Covenant Relationship Sunday Special Offering - We invite your generosity in supporting each of our 3 covenant relationships: with Rev. Joseph Chan, Marilyn Chan, and with YCVM. This is an annual commitment we've made for this quadrennium (2013-2016). We look forward to our relationships growing!
*We're Showering the Babies and Parents Today - All are invited and welcomed to join in the joyous celebration of Pastor Emily and Steven's twins following worship.
*Camping Fund Special Offering - We will be taking a special offering next Sunday, May 4th. This fund supports youth who are interested in attending summer camps and other faith formation opportunities. Last year, we sent 5 kids to camp thanks to you!
*Let's Be Faithful in Prayer! - A prayer calendar was shared 2 weeks ago to lift up and remember our Volunteers in Mission as their preparations wind down and the departure date draws near. Please be faithful in holding them in prayer each day! If you need a copy, please connect with Burt.
*Looking Ahead: Pastor Emily's last day at CCUMC will be Sunday, May 11th. You are invited to share any questions, concerns, or reflections with her prior to that time!
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Covenant Relations Sunday at CCUMC by Burt Yin
Today has been designated Covenant Relations Sunday for our church community.
Beginning November 2013, our church decided to be in three covenant relationships with three missionaries. Through this special partnership, each missionary is provided with financial, spiritual, and emotional support. It is through these dynamic relationships that we as a church and the missionaries pray for each other and communicate regularly.
Two of our missionaries, Marilyn Chan and Pastor Joseph Chan, from Cambodia, are with our United Methodist Church, General Board of Global Ministries. A third missionary is Silver Omakenyi, Director of Youth and Child Visionary Ministries, Kumi, Uganda.
More information about each specific missionary will become available during the coming months, lasting through the rest of this quadrennium, 2016.
http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Chan-Joseph
Additional Information:
- See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Chan-Joseph#sthash.9pJ8jy7Z.dpuf
http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Chan-Marilyn-Sovann
Additional Information:
- See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Chan-Marilyn-Sovann#sthash.c1JIRQuq.dpuf
Beginning November 2013, our church decided to be in three covenant relationships with three missionaries. Through this special partnership, each missionary is provided with financial, spiritual, and emotional support. It is through these dynamic relationships that we as a church and the missionaries pray for each other and communicate regularly.
More information about each specific missionary will become available during the coming months, lasting through the rest of this quadrennium, 2016.
http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Chan-Joseph
Additional Information:
- Make an online donation to: Joseph Chan #12903Z.
- Missionary Support Code: 12903Z
- Track Gifts for Current Year. For previous years, please use Online Gift Tracking and enter 12903Z for "Project Number.”
- See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Chan-Joseph#sthash.9pJ8jy7Z.dpuf
http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Chan-Marilyn-Sovann
Additional Information:
- Make an online donation to: Marilyn Chan #12904Z.
- Missionary Support Code: 12904Z
- Track Gifts for Current Year. For previous years, please use Online Gift Tracking and enter 12904Z for "Project Number.”
- See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Chan-Marilyn-Sovann#sthash.c1JIRQuq.dpuf
Sunday, April 20, 2014
English Ministry News and Notes 4-20-14
*Happy, happy Easter! Thank you for being here to celebrate the joy of Easter and the grace of Cyrus and Jacinto's confirmation. You are warmly invited to continue celebrating in the Annex (next door) following worship!
*Next Sunday, Apr. 27th, we celebrate Covenant Relations Sunday! We welcome our Covenant Relations Team - Burt, Sylvia, and Steve - to share the invitation to build deeper, more intentional relationships with our mission partners: Rev. Joseph & Marilyn Chan serving in Cambodia, and Youth & Child Visionary Ministries (YCVM) in Uganda. This will be a special offering Sunday for the work of Covenant Relations! Please give generously! Worship begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. in the Annex followed by Pastor Emily & Steven's Baby Shower. All are welcome!
*We're Beginning An Exciting New Series: "Communities of Compassion in the Book of Acts & Today" with the Rev. Sandhy Jha. The series will engage our own joys and struggles of building community with what was happening in the early church. Together, we’ll explore what we might learn from those early founders of the Church for our communities today. This is a 4 week series that begins May 11th - June 1st at 9:30 a.m. Don't miss it!
