2/28/24

A lot of people seem to wonder why others who are otherwise 'intelligent' seek out religion and spirituality when we're surrounded by so much technological advancement and scientific understanding of the world. It's all just a bunch of superstitious nonsense that to them should have died out ages ago. But from my own point of view, it's one of the few avenues of refuge and respite available to me and so many others precisely because we live in such a cold, calculating world where progress and profit are the bottom line, not human happiness and flourishing. Sure, many people may benefit from the current state of things, but they do so at the expense of others who face precarity, oppression, and a host of other external stressors, giving rise to depression, anxiety, and numerous other mental obstacles to health and happiness. Depression and anxiety in particular are increasingly becoming an issue, with more and more people struggling, taking their own lives, or reaching out for help. And while healthcare professionals can often provide care in the form of medications and therapy techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy that can be life changing, I think there are some deep-seated causes that have gone unaddressed and continue to feed into people's depression and anxiety—most of them being the external stressors weighing heavily on people stemming from the ways we organize our society. Most people have to work for a wage to survive, or else hustle one way or the other, sometimes both. People often have to spend a great deal of time at work (the majority of our waking hours in fact) and commuting to and from work, keeping us away from friends and family and limiting the free time we need to exercise or relax and recharge. Workloads themselves are often full of stress. On top of that, wages for many aren't enough to do more than pay for rent, food, and other bills, and people feel like they're living to work. They don't call it "the rat race" for nothing. As if that weren't enough, even more pressures come from trying to make due with what you get, forcing us to make tough financial choices between things like paying for food, rent, and utilities vs. healthcare, childcare, and car repairs. Over half of Americans alone live paycheck to paycheck in a state of perpetual precarity and the threat of unemployment and ruin around every corner. And if you want to gamble, you can put yourself into a lifetime of debt to get a higher education and piece of paper that might get you a little extra cheese, but there are no guarantees. It's also difficult to relax when at least five days are full of going full speed to make someone else rich and two days are left for you to try and do all your personal errands, spend time with friends and family, and do something enjoyable and meaningful. And when we don't have the time or money for that, we often find it easier to self medicate with drugs or alcohol or reality TV or whatever helps us through the day. And the broader socioeconomic atmosphere across the globe isn't much better, often full of violence and uncertainty, from wars and food shortages to volatile stock markets and imperialist competition between nation states. Combined with the ability to have constant stimulation from news and social commentary on TV, social media, etc., it's little wonder that people are suffering from depression, anxiety, and hopelessness more than seemingly ever before. Certainly not every mental health issue is caused by these material conditions, but a large number are, and the majority almost definitely exacerbated by them. If we want to truly address this growing mental health crisis, we must not only expand access to and normalize mental healthcare, but also address the omnipresent material conditions giving rise to and exacerbating them. We need more free time. We need to have our basic needs met without having to work ourselves to death. We need more access to the things that make life worthwhile and enjoyable. And we need to share all of that with everyone instead of a system where a few profit disproportionately off of the labour of the many, while the many in turn benefit from the oppression and exploitation of the poor and marginalized. Capitalism is a pyramid of inequality, and the further down you are, the heavier your burden and its negative impacts. So is it any wonder that some seek out some sort of spiritual meaning or practice that helps give life a greater sense of purpose and imparts an inner source of happiness they'd otherwise lack considering the material existence many of us experience falls so painfully short? Religion may seem irrational to some, but to others, it's "the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions." And it helps an awful lot more than simple suggestions to find a better job or exercise more when you find yourself trapped as an appendage of the omnipresent capitalist machine.

1/21/24

What does it mean to be Catholic but not Roman Catholic? This is a question that many at Spirit of Grace are contemplating since the local archbishop has forbidden any Catholic priest from saying Mass at Spirit of Grace, which up until December 10th, 2023 was possibly the only Catholic-Lutheran ecumenical community of its kind. Both Catholics and Lutherans have worshiped together here for the last 37 years. And now, the Catholic side of the community is being forced to either attend a local Catholic church by decree of the archbishop or stay with the church community they have known and loved and have made their spiritual home, the latter of which is an act of rebellion against the archbishop.

So what does it mean to be Catholic?

As most Christians know, the word itself comes from a Greek word meaning 'universal.' It means that, in the words of St. Ignatius of Antioch, "wherever Jesus is present, we have the Catholic Church." And this idea of universalism is most explicitly stated by Paul in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Catholic, therefore, means unity, communion, community, a kin-dom where all who are baptized, love God, and love their neighbour are invited and welcomed. And for me, Spirit of Grace has been a warm, welcoming community that, in its own small way, represents the open arms of the universal Church.

