Lenten Holy Solitude retreat 2018

Many years ago when I lived in California, I joined an organization that reached out to inmates in the federal prisons such as San Quentin, Folsom and CMF (California Medical Facility) in Vacaville.  CMF is the flagship correctional facility where prisoners with specialized medical needs such as HIV/AIDS and mental illness are held; for example Charles Manson was housed in CMF for years before transferred to San Quentin.  During our on-site training at CMF, we were escorted by guards inside the entire facility.  We saw the over-crowded open cell dormitories, the level three single occupant and heavily guarded cells occupied by Manson and alike, the pharmacy and hospital rooms filled with prisoners suffering from HIV/AIDS; we experienced two “lockdown” situations.  During a “lockdown”, the sirens blare loudly, all the doors and gates are closed, and inmates stay inside their cells.  Everyone except uniformed correctional officers must stand inside the yellow lin...

Betty Hollister shares: Lots of swirly thoughts this week, but they are, for the most part, disjointed and unsettling.  The most consistent battle I have had with this study is the  guilt :  guilt that I am never going to live in a three-by-nine foot closet; guilt that I am never going to travel for days into the mountains enduring physical hardships to meet God, guilt that I can’t even work up a desire to fast on a Friday.  I refuse to feel the slightest bit guilty that I won’t beat myself as penance.  I am one of those people who tends to take on the “guilt of the world,” but I am not even tempted with that practice.  Most of the last five weeks, I have just been thinking what an odd collection of people to use as inspiration.  BUT, as I have admitted repeatedly, this whole study has made me think.  So, once I get past the guilt and look at this week’s contributions, I am struck by the contrasting emotion of peace. Can we feel guilty and sti...

I recently discovered a website to help people develop sustainable practices in their spiritual life. One recent post by James Foster (on the website Renovare )talked about the reason this particular study appealed to me:  "Spiritual practices are not something to be conquered. For those of us caught up in a long list of to-dos, soul care can be difficult and counterintuitive. The key is doing acts before God, as a movement of submission, as a little death to self and having our own way. The practicing of intentional spiritual disciplines trains our heart and mind into new habits, allowing God to enter into the ordinary and mundane. And while practical habits with how we spend our time will emerge, the real habits we are looking for is the fruit of the spirit. Where we become people who naturally live lives of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We become a people conformed and transformed into the image of Jesus Christ....

from Eric Corbin... The selection for today in Holy Solitude  speaks of more than one topic, but the one that captures me today is the issue of Christian-Muslim relations.  I'd like to set aside Charles's "cringe-worthy letters" (as Haverkamp describes them) to focus on how our congregation (and others) are embracing (or not) our Muslim neighbors.  I was once told by a very devout Christian "all Muslims are out to kill us."  I asked him if he personally knew any Muslims, and he said that he did not.  I replied that the Muslims I knew personally were kind and loving people.  Interpersonal relationships with others are key to understanding and acceptance.  I'm grateful for the work of the Champaign County Interfaith Alliance in creating space for such relationships to begin and grow.  I'm glad that our congregation has hosted seminars about Islam and has visited the local mosque at their invitation.  I'm excited that Imam Ousmane Sawadago wil...

In today’s reflection, author Havercamp writes about Howard Thurmon and his writings about withstanding violence with strength. Thurmon’s writing influenced Martin Luther King Jr., so much so that he kept a copy of Thurmon’s book with him during the Montgomery bus strike. I was struck today by the image of Thurmon as a boy watching a giant oak (I am imagining one of those huge Live Oak trees found in the South) during a storm, where the tree was able to withstand the toss of the wind. Withstanding storms is not the same as being a doormat and allowing violence within one's life. There is a line between abuse and strength. Thurmon is writing about strength of character and spiritual backbone and being able to stand up to the forces of society.   Thurmon’s concept of strength to withstand storms, especially in today’s political climate resonated with me today. If one watches the news too much, we can get tossed around in the mental wind, not knowing what to believe, unsure of ...

John the Baptist and Jesus were so well grounded in their relationships with God that they found they had to withdraw from the world to reconnect with God. Their faith was strengthened when they were alone with God. Yet, I am not sure that this is the case for each of us. If we are not strong in our faith walk, I am not convinced that being alone helps. I know I need the church, the body of believers to keep my faith alive, be it in corporate worship, studying scripture, comforting one another, and supporting one another ("wherever two or three are gathered in my name" rings true for me.) I am sure that author Havercamp is in any was suggesting that being alone with God as an act of resistance that we do not need the body of believers to uphold us. But I do believe that sometimes the body, the Church, does not always help.  There are churches, like those to whom Paul wrote letters in the New Testament, that are toxic to some believers. Sometimes we are called out of the body...

Holy Resistance and Restraint Today, we meditate about Holy Resistance and Restraint.   These are not native virtues we are born with, rather they need to be intentionally cultivated and developed. When I was a young boy growing up in the People’s Republic of China, Christian churches and activities were scrutinized and monitored by the government; many of the Christian workers, church leaders were persecuted, arrested, imprisoned and killed.   Many of our family and friends were among those that were affected by this decree.   Our living room was a busy gathering place where people came to meet and pray with my grandfather.   We were told to be quiet and not allowed to play in the living room, even though it was the only place my siblings and cousins usually play.   Occasionally we would sneak into the living room where the visitors and my grandfather were, we quietly watched them prayed kneeling, usually for hours.   We asked grandpa why we needed...