*Great thanks to those who brought beauty into our worship space with lilies and flowers! James Yu, Ulander Pang, C K & Mabel Lee, Linda Woo, Donna Louie, Elsie Wan, Ben Lang, Leo & Helena Lin, Kwok Kuen Cheung, Suk Ling Lam Woo, Lin Kam Huey, Anna & David Wong, Lucy Zhou, Veronica & Roy Cheung, Ursella & Cloud Cheung, M/M Ying Zhu, Feng, Meina Ko, Xiong Hong, Mei Huei Lee, Richard & Adrienne Fong.
*Please Note: Church Secretary, Theresa Leung, is on vacation now through Apr. 30th. She will return to the office on May 1st.
*Next Sunday, Apr. 27th, we celebrate Covenant Relations Sunday! We welcome our Covenant Relations Team - Burt, Sylvia, and Steve - to share the invitation to build deeper, more intentional relationships with our mission partners: Rev. Joseph & Marilyn Chan serving in Cambodia, and Youth & Child Visionary Ministries (YCVM) in Uganda. This will be a special offering Sunday for the work of Covenant Relations! Please give generously! Worship begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. in the Annex followed by Pastor Emily & Steven's Baby Shower. All are welcome!
*We're Beginning An Exciting New Series: "Communities of Compassion in the Book of Acts & Today" with the Rev. Sandhy Jha. The series will engage our own joys and struggles of building community with what was happening in the early church. Together, we’ll explore what we might learn from those early founders of the Church for our communities today. This is a 4 week series that begins May 11th - June 1st at 9:30 a.m. Don't miss it!
*Great thanks to those who brought beauty into our worship space with lilies and flowers! James Yu, Ulander Pang, C K & Mabel Lee, Linda Woo, Donna Louie, Elsie Wan, Ben Lang, Leo & Helena Lin, Kwok Kuen Cheung, Suk Ling Lam Woo, Lin Kam Huey, Anna & David Wong, Lucy Zhou, Veronica & Roy Cheung, Ursella & Cloud Cheung, M/M Ying Zhu, Feng, Meina Ko, Xiong Hong, Mei Huei Lee, Richard & Adrienne Fong.
*Please Note: Church Secretary, Theresa Leung, is on vacation now through Apr. 30th. She will return to the office on May 1st.
Celebrating Resurrection, Rev. Bruce Epperly
Resurrection doesn't come easy for many of us. Frankly, many of us find it difficult to celebrate life these days. Holy Saturday, the time of uncertainty and waiting, the experience of provisionality and suspense, seems a far more realistic assessment of the human and cosmic condition. Even devout Christians, reflecting on Easter Sunday, struggle for a realistic and life-transforming message to affirm. Jesus' resurrection changed everything, yet the world remained the same.
Resurrection does not deny the tragedies and injustices of life, but places them in a larger and more hopeful context. In the spirit of the prophet Jeremiah, resurrection gives us a future and a hope.
Resurrection changes lives. Yes, the fearful became faithful, and then go out into the world sharing the good news, "Christ is alive." For the women and men who first experienced resurrection, their teacher transformed their lives before and after the crucifixion. But, the post-resurrection Jesus was more than they could imagine or hope for. Death could not contain him any more than doors and walls. The Risen Jesus was energetic and dynamic in stretching the limits of natural causation. The dead don't come back to life; corpses aren't resuscitated. Yet, the Jesus they encountered was neither a revived corpse nor a disembodied wraith; he was a whole person, alive and lively, yet not encompassed by the limits of everyday physical reality. He lived in them, but lived beyond them, as their animating spirit.
Resurrection pointed the first Christians—and persons like us—to a new vision of nature and its possibilities, and a larger vision of God's work in the world. The future is opening to amazement and possibility, and the "good faith" of those who shared the first Easter message.
We live in a wondrous universe filled with wonders beyond our wildest imaginations. I think Jesus' resurrection comes from this deep down place in which divine and human energy intersect to create a synergetic burst of transformative energy.
