Time to clean some spirits

And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea:
and a great multitude from Galilee followed:
and from Judaea,
and from Jerusalem,
and from Idumaea,
and beyond Jordan,
and about Tyre and Sidon,
a great multitude,
hearing what great things he did,
came unto him.
And he spake to his disciples,
that a little boat should wait on him because of the crowd,
lest they should throng him:
for he had healed many;
insomuch that as many as had plagues pressed upon him that they might touch him.
And the unclean spirits,
whensoever they beheld him,
fell down before him,
and cried,
saying,
Thou art the Son of God.
And he charged them much that they should not make him known.
Mark 3:7-12 RV

This is a fascinating aspect of Jesus' ministry: that of ridding people of demons. It is very interesting that this aspect is something that is not regarded within a priest's workload these days. I suppose we can say that depression, insanity, and other "mental" illnesses are cured by doctors etc, and that these days we would say that these ailments are what Jesus was actually healing.

But it striles me, that Mark is saying something different. These "ailments" speak to Jesus. They tell him that He is the Son of God. He speaks to them. Are we to accept that "depression"leapt out of these people and spoke to him?

Maybe one way of looking at this is that people who suffer from depression etc are more likely to recognise Jesus in their lives? A very easy and troublefree interpretation, and one that would please many.

And the unclean spirits,
whensoever they beheld him,
fell down before him,
and cried,
saying,
Thou art the Son of God.
And he charged them much that they should not make him known.
Mark 3:11-12 RV

I think we are supposed to understand this as written. I do believe in "unclean spirits". I think the idea that they don't exist is far easier to digest for most, but is it not just another part of the whole antichrist thing? Surely we are to take this more seriously.

The Church of England currently employs two full-time exorcists. I was very happy when I found this out. I hope I get taught how to do this!

Anyway, we need to recognise that unclean spirits exist. If we believe Jesus exists, we should believe that negative spirits exist. How we see them , or how we recognise them is always going to be a tricky job: one may see them as depression, or as monsters. The point here is that they are real in the sense that Jesus is real.

The above picture was chosen because I used to have a t-shirt with it on it. I used to wear it all the time. I used to think I was so cool.

"How's .....the .......wine....?

Mucha

And John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting:
and they come and say unto him,
Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,
but thy disciples fast not?
And Jesus said unto them,
Can the sons of the bride–chamber fast,
while the bridegroom is with them?
as long as they have the bridegroom with them,
they cannot fast.
But the days will come,
when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them,
and then will they fast in that day.
No man seweth a piece of undressed cloth on an old garment:
else that which should fill it up taketh from it,
the new from the old,
and a worse rent is made.
And no man putteth new wine into old wineskins:
else the wine will burst the skins,
and the wine perisheth,
and the skins:
but they put new wine into fresh wineskins.
Mark 2:18-22 RV

I have been on holiday for the past few weeks, hence no daily reflection blog activity. I started this one the other day, but internet connections became sporadic once more.

In the above reading, Jesus gives the Pharisees three parables; two of which are about the "new way".

The first consists of the idea of using new cloth to fix an old garment, and how it won't work:

No man seweth a piece of undressed cloth on an old garment:
else that which should fill it up taketh from it,
the new from the old,
and a worse rent is made.
Mark 2:21 RV

The new material won't stay with the sold, in fact, it will make it worse if it is joined together. The fasting of the pharisees is the old way, and Jesus and his disciples do not need to do this. I also think this stands for the new religion having to remove itself from the old. Whether readers at the time would have seen this I doubt.

The next parable expands upon this idea:

And no man putteth new wine into old wineskins:
else the wine will burst the skins,
and the wine perisheth,
and the skins:
but they put new wine into fresh wineskins.
Mark 2:22 RV

One cannot hold new spiritual and religious values and practices while remaining within the old. They need new values and practices. The old no longer fit, or are worthy.

I am a huge fan of Liszt. His music is fantastic, and he was obviously a very spiritual man. When he started to compose the symphonic poems, he said he was using new forms because his new ideas and harmonies could not be restricted to sonata form. He said "new wine demands new bottles", paraphrasing the above reading. Being late to all this Christian stuff, I read the Liszt quote thinking it was his own work, and a clever one at that.

This leads to the above picture. Liszt was a huge absinthe drinker. A slight connection, but my wife like Mucha, so there it is.

