Tag Archives: Jesus

GAH!

Leave a comment

I’m annoyed. **Warning, this may sound like a rant**

I don’t get political. It’s not that I don’t have opinions about how things should work, but in the end I find that speaking about politics can be polarizing and confrontational, I’d rather just get to know you and have a conversation, you know, like a person should. I preface with this because this is not about politics, though the rest of the world *cough* America, seems to want to make it as such, this is about being a disciple. So without further ado…

Last week Pope Francis visited the United States and Cuba, and reminded the world that the good ‘ol U.S. of A. isn’t perfect and is still in need of some guidance. (Hooray!) The press loved him, twitter loved him (mostly), Facebook loved him. In general the media loved sharing with everyone his trips to the homeless shelter, his visit to a prison, his speech in Congress…the list goes on. The man had the busiest 6 day trip and I hope he is getting some much deserved rest. Though let’s be honest he’s probably still going full speed ahead.  America had Pope Fever! I read numerous articles where people lauded his stance on immigration, his call to action for helping the poor, his prayerful and peaceful attitude, and his loving acceptance and embrace of everyone he encountered. (Read: his stance- following Jesus’ teachings).

People were shouting from the rooftops, celebrities, journalists, politicians, Catholics, Christians, agnostics, cat people, that the Pope was truly showing them what it meant to be Christlike,  to embody the love of God and share the Gospel.

Then he left, and not 3 days later everything changed. It became public knowledge that Pope Francis had a 15 minute private meeting with Kim Davis and her husband, and the American media threw a fit. My twitter was alight with journalists and celebrities alike decrying their sense of betrayal, with tweets like…”Ahhh he was doing so well…” or “I knew it was too good to be true,” littered my feed. In a matter of 3 days Pope Francis went from media darling to fallen from grace. One Twitter-er when so far as to call the Pope a bigot, I’m sorry have you not been paying attention?! He met with all sorts of people during this whirlwind visit, and you have the gall to call him a bigot because of ONE person with whom he met? BLOCKED. I have very little patience with mainstream american media because while they love a feel good story, they love to watch that person fail more. (But that is a topic for a different post).

Here’s the deal people. You said that Pope Francis embodied Christ. Showed you what compassion and love truly looked like, and yet when his meeting with Davis became public knowledge everything he said and stands for immediately gets thrown out the window? That’s not how it works people. He’s not a politician. It’s not “shady” for the meeting to have been private, he doesn’t need your approval and acceptance to meet and talk with people. If you think Christ didn’t have a conversation with a person like Kim Davis in his time, you are sorely mistaken.

Pope Francis is walking the walk, and talking the talk. He is a role model for our time, and has reminded me time and time again what forgiveness and mercy really mean in a world of cynicism and judgement. While I’m perturbed with the media, and all those people who were so quick to change their tune what I really feel is sadness, because for whatever reason, whatever joy they felt while he was here so quickly dissipated, and left them angry and hurt. I hope that those who had even momentary joy and/or personal revelation when reading or hearing what Pope Francis had to say, seek out that which made them happy, that they seek truth, seek the Gospel, and seek Jesus. Because that’s really where they will find that joy again.

So thank you Pope Francis for being a true disciple. Thank you for giving me another example of how to be a disciple. Thank you for sharing the Joy the of Gospel.

I’ll even Unblock those people on Twitter

Also if you want to smile and feel happy just Google Image search Pope Francis. It’ll make your day!

.Pope-baby-zuchetto “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”        Mark 10:14-15

I’d Like To Take A Minute, Just Sit Right There…

Leave a comment

Spoiler Alert: this will not be a story about how I became the prince of BelAir, or have anything to to with that. So if you now have that song stuck into your head, I am not sorry, it’s a great jam. Go enjoy it here in its entirety.
Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Late in my high school career I was introduced to the band Nickel Creek. They are a wonderful folksy band with a banjo. I am such a sucker when it comes to banjos. Unfortunately not long after my introduction they decided to stop playing for a little while. I was bummed and consoled myself by listening to their songs on repeat. One song in particular I listened to constantly was Doubting Thomas. It was a smooth song that just seemed to strike a chord deep down in my soul. Eventually Nickel Creek and Doubting Thomas slipped away into the nebulous realm of nostalgia. Until a couple of weeks ago.

During the process of moving some music around from computer to external hard drive I stumbled upon a folder labeled “Summer 2004.” When opened I immediately fell into the world of that bygone summer and once again was captivated by this little song.

I don’t know if you know the story of Thomas, but I personally think he gets a bad rap. He will perpetually be known as “Doubting Thomas” for his lapse in faith, but I would like to call attention to some of his other deeds, the few that scripture give us.

In the narrative of the death of Lazarus in John 11, we hear about the death of Lazarus a friend of Christ whom he loved. In the naïveté or ignorance of the disciples they try to tell Jesus that he shouldn’t go back to Judea to see Lazarus. Once they learn that Lazarus is not asleep as Christ first said (a metaphor they didn’t get) but rather dead it is in that moment we see the courage and love of Thomas when he says in verse 16,

“Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Now I am not sure about you but as previously stated. I think this show tremendous courage and trust in Christ’s plan. Which we later learn is to raise Lazarus from the dead, so that they might understand the true power of God, as well as to foreshadow Christ’s own resurrection.

When we again meet Thomas in scripture it is after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and this is pivotal to his story and reputation. Remember what he said about Lazarus? He has seemingly lost that courage and confidence he previously held, and honestly wouldn’t you? If your dear friend and mentor had been brutally tortured and killed out of cowardice and fright, wouldn’t you be distraught?

When Christ appears to his disciples the first time post-resurrection Thomas isn’t there. And he doesn’t believe them when they tell him about it. In fact he says he needs to see the marks on his hands and wound in his side before he’ll believe it. Even after he had witnessed the miracles of Christ, there is only so much logic, reason, and faith the brain can sustain when one grieves for the loss of a loved one.

When Christ appears again he shows his wounds and scars to Thomas, it is in that moment that Thomas falls to his knees and gives us one of the greatest prayers when he says,

“My Lord, and my God.” Jn 20:28

Christ continues with a gentle chastisement about true faith, to believe without seeing, as a lesson for future generations.

All it takes is but a moment for Thomas to forever be remembered as a doubter. However when you look at the whole picture we see him as he truly is an example for us all to learn from, in his courage, his doubt, and his prayer.

I leave you with this verse from Nickel Creek, a good reminder of how small and human we all feel, and it is in those moments we need faith the most.

Please give me time to decipher the signs. Please forgive me for the time that I’ve wasted. I’m a Doubting Thomas, I’ll take your promise, though I know nothing’s safe. Oh my of little faith.

Give the whole song a listen here. Listen and love my friends, listen and love.