Here's to today!

 

“Make today the most important day of the year,

because tomorrow is not guaranteed.”

Dear Friends

Do you know John Altobelli? He was a coach who began every team practice with the words above, including a year ago today. He didn’t get a tomorrow. He, along with his wife and daughter, was one of those who died in the accident heard round the world a year ago tomorrow.

Kobe Bryant and his daughter, of course, were the center of most people’s attention following that horrible helicopter crash. But the story of Orange Coast College baseball coach John Atlobelli, which I read in today’s LA Times, is not just good counsel about making the most of each day. It is a reminder that everyone deserves our attention. Everyone has some wisdom to share, if we are listening.

Obviously, the news shook his players, including Michael Ryhlick who said, “You hear that quote and you’re like, yeah, yeah, it’s good motivational stuff, but when you see living proof of it, you’re like, ‘Whoa’. Now, I try to live by it and it kind of pushes me through everything. If I’m feeling lazy or like I want to take a rep off, I feel I can do more. I can’t mess around and not care about this, because if I wake up tomorrow and all of a sudden I can’t play, I don’t want to live with that regret. Why not give it my best shot every day?”

Speaking of the importance of each day, this Decalogue by Pope John XXIII is worth sharing:

Just for today, I will try to live for this day alone, without wishing to solve my life's problems all at once. 

Just for today, I will take great care of how I present myself; I will dress simply; (are you listening Lady Gaga?) I will not raise my voice; (Please do raise it, Lady Gaga) I will be polite in my manners; I will not criticize anyone; I will not look to improve or discipline anyone other than myself. 

Just for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the world to come but also in this one.

Just for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without expecting  circumstances to adapt to my wishes.

Just for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to sitting in silence and listening to God, remembering that just as food is necessary for the life of the body, so silence and listening are necessary for the life of the soul.

Just for today, I will do a good deed and tell no one about it.

Just for today, I will do at least one thing I do not enjoy; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure no one notices.

Just for today, I will make a plan: Perhaps I will not follow it perfectly, but still I will make it. And I will guard against two evils: haste and indecision.

Just for today, I will know, from the bottom of my heart, no matter how it may seem, that God cares for me like no one else in this world. 

Just for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in love. I can easily do, for 12 hours, what I would find discouraging if I thought I had to do it for a lifetime.  

Reading the rest of newspaper each day, I am mindful that for too many during this pandemic, each day is not easily embraced as a gift. It is sad and sobering and painfully reminds us of the brevity and fragility of life.

But still, with a happy heart, here’s to today. And hopefully tomorrow!

John

 

A Day Celebration

Dear Friends

The I’s have had it. Insurrection. Impeachment. Inauguration. The third of the three past Wednesdays is what is filling my heart and mind right now:

That Inauguration Eve tribute to Covid Victims. A reminder that, including the silence, less is more.

That exit! I kid you not, just as Air Force One took off with “I’ll do it My Way” blaring in the background, our TV screen went blank and the words “Entering Recovery System” appeared until we had a picture and sound again!

That National Anthem! But what about a dress code for the singer :)

That history made! As someone noted, a women’s hand on the bible after all these years of men's hands.

That speech! “…Lead not by the example of our power but by the power of our example…”

That poem! I don’t know where to begin. I'm speechless.

Those different faces and songs from around the country. I didn’t enjoy all the songs personally, but am glad that everyone was invited and given a place in the program.

Those fireworks! More fireworks than any other Inauguration Day ever. Period!!!

And so much more. Kathleen getting her first vaccine, I kid you not, at 8:48 PST, the exact minute President Biden completed his oath early at 11:48 EST! My dear friend Amy Klobuchar (we have the same birthday) and her spontaneous sense of humor--…“and a whole bunch of Bidens” Listening to three past presidents share their words of wisdom. And, as I said, so much more.

