Vivens homo

In the year 185 A.D., Irenaeus of Lyons, a bishop, wrote his treatise Against the Heretics. It contained these famous words: 

           Gloria Dei vivens homo.

Translation: "The glory of God is a human fully alive."

 Gregory Wolfe, writing in Image (Fall 2009), takes up this ancient Christian saying and asks why we find it so hard to affirm our humanity. He quotes Walker Percy who said, "We don't coincide with ourselves." 


For some reason we humans tend to try and be something other than human, an attitude which is sinful. But when we affirm the Christian belief that God became human, shouldn't that make us appreciate our humanity? Wolfe says, "We don't look at the incarnation rightly. We see it as the divine descending, perhaps condescending, to the human level--as if Jesus had to hold his nose while taking human form."


Every year at Christmas we have the opportunity to like ourselves again. The God who became flesh is the God who likes human beings. Christmas is about the Incarnation, and incarnation is about being 'carnal.' Not sinfully carnal, just factually carnal. Fleshy. 


God blessed flesh when he entered it. Flesh and spirit mesh in Christ. 


Being authentically human is good. Christmas is the doctrinal Day that celebrates our contingent existence. Don't ever apologize for being human. Celebrate it.

 

Hand-written Bible

There is a Bible being auctioned off on eBay right now. The current bid is over $6000. No, it's not an ancient Bible, it's a new one. Completely handwritten. Over 31,000 people hand wrote one verse each.

The publishing house Zondervan which publishes the NIV (New International Version) is behind the project. A team of people traveled to 90 cities in 40 states over a nine month period, finishing in June of 2009. All kinds of people volunteered to write a verse. There were two original copies made, and one is being auctioned off. But you can buy a printed copy for $100 on their site ('Bible Across America') or from Amazon.com.

This gives me an idea for a unique Christmas present. Why not take up your pen and hand-write one of the gospels for your child or grandchild? Writing out Scripture by hand is a good spiritual practice. It slows us down and puts us into the sacred writings in a personal way. Another possibility would be to make your own version. Put the words and message of a gospel in your own words. Paraphrase each passage using your own way of saying it. Keep the meaning the same, of course, but use your own wording.

The words and thoughts of the Bible are powerful. The Word of God is "the sword of the Spirit." (Eph. 6). Watch out--don't get hurt.

Allitt’s book

American history has been influenced by many personalities, and movements. How many of these are you familiar with: Federalists, Whigs (Edmund Burke), Jeffersonians, Southern Conservatives (John Taylor, John Randolph, John Calhoun, James Henry Thornwell), Northern Conservatives (Henry Clay, Daniel Webster) the post-Civil War Lost Cause conservatism, Capitalist Conservatives (William Graham Sumner), the mugwumps (James Russell Lowell, Charles Eliot Norton), early 20^th century Traditionalists (Brooks Adams, Henry Adams, Ralph Adams Cram), the New Humanism (Irving Babbitt, Paul Elmer More), the Southern Agrarians (Allen Tate, Robert Penn Warren, Albert Jay Nock), modern Intellectual Conservatives (Richard Weaver, Russell Kirk, Walter Lippmann, William F. Buckley, Brent Bozell, Irving Kristol, Norman Podhoretz, Michael Novak, George Will), Libertarians, Neoconservatives (Jeane Kirkpatrick, Bill Kristol), Paleoconservatives (M. E. Bradford, Thomas Fleming), the Religious Right (Phyllis Schlafly, , Francis Schaeffer, Jerry Falwell), the Economic Right (Friedrich von Hayek, Milton Friedman, Ayn Rand, Alan Greenspan).

 

And how about these influential books/authors: The Law of Civilization and Decay by Brooks Adams, The Education of Henry Adam by Henry Adams, The Road to Serfdom by Hayek, Ideas Have Consequence by Richard Weaver, The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk, The Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater (actually written by Brent Bozell,
Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom, Wealth and Poverty by George Gilder, Beyond the Melting Pot by Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Up from Liberalism by William F. Buckley, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. And of course there were many other books—going back the Federalist Papers, Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France.

 

Now, how many of these journals have you seen or read: Triumph, National Review, The Public Interest, Commentary, Southern Partisan, Chronicles of Culture, Reason, The New Criterion, Weekly Standard, First Things, The American Conservative, American Spectator, The National Interest, Dartmouth Review.