Resurrection is not restricted to Christians but embodies God's living, transforming, and energizing movements in all of life. Resurrection is God's pathway of rebirth and renewal, most dramatically reflected in Jesus' life, but residing in all things.
Resurrection changed everything, yet everything remained the same. The first Christians experienced persecution and martyrdom, the church itself became a place of both healing and destruction, and our post-resurrection world is threatened by global climate change and the destructive actions of some of Christianity's most "ardent" followers. Yet, resurrection lives on—an empty tomb and open future beckons, despite the failures of Jesus' followers.
Still, let us celebrate resurrection and, in the spirit of Wendell Berry's poem, "practice resurrection." But, how shall we practice resurrection today? It is in looking for the Empty Tombs in our world, and seeing within them open futures for ourselves and for others. It is in bringing forth beauty, especially in children and marginalized and vulnerable persons. It is in resisting the politics of division, coercion, and greed, and learning to live in terms of a beloved community in which all persons can rise to the heights of abundant living.
Today, we are called to be resurrection partners, to roll away the stone, imprisoning
marginalized people, and open pathways to the future for all creation.
We are called to be God's celebrative companions—to say "yes" to life in all its complexity, contrast, and beauty. To rejoice in birth and rebirth. Christ is Risen, today, and every day! Hallelujah!
Resurrection does not deny the tragedies and injustices of life, but places them in a larger and more hopeful context. In the spirit of the prophet Jeremiah, resurrection gives us a future and a hope.
Resurrection changes lives. Yes, the fearful became faithful, and then go out into the world sharing the good news, "Christ is alive." For the women and men who first experienced resurrection, their teacher transformed their lives before and after the crucifixion. But, the post-resurrection Jesus was more than they could imagine or hope for. Death could not contain him any more than doors and walls. The Risen Jesus was energetic and dynamic in stretching the limits of natural causation. The dead don't come back to life; corpses aren't resuscitated. Yet, the Jesus they encountered was neither a revived corpse nor a disembodied wraith; he was a whole person, alive and lively, yet not encompassed by the limits of everyday physical reality. He lived in them, but lived beyond them, as their animating spirit.
Resurrection pointed the first Christians—and persons like us—to a new vision of nature and its possibilities, and a larger vision of God's work in the world. The future is opening to amazement and possibility, and the "good faith" of those who shared the first Easter message.
We live in a wondrous universe filled with wonders beyond our wildest imaginations. I think Jesus' resurrection comes from this deep down place in which divine and human energy intersect to create a synergetic burst of transformative energy.
Resurrection is not restricted to Christians but embodies God's living, transforming, and energizing movements in all of life. Resurrection is God's pathway of rebirth and renewal, most dramatically reflected in Jesus' life, but residing in all things.
Resurrection changed everything, yet everything remained the same. The first Christians experienced persecution and martyrdom, the church itself became a place of both healing and destruction, and our post-resurrection world is threatened by global climate change and the destructive actions of some of Christianity's most "ardent" followers. Yet, resurrection lives on—an empty tomb and open future beckons, despite the failures of Jesus' followers.
Still, let us celebrate resurrection and, in the spirit of Wendell Berry's poem, "practice resurrection." But, how shall we practice resurrection today? It is in looking for the Empty Tombs in our world, and seeing within them open futures for ourselves and for others. It is in bringing forth beauty, especially in children and marginalized and vulnerable persons. It is in resisting the politics of division, coercion, and greed, and learning to live in terms of a beloved community in which all persons can rise to the heights of abundant living.
Today, we are called to be resurrection partners, to roll away the stone, imprisoning
marginalized people, and open pathways to the future for all creation.
We are called to be God's celebrative companions—to say "yes" to life in all its complexity, contrast, and beauty. To rejoice in birth and rebirth. Christ is Risen, today, and every day! Hallelujah!
Sunday, April 13, 2014
English Ministry News and Notes 4-13-14
*Great Thanks - We lift up all those who made soup during the last 5 weeks: Gloria, Burt & Jane, Jennie, Lisa, Leily & Walter, Ed & Arlene, Becky & Al, Charlie, Brenda, and Aeri. We also extend special thanks to Peggy who supplied us with delicious bread!
