Bear with me a bit while I set this one up: In a recent episode of Dr. Who the Doctor says to the person carrying the soul of the TARDIS, "You didn't always take me where I wanted to go." The response: "But I always took you where you needed to be." This will make tons of sense to Dr. Who fans, and none at all to almost anyone else.
Still, this could be a great conversation between me and the Holy Spirit. It's true - He didn't always take me where I wanted to go. At one time or another I wanted to be a teacher, an evangelist, a mega-church pastor, and so on and so on. But He took me to the seminary, to smaller churches, to the hearts of Jesus and His people, to Formational Prayer, and so on and so on. Not always where I wanted to go; but always places I needed to be.
I needed to be in the seminary so that I could begin the journey of pastoral ministry He had in mind for me.
I needed to be in a church in Chicago that needed me to carry them through the difficult time of adjustment after their long-beloved pastor retired.
I needed to be in another church in Chicago for my own healing; and to leave that church to make room for the next phase of their ministry.
I needed to be where I am, to learn to love God's people, to become their shepherd, and to learn to be shepherd for others in other places.
I need to be where I am now, in ministry of Word and Sacrament, in minstry of prayer and healing and compassion, for those who are whole and those who are not.
Holy Spirit, you didn't always take me where I wanted to go - but I thank you that you have always taken me where I needed to be. Amen!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Praying for Lily Anne
Dear Readers,
Yesterday evening a mom of my acquaintance stopped by the church because she saw some cars in the parking lot, and thought I might be there. As it turns out I was, though I had already put the car in reverse to back out of the parking space and head home. The mom and her little daughter Lily Anne came up to the car and asked if they could talk to me a bit, so we went inside the church to find a quiet spot to pray.
It turns out that Lily Anne, who's only about a year old and was born prematurely, has a condition of her skull called Chiari's Malformation, which is causing a number of medical problems. The solution to this Malformation is brain surgery, which is being discussed with doctors and surgeons at Akron Children's Hospital.
Lily Anne's mom (who does not attend our church) told me that since they found out this diagnosis she has been praying about what to do, and that every time she prayed my name came up. So yesterday as their family was driving past the church after grocery shopping and saw the cars gathered for the Cub Scout committee meeting, she said to her husband, "If Pastor Cahill's there, I want to talk to him." Since they had already passed the church, they continued home where her husband and son got out, then mom and Lily Anne came back to church and arrived just as I was putting my car into gear.
We both believe that our gracious God's hand was all over this as she told me this story, and as she asked me to pray for Lily Anne with tears of worry in her eyes, but also with a note of confidence that Jesus would hear our prayers. God's gracious hand is in Lily Anne's life, too, in that after going to several doctors for what seemed to be unrelated medical problems, her GI specialist said "my daughter had all these symptoms, too, and it turned out to be Chiari's Malformation." He immediately referred them to the surgeon who had operated on his own daughter, and this doctor confirmed the condition.
This week Lily Anne is having more tests, and surgery is being scheduled for some time after school is out (so her older siblings can be at the hospital for her). Her mom gave me permission to tell this story, and to ask for you to pray for Lily Anne and her family.
Lord of life and love, all Your children are in Your hand. You pour Your love graciously into our lives in good times and in difficult times. Your precious child Lily Anne and her family are at the beginning of some difficult times, and we have seen already how You have guided her mother to seek prayer through Pastor Cahill. Now hear our own prayers on Lily Anne's behalf, too. Reach Your healing hand into her body and into her life. Guide doctors, nurses, technicians, and everyone around her. Pour out Your healing mercy into them and through them into Lily Anne. Give peace and rest to her family, as You guide them to trust in You. Into Your hands we give little Lily Anne, praying for the blessing of Your healing for her. In the Name of Your Son we pray for this daughter. Amen.
Yesterday evening a mom of my acquaintance stopped by the church because she saw some cars in the parking lot, and thought I might be there. As it turns out I was, though I had already put the car in reverse to back out of the parking space and head home. The mom and her little daughter Lily Anne came up to the car and asked if they could talk to me a bit, so we went inside the church to find a quiet spot to pray.
