Clarion: Journal of Spirituality and Justice

Ron Dart - Homer, Xenophilia & Christian Formation

The Mystery of Christ – John Behr’s Systematic Hermeneutics by Bradley Jersak

The Mystery of Christ: Life in Death – John Behr’s Systematic Hermeneutics by Bradley Jersak

Students of Fr. John Behr learn to frown at any systematic theology that begins with “God” or “Revelation” (as so many do) without reference or logically prior to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and his Passion. He’s taught us to always begin with the Lamb crucified and risen, for the One enthroned on the Cross IS the image of the invisible God and the Alpha and Omega of divine revelation.

Further, Fr. John teaches students to beware of imposing anachronistic categories back into the Patristic era as we try to make sense of their work. That is, we stumble when we ask, “What did Irenaeus or Athanasius say about ______________? Why? Because we tend to fill in that blank with some theological container that only came to be later. Instead, we need to practice the discipline of simply asking, “What did they say?” Then we read what is there, on their terms, without retroactively cramming their words into subsequent doctrinal cubbyholes.   

That said, it does not follow that Fr. John’s body of work omits a systematic approach. And for those who read him or study with him, it’s helpful to know how his contribution is ordered or organized. Specifically, his ‘systematic’ is hermeneutical … or perhaps apocalyptic (in the sense of ‘unveiling’). I confess that I would not have inferred his system without his help, but I’m grateful to convey it to others. It is all there in his beautiful little book, The Mystery of Christ, which ensures that our theology begins where it ought—at the Cross.

Each chapter title in that book corresponds to a guiding question, which is his hermeneutic:

1. “Through the Cross” – What we're talking about?
2. “Search the Scriptures” – How we're talking about it?
3. “For this were we created” – Who is the 'we' who is talking?
4. “The Virgin Mother (Virgin Church)” – In what context are we talking?
5. “Glorify God in Your Body” – To what end are we talking?

I commend readers to review The Mystery of Christ to discover Fr. John’s response to each of those questions. Suffice it to say, his systematic hermeneutics revolve around an unveiling of the Cross of Christ, the axis mundi of our theology, our worship, and indeed, of the cosmos.

Advent Reflections in Shards of Broken Pottery - Paul E. Ralph

It’s Advent.  And as I wait, I wonder about what manner of good news I can anticipate? What manner of good news my neighbours can expect this time of year?  (What with Omicron, Putin and delayed Amazon shipments!)

Call me crazy, but perhaps we’ve truncated the gospel to be the vaccination for a virus that we’ve been unconsciously peddling for some time.

In other words, it might be that we’ve been answering questions that very few people are actually asking. Worse yet, could it be that we’ve been telling people what question(s) should matter to them?

And this might just be the granddaddy of them all. “Do you want to spend an eternity apart from God?” As I see it, this hardly matters if the unsettling reality that perplexes us is “Who am I?” (Followed closely by “Who are you?, Who are we?, and Why the hell does it matter anyway?”)

The forced question of eternity only matters to the person(s) in possession of the golden ticket to escape this life.  Are we disciples of Willy Wonka?  And is the most pressing ailment we suffer from an insatiable craving for chocolate?

To bastardize a Canadian poet, I hate to tell you that the candy man isn’t just gone,…he never was.

As best I can tell, humankind is alienated.  Primarily from ourselves.  Each of us possesses an unsettling awareness that we were meant for so much more.  There is a deep longing at our soulish level to well and truly live in each moment as we encounter it.  To surrender our past shortcomings and those of our loved ones, friends, and former friends.  And its corollary, to quit living in the glory of our previous accomplishments. 

To love, and be loved.

To know, and be known.

To forgive, and be forgiven.

(Sometimes I think I’d settle for a phone call, text or emoji from ‘that’ person.)

We live disconnected from ourselves, others, this planet, and the divine impulse which animates all of it.

Asking humankind to conjure up ‘an eternity’ in their minds while the very ground upon which we stand is as inhospitable as it’s ever been seems to me a fools’ errand.

This Advent, as I wait for belonging, I am choosing to heed the advice of the songwriter:

Kneel down

Pick up the broken shards of pottery that are strewn in the dirt around my own two feet

Dust them off.

Describe them to whoever will listen - myself included

In so doing, I might happen upon the beauty of dignity and grace in the delicious ambiguities of life.  By chance, I might see a reflection of myself in the pottery.  I just might even begin to see myself for who I am.  Others for who they are.  Creation for the inexplicable mystery that it is.  (Wait. I am crazy.  It’s true.  I might even see the meaning, mercy and Messiah my heart craves.)

It’s advent, so I’m told.

While I don’t know much about spending eternity apart from God, I do know that it is decidedly good news that God decided not to spend an eternity apart from me.  From you.  From us.

Ps.  I look forward to seeing you in the pottery.

On Forgiveness - by Fr. Leonard Herrem

On Forgiveness

By Fr. Leonard Herrem

God will forgive us as we forgive others.

