Reorientation

For me, old age has arrived relatively slowly and gently (so far). However, its velocity increases. On Monday, I thought the stock market was closed and the mail wouldn’t be delivered on Presidents Day. Cathey mentioned a stock transaction just as I saw the postal carrier at our mail box. I assured myself that I wasn’t confused, just disoriented. (Note to self: Presidents Day is February 19th.)

Walter Brueggemann helps me with aging. He sees in the Bible a rhythm of orientation, disorientation and reorientation. One example is Adam and Eve in the Garden, where a blessed equilibrium was disrupted by a sudden awareness of nakedness, restored when God provided suitable clothing for the First Couple after their not-so-smart choice of sandpaper-like fig leaves for loin cloths.

Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, is a time for reorientation, for remembering who we are, where we are and what time it is. As my illusion of self-reliance fades, I need some reorientation.

From “Circle of Life,” a 4-minute animated video by Walt Disney Records; Lebo M., composer; Carmen Twillie, vocalist, via YouTube.

Be strong and loving and fearless

Augustine of Hippo (354-430) wrote, “O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!” Beauty (epitomized in the Christmas story) has survived war, famine, infidelity and complacency.

Christmas 2023 occurs amid war in Europe and the Middle East. The world carries on. Are we oblivious to suffering? Or, do we carry on in spite of our suffering, refusing to let darkness rule?

Yesterday, Stephanie Arnold read Jesus’ matrilineal heritage, accompanied by a drumbeat when Jesus’ female ancestors were named. Matthew 1:1-17 referenced some of the women not by name but as “the wife of….” The drum’s silence during those indirect references reminded us that some important participants are unnamed. This silent reminder gave new power to the ancient message.

Our closing hymn was Marty Haugen’s “Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn.” The hymn’s “be strong and loving and fearless” is often used at First Church Birmingham as a choral response during affirmations and benedictions. This Christmas–like all that have gone before and all that will come after–let us be strong and loving and fearless!

From “Ever Ancient, Ever New,” a Daily Meditation by Richard Rohr, Center for Action and Contemplation, December 31, 2018. The painting is from Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery (detail), Nicolas Poussin, 1653, Louvre Museum, Paris, France. Rohr’s comment about the painting (and the story in John 8:1-11) was: The way Jesus tried to change people was by loving and healing them, accusing only their accusers. Why did we not notice that? His harshest words of judgment were reserved for those who perpetuated systems of inequality and oppression and who, through religion itself, thought they were sinless and untouchable. Jesus did not so much love people once they changed, but he loved people so that they could change.

Peaceful diversity

Admittedly, it’s a goal, not a fait accompli. It’s the essence of faith, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Advent is at the same time about something ancient and yet to be.

Its “yet to be” nature was brought home last night during a 90-minute edition of Sixty Minutes. I invite you click the three links in this paragraph and buckle-up for a virtual tour of earth’s diversity, beginning with religious artifacts stolen from Cambodia; followed by the torturous journey of an Israeli woman, Yarden Roman-Gat, who survived 54-days as a hostage of Hamas in Gaza; and finally, an upbeat exploration of Morocco’s rockin’ transmission of powerful music, Gnawa, with roots in African slavery and fresh expressions in various American musical traditions.

The energetic, unifying music of Gnawa includes elements of both protest and hope, twin biblical themes so appropriate following stories of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge, the looting of Cambodian temples, and the inhumanity of war in the Middle East. Sixty Minutes reminded me that Advent is a deeply musical anticipation of a peaceful diversity we desperately need but have yet to fully realize on planet Earth.

From a 2:31 minute YouTube video interview with Farid Ghannam, a musician at the 2023 Gnaoua World Music Festival in Morocco

“Do you hear what I hear?”

It was written by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker in October, 1962. I was not yet 12, but I feel like I’ve heard it all my life. Yesterday, while driving to church we heard Bing Crosby sing “Do You Hear What I Hear?” For the first time I concentrated on the lyrics.

