It is my own testimony that the victories of my life have always come in the midst of repentance and confession … My biggest problem is not demons. I am my biggest problem. It is only when God has cleansed my own wicked heart that participation in the redeeming work of intercession/reconciliation becomes possible. It is then that the power to change history is released through prayers.
Source: John Dawson - What Every Christian Should Know About Reconciliation, p. 23
Forgiven by the Girl He Napalmed
Referencing a Vietnam pilot forgiven by the girl he bombed with napalm:
Reflecting on the way the incident changed his life, John maintain that forgiveness is "neither earned nor even deserved, but a gift." It is also a mystery. He still can't quite grasp how a short conversation could wipe away a twenty-four-year nightmare.
Source: Johann Christoph Arnold - Why Forgive?, pp.162
"Be the first one to dance!"
Reconciliation & Reconstruction
I have heard some stories from those that have deep and abiding regrets about their life. It is rarely about the money they could have had, the job, the house, the car. In most cases, it is about the relationship they lost, or the friendship from which they walked away. In some ways, it is about a connection that was broken.
They all speak of doing it over, rebuilding that burned bridge, reconnecting; in other words, they are talking about redemption and reconciliation. What could have been done; what should have been done; what can still be done.
As we get older, we tend to see our lives in terms of the relationships we have or do not have, rather than those more material things we may strive for in our younger years.
Often, the mid-life crisis is one of identity, of goals not yet accomplished, of value in life. There can also be another type of mid-life or end-life crisis; one which is a crisis of relationships.
So how do we reconnect?
If we are estranged, then we need to look at why.
Is it the force of habit that has prevented reconciliation with another? Is it pride? Has our ego been bruised by another? Do we feel justified in never talking with them until they talk with us? Are there deeper issues that cause us to view that relationship as toxic, untouchable?
Sometimes a truly toxic relationship may be left alone; but until you really look at it, really examine the reasons, that feeling of needing to reconnect will not go away.
What do we expect from the reconnection?
Is it an apology? (look back at the pride question.) Is it understanding or forgiveness from the other for what you have done, or not done?
Don't expect an Oprah moment.
It may happen, but it is better to take baby steps; small and realistic goals. For example, just opening up a conversation can be a goal. For some relationships, this is a major step. Get your feet in the door; open the lines of communication.
It takes two to tango.
The other person has their own goals, expectations, and reasons for even letting you talk to them (if they do.) Realize that all those things play into the initial meeting and the process of reconcilliation. Be aware, always, that you are involved in a dynamic, two-sided relationship.
But be the first one to dance!
If it comes to a deadlock when we try to reconnect, be the first one to back down. Be prepared to take the moral high road. Be patient. Put your pride on hold. You can save face or practice some grace.
Treat each other as you are today; not how you remember them.
It may be all too easy to fall into old habits - which may be the ones that lead to your estrangement in the first place. Just because you may have had history, doesn't mean that that history needs to dictate how each person will respond to the other today.
Reconnection and Reconciliation is a process, not a one stop shop.
Getting a conversation started is a great place to begin. As with all relationship, we need to look at what happened; how close or far away you came to your and their expectations. Is it possible to continue the conversation again? Sometimes it is not. However, if the door is still open, move forward!
Reconnection and reconciliation is worth whatever hardship and time you may put into it.
Rebuilding bridges is never time wasted! Even if reconciliation does not happen, the attempt was made. It is easier to not regret trying that to regret not trying at all.
Source: Steven Lee - Posted on Facebook, 20 July 2018
Zacchaeus
Luke 19:8-9 and Acts 19:18-19 both show the distinct Old Testament pattern of open, public confession and repentance:
Lk. 19:8-9--"But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Look Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.' Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham."
