squad.  Just a reminder: Afghanistan and Iran and probably North Korea are the only nations to enact the death penalty in public.

 It is with shock and great sorrow that I have learned of the Department of War’s decision to publicly livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan. Our God is the God of life. In no way can Hassan’s actions be condoned but this decision is a barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered. The word of God exhorts us: ‘do not repay anyone evil for evil' (Romans 12:17). The public execution even of one who has done grave harm will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops 

Amen. 

Wrestling with the Right to Die...Again...

                                   New Creed Booklet illustration Gary Crawford

 "in life, in death,
in life beyond death,
God is with us. We are not alone.
Thanks be to God."

Last week the parameters for Medical Assistance in Dying or MAID were publicly addressed again by the Canadian government and in the aftemath there has been lots of public discussion, some of it heated. Plenty of Christians are categorically opposed to MAID including the Roman Catholic Church as an institution, along with various Evangelical groups. Some critics prefer to use the term "euthanasia" and I'm not sure why because it means "good death" and they obviously don't consider this option as good or ethical or moral.

The United Church of Canada has supported MAID with caveats, recognizing that society must protect the vulnerable, including those with disabilities, those who no longer have the capacity to decide for themselves, and those who suffer from mental illness. The UCC has been criticized for its perspective but there is nothing new in this. And the UCC is a "herd of cats" so there are plenty of different perspectives and passions within our membership. We haven't said anything new about MAID in several years even though more Canadians are availing themselves of this end-of-life option. The stigma in society and amongst some religious people has lifted and access is much more straightforward.

The decision last week states clearly that the law will not extend MAID to those who experience mental illness. This possible change has been quite controversial and a "line in the sand" for some who generally support MAID. This is still complicated because  some of  the strongest advocates for permitting MAID for those with mental illness are individuals who have suffered from poor mental health for years without relief. 

The lack of consensus concerning who is eligible for MAID and when and why  is reflected in stances within the Globe and Mail newspaper in the past week. The editorial board published a response to the announcement with the headline The Liberals are right to restrict MAID. A few days later an article in the same newspaper by Andre Picard, a respected health reporter, had the title Why is Ottawa so hellbent on limiting access to MAID?

The next frontier in this ongoing debate will be permission for Advanced Directives, allowing individuals to formally state wishes concerning MAID in the event that they are cognitively incapacitated, perhaps with dementia.

Some feel that this is yet another "thin edge of the wedge" in terms of safe-guarding the sanctity of life for the vulnerable. Yet a decade ago, just before the first legislation was passed, the UCC congregation I served then hosted a discussion with MP Rob Oliphant, one of the co-chairs of the committee addressing the parameters for MAID. Rob is also a United Church minister and I've known him for a long time. Over 100 people attended on a hot Friday evening on the Victoria Day weekend. Most were seniors and a number stated strongly that they wanted the option of an Advanced Directive to spare loved ones having to spend years providing support and care when they were no longer cognitively aware. 

So, what are the straightforward answers to these challenges? The straightforward answer to this question is that there aren't any. I feel that it's vital for faith groups to provide opportunities for information and prayerful conversation and to do so with humility and grace. There was a presentation at Trenton United led by Rev. Isaac a couple of weeks ago and I led a series there a few years back. We all need these opportunities for discernment and clarity. 

Pope Leo, Cardinal Czerny, & Sustainability

 

 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:  I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 

                                     Genesis 9: 12-13 NRSVue

I suppose we were all hoping that the surgery to remove a node from one of Pope Leo's lungs would have a more positive outcome. The growth turned out to be cancerous and a lobe of his lung was removed. The reports are that this cancer was detected early and that the surgery was successful. It's curious -- certainly not providential -- that now both Leo and his immediate predecessor, Francis, have had part of a lung removed. 