Of course, on the tree of the universal Church are many branches, each with their own history and culture and traditions that one should respect. And many of those branches don't see eye to eye with the others. Nevertheless, we are all created in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27), and despite our failings and frailties and stubbornness, in God's promise to Abraham and his descendents, the world will be blessed and reunited with God (Gen 22:15-18). And the life and teachings of Jesus connect many of us to that tradition and that promise. Jesus invites us to take this promise seriously and be participants in it, not just spectators. But Jesus was oftentimes rebellious, breaking religious rules and challenging the authority of both religious and political leaders when they strayed from loving God and loving their neighbour as themselves. And should we not follow Jesus and his example?

The local archbishop has put an official end to this ecumenical partnership by forbidding Catholic priests from saying mass at Spirit of Grace and ordering its Catholic parishioners to go elsewhere in his discernment of "the needs of the Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese, the key principles governing the sacred liturgy, and how best to promote Christian unity." But I fail to see how splitting up this ecumenical community of almost four decades does anything to help promote Christian unity, nor do I see a reason to seek out another church and community when this one has been so welcoming and supportive and has become my home.

The Catholic priest who baptized me and welcomed me into the Catholic Church once said, "If Jesus calls you to the table, who am I to turn you away?" And every person, regardless of who they are or where they come from, is invited and welcomed at God's table; so everyone at that table is part of the universal Church—hence wherever Jesus is present, we have the Catholic Church. My Catholic identity, then, is based on wherever I find Jesus. And Jesus is not absent from Spirit of Grace.

1/12/24

I started reading the Bible all the way through with The Magnificast discord group and a question came up about how to view some of the more difficult passages while still being faithful to one's religious tradition and not anachronistically insert one's personal preferences and values into those texts. It got me thinking about my own approach.

Coming from a non-religious background and growing into a perennialist, my approach is to treat sacred texts on a whole as historical, mythological, and mystical texts. I see in them stories used to express certain ideas, point in certain directions, and provide certain justifications for what was happening in the present.

From the historical POV, I see some of their culture and beliefs and what they were trying to do and say in a particular period in time, which was often the voice of a certain priestly caste that had authority or which became an authority. I see them as they see themselves. From the mythological POV, I see some of their explanations for the hows and whys, the logic underlying their particular religious beliefs and practices, as well as justifications for them. I see their expressions of the connection between the divine and us. And in the mystical, I see the deeper underlying threads, the places where people have touched or glimpsed ultimate reality, where God is heard most clearly. And in all of these texts, including the Torah, there are multiple voices all weaved together presenting a tapestry of thousands of years of culture, history, and evolving thoughts as people deal with the contradictions they face, finding new syntheses and ways through into new ideas and experiences and contradictions.

I see a dialectical relationship. And these texts are all of these things presented to us in a relatively linear narrative meant to preserve the past, remind the present, and inspire the future. In all of these texts, from every religious tradition, there are difficult things, ugly things, that are hard to reconcile with the beautiful parts. But they reflect us and what we're struggling with and trying to overcome as human beings, what some call our sinful nature, our shadow self, or what others would call the poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion. So of course, in our attempts to reach towards the divine or be touched by it, we make mistakes and misunderstand and even do harm in the name of the good. And even though these texts may be inspired by God and contain truth, they're written by people that know both good and evil, who speak both truth and lies, who have their own agendas and desires which aren't necessarily pointing towards God but to their own worldly power and control.

These texts and our relationship to them are rich and complicated, and I feel comfortable finding in them what touches me and help nurtures/deepens my 'theology' without necessarily forcing my theology into them and vice versa. I accept them and learn from them, but I'm also far removed from many of these times and places and certain things may not be as relevant as they once were.

8/20/23

Today's gospel reading was Matthew 15:10-28. It's one of the more interesting and theologically deep passages—its encounters are complex and full of contradictions that find their resolution in the growing understanding and compassion of Christ. It shows a Jesus who's fully human and fully divine, a Jesus who's a hypocrite and a Jesus who heals. It shows a Jesus who's part of the dominant culture and a Jesus who's marginalized. It shows a Jesus who ignores and insults and a Jesus who learns and grows and expands his vision.

Just before his encounter with the Canaanite woman, Jesus attacks the misunderstanding of religious purity laws, making the point that it's our intentions and what comes from the heart that defiles us or makes us clean, not eating with unwashed or washed hands. The religious elites are upset at this apparent transgression of Jewish law by Jesus' followers, but Jesus calls them hypocrites and says they are like the blind leading the blind. Jesus is then approached by a Canaanite woman, who asks Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus has healed many others, after all, and she believes in his mission, so why not heal her child as well? Jesus first turns a blind eye to her and her suffering, not even deigning to answer her. The woman persists and refuses to leave. Jesus then says his mission and priority is to the lost sheep of Israel. Yet the woman persists and continues to ask for help. Jesus then insults her by comparing her and her people, the indigenous inhabitants of Palestine which the Jews held in low regard, to dogs in his retort, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." And yet, once again, showing endurance and love and wisdom beyond that of even the great rabbi himself it would seem, the woman persists and turns Jesus' metaphor around on him in her own reply that "even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." Jesus then praises her faith and heals her daughter.