*Celebrating Easter with Children - You are warmly encouraged to pitch in at this afternoon's Easter party. We will begin set up immediately after worship. If you are willing to participate, please gather in the Annex quickly. This is a terrific opportunity to extend God's love and grace to others.
*Holy Week Worship Invitations:
-Maundy Thursday Worship - Apr. 17th @ 7:00 p.m. We will gather in a quiet and contemplative service to remember the last supper of Jesus and his disciples as well as his command: "to love one another as I have loved you."
-Good Friday Neighborhood Joint Worship - Apr. 18th @ 2:00 p.m. This year's service is hosted by the Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 1011 Harrison St. (A pick -up joint choir will rehearse promptly at 1:00 p.m. Please wear all black!)
-Good Friday Worship - Apr. 18th @ 7:00 p.m. We will gather in the dark to remember the last moments of Jesus' life.
*Easter Invitations - Reach out to friends and family to celebrate the Risen Christ. We will gather for Easter Sunrise Service on Apr. 20th @ 7:30 a.m. and again for Easter Worship Celebration at 11:00 p.m. Please hold Cyrus and Jacinto in your prayers as they prepare to confirm their faith on this special day!
* You are invited to a festive Baby Shower on Sunday, April 27th at 11:00 a.m. to welcome Pastor Emily and Steven's twin babies. That day will begin with a parallel worship at 9:30 a.m. Please sign up with Becky, Helena, Elsie or Jane to bring food or other ways you would like to help. We look forward to celebrating this joyful time.
*Celebrating Easter with Children - You are warmly encouraged to pitch in at this afternoon's Easter party. We will begin set up immediately after worship. If you are willing to participate, please gather in the Annex quickly. This is a terrific opportunity to extend God's love and grace to others.
*Holy Week Worship Invitations:
-Maundy Thursday Worship - Apr. 17th @ 7:00 p.m. We will gather in a quiet and contemplative service to remember the last supper of Jesus and his disciples as well as his command: "to love one another as I have loved you."
-Good Friday Neighborhood Joint Worship - Apr. 18th @ 2:00 p.m. This year's service is hosted by the Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 1011 Harrison St. (A pick -up joint choir will rehearse promptly at 1:00 p.m. Please wear all black!)
-Good Friday Worship - Apr. 18th @ 7:00 p.m. We will gather in the dark to remember the last moments of Jesus' life.
*Easter Invitations - Reach out to friends and family to celebrate the Risen Christ. We will gather for Easter Sunrise Service on Apr. 20th @ 7:30 a.m. and again for Easter Worship Celebration at 11:00 p.m. Please hold Cyrus and Jacinto in your prayers as they prepare to confirm their faith on this special day!
* You are invited to a festive Baby Shower on Sunday, April 27th at 11:00 a.m. to welcome Pastor Emily and Steven's twin babies. That day will begin with a parallel worship at 9:30 a.m. Please sign up with Becky, Helena, Elsie or Jane to bring food or other ways you would like to help. We look forward to celebrating this joyful time.
Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Healing – What Does This Mean? ~ Rev. Steven E. King
In the strictest sense, the concept of Forgiveness in the Bible has to do with releasing from punishment. The terms used in the Bible to describe forgiveness reflect a legal connotation — being “let loose” from condemnation for a crime. Forgiving others has to do with our “letting go” of the desire for vengeance and retribution. The goal of forgiveness is to address the guilt of sin with mercy.
It is important to remember that to forgive is not to say that what happened was okay, or that we suffered no real hurt. On the contrary, forgiveness recognizes that real sin has taken place, and that sin always has con-sequences. To forgive, however, means that even though we have been sinned against, we will not return evil for evil. Forgiveness rests in the trust that God is the one who is best able to deal with the consequences of human sin. By letting God be God, we trust judgment to his hands.
Forgiving is always easier when people come to us to admit their fault. However, even when those who hurt us do not acknowledge our pain, it is still possible to forgive. By letting go in forgiveness, we can give to God that burden, too.
Reconciliation is a concept related to forgiveness, but with a different goal. The biblical word for reconciliation means “to come back together with.” Strictly speaking, reconciliation refers to the repair and restoration of a broken relationship.
