Guernsey Potato Pie and the Vampire Christians (a Steve Orr Lectionary reflection)

No one offered us potato peel pie. And I never saw a sign for a literary society. But our visit to the Isle of Guernsey was delightful, all the same. Many only know of this picturesque island from the book (and current movie), The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I can recommend both the book and the movie. And, following our day of walking about in Guernsey, I am happy to say I can recommend the actual island, too!

The only place in the British Isles occupied by the Germans in WWII, Guernsey’s streets, buildings, farms, and lanes were untouched by enemy bombs. But the occupation, itself, left its own mark on the island. While there is much I could share with you about our time there, I’m going to focus on one little piece of our day-long adventure. As I meandered through the narrow lanes —passing shops, coffee houses, bakeries, and freestanding market-day kiosks— my eye fell on a sign that drew me off into a little corner: BOOKSTORE.

As I stepped out of the bright sunlight into the relatively darker shop, I had to pause a second for my eyes to adjust. Shortly, I saw before me two casually dressed, older ladies, each with a front-mounted fanny pack about their waists. They were deep in an animated, but subdued, conversation. Then, in a voice mostly British, but with a very faint hint of French somewhere in the background, the nearest said, “Come on in, Luv. Come get us if you have a question.”

So, with that out of the way, I wandered about the tiny shop, taking my time, getting the shelving order in my head. Eventually, I found myself in the far corner looking at the one shelf that held all of their crime, Sci-fi, mystery, and thriller titles ... maybe forty books, in all. I had no expectations when I decided to check out the shop. But, to be honest, I usually enter these secondhand book shops with a great deal of hope ... and that hope did not lead to disappointment.

There before me on the shelf was a thin collection of short stories written by Bram Stoker, the author best known for the classic horror novel, Dracula. I couldn’t believe my luck. As I read the preface, I discovered that Bram’s widow published these stories after his death —that, alone, would be enough to make me buy it. But then I read that this book contained a story that was, in fact, a piece his editors had deleted from Dracula! Now, I’ve read Dracula, and seen innumerable movies and TV shows that derive their villains (and sometimes, heroes) from this first popular novel about vampires. But I had never read this one!

I must admit to some fascination with these bloodsuckers. Leviticus 17:11 states, “The blood is the Life.” And, of course, that is the very essence of any vampire story: unless they drink your blood, they die. The Leviticus passage takes the opposite tack: God commands us to not drink blood because it is part of the process for the forgiveness of sin, and thus not to be used for anything else.

As I stood there —in that little bookstore, on the Isle of Guernsey, out in the English Channel, just off the coast of France— I recalled that from time to time, the followers of Jesus were accused of vampirism ... and worse. And the reason for that stems from what Jesus says in this week’s Lectionary selection from the Gospel of John. Jesus tells His followers, clearly, they must drink His blood and eat His flesh or they cannot abide in Him. It was just too much for some of them. In fact, John tells us, “Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.”

That was the first time ... but not nearly the last. Over the centuries that followed, many a person has accused christians of cannibalism and vampirism. It’s easy to see how they could be confused about the requirement to ingest the blood and flesh of Jesus. We know better, today.

But It’s a stark reminder to those of us who follow Him: without the Spirit to instruct and guide us, there is plenty of room for misinterpretation of what Jesus taught.

So, before we even open our mouths to quote some teaching from scripture, we should pause and consider how it could be heard —confusion abounds in the absence of the Spirit— and then pray for discernment, enlightenment, and wisdom before we speak.

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Graphic (and great review of the novel, Dracula): http://www.wkar.org/post/book-review-bram-stokers-dracula#stream/0


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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 16 (21) (August 26, 2018)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//

1 Kings 8:(1,6,10-11), 22-30, 41-43
Psalm 84
Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18
Psalm 34:15-22
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:56-69

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Join us Friday morning at 8:00 for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. We’re still at the Waco “Egg and I” restaurant, and we are still spending that hour reading God’s word, discussing, eating, laughing ... you get the picture. 😎

Blessings,
Steve

Gusher: King Solomon and the Beverly Hillbillies (a Steve Orr Lectionary reflection)

“Come ‘n listen to my story ‘bout a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed
And then one day, he was shootin’ at some food
And up through the ground come a bubblin’ crude ...
Oil that is ... black gold ... Texas tea.”

