Quartz at St Johns Dumfries
In The UK it is now summer time.
Everything will happen an hour before your body thinks it should.
Clocks need to be set forward an hour 2pm (UT) is 3pm (BST).
Mobile phone and internet devices do this automatically based on the region they think they are in.
Sundials need their gnomen tweeked
And the clock in your car will either be right or wrong for another 6 months.
You can check the time in the UK here: CLICK
Last week we spent a while reflecting on passions, and especially Anger, in both the positive and negative ways we experience it. Can it inspire us to speak out on issues which concearn us – like catastrophic climate change? If we are angry out of fear does this lead us to strike out thoughtlessly?
This week has featured:
Jesus meeting Martha and Mary in their sorrow at the death of Lazerus. Fear and anticipation of his own future torture and death. Followed by the increasing hostility toward his lifestyle of associating with sinners and outcasts at the top end of the economic ladder. This, combined with concearn about his uncontrollable popularity that threatened the fragile political status quo and his acceptance of worship poured out from those disdained by respectable folk and his own followers in embarrasing acts of generosity.
In what ways is it possible to challenge those in power without disrespecting authority? What actions speak more strongly than words? Is it possible to inspire parades and mass popular support, without emotional mass hysteria? (which despite the bias in the language, history shows that men are just as susceptible to)
The daily readings can be found by following this link.
Today I have been struck by the emotions depicted in the way these pictures tell a story through “looks” (Read the story here)
All sorts of judgemental looking going on in the painting by Dieric Bouts. I wonder if you identify with any of them?
The overall composition of the picture makes me feel distant, almost as if it is encouraging me to be a judge of what is going on.
The painting by Donna Mitchell has a very different point of view.
I find it difficult to imagine that anyone looking at this could have an expression like the one painted on Jesus face in the first picture. I can imagine the awkwardness, disdain and contempt expressed by the other people in the room though.
What would it look like from the perspective of the woman ?
I suspect that she wasn’t looking. I hope she was caught up in the moment and that gave her the strength to ride out the looks which stormed round the room. Perhaps some were not hostile, just patronising. Perhaps she was used to glances like that whatever she did. How often our passions are crushed by glances from those around us, friends and enemies.
When Jesus spoke to say that her sins were forgiven, was it similar to the way he spoke when telling Lazarus to come out of the tomb. At that time he didn’t speak for the benefit of God, or perhaps even for Lazarus. He spoke so that the crowd could hear.
The woman already knew that her sins were forgiven, she knew that Jesus would not reject her action, or embarass her. A powerful place to be in while all others around you are caught up in the storm. Like poverty, the storm will always surround us. Our lives might be a mess, and we may have no clear idea about how we can make them any better. However, like the woman, we can let our love dare others to scorn us. We can wed ourselves these precious moments and find peace.
Two thoughts from Alison arising from the Lent course…
I was struck by the way in which Jesus responsed to the grieving women in the family of Lazerus. He didn’t try to make them look on the bright side. “At least we know that he is happy in heaven now”. He didn’t avoid their raw grief “No! don’t talk to me about people dying!”.
Instead he met with them and wept, how many of his tears were for Lazerus and how many for the loss experienced by Mary and Martha?
The second thought:
We never know when a disaster will lead to better things. However, while you are expereincing a disaster it will always be a disaster.
She also told me about a poem she found helpful around the time of one of those disasters. It is called “One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop and you can read it HERE
Today’s lent thinking revolves around Jesus praying in Gethsemane. The story describes him feeling powerful emotions as he anticipates where his path will lead him.
Most people avoid fear and anger and the situations where we may experience these emotional states. There is a tradition of “Via Negitiva” though. I react badly to (hate?) Disney for the decisions they have made to edit out tragedy from old stories, or redress them to promote a simplistic and conservative vision of the USA. I think stories can, and should, help us encounter feelings we hope we will never experience for real and that this will help us handle the times when we have to walk a dark path.
When I was a teenager I was trained to take the good news to my friends. One of my teachers, in particular, combined music and visual imagery. Using a cassette tape and a film projector with actual reels! To help us imaginatively engage with the meaning. The song he chose was “The sound of silence” by Simon and Garfunkel. The experience of frustration has been reinterpreted and expressed by “Disturbed” more recently.
This freedom and adaption to a changing world was a rarity though. Many had a desire to take the gospel relevantly to every generation. Their underlying agenda was to bring people to their vision of Church however. With the best of intentions, it seemed like they would bait activities with fun, reduce their dogma to soundbites, and then expect new recruits to settle down into established church patterns. Young people who were devoted to the Way would be burdened by their elders perceived failures to succeed. Issues like consumerism, climate change and the persecution of people because of their gender and sexuality were badly handled by a culture finding it difficult enough to understand the ethics of vegetarianism.
This song and video helped me work though some of that experience.
