Get out of jail free!

Get out of jail free!

Last’s week’s blog – The Doing – created some great conversation both through social media and here. In fact, one of the regulars who engage in discussion helped plant the seed for another blog: joy and suffering. In fact, that’s about what I had intended to write. Still a good idea, but I got derailed by my constant wrestling with the affairs of the Mayor of Toronto …

I do not think this is a political blog. I know there’s always a tension when faith and politics mingle. Though I have no problem – in fact, I believe people of faith of are called into the political – there does nonetheless remain a tension. Now I would love to engage in such a discussion, but I have been struck by two things that also connect with faith: Pastoral Care & the ‘Jesus’ card.

Pastoral Care

The media has – without a doubt – had lots of material offered to them by the fallout that has been occurring by the choices and actions of Rob Ford. The late night pundits and comedians have had no shortage of options about how to make them funny and offer critique.

Recent coverage is not dissimilar to what happened with Charlie Sheen. There are clear indications that substance abuse has been present for both men and I wonder – in all of the merry making that is and will occur at their expense – what that says about our own acceptance about people’s brokenness? I am as guilty as the other person in finding mirth in many of the comedic critiques, but I wonder: am I amused because humour is being used to point to deeper issues or am I laughing, in order to keep the Other far enough away that I do not have to look in the mirror?

The Jesus-card

To say that there is cynicism in our culture about organised religion, faith platitudes and Christianity and Jesus would be redundant. What does it mean to have a Jesus moment? To find faith? To be transformed by moments of insight and revelation? These questions are central to the faith journey and … it seems that it’s become – in pop culture – a possible ‘get out of jail free’ card.

It is not my place to judge whether or not someone (in the throes of what looks like a spiritual and life-changing spiral) has experienced epiphany. I do wonder, however, what it means if that has occurred? What does change actually look like? I cannot address the appropriate cultural cynicism in a blog, but I think I have some authority to speak about matters of change, of transformation. I may not know the answers for anyone who claims awakening, but I will leave this blog with questions hanging …

  • Has finding faith led to a place to address the temptation of ego?
  • In moments of awakening to a larger Truth, do you speak with humility to others?
  • In discovering your own fragility, is there space for compassion where (perhaps) there was none previously?
  • When discovering a spiritual and transformative faith, of what are we called to let go?
  • As revelation dawns, what power must be let go in order to honour the path ahead?
  • When epiphany smacks us to the ground and we struggle to put together new pieces called life, to what extent are we emboldened to confession and seeking forgiveness?
  • When we see with new eyes, does that also mean that new life means letting the old die?
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