Spiritual Checklist
Pictured is a large sign posted on one of our 5th grade classroom doors. It is a simple checklist for the students to ensure a successful day. My favorite is to make sure your water bottle is full. I can imagine a student telling the teacher, “Here’s my water bottle,” and the teacher’s reply, “But it’s empty.” This list may seem like a no-brainer, but, if you’ve ever met a 5th grader then you know that nothing on the list should be assumed. The checklist goes like this: Something to write with, something to write on, the work you’ve done yesterday, the water you’ll need for today, and an attitude to be ready for whatever comes your way. This truly is a checklist for a great day. I wonder what your daily checklist looks like. I have a particular routine that ensures I have my wallet, cell phone, pen and keys. In addition to that list, I have a daily spiritual checklist. On most days my spiritual checklist looks like this: I pray; in thanksgiving for the day, for those who are sick or in need, and for God to watch over my family; I read Scripture and I exercise. This may seem as much a no-brainer as the list for the fifth graders, but if you know much about my life, you might note that none of these should be an assumption. Consequently, to avoid starting my day with an empty Living Water bottle, I have a spiritual checklist. St. Benedict created a spiritual checklist, called the Rule of Life. It is simple: pray, work, sleep, repeat. Before everyone jumps on the Benedict bandwagon, however, I need to warn you that Benedictine prayer involves formal, communal prayers that typically hold to a schedule like this, 4:30 am, 6 am, 9 am, noon, 2 pm, 5:30 pm, 7 pm, and 10 pm. Manual labor is interspersed between those prayers throughout the day. Benedict believed that there is very little difference between labor and prayer. Whatever one’s labor, tilling a field, mopping a floor, or teaching a philosophy class in college, work is an integral part of the spiritual life. The apostles taught that we are to say the Lord’s Prayer at least once a day and to remember the needs of others. They also prayed at 9 am, noon, 3 pm and in the evening. That’s a good checklist and I think it would go a long way toward warranting a great day. Whether you follow a list like mine, or the apostolic list, or if you want to try a Benedictine spiritual checklist, setting time each day to praise God and to remember the needs of others will go a long way to ensure a great day and have a full bottle of Living Water. -Fr.Marshall
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Over the past six months, I have written about many difficult situations, but two in particular – the huge influx of Central American immigrants into our country and the fate of the Anglican Church in Baghdad. I have asked you to join me in prayer many times. Prayer works and to demonstrate that once again, I want to share with you some inspiring events.
Laura Shaver, with... the Episcopal News Service, reported from the Diocese of West Texas that the number of illegal border crossings has significantly decreased. At the same time incredible things have happened to support churches that help those in need. St. John’s Episcopal in McAllen has been overwhelmed with financial and human support. It takes 100 volunteers to help the 150 refugees who enter their parish every day seeking help. Despite that influx, the church was able to assist because, according to Rev. Nelson, “We have overproduced.” As a result, he took a $20,000 check to the Salvation Army on behalf of the diocese. That donation caused the Salvation Army office manager to break into tears. They had been praying for $20,000 to cover the budget shortfall created by the sudden influx. Another check for the same amount went to the local food bank that same day. The sudden downturn in border crossings is giving various entities, like Catholic Charities, the Episcopal Church, multiple food banks and others the opportunity to become well-stocked to help others. The other story comes from the beleaguered Anglican community in northern Baghdad. The Rev. Andrew White told the Anglican Communion News Source that the threat posed by ISIS is, ironically, a major reason believers want to undergo baptism. He said, “People really want to demonstrate their faith and that is good.” As you may be aware, publicly identifying oneself as a Christian is a dangerous and courageous move in Iraq. Rev. White baptized a family on October 1st. One of the children came up to him after the ceremony and said, “I feel like a new person now,” to which the priest replied, “You are.” Until recently, St. George’s Anglican, Baghdad, had a congregation numbering around 1,000. This past Sunday, they had only 160 at worship because so many have fled to the north. Yet St. George’s, with support from Anglicans/Episcopalians around the globe is receiving prayers and much needed material support. Something about need makes believers turn to action. The need in Texas started the process to provide basic necessities. And, the beyond-horrible atrocities of ISIS are turning hearts to the love of Christ and baptism into his Body. Nevertheless, there is something greater here than human action – it’s the power of the Holy Spirit working through prayer and love and a growing sense that we are all one. Although we may not all be of one mind about what to do with Central American refugees or how to respond to ISIS, we are getting the idea that the children and adults caught in the middle are our brothers and sisters. And this too is a mark of the Spirit – unity. May the Spirit who brings checks to needy food banks by motivating givers to act, the Spirit who heals and protects, and the Spirit who makes us one, be with all those in need. -Fr. Marshall A story caught my attention recently about a chain restaurant famous for all-you-can-eat bread sticks and unlimited salads. In response to underperforming stock, a hedge fund created a 300-page report outlining criticisms including overfilling salad bowls, using too much dressing, the liberal bread stick policy, and even the length of asparagus spears.
