What I learned in the wilderness with my family.

July 2015, my wife and I took our children into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  We chose a plan that included a base-camp on Seagull Lake.  It was an amazing trip, and easier than many suppose.  We had great support from other people, and of course God working through other people to ensure that it was a great experience.  Monday was our travel day.  We drove from our home in Appleton Wisconsin to Duluth, then along the north shore of Lake Superior to Grand Marais, and then along the Gunflint trail to Tuscarora Lodge, on the edge of the Wilderness.  Tuesday was an adventure canoeing to a campsite.  Wednesday was spent land locked due to high winds, Thursday was spent exploring the Western end of the lake, and Friday was a disorienting trip out of the Wilderness. 

Part 1 of 4: God provides a safe place, and St. Raphael intercedes for us. 

Monday night, we had an orientation at Tuscarora with our outfitter.  We reviewed the map and got some suggestions for campsites.  We learned about the Wilderness, and the special rules for leaving no trace, and made sure that we had all the proper licenses and permits.  That night, we settled into the bunk house, but some members of our party were too excited to sleep.  It was a rare hot night in the north woods, so we all slept on top of our sleeping bags.  The mosquitos were particularly bad since it was a still night. 

On Tuesday morning we had a great breakfast of French toast, fruit, and hard-boiled egg canoes and coffee.  After the restless night, the coffee was very welcome.  A stiff breeze helped to cool us a little, and keep the mosquitos away.  Each of us used a flush toilet, something that we assumed we would miss the next few days.  Dan from Tuscarora Lodge took us out to the public launch, showed us a few tricks for lifting the 20 ft., 50 lb. canoe, and then helped us load and launch it. 

We started out across the open section of the eastern part of Seagull lake.  The wind had picked up a bit and there were a few waves as we went out across the water.  It took some trust in God, knowing that we were frequently in areas where the water was very deep.  Sharp drop-offs and sheer cliffs are normal for this lake, and very quickly we were far from shore.  We prayed for safety and continued to the north end of Fish Hook Island.  After that we stayed along the shore.  Even close to shore, there were few people around and the water was deep. 

The wind continued to pick up.  Every inlet, point, and island looked the same, and it was frequently difficult to judge distances.  My wife wanted to stay close to shore, which was probably the best idea (more on that when we get to day 4).  I was reluctant to do that at first, but soon saw the benefits.  We went into one calm bay where a loon sang to us.  We were right up against the sheer cliffs of the palisades on the north side of the lake.  I settled into a deep appreciation, not only for God’s creation, but also: our health, that allowed us to take this kind of trip, the foresight of people who preserved wilderness areas so that all people can enjoy them, and for our children, and especially for my wife who first suggested that we take the children on this adventure. 

As the wind picked up, and we headed directly into it, we began looking for the campsites that our outfitter had recommended.  The first was in a scenic area where there was good hiking and a great view.  It was taken.  The second was across a bay from that one, with a nice beach landing, a great place for the children to swim.  Taken.  So we continued on, into the wind.  As the waves got a little bigger and the clouds a little darker, my wife said that maybe we should pray for a safe passage.  She wondered out loud, who might be the patron saint of travelers.  “St. Raphael,” was the response from our 9-year-old.  So we asked the archangel to pray for us as we continued our search for a place to spend the next 3 days and nights.  After seeing the first recommended sites taken, I prayed quietly to myself, that if the next campsite was right for us, that it would be open.  I had to trust God that maybe the ones that were taken were not right for us, or that God had something more appropriate for our family.  Storms were predicted, and we wanted to set up camp before it was too late. 

As we rounded a point between an island and the shore, we saw a quiet bay with a loon.  Was this a campsite? Was it open?  The map showed that site on the other side of a peninsula.  If there was a landing there, it was probably the site.  We went around the peninsula, and the wind and waves were a little intimidating.  It pushed us toward the rocks.  We landed next to a large rock, and Maureen and the children went to look for the campsite.  There was a fire grate, tent pad, and trail to a “wilderness box” latrine.  It was a campsite, and it was open.  We unloaded our canoe, and claimed our site.  It was amazing!  We thanked God (and St. Raphael for his prayers) for getting us there safely, and to such a beautiful place. 

