Occasio

Mystery, Eucharist and Sister Titziana

This is my friend, Sister Titziana.

 

See that smile on her face? That's the real deal. I'm not sure I've ever met such a peaceful woman. She is a little Italian who speaks in broken English and often asks "How do you say...?" or "What is the word for...?" As I was taking the above picture she was showing us the statue of Jesus at the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master Liturgical Center. The book in Jesus' hand is scripture and it reads "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Her enthusiasm in this picture comes from reciting those words out loud and having us do the same.

For half a dozen years I have been having Sister Titziana visit my Worship Ministries class. After she gives us an orientation to Catholic worship in one session, we take the next day to visit the convent where she lives and works as a spiritual director.

Most of the students in my class come from evangelical backgrounds and know nothing of liturgy, not to mention the Catholic mass. It always seems there is a bit of anxiety the first time I bring Sister into class. But by the time we are through with a couple of class sessions with her they are glad for the opportunity.

Sister Titziana's ability to teach matches her ability to bless and encourage. We learn about the mystery of Jesus through the holy communion of the Eucharist. Though she points to the Lord's Supper as the high point of the worship service (Protestants have almost completely replaced this with preaching of the Word as the high point, while relegating communion to a ten minute experience once a month), she is quick to convey that all of life is communion with God through the mystery of the Spirit in Jesus Christ. Protestants love to make Jesus their best friend and often reduce God to something that is reasonable, rational and tangible. Sister has helped me understand that worship is most powerful when we understand that God is transcendent, ineffable and unknowable. There is both a horizontal dimension (more Protestant) and a vertical dimension (more Catholic) to understanding God.

So many people believe that a formal-liturgical style of worship is cold and meaningless. That's because no one has ever taught them the meaning of the rituals. There is a reason that college students have a growing interest in liturgy (example: thousands of college students make the journey to Taize, France, to experience ancient practices of silence, chants, meditation, etc.). The postmodern pilgrim is hungry for the spiritual, the supernatural and the mysterious. Ancient disciplines often bring the depth and meaning they seek.

When we drive away from the convent I like to ask my students a question, "Do you think Sister Titziana loves Jesus?" After spending time with her, there's no doubt about it.

Remember Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi

And love is not the easy thing
The only baggage that you can bring
Love is not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind...

For the last week and a half Burma has been a place of unrest and violence. Today 100,000 people took to the streets in Yangon, marching in protest of the brutal ruling junta's policies of oppression. Until today these marches have been led by hundreds of Buddhist monks, but early this morning the government raided several monasteries beating and arresting at least 600 of the holy men; they will certainly be taken away to prisons of violence, torture and possible death. Security forces have fired upon and killed monks and protesters, including a Japanese journalist, both yesterday and today.

In 1962 a violent military regime ended Burma's brief period of democracy. It was this junta that changed the name of the country to Myanmar, and changed the city name of Rangoon to Yangon. Resistance movements around the world still refer to the country as Burma, though the U.N. recognizes it as Myanmar. In 1990 the regime bowed to international pressure and held its first free election. The democratic party of Aung San Suu Kyi scored a remarkable victory with over 80% of the popular vote. In an act of brazen defiance, the government nullified the election and detained Suu Kyi. She has spent a majority of her time in Burma under house arrest or in prison since the election. In 1991 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her commitment to peace and non-violent resistance in the pursuit of democracy. She has had the chance to leave Burma to join family in the United Kingdom but refused to abandon her oppressed people.

You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed, to be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly, for freedom

Oh, oh
Walk on, walk on
What you got, they can't deny it
Can't sell it, or buy it
Walk on, walk on
You stay safe tonight

In 2000, U2 wrote the song "Walk On" in honor of Aung San Suu Kyi's courageous life. It was released on the album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, a line taken from the song. It's a powerful, political, hopeful song about Suu Kyi's work, and calls all of us to put on love, the only thing that can't be left behind.

Though she had a brief meeting with monks last Saturday, yesterday it was unofficially reported that Aung San Suu Kyi was taken from house arrest to a notoriously brutal high-security prison, probably in an attempt to isolate her from the monks and other loyal followers.

Home...
Hard to know what it is, if you never had one
Home...
I can't say where it is, but I know I'm going
Home...
That's where the hurt is...

And I know it aches
And your heart, it breaks
And you can only take so much

Walk on...

Here's a version of "Walk On" with "Peace on Earth" as the intro. Notice the appropriately placed "Hallelujah" section; it's beautifully juxtapositioned to the sorrow and pain of the song (Bono as psalmist!). Full lyrics to the song are here.

Check out Jim Carrey's comments about Suu Kyi as he promotes the U.S. Campaign for Burma.

Watch this news video for a report from Wednesday, September 26.

Remember Burma. Remember Aung San Suu Kyi and her followers.

The Good Samaritan, U2 and Diversity in the Church

Building a Culture of Peace Week
Fresno Pacific University
“The Good Samaritan, U2, and Diversity in the Church"
October 2, 12:40-1:50, SCC 122
Feel free to bring your lunch into the workshop

For those in the Fresno, California area, next Tuesday I will be collaborating with a couple of students to bring the workshop, “The Good Samaritan, U2, and Diversity in the Church” in conjunction with Fresno Pacific University's annual Building a Culture of Peace Week. We will:

• look at the story of The Good Samaritan from the perspective of the victim
• examine the motif of peace and reconciliation as found in the works of U2
• discuss aspects of diversity in the church with specific focus on: valuing differences in the congregation, honoring “the other,” the place of diversity in worship, etc.

We'll have a good time examining scripture, watching/listening to U2, and discussing what diversity in the church is (or what it should be). Please feel free to join us if you are in the area. Send me a note if you need directions.

____________________________________________________________

We're one, but we're not the same
Well we, hurt each other, Then we do it again

You say
Love is a temple, Love a higher law
Love is a temple, Love the higher law
You ask me to enter, well then you make me crawl
And I can't be holding on to what you got
When all you got is hurt

One love, One blood
One life, you got to do what you should
One life, with each other
Sisters, Brothers
One life, but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other

Excerpt from “One”
By U2

Back to Bloggin'

I've taken quite a hiatus from blogging in the past few months. What have I been up to?

• I had foot surgery
• I completed my second year of doctoral studies
• I spent a lot of time with my two boys and my wife
• I learned a few U2 songs ("Bad" on acoustic with a delay - very fun)
• I remembered I like sailing and looking at the stars

I'm back, energized, refreshed.