Lent

For a Lenten spiritual discipline this year, I have decided to read each day from two books. Joan Chittister is a favorite author of mine, a writer whose works have served as spiritual guides and spiritual friends. The Joan Chittister book I am reading this Lent is one I recently purchased at the Christ the King Retreat Center when I was there with our conference Board of Ordained Ministry – The Breath of the Soul: reflections on prayer. The book has forty-two short reflections on “what we ourselves must bring to the discipline of prayer,” such as self-knowledge, humility, patience. The structure of the book lends itself well to Lent.
The other book I am reading was published nearly fifty years ago. I remember first encountering it in the Lester Park branch of the Duluth Public Library, a branch that no longer exists. It was after a profound encounter with God’s grace, a “born again” experience in my junior high years, that I spent time in that library in the religion section. There I discovered a book entitled Are You Running With Me, Jesus? I discovered it, but did not explore it long. On the cover was a photograph of the author, an Episcopal priest named Malcolm Boyd. I was a bit taken aback – there he was wearing a clerical collar and smoking. The prayers inside were rather startling, too. They were too startling for me at the time and I don’t remember staying with that book for very long. Something about it, though, stuck with me and years later when I saw it at a used book store, I bought it. Now it will be part of Lent 2012.
Just the second day into this discipline, the spiritual cross-fertilization has proved serendipitous. Thursday, Joan Chittister was writing about “responsibility.” “Never pray in a room without windows” the Talmud says. Chittister writes that: Prayer is meant to bring us to see the world as God sees the world…. Commitment to the needs of the world is a sign of the presence of God in us. That same day, Malcolm Boyd’s prayer began with a feeling of despair. “When I look ahead tonight I can see only futility, pain and death.” Then it moved to a different place. But you call me tonight to love and responsibility. You have a job for me to do…. Lord, I hear you. I know you. I feel your presence strongly in this awful moment, and I thank you. Help me onto my feet. Help me to get up.
There are times when I feel discouraged, when thinking about making a difference in the world makes me weary. Prayer reminds me that while God is with me in those difficult moments, God also calls me back to the things of this world. I pray in open windowed rooms and pray that God will indeed help me get up and get going. There is work to be done.
Already the journey of Lent is bringing rich rewards.

With Faith and With Feathers,

David

Lead and Love

Discussions about leadership are ubiquitous in the church today, at least in my mainline denomination. I think this is, for the most part, a good thing, though I wish many of the discussion were more nuanced than they sometimes appear to be. One of the best pieces I have ever read about leadership, offering some theological depth is Douglas Ottati’s “Leadership-Speak in Contemporary Society” but I have yet to see a reference to it in the church discussions of leadership I have encountered.
Leadership was on my mind this past week as I was part of the interview process for the Minnesota Conference of The United Methodist Church’s Board of Ordained Ministry. Because I have served not only by election, but also by virtue of other offices held, I have had the privilege of serving on this group for a long time. One of our main tasks is interviewing people seeking ordination, and that was this week’s task. Leadership was on my mind.
The final morning of the meeting, one of my colleagues read part of I Corinthians 13 as a morning devotion. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
While she was reading a thought came into my mind. What if we were to substitute the word leadership for the word love here? Leadership is patient; leadership is kind; leadership is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. It makes a lot of sense to me, and certainly in the church we would not want our ideas of leadership to be less than loving.
The meeting ended early in the afternoon, and I was able to arrive back at my church, after a three plus hour drive, for our Wednesday night dinner. After dinner, I was in the kitchen helping with dishes and clean-up. I know some who might say that this is not very “leader-like” behavior. Leaders help others use their gifts and do their work, don’t they? Maybe. And maybe I over-function sometimes. I wasn’t taking charge, here, just helping. Pitching in when there is work to do is just something I do.
While in the kitchen, I was a part of a couple of poignant conversations. One couple was updating me on their great-granddaughter. She was born many states away with significant health issues. Trying to get her back to Minnesota so she and her parents can be near family is medically impossible right now. My heart breaks for this entire family. Another person shared with me her recent trip to a beloved aunt’s funeral and the concern she has for her mother who is now in her eighties.
Dishes got done and were put away. I went home after what was a long day. Being in the church kitchen that night may not have been the most “leaderly” thing I have ever done, but if love and leadership have something to do with each other, then that is where I should have been and where I will be again.

With Faith and With Feathers,

David