This may be one of the more significant parts of our relationship with God.

As we go through life, we are on the receiving end of hurts – unfairness.

If we grow up healthy, we first realize life is not always fair at about age ten or twelve. In dysfunctional or abusive situations, this awareness will be much earlier.

When we are treated unfairly, we may react in anger or resentment. This is very natural.

If we treat others unfairly, we may react in guilt, or remorse or shame. This is very natural.

Or we may be tempted to avoid these painful emotional reactions and justify our behaviors that could be less than Godly.

We may justify our bad behavior when being unfair to others. Maybe we think “they deserved that and worse!” We become self-appointed God’s instrument of justice.

Or, if we are treated badly, we may choose to avoid this emotional pain by deciding that we “deserved it” –that it is OK because God is punishing us, and we should not be thinking that they were giving us what we asked for.

In the same way, we justify other people’s unfairness to us. Same problem. We decide what God’s justice is, only to ourselves, rather than to others.

Asking for forgiveness from others is a project of humbling-of humility. We accept our responsibility for wrongdoing and present this reality in humility and vulnerability to others, not really knowing for sure what the result will be.

This is a very powerful experience.

When someone comes to us to ask forgiveness in humility, we can be taken by surprise. This is also humbling and at the same time powerful.

As we receive the forgiveness of others, we may realize that it is undeserving. We do not earn points to overcome our bad behaviors or our actions of unfairness to others. The damage is done, there is nothing available to undo a wrong. We do not earn forgiveness; all we can do is hope for mercy.

As we give someone our forgiveness, we may be tempted to hold back some resentments. This can be a difficult task because they were not fair--not nice--something is not right. We could still be angry. How can this possibly be right?

As we accept the gift of forgiveness, we will experience a powerful healing. The guilt and shame of our bad behavior are healed by love and grace.

This is difficult to accept because it is undeserved. We cannot earn this gift- it is a gift.

As we give a gift of forgiveness-unconditional forgiveness without resentments – we also experience a healing.

We step away from a self-appointed position of holding in judgment over someone and let God alone be the judge of what is justice. We no longer need to be consumed by resentment that can eat up our soul to destruction.

As we learn to forgive, God can forgive us and give us a gift of healing. We are forgiven.

As we learn to accept forgiveness, God can heal us of our sinful nature and the consequence of our bad behaviors.

God’s justice is very strange. It is a justice of forgiveness, not of imposing consequences.

We do not deserve God’s gift of forgiveness. We can only accept it. It is God’s grace.

What are the most difficult parts? Not sure

            Asking forgiveness

            Accepting forgiveness

            Giving forgiveness

            Being asked forgiveness

            Or receiving God's unconditional and undeserved love.

            This is the Heavenly treasure.

Our focus is on Christ, and only Christ.

Our relationship with God is very focused on God’s love for us, and our ability to receive God’s love by being forgiving and forgiven.

Great Lent is an opportunity to focus on this relationship and to use the tools at hand for this purpose-to build on Treasure in Heaven.

God grant us the Grace and Power to see Him clearly.

Regarding our Lament in This Time by Fr. Leonard Herrem

Regarding our Lament in This Time

by Fr. Leonard Herrem.

We are all sick and need to come to God to receive his mercy, forgiveness, healing, and salvation.

During this time of unusual restriction to our lives, we need to attend closely to our personal health, especially those among us who are more at risk. This does not mean that we avoid coming to church, to experience the Divine Liturgy and receive the Holy Sacraments. We are asked to be aware of the risks, even minimal of gathering and take precautions.

Please remember that we are to serve God above all else. We are to acquire His Spirit of peace and bring salvation to all. Let us love one another in response to the love God has and is providing for us.

These events regarding COVID could be described as traumatic. This is strong language. I have noticed many are experiencing strong emotions as we are forced to contend with such extreme measures from our health authorities, our governments, and from our church. There is anger. There is fear. There is sadness.

The anger is very real. In the context where we understand anger to be a natural healthy response to unfairness, it is important to take ownership of our anger and to look for a way to process this powerful emotion and understand ourselves more deeply. There is nothing wrong with anger. God created us with this emotion and all our emotions. If our anger causes us to act in a sinful way, we need to acknowledge this behaviour, repent, and receive forgiveness. The problem is not with the emotion. It is with the actions and behaviours we choose. One of my greatest concerns is when we choose to contain the anger within ourselves. We can easily become toxic and bitter. When we are no longer able to contain the power and energy behind the emotion, especially when anger is complicated with fear, the hurtful words that suddenly come out of our mouths can cause harm. The most vulnerable are those who are close and people we love deeply.

Fear is also very real. Even if we consider at this time, we are only a little bit anxious because we do not know when our lives will return to “normal." We are concerned with the damage the restrictive policies have caused our economy. Our ability to provide for our families in a safe manner is compromised. Fear or anxiety is also an emotion God has given us. Fear is not bad or evil. When we have the courage to accept the reality of our fears, we can plan an appropriate response. If we think of fear as a natural healthy response to danger, we have a remarkably simple solution. Go to safety. When the fear is identified we move to a safe place. The danger is still present, but because of our action, we have removed ourselves from harm. Fear is an important emotion. It keeps us alive. Fear warns us of danger and gives energy to move us to safety.

