Tag: Bless

Be The Light

Be the light. A YMCA devotion for those called to bring hope to darkness and to stay faithful amidst suffering. Like Mary, the beloved mother of our Lord Jesus. #flourishingforall

When the times seem dark, when the burdens of living cause you to stumble, when you wonder why life is turning out this way, remember Mary.

Artistic gifts from the nations, of Mary mother of our Lord Jesus, at the Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth Israel

Our OnPrinciple team of 24 YMCA leaders visited Nazareth in February 2020, and a highlight included visiting holy sites where it is believed that the messenger Gabriel announced to young Mary that through her the Messiah of Israel would be born – The Annunciation.

Below are more pics of the Catholic Basilica of the Annunciation, as well as some from the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation.

Growing up as a Evangelical Protestant Christian in the Midwest, I was taught to be suspicious of Catholics, to not consider them as even Christian unless they had a born-again experience like me.

This included disregarding Mary, reviling at Marian devotion, and looking down on anyone who held Mary in high esteem.

I’ve been having to detox from this bigotry.

Visiting the Basilica of the Annunciation changed something within my heart towards the Mother of Jesus.

The pictures below try to capture some of the beauty created through architecture and art in remembrance and celebration of The Annunciation.

I was humbled by the lower section of the Basilica, which has an earthen, wooden feel to it, centered around the home of Mary, where Gabriel visited her.

The upper level is full of light, it draws your eyes up, particularly to the towering cupola, a structure of magnificence and awe.

What turned my heart towards Mary in a more personal way was the many works of art depicting her from the point of view of over forty different countries.

I posted a few of my favorite below – Brazil is so joyful, Mexico makes me smile; America makes me grimace, and I still can’t figure out the Canada one.

As I reflect on this place, this sacred space, I’m reminded of the light that Mary brings to those who remember: her simplicity, her faithfulness, her courage, her determination, her fierceness, her enduring hope, her generous love.

The times were dark when she was visited by the messenger of God. The times are still dark for many in the world.

We can look to the mother of Jesus as a source of inspiration, as one who trusts in the Lord, who will follow him to the end, in love.

When I think of the need for more light, I think of the need for more of us to let Mary light our way.

She was loved by Jesus; but it was her mothering love that shaped his infant, adolescent and adult life. It was her songs that stirred his soul, her faithfulness to God that he in part imitated when he faced heart-breaking hardships.

Be the light.

Let the light of Jesus shine through you in the dark.

Learn from Mary the mother of Jesus on courageously enduring to the end, to the vindication, when God makes all things right.

Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth, Israel
Basilica front door; 8 engravings from the life of Christ
Basilica lower level, facing 4th century basilica ruins over the home of Mary, where she was visited by the angel Gabriel
Altar inside the original basilica
Upper level of basilica, facing the back of the sanctuary
Facing the front of the basilica upper level sanctuary
Front altar, upper sanctuary
Flower shaped dome jutting up above the front of the basilica sanctuary
Mary the Magnificat : America

“And Mary sang out:

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.””


‭‭[The Magnificat, the Song of Mary, from the Gospel According to Luke‬ ‭1:46-55‬ ‭NIV‬‬]

Mary : Mexico
Mary & the Holy Child : France
Mary : Polonia
Mary : Brazil
Mary : Australia
Mary : Portugal
Mary : Canada
Mary : Spain
Mary : Japan
OnPrinciple Team, group pic at Basilica of the Annunciation
OnPrinciple Team enjoying the warm hospitality of the Nazareth YMCA board members and friends.
Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation; built over an underground spring where it is believed the angel Gabriel visited Mary

Click here for all of the blog posts reflecting on the YMCA in the Holy Land.

Fire in the Face of God

What would you do if you came face to face with God? What would you do if fire destroyed what you loved? How do you prevail in the midst of complicated struggles? The story and fate of Peniel is a metaphor to me of the YMCA, America, and our faith.

Fire! It’s a cry of alarm when the flames stretch forth, unwanted, under protest, against what you treasure.

Fire! It’s a shout for joy when the sparks take hold of the dry tinder, the night is brisk, the stars are out, and your friends are ready to gather around to warm up and tell their stories.

Fire! It’s a sign of judgment, a cause for destruction, a threat of scorching pain. It’s also a means to survival, purification, and transformation.

Haaretz.com photo credit/firefighter at Peniel

Fire unexpectedly scorched beautiful Peniel, a YMCA haven of rest in the Holy Land, a little piece of heaven on earth.

A shock to the soul in 2016!

Why would God let this happen here? What does it mean? How do we interpret the flaming disaster?

And what now in 2020?

YouTube.com/Guy Shacar, three weeks after the fire
Four years after fire swept through the Tiberius coast, Peniel is a burnt hull.

When Archibald C. Harte retired from his remarkable career with the YMCA in the 1930’s he purchased a plot on the Sea of Galilee and transformed it into Peniel, a beautiful retreat for weary YMCA workers and travelers from around the world.

Beautiful Peniel in Tiberius, along the Sea of Galilee

Peniel means “face of God” and comes from the Hebrew Scriptures, a story where a traveler named Jacob wrestled with God, lost, was renamed Israel, and limped away transformed.