 

Do any of these institutions ring a bell: Cato Institute, Young Americans for Freedom, Hoover Institute, the Moral Majority, the Rockford Institute, the Center on Religion and Society, the Olin Foundation.

 

All of the above people, institutions, journals and movements are covered in Patrick Allitt's book The Conservatives: Ideas and Personalities Throughout American History (Yale University Press 2009). Allitt is professor of history at Emory University.

 

I recently read Allitt's book and came away understanding more about the intricacies of conservatism in our country. Part of the strength of this book is the way it shows the diversity of 'conservatism' in American history. Various conservative groups had intramural fights; conservative thinkers disagreed with each other; conservative movements split over emphases.

 

Interesting themes among some of these movements have been: a negative attitude toward egalitarianism and democracy; the love of elitism and hierarchies; the support of authoritarian leadership; the distaste for immigrants.

 

I believe conservatism in its less extreme forms has been helpful in reminding us all of the 'law of unintended consequences' which builds on a notion of 'original sin'; that is, keeping in mind the evil propensities in human nature. Conservative thinkers have also taught us the usefulness of old traditions and customs—and the need for stability.

 

Both conservatives and liberals like to use texts for their own purposes. The President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, asserted that God was on their side, helping the southern army defeat the invaders. He quoted Jeremiah's words:

 

Then the Lord said unto me, out of the North an evil shall break forth upon the inhabitants of the land, and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee. (Jer. 1.14)

 

After the Civil War was over there appeared the 'Lost Cause Conservatism.' The ideology of White Supremacy arose, the KKK was formed, and southern writers declared that just like Jesus, the South had been crucified. Southern culture, in their minds, had been temporarily defeated, but would rise again. (Don't we all claim to have God on our side?)

 

Allitt begins one chapter with this thought-provoking statement: "Think of the Civil War as a conflict between two types of conservatism." Lincoln's conservatism was in the tradition of the Whigs—a conservatism that wanted to 'conserve the Union.' At the same time the Southern Conservative slaveholders were trying to conserve their way of life with its aristocracy and unpaid labor.

 

America needs conservatives and liberals. As these two points of view clash with each other in civil intercourse a balance is struck. The dialectic of differing views keeps democracy healthy. As long as extremists are held at bay, good conservative thinkers give our culture stability and point us to foundational matters.

 

Myself, I'm part conservative and part liberal. Sometimes the liberal part of me needs to pay attention to the conservative part of me, and vice versa. Conservative writers like George Will, David Brooks, and William F. Buckley help me think through issues. Their civil tone and well-reasoned arguments feed my brain. Much of the time I disagree with their conclusions because our assumptions are different. But not always.

 

As a coincidence, just as I was thinking about writing this blog post, I read an article by the same author in The Christian Science Monitor (November 15, 2009) about Sarah Plain's popularity as she begins a book tour for Going Rogue. In his article, Allitt refers to some of the history of conservatism in America and places Palin in the populist sector of conservatism. His conclusion is that the Republican Party, in order to regain its power, needs to stick with the intellectual sector of the party. He speaks of the "intellectual dignity that it sacrificed in the McCain-Palin campaign."

 

Too bad politics now depends on the TV image rather than on brains. However, we were lucky to get both in Obama.

The Skeptical Bible

In the Sunday lectionary the Book of Job comes up only twice every three years, and Ecclesiastes only once.  Why are these books not very popular with the lectionary committee? Could it be because they are the skeptics of the Bible?


The Book of Job questions the tradition belief that God rewards the faithful and punishes the unfaithful. It portrays life to be more complicated than that. It undermines the 'system' of thought that makes things simple.


Ecclesiastes has some nice passages, like 'For everything there is a season...' But the author is basically unorthodox. He doesn't seem to believe in an afterlife, saying that humans are no better than dogs in that regard. His eschatology is: When you're dead, you're dead, and that's it. Period. So, we might as well 'eat, drink, and be merry.' He keeps saying, 'Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.' Which is to say: It's all futile. Not your Easter Sunday Sermon text.