Have you noticed that national brands are reducing the size of their products while charging the same price? I was surprised when I bought a box of crackers (a brand that rhymes with “mitz”) how short the sleeves have become. One way to look at the hedge fund report is that investors want prices to remain the same while reducing the amount of food and service they offer. A popular deli in Pike Place Market in Seattle was highlighted in a book about business – not for how well it did, but for how it failed. This local Mom and Pop deli was popular because each sandwich had a huge pile of fresh cut deli meat and came with a large, homemade pickle, free of charge. Eventually, the owners decided to retire. A team of investors bought the place. The first thing they did was to charge for the pickles. The deli closed two years later. I guess the decision to reduce the product got them into a pickle. When I lived in Spokane, a Krispy Kreme factory opened near our home. They had an eight foot by eight foot red neon sign that lit up whenever they were making their delicious glazed donuts. We would go if the light was on because you’d get a free one for standing in line. I have never had a donut melt in my mouth like one seconds after it got off the white glaze drip line. After getting one free donut, like a moth to light, I had to buy a box. I have never eaten so many donuts in my entire life. The place was always packed and the drive thru seemed always to have at least three cars waiting. One day, the Corporation decided that they would no longer give away donuts. I have not been back since. A great thing about the Church with Christ as its head is that the same amount of Grace that existed 2,000 years ago is still with us today. There is no shrinkage. Think of it like water; the amount on Earth today is apparently the same amount as at the Creation. The forgiveness Jesus offered while he was on earth is the same amount he offers today. There’s been no shrinkage in God’s love for us and there never will be. The Holy Spirit that was made known on the day of Pentecost is the same gargantuan-sized Spirit we have today. The outer packaging of the church may have changed, along with the times we worship, the places, the languages, and even the style of clothes we wear, but the free gift of Grace is the same size then and now. And, it’s available to all. We need never say, “Super-size that, please!” God’s love is already available in any size we need and like that free Krispy Kreme donut I used to be able to get, the Grace of God is free of charge to all and even without waiting in line. -Fr. Marshall I participated in my first Safety Commission meeting. We meet in the council’s chambers which is an impressive auditorium. Front and center is a massive dark wood bench that is five feet tall and probably 60 feet wide. When the council is in session, the members are seated behind it in high back leather chairs. This room is designed to give the appearance of power to the people seated behind the bench. When the Safety Commission is in session, we sit up there. This seating arrangement will take me a while to get used to. It’s not my style. I prefer to preach on the same floor as parishioners, not from the pulpit. During Vestry meetings, I sit around the table with everyone else and in my office I sit at my desk only when there isn’t enough room. Of a crowd of thirty that night, we had eight speakers and they were unhappy. At issue is a community with a multiplicity of substantial complaints. Their park has become party-central, vandalism and graffiti are taking over, residents from outside their community are using their on-street parking, a side street has become a cut-through, and a major development is just about to break ground and possibly wreak even more havoc in the already disrupted living space. They’re turning to their local government for solutions. It was difficult for me to be sitting behind the bench and under the constraints of Robert’s Rules of Order. I’d rather be seated in a circle, with some coffee, and talk through their complaints and search for solutions. One shining spot of the city is Sergeant Tarr of the Chula City PD. Prior to the meeting, he met with residents in their community. He walked with them and heard their complaints. He cited cars for parking improperly, addressed the graffiti, and, on his own time, got to know the people who live there. Additionally, he is sending patrols over to the area and has made it known that the residents can contact him directly with any questions or concerns. In other words, he believes in circling the chairs and brewing coffee, too. On Wednesday night, I saw two modalities of government at work. One is to have some appointed commissioners hearing the complaints of the people and then discussing various ways to help. The other is to