Thursday Thinking - Francis, A Pope of the Poor

E. J. Dionne, opinion writer for the Washington Post, makes some interesting observations about the new Pope in a column posted yesterday. Dionne, a Catholic himself, says that Bergoglio was a surprising choice for almost everyone, a disappointing choice for those wanting liberal reforms, but a strong and hopeful choice for the world's poor and marginalized.

From Washington Post, March 13--
In winning election as Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio defied the papal pundits, even though they should have seen him coming. His rise marks the decisive shift within Roman Catholicism toward Latin America and the developing world. In theological terms, he represents continuity, yet he is the first non-European pope in more than 1,000 years, and also the first Jesuit.

He is a doctrinal conservative who battled gay marriage in Argentina and fellow Jesuits who were more liberal. But he also rebuked priests who denied baptism to children born out of wedlock and has spoken out strongly for social justice. He is the first pope to take the name of the saint known for his devotion to humility and to the poor. He is likely to weigh in often on behalf of the world’s poorest regions.

“We live in the most unequal part of the world, which has grown the most yet reduced misery the least,” Bergoglio told Latin American bishops in 2007. “The unjust distribution of goods persists, creating a situation of social sin that cries out to heaven and limits the possibilities of a fuller life for so many of our brothers.”

Click Here for Complete Article

Wednesday Words - Lenten Selections, Week 4

From the Book of Common Prayer:
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A gracious Sabbath stood here while they stood
Who gave our rest a haven.
Now fallen, they are given
To labor and distress.
These times we know much evil, little good
To steady us in faith
And comfort when our losses press
Hard on us, and we choose,
In panic or despair or both,
To keep what we will lose.

For we are fallen like the trees, our peace
Broken, and so we must
Love where we cannot trust,
Trust where we cannot know,
And must await the wayward-coming grace
That joins living and dead,
Taking us where we would not go–
Into the boundless dark.
When what was made has been unmade
The Maker comes to His work.
"Sabbaths, II from 1985" by Wendell Berry.

Tuesday Tome - A New Lewis Biography

I'm adding Alister McGrath's biography of C. S. Lewis to my library after reading good comments about it in an article by A. N. Wilson. It must be gratifying for McGrath to get such high marks from Wilson, who, himself, is a much-respected biographer of Lewis. Wilson writes:

There have been plenty of biographies of Lewis—I once wrote one myself—but I do not think there has been a better one than Alister McGrath’s. He is a punctilious and enthusiastic reader of all Lewis’s work—the children’s stories, the science fiction, the Christian apologetics and the excellent literary criticism and literary history. He is from Northern Ireland, as Lewis was himself, and he is especially astute about drawing out the essentially Northern Irish qualities of this very odd man.

The release date (February 2013) of McGrath's book, C. S. Lewis: A Life - Eccentric Genius, Reluctant Prophet, coincides with the 50th anniversary of Lewis' death. The book runs a substantial 448 pages and will be followed up with another shorter volume, The Intellectual World of C. S. Lewis (April 2013). Will there be anything new to read in these many pages? Publisher's Weekly says, "Yes."

"...times have changed and evangelical sentiments have matured. McGrath offers a new and at times shocking look into the complicated life of this complex figure, in a deeply researched biography. The author takes us headlong into the heart of a Lewis we’ve known little about: his unconventional affair with Mrs. Jane Moore; his hostile and deceptive relationship with his father; his curiosity about the sensuality of cruelty. McGrath navigates the reader through these messy themes, ultimately landing us onto the solid ground of Lewis’s postconversion legacy. He shows with skill, sympathy, dispassion, and engaging prose that Lewis, like the rest of us, did the best he could with the hand he was dealt. But he got over it, as must all those who would prefer a Lewis without shadows."

And here's what McGrath has to say about his new book:

Monday Music - David Eugene Edwards

How is it that I've never heard of this guy before? What a startling discovery! I checked out a number of interviews and videos about him over the weekend. He is a deep and fascinating person, and his music reflects that depth and wonder.





