To All of My Friends, I Wish You a Happy Easter
As I reflect upon one of the most important days of the religious tradition in which I was raised, it strikes me that those of us who reach out to those around the world, to those we now have as personal friends, we will not have been raised in the same traditions. Does this mean we should hide our upbringings? Or, does this mean we should insist upon our own approach to what we see as that which lies behind our universe, that others should be pitied or condemned? If so, then how can these be friends?
I would not have written this when I first started this blog. You needed time to come to know me, to trust my intent. I am NOT a Bible-thumping judgmental bigot. I was raised by a mother who was Nazarene and a father who was Methodist, two Christian Protestant churches of very different nature. Perhaps more importantly, my father and I have discussed our religious views since I was very young. He has a minor in Philosophy of Religion and his favorite class was Comparative Religions.
So, when I was pegged by my church to write a Mission Statement for our church, I reflected within, sought God in my fashion and this is what I wrote for our church’s mission:
Our Church’s Mission Statement
After much prayerful consideration, we have set the Mission of Mt. Eden Presbyterian Church on four pillars:
- Service
- Prayer
- Stewardship
- Worship
These are the means that God has rewarded our use of in the the past and we believe it to be the means He wishes us to employ in the future. Through service to the needs of our congregation and community we seek to step beyond the self-interest which so often blocks us from residence in God’s Kingdom and to bring relief to people in pain. With prayer we listen for guidance from the Lord and appeal for His intercession on behalf of those needs we find around us. These acts bring us true treasures; spiritual, human and financial, that we must cultivate and care for with loving hands and hearts and replant for generations to come. Our gathering for worship is one of our great joys and rededications, an offering and harvest for that which we sow, a celebration to be shared.
We don’t seek to judge, but to invite. We don’t look to teach, but to seek and share. We don’t ask for uniformity, but a reflection of the diversity we find all around us. Our Mission is to use these means to bring God’s presence to our community and to bring our community to God’s presence.
When I resurfaced – for this came out of me all in one pass – I had to think, “This will be a real challenge to my church. I wonder what they will want to modify?” To my amazement, this was accepted by unanimous vote with the suggestion by someone that it need not even be discussed! That gave me a very good feeling about that church itself, not a feeling I have always had toward churches.
A little study has shown me that I am not alone. The current Pope is pretty conservative in this area, but I bring you the words of a recent Pope:
Pope John Paul II
When he visited Morocco in August 1985, he addressed a group of thousands of young Muslims in Casablanca at the invitation of the King of Morocco. His brief was to encourage them to be good young people, committed to their religion. He said to them:
"We believe in the same God, the one God, the living God, the God who created the world and brings his creatures to their perfection … The Catholic Church regards with respect and recognizes the equality of your religious progress, the richness of your spiritual tradition. We Christians, also, are proud of our own religious tradition … I believe that we, Christians and Muslims, must recognize with joy the religious values that we have in common, and give thanks to God for them … In general, we have badly understood each other, and sometimes, in the past, we have opposed and even exhausted each other in polemics and in wars … I believe that today, God invites us to change our old practices. We must respect each other, and we must also stimulate each other in good works on the path of God."
The celebration of a World Day of Prayer for Peace on October 27, 1986, when the Pope prayed not just with other Christian leaders but with leaders of the world religions, each praying in their own way and in silence together for peace in the world, marked a new stage in relationships between the Catholic Church and other world religions. Never before had an event such as this taken place.
I want to invite all of you in your own way, whether you are believer, atheist, pantheist or agnostic to share in a common effort on this day. As always, I seek to convert and judge no one, even those who seek to convert and judge, but rather express the truths I find. Seek the truth that you find within yourself and in the world, then express the best you find. Seek to better the cause of all life.
Would you share with us some of the things you in your personal beliefs, habits and traditions do to reach out to loved ones, humanity and the divine?
And I ask that you do one thing in excess: Love!
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Tags: Easter, Ecumenism, Friends, People, Pope John Paul II, Religion, The World and Its Cultures
I have developed a habit of lighting a candle and while cupping the flame in my hands, for a few minutes, I think of someone I know who is having a difficult time. I leave the candle lighting for several hours and each time I pass it, I am reminded of that person. For some reason it helps.
Grannymar’s last blog post..What day is it?
Grannymar -
I love your tradition with candles. I light and burn a lot of scented candles and now going forward, I am going to adopt your tradition – what a beautiful thing to do!
Hope everyone’s Easter was happy!
Grannymar, I also love your tradition. Like Deb, I too am thinking of adopting it or something very similar and I thank you for sharing this with us.
These last two comments and what the two of you have shared is precisely what I seek with this post. It helps clarify its purpose for me, in fact, and you will see an addendum at the end encouraging a sharing of personal tradiitons.
Thank you both!
Grannymar and Deb, you have taught something beautiful here and I thank you both for that.
Conrad, you have indeed surprised me. You can take it for granted that from me you will get more LOVE than even excess!
Way to go mate, way to go.
rummuser’s last blog post..I Really Need To Change My Image.
Ramana, as you know, this is a post that will draw little overt response. People are not comfortable with religion at all – unless they have “the answer” of course! – because religion has been one of the major human separating walls rather than a welcoming gateway. I have always been a big-tent believer unashamed to celebrate his own heritage while embracing those of other upbringing.
As I’ve mentioned more than once, I’m not religious, but my blog is about “Happiness As a Spiritual Practice”, so I’m not at all shy about talking about the form my spirituality takes.
Jean Browman–Cheerful Monk’s last blog post..The Times They Are A-Changing
None of the classical religious systems capture my spiritual views, but I respect what religions CAN offer to people. They have positive potential. But, I am actually personally more on board with your approach, I am thinking.
Most (or at least a lot) of wars are religious wars if not over land ownership. I’m beginning to think religions are evil. I mean religions as groups are harmful because they divide
people. (religious wars & terriosts) But religion for each individual makes better & happier people.
They certainly can have that side. And, they can be used by some as though they carried a badge that says “I’m better than you.” I find this all so contradictory to what the religions supposedly teach.