Summer Musings...

This morning I was talking to a pastor-friend of mine.  He had been asked to officiate at a memorial service by the son of the deceased man -- a man who did not consider himself to be religious or profess a faith.  These are always tough spiritual assignments for clergy -- it is at the occasion of both weddings and funerals when the "unchurched" present themselves.

When a clergyperson stands up to address those present at either of these two occasions I always sense a tension in the assembly.  The tension is there because who of us has not sat through a painful sermon on these occasions?  On top of that, as I reminded a group of assembled Christians the other day, "Before we pray, let us be reminded that those outside of our faith consider us to be mean-spirited, judgmental, and hypocritical... now how can we not be like that?"

Now back to the memorial service of a man who did not profess a religion:

I suggested my friend might say something like this:  "We all might not be religious, but most of us i would guess would ourselves 'spiritual.' What does that mean? To me, to be spiritual is to be open to the Spirit... to acknowledge there is an "other;" something outside u and greater than we are.  Perhaps it's just being open to and humble in the world.


"I happen to be a Christian... that means that I seek the Other through Jesus. Jesus is my way. He may not be yours... but that doesn't mean God's work in you is in any way negated.  I do not consider it my life's work to convert you -- my life's work is to try to live as I believe -- and that's more than enough work for me!

"I believe, and my Holy Scriptures tell me that God created each one of us -- all of us -- in God's image. Those of us who are religious or spiritual try to seek and know the Spirit that emanates from God.  We also know that we must also to seek the "God-image" in  the one another.  In the process of seeing God in others we can more realistically work for peace in the world.

"Today, we come together to remember a man in whom God's image was planted.  As we all have this "imprintation," we all have a piece of God in us.

"I didn't know him whom we are memorializing.  I never met him, but I do know his son who is here with us today (and I see this imprinting of both God and his father in him).

"Now I would like to stop talking and sit down and listen to you, those of you who knew and loved this man.  I would like to hear what you remember most about him and how you saw God's light/image shine through him...."

And sit down.

Have a blessed summer.  For you men, remember the retreat coming up next month at the MacKenzie Center near Poynette, WI (September 17-19).  It is a great spiritual retreat and I guarantee it will change your life for the better!