"I try to be true to myself and to be sincere. If I’m being sincere about something wrong, at least I’m being sincere. I just try to be truthful to myself with the music that I play and the words that I sing. I don’t have any specific message. I don’t have this message of joy or anything specific, it’s just life; all the different emotions that go with life. One minute you’re happy and the next, you’re completely depressed, depending on the situation, but always the Lord is there guiding you through whatever it is. That’s how I see the music." 
--From an interview posted on Holiday at the Sea

Sunday Supplication - The True Bread

Gracious Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ, the true bread of heaven which gives life to the world. Fill us with this bread that we might take hold of the life he gives.

Forgive us our sins, O God. And as you have shown us mercy, make us able to be forgiving and merciful to others. Help us to turn away from what is wrong and to do what is right. Help us to escape temptation.

Holy Father, open the eyes of our hearts and enlighten us in order that we may know the hope to which you have called us. Show us your goodness, and transform us by your great and saving power.

Through Christ, we pray. Amen

Saturday Smile - Vermeer Remix

Friday Family - The K Twins

Looks like my twin nephews, Gabe and Graham, have taken on new alter egos (Keith and Kevin) as part of a new K-TWIN (FM 96.3) promo campaign. Funny stuff! I hope there will be more of these videos coming soon.

Thursday Thinking - Believing in Jesus

When someone says, "I believe in Jesus," what does that mean? Here is a surprising video from Mo Sabri, a Pakistani-American Muslim who studies Pre-Medicine at University in Tennessee. He boldly says he is not afraid to say he believes in Jesus. He asserts that Jesus could be a point of connection and peace-making among Muslims and Christians if only those who say they believe in him would follow his teachings.



In January, Carl Medearis (Middle East Experience), a friend of Mo Sabri, blogged about Muslims who follow Jesus. He notes that there are a variety of ways people "follow" Jesus, and describes three groups of followers: "The Crowds," "The Curious," and "The Committed." It's a thought-provoking post worth reading.

I would suggest that Carl should have included one more category to his list of followers, "The Converted." Converts are those who are truly convinced that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God, who live their lives in submission to him, desiring to be transformed by his Spirit, and looking to him as the one who makes it possible for God's redeeming purposes to be accomplished. This, of course, is a point of departure for most Christians and Muslims (illustrated very quickly and clearly in the comments section on Carl's post). For some within Islam, however, this deepest way of following Jesus has resulted in conversion.

Surprising as it may seem, there are insiders within Muslim culture who actually do live their lives as Converts. They are more than curious or committed, they are converts. They don't just see Jesus as a prophet or moral guide; they see him as Lord and Savior. Even though they do not abandon all aspects of Muslim culture, practice, and tradition, they do place faith in Isa as the one who overcame death. They may have begun by following Isa as prophet and messenger, but they now follow him as Savior and Lord.

Let me encourage you to check out the cover story in the January/February edition of Christianity Today, "Worshiping Jesus in the Mosque." Very interesting! It makes me wonder just what God might be doing within Islamic cultures to accomplish his will.

Can people from other religious traditions genuinely follow Jesus without becoming "Christians"? The question is a point of much dispute within today's missions world. Those who follow Jesus yet don't formally express Christian faith are said to belong to insider movements. And no insider movement has received more attention than Muslims who embrace Christ yet stay within their Islamic community. READ MORE...

Wednesday Words - Lenten Selections, Week 3

From the Book of Common Prayer:
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Every Morning, Mercies New

Every morning, mercies new
Fall as fresh as morning dew;
Every morning let us pay
Tribute with the early day:
For your mercies, God, are sure;
Your compassion does endure.

Still the greatness of your love
Daily does our sins remove;
Daily, far as east from west,
Lifts the burden from the breast;
Gives unbought to those who pray
Strength to stand in every day.

Let our prayers each day prevail,
That these gifts might never fail;
And, as we confess the sin
And temptation's pow'r within,
Every morning, for the strife,
Feed us with the Bread of Life.

As the morning light returns,
As the sun with splendor burns,
Teach us still to turn to Thee,
Ever blessed Trinity,
With our hands our hearts to raise,
In unfailing prayer and praise.