It turns out that Lily Anne, who's only about a year old and was born prematurely, has a condition of her skull called Chiari's Malformation, which is causing a number of medical problems. The solution to this Malformation is brain surgery, which is being discussed with doctors and surgeons at Akron Children's Hospital.
Lily Anne's mom (who does not attend our church) told me that since they found out this diagnosis she has been praying about what to do, and that every time she prayed my name came up. So yesterday as their family was driving past the church after grocery shopping and saw the cars gathered for the Cub Scout committee meeting, she said to her husband, "If Pastor Cahill's there, I want to talk to him." Since they had already passed the church, they continued home where her husband and son got out, then mom and Lily Anne came back to church and arrived just as I was putting my car into gear.
We both believe that our gracious God's hand was all over this as she told me this story, and as she asked me to pray for Lily Anne with tears of worry in her eyes, but also with a note of confidence that Jesus would hear our prayers. God's gracious hand is in Lily Anne's life, too, in that after going to several doctors for what seemed to be unrelated medical problems, her GI specialist said "my daughter had all these symptoms, too, and it turned out to be Chiari's Malformation." He immediately referred them to the surgeon who had operated on his own daughter, and this doctor confirmed the condition.
This week Lily Anne is having more tests, and surgery is being scheduled for some time after school is out (so her older siblings can be at the hospital for her). Her mom gave me permission to tell this story, and to ask for you to pray for Lily Anne and her family.
Lord of life and love, all Your children are in Your hand. You pour Your love graciously into our lives in good times and in difficult times. Your precious child Lily Anne and her family are at the beginning of some difficult times, and we have seen already how You have guided her mother to seek prayer through Pastor Cahill. Now hear our own prayers on Lily Anne's behalf, too. Reach Your healing hand into her body and into her life. Guide doctors, nurses, technicians, and everyone around her. Pour out Your healing mercy into them and through them into Lily Anne. Give peace and rest to her family, as You guide them to trust in You. Into Your hands we give little Lily Anne, praying for the blessing of Your healing for her. In the Name of Your Son we pray for this daughter. Amen.
On Being Jesus
If one of the goals of the spiritual life is to be more and more conformed to the image of Jesus, how do I know how I’m doing with that? Is it something that only God and I can see, or can others see Jesus in me, too?
So Garrett, who’s about 5 years old, calls me “Jesus” when he sees me. Of course, the rest of his family thinks this is kind of funny and are quick to say “That’s Pastor Cahill,” but I wonder. And almost-3-year-old Amelia calls me “Jesus”, too. In fact, yesterday at church she kept up a running commentary to her parents and grandmother as to what Jesus was doing at any given time in the worship service. She also declared her intention to give me a hug before they left (which I happily accepted). Her family is trying to teach her that I’m not Jesus but Pastor Cahill – but I wonder.
I wonder what these children see in me that makes them call me Jesus. Is it just the white robe and the beard, or is there something more? Is there something in the way I carry myself, or in the way I preach? Is there something in the way I talk to them, or to their parents? Are they somehow picking up a connection between the way I act and what they’re learning about Jesus from me and from their parents? If so, do I want them to learn that Pastor Cahill isn’t Jesus because he’s not like Jesus at all, or do I want them to learn that Jesus is like Pastor Cahill, only way better? I think that’s it. Lord, let me live in such a way that these children – and many others, too – learn to know You and Your love for them!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The Hole We're In
While I was visiting a dear older gentlemen from our church today who is in the hospital recovering from a stroke, he commented several times about being "in a hole" and wondered how he got himself into that situation. He didn't seem discouraged by the stroke, the restraints, the therapy, and the rest of the medical stuff, just reflective.
"Stuck in a hole" that he couldn't climb out of, but neither was he sinking further in. Or at least, he couldn't climb out of it by himself, so others were there to help him - the medical staff, his family, the people at church with their prayers, his friends and others in our town who know him. And these same people also were keeping him from sinking further in, with their skills, their love, their compassion and concern.
And with him is Jesus, I pointed out. He may not be entirely aware of where Jesus is, exactly, but He's with him in the hole this week.