But I must close by confessing that I cried yesterday---(and not just when I saw Lady Gaga’s dress! :). I have tried to manage many waves of anger these past four years, but apparently I still had held a lot within. Yesterday, I think the tears were the textbook or should I say dictionary definition of cathartic---providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions as in "crying is a cathartic release".

Going forward, I am looking forward to (trying!) watching less cable news and more things like PBS’s “All Creatures Great and Small”. I am going to try to do my part in turning down the temperature, while letting those on the front lines deal with what needs to be done. And, having received my first vaccine shot as an over 65-year old volunteer chaplain at Corona Regional Medical Center, I am looking forward to getting out to do some ministry again, while still enjoying retirement.

There are heartaches ahead, and not just the daily death toll of Covid deaths (407,360 on Inauguration Day). Turning the page, does not mean an end to struggles for justice among other things. But for now, in this moment, my heavy heart has been turned into a more hopeful heart. That's not just because of yesterday, but because of the enduring truth of the hymn which begins with these two verses:

 

All my hope on God is founded; he doth still my trust renew

Me through change and chance he guideth, only good and only true

God unknown, he alone, calls my heart to be his own

 

Mortal pride and earthly glory, sword and crown betray our trust;

Though with care and toil we build them, tower and temple fall to dust

But God’s power, hour by hour, is my temple and my tower.

John

P.S And for frosting on the cake (or maybe we should see faith as the cake/ foundation) I was so glad and proud to watch the National Prayer service from our Washington National Cathedral this morning (still available to watch online). This was the Moms Mabley joke shared by the preacher, William Barber, near the beginning of his challenging sermon: 

What did one strawberry say to the other strawberry? 

If we hadn’t been in that bed together, we wouldn’t be in this jam today. 

Based on Isaiah 58:1-6, he called us all to be repairers of the breach.

 

 

What Now?

 

Dear Friends/Fellow Citizens

Our Book of Common Prayer and Hymnal have many tried and true prayers and poems that would be helpful to share as we near Inauguration Day. But I found them insufficient in this moment. Instead, I want to share the opening words of a prayer for our country by Avery Brooke, which I think is more compelling for our country right now:

O Christ we love this land. We wish is were always a simple love and it often is, but life has become complicated. Good gets mixed up with evil…

While many of us will be relieved beyond measure after the departure of “Individual 1” so we can finally welcome a man fit for the office, there is still much to be concerned about. “Where Do We Go From Here?” was a recent headline in the Press Enterprise.

Responding to all the comments that what we witnessed on January 6th was “entirely un-American” and “does not reflect the true America”, Theuis Bates, Managing Editor of “The Week”, says, “We will never be able to treat the sickness that led to last week’s insurrection unless we recognize this is part of who we are.”

So, as we go forward praying for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and the entire new administration, we must also look in the mirror. Former Senator Bill Bradley wrote a book called, “We Can All Do Better” in which he said, “Democracy, I came to realize, worked only if people assumed their responsibilities as citizens. The challenges we face require all of us to be at our best.”

In closing, let me share another prayer by Avery Brooke for today’s Martin Luther King Day which begins,

“Help us to remember Lord, how strong love can be in the face of hate and intolerance.”

There must be accountability (including for accomplices). There must be continuing vigilance. But may God also help us be good and responsible citizens, driven by wisdom, courage and most importantly, love.

John

The Present Crisis

 

Once to ev’ry man and nation, comes the moment to decide…

Dear Friends

First, we must continue to pray for our country---for the safety of all our elected officials, and for those trying to protect them and our government buildings in DC and across the country. We must also keep praying for all those working on every front line during this pandemic, which continues to spread around the world. Lord have mercy upon us!

Next, I wish I could send this poem to the Vice President and every representative in both houses of Congress and that they would pause and seriously consider its message. It is three verses of a longer poem by James Russell Lowell. It was written in 1845 from a greater work of poetry entitled “The Present Crisis”: (Be sure and read the story behind this poem which I have shared at the end of this blog)

Once to ev'ry man and nation

 

Comes the moment to decide,

 

In the strife of truth and falsehood,

 

For the good or evil side;

 

Some great cause, some great decision,

 

Off'ring each the bloom or blight,

 

And the choice goes by forever

 

'Twixt that darkness and that light.

