January 28, 2023 – “What is Truth?”

The book I am using as inspiration for these devotions is titled “Creating a Culture of Life” written by Kenneth R. Overberg, S. J.  Kenneth is a professor of theology at Xavier University, Cincinnati Ohio and holds a PhD in Christian Ethics from the University of Southern California. Each devotion utilizes some part or theme from a chapter from his book.    Enjoy….

“Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate asked, “What is truth?” When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders and announced, “I find no basis for an accusation against him. But it is your custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?” Then they shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.)” John 18:36-40

We all face moral dilemmas. Our moral choices are significant because they shape the kind of person we become. Those choices impact not only us, but the lives of others, whether they be our children, spouse or even complete strangers. So, what are some of the moral dilemmas of our day? What are some of the moral dilemmas our communities experience? How do we make moral choices? Some say that the answers to these questions have, at their very heart, the ultimate question “What is truth?” (Thank you Pilate)

Many people adhere to a very fuzzy policy of moral relativism – the view that there are no universal moral rules. They decide what is morally good based upon their context. Their stance on what is morally good may not be morally good for you, but for the average person of the 21^st century, the individual always trumps the human community.

As Christians we recognize the values and limits of human laws, human values, and human decisions. And after careful discernment, the individual must decide what is morally appropriate in the context of the community’s wisdom as they seek to understand what IS happening in all situations, not just what we would LIKE to happen. In other words there should be objectivity to our actions. Truth then is not simply what I say it is, but what we, the human community, guided by G-d’s revelation, discover truth to be.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, what we ought to do to be truly human should be based upon your revealed truths. Help me to understand that Jesus, your Son, is the ultimate truth about how we should live in community – loving unconditionally and forgiving prodigally. Amen.

Pastor Dave

January 27, 2023 – “Stop – In the Name of Love”

“On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued speaking until midnight. There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, began to sink off into a deep sleep while Paul talked still longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up dead. But Paul went down, and bending over him took him in his arms, and said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” Then Paul went upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them until dawn; then he left. Meanwhile they had taken the boy away alive and were not a little comforted.” Acts 20:7-12

{One rainy morning, my mother went for her daily run. As she returned to the house, she slipped and fell, hitting her head on the driveway. I called the paramedics. When they arrived, they asked my mom some questions to determine her coherency. “What is today?” inquired one man. Without hesitation, Mom replied, “Trash day.”}

Neither Eutychus nor the woman from our “story” had a good day. I spent 35 years of my life jogging to try to maintain some kind of cardio conditioning. And while jogging, I have fallen, tripped, slipped and experienced various injuries along the way because I am a klutz at heart. I have slipped on railroad tracks and cut my hand; I have slipped off curbs and ripped up my knees; I have almost been hit by trucks, school busses – and one Christmas Day was almost run over by a car. Thank the Lord I never hit my head when I fell.

Eutychus fell and not only hit his head – he died instantly. It seemed initially that Eutychus’ luck had run out. But just because Paul was long-winded and unrelenting, didn’t mean he couldn’t resolve to do something. And so, the first thing Paul does is he stops preaching; he finally stops preaching. The first thing Paul does is to stop preaching.  Not too long ago we watched a football player in the National Football League collapse on the field as his heart stopped beating. Everything stopped – the game stopped, the broadcast stopped, the country stopped. And nothing continued – they had the compassion to know to stop everything. In years past I am not so sure they would have had the same compassion. At least Paul stopped preaching. But that is not all he did – he healed the man – not just healed him but brought him back to life – restoring his life and restoring him to his community. 

Jesus is the one who restores us all to life – life in our community of believers – and ultimately life in community. As members of these communities, we too must be active in restoring life – restoring the marginalized to community and breathing life into our own faith. And just like Paul, we need to find ways to throw ourselves onto and into the problems of community – sustained by the Holy Spirit – to bring new life into the church continually.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, help me to know when to stop out of compassion and listen, and when to continue doing loving deeds in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Pastor Dave