Because that's the way Jesus works. When one of His children falls into a hole, Jesus doesn't stand on the edge of the hole and call down "Are you all right?" Jesus doesn't stand on safe, solid ground and toss a rope down: "Here, wrap this around yourself and climb up."
Jesus comes into the hole Himself. He has joined, and joins us still, in discouragement or despair or simple reflectiveness. He has joined us, and joins us still, in sickness or infirmity or even death. He joins us, holds us, comforts us tenderly with His love and His embrace. He may pull us out of the hole we find ourselves in, or He may hold us tenderly into death. But he will not leave us.
And we will not stay in the hole forever. We will leave, in this life or in the next, into the place that He is even now preparing for us, a place to live in His love and His light forever.
"Stuck in a hole" that he couldn't climb out of, but neither was he sinking further in. Or at least, he couldn't climb out of it by himself, so others were there to help him - the medical staff, his family, the people at church with their prayers, his friends and others in our town who know him. And these same people also were keeping him from sinking further in, with their skills, their love, their compassion and concern.
And with him is Jesus, I pointed out. He may not be entirely aware of where Jesus is, exactly, but He's with him in the hole this week.
Because that's the way Jesus works. When one of His children falls into a hole, Jesus doesn't stand on the edge of the hole and call down "Are you all right?" Jesus doesn't stand on safe, solid ground and toss a rope down: "Here, wrap this around yourself and climb up."
Jesus comes into the hole Himself. He has joined, and joins us still, in discouragement or despair or simple reflectiveness. He has joined us, and joins us still, in sickness or infirmity or even death. He joins us, holds us, comforts us tenderly with His love and His embrace. He may pull us out of the hole we find ourselves in, or He may hold us tenderly into death. But he will not leave us.
And we will not stay in the hole forever. We will leave, in this life or in the next, into the place that He is even now preparing for us, a place to live in His love and His light forever.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Dumber than Sheep
Notes for worship Sunday, May 15, 2011
Tomorrow we'll celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday at Christ the King Lutheran Church. The shepherd's crook is in the pulpit; the plush sheep and lambs are dancing around the altar. Lambchop is looking on the production like a tiny, woolly Joan Rivers; Serta #8 is ready for action because he can't sleep, anyway.
One of the guys in our church has raised a few goats and sheep in the past, and says he'd rather have goats because sheep are so dumb. Not "dumb" in the Isaiah 53, "not-speaking-up-for-oneself" sense of the word, but "dumb" as in "stupid."
But as I think about Jesus' words in John 10 - that the sheep of the Good Shepherd hear His voice and follow Him rather than the thief, because they recognize His voice - I think that most of us (including myself) are dumber than sheep. After all, sheep recognize the voice of their Good Shepherd and respond to it, but most of the time we're not anywhere near that smart.
We listened and responded to the voice of parents telling us we were bad when we were little, and we still respond to those voices now that we're adults.
We listened and responded to the voices of Sunday School teachers, pastors, nuns, and other "spiritual" spiritual people telling us that "Jesus doesn't love little children who don't behave," and we still hear those voices when we become adults.
We listened and responded to the voices of mean and scary kids when we were little, and we still respond to those voices as adults.
We listen and respond to the voices coming from all corners of our culture, and we believe a lot of what those voices tell us, and we respond to those voices with our attitudes and our habits and our wallets and our checkbooks.
But when Jesus speaks, we don't know how to respond to His voice. Much of the time, we don't even know He's calling to us. "I wish I could hear a word from the Lord," we say, "but He just doesn't seem to speak to me." Like it's Jesus' fault for not speaking, instead of my fault for not listening, or my fault for listening to all the other voices, or my fault for believing everything those voices have said into me over the years.
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Maybe not because I've done some terrible, legally punishable sin; but more likely because I haven't been listening to the voice of my Good Shepherd telling me of His love, calling me out from the din of other voices, calling me from milling around the dusty sheep pen with all the other stupid sheep to come out with Him into the green pastures and beside the still waters.
The Lord is my Good Shepherd! And if I miss out on all He has to offer me, maybe it's just because I'm dumber than a Sheep. So, Lord, give me Your Holy Spirit so that I can learn to listen for You and follow You!