walk with the people, see where they live, and experience the problems themselves. Both modalities are important; including the structure and order of Robert’s Rules. Nevertheless, following Sergeant Tarr’s lead, I am meeting with the president of one of the homeowner’s associations to see what they need. Scripture gives us two images of God, one seated high on a throne executing judgments and the other a good shepherd who walks among the creation and lays his life down for the sheep. Although both images are important, I identify with the latter of these two images – the Good Shepherd. He leads and guides me and is present as I sleep and present when I awake. I believe that he will not take me to the throne of God and accuse me of all the things I have done wrong, but rather will walk me through the valley of death and in his house I will live for evermore. Thus, it is example of the Good Shepherd that I try to follow, both at church, at home, and even in the Safety Council. -Fr. Marshall Recently a flight from Newark to Denver was diverted to Chicago because of an in-flight dispute over a contraption called the Knee Defender. This new device stops an airplane seat from reclining. A male passenger used the Knee Defender to stop a female passenger in front from reclining while he was using his laptop. When asked to remove the device, he refused, so the female stood up and soaked him with a cup of water.
I once took a plane ride to a meeting and while in the air attempted to use my laptop. The person in front of me reclined rendering my laptop unusable. I’m 6’ 3” so flying is not comfortable for me in the first place. For starters, the back of the seat which cradles your shoulders and provides support for your head hits me between my shoulder blades. To have some comfort I slouch my shoulders down which pins my knees into the seat in front. If someone reclines, what little space is there disappears. You won’t be surprised that I think the Knee Defender is a good idea. The FAA has not ruled on this device which makes airlines responsible for setting their own rules. Some have forbidden it and in this case, the man was in the wrong because the flight attendant had asked him to remove it. Still, we tall guys have sympathy for this situation. This device that diverted a plane brings up an interesting debate on in-flight manners. When you purchase a ticket, does that guarantee you the space behind? Do you have a right to all space three feet or less from your nose? Can you restrict the movement of someone else’s seat? How about the space under their seat – is that yours or theirs? Do priests and pregnant women get special consideration? (Sorry, but I could not resist that.) I’m wondering what the appropriate Christian response is assuming the front seat passenger is not attempting to baptize the rear seat passenger. This story reminds me of another flight, from the U.S. to Russia. The aisle passenger reclined his seat as far back as possible. The result was passengers in this row would pull, push, bounce and drive their knees into his seat every time they exited or returned; the behavior seemed to worsen as the 12-hour flight dragged on. Yet the passenger would not take the hint and put his seat upright; he seemed to sleep through it, maybe indignantly. Getting back to an appropriate Christian response. In this situation, I believe it probably starts with hospitality. Perhaps we should not fight but, rather, respect each person’s right to as comfortable flight as possible. Given the information we know in this news story, perhaps finding middle ground would have kept the plane en route to Denver instead of causing a delay of more than ninety minutes. And after all that, the airline determined not to intervene and both passengers were allowed to continue; I hope they at least changed seats. Once on a short flight from Boise to Spokane a flight attendant announced that nearly half our plane had tight connecting flights and to please stay seated if our final destination was Spokane. I watched a young family stay seated until everyone on board had the opportunity to leave. Prior to landing, The mother said to her children, “Stay seated, kids, because just like Jesus said, ‘The last will be first and the first last.’” Then she chuckled and said to her husband, “I hope our Final Destination is better than Spokane.” -Fr. Marshall I just posted a picture on Facebook of my two boys on their first day of the new school year at Saint John’s. It was posted twice, once on my Facebook page and then on the church’s page. Some of you “liked” the picture and one added a beautiful benediction which I really appreciate. For as much as I like to talk about people who lived two thousand years ago, I also need to keep an eye on today. And, like it or not, this internet thing doesn’t seem to be going away.