Alice Camille calls Job and Ecclesiastes the "two minority reporters" of the Bible (U.S. Catholic magazine, August 2007, p. 39f.) Job in its original form was probably edited to make the story come out better (a prologue and epilogue added on). Ecclesiastes almost didn't pass the rabbis' test for inclusion in the canon. But there they are. In our Bible. Making us think. Asking serious questions about faith. Skepticism has its place in the conversation about faith. We have to ask honest questions. We can't place our faith in make-believe truths. Pious platitudes and pithy promises are pernicious. 

I like the title of Camille's article that I referenced above. It is: "Don't Believe Everything You Believe."  

I read a lot. But my reading is slow compared to Nina Sankovitch. She started last October reading a book a day for a year. That's right--everyday for a year she read a book. And--the next morning she wrote on her blog a brief review of the book she had read the day before. Wow.

During this project she decided not to read any book she had read before, and not to read more than one book by any author.Obviously she didn't have a job.

Most people concerned about education in our country say that one of the most important things parents can do is to read to their children when the children are young. Get them into the habit of reading. Show them how books can be fun. And set an example. Children who see mothers and fathers reading books regularly will see how important it is.

Nina's reading project seems extreme, but stirs my imagination. However, how many books one reads is not as important as how one reads. Actually, in the Christian tradition, there has been an emphasis on slow reading. We might call it meditative reading. The Christian name for it is lectio divina. This ancient method of reading Scripture is seeing a revival in our time. There are many books out now about this spiritual discipline.

Here's the way it works. There are four steps. First, lectio: choose a Scriptural passage and reading slowly...meditatively...read out loud...savor the words. Second, meditatio: choose a word or phrase from the reading and quietly mull it over in your mind...repeat the word or phrase slowly over and over...let it sink into your heart. Third, oratio: talk to God about what is happening in your meditation...listen to what God is saying to you...ask God what he/she is saying to you through this passage. Fourth, comtemplatio: now just rest in God's presence...let go of thinking or analyzing...just be with God.

You don't get much reading done this way. You can't read through the Bible in a year doing this. But you get more out of what you read. This is a prayerful way to read Scripture. It's a way of letting the Bible read you.

So, Nina accomplished a great deal in her reading. She challenges us all to be more committed to our reading habits. But there's more than one way to skin a catologue of books.

A list of the books she read, her reviews, and more can be seen at her site. 

Methodist Pastors' Quandry

The United Methodist Church has a problem. As you know, the Methodist Church is episcopal in polity (it has Bishops); and pastors are appointed to congregations by the Bishop (and his/her cabinet). Unlike Presbyterian pastors, the Methodist guys and gals don't worry about having a place to go next; they are guaranteed a placement. We Presbyterians use the free market system. We have to go out and find our next job -- apply, interview, preach, and all that. But our lucky Methodist sisters and brothers just wait around until the Boss tells them where to go (so to speak). But now, the Methodist system is getting saturated because of declines in membership in the congregations. Too many pastors, not enough churches. What to do? This is a problem.The Catholic Church has the opposite problem: too many churches, not enough priests. They got nuns, but none can be priests. I feel sorry for my Catholic brothers (priests) who have too many parishioners to keep up with. And I feel sorry for my Methodist brothers and sisters who don't have enough parishioners to give them a job. Throughout my pastoral career I've often wondered if I would be able to get a job after finishing one pastorate and beginning to look for another. Of course in our system the pastor is not supposed to say anything publicly about looking for a new church; it's none secretly so that you don't become a lame duck. You have to go to interviews and communicate with Pastor Nominating Committees on the sly. Then--when you have been sure you have a new call--you tell your church that you're leaving. That's one thing I've liked about being an interim pastor--I could upfront about my contract and the need to begin to find another church. I've often been envious of the Methodists in this regard. They don't have to market themselves. Their system takes care of them. But now it appears that they are running into the supply-and-demand reality. If I really believed in comprehensive predestination I wouldn't worry about any of this. But since I only believe in partial predestination I've worried about job continuity over the years. I've been lucky. I've never been without a pastoral job. Maybe 'luck' is providence. Maybe not. Anyway, I'm looking for a part time pastoral position in Alabama soon. So far, no luck. (Or no providence.)

