Thoughts from Your Rector,
St. Anselm of Canterbury Episcopal Church
AkA St. Elsewhere
February 21, 2008
Lent
Dear Parish Family and Friends:
In her book titled: In the Heart of the World, Thoughts,Stories, & Prayers, Mother Theresa of Calcutta has these words to offer: “ Let us not use bombs and guns to overcome the world. Let us use love and compassion. Peace begins with a smile. Smile five times a day at someone you don’t really want to smile at all. Do it for peace. Let us radiate the peace of God and so light His light and extinguish in the world and in the hearts of all men (and women) all hatred and love for power.” We are well into the Lenten season, a time of deep introspection and reflection, a time to ask hard questions and seek guidance from above. One of the big questions many of us ask concern the war in Iraq. When will it end? How do we get out of that mess? Lent is a time to ask hard questions about ourselves, the world we live in, and even national policy. It is a time to set a course for the building and establishment of the reign of God, especially as we consider those things that are not right in the world. Our fighting forces are literally assembled in a far and distant desert, engaged in a war of futility that has already cost the American public 495 billion dollars, not to mention the priceless loss in human lives. Here at home life goes on as usual, mention of our dead soldiers is hardly an event, and the struggle for survival on the home front remains paramount for most. The deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan mean very little to most of the American population, not enough to be outraged. Most of the public remains unaffected by the war but some of our families here at St. Anselm’s are not so fortunate, and ironically but not surprisingly, they are all Latino families who’s loved one’s are literally fighting the war as foot soldiers in a foreign desert.
America today is deeply ingrained in anti-immigrant sentiments, yet poor Latinos (often the children of undocumented parents) are disproportionately defending our great democracy. While these soldiers die, politicians seeking to gain favor with the public, latch on to sound bites that attack immigrants, turn them into villains, all in the name of homeland security, how ironic? It would appear that we as a nation are wondering aimlessly in the desert, with no real sense of direction but motivated by the very temptations Jesus faced during his 40 day desert ordeal. These temptations include the need to satisfy one’s own voracious hunger and appetite for power, at whatever cost; the need to tempt fate and show the world just how commanding we are; and above all, the need to be the most dominant and wealthiest empire on the face of the planet, again at whatever cost. Just think for a moment, were not these the very things Jesus was tempted by? Thankfully, Jesus sustained by grace, surrendering to grace, was able to rise above the temptations, and remained a humble servant for the sake of humanity. Jesus was a servant of compassion.
Last Sunday here at St. Anselm’s we had the pleasure of a concert performed by Garth Hewitt, a priest, singer and song writer from the diocese of London. I picked up three of his books after the concert and found the following quotes in a work titled: “Holy Dreams to Feed the Soul, a Book of Prayers and Meditations”
“Our ability to dream was dying of thirst… But even in the desert you never leave us without witnesses; and prophets did rise up… and other ordinary people who marched and marched… though they were ignored… and so healing fountains did start again in the deserts of the heart, and though the forces of militarism and domination are just as strong, somehow they look more foolish now… because people questioned and marched. …And one day the mountains will be brought low and the valleys lifted… and the hungry will be filled with good things because good people did not keep quiet when deceit and evil were flourishing… And they will take the religious leaders by the hand and help them to speak again – maybe a child will lead them - So they rediscover their voices and learn how to march and dream dreams and prophesy once again.”
As a cleric, these words moved me deeply partly because too often I find my colleagues in ministry remain silent in the face of the war crisis, playing it safe, unwilling to challenge the people entrusted to their pastoral care or the powers that be, but more importantly these verses contain hope. Hope that the people of God can become a voice crying out in the wilderness as did John the Baptist, and hope that the people of God will not be overwhelmed by desert experiences and succumb to temptations along the way. This is our time of the year to enter the desert, and resist the temptations that rob us of a full life. It is our time for rebirth, as individuals and a nation trusting God.
As we continue the Lenten journey leading us to Holy Week, Good Friday and finally to the affirmation of life over death in the Resurrection of our Lord through the Easter celebration, it is my hope and prayer that we faithfully walk through the desert on a holistic journey that covers all aspects of living, and on this journey it is my hope that we may face the demons that torment us, find liberation in our God, and resist all manner of temptation that intends to move us away from God, our inner being, our neighbor, and our greater human family. It is time to put the arrogance of power away and take on the mantle of humility worn by Jesus throughout his ministry. Jesus emerged victorious from the desert, albeit, famished and exhausted, but strengthened and empowered to do the most powerful work ever to be done on the face of this earth. All glory and praise to the one who remained faithful, and showed us the Way. All glory and praise be to Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the desert walker who leads us to new life, and life in abundance.
Blessed Lent,
Wilfredo Benitez +
The Rev. Wilfredo Benitez,
Rector
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