Over the summer, a media consultant met with Saint John’s School to improve our internet presence – specifically with social media. This consultant has a connection to Saint John’s and we greatly appreciate her advice. She said we need to post something on our Facebook page once a day, every day. We heard it as a challenge; she meant it as a command. We are starting a YouTube Club that will video short (less than 30 second) clips of students talking about the virtues of Saint John’s which we will then post on Facebook, our website, our YouTube channel and our school app. Yes, Saint John’s School now even has a smart phone app. The number one source of information for people thinking about private school is found on-line. The number two source is word of mouth. And that source is now on-line, too. Did you know that Saint John’s Church has a Yelp review? If you are not familiar with Yelp, it is an on-line, word-of-mouth, website where anyone can review restaurants, repair shops, dentists, and even churches. Whether or not the reviews are accurate, they are there for everyone to see. Saint John’s currently has two reviews, one positive and one negative from years ago, a complaint against the school. Interestingly, those complaints have been addressed and fixed; they had to do with bullying and the math and science curriculum. But the complaint (Sigh!) is still there, like many things on the Internet. Most folks who visit the church have already read about us on-line. Many have looked at our pictures, reviewed our activities, read our mission statement, my Reflections, and heard a sermon or two. And, some have read our reviews. Do you remember the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand? Word-of-mouth brought that huge number of people to Jesus. In the age before the internet, it was neighbors telling neighbors. Perhaps you are not called to invite everyone you meet to Saint John’s. But, maybe you are called to write a review. If you do, you’ll help the mission and ministry of Saint John’s by being a light to others who are searching for a church home. If you feel called to this interesting ministry, look up “St. John’s Episcopal Church” on yelp.com, or simply click here http://www.yelp.com/biz/st-johns-episcopal-church-chula-vista. Another reviewing site is at google.com. Type Saint John’s Episcopal Church Chula Vista, and then click on the “be the first to review” and type away. -Fr. Marshall It’s Little League World Series season again. Five years ago, the Chula Vista team beat Taiwan for the title. Last year the Eastlake All Stars made it all the way to the title game against Japan. The local successes in 2009 and 2013 have piqued my interest in following the series. I am amazed at the talent and the pace of the game; and, since they are kids, anything can happen. There is no such thing as a routine ground ball or a pop-up that is easily caught. This year, America is caught up with Mo'ne Davis, a pitching phenomenon and the first girl to win a game, at this level, as a pitcher. She can throw 70 mph and can hit, too.
Watching Little League baseball is refreshing. There are no contract disputes or free agency; it’s simply pure baseball. It’s hard to imagine anything better on a warm summer night. Inevitably, however, the values of the world edge their way in. Expectations and big-money-ball take over and thoughts about professional play are raised. Admittedly, I’m caught up in it, too. I have thoughts of Mo'ne Davis playing college baseball on formerly men’s only teams and perhaps making it to the majors. How cool would that be? In an interview, she was asked about her future in sports. She dreams of playing basketball for UConn and then entering the WNBA. Personally, I hope she plays for Stanford. At the same time, however, I wonder why can’t we – me in particular – just let her be 13 years old and enjoy the incredible moments of playing baseball. An MLB expert, who I like to follow because he’s quite good at talking about rising talent in the minor leagues, weighed in on the Little League World Series. He said very few Little League champions make it to professional baseball. The reason is because of growth. These kids are great now but the question is whether or not they will continue to grow. Most don’t, said the expert. They are usually tall for their age at this level but some won’t grow much. Others have interest in other sports, get distracted by other things, or just don’t want to work hard enough to continue to improve. Most champions level off and never play under spot lights again. That is just how it works. While I was thinking about this growth principle in sports, I came home to find out that Elijah has grown one full inch since May and Ethan has grown 1.5 inches. Now that’s growth! Will either of them play in a Little League World Series? Probably not. But, I hope they will continue to grow in maturity, in their studies, and in their faith. Unlike the fleeting moments of high-level competitive sports, we are called to grow into the full stature of Christ. Even if you just met Jesus yesterday, and you are in your eighth decade on this earth and confined to a wheelchair, you can grow spiritually! A less extreme example is this: as our knees age, and our backs get weary and tired, we can still grow in faith. I’ve witnessed people with debilitating degenerative diseases grow tremendously in faith as their bodies withered away. Very few people will get called up into the major leagues, but at some point everyone will be called to life with our Maker. The question is whether we will continue to grow in faith and in Spirit or, like many older Little League champions, find other interests that will distract us from growth. -Fr. Marshall Our cat, Pancake, has a chronic nose infection. He is a very friendly cat who gets lost a lot. Pancake sees people walking by, joins them and minutes later become disoriented because he can’t smell his way back. So Pancake gets in-house detention. That does not fit well with his penchant for traveling so he frequently sneaks out.