[see article about the Methodist dilemma at this site] 

Belgium Waffle

Not long ago I went to Bob Evans and ordered a Belgium Waffle. When it came I was surprised at how little it was. You used to get a Belgium Waffle and it covered the whole plate--even lapped over it a little. But this waffle was the size of a big saucer. You've probably noticed as I have how so many food items have gotten smaller. You buy a bag of potato chips and it looks like a nice size bag, but when you open it--poof--all this air comes out; they have filled it with air to make it look bigger than it is. And so many things are packaged that way today. They want you to think you're getting more than you actually are.

That made me think about the church. (No, not preachers with hot air.) I wondered if we in the church are offering people more than we actually deliver. Do we preach a gospel that promises that people with faith will always be happy and peaceful? Well, it isn't so. Faith does not ward off troubles and suffering and gloom. Bad things happen to good people. And good things happen to bad people. And arbitrary accidents happen to everyone. Do we 'package' the Biblical message in such a way as to make it seem more than it is? 

Jesus said: Peace I leave with you--my peace. Not the peace that the world gives. That's it. There is a difference between the peace that the world gives (which everyone is looking for) and the peace that Christ gives. Christ's peace is a deeper peace. More profound.

It is there (and real) even when you don't feel peaceful. Even when you're depressed. Even when you are an emotional wreck. Christ's peace is a reality, not a feeling. It is a status, a relationship, a truth, a foundational reality. Christ's peace is not full of empty air. It is substantive. Feelings are fleeting. They are like birds that flit from tree to tree. But God's peace is unchanging; solid; like a rock. And beyond understanding or explanation. So, I will stop.

The Belgium Waffle was smaller than I expected,

but it was good.

Well, anything with syrup on it is good.

Christians that are too nice

The blog post below brings up an important discipline that is sorely lacking in some churches. Where did we ever get the idea that we are supposed to be nice instead of being truthful?

Isn't telling falsehoods wrong? Shouldn't falsehoods be challenged? The blog is entitled Church Discipline 101. 



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Killing Giants

Killing Giants

a sermon by wayne mclaughlin

***************************************************

Text: 1 Samuel 17. 4-8, 32-49

2 Corinthians 12.6-10

November 8, 2009

Memorial United Presbyterian Church

Xenia, Ohio

******************************************************

Stories are sometimes mutli-leveled; that is, they can be read and understood on more than one level. Many Biblical stories are that way too. This morning's story about David and Goliath is a case in point. We could just read it as a historical event. It would then say something to us about David—his bravery, his skill, his faith. It would say something to us about Israel and the way God helped Israel defeat its enemies. But in order for the story to speak to us in any relevant way, we have to put ourselves into the story and see what happens has that ancient story comes alive within each of us, and among us. I'm going to provide some doors into the story so that we can enter and experience it for ourselves…

Part I – "If the armor fits, wear it."

"Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. David strapped Saul's sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, 'I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.' So David removed them." [1 Sam. 17. 38-39]



How many of us have tried to wear the personality of someone else?

How many of us have tried to be someone else,

rather than ourself?

Have you ever had problems with self-acceptance?

I have struggled all of my life

to simply accept who

and what

I am.

There have been times in my life

when I have tried to wear someone else's persona.

I have thought: I'm too introverted to be a minister…

Ministers are supposed to be extroverted, back-slapping, story-telling, charismatic conversationalists who can inspire people and close the sell.

That's not me.

Many times I've prayed, "Lord, are you sure you didn't make a mistake calling me into the ministry? Or did I not hear you right?"



It's like the farm boy who one day looked up in the sky and saw a large cloud in the form of the letter "P." He immediately knew what that meant. It meant "preach." God was him to be a preacher. So he left the farm and became a preacher. One Sunday he was telling his congregation about how the Lord had called him through that cloud. As the parishioners went out the door that Sunday, a woman shook his hand and leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I think it meant 'plow.'"

What I have learned over the years

is what David seemed to know immediately—

that I cannot be someone else.

And that's okay.



For me, self-acceptance was taken place

with the context of a larger Acceptance

which we Christians call the grace of God.



What about you?


  [I have been trying to wear....              ]




 

Part II – "A tall order"

Goliath was tall—"six cubits and a span." [NRSV]

That's tall, isn't it?

Well, maybe; what in the heck is "six cubits and a span"?



Some translations say Goliath was six and a half feet tall; others say he was nine feet tall.

