E. Stanley Jones on the Triune Nature of God

Recently I pulled from my book shelf The Way to Power and Poise by E. Stanley Jones (1949), prominent Methodist missionary and ambassador for Christ for much of the middle 1900’s. The work is meant to be devotional, and it is. At the same time it into engages the full bearings of scripture, doctrine, and the self.
Here is an example of Jones’ reflecting on the nature and work of the triune God:
"God the Father is God for us; God the Son is God with us; God the Spirit is God in us. I cannot be satisfied with "for," more with "with," nor with "in." God the Father is the Creator; God the Son is the Redeemer; God the Spirit is the Creator-Redeemer within. The Father’s love, the divine intention; the Son’s approach, the divine invasion; the Spirit’s coming, the divine indwelling. God dwelt in a holy temple, then in a holy person; now He dwells in us who want to be holy. God in the Old Testament is Light; God in Jesus is Life; God in us is Power. Each time He comes closer, until He finally He comes to the ultimate place - within." (P.32)  

Teamwork advice from Ignatius of Antioch

Ignatius of Antioch wrote seven letters on a journey from Antioch to Rome, ad 107-110. One of those letters was to the young Polycarp, a leader of the church in Smyrna. Ignatius' language within the letter sounds similar to Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus. He continues a trend in those letters to utilize present cultural metaphors to convey his encouragement. His favored parallel is sport. At one point he writes, "Be vigilant as God's athlete. The prize is incorruption and eternal life" (ch 2). In another spot he writes, "What makes a great athlete is the fighting and then achieving victory. We must especially endure all things for God's sake that he may endure us". In his encouragement of Polycarp and other leaders in the church he appeals to the analogy and reality of sport.

When he turns his attention from Polycarp in particular to the church he combines the metaphors of  sport and military to give advice on teamwork.  

Work with one another, compete together, run together, suffer together, and get up together as God's stewards, companions, and servants. Seek to please the one in whose army you serve. From him you receive your wages. Let none of you be found to be a deserter. Let your baptism remain your weapons. Your faith as your helmet. Love is your spear. Endurance is your full armor. Your down payment is your works so that you can receive back wages. Be patient with one another as God is with you (ch 6).

Some might call his counsel common sense advice, but there is a unique difference - Ignatius' emphasizes the role of "together", in other places he names this as "unity". Ignatius applies what he understands about the nature of the Triune God to the kind of life we are called into when we join the way of Jesus. Ignatius' advice is good for life in the church, or working in an organization. It is also good advice for all those who are about to embark upon sporting endeavors. I am especially thinking of my boys who begin their football season tomorrow.

Come, Creator Spirit

For an upcoming class on theology one of our books is Come, Creator Spirit; meditations on the Veni Creator.  The work is written by Raniero Cantalamessa.  Since 1980 Fr. Cantalamessa has been the Preacher to the Papal Household.  He has a web site where you can find other writings, homily's, recordings, etc.  (http://www.cantalamessa.org/en/index.php)

The book for our class are reflections on a hymn, Veni Creator, in Latin, or in English it is Come, Creator Spirit.  The hymn was composed by Rhabanus Maurus (780-856), who was priest and Archbishop of Mainz.  Cantalamessa notes that Luther and Teerstegen (a mystic who was the source of many of John Wesley's hymns) used the hymn.  While I am unfamiliar with the text, I am happy to have had this glad awakening. 

Cantalamessa writes that the book is not about the hymn, it employs the hymn to reflect on the Holy Spirit.  This is what he has done.  I'd recommend the book to anyone desiring to reflect on the nature of God and the person of the Holy Spirit.  You'll find the text steeped with per-schismatic reflections of the church, especially Pre-Nicean writings, and sprinkled with concerns taking place today. 

Here is the Hymn that sets about the ruminations of Cantalamessa.

Come, Creator Spirit, 

visit the minds of those who are yours;

fill with heavenly grace

the hearts that you have made

You who are name the Paraclete,

gift of God most high,

living fountain, fire, love

and anointing for the soul.

You are the sevenfold in your gifts,

you are finger of God's right hand,

you, the Father's solemn promise

putting words upon our lips.

Kindle a light in our senses,

pour love into our hearts,

infirmities of this body of ours

overcoming with strength secure.

The enemy drive from us away,

peace then give without delay;

with you as guide to lead the way

we avoid all cause of harm.

Grant we may know the Father through you,

and come to know the Son as well,

and may we always cling in faith

to you, the Spirit of them both.

Amen.