Source: Dr. Gary S. Greig - The Biblical Foundations of Identificational Repentance as One Prayer Pattern Useful to Advance God's Kingdom and Evangelism, April 2001
Young People
I got a text earlier today which really encouraged me. It came from a youth worker who had been working with a group of young people in Belfast who had inspired him. This was part of the text he sent me:
"I have to say I was so taken back by their generosity. And thoughtfulness. Perhaps our wounded and wonderful city is beginning to heal through our young people. Go raibh maith agat".
Source: Author Unknown - Quoted by Fr. Martin Magill in a FB post on 22 March 2017
Baptist Longing for Catholicity
As a staunch Baptist I, too, long for catholicity. In many respects the future of Christianity depends upon a greater ecumenicity. Regular prayer with Benedictines has kindled a burning desire in me for Christ’s church to be one. When worshiping with these Christian brothers and sisters, I feel acutely the separation when the Eucharist is celebrated. While I understand the linkage of the meal to the larger sacramental system of the Roman Catholic Church, it reminds me that the unity for which Jesus prayed in John 17 is not yet realized. My spiritual friend, Abbot Gregory of Conception Abbey (a nearby monastery), shares this longing “that they might be one.”
Source: Molly T. Marshall - "Can a Baptist be a Catholic?", Baptist News Global, 13 September 2016, https://baptistnews.com/article/can-a-baptist-be-a-catholic/
Randall Gauger, Bruderhof Bishop
The most striking comments came from Randall Gauger, a bishop at the Bruderhof, who, with his wife, had lived for many years in a Bruderhof community in Australia. (They now live in a Pennsylvania Bruderhof community.) A bald man in his sixties wearing a tan sports coat, a black shirt, and a tan tie, Gauger described what he and his wife had done after “withdrawing.” They hung out with their neighbors at barbecues; they babysat and visited elderly shut-ins. Gauger became a police chaplain. Other Bruderhof members became firefighters or E.M.T.s. They collaborated with farmers on sustainable agriculture, partnered with charities, volunteered in “crisis situations,” and hosted thousands of guests, including politicians and Aboriginal leaders.
“Would we have done as much as a solitary nuclear family?” Gauger asked. “I doubt it.” He pointed out that capitalist society caters to people with “extraordinary talents”: “Only in a communal church can the old and the very young, hurting military veterans, the disabled, the mentally ill, ex-addicts, ex-felons, or simply annoying people, like myself, find a place where they can be healed and accepted and, what’s more, contribute to life.” His criticism of “The Benedict Option” was that it did not go far enough. “Why stop at Benedict when we can go back to the original source of Christianity? Christians living in full community is how the church began . . . and the early church was far more radical than anything Rod has so far proposed.” Dreher, sitting next to him onstage, listened, enraptured, with his head on his hand.
Source: Randall Gauger - Bruderhof bishop, quoted by Joshua Rothman in "Rod Dreher's Monastic Vision", The New Yorker, 1 May 2017, http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/01/rod-drehers-monastic-vision
Violent Catholics
“I do not like to speak of Islamic violence because everyday when I look through the papers, I see violence here in Italy,” the pope told reporters. “And they are baptized Catholics. There are violent Catholics. If I speak of Islamic violence, I also have to speak of Catholic violence,” he added.
Source: Pope Francis - Catholic News Service, 31 July 2016, https://cnstopstories.com/2016/07/31/its-not-right-to-equate-islam-with-violence-pope-says/
"We confess not only our private sins ..."
Colin Dunlop, former Dean of Lincoln, articulates the nature of corporate identity and confession in Anglican worship with these words:
We make our confession as members of the Church, "members one of another." We confess not only our own private sins, but . . . our share in that whole aggregate of sin which all but crushed our Master in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The psalms are the praise of Christ in His Church, or of the Church in Christ. They are not an individual's prayer, but the prayer of the whole Body; they are the very stuff of what we prosaically call "corporate worship."