When I first heard THE BALLAD OF JED CLAMPETT, the theme song for the television comedy, The Beverly Hillbillies, I was instantly hooked by Paul Hennings’ music and lyrics. Catchy ... and very singable. And in just a few lines, he told the story of how Jed Clampett became a millionaire. Sure, I thought at the time, it’s a wholly unrealistic scenario —you don’t find oil that way— but that goes along with the show being a comedy ... right?

Wrong.

Shortly after moving my family to Midland, Texas in the early 1980’s, one of the first things I was taught about “oil country” was this: Oil is where you find it. That’s just a pithy way of admitting the central truth of oil exploration: no one really knows where the stuff is.

Oil. Gold. Silver. This has always been the big problem with drawing such treasures from the earth: no one knows where to find it. Oh, sure, there are people —smart, capable people— who have an idea about where one might find it. But no one knows exactly where to find it. There’s a reason they call it oil exploration.

So, when I read this week’s selection from 1st Kings, I wasn’t shocked that Solomon might have asked God for riches. Considering that every time someone drills a hole in the earth looking for oil, there is a great chance they will find absolutely nothing ... well, it just doesn’t sound so crazy that people might think they should ask God to give them riches.

But, scripture tells us there is something worth more than the treasures of the earth, and that is what Solomon asked of God: Wisdom. It pleased God that Solomon chose wisdom rather than many other things he could have asked for as King: riches, long life, the death of his enemies.

We, too, can please God by wanting wisdom. And unlike silver and gold, or oil, or all the other treasures one might try to draw from the earth, finding wisdom is not a game of chance.

We know right where it is.

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PHOTO (and info on the Spindletop gusher): https://www.history.com/topics/spindletop

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 15 (20) (August 19, 2018)
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
Psalm 111
Proverbs 9:1-6
Psalm 34:9-14
Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58

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Join us Friday morning for DaySpring’s Lectionary breakfast at the Waco “Egg and I” restaurant. If you don’t see us, ask at the host stand. We spend that hour from 8:00 to 9:00 reading, discussing, laughing, praying ... all in the pursuit of wisdom.

Blessings,
Steve

Vivi Dropped Her Basket (a Steve Orr Lectionary reflection)

Vivi had a secret.

In the novel, Devine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, we meet a group of older women who have been friends since early childhood. Despite their flaws, they still care deeply for each other. A war has erupted between one of the sisterhood, Vivi, and her adult daughter, Sidda. Like many family conflicts, it stems from equal parts truth and misunderstanding.

Hoping to reconcile mother and daughter, the other members of the Ya Ya Sisterhood kidnap Sidda from her life in New York City and spirit her away to Louisiana. Because she needs to understand just why her mother is so difficult a person, they must reveal to Sidda her mother's deepest, darkest secret. And so, they tell her.

Vivi dropped her basket.

That’s the phrase Vivi used to describe a time when she had a mental and emotional breakdown as a young mother, brutally beat her children, and was then hospitalized for her subsequent attempted suicide.

Vivi dropped her basket.

Life can be tough. Some of us fare better than others. Some of us are, for reasons known and unknown, stronger than others when it comes to our mental and emotional health. And, even when we appear strong to those around us, we can be coming apart on the inside.

Any of us can be fragile. Even those of us who follow Jesus. We are not immune.

The Twila Paris song, The Warrior is a Child, is about that fragility among believers: "People say that I'm amazing, strong beyond my years. But they don't see inside of me, I'm hiding all the tears ... I drop my sword and cry for just a while, 'cause deep inside this armor, the warrior is a child." (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uRNFf3ykQvM)

Elijah, a true warrior for the Lord, was this almost superhuman prophet of the Old Testament. He performed amazing feats in the name of the Lord. People were in awe of his power and authority. To his peers, he seemed the ideal warrior for the Lord.

And yet.

Elijah dropped his basket.

That's the story we find in this week's Lectionary passage from 1 Kings. This great warrior for God, on the heels of a mighty victory ... just loses it. In fear, he runs out into the wilderness; so depressed, he begs God to take his life. Do you see God’s response?

Rest and sustenance.

And then ... more rest and sustenance.

Why? Because God knew Elijah needed both before he could begin the journey back; a journey that included an audience with God.

Keep that in mind as we face the struggles that affect us in this life. No matter how strong we've been, no matter how amazing our most recent mountaintop experience, no matter the number of victories we've achieved, any of us can drop our basket.