Words: Greville Phillimore (19th Century)

Tuesday Tome - The Pope

Pope Benedict's retirement has stirred up a lot of interest and conversation on the subject of the papacy. If your curiosity has been sparked, you might find this book interesting-- The Popes: Histories and Secrets. I bought this book quite a long time ago as a reference book. It is no longer in print, but pretty easy to find in used book stores. The Popes is a chronological description of the personalities and histories of the 264 popes in Catholic Church history previous to Pope Benedict XVI.

If you're looking for quick information about papal history, Wikipedia has many articles on the office in general and the specific popes who have held the office. For instance, you can read about Gregory VII, the most "recent" case of a pope abdicating the papal office (that was 1415!) prior to Benedict's retirement. You'll find a complete Wikipedia list of Roman Catholic Popes HERE.

To get a primer into the thinking and writing of Benedict XVI, you might want to check out The Essential Pope Benedict XVI: His Central Writings and Speeches. The sections of the book include: The Church, The Liturgy, Theology, Scripture, The Priesthood, and Christian Morality. In his early years, Joseph Ratzinger was considered a liberal theologian, but after 1968 his views on culture and theology became conservative. He is one of the more prolific popes in church history. His writings typically defend traditional Catholic doctrine and values while countering the Western secularism he believed to be so destructive in the 20th and 21st centuries.

If you're interested in learning how to become the next pontiff, you'll find this video to be helpful.

Monday Music - This Is the Testimony

 

This Is the Testimony 
1 John 5:11-12
This is the testimony-
God has given us eternal life.
This is the testimony-
God has given us eternal life.
And this life is in his son--
He who has the son has life.
And this life is in his son--
He who does not have the son does not have life.

© Copyright 2002 by Dave Burkum (burkum.com).

Sunday Supplication - Shaped and Guided

Almighty God, we know that without your grace we are powerless to help ourselves. We ask you to help us in heart, mind, and body as we seek to be your people. Save us from all those things threaten and tempt us in our bodies, and from all evil thoughts that hurt us in mind and spirit.

Forgive us our sins. Help us to die to ourselves and to live through you. Make us willing and able to forgive others as you have forgiven us. Help us to think, speak, and act in ways that restore lives, nurture relationships, create peace, and bring honor to you.

Thank you, O God, for salvation and life through Christ. Help us to surrender fully to you and to follow Jesus with whole hearts. Help us to know Jesus--to love him, to understand him, to honor him,
and to draw near to him so that our lives are completely shaped and guided by him.

It’s in His Saving Name that we pray these things. Amen.

Saturday Smile - Bizarro Goodness

Friday Family - Concerts

First, I want to tell you about the most important concert of the week in my book. On Wednesday, my grandson, Soren, performed at the State Capital Rotunda with his 4th grade choir (Bel Air Elementary - New Brighton). They were amazing! I'm so glad my grandson gets to be a part of such a wonderful singing experience. Major kudos to his music teacher, Roxanne Britz for helping kids love to sing and giving them such great experiences.

I guess I should probably mention that Soren's dad does some singing and performing too...

Tyler and LEAGUES are heading out on tour with and the Kopecky Family Band. So heads up to all my readers who live in the south or have friends in the south! Please pass along these dates to anyone you know who might be able to make it to one of shows in these cities.

Mar 04 - The Basement / Atlanta, GAMar 05 - 5 Points Pub / Columbia, SC
Mar 06 - The Loft / Columbus, GA
Mar 07 - Savannah Stop Over / Savannah, GA
Mar 08 - New World Brewery / Tampa, FL
Mar 09 - Underbelly's / Jacksonville, FL
Mar 19 - Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge / Fort Worth, TX

BUY SHOW TICKETS AND GET MORE INFO HERE

LEAGUES will also be performing at this year's SXSW in Austin, Texas.

THURSDAY, March 14th –
BILLY REID PARTY 4pm
Location TBA

FRIDAY, March 15th –
Home Slice Pizza – MUSIC BY THE SLICE – 4PM
@ 1415 S. Congress

FRIDAY, March 15th –
Doritos Stage – 8PM
@ 500 Red River St.

SATURDAY, March 16th –
PASTE & HGTV Stage – 4PM
@ The Stage on Sixth 508 E. 6th Street