All you need is love

Beloved,
let us love one another:
for love is of God;
and every one that loveth is begotten of God,
and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God;
for God is love.
Herein was the love of God manifested in us,
that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world,
that we might live through him.
Herein is love,
not that we loved God,
but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:7-10 RV

Yes, more from John. What a week!

God is love is one of the greatest and biggest statements ever made. About anything. It has taken John a few chapters to get to this, his first outright statement of the fact:

God is love.

I have used this idea to to explain what God is to my five year old daughter. I asked her to remember what it felt like giving our (now deceased) dog Sophie a hug. The way Sophie would lick her face, the way she felt when Sophie came running up to her. These are different feelings than that of enjoyment from tv, or an icecream. I suggested that God is somewhere in there, in that feeling.

Herein is love,
not that we loved God,
but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

This idea has been in my head of late; fleeting understandings of the fall of man and so forth. It also relates to the previous reflection. Jesus was the second Adam. By His ultimate sacrifice, he took away all our sin. All we have to do is believe in Him. By his ressurection he conquered death for all of us. Again, all we need to do is believe in Him.

The above description now reads very feebly. For some reason, it escapes my intellectual capacity. It is from a far deeper understanding that I get this. One seemingly unobtainable to my writing.

On a slightly different subject, this going through 1 John has been a true pleasure. If I ever needed evidence for the "living word" idea, the Holy Spirit inspiration concept, this week with 1 John has certainly been such a case. To have these paragraphs in my head as I do normal stuff has been relaxing and challenging. And not going to any commentary to help has (I think) been even better.

How to pick your spirits

Beloved,
believe not every spirit,
but prove the spirits,
whether they are of God:
because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:
every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
and every spirit which confesseth not Jesus is not of God:
and this is the spirit of the antichrist,
whereof ye have heard that it cometh;
and now it is in the world already.
Ye are of God,
my little children,
and have overcome them:
because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
They are of the world:
therefore speak they as of the world,
and the world heareth them.
We are of God:
he that knoweth God heareth us;
he who is not of God heareth us not.
By this we know the spirit of truth,
and the spirit of error
1 John 4:1-6 RV

Today I continue with reflections on 1 John. I feel so lucky to be starting this at this time. I am aware that I will have very few opportunities to carry on about 1 John in sermons and so forth.

The reading to expands upon the previous reflection from this epistle, that of the antichrist, but with more detail, this time on more particlaur denial of Christ. At this point, John states

every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
and every spirit which confesseth not Jesus is not of God:

Here, the particular reference to “in the flesh” is of great import. At the time of writing, Gnosticism was stating that Christ was only a spirit: he did not “become truly human” . These controversies have pretty much left us, but in 1 John’s time they were they greatest threat to the church. Nowadays I would say western civilisation is the greatest enemy. In fact the media are far more comfortable dealing with spirits, ghosts and the like, than they are with the life of Christ. A very subtle and telling sign of how far we have moved away from the faith as a society. As John tells us:

They are of the world:
therefore speak they as of the world,
and the world heareth them.

John goes on to state that any spirit who denies that Jesus is from God is the antichrist. Like the previous reflection, I believe this to be more of a popular movement than a particular person. John does not deny the existence of such spirits, he thinks they are dangerous. I too believe their existence, and have had experience of them. Once experiencing the “real deal” of Jesus, so to speak, it is very clear to me that they are erroneous.

We are of God:
he that knoweth God heareth us;
he who is not of God heareth us not.
By this we know the spirit of truth,
and the spirit of error.

I do believe that people who do deal with such stuff are those who will need, and more than likely, respond, to Jesus' calling.

World Wide Epiphany

Magi (Wise Men).
Pavel Filonov.
1914.

And they,
having heard the king,
went their way;
and lo,
the star,
which they saw in the east,
went before them,
till it came and stood over where the young child was.
And when they saw the star,
they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother;
and they fell down and worshipped him;
and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts,
gold and frankincense and myrrh.
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod,
they departed into their own country another way.
Matthew 2:9-12 RV

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, the day when the world recognises Jesus as the Christ.
Well, sort of.

To the non-Christian, this story is Christmas. In fact the Three Wise Men are probably more well known than the Shepherds. Where Luke gave us locals and angels, Matthew gives us exotic foreigners. It is interesting that many would regard them as integral to Christmas Day, yet it is clear that they come along later.