Tomorrow we'll celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday at Christ the King Lutheran Church. The shepherd's crook is in the pulpit; the plush sheep and lambs are dancing around the altar. Lambchop is looking on the production like a tiny, woolly Joan Rivers; Serta #8 is ready for action because he can't sleep, anyway.
One of the guys in our church has raised a few goats and sheep in the past, and says he'd rather have goats because sheep are so dumb. Not "dumb" in the Isaiah 53, "not-speaking-up-for-oneself" sense of the word, but "dumb" as in "stupid."
But as I think about Jesus' words in John 10 - that the sheep of the Good Shepherd hear His voice and follow Him rather than the thief, because they recognize His voice - I think that most of us (including myself) are dumber than sheep. After all, sheep recognize the voice of their Good Shepherd and respond to it, but most of the time we're not anywhere near that smart.
We listened and responded to the voice of parents telling us we were bad when we were little, and we still respond to those voices now that we're adults.
We listened and responded to the voices of Sunday School teachers, pastors, nuns, and other "spiritual" spiritual people telling us that "Jesus doesn't love little children who don't behave," and we still hear those voices when we become adults.
We listened and responded to the voices of mean and scary kids when we were little, and we still respond to those voices as adults.
We listen and respond to the voices coming from all corners of our culture, and we believe a lot of what those voices tell us, and we respond to those voices with our attitudes and our habits and our wallets and our checkbooks.
But when Jesus speaks, we don't know how to respond to His voice. Much of the time, we don't even know He's calling to us. "I wish I could hear a word from the Lord," we say, "but He just doesn't seem to speak to me." Like it's Jesus' fault for not speaking, instead of my fault for not listening, or my fault for listening to all the other voices, or my fault for believing everything those voices have said into me over the years.
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Maybe not because I've done some terrible, legally punishable sin; but more likely because I haven't been listening to the voice of my Good Shepherd telling me of His love, calling me out from the din of other voices, calling me from milling around the dusty sheep pen with all the other stupid sheep to come out with Him into the green pastures and beside the still waters.
The Lord is my Good Shepherd! And if I miss out on all He has to offer me, maybe it's just because I'm dumber than a Sheep. So, Lord, give me Your Holy Spirit so that I can learn to listen for You and follow You!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Healing for our Disappointments
Notes from my sermon for Sunday, May 8, 2011
The two disciples who walked along the road to Emmaus that first Easter afternoon (Luke 24) were, among other things, disappointed that Jesus had not done what they expected He would. He let them down; He didn't come through for them; He failed them. But the healing Jesus brought for them He offers to all who feel disappointed by God, if we choose to take advantage of His gifts:
Scripture was the framework for their healing. In Amish country, the first thing the barn-builders put up is the frame, and the walls and roof are attached to that. The frame is most important, because it gives structure and support to everything else. But barn-builders don't stop with the frame, and Jesus didn't stop at explaining Scripture to those disciples.
Eating a meal in the presence of Jesus was also part of their healing. I don't know about you, but some of the saddest funerals I've conducted are the ones where the small group of mourners gathers at the graveside, then after the interment they just kind of fade away. Over the years I've seen that a better healing takes place when they all gather somewhere for lunch, conversation, remembering and catching up. The simple act of eating a meal togther is not only good for the body, but good for the heart and soul as well.
Eating Jesus' meal is part of healing, too. Although scholars may argue about whether the meal those disciples ate with Jesus was The Lord's Supper or just a hint at it, there's no doubt that coming to the Table of the Lord Jesus, eating His Body given for us, and drinking His Blood poured out for us, is not only for forgiveness of our sins but for healing all our griefs and sorrows - including our disappointments with God.
And finally, the "mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren," as Luther called it in his Smalcald Articles. The way the disciples rejoiced together when they recognized that it had been Jesus with them. The way they recalled together how their hearts burned as they walked along the road. The way they ran back to Jerusalem, burst in on the other disciples, excitedly compared notes on His appearances to them. There was grace in those encounters, grace for healing their disappointments and sorrows.