Where forgiveness rests with the giver, reconciliation is “a two-way street” — it must involve both parties. It implies a desire to continue a relationship, recognizing that both parties need to work together to get along.
This means that there may be times when we can forgive but be unable to reconcile, as in the case when the other person is unwilling to respond. In some cases, it may not be safe or prudent to maintain an ongoing relationship — like with a persistent abuser, for example. Yet, even without reconciliation, we may still find the faith to forgive and “let go.”
Even though forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same thing, they are related. Forgiveness is often the first step in reconciliation, especially when both parties express their faults and their willingness to work on their relationship with the other.
Our God is a God of healing (Ps 41:3). In the aftermath of injury or conflict, God is able to comfort those in pain and restore those who have been hurt by others. Healing from the wounds of sin can be both the source and the result of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Just as it takes time for physical wounds to heal, emotional and psychological wounds also require time before they get better. In the case where one person has been deeply hurt by another, often some time of healing must take place before that person is ready or able to extend forgiveness.
Healing can be even more important for reconciliation. When wounds are still sore, it is difficult to take the risk of exposing oneself to further injury. Sometimes an intentional distance from a source of pain can create the time for healing to take place.
Keep in mind that forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing are all related, but not in a simple ‘step by step’ sequence. A person may be able forgive but not be ready to reconcile until healing has taken place. In the same way, having a person who hurt you express their sorrow and ask for forgiveness may be the key to both healing and reconciliation.
In the end, we need to remember that God is the source of all these blessings. First and foremost, we trust in the promise that our Lord cares for us.
It is important to remember that to forgive is not to say that what happened was okay, or that we suffered no real hurt. On the contrary, forgiveness recognizes that real sin has taken place, and that sin always has con-sequences. To forgive, however, means that even though we have been sinned against, we will not return evil for evil. Forgiveness rests in the trust that God is the one who is best able to deal with the consequences of human sin. By letting God be God, we trust judgment to his hands.
Forgiving is always easier when people come to us to admit their fault. However, even when those who hurt us do not acknowledge our pain, it is still possible to forgive. By letting go in forgiveness, we can give to God that burden, too.
Reconciliation is a concept related to forgiveness, but with a different goal. The biblical word for reconciliation means “to come back together with.” Strictly speaking, reconciliation refers to the repair and restoration of a broken relationship.
Where forgiveness rests with the giver, reconciliation is “a two-way street” — it must involve both parties. It implies a desire to continue a relationship, recognizing that both parties need to work together to get along.
This means that there may be times when we can forgive but be unable to reconcile, as in the case when the other person is unwilling to respond. In some cases, it may not be safe or prudent to maintain an ongoing relationship — like with a persistent abuser, for example. Yet, even without reconciliation, we may still find the faith to forgive and “let go.”
Even though forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same thing, they are related. Forgiveness is often the first step in reconciliation, especially when both parties express their faults and their willingness to work on their relationship with the other.
Our God is a God of healing (Ps 41:3). In the aftermath of injury or conflict, God is able to comfort those in pain and restore those who have been hurt by others. Healing from the wounds of sin can be both the source and the result of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Just as it takes time for physical wounds to heal, emotional and psychological wounds also require time before they get better. In the case where one person has been deeply hurt by another, often some time of healing must take place before that person is ready or able to extend forgiveness.
Healing can be even more important for reconciliation. When wounds are still sore, it is difficult to take the risk of exposing oneself to further injury. Sometimes an intentional distance from a source of pain can create the time for healing to take place.
Keep in mind that forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing are all related, but not in a simple ‘step by step’ sequence. A person may be able forgive but not be ready to reconcile until healing has taken place. In the same way, having a person who hurt you express their sorrow and ask for forgiveness may be the key to both healing and reconciliation.
In the end, we need to remember that God is the source of all these blessings. First and foremost, we trust in the promise that our Lord cares for us.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
English Ministry News and Notes 4-6-14
*LMUMC Food Pantry Ministry Work Day - Apr. 12th. Please connect with Jane for more info or to sign up to pitch in.
