Living as a Believer in a “More is More World”

Dear Friends, Guests, and Faithful Members,

Seasonally, we're getting into Pentecost. I have spoken of the Spirit in the context of both fire and air over the past few weeks. We need the discerning the Spirit brings now more than ever! Not to mention the fruits of the Spirit: "joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22–23). These fruits have almost been vilified as the cult of the masculine and sovereign Lord rises to support cults of supremacy and violence. We live in interesting times.

Today my focus isn't politics, it never really is. But even living very simply carries implications both ecological and economical. Sometimes we're forced towards simplicity out of necessity. But the power of paring down and releasing ourselves from the constant obligations to what we own can be spiritually freeing. Jesus' invitation to the wealthy young man who sought eternal life was to sell his stuff and give to the poor and come follow him (Matthew 19:16-22). We usually read this to be a test. Was the young man serious enough? Were his things and attachment to the material more important than his attachment to the idea of something eternal? Perhaps, we think, he lacked generosity. 

But the amazing thing is that all this man's wealth and all he had were not the blessing everyone supposed. Jesus' invite was meant to free him. The result would have been a much more sharply focused life and ministry. 

So it is with us all. In this culture of excess, are we defined by what we have? Or is there more to who we are and who we’re called to be. I guess in this I'm not speaking to everyone. This community already includes the unhoused, the poor, the taken-advantage of. As is so often the case, I'm preaching to myself and hoping that what the Spirit is working with me on will be a blessing to another.

Grace and Peace!

Pr Greg