Word for Today

From Mark 12,

 ⁴²A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.

Do you have a solar powered calculator? Probably. Maybe you received one in the mail as a thank you from your realtor some time ago.. exactly how long ago you can now calculate! We have a handful of them around the home. What an awesome technology. The calculator is able to sip enough energy to keep on going even when the lights have gotten quite dim.

Jesus has a Son-powered calculator. One would think he would want to upgrade someday, get one of those fancy graphing calculators perhaps, or an adding machine. With such contraptions he could even figure out derivatives and amortization schedules. No, his Son-powered one is all he wants. It comes up with crazy calculations, but he likes it that way.

He said in this Sunday's Gospel reading, as he was watching the donations come into the temple treasury, that this widow's little gift was worth more than the large sums of money from the "major donors." That Son-powered calculator was operating like it always has, finding value where the world would find.. well.. nothing.

What is the value in the widow's gift? With her very scarce donation, she gave her self. Jesus noticed it right away. No one else did. He had to point it out to others. She almost got trampled, jostled about and ignored by the movers and shakers. She was not ignored by the Messiah. Jesus recognizes immediately when the self is given, because it's what he does. There's an affinity coming out loud and clear in this episode. According to Jesus' calculations, he's looking through a window to the New Creation. In the New Creation nothing is "amortized."

Thank you to James C. Christensen for this provoking artwork. I find myself leaning in toward this widow's face, wanting to accept her gift with celebration while at the same time wanting to shrink away in humility. There is power in that little gift of two coins that equal one penny. Standing in front of her, I am on holy ground.

Pastor James Aalgaard

Fwd: ...In the Meantime

Here's an email devotional I look at from time to time.

Blessings to you!

Pastor James A.

Begin forwarded message:

From: "...In the Meantime" <DavidJLose@gmail.com>

Date: November 3, 2012 12:13:00 PM MDT

To: aalgaard@gmail.com

Subject: ...In the Meantime

...In the Meantime

---

• Daring Greatly
• Philippians 2:17-18
• Campaign Fatigue

Daring Greatly Posted: 03 Nov 2012 10:25 AM PDT Today's poem is, well, not a poem. Rather, it is a portion of a speech given by Tedding Roosevelt at the Sorbonne, in Paris, in 1910. I was introduced to it by reading Brene Brown's recent book, Daring Greatly, which is not only a fantastic read but whose title is inspired by Roosevelt's measured and even metered speech. I thought of it today as we approach the end of the election cycle and an opportunity to exercise our civic right and responsibility to vote. After so many accusations…and promises…and attempts to blame others…and calculated presentations of oneself and all the rest, the person I want to vote for the is man who is ready to enter the arena and give it his all. The man, that is, who will not be changing positions or platforms at each turn, shaping himself into a more attractive candidate but who will come forth as himself, ready to stake his claims, take responsibilities for his mistakes, shoulder his responsibilities, and dare great things whether he succeed or fail. What I want, I guess, is integrity. You will be making your own decision soon for your own reasons, but as you read Roosevelt's lines, I'd invite you to allow them to inspire you to want and expect more from our leaders – all of our leaders – than the media barrage we've endured of late suggests we should expect. And in the meantime, make sure you get out to vote. It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat. "Citizenship in a Republic," Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

