April 20, 2022 – Words From Merton

The Sin of Religiosity

“While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.”  Luke 11:37-44

“The sin of religiosity is that it has turned G-d, peace, happiness, salvation and all that man (and women) desires into products to be marketed in an especially attractive package deal. In this, I think, the fault lies not with the sincerity of preachers and religious writers, but with the worn-out presuppositions with which they fare content to operate. The religious mind today is seldom pertinently or prophetically critical.” Thomas Merton (The Pocket Thomas Merton, p. 41)

The Sin of Religiosity

Are there things about the Lutheran theology, worship or ministry that are worn out? I would say “yes” and hope you do not throw stones at me or look to run me out of town on a rail (speaking of worn out activities). There have been many things that have “worn out” their welcome and relevancy in our Lutheran practice over the years. Our liturgies have changed. Our Sunday school programs have changed dramatically if not just disappeared completely over the years. And, more importantly, our relevancy to the community and to the changing world is very much in doubt. No longer will people come to church because that is what “we” do on Sundays. Instead, people stay away from church because that is what “they” do on Sundays. As Merton suggests, we need to be prophetically critical about our ministry, mission and worship. If we are to be relevant to the community and do ministry that matters that meets the needs of the community and the world, then we need to be willing to embrace the change that will be necessary to remain relevant in society and to people – for both are changing dramatically. 

If our presuppositions are worn-out, then let’s renew them with fervor and energy – all with the power of the Holy Spirit. Where that may take us may scare the “be-jeebers” out of us, but so be it – it would be better to go into the future with the power of the Holy Spirit leading the way, than to be stuck in the past with no one in our pews and nothing to do but wait to close.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, the uncertainty of the future scares us. We want to embrace the future, but sameness makes us feel secure. Help me to welcome the Holy Spirit into my life so I can follow wherever the Spirit leads me today, not only in my life but in my worship and spiritual life as well. Amen.

Pastor Dave

April 19, 2022 – Words From Merton

One More War

“But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.So death is at work in us, but life in you. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45

“I have learned that an age in which politicians talk about peace is an age in which everybody expects war; the great men (and women) of the earth would not talk of peace so much if they did not secretly believe it possible, with one more war, annihilate their enemies forever.”  Thomas Merton (The Pocket Thomas Merton, p. 35)

One More War

Nothing is harder than to love your enemies.  Nothing.  Try it some time, if you haven’t already. Of course, loving our enemies is not just a feeling, it is a doing – doing good things for those who hate you, persecute you, and actively work against you. When we see the terror and the horrible crimes against humanity that happen all around the world, especially now in Ukraine, and with the violence Americans are perpetrating against one another, loving our enemies and praying for them comes home to roost right in our own homes, churches and lives. The only hope we have for turning evil into good or destroying evil for good is to pray for G-d to turn their hearts and to work actively to take the love of G-d into the realms of the evil one. And when it seems this is too hard, we remember the words of Paul – that we are “…clay jars (that carry the love of Jesus inside us), so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.”

This is how we love our enemies and pray for them.

And so we pray,

Lord Jesus, we look around the world and we see that though we hear people cry “We are for peace”, instead people wage war against their neighbor, their neighboring countries, and complete strangers. Give me the strength today to be a voice of peace. Amen.

Pastor Dave