Like Elijah, we can depend on God to be in it with us, to hear what we have to say, and, if we can receive it, to ensure we receive the rest and sustenance we need for our journey.

But there’s something else here: we might, instead, be the person God has sent to deliver the rest and sustenance to one who has dropped their basket.

Just like the Ya Ya Sisterhood.

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PHOTO: Steve Orr - Waco, Texas - August, 2018

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A slightly different version of this reflection appeared in June 2016.

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 14 (19) (August 12, 2018)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
Psalm 130
1 Kings 19:4-8
Psalm 34:1-8
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
John 6:35, 41-51
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Once again, we meet Friday morning for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast at the Waco “Egg and I” restaurant. Join us at 8:00 for a great hour of food and fellowship. We’re usually in the function room (down the outside, near the back). But if you can’t find us, ask.

Blessings,
Steve

I Could Eat (a Steve Orr Lectionary reflection)

Scene: George (or Eileen) suggests to Jerry that they go to the diner to have a meal. In response, Jerry thinks for a few seconds and then says, “I could eat.”

In the TV show, Seinfeld (“the show about nothing”), this was a recurring theme. Someone suggests food, Jerry thinks about it, and then he agrees by saying, “I could eat.” Though Jerry never did so, one could easily place the emphasis on the word “could.” What the scene always says is this: before someone suggested eating, Jerry wasn’t thinking about eating. It is only after it has been suggested that he thinks, yes, he might like to eat.

So, “could” is the right word. He isn’t hungering, exactly, just willing to eat when, moments before, he wasn’t even thinking about food. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in an almost identical situation and echoed Jerry’s answer. It’s a pretty common situation for most of us. And I guess, technically, that might fall under the heading of “hunger.”

There is another kind of hunger, though, that I wager you have also experienced: the one where you get up, wander about your house thinking you want . . . something. You just don’t know what. You find yourself in the kitchen, thinking, “Maybe I want food.” You open the fridge or the pantry (or both in succession, possibly more than once), look at what’s there and . . . nope. Nothing there looks like it’s that “something” you wish you could name; that je ne sais quoi which just will not stop pestering you.

That, for certain, is a kind of hunger.

The case could be made that each of this week’s Lectionary passages is about hunger; a hunger for physical food, and a hunger for spiritual food; a hunger for rightness, and a hunger for community. In Exodus, Psalm 78, and John, we read of the Israelites and how God supplied their physical needs for food (Re-read this story if you think God doesn’t have a sense of humor). It’s Jesus, of course, who delivers the real lesson about satisfying hunger. He tells His followers they should not follow Him just because he might miraculously feed them loaves and fishes, again. He wants them to desire the spiritual food being provided by God, the only “food” that truly satisfies.

The 2Samuel passage addresses David’s mistake of confusing a hunger for rightness with a hunger for sex (he should have been in the field with his soldiers instead of wandering about on his rooftop wanting . . . something). And then Psalm 51, a companion piece if you will, deals with David’s desire to be, once again, filled with what he truly hungers for: God’s spirit and forgiveness for his sins. He is empty and he knows it.

It’s the Ephesians passage that ties it all together. Those things that drive us to wander about our houses, to channel-surf all the way round, to stare longingly but unsatisfied at the books in our TBR stack, to desire a je ne sais quoi without resolution . . . that is a hunger for which there is a satisfaction. And Paul nails it when he calls us into community with others who profess to love Jesus: we need the “unity of the Spirit” to fill those empty spaces in our souls so we can proceed confidently (and satisfied) in our relationships with others.

So, the next time you find yourself wandering about, seeking that je ne sais quoi that will not let you go, even if you can’t name it as hunger —maybe especially if you can’t name it as hunger— turn to the Lord and say, “I could eat.”

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 13 (18) (August 5, 2018)

2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a
Psalm 51:1-12
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
Psalm 78:23-29
Ephesians 4:1-16
John 6:24-35
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When you join us for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast, check to see if we’re at the back of the main dining room of the Waco “Egg and I” Restaurant. We use whatever room they choose, so ask if you can’t find us. We might be in the function room (down the side, near the back). Otherwise: we still meet at 8:00 for a fun and interesting hour of food, fellowship, scripture, and robust discussion.

Blessings,
Steve

Jesus and the Star Trek Redshirts (a Steve Orr Lectionary reflection)

It was a death sentence.