“Said the night-wind to the little lamb, Do you see what I see? … a star dancing in the night….” Hmmm, similar to the biblical story, but the conversation is between the wind and a lamb. I kept listening.

“Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy, Do you hear what I hear? … a song with a voice as big as the sea.” Hmmm, now the lamb talks to a shepherd boy. More biblical imagery. I listened further.

“Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king, Do you know what I know?” The song contrasts the king’s warm palace with a child who “shivers in the cold.”

My mind tried to connect the dots. Which king? The bad “king” Herod or one of three Magi? The shepherd boy says, “Let us bring him silver and gold.” By this time, I was thoroughly confused.

Last night, I read about the song’s origin during the Cuban missile crisis. President Kennedy’s live speech was very frightening. Now, after 60 years of humming along with Frank Sinatra and others, I understand it employs a loose amalgam of biblical imagery to pray for peace in our modern world:

“Said the king to the people ev’rywhere, Listen to what I say! Pray for peace, people ev’rywhere. … The child, the child, sleeping in the night… will bring us goodness and light!”

From “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir, featuring Laura Osnes and the Orchestra at Temple Square, PBS and WGBH, 2020

An odd-year election

The election between presidential election years and mid-term election years always falls on an odd-numbered year. In many ways, yesterday’s election felt odd. It was odd to vote while:

• hellacious wars rage in Europe and the Middle East;
• the US House of Representatives can’t get its act together; and
• the leading Republican presidential candidate erupts in anger during the first of four trials.

Meanwhile:

• in a mostly red Ohio, voters added a constitutional provision for women’s reproductive rights;
• in a mostly red Kentucky, voters reelected a blue governor for the bluegrass state; and
• a respectable number of Mississippians said, “Let’s go, Brandon,” but Elvis has still left the building.

I found these interpretations of this odd election cycle to be helpful:

• “One Year Out from Election 2024,” by Jay Kuo, The Status Kuo, November 5, 2023; and
• “Have Patience…,” by Robert B. Hubbell, Today’s Edition Newsletter, November 7, 2023.

From “Heartbreak Hotel,” by Elvis Presley (official audio), via YouTube

All Saints

Yesterday’s All Saints’ Sunday music was beautiful. The liturgy was a stirring reminder of the grief that accompanies life in our impermanent cosmos. Two simple acts pointed us to a greater, transcendent hope: lighting candles of remembrance and sharing an ancient meal.

Every tradition has heroes. Many people consider Nick Saban the best college football coach ever, yet on Saturday, houndstooth hats dotted Bryant-Denny Stadium, in remembrance of a coach named Bryant (1913-1983), who died forty years ago.

Christianity developed a list of heroes called saints, beginning with the New Testament era. Some names are familiar, such as Saint Nicholas and Saint Francis of Assisi. All Saints’ Day (November 1) and the following All Saints’ Sunday, remember all the saints, who from their labors rest.

The specifics differ, but candles of remembrance are part of both Jewish and Christian traditions. Tomorrow, I’ll share some reflections about three Jewish rabbis, two who lived in the era just prior to Jesus and one who died five years ago.

From “Candles And Gravestones: All Saints’ Day Across Europe,” RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, November 2, 2020

Incarnation

In antiquity, gods were generally understood to be far away, feared and appeased through sacrifice. In a conversation at a burning bush, Moses made the breakthrough monotheistic discovery that the divine is best understood as One rather than many.

About 1500 years after Moses, the conversation shifted to bridging the “distance” between God and humanity. The followers of Jesus made the breakthrough incarnational discovery that God is more with us than distant from us. Was Jesus human, divine or both?

From yesterday’s post, Nadia Bolz-Weber connects us with Jesus and the healing of a bent-over woman:

I do not know her story but I do know that the designations society places on us when our bodies are deemed too much or too little—too fat, too mannish, not masculine enough, too Black, not small enough, too loud, not pretty enough, too limited, not young enough—that the man-made designations our God-made bodies are given can add up—so much so that it can feel like a spirit is binding us, keeping us from taking up the space our dignity affords us as children of the most high.