Source: Colin Dunlop - As quoted by Dr. Gary S. Greig, The Biblical Foundations of Identificational Repentance as One Prayer Pattern Useful to Advance God's Kingdom and Evangelism, April 2001
Mary Foley
Quoting Mary Foley, who forgave the girl who killed her teenage daughter:
Forgiveness did not come immediately, even after I knew it was what I wanted. It was hard. My main struggle was seeing Charlotte being stabbed in my imagination, and knowing that I hadn't been there to help her. I often envisaged her bleeding to death. When I saw these things in my mind, the old anger would begin to rise up in me, and I had to remind myself why I had chosen to forgive: so that I could release all that pain and hurt into the hands of God.
Source: Johann Christoph Arnold - Why Forgive?, pp.74
A2J
Reflection
I will never forget a meeting I was part of in a small German city in 2003. A group of Christians from different traditions and countries had come together to pray for God’s blessing on this particular city, suffering under the weight of un-forgiveness and division. During the meeting a young Lutheran pastor said some hurtful things about the Catholic church, rooted in his own painful experiences. The tension in the room was palpable as we waited to see what would happen next. An older Catholic woman walked towards this young pastor and knelt down before him and asked for forgiveness for the specific ways he had been hurt by some in the Catholic Church. He extended his hand to her and helped her up, then they embraced and wept. Forgiveness and healing in Christ, won the day
Action
Have you ever considered asking someone for forgiveness for sin that was done against them by someone that you represent. In Daniel 9:16, Daniel confesses to God not only his own sins but the sins of his father and of his people.
Prayer
Triune God, following the example of Jesus, make us witnesses to your love. Grant us to become instruments of justice, peace and solidarity. May your Spirit move us towards concrete actions that lead to unity. May walls be transformed into bridges. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Source: A2J Community - Apprenticeship to Jesus Community, Phoenix, Blog Post "Unity Week Devotion - Day 6", 23 Jan 2016, http://www.a2jphoenix.org/blog/unity-week-devotion-day-6
The Daily Texan
George Yancey, a sociology professor at the University of North Texas, held a lecture Monday on what Christianity can teach about increasing interracial communication on racism.
...
Yancey isn’t a theologian but said he believes taking a Christian approach toward talking about racism is a step in the right direction.
He said Christianity teaches people how sin permeates the core of our life and this provides different groups reasons not to trust each other.
Yancey introduced the mutual obligation approach to solve the problem of interracial communication on racism. This approach has everyone recognize people’s sinful natures and in realizing this, people have the obligation to work toward a healthy dialogue. He said people need to recognize the cultural or racial differences at play and work toward a solution that can be accepted by all.
...
Active listening is another strategy Yancey presented, which involves listening to opposite perspectives. He said you don’t have to agree with other people’s perspectives but listening to them will help move the conversation forward.
...
One audience member brought up the issue of alienating those that did not practice Christianity. Yancey said you don’t have to be Christian to practice this approach on dealing with racism.
Source: Van Nguyen - Daily Texan, "Professor lectures on taking a Christian approach to interracial communication", 20 Sept 2016, http://dailytexanonline.com/2016/09/20/professor-lectures-on-taking-a-christian-approach-to-interracial-communication
Cecil M. Robeck Jr.
…the Apostolic Exhortation and the encyclical penned by Pope Leo XIII that recommended to Catholics a nine-day novena of prayer for the Holy Spirit as the world entered the twentieth century. As the New Year broke in 1901, Pope Leo XIII prayed the hymn of the Holy Spirit, thereby giving the Spirit greater visibility in the church. (The early twentieth century also saw the birth of the modern Pentecostal movement, which has for more than a century none witness to the person and work of the Holy Spirit throughout the world.)
Source: Cecil M. Robeck Jr. - From the foreword of Pentecost and Parousia by Fr. Peter Hocken - p. ix
"The one thing I must do ... is to repent"
The one thing I must do, that I am compelled to do, is to repent. Repentance is understood by some as an act of humiliation, but what our egoism perceives as humiliation is actually liberation. We caricature repentance as humiliation because we are afraid of leaving behind the life we have created out of our own self striving and self interest.