I’m talking about one of the now well-known quirks of the original Star Trek television show (1966-69). Tried & True fans caught it pretty quickly, but It was a while before most of us took note: Crew members who wore red shirts (Security Personnel) almost always died when the starship’s officers took an “Away Team” down to some planet.

During that initial three-year run, 73% of those that died were wearing red shirts. A rare exception to the so-called “Redshirt Rule” was a crewman played by the actor who eventually became known as “the most interesting man in the world” on Dos Equis beer commercials (Of course he didn’t die). By the time viewers were well into the second season, the word was out: if there was a redshirt on the “Away Team,” you could expect them to die before the Starship Enterprise left orbit.

Our expectation was based on what had occurred in past episodes, and what triggered our thought was the similarity of the current situation to one or more in the past.

Reading the Bible can be like that. If you’ve been paying attention as you’ve gone along, you begin to recognize little echos of past action. You read something that Jesus says or does and you think, “That sounds familiar. I think something is about to happen that is similar to what has happened before.”

Surprise. That’s intentional.

Consider the Elisha story in this week’s Lectionary selection from 2 Kings. You might call it, “the feeding of the one hundred.” Elisha was one of Israel’s greatest prophets, God’s chosen person to take up the work of the mighty Elijah. Suffice to say, Elisha was well known to the followers of Jesus.

I can imagine that, shortly after Jesus had His disciples feed the five thousand, one or more of them (and likely some in the crowd, as well), had one of those “light bulb” moments. “Wait a minute! This is similar to when Elisha fed the one hundred!”

But wait, as they say on late night TV, there’s more. It wasn’t enough for Jesus to simply repeat the miracle God performed on behalf of Elisha. Yes, Jesus had a similar conversation with his disciples, but He then proceeded to feed 50 times as many people ... that was amazing, notable, extraordinary! Yes, there were leftovers in both instances, but when Jesus fed the five thousand, what remained was far more than they even started with!

Jesus said and did much that was intended to “ring a bell” among those listening and following. As Israelites, they were supposed to recognize that what Jesus did and said was connecting with the teachings, miracles, and acts of the prophets and others God had employed over the centuries.

The takeaway: the next time you read about Jesus teaching something “new,” or of Him performing some miracle, or doing something shocking (Ike driving the money-changers from the Temple, for example), take a minute to find the link to the previous time (or times) something related appeared in the Bible.

That’s a dependable pattern ... better even than the Star Trek Redshirts.

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PHOTO (and one of many websites where you can purchase a Star Trek Redshirt for your very own ... click and boldly go): https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32653193155.html?trace=wwwdetail2mobilesitedetail&productId=32653193155&productSubject=Cosplay-Star-Trek-The-Original-Series-TOS-Cosplay-Scotty-Red-Shirt-Uniform-Costume-Halloween-New

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 12 (17) (July 29, 2018)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//

2 Samuel 11:1-15
Psalm 14
2 Kings 4:42-44
Psalm 145:10-18
Ephesians 3:14-21
John 6:1-21
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Join us for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast Friday morning. The location is the Waco “Egg and I” restaurant. Look for us in the back (we may be inside; try there first). We start at 8:00, and we spend the hour reading, discussing, laughing, and chowing down ... not necessarily in that order.

Salve Diem!
Steve

Private Tracey and Firefly Delivery (a Steve Orr Lectionary reflection)

His final message: Please take my body home.

In the all-too-brief television miracle that was Firefly, there was a lot of excellence crammed into just 14 episodes. Fans all have their favorites. So, in a sense, every episode was the best episode. One particular episode, though, appears on every short-list: “The Message.”

In it, the Captain and First Mate of Serenity find themselves tasked with transporting the body of a man they once served with during the war ... home to his family and his final resting place. They agree to do this after hearing a recording of the man where he references a saying they well know from their military past: “When you can’t run, you crawl, and when you can’t crawl, you find someone to carry you.”

When The Hollies released “He Ain’t Heavy” in 1969, it was immediately appropriated by Vietnam veterans. It so perfectly reflected their wartime experiences of carrying an injured buddy to a place where someone could help. But, the real story behind “He ain’t heavy. He’s my brother.” goes back to Father Flanagan’s Boys Town and an abandoned little boy who had polio (links to The Hollies performance and the Boys Town story are below).

I couldn’t help thinking of “He Ain’t Heavy” and that Firefly episode, especially that saying, when I read this week’s selection from the gospel of Mark. Jesus and team used a boat to try to get away (“to a deserted place”) for a little down-time. But, as they brought their boat to shore, the crowds found them, anyway.