Jacob named the place Peniel for he had struggled with God (hence the name “Israel”) face to face and lived.

Over the years Peniel became a thin-space for YMCA workers, where it did seem that heaven met earth there, and folks could experience a face to face encounter with the Lord in their soul.

Spectacular vista from Peniel patio of the Sea, Golan Heights, and the sunset
Lush walkways throughout Peniel, shaded picnic areas, a sunny beach
Harte Memorial Chapel, the heart of Peniel, a sacred YMCA thin-space
The overgrown, desecrated chapel; broken windows, vandalized; yet holy.

So when fire ravaged the “face of God”, many who had strong roots and formative memories at Peniel grieved the loss deeply.

How to make sense of it, and what to do now?

The legal and cultural situations quickly became complicated.

Meanwhile entropy emerged on the property through vandalism, desecration, squatting, and the weather.

Through wise, collaborative, and patient leadership, plans for restoration of Peniel are being formed.

A renewed purpose is being prayerfully considered.

YMCA workers around the world are seeking the face of God for inspiration, direction, and open doors for the rebuilding of this sacred space in the Holy Land.

My visit to Peniel was through the OnPrinciple cohort, a strategic YMCA program through the Harold C. Smith Foundation.

It brings together Christian YMCA leaders from across the United States to grow in their capacity to strengthen the Christian mission of the YMCA in the 21st century.

This training in agile learning and adaptive leadership skills is mediated through an online curriculum supported by venerable Springfield College, an immersive sojourn with YMCA’s in the Holy Land through the guidance of Friends of the Jerusalem YMCA, and an intensive series of seminars with the Global Leadership Summit.

The cohort of 12 learners and 12 mentors is an innovative, rich and transformative YMCA program that brings together our dual emphasis of Christian principles and diversity, inclusion, global.

Archibald C. Harte of the YMCA and Peniel

Archibald C. Harte was a visionary leader, making possible the construction of the Jerusalem International YMCA.

His love for the Lord, the YMCA, and the Holy Land, combined with his commitment to peace, solidarity, and friendship, inspired our OnPrinciple cohort still shapes the purpose of the JIY today. Read more here.

Peniel, a safe place for all to rest and enjoy good company
Peniel patiently awaiting restoration and renewed YMCA hospitality

The YMCA has long been a Christian organization which authentically strives to be welcoming for all.

Especially in the Holy Land, Jews, Christians and Muslims all work together in friendship and solidarity at the YMCA.

The Jerusalem International YMCA, which oversees Peniel, is renown for their diversity and inclusion of Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, all sorts of faith backgrounds but one thing in common: love for the YMCA mission and legacy.

Dedication stone at Jerusalem International YMCA, set by Archibald Hart.

So in a world still full consumed by violence and bigotry, hatred and war, poverty and oppression, how can Peniel be a crucial thin-space again for all, for transformation through the sacred struggle together?

Christians believe that in Christ Jesus we see the face of God; we also believe that we are sent into the world as “little Christ’s” meant to embody his grace and truth in love.

We believe that when we love, care and serve in the world like God in Christ does, through the gifts and guidance of the Holy Spirit, people can still experience the transformative face of God.

Christian hospitality becomes a way to co-create thin spaces in the world where spiritual transformation, sacred struggles, new names, holy purposes can be given and received.

Fire in the face of God is consuming yet purifying, burning but illuminating, painful yet transformative.

May Peniel become a renewed site on the Sea of Galilee where YMCA workers can experience a purifying fire in the face of God, amidst their struggles feel again the call to go and be the light, to be the good news of God in our burning yet beloved world.

Thanks to Mike Bussey for most of the beautiful pre-2016 Peniel pics, and some post-fire ones.

The Blessing – the Church,the City, the Y

A friend shared this song with me the night before Easter. Each time I’ve listened to it, I get teared up. It’s taken me by surprise, this rarely, if ever happens to me and music.

When I reflect on what I find so moving about this virtual church choir, there a few things that come to mind.

One, I love seeing city churches like this coming together to bless a city, especially when everyone is going through a hard time. Rev. Roger Reece of Associated Churches is the one who shared this song with me, and I appreciated his Easter greeting and gift, particularly since his work everyday is about knitting together churches to bless our city of Fort Wayne.

Two, it’s a really good song, performed by talented singers who are obviously moved by the music as well. A few of them captivate my attention, they seem so caught up in the message and moment, it really is inspiring. Makes me wish I could sing, or inspire like that, to encourage others and make this kind of connection with God for others.

Three, when I think of the mission of the YMCA, of the different leaders and Christians who are part of the Y, across the city, and when I listen to this song, it resonates deeply in me. The Y can be a powerful catalyst for connecting different kind of churches to be a blessing in their city. Yes, each church can be a blessing on their own. But how much more powerful when we do it together. This song points me to John 17:21.

Fourth, it reminds me of what I want my children and family to experience with the Lord. That God is for them, and with them, and he hears them and wants to bless them with his presence and calling, to pour his favor upon them, that they, that we might be a blessing to those he sends us to.

May the peace, favor and blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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