 

 

 

Then to side with truth is noble,

 

When we share her wretched crust,

 

Ere her cause bring fame and profit,

 

And 'tis prosperous to be just;

 

Then it is the brave man chooses

 

While the coward stands aside,

 

Till the multitude make virtue

 

Of the faith they had denied.

 

 

 

Tho' the cause of evil prosper,

 

Yet the truth alone is strong;

 

Tho' her portion be the scaffold,

 

And upon the throne be wrong:

 

Yet that scaffold sways the future,

 

And, behind the dim unknown,

 

Standeth God within the shadow,

 

Keeping watch above His own.

 

In searching for the story behind this hymn (which was in our 1940 hymnal) I found this from a sermon preached at the Washington National Cathedral in 2003:

"This poem was penned as a protest against the war with Mexico that Lowell deplored as pre-emptive and unjust aggression. Many American’s opposed the action calling it sinful and accused then President Polk of deception and aggression. But one young congressman in particular stood up publicly and said “Allow the President to invade a neighboring country whenever he shall deem it necessary . . . and you allow him to make war at pleasure . . .” That young, anti-war congressman was named Abraham Lincoln."

Who will stand up and speak out in this moment, during this present crisis and act accordingly? In this case, if we want healing, we must first have accountability. And then we must just ignore him.

John

 

Keep your eye on the star

 

Dear Friends

While today is the Feast of Jesus’ Baptism, my still unsettled heart and mind is remembering last Wednesday, the Feast of the Epiphany. While my attention should have been focused on the star, it was riveted on the television, all day long. I had expected to celebrate that the election of our new president was finally official. Instead, after four years of simmering anger, it (and my blood pressure) boiled over. I was stunned and enraged.

A quote from a Robert Frost poem in a wonderful letter to the editor published in yesterday’s LA Times, helped me get to a better place. “Choose Something Like A Star” ends with these words:

It asks of us a certain height,

So when at times the mob is swayed

To carry blame or praise too far,

We may choose something like a star

To stay our minds on and be staid.

I am postponing the blog I planned for today to simply pray that while our unsettled hearts and minds still grapple with what has happened and what might still happen, we need to also take more time to look to the star to guide us to the source of our faith, our love, and our Light that the darkness cannot dispel.

This comes with continuing prayers during the pandemic (remember that?) for all our brothers and sisters on every front line. And it comes with fervent prayers that no more violence will erupt in the next 11 days (which includes Inauguration Day). And as the confession comes before the absolution, and justice before peace, I'm in the camp that says there needs to be accountability starting at the top (and for those who enabled him), before there can be any true healing. 

John

P.S. My perspective (and blood pressure) is getting back in range, helped by going to online church this morning, filling the birdfeeders and writing this blog, among other things.  Kathleen and I are also looking forward to watching the new PBS series which begins tonight---“All Creatures Great and Small.” 

 

Shameful Vote

Dear Friends

I hope to break away from so many political blogs (and so much cable TV!) after January 20th. But for now, I feel so strongly about what is happening that I must speak up again. Below is a letter (without the bolds and italics) I sent to the Press Enterprise. I  imagine many letters being written, and therefore there is a slimmer chance of it being published. So I decided to sent it to you directly.

Congressman Ken Calvert’s decades long journey from a once reasonable Republican to being hinged at the hip of our current president is now complete. He has even betrayed his own words. On November 19th, he said (in a press release on his website) the election is “determined by the certification of results by states and those results are then reflected by the Electoral College vote. I will certainly respect that outcome.”

Calvert now claims his vote was only “lending his voice” to “those deeply concerned by the integrity of the election”. In reality, Calvert’s fear of being “primaried” will also divide our country further, encourage the Trump fringe to continue plotting the violence he denounced just before his vote, and further calcify the steady stream of poison this president has already poured into our national bloodstream.