Philippians 2:17-18 Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:10 AM PDT But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you— and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me. And now it gets hard. Paul really has no idea if he will survive his present ordeal. Except for him this isn't hard. He has not only reckoned with the very real possibility of his death but even sees its advantages. It would be good, senses Paul, to be able to set down his task and labors and move to the nearer presence of God. Moreover, if his death solidifies the faith of the Philippians in that he has provided an example of faithfulness to the end, that also would give Paul joy. That may seem an odd sentiment to us, but Paul does not see death as the end, but only as another beginning. There is a danger here of reading too much into Paul's imagery. He does not imagine, for instance, that he is in some way dying for the Philippians. The sacrifice of which he speaks is not the sacrifice of exchange, as if he were implying some form of sacrificial atonement that he is imitating. Rather, he is employing the rich imagery or first century worship, where a glass of wine would be poured out at the time of religious ritual or commemoration. Think of it as akin to lifting a glass in tribute to the deceased at a funeral, where rather than drink the wine the one making the toast pours it into the ground in tribute. So also, Paul reckons that if his life is to be "poured out" in death, it will only be as an act of thanksgiving for and tribute to the faith, friendship, and partnership in Christ that he has shared with his beloved Philippians. This may all sound very odd to our ears because we live in a culture dominated by the ideal of perpetual youth, such that the worst thing that can happen is to grow old and die. But sometimes life is sweetest when you know it will not last forever. As the poet Ranier Maria Rilke once said, "the knowledge of our impermanence that haunts our days is their very fragrance." So also with Paul – knowing he will die, perhaps soon, gives the present moments he shares with the Philippians a piercing joy and rich fragrance, and Paul wants them to know that it is the fragrance of thanksgiving. Prayer: Dear God, let us live mindful that we will one day die, and allow this knowledge not to daunt us but, by faith in you, to enrich every moment of our living. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Campaign Fatigue Posted: 02 Nov 2012 11:06 AM PDT The young girl pictured here is Abigael Evans, and this is her reaction after seeing one – or maybe one hundred and one – too many campaign commercials. Abigael's mother posted this on YouTube this past Tuesday and four million views later I think it's captured the way a lot of us feel as we approach the end of this election season. So much so, in fact, that NPR posted an apology to Abigael: "On behalf of NPR and all other news outlets, we apologize to Abigael and all the many others who probably feel like her. We must confess, the campaign's gone on long enough for us, too." So there it is: we've got 5 days left until we can not just see this election come to an end but help make it a good end by voting. In the meantime, we can remember the wise words of Abigail's mom, "It'll be over soon." Note: If you are receiving this post by email, you may need to click here to watch the video.

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Word for Today

From Revelation 21:

 ⁵And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."  ⁶Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

The artwork here is titled "Liminal Air" by Shinji Ohmakidi Shinji. 

I think this is a good opportunity to talk about "liminality." 

Today is All Hallows Eve, a night that some talk about as if there is a crack in the border between the spirit world and the world we know better. This coming Sunday is All Saints Sunday, an opportunity to remember those who came before us and who also entered eternal rest before us. These are occasions when we recognize that we are on the edge of something. The threshold.

What is "liminality?" Surely not a word we use every day (but I challenge you to find an opportunity to use it today, tonight or tomorrow!), this is the concept of being on the threshold between. Between familiarity and un-familiarity.

How many times have you thought to yourself, "I'm not sure how this is going to go, but here I go"? How many times do you think nervously into the future, spinning scenarios until you're dizzy? There  is something inside us that detects we are on the edge, the edge of what? We don't yet know. I believe people and organizations, when they take on risk, can realize there is something energizing about that openness. Liminality. We are at a liminal moment.

Scripture here from Revelation 21 points to Jesus Christ, the one who has passed through the threshold. "I am the start and the stop, the 'A' and 'Z', the beginning and the end," he says to us. Quite a bold statement, but one I sorely need to hear! When I don't know what's past the threshold, Jesus is there. When I review where I've been, Jesus is there. When I notice I'm having a liminal moment, I would do well remembering that the threshold IS the very throne of Jesus.

Blessings! Let's stand at the threshold together.

Pastor James Aalgaard

St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

Words can at times Inhibit the Word

From Isaiah 53,

  ⁷He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

There are portions of the books of Isaiah that are called the "Servant Songs." This is one of the most well-known among Christians. We wear Jesus-Lenses throughout life, and so we see this described servant as a match for our Lord. 

How striking it is, that when the servant gave himself up, he spoke not a word, he did not even open his mouth.

When we hear something very startling, we too at times can't even open our mouths. Or we open them, but nothing comes out. Isaiah's suffering servant doesn't open his mouth because in part he needed to give himself entirely to the sacrifice. The experience of the sacrifice was too intense for words. The noise of no sound was louder than any word spoken.

There are times when silence is necessary, and there are times when we cannot be silent. In the moment the Lamb of God went to the Shearer, there needed to be silence, so the Good News could be heard loud and clear. In the quietness there, we can hear the very voice of God:

I love you.

