July 26, 2022 – Words of Wisdom, Thomas Merton

“The greatest need of our time is to clean out the enormous mass of mental and emotional rubbish that clutters our minds.”

“James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Appoint us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to appoint, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” Mark 10:35-40

Mental Rubbish

We all carry with us mental and emotional rubbish from years of being human. We all have experienced the good and the bad of parenting, of relationships, of friendships and the random encounters in this life. After enduring the pandemic of 2020 – 2022, many of our children and friends are still reeling from the mental and emotional toll that will continue to invade their thoughts and actions for years to come. There is so much existential anxiety that is haunting our society every day. So how do we clear out such mental rubbish as Thomas Merton asks us to do?

When James and John ask Jesus for positions of power in the kingdom, Jesus tells them that such decisions are not his to make. He tells them they will share in his ministry, in his successes and in his failures, but ultimately G-d makes the decisions in the kingdom. As such we should not think of the kingdom of G-d in terms of hierarchy, or a place where power, prestige, and position come into play. In other words, let’s clear out the rubbish of who is in and who is out of realm of G-d’s love right now – for we are all loved children of G-d – and nothing can take that away from us.

So, as I see it, one of the ways we can find some peace and harmony in our lives is to remind ourselves repeatedly that G-d loves us no matter what. When life gets to be overwhelming, stop and remember that G-d loves you. When you begin to worry repeatedly, take a moment and pause and repeat to yourself “G-d loves me.” When we can clear out the mental rubbish each and every morning and remind ourselves that we are beloved children of G-d, perhaps we will be able to meet the new day with refreshed vigor and less mental rubbish.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, too often we carry around the stuff that serves us no purpose – especially the ways the world tells us we are not worthy. Help me today to clear out the negative thoughts and to live into your promises that flow from my baptism and into new life. Amen.

Pastor Dave