From “Form and Substance (Luke 13.10-17),” by Archimandrite Nikanor Karayannis, Pemptousia, December 11, 2017

A memory test

In Europe, a dream emerged that democracy would overcome autocracy, that human rights would overcome “divine right” or “might makes right.” That dream took root in America, though tainted by slavery and our treatment of native Americans and women.

Prophets such as Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth named injustices as they affirmed the basic principles underlying American democracy. The US has been visionary and realistic that our guiding Principal or Principle (your choice) will mend our every flaw.

Millions died to end fascism in the 1940s. Still more died in adventures and misadventures against communism. I thought we were past authoritarian “isms.” But lessons learned can be forgotten by later generations. Still, I’m hopeful—the theme of the next several posts.

As a nation, we haven’t yet lost our mind, but we’ve lost critical elements of our memory. It’s not about making anything “great” again. It’s about remembering who we are and what we strive to become. The 2024 election will test whether we’ve lost more than our memory.

From “Democracy faces test with 2024 election,” by Timothy Wirth, CommonWealth, August 26, 2023

An important nuance

This week’s theme is “Fear and Anger.” Here’s an important nuance: While both fear and anger have negative aspects than can limit human fulfillment, both can be positive catalysts for healthier living.

Fear can protect us from danger, such as a hot stove eye or an open flame. At times, fear can paralyze us into inaction, but at times fear can motivate us to proactively address frightening realities, such as climate change and easy access to rapid-fire military weapons.

Anger can cloud our judgment, causing us to react impulsively (like road rage), or leading us to objectify or dehumanize persons or groups we see as adversaries or enemies. But, anger can motivate us to work against injustice or oppression.

Jimmy Buffett (1946-2023) was angry about the 2010 BP oil spill off the Alabama Gulf Coast. The photo on the left (AP/Dave Martin) is from “Jimmy Buffett hopes to boost Gulf spirits with Sunday concert,” by Jay Reeves, Associated Press, July 6, 2010. Anger motivated Buffett to take compassionate action.

The photo on the right is from “Jimmy Buffett surprises ‘Parrotheads’ in Portsmouth,” by Jim McGaw, EastBay, RI, July 3, 2023. It was his final performance during a brief appearance in Portsmouth, RI.

I’m not a Parrothead, but Buffett’s music helps me relax. Since 2020, my satellite radio pre-sets have been Radio Margaritaville, CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN and NPR Now.

“We’ll call you Tony Bennett”

At 10, Anthony Dominick Benedetto’s Italian immigrant dad died. At 18, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. At 88, he had a #1 song. He grew up closer to the bottom than the top, but an Army experience gave him a glimpse of life from a lower rung of the societal ladder. He became an advocate for those closer to the bottom. From Matt Schudel’s obituary tribute in The Washington Post:

In Germany, Mr. Bennett ran into a Black friend from New York and joined him for Thanksgiving dinner. Mr. Bennett’s commanding officer reprimanded him for associating with African Americans and transferred him to a different unit.

For the rest of his life, Mr. Bennett was a quiet political activist and advocate for civil rights. He campaigned for John F. Kennedy in 1960 and joined Martin Luther King Jr. on the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. …

Mr. Bennett recorded “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” … in a single take in 1962, … and released as the B-side of … “Once Upon a Time.” … “San Francisco” … stayed on the charts for almost three years. ….

He sang “San Francisco” on the premiere episode of Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” on Oct. 1, 1962, and for the rest of his career it remained his signature song. …

He was working under the name Joe Bari in 1949 when comedian Bob Hope invited him to be his opening act at New York’s Paramount Theatre. Just before the young singer went onstage, Hope asked him what his real name was.

“He thought a moment,” Mr. Bennett told the New Yorker in 1974, “and said, ‘We’ll call you Tony Bennett,’ and went out on the stage and introduced me.”

From “Tony Bennett, singing star with an enduring second act, dies at 96,” by Matt Schudel, The Washington Post, July 21, 2023