Wednesday, March 30, 2022

BITTERSWEET


Dear All of Us,

So, how are you each and all?

Actually, that's quite a concern 

of my heart.

I think much and pray deeply 

for all of us who gather here weekly.

My little efforts in this blog 

are a try to clarify and encourage 

as we live through the ups and downs 

and all arounds of what we call our 

spiritual lives.

Of course, there's really 

no such thing as our "spiritual lives."

There's just life in its wholeness,

and hopefully its holiness. 


And right now life is 

pretty darn hard

in so many ways 

for so many people 

in so many places.

Please allow me a go at trying to 

clarify and encourage a little bit 

as best I can with my limits.


Like you, I'm in the midst of the mix.

It's so like chocolate   - bittersweet - 

sometimes a lot more 

of one than the other.

Right now there's a burst of the bitter.

We live in lands and societies

quite different all around the orb.

Our specifics vary, but all peoples are

are troubled, some to terror.


The pandemic has taken 

the starch out of our souls, 

   - admitted or not -

It continues to rub our noses

in vulnerability.


Putin's satanic slaughter

is hellish horror

beyond grasp or word,

devastation of people and place.

It has torched the tissue

of international stability.


People on every continent 

are subjected to dreadful

violence and violation -

Myanmar, China, Ethiopia, 

city streets USA,

a few of too many more.


Undergirding flaws are causing 

the floor to give out under 

structures of church, finance, 

civility, safety, education, 

health care, democracy 

and governance,

the common life and good.

We just don't know 

how much will hold up

nor how we are to hold on.


We're all living in some variant of 

a war zone.


Here where I live in the USA:

- a fundamentalist Christian right 

that is neither Christian nor right

prostitutes the Gospel for

social/political dominance

- White nationalism that refuses 

to see and confess the sin 

of racism that is sadly

foundational and corrupting

to our national construct.

It's like the days of 

my RC youth when you carried 

an unconfessed mortal sin

and were thus not admitted 

to Holy Communion.

Confession alone can open 

to reconciliation.

-Truth telling muzzled, 

book burnings, 

curricula white washed,

fact fractured.

-Cynical slander in 

media and politics - 

congressional hearing

of Justice Jackson.


OK, let's take a break 

and a deep breath.


There is a sweet to the 

bittersweet of our living.

-God is joyfully busy, 

unabashedly creating forth in

endless new expansions of love.

Sin will not stop it.

-We have the companionship

and strength-giving of

The Enlivening Spirit.

-We are welcomed to the

     Realm of Real

to living in the Reign of God

and that in company with

each other in holy community,

right in the midst of 

Empire's Madness.

-There are way more people

living God's Love 

than those who are attacking 

Godness and Truth.

See kids learning 

the wonders of life.

See couples lovingly

merged in marriage and

raising beautiful families.

See the champions of

justice and goodness,

locally and globally.

See elderly folks mellowing

into peace and gratitude.

-Happily we can

sing songs, 

speak poems,

cook for feasts,

join the dance.

Folks come together in

        Lived Love 

     and experience

        The Spirit 

      fill their sails.


This time of year we note the

      Springing of Life

after the cold dark of winter.

We recommit to absorption in

the bitter death and 

the sweet resurrection of Jesus. 

        BITTERSWEET


In the words of my long ago 

spiritual director:   

     "Don't let the bastards 

      get you down

      because with God 

      it's power through and up."

Bitter for sure and sweet forever.


Here's hope and prayer

as together we 

suffer the bitter and

savor the sweet.

 Your Brother

  John Frank

    ******

                 BITTERSWEET

                 Two takes/talks

                 Romans 6:3-4


"Do you not know that all of us 

who have been baptized 

into Christ Jesus were baptized 

into his death? 

Therefore we have been buried 

with him by baptism into death, 

so that, just as Christ was raised 

from the dead by the glory 

of the Father, so we too 

might walk in newness of life."  

     (NRSV translation)


"That's what baptism into 

the life of Jesus means. 

When we were lowered 

into the water, it is like 

the burial of Jesus; 

when we are raised up 

out of the water, it is like 

the resurrection of Jesus. 

Each of us is raised into 

a light-filled world by our Father 

so that we can see where 

we are going in our new 

grace sovereign country." 

(The Message translation)

            ******

This week we were joined by 

a visitor from Ukraine.

Thank you for being with us 

and know we are with you 

and all Ukraine

in prayerful support.   

          

         frankly speaking

    spirituality for the street

johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

Posted by mid-day Wednesday, 

          east coast USA time.

Email format delivered Friday.

              ******


          Together

We support in times bitter.

We celebrate in times sweet.

            ******