And there is grace and love for us, also, when we are disappointed with God. Grace and love in His Word. Grace and love when we fellowship together. Grace and love at His Table. Grace and love as we gather together with our brothers and sisters in Christ for the comfort and healing that we can provide each other.
If you've ever been disappointed with God, or for any healing you may need, come to His Word, His Table, the fellowship of His children, and the consolation and conversation we give to one another - in these places you will find the healing you seek.
The two disciples who walked along the road to Emmaus that first Easter afternoon (Luke 24) were, among other things, disappointed that Jesus had not done what they expected He would. He let them down; He didn't come through for them; He failed them. But the healing Jesus brought for them He offers to all who feel disappointed by God, if we choose to take advantage of His gifts:
Scripture was the framework for their healing. In Amish country, the first thing the barn-builders put up is the frame, and the walls and roof are attached to that. The frame is most important, because it gives structure and support to everything else. But barn-builders don't stop with the frame, and Jesus didn't stop at explaining Scripture to those disciples.
Eating a meal in the presence of Jesus was also part of their healing. I don't know about you, but some of the saddest funerals I've conducted are the ones where the small group of mourners gathers at the graveside, then after the interment they just kind of fade away. Over the years I've seen that a better healing takes place when they all gather somewhere for lunch, conversation, remembering and catching up. The simple act of eating a meal togther is not only good for the body, but good for the heart and soul as well.
Eating Jesus' meal is part of healing, too. Although scholars may argue about whether the meal those disciples ate with Jesus was The Lord's Supper or just a hint at it, there's no doubt that coming to the Table of the Lord Jesus, eating His Body given for us, and drinking His Blood poured out for us, is not only for forgiveness of our sins but for healing all our griefs and sorrows - including our disappointments with God.
And finally, the "mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren," as Luther called it in his Smalcald Articles. The way the disciples rejoiced together when they recognized that it had been Jesus with them. The way they recalled together how their hearts burned as they walked along the road. The way they ran back to Jerusalem, burst in on the other disciples, excitedly compared notes on His appearances to them. There was grace in those encounters, grace for healing their disappointments and sorrows.
And there is grace and love for us, also, when we are disappointed with God. Grace and love in His Word. Grace and love when we fellowship together. Grace and love at His Table. Grace and love as we gather together with our brothers and sisters in Christ for the comfort and healing that we can provide each other.
If you've ever been disappointed with God, or for any healing you may need, come to His Word, His Table, the fellowship of His children, and the consolation and conversation we give to one another - in these places you will find the healing you seek.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Trillium Time at last!
The Trillium is the State Wildflower of Ohio. It waits until the spring is a little warmer before it opens up, and then you may be able to see it in patches on a forest floor just inside the edge of the woods. It likes to grow there, in just enough sunlight but without being shaded by the full-out leaves of the trees.
In another month the trees will have pretty much grown out their leaves. When that happens, the Trillium flowers turn pink, then wither away until next spring. That's when we know that summer is on the doorstep.
Nothing deeply spiritual here, just another sign that as long as the seasons keep changing we'll keep seeing signs of God's love for us. Blessings!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The Gifts of Jesus
Notes from my sermon from Sunday, May 1, 2011
When Jesus appeared to His disciples in the locked room that first Easter evening (John 20:19-23), He gave them three gifts.
The first was the gift of His presence. What better way could He comfort them in their distress and confusion after His death than by simply showing up? He had a habit of just showing up for people when they were in distress - for the disciples in a boat in a storm; for a widow at Nain, preparing to bury her son; for Mary and Martha, who had already buried Lazarus; for 5000 + hungry people on a mountainside; and now for these disciples.
Many times, just showing up is a great gift to people in distress. You don't have to say anything - just shake a hand, give a hug, shed a tear - and the person you show up for will remember the gift of your presence for a long time.
The second was the gift of His peace. This is the "peace of God, which passes all understanding, that keeps our hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus." This "peace" was more than just a greeting. With this statement of "peace" Jesus created peace in the hearts of His disciples, and they were at peace.