We have a neighbor who becomes annoyed when Pancake sits on our front lawn or on the curb so she picks him up and delivers him to our door. The last time she appeared irritated that we can’t control our cat. During dinner one night, my cell phone rang. The message was, “Hi, it’s Kerry from the County Animal Shelter. We have Pancake, give us a call.” The shelter closes at 5:30 and it was 6 pm but I took off to see if I could find someone at the shelter. I found out that Pancake was doing fine and a neighbor had turned him in but he had to stay in kitty-jail until a clerk was there the next day. That’s when hate flooded in. When the employee said “neighbor” I had images of our neighbor saying to herself, “I’m going to teach this family a lesson by taking Pancake to the shelter.” The more I thought, the more infuriated I got. By the time I got home, I was mad at the world and wanted revenge. But the calming Spirit of the Lord intervened. I decided to talk to another neighbor who has lived in the complex since it was built, knows everyone, is on the homeowners board, is an animal lover, a Navy widow, and very sweet and kind. I knocked on her door and asked if our CC&Rs have restrictions on unleashed cats? She replied they didn’t and asked why. I said I thought our neighbor (she knew which one I was referring to) had taken Pancake to the shelter. She thought about the allegation for a moment and said, “That doesn’t sound like her. Her cat, her only companion, was struck by a car right out front and she’s been concerned ever since. I don’t think she’d take your cat.” I decided to pray and sleep on it. The next morning, I woke up still annoyed but looking forward to Pancake’s return. When Christi picked up our beloved cat from kitty-jail she asked the clerk where Pancake was picked up and by whom. The rescuers were from a street pretty far from ours. They were relieved that Pancake had a chip. A couple of days before Ethan had found Pancake on that same street and brought him home. It suddenly made sense: the family saw Pancake on their patio, obviously lost. Then he disappeared but returned a couple of days later. They concluded he was a stray in need of help. And that’s when guilt flooded in. I had hated my neighbor because I assumed she had messed with a member of my family. I said many prayers that day asking for forgiveness and blessings for my neighbor, who I had misjudged. Since then, we’ve built a catio – a simple cage-like thing around our fenced in backyard that does not allow Pancake to escape but lets him enjoy being outdoors. Hate is a powerful emotion. God tells us that “vengeance is mine” and not ours (Deut 35:32). God understands all things. Luckily, for me especially, he is faithful, forgiving, and guides us through hate into understanding. -Fr. Marshall God sends me people who have been injured by institutional religion. Every time I meet with someone who has been hurt by a church or worship community it breaks my heart. Yet, in the course of our conversations, I’ve seen the crucified and risen Christ walking with those wounded by religion. After all, Jesus was killed by institutionalized religion.
