I've been thinking about liberty quite a bit as we approach July 4th and this Sunday's
Gospel. Jesus offers his disciples some restrictions when he sends them out into the Galilean villages. They didn't take any money or extra clothes. That's not how most people head out on their Independence Day road trips. The restrictions the disciples lived out their faith with weren't a form of punishment. They learned about a different type of freedom; the freedom that comes with living faithfully rather that egotistically. Jesus provides his followers the power and freedom they need to heal sick people while avoiding inhospitable folks. He shares his divine authority and human compassion in ways that profoundly benefit the people around him. Pilgrims have to travel lightly. Just ask Joyce!
It's interesting to note in the Mark 6 passage that the people who acknowledge Jesus' teachings also have the freedom to reject his gifts. This is especially the case in his own hometown. Jesus' residential neighbors apparently don't understand how Jesus became who he is as God's beloved Son. Why do you think they acted in that manner?
Freedom comes in many forms; in scripture, spiritual practice, and daily life. I was in England last week when I heard the news about the Supreme Court's decision to offer gay and lesbian couples the right to marry one another. I am very thankful for that constitutional freedom. I'm equally as thankful for the Supreme Court's decision to continue permitting people access to affordable health care. Both of these legal decisions provide US citizens greater freedom to realize our
Declaration of Independence's unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit happiness. Remarkably, as with Jesus' healing, some people choose to reject such liberties. These opponents of equal civic rights suggest that the people receiving them are undeserving of such benefits and/or do not possess don't possess appropriate levels of dignity. Does Jesus feel that way?
I am delighted to say that The Episcopal Church is presently in the process of rewriting its marriage canons to affirm
marriage equality. The denomination is also exploring
various options of how churches such as ours may best provide affordable health care to clerical and lay employees alike.
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| Activities at the 5th Annual Action Research Colloquium in Dublin Ireland |
The primary purpose of my continuing education trip to Ireland and to England was to learn more about
Action Research and its uses for Episcopal churches such as St. James. In short, Action Research provides people a methodology for studying and bringing about transformation in their own organizations. There's a high degree of democratic, intellectual, and dare I say spiritual freedom in this sort of inquiry. The ultimate aim of Action Research is "the flourishing of individual persons and their communities." (Coglan and Brannick, 2014). Again, people may chose to grasp on to such liberty or reject it. Such is that nature of our human will. I hope that I'll be able to share more with you what I learned while I was away from St. James. I presented a paper while I was in Dublin. There is a slideshow located
here if you'd like to view more of the Action Research topics that I spoke about while I was in Ireland.
In any event, these are just a few of my Independence Day musings about our liberty as baptized Christians and full participants in God's compassionate, peaceful, liberating reign. May it be that this 4th of July will remind us all of the freedoms we possess as citizens of this nation and beloved members of God's family though Christ's resurrection and the Holy Spirit's presence in us.
Blessings Along The Way, Jim+