Because Jesus has sent them and us in the same way the Father sent Him, when we give the gift of His peace to another who needs that gift we have planted a seed of peace in them, creating peace in them as Jesus did in His disciples. It may take some time for that seed to grow and bloom and flower, but it is planted when we say "the peace of the Lord be with you."
The third was the gift of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit was given on Pentecost in a big, spectacular way; but here Jesus gives the Holy Spirit in quiet gentleness to His grieving and distressed friends.
And though even now He sometimes gives the Holy Spirit in big, spectacular ways, often He gives the Holy Spirit in the gentleness and compassion of a friend to a friend, of a comforting presence to one in distress, of peace to one in turmoil. When we show up to someone in distress with nothing but our compassion and the peace of Jesus, the gift of the Holy Spirit is also among us.
When Jesus appeared to His disciples in the locked room that first Easter evening (John 20:19-23), He gave them three gifts.
The first was the gift of His presence. What better way could He comfort them in their distress and confusion after His death than by simply showing up? He had a habit of just showing up for people when they were in distress - for the disciples in a boat in a storm; for a widow at Nain, preparing to bury her son; for Mary and Martha, who had already buried Lazarus; for 5000 + hungry people on a mountainside; and now for these disciples.
Many times, just showing up is a great gift to people in distress. You don't have to say anything - just shake a hand, give a hug, shed a tear - and the person you show up for will remember the gift of your presence for a long time.
The second was the gift of His peace. This is the "peace of God, which passes all understanding, that keeps our hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus." This "peace" was more than just a greeting. With this statement of "peace" Jesus created peace in the hearts of His disciples, and they were at peace.
Because Jesus has sent them and us in the same way the Father sent Him, when we give the gift of His peace to another who needs that gift we have planted a seed of peace in them, creating peace in them as Jesus did in His disciples. It may take some time for that seed to grow and bloom and flower, but it is planted when we say "the peace of the Lord be with you."
The third was the gift of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit was given on Pentecost in a big, spectacular way; but here Jesus gives the Holy Spirit in quiet gentleness to His grieving and distressed friends.
And though even now He sometimes gives the Holy Spirit in big, spectacular ways, often He gives the Holy Spirit in the gentleness and compassion of a friend to a friend, of a comforting presence to one in distress, of peace to one in turmoil. When we show up to someone in distress with nothing but our compassion and the peace of Jesus, the gift of the Holy Spirit is also among us.
Monday, May 2, 2011
On the death of Osama bin Laden
The announcement of the death of Osama bin Laden last night strikes me as another in a long line of "Tower of Siloam" events.
When Jesus was asked about the relative sinfulness of various people, He pointed to a current news story in which a Tower at Siloam in Jerusalem fell and killed several people. He warned His hearers not to wonder whether the "victims" were worse sinners than others, but to look to the hearers' own lives and hearts (Luke 13:4-5).
So this story causes me to wonder whether I myself have ever hurt someone so deeply that they'll celebrate my death? If so, I need to repent that sin and ask what I can do to work on reconciliation with them right now, while we're both alive.
Or, I wonder whether I can think of anyone who has hurt me so deeply that I'll be relieved (if not glad) when they die? If so, in humility I need to ask what I can do right now to work on reconciliation with them, while we're both still alive.
Dear reader, if you think you might be one of these persons I'm referring to in these paragraphs, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can come to the cross of Jesus together in forgiveness and reconciliation.
When Jesus was asked about the relative sinfulness of various people, He pointed to a current news story in which a Tower at Siloam in Jerusalem fell and killed several people. He warned His hearers not to wonder whether the "victims" were worse sinners than others, but to look to the hearers' own lives and hearts (Luke 13:4-5).
So this story causes me to wonder whether I myself have ever hurt someone so deeply that they'll celebrate my death? If so, I need to repent that sin and ask what I can do to work on reconciliation with them right now, while we're both alive.
Or, I wonder whether I can think of anyone who has hurt me so deeply that I'll be relieved (if not glad) when they die? If so, in humility I need to ask what I can do right now to work on reconciliation with them, while we're both still alive.
Dear reader, if you think you might be one of these persons I'm referring to in these paragraphs, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can come to the cross of Jesus together in forgiveness and reconciliation.
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