Francis and Leo share something much more positive in common, a deep theological appreciation for the gift of Creation, even though we may be more aware of the legacy of Francis in this regard through the encyclical Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home. It happens that yesterday, the day Leo underwent surgery, Villanova University in the US presented the  first Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal. The presentation took place during  a conference in Rome called Responding to the Cry of the Earth and the Poor" and Leo was scheduled to be there. Here is the description of the award: 

The Medal seeks to honor those whose work demonstrates a holistic vision of sustainability, integrating care for the environment, social justice, concern for vulnerable populations and responsible stewardship of economic and natural resources. 

Distinct from secular awards, it evaluates integral ecology over pure technical metrics, prioritizing the ethical mandate of caring for the marginalized and bridging the gap between rigorous science and moral conviction. Recipients may come from any field or discipline and will be selected based on their demonstrated impact in advancing a more sustainable and equitable world.

This sounds so balanced and I would hope all Christians are committed to a more sustainable and equitable world.

The first recipient is actually a Canadian, Cardinal Michael Czerny, a Jesuit. During the fifty years of his priesthood Cardinal Czerny has been involved in human rights in Central America, an AIDS network in Africa, and in a special appointment by Pope Francis on behalf of migrants and refugees. He has also been committed to the ways in which the plight of the poor and our planet are interwoven. 

It seems to me that Czerny is a distinguished Canadian few of his compatriots know about and I'm glad he's being honoured.  

It's interesting that in his acceptance speech he gave a shout-out to his parents who modelled recycling and who instilled in him a love of nature. He cited the story of God's covenant with Noah in the book of Genesis “Thanks to him,destruction did not have the last word. Humanity and the Earth were granted a reprieve: a wonderful opportunity to begin again, symbolised by the dove with ‘a fresh olive leaf in its beak’ and, for all time, by the rainbow.”

We can be grateful for Michael Czerny's inspiring Gospel witness and pray that Pope Leo is on the road to restored health. 

Behemoth and Leviathan & Theme Parks?

   Behemoth and Leviathan, watercolour by William Blake from his illustrations of the Book of Job(1805).

O Lord, how manifold are your works!
    In wisdom you have made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, great and wide;
    creeping things innumerable are there,
    living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships
    and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

                    Psalm 104: 24-26 NRSVue 

Many moons ago we spent time at Canada's Wonderland, the huge theme park in southern Ontario. Back then I was considerably more cowardly than our children when it came o some of the scarier rides and they have only become more extreme over the decades. I shuddered at the news of a death at a Six Flags venue in the state of Georgia, an incident where a rider fell to his death from a ride called Goliath. Condolences to his loved ones. 

The name intrigued me because while I can assume that this ride is huge we live in an age of general biblical illiteracy, so would riders make a connection with the oversized Philistine, the adversary of the young David, who came to a grisly end?

                                                         David and Goliath -- Peter Paul Rubens 

The news story became broader when we were told that rides at other theme parks, including Canada's Wonderland (same corporate ownership) had been temporarily closed as a precaution. These include Leviathan and Behemoth. If the story of David and Goliath might not ring a bell with riders, these two biblical names would elicit nuttin'. 

Psalm 104 is a wonderful hymn of praise for the diversity of Creation, including a nebulous creature, perhaps a sea serpent,  called Leviathan. The name Leviathan shows up elsewhere in both scripture and theological speculation as an embodiment of chaos, threatening to eat the damned when their lives are over. In the end, it is annihilated. Phew. 

Enter Behemoth from the book of Job, this one a land monster. Some scholars have speculated that this may have been a hippopotamus, somewhat amphibious, and the most dangerous mammal on the African continent. Behemoth is a creature evoking awe and terror. 

While these rides may be "monsters" it's crazy that they have been given names from the bible unknown to most enthusiasts. When you do an online search for them what comes up first is theme park info, but we know better.

 I suppose " there is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

“Look at Behemoth,

    which I made just as I made you;
    it eats grass like an ox.
16 Its strength is in its loins
    and its power in the muscles of its belly.
17 It makes its tail stiff like a cedar;
    the sinews of its thighs are knit together.
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze,
    its limbs like bars of iron.

              Job 40: 15-18 NRSVue 

                                         Behemoth and Leviathan rides, Canada's Wonderland