In many ways, Jesus represents the dominant culture people: he's a male in a patriarchal society, he's a Jew in a land claimed by his people and colonized by them, and he's a religious authority among a people whose lives revolve around their faith. And Jesus seemingly treats this woman accordingly despite all of the things he preached earlier during the Sermon on the Mount, including loving your enemies and the golden rule. But in others, Jesus himself is marginalized: his people are under the domination of the Romans, he's poor, and he's being judged and persecuted by the religious and state leaders of Judea.

Jesus chastizes and criticizes the religious elite for their hypocrisy and lack of understanding, time and again highlighting that the truly religious person helps others, loves others, and treats others as they would wish to be treated themselves, especially the marginalized. Jesus calls them blind in their understanding and example. And yet when confronted with a woman who Jesus has likely been socially conditioned to look down upon, he ignores her and then insults her as if her suffering and that of her daughter meant nothing to him. Yet this woman seemingly becomes his teacher and not only turns his insult around on him, but opens his eyes to his own privilege and hypocrisy, shining a light upon his ignorance and closed heart. And to his credit, he doesn't shut her down but listens, stays present, and in that moment, seemingly grows and expands his vision, being converted and transformed by her faith. Yes, Jesus is fully human, and as such, Jesus has very human characteristics and prejudices despite his deep and intimate connection with God. But Jesus also learns and grows like every human does and he becomes better and his mission broader to include all people. And just as the Trinity is relational and incarnate in all creation, that nature is mirrored in this relational moment between Jesus and the unnamed Canaanite woman, a dialectical spirit present throughout the course of human history.

This exchange reveals the humanness of Jesus in the midst of his divinity. It challenges dominant culture social relations, past, present, and future. It highlights the importance of intention and quality of one's heart vs. adherence to rites and rituals. It expresses the sacredness of everyone, especially the marginalized. It illustrates our potential for growth. And it's a representation of the power of relationships, which filters down from the divine template of creation in the form of the Trinity all the way to human interactions and beyond.

7/4/23

I wrote my own version of the Apostle's and Nicene creeds respectively:

I believe in God, the ground of being;
and in Christ Jesus, light of the world,
who was born of the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mary,
who lived amongst the poor, the disinherited, and the dispossessed,
who preached the liberating love of God, fed the hungry, healed the sick, and restored communities,
who under state oppression was executed and buried,
on the third day he rose again from the dead,
ascended to heaven,
returning to the One,
and whose example and teachings continue to guide and inspire us;
and in the Holy Spirit,
the universal church,
the remission of sins,
the communion of the saints,
the liberation of mind and body,
and life everlasting. Amen.

And:

I believe in God, the ground of being, the sustainer of all things,
and in Jesus Christ, child of God, light of the world,
who was suffused with the holy spirit, born of the blessed Mary, lived amongst the poor, the disinherited, and the dispossessed, preached the liberating love of God,
fed the hungry, healed the sick, and loved all of humanity,
suffered under state violence, was executed, died, and was buried,
he descended into Hades and broke open its doors; on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into Deathlessness, and is one with God, the source of all being;
and whose example and teachings continue to guide and inspire us.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the liberation of mind and body, and life everlasting. Amen.

I mainly did it because I wanted to create something that reflected my faith and understanding better and utilized more universal language.

7/2/23

I had one of the most moving and profound religious experiences of my life today. I went to Spirit of Grace and a retired Catholic priest who, perhaps unfairly, gives me weird vibes was presiding. But during the homily, given by Director Vinci, and the rather inclusive liturgy of the Eucharist, I felt something I haven't felt in a long time, if ever. Between their words and my own internal reaching towards the infinite, I honestly felt like God was actually there with me/us in that moment and it gave me waves of chills and an overwhelming feeling that completely washed over me. Usually I might be moved by a homily or service, but I don't ever feel something profound taking place. Certainly not like that. It may have just been a psychophysical reaction, but it was an amazing experience. I didn't write down anything in the moment, so the precise theme and words allude me now, but for a brief moment, I felt the presence of God and it literally moved me to tears.

6/29/23

A thought I had today after watching an episode of Succession:

Money is a social construct; but with enough of it, you can construct society in your image. But that image, more often than not born out of greed and a lust for power, becomes corrupted, becomes an idol, a false god, a master that you serve over others. It becomes a blasphemy against all things good. The love of money is the root of all evil, and we pierce ourselves and one another with many sorrows because of it.

Coincidentally, after I wrote this, someone on the Magnificast discord server posted this link from Twitter, which seemed synchronistic to say the least.

The caption reads:

Moses: "What a strange thing. I thought I had smashed the golden calf to bits, but it's still alive and ruling the world." Karl Marx: "Don't worry, Comrade Moyshe. Once the students of my Torah smash the calf, it will never be resurrected from the dead."