Meditations with Pastor Tom (7/21/20)

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. ~ Galatians 5:22

            I often hear people say, "I'm not very religious."  They generally mean that they don't put much stock into organized faith systems like Christianity, or into anything that seems remotely supernatural. In that sense, it is an honest proclamation.  But more broadly speaking, what they are saying is simply not true.  Everyone has a religion, even those who claim to be atheists.  Each one of us has a system of beliefs or values that defines our life, that tries to give us purpose and meaning.

            I remember talking to a bright, vivacious young lady, Emily, who just had just graduated from college as a philosophy major.  She said, "Everyone has a philosophy, whether they know it or not." I would say the same thing about religion.

            The word religion comes from the Latin word religare which means "to tie" or "to bind."  All of us have tied ourselves to a set of ideas that form the backbone of our attitudes and orientation to life, whether we know it or not.  Emily and I are probably using the words religion and philosophy almost synonymously.

            The real question is not "Do you have a religion?" The real question is "Is your religion really working for you and for our world."  In other words, "Are you (and our world because religion is never just about you) being saved by what you believe in?" To find out, ask yourself these questions about your religion:

~ Is it leading you to toward more love and wholeness as a human being?

~ Is it leading you toward more inner peace and contentment?

~ Is it leading you toward more joy and self-control?

~ Is it a healing force in the world?

~ Is it moving the world toward peace, harmony, and justice?

            Believing in the Christ should lead anyone to answer all those questions in the affirmative.  If your "religion" isn't doing that, I would say something is seriously lacking.  If your Christianity isn't doing that, I would say that you need to re-evaluate the way you're doing your faith.        

            Jesus says he came that we may have abundant life.  Abundant life is characterized by the fruits of the spirit listed in Galatians. Abundant life should be what any religion is about.  Is yours?

The Sermon this Sunday

Thelma's story - a black woman in all-white Catholic church in 1969.