As we know from previous stories, many who were ill were carried into the presence of Jesus. Their needs were so great, they begged permission to just touch “even the fringe of His cloak.” They had all, apparently, heard about the woman who was healed simply by touching the hem of His garment.

Was it true? Or was this just so much talk? Was that all that was needed to be healed, just to touch his garment? Did you have to sit through a sermon, first? Did He have to grab your head and shout? Was there a 12-step program to complete in advance? Was there a pre-interview? Perhaps a statement of faith to declare?

No.

Scripture tells us: "All who touched it were healed." They just needed to do as Private Tracey reminded Mal and Zoe in Firefly, “When you can’t run, you crawl, and when you can’t crawl, you find someone to carry you.”

When it’s Jesus you’re going to see, you need to just get there ... any way you can.

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 11 (16) (July 22, 2018)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//

2 Samuel 7:1-14a
Psalm 89:20-37
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 23
Ephesians 2:11-22
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

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PHOTO & Info about the Boys Town statue: https://www.boystown.org/blog/Pages/story-behind-aint-heavy.aspx

The Hollies sing “He Ain’t Heavy”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1OLm9qid3I0&t=12s

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A small portion of this reflection appeared in 2015 as part of a reflection titled: “Word Gets Around.”
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Join us Friday morning for an hour like no other. DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast meets at 8:00 in the function room of the Waco “Egg and I” restaurant. We read, we pray, we laugh, and we discuss ... all while enjoying breakfast together.

Get there the best way you can.

Blessings,
Steve

The Last Policeman and the Reluctant Prophet (a Steve Orr Lectionary reflection)

Their world was ending, but it was no excuse for continued injustice.

Henry Palace always wanted to be a police detective ... ever since he was a boy and his mother was murdered. The detective leading that investigation explained every step to the young boy who had lost his mother. And, somehow, from that terrible crucible came a desire to investigate and solve crimes ... to see justice done.

And that’s what we find Henry trying to do when Ben Winter’s novel, The Last Policeman, begins. Only, a lot has changed since Henry was a boy. And now, a lot of people, including many of his peers among the detectives of the Concord, New Hampshire PD, are puzzled by his dedication.

You see, everyone has recently learned that a huge meteor is on its way to destroy all life on the planet. There are those who don’t quite see the point of pursuing law enforcement when, six months along, there may well be nothing left.

Most think Detective Henry Palace should just cool it. But someone —maybe more than one someone— wants him gone for good.

Oddly enough, in one of this week’s Lectionary scriptures, Amos encountered a similar mindset while delivering God’s prophecies to the northern kingdom of Israel. Local leaders wanted Amos to know that he, and all his talk of justice for the poor, was no longer welcome in the north. They begged him to go back to the south, to Judah, to peddle his prophesying there.

But, where Detective Henry Palace continued to insist he was a policeman and must press on in the pursuit of justice, Amos balked. Amos rejected the title of prophet, declaring, "I am no prophet!”

What was going on there? Why would God’s prophet reject the title of prophet? The answer: in that time, being called a prophet was tantamount to an insult. It implied you were just spouting whatever would earn you some money. Yes, some people, supposedly speaking for God, were telling other people whatever they wanted to hear just to get a payday. The title had fallen into such disrepute that God’s actual prophet could not abide being thought of as one.

Still, despite his reservations, Amos responded to God’s call. Unlike Jonah, who also objected to some aspects of being a prophet, Amos went where he was sent and did what he was told to do. He carried God’s message that Israel, because of the injustices leaders heaped upon their own people, was about to be devastated by a foreign invader, that death-and-destruction was on its way.

And so, like Detective Henry Palace, Amos pursued justice in the looming shadow of destruction, asking only that people do right by one another despite what was to come.

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PHOTO (and more about The Last Policeman by Ben Winters): https://www.amazon.com/Last-Policeman-Novel-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B0076Q1GW2

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 10 (15) (July 15, 2018)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
Psalm 24
Amos 7:7-15
Psalm 85:8-13
Ephesians 1:3-14
Mark 6:14-29
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No matter what may be coming your way, consider taking some time to be with God’s people. Join us Friday morning at DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. We meet at the Waco “Egg and I” Restaurant and begin at 8:00. An hour later, you will have read scripture, eaten breakfast, discussed how we can live, and laughed. Sounds nice.

Blessings,
Steve