Fear or Faith… which are you feeding?

I’m sure you’ve heard the story of the two dogs, or two wolves.  It’s told in many ways.  Here’s one version that is said to be a Native American Proverb:

A tribal elder is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he says to the boy.  "It is a terrible fight and it is between two dogs. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego."

He continues, "The other dog is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asks his grandfather, "Which dog will win?"

The elder simply replies, "The one you feed."

Today, and in the days ahead, as things get worse before they get better, we have a choice:  do we feed FEAR or FAITH?  Which dog will you feed?

Sunday’s Gospel reading is about Jesus walking on water, and Peter leaving the boat to try to do the same.  Again, a story of fear and faith.  Listen on Sunday to hear Pastor Tuula’s reflection on the story and what we are living through.

The days may be long and harder than we are accustomed to, but we have a choice.  Feed Faith!

We live in hope!

Today's second lesson was from Romans 5.  During these anxious days as a virus is spreading rapidly, these words remind us that we are a people who live in hope:

¹Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. ³And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (Romans 5: 1 - 5)

And as Pastor Tuula reminded us in her sermon today:  God is with us.

What is important in life?

We are in the season of Lent, forty days of reflection and repentance that lead to Easter.  Lent is the season to discern what is important in life, and begin the hard work of finding home, not in the outward trappings of life that we work so hard to build…but in God. 

To help you in your discernment, I would like to share a story: 

A man traveled from America to visit the great Rabbi Israel Kagan in Poland.  The man made the pilgrimage to meet the great thinker, and he was excited as, finally after a long journey, he knocked on Rabbi Kagan’s door and was greeted by an elderly, stooped gentleman who asked him to enter.  The man entered the house and looked around, a bit stunned.  The rabbi’s house was totally empty, bare of furniture as if no one lived there. The room contained only the very basic spare furnishings: one table, two chairs, a bookcase, and a bed.

This was the home of a famous rabbi, so the man was confused.  “Rabbi, may I ask a question?” said the man.  “I don’t notice much of anything here in your home.  Where are your things? Have you fallen on hard times?”

The rabbi turned to the visitor.  “And may I ask you a question, young man?

“Certainly,” came the reply.

“Where is all your furniture?”

“I have an oak dining room table, and a beautiful bedroom set all at my house in New York,” said the man.  "Do tourists generally take such possessions along in a moving van? I’m just passing through!”  

The rabbi gave his guest a gentle smile.  “As for this world I, too, am just passing through,” said Kagan. 
“Then again, aren’t we all?” 

Fasting for Lent?

If Lent is to be a time of transformation – sorrow over our failings, contemplation of Christ’s sacrifice for us, and making change because of these things – a journey to focus on how to change and grow in grace, then giving up coffee, meat, or candy don’t have much chance of inspiring the change, the transformation, we need. 

Instead, how about returning to God “with all our heart” (Joel 2:12) through our thoughts, words and actions?  Check out this list of What to give up attributed to Pope Francis in 2017:

1. Fast from Hurting Words and say Kind words.                  
2. Fast from Sadness and be filled with Gratitude.
3. Fast from Anger and be filled with Patience.
4. Fast from Pessimism and be filled with Hope.
5. Fast from Worries and Trust in God.
6. Fast from Complaints and contemplate Simplicity.
7. Fast from Pressures and be Prayerful.
8. Fast from Bitterness and fill your heart with Joy.
9. Fast from Selfishness and be Compassionate to others.
10. Fast from Grudges and be Reconciled.
11. Fast from Words and be Silent so you can listen.

So, give up indifference and procrastination, refuse mediocrity, and grow in being the Christian you can be.  Have a holy Lenten journey!  You can do this.

A prayer for Lent...

Merciful God, this week we prepare to embrace the season of Lent.  We prepare ourselves to walk with Jesus to the cross.  Speak to us, we pray, the truth of Christ's passion.  Remind us that there is no life without death, no communion without separation, no glory without suffering.  Give us courage and faith to receive these difficult truths and to align our hearts and lives with them.  May we choose to lose our lives so that we may gain them; to endure the pain of separation that we might enjoy the fellowship of all your saints; to enter Christ's suffereing by entering the suffering of your children on earth that we may one day share in your etermal glory.  For the sake of Christ, we pray.  Amen