*Children's Easter Party - We will be hosting a fun-filled Easter party on Sunday, Apr. 13th, from 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Please pitch in by signing up to volunteer, provide snacks, or other needed items. This is an "all hands on deck" ministry opportunity!
*Holy Week Worship Opportunities:
-Maundy Thursday Worship - Apr. 17th @ 7:00 p.m. We will gather in a quiet and contemplative service to remember the last supper of Jesus and his disciples as well as his command: "to love one another as I have loved you."
-Good Friday Neighborhood Joint Worship - Apr. 18th @ 2:00 p.m. This year's service is hosted by the Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 1011 Harrison St. (A pick-up joint choir will rehearse promptly at 1:00 p.m. Please wear all black!)
-Good Friday Worship - Apr. 18th @ 7:00 p.m. We will gather in the dark to remember the last moments of Jesus' life.
*Easter Invitations - Reach out to friends and family to celebrate the Risen Christ. We will gather for Easter Sunrise Service on Apr. 20th @ 7:30 a.m. and again for Easter Worship Celebration at 11:00 p.m. Please hold Cyrus and Jacinto in your prayers as they prepare to confirm their faith on this special day!
* You are invited to a festive Baby Shower on Sunday, April 27th at 11:00 a.m. to welcome Pastor Emily and Steven's twin babies. That Sunday we will be holding parallel worship starting at 9:30 a.m. More information will be forthcoming. Please sign up with Becky, Helena, Elsie or Jane to bring food or ways you would like to help. We look forward to celebrating this joyful time with Pastor Emily and Steven and the babies.
*Stay on top of CCUMC news! Bookmark our blogspot on your computer, smart phone, or tablet at http://chinesecommunityumc.blogspot.com/.
*Children's Easter Party - We will be hosting a fun-filled Easter party on Sunday, Apr. 13th, from 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Please pitch in by signing up to volunteer, provide snacks, or other needed items. This is an "all hands on deck" ministry opportunity!
-Maundy Thursday Worship - Apr. 17th @ 7:00 p.m. We will gather in a quiet and contemplative service to remember the last supper of Jesus and his disciples as well as his command: "to love one another as I have loved you."
-Good Friday Neighborhood Joint Worship - Apr. 18th @ 2:00 p.m. This year's service is hosted by the Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 1011 Harrison St. (A pick-up joint choir will rehearse promptly at 1:00 p.m. Please wear all black!)
-Good Friday Worship - Apr. 18th @ 7:00 p.m. We will gather in the dark to remember the last moments of Jesus' life.
*Easter Invitations - Reach out to friends and family to celebrate the Risen Christ. We will gather for Easter Sunrise Service on Apr. 20th @ 7:30 a.m. and again for Easter Worship Celebration at 11:00 p.m. Please hold Cyrus and Jacinto in your prayers as they prepare to confirm their faith on this special day!
* You are invited to a festive Baby Shower on Sunday, April 27th at 11:00 a.m. to welcome Pastor Emily and Steven's twin babies. That Sunday we will be holding parallel worship starting at 9:30 a.m. More information will be forthcoming. Please sign up with Becky, Helena, Elsie or Jane to bring food or ways you would like to help. We look forward to celebrating this joyful time with Pastor Emily and Steven and the babies.
*Stay on top of CCUMC news! Bookmark our blogspot on your computer, smart phone, or tablet at http://chinesecommunityumc.blogspot.com/.
Repentance and Responsibility, Father Longenecker
Every year in Lent I’m reminded of how healthy repentance is.
The default setting for the human being is to blame someone else. “He did it first!” or “She did it too!” or “Everybody does it” or when we’re unhappy to blame somebody else for our problems. “It’s my wife, my husband, my kids, my parents, the president, the republicans, the democrats, the whites, the blacks” whoever, but it’s never me. It’s not my fault. I’m not to blame.
This is the basic kink in human nature. It’s the twist of pride and it was there from the beginning. Adam blames Eve. Eve blames the serpent.
Repentance turns that on it’s head. We’re required to stop and put up our hand and own up. It’s my fault. I’m to blame. Even if it’s not all me it’s at least partly me and I’m sorry.
What is so brilliantly healthy about repentance is that it must automatically lead to taking responsibility. As soon as we say, “It’s me. It’s my fault. I’m to blame.” If we really mean it, then we must then take responsibility for what went wrong and then try to put it right.