Repentance is the proper response to God’s mercy, (which is the form God’s love takes when it is received by a sinner). God’s mercy engenders a response and if our response is acceptance, then our acceptance takes the form of repentance. Repentance is manifested in willingness to change one’s mind, one’s attitude, one’s behaviors-one’s way of life.
For the disciple of the Lord Jesus this means rejecting a self-centered life and accepting a Christ-centered life-the Christ-centered life is a way of faith, hope and love. Turning towards God necessitates a turning away from all that is opposed to him. Repentance necessitates deliberating choosing God’s way, rather than my own way.
The experience of God’s mercy never leaves us the same or merely affirms us as we are. Personal transformation always precedes and is the condition for the possibility for cultural transformation. The experience of God’s mercy is a summons to repentance, which is always followed by a summons to mission.
The great follow up to the Year of Mercy, it seems to me, is a year of repentance. It is only through repentance that we can move forward in mission.
Source: Father Steve Grunow - Father Steve Grunow, CEO, Word on Fire, As quoted by Kathryn Jean Lopez, Crux, 13 Nov 2016, https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2016/11/13/mercy-can-help-america-heal-bitter-political-season/
"What We Have In Common ..."
Cardinal Johannes Willebrands, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity from 1969 to 1989, noted that Vatican II accepted many of Luther's demands. Thanks to Luther, he said, many good ideas have been introduced into the Roman Catholic church, such as the use of the vernacular in liturgy; offering of both species in holy Communion; need for constant reform; priesthood of all believers; and more attention to Scripture and preaching. What we have in common is more important than what divides us.
Source: Thomas Ryan - National Catholic Reporter, "Lutherans and Catholics chart path to unity", 16 Nov 2016, https://www.ncronline.org/news/theology/lutherans-and-catholics-chart-path-unity
Thirsting for Repentance?
As I tasted the life and joy that flows from repentance, I began to thirst for it daily.
Source: M. Basilea Schlink - Repentance: The Joy-Filled Life, p. 16
Hans Urs von Balthasar
But resistance comes from Pope Peter II, John the Elder, leader of the Orthodox and Professor Ernst Pauli, representing Protestantism: under the pressure of persecution the three churches in this eschatological situation at last unite. Peter's primacy is recognized, and the Pauline and Johannine churches come into the Roman fold. The spokesmen of Christianity are persecuted and killed, but they rise again; the last Christians journey to the wilderness, the Jews raise a revolt and the Christians join with them. They are slaughtered; but then Christ appears, robed in the imperial purple, his hands outspread with the marks of the nails upon them, to rule for a thousand years with those who are his own.
Source: Hans Urs von Balthasar - From an article by Hans Urs von Balthasar on Soloviev in the Third Volume of "The Glory of the Lord"
Stiff-necked Ancestors
16 “But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and they did not obey your commands. 17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, 18 even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies.
19 “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. 20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. 21 For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.
Source: Nehemiah - Nehemiah 9:16-21 (NIV)
Layers of Forgiveness
My view of the episode was a bit different. I saw the Lord giving me grace among these brethren as something of a first step in my progression toward forgiveness. I knew that if I was to have any success at all with what the Lord had directed, if I was to be able to forgive the old main line churches, I had to first forgive these Pentecostal brethren, and bring them to a point of understanding one another.
Source: David du Plessis - From "A Man Called Mr. Pentecost", as told to Bob Slosser, Ch. 18, p. 170
Source of Paul's Joy
(6) But God, who comforts the discouraged, comforted us by the coming of Titus from Corinth (probably meeting up with Titus in Philippi), (7) and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you in Corinth had given him. He told us about your longing, deep sorrow, and wholehearted concern for me, so that my joy increased all the more.
Source: The Apostle Paul - 2 Corinthians 7:6-7 (IEB)