Sadness is a natural healthy response to loss. The loss of receiving the Holy Sacraments in a manner that is familiar is a loss. The restriction to meeting as a community to provide social interaction regularly is a loss. The total cancellation of sharing meals after Divine Liturgy is a loss. These are examples of losses that affect us. This is not the complete list. I am sad because I do not accomplish all the tasks, I am responsible to do on a regular basis. I am overwhelmed sometimes by the enormity of my personal suffering, the suffering of this community, the suffering of friends and family, and suffering in the Church as a whole.

When we find ourselves in uncomfortable times it is immensely helpful to ask God “what are you teaching me at this time?” It is also helpful to cry out to God.

From the Psalmist (Psalm 12)(LXX Psalm 13)

How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever?

How long will You hide Your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, Lord my God.

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”

and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;

my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing the Lord’s praise,

for he has been good to me.

Our only hope is with God. God’s grace, compassion, love, forgiveness, and healing power are what give us the hope that can bring strength to our lives. It is not our strength, but the strength of God. We have an opportunity to look more deeply into our souls and discover how God works within us.

Let us pray for one another and glorify God.

The Great Sumas Lake Heist: A Guilty Little Secret in Plain Sight - Wayne Northey

Story highlighted below by Tyler Olsen and Grace Kennedy| November 17, 2021

Photo above: Sumas Lake was at the centre of Fraser Valley life for thousands of years, before it was drained a century ago. The Reach Gallery Archives/Image: P188

A Maori Lord's Prayer

Divine love

Wellspring of our existence

Build us into a loving community

Feed us and heal us with wisdom and grace

Shatter our prejudice and soothe the pain of our failure

Weave love and peace into our intentions and actions

So that we may stand for justice and compassion

As a reflection of the piercing tenderness we see in the heart of Jesus.

 

Our province of British Columbia Canada since November 14 has been undergoing a massive emergency, due to unprecedented rainfall that led to gigantic mudslides, road washouts, flooding, and death. Worst hit in the Fraser Valley below where we live is the Sumas Prairie of the City of Abbotsford.

It is an overwhelming tragedy for lives lost and livelihoods ruined. One can scarcely imagine the scope. Our hearts go out to those affected by such wrenching devastation.

As with other major disasters, the rising to the challenging needs of neighbour and stranger by innumerable officials and volunteers is wonderfully heartwarming and immensely uplifting. There are and will be endless accounts of heroism, compassion, empathy, etc. We're all reading about, watching, prizing this superb outpouring of community-coming-together everywhere hard hit.

What follows was occasioned by the Deluge, but not about the above.

The Tragedy and the Travesty

"They took the lake away and we never got one inch of it,” former Grand Chief Lester Ned told the Vancouver Sun in 2013. “I don’t know how the people survived way back then.” Chief Ned died in October.

This overwhelming tragedy today points to an overwhelming travesty committed a century ago against thousands who had peopled the Sumas Lake area: a Lake that was drained under the noses of--in stark terms, stolen from--the Sumas First Nation.

The current horrific events cast an eerie spotlight on a century-old gargantuan injustice committed by White Settlers. There is no gentle way to state it. Calling it an injustice, a blandly inadequate term, or property theft according to the Criminal Code of Canada, are the only legitimate labels for such an incalculably grotesque high crime.

Should not the sheer pathos of that simple comment send chills down our spines? ((We read in Sumas First Nation built on higher ground, unaffected by flooding in former lake bed, says chief, by Michelle Gomez, November 19, 2021:

The lake also used to be their primary food source, according to [Sumas First Nation Chief Dalton Silver], and their ancestors told government officials in the early 20th century that draining the river would cause starvation for the Sumas people.

"It is something that our people never would have even thought of doing, altering nature in such a way."

Ultimately, the lake was drained between 1920 and 1924.

A few points before proceeding:

• Morally: All crime cries out for confession, repentance, commitment to "never again," and amends-making on the part of the perpetrator(s) and/or beneficiar(y)ies. Biblically, this is called justice-making. I've spent a career working on it, writing about it, puzzling over it.
• There is never a "right time" to raise this issue. Some said to me though in mid-November, "This is the wrong time." I ask simply: If not now, when? If not now, why? We humans have enormously short attention spans, especially when it serves our purposes. However, I did put this reflection on hold for three weeks.
• Some claim there is a kind of "Statute of Limitation" at play here. I ask: Morally, is there ever a Statute of Limitation for such an horrific wrong?
• Commitment to Truth, Justice and Compassion (as in the Maori prayer above) starts with connecting dots. If this, then that . . .

CLICK HERE to continue reading:

 

 

The Culture Wars: Plato, Shakespeare, Hesse, Eliot with Ron Dart