It depends upon which Hebrew manuscripts you follow.

The standard text indicates 9 feet; the Dead Sea Scrolls have

6 ½ feet tall.



Unless people were really little back then,

I think we'd have to go with 9 feet tall, wouldn't you?

Actually, I don't really care.



In David's eyes, Goliath was really BIG.



We all face giants, don't we?

We come up against problems and situations

that loom large

on the horizon of our life.

What are some of the "Giants" that we face?


  [The giant that I face right now is....                ]

Part III – "About to get stoned"

David picked up five smooth stones from the wadi.

The wadi? (The river bed.)



David knew what his resources were.

He reached down and got them.

Five smooth stones.



Sometimes we have to reach down.

Sometimes we have to reach up.

Sometimes we have to reach out.

Some times we have to reach deep within.

God has given us the resources we need

to meet the challenges that come our way.

Let's name some…



    Other people, prayer, inner strength,

         friends, family, the church, our own wisdom,

                imagination, government resources,

                       social agencies, dreams, the Bible,

                                          literature, medicine, etc.



[Resources that I have available to me...                ]




 

Part IV – "Get ready, get set, go!"

The story says in verse 48: "When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine."


Sometimes the worse thing we can do is nothing.

The solution to being stuck is to move.

Our natural inclination when we face a Big Problem

is to run the other way.

But what we need to do is what David did—

to face the Giant,

and meet it head on.

What is it that you are running from today?

What is it that you have been afraid to face?

Take a moment and decide what first step you will take

toward meeting the challenge that faces you….


[The step that I am going to take is....             ]


 

Part V – "With God nothing is impossible"

The story of David and Goliath is really a story about God.

The key to this story—the punch line—is verse 47:

    "…that all this assembly may know

    that the Lord does not save by sword

    and spear; for the battle is the Lord's,

    and the Lord will give you into our hand."



The battle is the Lord's….

God did not kill Goliath without David;

and David did not kill Goliath without God.

Throughout the Bible we are told that

we are meant to live in partnership with God.

We need God's help.

And in some sense—God needs our help.

That's the way God has set it up.



We make a mistake when we think we can

do everything on our own.

We are not meant to live that way.

We need God.

On the other hand,

we are mistaken if we think God is going to

do everything for us.

God has given us responsibility for our lives.

It's the heresy of "either/or" that gets us in trouble.

It's a matter of balance.

Are you leaning too far one way or the other?


    Too much dependence on yourself?

    Too much dependence on God?


  [I am not depending enough on.....              ]


  

Last Thoughts

David and Goliath.

An old story.

A story about David.

A story about Israel.

A story about God.

A story about you and me.



The bigger they are, the harder they fall.


Did you notice that David picked up five stones?

Why five?

You only need one to do the job.



Maybe David wasn't sure.

Maybe he thought that he might miss the first time,

and the second time, etc.

Maybe his confidence in himself and in God

was lacking.



David—lacking faith?

Well, he didn't pick up just one stone.



Let's tell the truth—we're all like that.

Sometimes we don't believe in ourselves.

And sometimes our faith in God is small.

But, like David, we can go on and do what has to be done.



The important thing is to take the first step.

Move toward the giant.




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new bible translations

There are three new Bible translations being worked on right now: the Common English Bible, the International Standard Version, and the New International Version 2011. Samples from these bibles can be read online. See the blog about this a the Better Bibles Blog.
You can read many versions of the bible online. Here are three Bible versions that I have downloaded to my computer: The Expanded New Testament; The Better Life Bible; The Net Bible. You can google those titles and find sites for downloading them free. Most any Bible version can be downloaded onto your computer, though most charge a fee. But you can read them online for free.
And if you want to read the Bible in its original Hebrew and Greek, that too is available online.
Our new technology is a blessing. The many versions of the Scriptures are blessings too. It reminds us that every version is an interpretation in some sense. It reminds us that we don't have the literal word of God, but only the interpreted word of God. Which gives us a little more humility.
If God had not wanted diversity in Scripture, he wouldn't have given us four gospels.
Take up the Scriptures--in many versions--read them, study them, mull them over, meditate upon them, and make them come alive in your life.