God was not done blessing us on our first trip into the wilderness.  The storm that was threatening, broke up and blew around us.  The wind, which became stronger, kept the mosquitos away.  And we found a level, rock-and-root-free area to set up our 7 person tent.  As we set up our tent , fly, hammock and cook stove, we kept encountering ways that God had blessed us.  Two trees were perfect distance from each other for the hammock, set in a small clearing away from the main camp.  A tall tree was 100 feet from camp that had not been touched by fire, perfect for hanging our garbage.  Two more trees were close enough, with nothing between them for our dining fly and food prep area.  Everything came together to make a perfect home away from home. 

That night, as we settled into our tent and sleeping bags, we were grateful for one more thing, a well- designed tent.  The tent had come from relatives who had used it 2-3 times, and then passed it on to us.  It was very wind resistant.  Something that we did not know until it was buffeted by 30-40 mph winds that night.  Never before had I staked down the rain fly on this tent.  It flapped loudly all night, something that we had never experienced in that tent.  The tent withstood the wind, despite the fact that the soil was so thing that many of the stakes were barely in the ground.  Boundary Waters Canoe area wilderness had very thin soil on top of bedrock.  Later someone commented that our site was sheltered from the wind, which meant that the wind was stronger than we felt.  Yet another way that God had provided a safe place for us. 

Each night, most of us rest in comfortable beds, sheltered in sturdy houses.  God provides us with the shelter.  He may have worked through the craftspeople who built it, and our employers who pay our wages.  But all of these are ways that God is working through others and through us to give us the shelter that we need.  We received direction and support from many people for our Boundary Waters adventure.  When we allowed God to work through others, and trusted in what he had prepared for us, we were richly rewarded.  

Something Fishy in John 6

The sixth chapter of the Gospel according to John is the key to understanding the Eucharist.  We get to hear this good news proclaimed in the next 5 Sundays, July 26 – August 23, the .  It is filled with rich symbols of the Eucharist and should be required reading for every Christian.  It explains, clearly and in detail that Jesus gives us himself in the Eucharist to feed us spiritually and save us from death. 

This Sunday we get John 6:1-15, the feeding of the 5000.  This is one of the few events that is told in all four Gospel accounts.     

• The crowds have followed Jesus and the disciples to a deserted place. 
• They are unable to feed themselves.  
• Jesus feeds over 5,000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. 

John adds some important details that are really exciting: 

• The location, the Sea of Galilee is mentioned by name.  
• Passover is coming soon.  
• The account in the Gospel according to John is arranged within the “Bread of Life discourse” (Chapter 6).

Here are just some of the amazing, deeper meanings found in these 15 verses. 

6:1 – the Sea of Galilee is where the risen Jesus appears to Peter, and six other disciples (John 21:1-25).  John the Evangelist mentions the Sea of Galilee to ensure that we do not miss the connection with the resurrection. 

6:4 – the Passover was near.  

• The Passover meal had symbols and details that spoke volumes to Jewish people then and now. The Passover as a historical event celebrated God rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. 
•  Bread, which always was an important part of the ritual eventually took the place of the lamb when the Jewish people were not able to have the lamb sacrificed at the Temple. 
• It was expected that the Messiah would come during the Passover. 
• Some 20^th century scholars have proposed that the expectation of the Messiah and the importance of the bread came together with the bread being a symbol of the Messiah. 

6:6 – Jesus puts a test to the disciples.  John says that Jesus asked the disciples where they would get food for all these people as a test.  The challenge from Jesus’s perspective is not how to feed the people physically, but how to increase the faith of the disciples and the people. 

6:9 – 5 barley loaves – barley was the first grain harvested, so these loaves were the first fruits of the harvest.  Barley is also the typical food of the poor.  In the first reading this Sunday we read about how Elisha, one of the greatest prophets multiplied 20 barley loaves to feed 100 people.  (2Kings 4:42-44).  Jesus shows that he is greater than Elisha and the prophets. 

6:9 – 2 fish – If you have seen the Christian fish symbol, you may be aware that the Greek word for fish, Ichthus is written with 5 letters, Iota, chi, theta, upsilon, sigma, which are the first letters of the words Jesus, Christ,

God(‘s), Son, Savior.  The fact that this replaces lamb should not be lost on Christians.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior takes the place of the lamb at this new Passover. 

6:11 – John tells us that Jesus gave thanks, or in Greek, “eucharistein.”  John uses this word in case we missed the other symbols. 

