The Cock Crows

4/9/2019

I Was Thinking…

One of the best books I’ve read is the book ‘Falling Upward’ by Richard Rohr. If you have not read it…it will change your life…I invite you to read it. He writes “Did anyone ever tell you that the name Lucifer literally means the “light bearer”? The evil one always makes darkness look like light—and makes light look like darkness.” (P.133)

Regardless of our spiritual language…Devil, Satan, Evil One, Fallen Angel…there is a force seeking to confuse and cause chaos in our lives, our family, our church and our world. The best weapon that the ‘light bearer’ uses is to tease us (no…tempt us) into blaming others, other perspectives, other’s choices, other entities for the confusion/chaos. The real enemy is the force (light bearer) that is against the grace, goodness and love of God.

I am constantly amazed at us human beings and our propensity to ‘jump to conclusions’ about each other. We so easily fall into a trap of disregarding each other’s history and then therefore conclude a person who thinks or believes differently from us as the ‘problem’. Yet God has created the differences in us in order to add beauty to life. No finger print is exactly alike. No snowflake is exactly alike.

Last week we visited what is known as the ‘cross roads of the world’…Time’s Square, New York. Diversity is everywhere. It dawned on me on one occasion…God loves each and everyone of us in this place. We all have different histories that make us who we are…nonetheless, God loves each person as a parent loves a child. Amazing!

I think of what our UM denomination is experiencing. Each side blaming the other as ‘wrong’, ‘sinful’, ‘crazy’, ‘lost’, ‘misinformed’, ‘hateful’, and the list goes on. My response? I’m certain that the ‘light bearer’ is well pleased with our immature accusations flown at each other.

Richard Rohr is on target when he writes, “Invariably when something upsets you, and you have a strong emotional reaction out of proportion to the moment, your shadow self has just been exposed. So watch for any overreactions or over-denials. When you notice them, notice also that the cock of St. Peter has just crowed! The reason that a mature or saintly person can be so peaceful, so accepting of self and others, is that there is not much hidden shadow-self left…This denial and disguised self takes so much energy to face, awaken, and transform all one’s life that you have little time to project your fear, anger, or unlived life onto terrorists, Muslims, socialists, liberals, conservatives, or even hate radio.”

We are approaching Palm/Passion Sunday…then the Cross! So what?

Always Thinking,