James Aalgaard, pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

From Hebrews 4

¹⁴Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.  ¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Disney Pixar's "Up"

Dear friends, what happens when dreams change? What happens to your dream when the one who dreamt it with you is gone?

This was the situation for Mr. Carl Fredriksen. He is the best animated grumpy old man ever. Carl had one love, and that was his energetic wife Ellie. They had created a dream together, to travel to a certain point in South America when they had saved enough pennies. It was going to be an adventure. An adventure for two. They even started a book of adventures that had plenty of extra pages.

But as time went on, the car needed new tires. The house needed a new roof. Their dream was nickeled-and-dimed away. Finally, sadly, Ellie dies. (Carl's grumpiness really kicks in here, and for good reason). By the way, I triple-dog dare you to watch that opening sequence of the movie "Up" and come out of it with dry eyes.

In his lingering grief, Carl's world narrows around him, squeezes his understanding of self and neighbor until finally instead of cracking, he elevates. Carl and his house flee the stresses of life. He has attached hundreds of balloons filled with helium to his house, and literally floats away. He is on his way toward the adventure he and Ellie had spent their life planning.

Un-planned-for companions along the way make his adventure more complicated, and to make a long story very very short, Carl learns that he can create new adventures, especially since the first one wasn't going to work out. In fact his cherished book of Adventures had more entries than he knew. Before she died, Ellie had written there that she was thankful for every moment of that adventure of their life together. Now, she wrote, go make some of your own.

The writer of Hebrews lets us know there is One who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Christ. In EVERY respect, Jesus is able to sympathize with the death of our dreams, adventures never taken. In so doing, his death and resurrection become an adventure inside each of us. The wonder of it all, is the amazing array of unlikely companions we have now, with whom we dream.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

"Joy is a net of love that can catch souls" (Mother Teresa)

Word for Today

From Hebrews 4

¹⁴Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.  ¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Disney Pixar's "Up"

Dear friends, what happens when dreams change? What happens to your dream when the one who dreamt it with you is gone?

This was the situation for Mr. Carl Fredriksen. He is the best animated grumpy old man ever. Carl had one love, and that was his energetic wife Ellie. They had created a dream together, to travel to a certain point in South America when they had saved enough pennies. It was going to be an adventure. An adventure for two. They even started a book of adventures that had plenty of extra pages.

But as time went on, the car needed new tires. The house needed a new roof. Their dream was nickeled-and-dimed away. Finally, sadly, Ellie dies. (Carl's grumpiness really kicks in here, and for good reason). By the way, I triple-dog dare you to watch that opening sequence of the movie "Up" and come out of it with dry eyes.

In his lingering grief, Carl's world narrows around him, squeezes his understanding of self and neighbor until finally instead of cracking, he elevates. Carl and his house flee the stresses of life. He has attached hundreds of balloons filled with helium to his house, and literally floats away. He is on his way toward the adventure he and Ellie had spent their life planning.

Un-planned-for companions along the way make his adventure more complicated, and to make a long story very very short, Carl learns that he can create new adventures, especially since the first one wasn't going to work out. In fact his cherished book of Adventures had more entries than he knew. Before she died, Ellie had written there that she was thankful for every moment of that adventure of their life together. Now, she wrote, go make some of your own.

The writer of Hebrews lets us know there is One who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Christ. In EVERY respect, Jesus is able to sympathize with the death of our dreams, adventures never taken. In so doing, his death and resurrection become an adventure inside each of us. The wonder of it all, is the amazing array of unlikely companions we have now, with whom we dream.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

"Joy is a net of love that can catch souls" (Mother Teresa)

Word for Today

From "Evangelical Lutheran Worship": Let us pray... Sovereign God, you have created us to live in loving community with one another. Form us for life that is faithful and steadfast, and teach us to trust like little children, that we may reflect the image of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

from Psalm 8:

¹O LORD our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!—

²you whose glory is chanted above the heavens

 out of the mouths of infants and children;

you have set up a fortress against your enemies,

to silence the foe and avenger.

From Mark 10

¹³People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them.  ¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.  ¹⁵Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it."  ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

What are the characteristics of a child that YOU would like to have toward your Lord? Let me know what you come up with!

I would like  to assume that Jesus is a friend of mine.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church