What would the world be like if we all lived in that state of mind? Instead we fall back into blaming others and shifting the responsibility.
This link between repentance and responsibility has some pretty huge implications. This is because the opposite of owning up and taking responsibility is not only blaming others, but a kind of unspoken and unconscious fatalism. The fatalist believes that he does not have free will. We are all caught up in circumstances and causations that are greater than we are.
There are many forms of fatalism. Political fatalism proposes that certain powers that be rule the world and rule us and there is nothing we can do about it. Genetic fatalism decrees that we were born a certain way and our genetic code predetermines everything. Social or economic fatalism suggests that those who are rich get
richer and those who are poor get poorer and there is nothing you can do about it.
Fatalism eats away at our society like a cancer. What produces the entitlement culture we see all around us? Fatalism. It is all someone else’s responsibility. I can’t do anything for myself. Someone else has to do it for me. What produces the infantilism all around us–the immature passivity in the face of difficulties? Fatalism.
It is someone else’s duty to solve the problems and work things out. I’m helpless.
Repentance, on the other hand, immediately engages us in the process of recovery, reconciliation and renewal. As soon as we own up that things are our problem we can begin to do something about the problem.
That’s the practice and principles of a holy Lent–to first repent and take responsibility and then, by God’s grace begin to do something about it.
And that’s the other half of the Ash Wednesday formula: “Repent and Believe the gospel” The gospel is the good news that something can be done about it. Jesus Christ is alive and as soon as we own up and own our problems and take responsibility he steps up and says, “Here, let me help you with that.”
And with Him all things are possible. And that’s the good news I can believe in.
The default setting for the human being is to blame someone else. “He did it first!” or “She did it too!” or “Everybody does it” or when we’re unhappy to blame somebody else for our problems. “It’s my wife, my husband, my kids, my parents, the president, the republicans, the democrats, the whites, the blacks” whoever, but it’s never me. It’s not my fault. I’m not to blame.
This is the basic kink in human nature. It’s the twist of pride and it was there from the beginning. Adam blames Eve. Eve blames the serpent.
Repentance turns that on it’s head. We’re required to stop and put up our hand and own up. It’s my fault. I’m to blame. Even if it’s not all me it’s at least partly me and I’m sorry.
What is so brilliantly healthy about repentance is that it must automatically lead to taking responsibility. As soon as we say, “It’s me. It’s my fault. I’m to blame.” If we really mean it, then we must then take responsibility for what went wrong and then try to put it right.
What would the world be like if we all lived in that state of mind? Instead we fall back into blaming others and shifting the responsibility.
This link between repentance and responsibility has some pretty huge implications. This is because the opposite of owning up and taking responsibility is not only blaming others, but a kind of unspoken and unconscious fatalism. The fatalist believes that he does not have free will. We are all caught up in circumstances and causations that are greater than we are.
There are many forms of fatalism. Political fatalism proposes that certain powers that be rule the world and rule us and there is nothing we can do about it. Genetic fatalism decrees that we were born a certain way and our genetic code predetermines everything. Social or economic fatalism suggests that those who are rich get
richer and those who are poor get poorer and there is nothing you can do about it.
Fatalism eats away at our society like a cancer. What produces the entitlement culture we see all around us? Fatalism. It is all someone else’s responsibility. I can’t do anything for myself. Someone else has to do it for me. What produces the infantilism all around us–the immature passivity in the face of difficulties? Fatalism.
It is someone else’s duty to solve the problems and work things out. I’m helpless.
Repentance, on the other hand, immediately engages us in the process of recovery, reconciliation and renewal. As soon as we own up that things are our problem we can begin to do something about the problem.
That’s the practice and principles of a holy Lent–to first repent and take responsibility and then, by God’s grace begin to do something about it.
And that’s the other half of the Ash Wednesday formula: “Repent and Believe the gospel” The gospel is the good news that something can be done about it. Jesus Christ is alive and as soon as we own up and own our problems and take responsibility he steps up and says, “Here, let me help you with that.”
And with Him all things are possible. And that’s the good news I can believe in.
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