By John Lawyer

 

The first time the Gospel was enculturated beyond classical Roman civilization was when it reached Ireland in the early fourth century. Soon after the Roman world itself began to crumble under the barbarian invasions. Rome was sacked in 410, and by the early fifth century Augustine was re-visioning Christianity to meet the changed circumstances. His doctrine of original sin provided a certain comfort in the universal catastrophe. If the whole world was being punished it must be because human sin was equally universal, regardless of what anyone had actually done. Similarly when it was only too clear that even survival was largely beyond one's control, a renewed emphasis on human helplessness in his teaching on predestination resonated with the way things actually were. The impact of his thinking endures to our own time. The Reformation was largely a dispute over the correct interpretation of the Augustinian heritage. Protestants claimed his doctrine of salvation, "saved by grace alone through faith," while Catholics stood firm on his ecclesiology, "no salvation outside the Church."

 

Celtic Christians, cut off from the Roman world by those same invasions, were spared most of these innovations. Instead they saw themselves living in a sacramental universe. Every aspect of the material world had significance; that is, it signified or pointed to some spiritual truth. The creation as a whole came from God and was filled with His glory. It was in the process of returning to God, so was filled with His praise.

The story of the world was intelligible, with a beginning and an end. Humanity found itself somewhere in the middle between these two points, but headed towards a glorious consummation.

 

Human life was a journey in time as well. Modern people tend to think of time as a commodity. We have so many hours in the day, so many days in the year to spend as we want. For all practical purposes our time is divided into two categories: work time and time off. The Celts by contrast felt they were living in time. The passing of a day was marked by the sun, the year by the seasons of sowing and harvest and the great cycle of the liturgical year. Clocks (sun dials) and calendars did exist, but they were not very important and mostly used to check on what you already knew.

 

So make good use of your time. Come join us at 9:15 in the Library this Sunday and for the following three Sundays as we look more closely at the world of Celtic Christianity.

A special Poetry Reading will be offered by former St. Matthew's parishioner Carol Bjorlie on Sunday, April 19th at 4:00pm in the library.

Impossible Brightening, published by North Star Press in St. Cloud, Minnesota, is a lyrical collection of clouds, prairies, mountains, winter, and music.

Carol writes: "Words adjusted themselves into haiku, sestina, rhyme, meter and free verse."  

This collection of poetry is sure to delight the senses of all readers.

By Laura Perticara

 

Several years ago, a Christian radio station asked listeners to call in and share their thoughts about Earth Day. The commentary was primarily negative towards Earth Day, though I no longer recall the specific statements or even the general ideologies. I do remember being angry. For most of my life, I have been concerned to some degree about environmental issues. More recently I have felt called to live a more simple life, materialistically speaking, though my faithfulness to that call has not always been consistent. I view concern about the environment as a natural extension of my Christian faith.

 

Beyond the fact that God called us to steward His creation, we live in an interconnected world with limited resources. Air pollutants from the US may contribute to changes in weather patterns around the globe. Water use in one place impacts the amount of water available downstream. Who are the people around the globe and downstream? They are our neighbors. Caring for the earth is a way to care for our neighbors. Being conscious of what and how much we consume, where it comes from and how it was made, is one way to better steward the earth and love each other.

 

While our Christian faith calls us to care for the earth and each other, that same faith also equips us. In the seasons of Lent and Easter I am reminded that Jesus was extravagant in His love and sacrifice; I believe that grace and the Holy Spirit can aid us to follow His example. I trust that God loves each of us; confidence in that love can help me move beyond consuming to fill a void or feel valuable. Awareness of the dignity God gave to all humans, and the approval He gave of His creation, gives me motivation to care for the earth and other people. I am certainly not perfect, but I trust God will help me as I journey to live more lightly.

 

I am a big fan of baby steps. I believe we can all take small steps to lessen our environmental impact (though I think bigger sacrifices are necessary too). A good baby step is to find an environmental topic of interest and take one action in that area. My personal and professional interest is in community education about food production and consumption. I moved to the Twin Cities in July 2014 to begin a Master of Education in Agricultural Education at the U of M. I believe it is important for people to know where their food comes from (beyond "the grocery store") and how it is grown. If someone wants to connect with small and sustainable farms and/or to grow his/her own food, even in the city, he/she should have access to the information and resources to do so. I appreciate that the topic of food encompasses so many important issues: the environment (how are we caring for the land and water which provides our food?, how much energy do we use to produce and ship food?), but also hunger, access to healthy food, sovereignty (control over where one's food comes from), nutrition and health, and community economics. As I learn more though school and other opportunities, I will pick a baby step for this summer-to grow a couple containers of vegetables at my house. This Earth Day I encourage you also to pick a baby step that will deepen your care for the earth and our neighbors.

This fun family fundraiser for the Blue House orphanage in Uganda will feature the live music of Sweet Rhubarb, a tea party breakfast, and other fun activities. See the Blue House girls in a photo "Fashion Show," and life in an orphanage in Africa.

 

Join us on Saturday, May 9 at the St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church, 2323 Como Ave. at 10:00am. Tickets will be for sale at St. Matthew's during the coffee hour each Sunday through May 3. Moms, dads, kids, grandparents, aunts and uncles are welcome. $20 - Adults; $10 - youth 18 and under.

See Mothers' Tea Party for more information.