As well as including this hymn, Cantalamessa includes other prayers/hymns to the Spirit near the end of each chapter.  The work is a treasure trove which rightly guides us in worshipping God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Multiple Eyes

This week Mt. Pleasant Public Schools (MI) are one spring break.  For some time Anna had been planning a trip so that we might show Serge, our German exchange student, some of the America. 
On Saturday of last week I was running around town and noticed that our van was due for an oil change, a good thing to have done before one sets out for a trip.  Along with changing the engine oil, we had the transmission oil changed.
Upon returning to the house I thought, maybe I should put our converter in the van and see how it works.  Before Christmas I had bought a DC to AC converter so I could put lights on my tractor for the Lighted Christmas Parade in Mt. Pleasant.  I changed wires on the converter, put it in the van and turned it on.  It worked. 
A couple of moments later I would be frantic.  I could not get the van to start.  Nor in my prodding could I find the problem. I checked the fuse boxes, I checked other wires. 
The next day after church, on the day of planned departure, with the kids all packed and panting wondering when we're going to leave, some guys from the church came over.
Brian brought his son Greg and a jack.  Stan came with a lot of knowledge about vehicles.  Bert and Dan stopped by with a hearty helping of laughter.
One question they all asked me was, did you check the fuses.  I replied a couple of times, yes.
After checking the starter, the battery and the kill wire from the transmission, it was time to check the fuses again and the switches that reside in the fuse box.  To do that you need a mulit-meter.  This is another tool I don't have.  Brian has one but we soon discovered that it wasn't working.  At that moment Roy drove in.  Roy is a man with many talents and a specialty is electrical stuff.  Roy had his multi-meter in tow and began poling around.  Before long he found the problem - a blow fuse.  The converter had blown a 10 Amp fuse that disabled charge from going to the starter.
With that fixed our help loaded up and went on their way and we did too. 
I told Anna, I thought I had checked all the fuses.  I pulled every one. But I missed the blown fuse.  Maybe it was the dimness of the light when I pulled them, or the tool I was using blocked my vision, or my eyes were tired, or the thought of something going wrong clouded my vision.  Whatever it was we were parked without a charge until we had more eyes than mine alone.  The multiplicity of eyes saw things I missed. 
I am thankful for those guys who brought their eyes to see and think and solve a problem. 
Soon we were on our way to see other things in the opening week of spring.

Caroling and the Trinity

Here's part of a letter that I shared with the church I pastor reflecting on our recent Caroling activity.  
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From Luke 2 (NLT)

²¹ Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

 ²² Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. ²³ The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.”^{[a] 24} So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”^[b]

³⁶ Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. ³⁷ Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four.^[c] She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. ³⁸ She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. . . . And his mother stored all these things in her heart.

Greetings Church,

I’ve been thinking about this scene from Luke’s gospel after the events from Sunday.  In the morning we heard about the angels and how they worshipped and ministered to Jesus, and then announced His presence among the people of the world.  We picked up their songs of joy in worship and many from our midst offered gifts of song, music and art to the Lord.  Since then many have given voice to the presence of the Holy Spirit in a palatable way.

In the evening about 18 of us went caroling, we went to take the song of the angels to people in our community.  Those we went to were like Anna, widows who were well along in years.  As we sang, those we sang to joined in singing, their faces were bright and in at least one instant, tears came forth.  The tears reflected joy in being remembered, joy in having visitors, joy in Emmanuel – God with us. 

As the night unfolded we singers were beginning to catch a glimpse of the significance of our task.  We were doing something more than fulfilling an age old tradition, like Joseph and Mary when they kept the law by going to the temple on the 8^th day.  We were bearing witness to the Love of God for the world and for people in particular, people who are often overlooked and bypassed. 

As we took joy we received it in return.  Our hearts burned like Mary’s, as we considered how a little singing and a little visit could be appreciated so much.  Our hearts pondered the mystery of grace; of giving, of receiving, of the power of singing Christmas carols.  The teaching of the church about the trinity would tell us that we were taking part of the great dance of holy love that exists between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, where each gives freely and receives with much rejoicing.  It’s hard for many of us to comprehend the Holy Trinity in our minds, or explain it with words, but experiencing it we can say there it is.  As we sang, we knew we were giving; as our listeners clapped and sang and cried, we were receiving, and in our hearts we have much to ponder and rejoice over.  We were singing in houses and apartments – but with the Love and Joy of the Lord – these places had the air of being some of the world’s greatest cathedrals.   

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus with your family, friends and neighbors, be encouraged to reach out to someone close to you who may feel bypassed and share the joy of the Christ child.  May your gift bring joy and love.  May your homes and gathering places become some of the greatest cathedrals of the world.  And above all, may you find that in giving and receiving Emmanuel – God with us – is with you, and your very life is taken into the Holy mystery of the Holy Trinity.  This is the reason for the season, God with us, and us with God.