daily life as life goes on . . .

Spent a little time concentrating on the impact of St. Patrick on both Ireland and a Christian world that encountered evil up close.  I’ve abridged part of his poem “I Rise Today”.  You can see he was aware of his culture, his trust in God and his reminder (we could use this in our day of mental health issues!) that each day he arises with fresh awareness of who is in control!

I Rise Today by St. Patrick

I rise today in the power’s strength, invoking the Trinity,

believing in threeness, confessing the oneness of creation’s Creator.

I rise today in the power of:

• Christ’s birth and baptism,

• his crucifixion and burial,

• his rising and ascending,

• his descending and judging.

I rise today with the power of God’s:

• ability to pilot me,

• strength to sustain me,

• wisdom to guide me,

• eye to look ahead for me,

• ear to hear me,

• word to speak for me,

• hand to protect me,

• way before me,

• shield to defend me,

• host to deliver me,

  • from snares of devils,

  • from evil temptations,

  • from nature’s failings,

  • from all who wish to harm me, far or near, alone and in a crowd.

Around me I gather today all these powers against:

• every cruel and merciless force to attack my body and soul,

• the charms of false prophets,

• the black laws of paganism,

• the false laws of heretics,

• the deceptions of idolatry,

• spells cast by women, smiths, and druids,

• and all unlawful knowledge that harms the body and soul.

I preached at the Evangelical Free Church in Regina, SK on Sunday. The sermon was recorded and is on their YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez17dvHcuZU&t=4s)

I listened to the sermon today. No big gaffs or guffaws! Almost 40 minutes long – or shorter if you go at a faster speed.

We even made up a new song from Psalm 1. The song we created begins at 34:07. Enjoy!! Oh, and you can listen to the rest of the sermon if you want to!!

Heritage reminders bring off the blinders.

I have an anabaptist religious background.  Within the Christian church Anabaptists were radical reformers when the European Reformation of the 1500’s was taking place.  Meaning – – – if you could change things just a little you were not radical.  If you could change things enough to be noticeable you were not radical.  If you got yourself killed or persecuted for your reformations – you were getting close to being a radical reformer.

Now, 500 years later, the caricatures of those within the radical reformation have had time to sink in – at least into the communities that were formed.  Yesterday I was given a Mennonite Starter Kit (one of the anabaptist groups was Mennonites) booklet.  You might not get some of the “inside” humour, but here goes.

– Prior to a Mennonite college’s first authorized dance, 15% of the student body believed that Mennonites shouldn’t dance.  Afterwards the feeling was unanimous.

– Fifteen percent of Canadian Mennonites suffer from some degree of chronic Winnipegosis.

– Congregations adjust their pastor’s income based on:  a) the cost of living index, b) the number of dependents, c) “living more with less”.

Although my own background is more along the line of Swiss Anabaptism (you may want to check out historical records of “Dunkards” or “Tunkards”), there are some characteristics that seem to flow across the branches of Anabaptism, giving fruit to the idea that you can compare apples with oranges as long as they are both ripe.

Behaving has always been a thing.  From childhood tantrums up until those final years of life of senior eccentricity.

In western culture we have substantially moved in how we treat our behaviours.  Previously governments and clerics used moral absolutes and the fear of punishment to steer behaviours.  A lot of “ought” – do this or that – with a stick of enforcement at the end. 

Where are we now?  I think we are moving (have moved) into a time of “I can” do this or that.  I am going to do this or that.  I don’t need permission.  Fear of judgment is dismissed.

In saying that I can do this or that, I now am in a place of becoming an entrepreneur of myself.  My life is all about building my own person, achieving my own goals.  Even spirituality becomes an entrepreneur thing – we now have self-spirituality. 

But when the entrepreneur grants themselves limitless freedom, they have created a personal society that intersects with burnout – trying to satisfy themselves.  So, instead of listening to sermons they seek self-help.  Instead of confession we head straight to therapy.  Instead of accepting religious activity we let our bosses and books push us towards fitness, self-care and “becoming a better you.”

And soon our desire to achieve all of this for ourselves (to be our own entrepreneur of ourselves) leads to burnout.  We compensate, telling ourselves not to be too hard on ourselves.  But our approach to a free life requires that ongoing achievement.  To maintain our life, we decide to move into a stupor of uncaring – or more rightly into a paradoxical life – knowing we want freedom and knowing our achievements will never fully reach that point. 

IN SUCH A LIFE THERE IS NO MERCY.

If only our society could find mercy.  If only we could save ourselves.

(My thanks to Samuel James – Digital Liturgies on Sub-Stack for starting my train of thoughts in this area)