6:11 – they had as much as they wanted.  John tells us that Jesus was able to fulfill the needs of all those gathered together. 

6:13 – they filled 12 baskets with what was left.  12 is a symbolic number, for the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 disciples, and indicates that all of Israel, or all the believers would receive the spiritual food. 

6:14 – the crowd acknowledges that Jesus is the prophet who has come into the world.  The miracle and symbols of the loaves and fish have convinced people that Jesus is the Messiah. 

6:15 – the crowd misunderstands Jesus’s mission.  They want to make him an earthly king.  They want to be saved from the oppression of the Romans, as their ancestors were saved from slavery to the Egyptians. 

A question for us, as we receive the Eucharist, do contemplate the deeper meaning and allow ourselves to be spiritually fed?  Can we, unlike many in the crowd, go beyond our immediate needs to appreciate the gift of salvation.  

Shepherds Wanted

Jeremiah 23:1-6;  When the Israelites were ruled by selfish kings who ignored the cry of the poor, God himself promised to lead them home, and to give them shepherds who would care for them with wisdom, justice, and righteousness.  In our contemporary world, we may see some of the same problems that the people of Jeremiah’s time witnessed.  From our 21^st century Christian perspective, the promise is fulfilled in Jesus and his Apostles.   Yet we still witness some of the same issues that Jeremiah did. 

In chapter 22 of Jeremiah, he lists the faults of the kings of his time: oppressing foreigners, widows, and orphans.  They did not pay just wages, and failed to bring justice to the weak and the poor.  They shed the blood of the innocent.  He attributes their punishment, death and exile at the hands of the Babylonians to their injustice. 

In the 21^st century, how much of this is still going on?  The immigrant is vilified, and the political candidate who does so rises in the polls.  The poor, particularly single mothers and their children, contemporary widows and orphans, receive no support.  Large corporations run by billionaires pay wages that are below the poverty line, and assign employees to fewer hours so that they are not eligible for health care benefits.  Racism is rearing its ugly face as we try to unwind centuries of slavery followed by systematic discrimination.  The blood of the innocents is shed in abortion, war, terrorism, and poverty related illnesses.

Now as much as then, we need secular and religious shepherds who will lead with wisdom, justice, and righteousness. 

Should “Immoral” = “Illegal?”

If something is immoral, do we have to make it illegal? 

How do we discern which moral norms to make into laws? 

Whose morality do we follow? 

On the surface it seems that laws and morality serve the same purpose.  Both appear to restrict certain activities that might hurt other people or damage the common good.  But morals are different than laws.  Moral norms are meant to make us the best that we can be.  The Ten Commandments were the rules of a freed people (Israelites freed from slavery in Egypt) who God chose to be his people.  It is more like a marriage covenant where we choose to live a certain way in order to be in a relationship with another person.  In marriage the spouses live a certain way that allows them to grow closer to each other.  In the Ten Commandments the people live a certain way to grow closer to God.  If a person must decide if an action is moral, they can consider a guiding principal, a moral norm.  Jesus gave us the great commandment, love God, and love your neighbor.  It is a reminder that morals do not restrict behavior, but open the person up to being in a relationship with God. 

Laws exist to help people live together in a community.  We agree to follow these rules that this community has agreed to live by.  One may not agree with all of the laws, but we accept them in order for our communities, states, and countries to work smoothly.  If there is no law against something, it is generally permitted.  Laws tell us what we cannot, do.  Morals tell us what we should do. 

Many times laws and morals are the same.  Killing an innocent person is, or ought to be, against the law.  Lying about an investment opportunity in order to sell it at a higher price is, or ought to be, against the law.  These actions are immoral, and illegal.  They are immoral independent of the law.  Even if it were legal to kill an innocent person, it would still be seriously immoral.  Even if there are no regulations about misrepresenting an investment, it is still immoral to take money from people and to lie. They are also actions that are generally illegal.  Our society does not allow them because it disrupts our community.  

Sometimes the law allows certain activities that many consider immoral.  It is legal to say or publish untrue things about people.  A person might be sued and have to pay monetary damages, but there would be no imprisonment or banishment from society.  Political action committees can spread all kinds of falsehood about a candidate immediately before an election, and suffer little or no penalties.  Despite the commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” a person in our country can say these things because of our right to free speech.  It is not against the law for a 55 year old married man to have an extra-marital relationship with a 19 year old.  It is certainly not moral under most systems of morality.  Not everything that is legal is moral. 

