I Have A theory

I read today another nonsensical article by an atheist who claims scientists have proven that the universe did not need a creator. In fact many astrophysicists  have come to believe in God because they have concluded that the universe had a definite beginning and therefor had to have a beginner (creator).
I have a theory that atheists were created by aliens who have stolen their brains. I know it's just a theory, but when I test it with my experience and understanding it seems the only plausible explanation. Now I will be able to build another theory on my unproven theory and then another until we are many generation from reality and then I can call anyone stupid and delusional who doesn't agree with me.
I'm both a scientist and a theologian by training.  I love science and I continue to read and pursue understanding of the material world through empirical study and rational conclusions, but I stop short of calling theories facts. I've never claimed to be able to prove the existence of God, but like much in science I hold it as a working theory that has proven to be reliable to such a degree that I assume it to be true and am willing to share my experiences of God as evidence that it is one hundred percent true. The article I read said that atheists have been treated like arrogant ignorant people by those of us who have faith in God. I didn't write a book called, "The God Delusion" which places any of us who might challenge his beliefs as delusional. That's not arrogant and ignorant of course.

Laughing Is Great

In the picture my friend Dave has me wearing a golf hat that his son gave to him. Once he wore the hat to our golf course in MB as a laugh. Laughing is good especially when it is with someone not at someone.
Last night at our small group I asked the group to share one thing it was unlikely anyone else in the group knew about them. We laughed and laughed at some of the things that people shared. It was proof positive again that people are very interesting.
It is often the simple things that bring moments of happiness and to help people to connect with one another. That bonding of people seems to contain moments of emotion, joy, fear, sorrow or others.
I find that to be true of our experiences with God as well. We are more open to possibilities when our lives are impacted by emotional circumstances. It is not that we set aside our intelligence or reason when our emotions are engaged, but rather that often our intelligence is stimulated when our emotions are engaged. We speak all the time about the increases in physical ability when adrenaline is in our system. Our body reacts differently when emotions are engaged but our senses and our reaction times improve because the emotions cause emotional changes that stimulate a bodily response. I'm not speaking of emotionalism which engages the emotions while discarding our intelligence. I'm also not recommending intellectualism where we elevate the mind without the inclusion of our emotions. We are human and humanity means the intertwining of mind, body, emotions and spirit.

Relationships Are Great

I had a nearly life long relationship with a great woman. At times it was a love hate relationship but always the love far exceeded the hate. Relationships are hard. When we let people get close we know they see both our good and bad, and we see their good and bad at the same time.  If the relationship really matters we work hard enough to overcome the challenges and work through the difficulties. We take time to think about, and communicate with people who are truly significant to us. Most of us become experts at human nature because we study people in order to find out way through the maze of life working hopefully toward happiness. When I married Marsha we did not live on the same planet. I came from a stoic family that rarely expressed emotion and she came from a family where emotions flew around everywhere all the time. I had trouble dealing with her emotional nature and she didn't know what to do with my lack of emotion.  We worked at those and other differences and grew to love each other deeply and value our relationship intensely.
At times I have struggled with my relationship with God in much the same way. I have worked hard to develop that relationship too. I have read His word and prayed for understanding. I have spoken volumes to him and I have sat in silence and learned to listen. I make every attempt I can think of to look at everything in life through my understanding of the nature of God, while I work to try and make the nature of God, the experience of God in the world and my own reason come together in some meaningful way. I can't expect my relationship with God to be any more meaningful than any other if I fail to make it a priority. Relationships are great especially a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, but relationships are work especially the most important ones.

I'm Retired You Know

I keep taking one step and at a time. Often it is one step at a time up a fairway at some golf course like the one in the picture, but I lots of other things to fill my life. I loved being a priest because my days were always varied and at one and the same time the day was in my control and out of my control. I could go with the flow and really try to be open to leading of the Holy Spirit, and yet one call from a parishioner in an emergency and my life was out of my control. I thought when I retired that life would be more predictable. I found it easy with Marsha to settle into a very pleasant routine. We had variation in our days, but we also had predictability. We became involved with activities at church and with friends. Life moved with a measured rhythm. When Marsha got sick life began to become less predictable again. Now life seems to move at a fast pace again. Let's say the rhythm is faster. I do love that life is busy and full. Between hobbies, friends, house, and church I have a great deal to keep me occupied and yet I feel like I again have that go with the flow control I loved so much. I've heard many retired people say they don't know how they ever had time to work. Retired life is so full and busy they can't imagine how they managed life and work too. I would say the same and that is what makes retirement so great. I get to fill the day and I better not complain because it's my life to fill with whatever I want. I'm retired you know.

Good Not Enough

The picture is of my son Dana juggling at a music festival in Maine. When he gets those objects in his hands he definitely gathers onlookers. The adults around are not as obvious in their viewing as the kids in the picture. I picked the picture because he is better than good at this talent. When it comes to life I think we settle for less than we should. I think we settle for far less than God wants from us. The God I love looks at our world and wonders what we are doing. Excess in one place with  poverty in another. We set expectations for ourselves far lower than those set by God. For instance the scripture clearly says that as Christian we can live without committing sin and yet if you listen to people they proclaim that because we are human we must sin. We act as if an hour at church and ten minutes of prayer and perhaps a little  act of charity once a month is enough response to what God has done for us. We set standards for ourselves that are meager at best and allow the vast majority of our time talent and energy to go to our own pleasure. We need to realize that even in our times of fun and enjoyment we are called to be serving God. The interesting part of that equation for me is that the closer I get to my whole life being about serving God, the more I find a life filled with peace and joy and love. We may do a few good things and settle for second best and think all is great, but good is not enough. We settle for to little to often. My life is his and good is not enough for God or for me.

Saint Francis

I love the prayer attributed to Saint Francis. I especially love the parts where it is not what you get but what you give that matters. I also love his insight that it is in dying that we are born to the greater reality of eternal life. I think I love him because he walked on the wild side like me and eventually found that the real peace is found in God not in wine, women, and song. It's not as if I don't like a good time, it's not as if I don't want a laugh or a dance or a song, I love those things. What I have found is that they are just not enough when I compare them to the knowledge of the love of God and the peace that this creates. I'm also in some ways moving more toward a better person. I'm not finished but I'm not the man that Marsha married. I'm a much more patient , kind and gentle man than in any of those early years. I don't have the marks of the crucifixion on my hands and feet like Saint Francis, and I never stripped naked to run down main street while renouncing all my worldly goods, but I have changed my life focus. Somehow our culture clutches to the love of animals part of the story of Saint Francis and ignores the gentle peaceful poverty part of his witness and call. In many ways I can't understand how Saint Francis is so popular in our culture. When Marsha and I married we had so many plans to be wealthy and to have everything. We certainly changed our values as the years went by. I'm no Saint Francis but I have moved in that direction and I love him as a role model and his values as a goal.

Small Group

Tonight was the first meeting of the small group I will lead for the next several weeks. I have eleven participants in my group and I was surprised that they seemed to have little contact with each other even though most have been in the parish for a relatively long time. It is interesting to me that one of Jesus most consistent messages is for us to love one another. How is that possible if we worship together but don't even know each other. The world gets more crowded all the time as population grows, and yet people seem to get more isolated and more isolated as the decades go by. We live alone in a crowd or we share our lives with a select few while protecting ourselves from so many others. I enjoyed the way the group shared tonight and I hope they also felt comfortable with the openness.
Quite a few of the participants shared excellent examples of awareness of God and clarity about his support and care for them in life situations. I think we are off to a good start.