Through many pastoral encounters, I have realized three things. First, it is possible to have a connection with God without being a part of a church. Second, institutionalized religion can hurt individuals and interrupt their connections with God. Third, participating in a loving, supportive church will improve one’s relationship with God. I think most people would find it utterly absurd and incredibly ironic that the very institution that claims Christ as its head would create rules that exclude and withhold the two fundamental sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion from certain individuals. The way I see it, Jesus told us to go and baptize and to share his body in communion bread. The key words for me are “go” and “share,” which are not modified to make us the evaluators of those to whom we offer baptism. He did not make rules concerning who can receive his body based on marital status or even those who have failed at marriage. For me, “go” and “share” to “all nations” is a clear command to the Church to do these things without reservation. “Do this in remembrance of me” did not have a caveat about the worthiness of the receiver. If it did, then I could not receive, because, after all, I am not worthy. Yet, history shows the institutionalization of His Body sometimes becomes subject to human failings, like rules that exclude and hurt. So what do we do? How do we help those who have been hurt by other churches—or, for that matter, by our own? The answer, I think, is in hospitality. I talk a lot about Jesus’ love for us and his command to love God and our neighbors. What I perhaps need to talk more about is his emphasis on hospitality. Jesus did not say, “No” to anyone who came to him. Instead, he listened and showed compassion. He said, “I assure you that everybody who gives even a cup of cold water to even these little ones because they are my disciples will certainly be rewarded.” (Mt 10:42) Children, back in Jesus’ day, were not considered worthy of hospitality; yet Jesus applauds people who do as little as offer water to a child. Jesus attended a dinner at which a woman washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, an act of extraordinary hospitality. (Luke 7) And, as we heard this past Sunday, Jesus instructed his disciples to feed the crowd of more than 5,000. One can have a relationship with God without the Church but, nevertheless, the Church can help in strengthening that relationship and it starts with hospitality, with being kind, welcoming, offering, and supporting, not condemning, condescending, and judging. God sends me people who have been harmed by religion. This means God also sends them to Saint John’s – to you. We are a hospitable house of worship for all people. At least we strive to be. And what a refreshing place this is in our world. We can be just like a cold cup of water on a hot day. You have done it again. Once again Saint John’s has helped people in need. School starts this week for many in Chula Vista. Although our district is on a year-round schedule, the end of July is the official start of the new school year. Word got out that some children in our neighborhood were going to start school unprepared. And that is something the people of Saint John’s just could not accept. Our biggest outreach is education; we have a pre-k through 8th grade school, after all. But, to be frank, Saint John’s School, as great as it is, serves a particular segment in our society, which, by and large, can afford back-to-school supplies. Saint John’s educates the whole child, teaches critical thinking, creativity, spirituality in Christ, and instills empathy for others. Our graduates enter the top high schools in the county. From there, they have the opportunity to enter the top colleges in the country. But what about the children in our community that can’t afford Saint John’s School, or school supplies for that matter. Saint John’s supports them, too. The origin of public education is based in part upon Horace Mann’s philosophy that education should be universal, non-sectarian, free, and that its aims should be social efficiency, civic virtue, and character. One could debate whether or not non-sectarian schools can actually teach virtues and character without a spiritual basis, but that’s a different Reflection. Senator Bob Dole once stated that public education should guarantee that every student has an equal spot at the starting line. Children need some basics in order to have that equal spot – good nutrition, a safe academic environment, and school supplies. There are government funded programs that assist with the first two, but as for school supplies, it appears this is a great opportunity for Church outreach programs. The Episcopal Church has many programs that get needed supplies into the hands of youngsters. And, thankfully, we are not alone in this endeavor. The Bridge Church in Murrieta is hosting a Back to School Bash where they give away school supplies, sponsor a free medical clinic for sports-related physicals, do student haircuts, and give away other stuff from pancakes to gently-used clothing. This is good news, and maybe even Good News! Followers of Christ are banding together to assist needy children with much needed supplies for their scholastic careers. We are living into the blessing from the Letter to the Hebrews which is this: to equip us with everything good to do God’s will and may our work be pleasing in his sight. (13:21) Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to things like yeast that leavens bread, a woman finding a lost coin, hidden treasure in a field, a mustard seed that grows into a huge plant. I believe Jesus would also say that the Kingdom is like 40 backpacks prepared for children in need, free physicals and back-to-school haircuts. I am certain that actions like these are pleasing in God’s sight. I pray that we the people of God will continue to equip others and do the work of the Kingdom. -Fr. Marshall |