Sunday, June 26, 2011

God Walk

My late friend and colleague at Duke Divinity School wrote this in "God Walk":

Christian life originated in God walk, on the road, int eh marketplace, by the seaside, and outside a city wall in a criminal's death on a cross. 'Disciple' is a word we use for someone who joins in the walk. Discipleship is the first and decisive word for God-walk in Christianity. It covers a way of life...in other words, God-walk means willingness to immerse oneself as a whole and to stand where Jesus stands in all walks of life, especially with those who society turns out: the invisible women,and men, also the injured creation. That is why the eucharist is so central. Only here do we touch--as it were, bodily--the real presence of God in history in terms of Christian community. So it is not activity in general that is called for when we reflect on our social location. It is first of all participation in the justice mission of Jesus. It is eucharistic immersion in conflict because Jesus is still caught up in conflict. Jesus' life has not come to an end as yet. It is still going on."

From God-Walk: Liberation Shaping Dogmatics.

Buen camino!

Brett

Monday, June 20, 2011

Trinity Sunday: Accompanied by the Pilgrim God

Yesterday was Trinity Sunday: a wonderful reminder that the pilgrimage we're on is in the host of, accompanied by the Lover, the Beloved, and the Enabler of Love.

The song that we sang at United Church that reminded me that Trinity Sunday is a day of pilgrimage too is "My Life Flows on in Endless Song," and the third verse speaks of pilgrimage:

I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?

Pace!

Brett

Friday, June 17, 2011

Pilgrimage of Recovery

My mom recently had open heart surgery.

I was supposed to be on a pilgrimage in the desert of New Mexico (120 miles/6 days), but this surgery took place instead.

In its own way, the recovery is itself a pilgrimage.

Buen camino,

Brett

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Pilgrimage of a different kind

I was supposed to be on a pilgrimage to Chimayo, NM, but God had different plans. I was re-directed to a pilgrimage to taking care of my mom who had open heart surgery (successfully) in Portland, OR. She now has a cow valve helping her heart work far better. I was with her in the hospital and in her home.

Then I raced home to watch my son take his role in the ritual of high school graduation...another pilgrimage.

Life IS a pilgrimage.

Buen camino...

B

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Ascension of Jesus: Now THAT'S a Pilgrimage!

Today is Ascension of the Lord Day...June 2, 2011!

I've been to the place, the very chapel, and seen the very stones in which are a set of foot prints, which, supposedly, is the last place, or the place, where Jesus stood before he literally "took off" and ascended into the heavens.

Luke writes: While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.
(24:51).

And so he ascends.

And we ascend with him as well.

Buen Camino!

B