For many of us, Calvert’s vote not only stains but now defines his legacy. If enough people remember in 2022, this may be his last term.

This Sunday I will be sending a blog with lighter content which I hope will inspire and put a smile on your face. In the meantime, keep praying for our country. And let us not forget the families and friends of the five people who died on Wednesday.

John

 Dear Friends

First of all, as a first step, Congress should immediately, at the very least,  vote for a resolution to censure the president. Shame on any members who refuse---they don't deserve to continue to represent our country. I would welcome anything else that can realistically be done in the next two weeks (without enflaming the situation) including the 25th amendment. And, of course, the Justice Department and state of New York has work to do starting January 21^st . A real leader who loved this country more than self, would resign today. But for us to say or do nothing is to be complicit. It is not enough to just condemn the violence.

In the meantime, I don’t know what I can add to all the other words being written and spoken right now. But I found these words from former Trump chief of staff John Kelly especially worth sharing:

“We need to look infinitely harder at who we elect to any office in our land---at the office seeker’s character, at their morals, at their ethical record, their integrity, their honesty, their flaws, what they have said about women and minorities, why they are seeking office in the first place and only then consider the policies they espouse.”

Not all who voted for Trump are the same. I hope and pray that the otherwise good and decent people who did, people who would never accept or tolerate the characteristics of this person in their spouse or son-in law, in their children’s or grandchildren’s teacher or coach, in their pastor or doctor, would take Kelly’s words to heart. Trump isn’t the only one who can promote your policies!

Lord have mercy upon us and our country. Help us heal. Help us not shy away from the hard work of reconciliation ahead.

John

P.S. Let us all pray for Joe Biden and all in his new administration, that, as they promote their policies, they might "do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God". And let us keep praying for our medical heroes (who are now going to have to treat more people infected with Covid-19 because of yesterday’s rally, march and invasion.)

 

New Year's Blog

 

Dear Friends

There are many New Year’s Days to observe. The first day of school, the first Sunday of Advent and, for baseball fans, the first day of spring training. 

But everyone celebrates January 1^st, no matter what one’s situation, faith or interest. Have we ever, in our lifetimes, been so anxious to "turn the page"? Of course most turn the page calendars are not tied to a particular day or year. It is our wall calendars which we usually toss into the recycling bin.  (This year I can imagine someone organizing a community burning of those calendars!)

But before we are so quick to throw out 2020, there are some things for which we can be thankful:

***Many more deserving people have had the label “hero” attached to their professions. Their service and sacrifices should continue to inspire us all. I include my fellow, still active clergy, as they do their best to keep the supply chain of Good News flowing, in the face of many challenges.

***Democracy (the election process) while still under attack, won! Politics and politicians of all stripes can still infuriate us, and things will remain messy. But we can also breathe a deep sigh of relief because a new tone and style (as well as dignity and decency) is returning to the oval office.

***And maybe it’s because I am retired again and sheltered at home for the time being, but I am more aware of and thankful for so many ordinary, daily blessings (including watching the birds that come to our feeders).

Going forward into 2021, I hope and pray for our nation (and world), that more people will see the pandemic as a public health crisis which we all need to take more seriously. It should have nothing to do with politics. Going forward, I hope more people will ignore those voices with large platforms who have muddied the message and cost lives.   

But most of all going forward, I hope we will remember that the one who has brought us this far, will continue to guide us through our every step and stumble in the new year, that we will recognize our daily choices matter, and that no matter what, we are loved beyond measure and have reason to rejoice.

As that 17^th century Slovak hymn puts it:

His love abundant far exceeds

the volume of a whole year’s needs

Rejoice, rejoice with thanks embrace

another year of grace

 

With such a Lord to lead our way

in hazard and prosperity,

what need we fear in earth or space

in this new year of grace?

 

Happy New Year!

 

John