Where do we draw the line?  What should be the indicator that something should be illegal? 

We could make things illegal if they harm other people.  We currently do not make things illegal that cause emotional harm.  Take the case of the above mentioned 55-year-old.  He is harming his spouse certainly.  But he is also harming his children, and probably is causing emotional harm to the much younger woman.  We may be disgusted by his actions.  We may decide to never associate with him again.  He might lose much of his material possessions in a civil suit for “loss of affection.”  But despite the great harm to many people, he suffers no criminal penalties.  If he caused physical harm to his spouse, children, or mistress, he would probably be arrested for domestic violence.  But since he is causing

emotional harm, there is no criminal penalty. 

Perhaps we should make it illegal for him to remarry after he divorces his first spouse.  Obviously he has caused emotional harm to the children, and his spouse.  It would probably be in the best interest of society if that person did not get remarried.  Since his actions cause emotional harm to others, maybe we should revoke is right to marry. 

Some suggest that law teaches people about morality.  If something is legal, then people will think that it is moral; if it is illegal, people will think that it is immoral.  On the surface that seems logical.  But there are many instances in our society where people acknowledge that something is legal, yet still consider it immoral.  None of the seven deadly sins is illegal in itself: lust, greed, envy, pride, sloth, gluttony, and wrath.  Only certain ways of acting on those sins is illegal.  Wrath is not illegal until it turns to assault.  Greed and envy are not illegal until they become theft.  Pride, sloth, gluttony and lust, and most of the actions that are motivated by them are not illegal.  Even though they are legal, we still acknowledge that they are immoral. 

Unless we want to make all immoral actions illegal, we have to make distinctions.  It would seem that in our country we make laws about actions that harm another person physically, affect their property, or affect their basic rights as outlined in our constitution. 

Whose morality do we follow? 

There are many different moral systems.  They often come to the same conclusions and the same general behavior norms.  But, frequently in our moral systems disagree in important areas.  An example: “Is it ever permissible to directly, and intentionally kill an innocent human being?”

From the perspective of a Catholic moral system the answer is, “not ever.” 

From a different moral system that emphasizes the greatest good over individual events the answer might be, “If it saves other lives, it may be permissible.”

Not all moral systems come to the same conclusions in every case.  In our pluralistic society, where we do not all have the same moral convictions, when do we use civil law, and when do we use moral persuasion?  It would seem prudent to use civil law sparingly so as not to interfere with individual or collective rights. 

I would suggest three categories where laws would be more appropriate than moral persuasion: 

• To protect the innocent from harm or grave injustice, especially threats to life, health, and basic human rights. 
• To correct an injustice and to restore rights when they have been denied. 
• To allow all people to participate in our society, and to promote the common good. 

I am curious about what others think, When should we make our morality the law?  

"Laudato Si" Sends My Family Into the Wilderness

Pope Francis’s Encyclical “Laudato Si,” urges us to strive for harmony with God, others, and nature, which existed at the beginning of Creation before the fall.  Many times in the encyclical, Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of the family in ecological as well as spiritual education.  He also stresses the need for solidarity with future generations, to whom we will pass on the current environment.  What better way to celebrate the encyclical than with a family trip deep into the wilderness. 

Full disclosure – we have been planning this trip since last summer.  We really are going to the wilderness, specifically, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  My wife earned her second Master’s in Montessori education last spring.  She researched the effects of nature on learning.  A woman she met during her studies operates Tuscarora Lodge Outfitters on the east end of the Boundary Waters.  This summer we are going where no motorized vehicle has gone, where cell reception is not available, and where the environment is left in a natural state. 

Jesus was intimate with all of creation.  This Sunday, the Gospel according to Mark records the storm

on the Sea of Galilee.  The Disciples and Jesus are in the boat and a storm comes up.  The Disciples are scared, but Jesus calms the storm.  “They were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?’” (Mark 4:41) Pope Francis refers to the same story from the Gospel According to Matthew and observes that “Jesus lived in full harmony with creation, and others were amazed.” (Laudato Si, #98)  Jesus, who is fully divine, is also fully human, and is the model for all of us.  We are supposed to live in full harmony with nature.  People were amazed that Jesus was in harmony with nature because many of them, and many of us are not in harmony with nature. 

