The Narrow Road

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it."
~Matthew 7:13

I used to think this verse was some kind of trick God's playing on us--an indication that only a few people would win the God-lottery. It looked to me like predestination (the idea that when you're born you're already destined for salvation or damnation) which was scary. Or else it looked like we could be saved by works, which (without even being really Lutheran) I was always thought was a terrible heresy.

Reading this verse this morning, it has a very different meaning. I'm much less concerned about "heaven" in the traditional sense these days. It seems to me that my own personal salvation from the guilt of sin so that I can go to heaven when I die is just not that important. I mean it's nice and all (I'm glad that I don't have to wallow in that guilt!) but I'm convinced that that's not all that Jesus was about.

I think that Jesus is talking about a way of life--a "road--that "lead's to life" in this world. Not just for me, but for all my neighbors--for everyone. I mean real, joyful life together, where we can bring each other joy, ease each other's pain, laugh and dance and sing and make beautiful things happen together. Thing is though, that's a hard road. If I'm going to really follow Jesus in loving my neighbor, I can't hang on to all my extra stuff when there are people without clothes or food or beds. It'll require me to face pain that I'd rather ignore. It requires--if I'm really following Jesus here-- bieng ready to die, just as he did, for a love that breaks the rules.

whoa.

That's a hard road. That's why grace is so great-- I'm bound to screw up. It's a narrow road, but not so narrow, I think, that we couldn't fit a couple of friends alongside.

Spring

I love that it is warm enough now to be outside. to talk, to eat, to read, to walk leisurely to class, to take a nap on the lawn... I am so thoroughly fulfilled by real things like grass and sunshine and little flowers poking up everywhere.

I met someone this week who told me that they "used to camp, but decided it was too much work." This is a bizarre concept for me. For one thing, the hard work is part of what makes living in the wilderness worthwhile for me--I like to earn my pesto-pasta. and for another thing, I feel at my most real when I'm outside. I just can't get that buzzing feeling in my veins from anything I can do in a building. How could it be that you can prefer watching a movie to paddling a canoe?

Of course, I know that such people exist and are in no way less 'right' about life than me. Something I'm trying to come to terms with: it is possible to live a fulfilled and generous life with an approach entirely different from my own!

When I think about it, that's really beautiful. The only limits to the good that can exist in this world are the limits that we put there.

What if we don't?

He is Risen!

Happy Easter, everyone!

I split my holy week celebrations between Christ Chapel, here at Gustavus, and Open Door with the family. In both places I really felt something lacking to the experience. Holy Week at Open Door appears to me to be a especially big chance to show off. There used to be a choir from the congregation that would sing on Easter, but no longer-- now the Easter service looks more like a rock concert, with fancy lights, loud music, and jubilant atmosphere. Don't get me wrong-- it was very cool-- but I felt like I was just consuming church. I sat, or stood in my place in the sanctuary and watched fantastic musicians sing while I got to sing along. The sermon was about 'third-day' hope, and was particularly applicable to many in the congregation as their financial hopes seem to fade. The whole experience made me feel like Easter is supposed to be about me--my hope, my salvation, my relationship with God. A sense of community--of being in this together-- was conspicuously absent. The same thing was the case on Good Friday, minus the jubilance. It made me wonder-- what can Holy Week really mean if I look outside of myself?

Although my thoughts on the matter are truly embryonic, I wanted to share them. Maybe you can help me develop these ideas. What does the death and resurrection of Christ mean in your world? How does it effect the way you live?

I started to think about the suffering of the crucified Christ in terms of the many people in the world who are now suffering. This comes from liberation theology, the 'theology of the poor' thatI'm studying in school right now. As Jesus said, "you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me." At church on Good Friday we were asked to enter into the experience of Christ's suffering, to remember his pain. What if we took the opportunity to enter into and remember the suffering of those all around us as well? What if we took up the cross on their behalf? How would that change the way we live?

Easter brought up an even bigger question--what is salvation anyways? If all salvation means is 'you beleive that Jesus died for your sins and go to heaven when you die', well, ok. But that doesn't mean a lot in my real life, you know? What if salvation means the coming of God's Kingdom in this world? Now that can mean something to me. What if Christ's death and resurrection is an example of how things should be? What if resurrection is still happening in the most unlikely places?

Now that's exciting.

Support Camp Amnicon: Packs and Paddles

Hello friends!

So if you've been paying attention, you know a little bit about Camp Amnicon-- only my favorite place in the world! Here's an invitation to support their wonderful ministry and my work there AND have a nice evening out at the same time. I'm working on finding a ride down to the cities for the event (anyone driving that direction on May 1?) It's sure to be a great time supporting a great ministry.

"Many youth today are "at risk" of not being healthy on a variety of levels. In an effort to follow Jesus' call to reach out to the marginalized and powerless members of society, Camp Amnicon offers life changing wilderness tripping programs for many youth who need help establishing strong roots.

You are invited to help make these opportunities possible by attending this fabulous fundraiser! Taste wine, cheese and chocolate from around the world. Come prepared to bid on great silent and live auction items as you fellowship with other Amnicon supporters.

When: Friday, May 1^st

Time: 6:30 to 9:30 pm

Where: the Zuhrah Shrine Center in Minneapolis (2540 Park Ave).

Cost: $35

RSVP by calling Camp Amnicon, (715)364-2602."

Wanna hear something that drives me nuts?

Bottled.

Water.

Now don't get me wrong-- I really love water. I love being hydrated. I love the way that water tastes (even St. Peter water!). I love swimming in water, canoeing on water, and hearing running water first thing when I wake up in the morning.

I love the way that water makes things live.

How many times have you heard this: 60% of the human body is water. We can't live without it.

In Daoism, water is a symbol for the Dao, or 'the way'. It loves humble places. It nourishes all things without trying. It fits into every vessel.

In my personal spiritual journey, water has become a symbol for God--perhaps its because I spent three months living on rivers. A river is always changing, always the same. It can be furious and powerful and dangerous, or broad and sunny and calm. It changes the landscape. Everything nearby draws its life from the river.

We are so blessed to have access to clean drinking water just by turning on a tap. 1.2 billion people in the world are not so blessed. Currently a cholera epidemic is killing hundreds in Zimbabwe--an epidemic that wouldn't exist if clean water were available.

So why do we feel the need to buy and sell bottled water? Why do we trap this essence of life in cheap plastic, which only adds to the pollution problem? In some parts of the world public water sources are being privatized in order to produced bottled water, increasing the need of the poor and oppressed while feeding the consumer culture of the elite.

So...

What are you going to do?

We're Going to India, La la la la la la!

I just found out: I'm officially, definitely going to INDIA for next fall semester!

HOOORAAAAAAAAAAAAY! YIPPEEEE!

I'm a little excited.

I'm going on a program that Gustavus sponsors along with Concordia called "Social Justice, Peace and Development in India" along with 15 other students, including my magnificent boyfriend, Brendan. We'll be learning about culture, religion (my personal favorite!) ecology, politics, and a whole host of other interesting and important things. We'll get to travel around the country, interact with Indian people of all sorts, and (oh yeah...) eat a LOT of Indian food. The format fits in time for book-learning, hands-on learning, and lots of reflection, as well as a week off for us to travel as we please. I'll be gone from the end of August until partway through December.

Now I just have to find the money to make it work...