It is to be noted that no where is it mentioned "Three Wise Men". This is an apocryphal addition which has stuck with us. I guess the fact that there were three gifts would lead many to assume there were three gift bearers.

Christianity grew to like these men so much that by the Middle Ages they were given names and histories, yet Matthew only tells us they were wise and from the east. We can make an assumption that they were astronomers, watching the sky for signs of major events. In those days the arts of astronomy and astrology were not yet seperated.

The fact that these men travelled a long distance to see the infant Jesus is a way of telling us of his importance to people other than Jews. These men wanted to see the new born King of the Jews, yet they were (likely) from Persia. They make the trek to Bethlehem, worship Jesus, and trek back, presumably telling their fellow countrymen of what they had witnessed.

I have to admit I am not a huge fan of this story. It doesn't grab me, but I can accept it's theological value: that Jesus was not the King of the Jews, he was the King of all people. People will find Jesus by many different paths, from many different backgrounds, in this case eastern astrologers. However we come to find Christ, the path we found Him by will be of use to explain Him to others

Holiday reading

This time last year, we moved here to Australia from New Zealand. Our stuff was arriving a month later, so I had to choose my books carefully.

Holy Bible Revised Version (1881)
Book of Common Prayer (1928)
A New Commentary on Holy Scripture- Charles Gore (ed) (1926)
The Catholic Religion- Vernon Staley (1904)
The Parson's Handbook- Percy Dearmer (1898)
Mysticism- Evelyn Underhill (1911)

Now, we are shifting again, this time to Newcastle. We are going on a three week holiday first, and then to our new place in the beginning of February. Again, the book selection was arduous.

Holy Bible Revised Version (1881)
Book of Common Prayer (1928)
The Catholic Religion- Vernon Staley (1904)
The Way- A. Priest (1922)
The Mystic Way-Evelyn Underhill (1913)
A Priest's Book of Private Devotions- Oldknow & Crake (1960)

So, not many changes really. Evelyn is now represented by the book I have wanted by her for a long time. No Commentary. In it's place, a mystical devotional book. In place of a practical, liturgical book (Percy), now a private book of prayers.

I don't think this means much. Maybe just swimming in different parts of the same pool perhaps.

What will we be?

If ye know that he is righteous,
ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.
Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called children of God:
and such we are.
For this cause the world knoweth us not,
because it knew him not.
Beloved,
now are we children of God,
and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be.
We know that,
if he shall be manifested,
we shall be like him;
for we shall see him even as he is.
And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself,
even as he is pure.
Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness:
and sin is lawlessness.
And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins;
and in him is no sin.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not:
whosoever sinneth hath not seen him,
neither knoweth him.
1 John 2:29-3:1-6 RV

Again, I'm taking the epistle instead of the Gospel for today's reflection. I guess one has to take the few opportunties that there are for 1 John in the lectionary.

I have written about a section of this previously, in connection with the 1928 Book of Common Prayer and The Transfiguration. And as then, the same part has capture3d my attention.

Beloved,
now are we children of God,
and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be.
We know that,
if he shall be manifested,
we shall be like him;
for we shall see him even as he is.
And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself,
even as he is pure.
1 John 3:2-3 RV

(We are Christians, but we do not know what this will make us become. If Jesus were to become present again, we will be the same as him. We will achieve this by making ourselves as pure as Jesus.)

To me this is a very strong message of the mystic way. The way to be a child of God is to be like Jesus.

The idea that we are not sure what we are to become, but we are sure that we will be like Jesus is an intruiging concept. I like to to think of this phrase along the lines of Jesus becoming present again, he would be like us. The obverse is that if he were to become present again, we would be living a life that would be like him.

As I wrote earlier, I believe in the Transfiguration, Jesus was showing us what it is capable for us to become.

The way of the antichrist is only a sale away

Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?
This is the antichrist,
even he that denieth the Father and the Son.
Whosoever denieth the Son,
the same hath not the Father:
he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
As for you,
let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning.
If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you,
ye also shall abide in the Son,
and in the Father.
And this is the promise which he promised us,
even the life eternal.
These things have I written unto you concerning them that would lead you astray.
And as for you,
the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you,
and ye need not that any one teach you;
but as his anointing teacheth you concerning all things,
and is true,
and is no lie,
and even as it taught you,
ye abide in him.
And now,
my little children,
abide in him;
that,
if he shall be manifested,
we may have boldness,
and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
1 John 2:22-28 RV

For today's reflection, I have chosen the epistle, which comes from the masterful 1 John.