The harmony and intimacy with all of creation is broken by sin, especially in regard to original sin.  Pope Francis indicates that we too can live in harmony with nature, just as Jesus did, and just as it was in the beginning of Creation.  He holds St. Francis up as an example.  St. Francis was able to obtain a communion with all of creation.  The pope says, “It is significant that the harmony which Saint Francis of Assisi experienced with all creatures was seen as a healing of that rupture. Saint Bonaventure held that, through universal reconciliation with every creature, Saint Francis in some way returned to the state of original innocence.” (Laudato Si #66)  Our connection with nature can be part of our recovery from the sinful nature of the world.  St. Francis knew what we all know instinctively, that being in communion with nature refreshes our mind, body, and soul. 

Nature not only teaches us about God, it enables us to experience something about God.  Pope Francis, following the teachings of St. Bonaventure, points out that, “human beings, before sin, were able to see how each creature ‘testifies that God is three.’ The reflection of the Trinity was there to be recognized in nature….”  The Pope asserts that if we believe that God is a Trinitarian communion, then the Trinity is evident in all creation.  (Laudato Si #239)  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are a community of love.  The love that is generated is the source of all creation.  The presence of Father, Son, and Spirit are evident as we read the first two chapters of Genesis.  There is creation which the Father has authored, the spirit hovering over the water, and God walking about in the cool of the evening.  We cannot help but see and reflect on the poetic verses of Genesis when we are out in nature, especially when we are in undisturbed wilderness.  It is then that we are humans, in creation, with God. 

A family in the wilderness with God is the ideal setting for developing a sense of God’s presence in creation.  As Pope Francis puts it, “In the family we first learn how to show love and respect for life; we are taught the proper use of things, order and cleanliness, respect for the local ecosystem and care for all creatures.”  (Laudato Si #213)  In our families, we learn how to cooperate with one another, develop virtues for a moral life, and discover our place in the world.  Our place, according to the book of Genesis is in Creation.  Even if it is dinner in the back yard, a hike in a Forest Preserve, or a camping trip to a State Park, being in nature as a family reorients us to how we were created to be. 

It is imperative to pass on the appreciation of creation to the next generation.  Pope Francis says, “Intergenerational solidarity is not optional, but rather a basic question of justice, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us.” (Laudato Si #159)  We only occupy this earth for a brief time.  It was given to us by those who lived before us, and it is handed on to those who live after us.  Not only do we need to care for it, but we need to teach our children to care for it.  Those who learned to appreciate creation as children from their parents, teach their children to appreciate it as well.  Even those who did not grow up with an appreciation for creation can gain an appreciation and give more to the next generation than they received. 

Pope Francis concluded Laudato Si with two prayers.  I plan to take these two prayers with me when I go out with my family to reconnect with creation. 

A prayer for our earth (all faiths / religions)

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,

help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

A Christian prayer in union with creation

Father, we praise you with all your creatures.
They came forth from your all-powerful hand;
they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love.
Praise be to you!

Son of God, Jesus,
through you all things were made.
You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother,
you became part of this earth,
and you gazed upon this world with human eyes.
Today you are alive in every creature
in your risen glory.
Praise be to you!

Holy Spirit, by your light
you guide this world towards the Father’s love
and accompany creation as it groans in travail.
You also dwell in our hearts
and you inspire us to do what is good.
Praise be to you!

Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love,
teach us to contemplate you
in the beauty of the universe,
for all things speak of you.
Awaken our praise and thankfulness
for every being that you have made.
Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined
to everything that is.

God of love, show us our place in this world
as channels of your love
for all the creatures of this earth,
for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
Enlighten those who possess power and money
that they may avoid the sin of indifference,
that they may love the common good, advance the weak,
and care for this world in which we live.
The poor and the earth are crying out.

O Lord, seize us with your power and light,
help us to protect all life,
to prepare for a better future,
for the coming of your Kingdom
of justice, peace, love and beauty.
Praise be to you!

Amen.

God’s Job = Judgement / Punishment; Our job = faithfulness

There is a great backstory to the first reading for this Sunday, Ezekiel 17:22-24.  King Josiah came to power and began reforms of the religion of Judah, bringing it back to the covenant, and exclusive worship of Yahweh.  His son, Jehoiakim, rejected the covenant.  So God allowed the Babylonians to conquer Judah as punishment.  Zedekiah, became ruler while Jehoiachin the heir to the throne was taken into exile.  Zedekiah made a covenant with the Babylonian king, who was seen as the agent of God’s punishment.  But Zedekiah took matters into his own hand, and broke his oath to the Babylonians, and thus, also his oath to God. 