A Presbyterian changes his mind

Professor Mark Achtemeier is a long-time New Testament scholar at one of our Presbyterian Seminaries. Just recently he gave an address at a meeting of Presbyterians and told about his change of mind on the issue of homosexual ordination and marriage. I found it interesting.

The whole speech is linked here from the Presbyterian Outlook magazine.

Blue Parakeet

I finished reading The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight. A very helpful book. There are many books that cover the same subject, but this is the best one I've read. Oh, the subtitle is 'Rethinking How You Read the Bible.' Scot McKnight is one of the most interesting New Testament scholars writing today.

He says the seven most important words in reading the Bible are "that was then and this is now." His motto is: God spoke in Moses' days in Moses' ways; God spoke in Jesus' days in Jesus' ways; and he spoke in Paul's days in Paul's ways. And God speaks in our days in our ways.

McKnight uses the principle of 'reading the Bible with tradition' rather than 'reading the Bible through tradition.' He reminds us that we are all 'pickers and choosers' when it comes to interpreting the Bible. He reminds us that God is not the Bible, and the Bible is not God. McKnight emphasizes that an important part of the plot of the Bible is the development of a covenant community. He writes about how we tend to jump from Genesis 3 to Romans 3—from the Fall to Redemption. He says, "So, now that we've got the fall, let's get to redemption. I like this, but there's something missing. (Like 1033 pages!)"

I really like the way he outlines the plot of the Bible. He uses five themes:

• Creating Eikons (Gen. 1-2)
  
• Cracked Eikons (Gen. 3-11)
  
• Covenant Comunnity (Gen. 12 – Malachi)
  
• Christ, the Perfect Eikon, redeems (Matt. – Rev.20)
  
• Consummation (Rev. 21-22)
  

McKnight's book teaches us to understand the Bible as Narrative, not as a law book or a list of blessings or a Rorschach test or a puzzle to be solved. It's a love story. It's about our relationship with God and others.

At the end of the book he uses the passages in 1 Cor. 14 and 1 Tim. 2 about the silence of women as examples of how understanding the historical and cultural context frees up the Scriptures to make sense for contemporary believers. He shows that neither 1 Cor. 14 nor 1 Tim. 2 command all women at all times in the church to be silent. Both passages are about certain kinds of women who are temporarily admonished to become educated before teaching others.

This book would be a wonderful text for adolescents or confirmation study or new Christians. Professor McKnight says at one point: "God bless 'em, but some folks see some of the goofiest things in the bible, and I wish I could just blow Holy-Spirit-air on them and cure them of their silliness."

I think it is this kind of reading of the Bible that would throw new light on questions about homosexuality and other controversial questions. "That was then and this is now."

 

 

Loss

There was an interview with the author John Irving in the AARP magazine. The questioner asks, "You've often spoken of Dickens, Hawthorne, and Melville as influences. What appeals to you about these earlier writers?

In his answer Irving quotes Melville: "Woe to him who seeks to please rather than to appal!" Irving: "I buy that."

The interviewer asks what the Melville quote means. Irving says: It means be serious. Life hurts. Reflect what hurts. I don't mean that you can't also be funny, or have fun, but at the end of the day, stories are about what you lose.

Could he be exaggerating? Maybe not. Loss is a big part of our lives. We don't like to talk about loss; it's no fun. I attended a seminar a few years ago on grief ministry. The presenter made the point that we grieve small losses practically every day.

Each year (or each day?) I'm aware of losing youthfulness. I'm losing strength, the ability to remember, and hair.

Every time we make a decision, we lose the other options we decided against. We lose opportunities. We lose options.

Interim pastors have signed up to lose relationships. We enter into relationships that are intentionally temporary. From the very beginning we know that we will lose those relationships. It's part of the calling. It's a sacrifice we make for the kingdom of God.

All of us will lose those we love. We are mortal. That's a fact. Not a pleasant fact. John Irving was saying out loud what we don't want to hear. Life is about loss.

So much loss. Loss of innocence; divorce; retirement; unemployment; natural disasters; accidents; pets; disease; transfers; rooting for the wrong team; finishing a book.

Loss is the price of the seriousness of life. Loss is the price of love and commitment. It's the rent we pay for a meaningful life.

Christ's promise of eternal life is the promise that all losses are not ultimately lost. He came to seek and save the lost. He redeems our losses. The lost are found.