I wrote often and regularly on 1 John last year (see subject list), however, this particular passage managed to escape my literary bumbling.

Who, or what is the Antichrist? In our world, we have images for this like the one above. The antichrist is Satan, or the devil. Marilyn Manson has set himself up such a being. Many would regard Hitler as the antichrist.

According to 1 John, it is far broader, far less obvious. In fact, very prevalent.

Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?
This is the antichrist,
even he that denieth the Father and the Son.
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:
he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
1 John 2:22-23 RV

He that denies that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah is the antichrist. Does this mean that anyone who doesn't believe in Christ is the antichrist? Is the antichrist not a person, but a "popular movement"? In some ways this makes sense. I personally believe many aspects of our society anti-Christian. I also believe that anti-Christian behaviour is so prevalent and insidious, that this is more dangerous than we think.

Example: I find the way Christmas is about Santa, presents, food, essentially western capitalism; and not about the births of Christ very antichristian. It is one of the worst things and adult can do is (apparently) tell a child that Santa does not exist. Yet our society very rarely, if at all states that Jesus exists, let alone that he is the Christ. Is that a sign of the antichrist?

So in my opinion, thew secular idea of the antichrist is far more radical and fantasy like than what the antichrist really is. It is not a matter of "going to the dark side" more a matter of what John says earlier:

And this is the message which we have heard from him,
and announce unto you,
that God is light,
and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him,
and walk in the darkness,
we lie,
and do not the truth:
but if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:5-7 RV

Because, as John goes on to state in todays reading:

Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:
he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
1 John 2:23 RV

Mary ponders.....

'But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart'
Alice Havers
c.1888

And they came with haste,
and found both Mary and Joseph,
and the babe lying in the manger.
And when they saw it,
they made known concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child.
And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these sayings,
pondering them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen,
even as it was spoken unto them.
And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him,
his name was called JESUS,
which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:16-21 RV

The main point of todays Gospel reading really comes from the last sentence; the naming and circumcision of Jesus. Eight days after Jesus' birth, Mary (and presumably) Joseph take Him to the temple to have him formally named and as Jewish law states (according to Luke) and circumcised.

There are two points being made here. One that Mary and Joseph were Jewish, and obeyed the law. At birth, Jesus was a law abiding Jew. The other point is Mary and Joeph obeyed God in his naming. At the Annunciation, an Angel of the Lord tells Mary:

And behold,
thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luke 1:31 RV

The part of todays reading that intrigues me however, is the little glimpse of Mary:

But Mary kept all these sayings,
pondering them in her heart.
Luke 2:19 RV

Mary has been through quite a bit since the beginning of Luke's Gospel: The Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, and now, a bunch of shepherds have arrived saying the most incredible things, when they retell what they have experienced:

And an angel of the Lord stood by them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:
and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them,
Be not afraid;
for behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people:
for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord.
And this is the sign unto you;
Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
and lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,
and saying,
Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.
Luke 2:9-14 RV

Presumably, the shepherds explain all this to Mary, maybe with differing detail. Maybe each voice talking over the other. We can imagine them kneeling, loud whispering, large arm gestures. These awestruck men would've been rather scattered.

Mary takes it all in. She is not phased, annoyed, overjoyed, or awed by what has happened. She remembers them. She ponders them "in her heart". It is not an intellectual process that will help her understand what is occuring, or what is to occur. He understanding and acceptance is based upon emotion, and faith.

We cannot expect angels and visions of light to occur when God is present. His presence is not found on an intellectual level. As Mary pondered the sayings in her heart, we too are to understand the Gospel not with our thought alone, our hearts are how we will find God presence.

My Top 10 Jesus Music albums (at the moment)

I know it has been long since I last posted, but I have been busy. Not working or anything, but finding heaps of new music.

Here are my 10 favourite albums of "Jesus Music" (in chronological order)


John Ylvisaker
Cool Livin'
1967










The Concrete Rubber Band
Risen Savior
1969











Moonrakers
Together with Him
1969











The Search Party
Montgomery Chapel
1969











The Last Call of Shiloh
1970












Azitis
Help
1970











The Crimson Bridge
1972












Billy and Sandra Stinson
The Merchant's Ship
1974











Glory Road
Exit
1977










Jimmy Hotz
Beyond the Crystal Sea
1980