I started with a pop/folk song covered by a metal band. A while ago I was intrigued to discover that a metal track composed by “Nine Inch Nails” had become popular in Church circles. The new version was recorded by Johnny Cash towards the end of his life. Hindsight, nostalgia, these are powerful emotions.
What are the consequences of addiction to social order experienced by national churches? To denomination by those trained in that path? All humans need safe spaces to nourish a strong sense of identity in relationship – but how many “little deaths” have young people been forced to make in order to fit in? Where has the support for them been, when they leave the mother ship to establish safe spaces for outcasts and those who question the status quo?
Please use the link below to join the online meeting.
This week has been emotional … or at least about knowing a Jesus who experiences emotions!
Without emotional, passionate, experiences life can seem to drift by us. Other times can be turbulent and troubled and our emotions overwhelm us.
Some people are anchors in our life. Some are friends. Others are acquaintances, who we might spend a lot of time with, but with whom the same mutual reciprocal relationship of friendship doesn’t exist. Relationships are rarely static either – so perhaps it is good to take some time out to reflect about who your “anchor people” are.
Who would you share your troubles with? Are there people you shoudl check in on?
The 4rd Quartz Lent 2021 Sunday discussion group can be joined here:
(From about 2.50pm on Sunday afternoon)
The daily readings can be found by following this link. Here are the footprints from Monday till today though!
Jesus reaches out to those in need: The Foreigner – Even dogs get scraps
Jesus reaches out to those in need: The Chronic Sick – Faith heals
The Emotional Jesus: Joy – Celebration, Joy, St Patrick
The Emotional Jesus: Love – Rich young master
The Emotional Jesus: Troubled – Friends and betrayal
The Emotional Jesus: Anger – Is it lawful to heal or harm?
The Emotional Jesus: Compassion – Restoring a widows son
And a quick reminder that the materials Quartz is using this Lent have been produced in Scotland by the Society of Jesus – Jesuits – a Catholic religious order. So many thanks to them for making it possible for us to walk with them, and all the others, throughout the world.
For more info, guides to ways of praying and links with BBC Radio 4 services CLICK HERE
From this years lent journey.
A “Lorica” breastplate prayer. Recognising that which is right and solid to ‘armour up’ before confronting the shifting trials of relationships, social pressures and politics.
Rock is solid, Christ is with us. The earth is firm, and the friendship of those who care for us keeps us on track.
Continuing my ongoing pondering of the BBC radio 4 Daily Service, (about the gifts of talents) I reread the 9th century poem a monk wrote about his cat Pangur Bán in the margins of the page in the book he was working on. In it the monk compares his work as the calligrapher of a sacred books with the work of his white cat (Pangur Bán) hunting a mouse.
We all have different talents. Rather than worrying if we have a 5 bar of gold talent, or just a 1 bar of gold one – we should use what we have!
1. I and White Pangur, each of us in his special craft. His mind is set on hunting; my mind is on my special subject.
2. I love resting (better than any fame) at my book, with diligent understanding; White Pangur is not envious of me; he loves his childish craft.
3. When we are (tale without tiredness), in our house, being alone, we have an endless sport, a thing to which we may apply our skill.
4. It is usual, at times, by feats of valor, that a mouse sticks in his net. As for me, there falls into my net, a difficult rule with hard meaning.
5. He points fiercely against an enclosing wall his eye, bright, perfect. I myself direct against the keenness of knowledge my sharp eye, though it be quite weak.
6. He is happy with swiftness of movement upon a mouse sticking in his sharp paws. Which I understand a difficult pleasant problem, as for me, I am happy, too.
7. Though we may be indeed (like this) at any time, neither disturbs his partner; good to each of us is his art, each rejoices in them.
8. He himself is master of it, the work which he does every day. To bring clarity to difficulty, I am at my own work.
Anon translation – found by Alison can be read at Georgetown.edu
#SensingSpirituality is a theme which runs through Quartz activates. This is based on the idea that humans are made of more than just flesh and bones. The activities are often designed to help participants use visual arts, or the physicality of crafts to explore, understand and express intangible feelings like meaningfulness.
But do you ever find your hands growing heavy when you pray, feel warmth, or sense an overwhelming feeling of peace? Has it seemed like the air is “thick” around you, or the veil between heaven and earth is particularly thin?
Even in the press of a crowd Jesus felt the power physically flowing from him.
We are souls who have bodies.
Please use the link below to join the online meeting. When two or three gather, Jesus is with us. Even though we can’t be in the same room perhaps technology provides a temporary body to bring about the potential within our souls to live in community.
The 4rd Quartz Lent 2021 Sunday discussion group can be joined here:
(From about 2.50pm on Sunday afternoon)
The Teachings of Jesus:
Jesus reaches out to those in need:
And one of the tunes to reflect on. Why water into wine? What does that tell us about the nature of God?
