Love of Self

This week I preached on the passage from Matthew, and Paul's quoting of it in Romans, where Jesus said that we should love others as ourselves. I didn't do a good job of it, but as is usually the case, I see many things I should have said that I didn't say. Like for example:

- Because Jesus said that we are to love others as we love ourselves, we are to take from that it is ok to love ourselves, and not only ok, but what we are supposed to do. Loving ourselves is not, however loving ourselves and ourselves alone is. It is when the self love is coupled with the love for others that we are truly loving as we should. There is also that old adage, "you can't expect to love anyone else if you don't love yourself". It is possible that many times we do "love others as we love ourselves" and yet we are still not doing what we should be. For we have such a low view of ourselves.

I know it is a selfish, self-absorbed, "me first", world that we live in. But we can't allow for the pendulum to swing to the other unhealthy end; self loathing. We have value, for we were created in the image of God. That should drive us to love ourselves. We get bogged down by the sin in our lives; an ever present reminder of our imperfection, when we should remind ourselves that sin isn't natural. That's right, sin isn't natural. Of course from the fall we have a sin nature, but it is originally foriegn to us. What is natural is the image of God. Sin is the alien.

I know...rambling....but I couldn't resist.

The Sacrament of Care for the Sick

I have just recently started a CPE (clinical pastoral education) unit at the VA hospital in Asheville. It is basically a class that gives us the practical experience of clinical pastoral care, or care for people in the hospital or clinic. I have class on Wednesdays, and then on Mondays, for 6 hours, I am the chaplain for the hospital. I make my rounds, meeting new patients, following up with others, and get to pray and minister to the sick and dying.

For some, this might sound really hard. I do not deny that, for it is hard at times. It is hard to feel the pain of a family losing a loved one, or of a patient who is critically ill. However, even in the difficulty, it is truly a blessing.

In my church tradition we have basically two sacraments, baptism and the eucharist. I am not sure why only two. John Wesley himself (and I am a Wesleyan), said that the care for the needy was a sacrament, and that through connection with the poor we recieved grace. Jesus said, "whatever you do for the least of these you do for me". It is evident that we meet Jesus in the care for the poor. But what about the sick? Jesus said that we also meet him in care for the sick. In Matthew 25 Jesus tells us this.

If this is true. If just like meeting him in the elements of the eucharist, we also meet him in the care for the needy, than why do we as Christians neglect this sacrament? I think of Mother Teresa. I remember the familiar story of dignataries coming to see her in Calcutta, and immediatley she took them to the sick and poor. She said, "I wanted to bring you to Jesus".

Lord, help us care for the sick and the dying, for it is in caring for them that we meet you.

Word Verification

I had to add word verification to my comments section due to comment spam. Sorry for the extra step to comment. Can't be avoided I guess.

Plotting along...

Have you ever felt like you are just "plotting along"? I have heard this statement many times, and quite frankly I am not sure what it means. But I think it means something about going through a period in life that seems like everything is just getting done, and not much more. I am within this period. Just plotting along.

I haven't felt much like blogging. I don't know why. I am the type of person that closes off when I get stressed, or sad, or mad. Rather than show it outwardly, I withdraw. I guess that goes for blogging as well. Don't really know what it's all about, but its me. There are times when I don't want to talk to people, and I don't want them to talk to me. Am I weird? I don't think so.

I wish I could get into the reason for my stresses. I think it would be therapuetic. However, because of some of the crowd that might read this, I can't. I do ask you for your prayers though. I need them. There will be resolution some time in the future. Until then, keep plotting along.

Perspective

I have a friend who was in the Navy. He told me of his experiences in the 80's when he was a part of an armed conflict in the Carribbean. He told me of bombs going off, and friends losing their lives. He told me also of what it was like to come home after that tour. He said when he returned his perspective of life had changed. Everyday activities and stresses just seemed to mean so little to him. His wife had a hard time with him, because he didnt see the need in completing simple small tasks. He saw something as huge as loss of life, and war, and when he returned to the normal life, it didn't seem to be that important.

I in no way compare myself to my friend. I have never experienced anything such as these. However, I believe many of us are feeling some of the same feelings, although on a smaller scale. We have watched the images that are coming from down south; the destruction, the loss of life, and the hundreds of thousands that are suffering, and it puts things in a different perspective. The little daily things I worried about everday don't seem so important anymore. Even things that have to get done, I find myself wanting to leave behind for something more meaningful, like sheltering the homeless.

I preached a sermon from Romans 12:9-13 this Sunday. I have to be honest though, the whole time in preparing for and preaching that sermon, I wondered if it really made any difference. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah. That is what I felt like I was saying. That is what I feel like we the church are saying. We talk and talk and talk and talk. There are times like this that make me want to shut up and not say another word. And instead of speaking, typing, or making some noise, I want to be doing. I know, talking is important, and we can encourage others to action with our words. But I feel useless right now in the light of what is needed.

Lord, help us to see what each of us can do to not be "useless", but be used where you are working.

-Ben.