Ezekiel, the prophet relates how the Babylonian king uprooted the “Cedar of Lebanon” meaning the Kingdom of Judah, and took it away, and planted it in a foreign land.  Ezekiel uses the same poetic language to describe how God himself will take a cutting from the Cedar, and plant it on a high hill, where it will flourish, and all the other “trees” / nations will know that God will “bring low the high tree / lift high the lowly tree / wither up the green tree / and make the withered tree bloom.” (Ezekiel 17:24)  They will know that God determines destiny, not human beings. 

Christians can look back on this prophetic poetry and interpret it in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.   Jesus is the branch clipped from the tree, the Davidic line of kings, and is planted on a hill.  Jesus is planted on the hill of Calvary where he is seen as cut down, and withered.  But, he is also raised, and the withered tree (Jesus) blooms.  The tree that sprouts and blooms is the Kingdom of God. 

But as the Gospel for Sunday reminds us, we do not know how the Kingdom grows.  We go to sleep each night, and rise each morning.  All the while the Kingdom grows, until we witness it ripening. (Mark 4:26-29)  God ordains the destiny of the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom grows with or without our efforts.  At most our mission is to plant the seed, and care for it as it grows. 

We have to resist the temptation to take control of the process of the Kingdom of God.  God warns us through Ezekiel, that our mission is to remain faithful to the covenant.  We must trust in God.  The Covenant of the Old Testament was summarized by Jesus in the Law of Love: love God, and love neighbor.  We betray that covenant / law of love when we seek revenge, punishment, or express disdain for others through judgement.  We place ourselves in God’s place when we “bring low / lift high, or wither / make bloom.”

It is our mission to remain faithful, not to pass judgement, or determine punishment.  This is important for us in the Christian community.  We claim to follow the truth.  We claim to be disciples of the one true God who became human and lived among us.  We claim to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, transformed from a group of individuals into the body of Christ acting in the world.  Sometimes we observe the poor and put them into categories of more worthy or less worthy of our compassion.  When we do, we have failed to love our neighbor, and to love Christ who is present in that person.  The same is true of the person who disagrees with us.  When we assign motives to the person, we are putting ourselves in God’s place.  We are abandoning the covenant of Love that Christ established with us.  When we decide that someone who disagrees with us does not belong in the Church, we are acting like a person who was put in charge of watering the orchard deciding to do some pruning.  The master gardener may not appreciate the branches that person cut off. 

Our primary mission is to remain faithful to the covenant.  We must love as Jesus loves, participate as best we can in his mission of love.  Plant seeds of the Kingdom, and care for the Kingdom as it grows.  

You will receive power!

The last thing that Jesus said to his closest followers, before he ascended was, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)  The disciples, and we are empowered to share the truth about Jesus with everyone. 

People tend to be a little skeptical until they see the evidence.  We can tell someone that we shook hands with a famous movie star, but a picture is more reliable.  We can tell people how good we are at managing resources, but a testimonial from another person is far more effective.  Likewise I can say that I love someone, but without some action, the words fall flat.  Jesus wants to share love with everyone.  He knows that the only way that human beings can show the love of God, is with God’s help.  That help comes in a person, the Holy Spirit. 

The Disciples go into hiding: 

The disciples returned to Jerusalem and stayed in one place together after the ascension.  They did some internal business; Matthias replaced Judas among the 12 apostles.  But mostly, they kept within themselves the message of the Resurrection.  Until, they received the Holy Spirit on the feast of Pentecost. 

The time between Ascension and Pentecost is a time to consider who we are and what the resurrection of Jesus means to us.  We feel the need for an intimate connection to God that we felt in an encounter with him.  We miss that contact, and so we wait patiently for the promised return.  We feel the difference between who we are before we received the Holy Spirit, and who we are after. 

Before the Holy Spirit: 

• Afraid   
• Inward focused 
• Waiting

After the Holy Spirit: 

• Bold, 
• God’s witnesses to the world
• Actively taking the message to the ends of the earth. 

Do we act like people who have received the power to transform the world through the power of God, who dwells in our hearts?  In other words, are we witnesses to the power of God?