Category Archives: Dreams

Making the Leap to Peace

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Franz Jagerstatter

Franz Jagerstatter pictured on the cover of a book of his letters and writings from prison.

He was in many people’s eyes just an uneducated farmer. He had made mistakes in life, like all of us, and he had his faults. Many people, including his parish priest, bishop, and many close friends, thought he was crazy. His name was Franz.

Franz was born in 1907. He was a loving husband and a devoted father of four young daughters. He had been inspired by a dream in 1938. In his dream, he saw a marvelous train coming around a grand mountain to pick up a large group of people. For the people, young and old, the train was the latest craze, the rage of the moment. Almost everyone rushed to get on the train, but then Franz heard a voice, “This train is going to hell!”

Physically waking up, Franz understood the train to represent the Nazi Regime. Spiritually waking up, Franz then refused to fight with the German armed forces. Because of his refusal, Franz was arrested and later beheaded in 1943.

Today, just as in Franz’s Austria, we, like the Austrians, are being propagandized into wars. No doubt, there are grave evils to be addressed, but war, if it should ever come, should only come as a last resort.

It’s deadly wrong to leave the causes of conflict largely unaddressed, not seeking first to create peace through the establishment of justice, and then when people get caught up in the fight, decide to vanquish them through military might.

Yes, in this moment, all this applies to the United States, to my beloved country, to us. Obsessed with our own comforts and security, and blind to the needs and grievances of others, we have spent trillions of dollars on war efforts while investing relatively little time, effort, or money into justice-making or peacemaking. For this reason and others, our current war efforts are not wars of last resort; they are not just; and they are not of God.

I am not talking about our soldiers; they are good people, and most are sincerely seeking to serve our country and humanity.

I am talking about the current calls to war, deceptively scripted for our consumption. Our leaders, our media, and all those behind this are urging us further into war, further into perpetual conflict, and further into something worse. We may feel the lure of their war train calling out to us, “All aboard!” and yes, it may all look marvelous but “This train is going to …!”

Please listen deeply to this story.

While an innocent man was still urging his close friends to pray and resist temptation, an armed crowd, led by a another friend, arrived. Determined to arrest the innocent man, they grabbed him. Immediately, a close friend drew his sword, swung it, and cut off a man’s ear. But the innocent man said, “No more of this!” and he touched the man’s ear and healed him. The innocent man then said, “Put your sword back into its sheath! For those who live by the sword, die by the sword!” He was then bound and carried away.

Jesus healing Malchus' ear

Jesus healing Malchus’ ear. May we all reach out in love to heal each other.

This is the only time in the Gospels that a follower of Jesus caused someone grave physical harm. Jesus’ first response is clear and direct: “No more!” and “Put away your sword!” His subsequent, more reflective words speak of a death, which all who live by the sword experience. While physical death is not to be excluded from Jesus’ meaning, we know that not all who live by the sword, physically die by the sword. Here Jesus is speaking of a deeper death, a spiritual death that comes whenever we live by the sword. From this story’s perspective, by our own actions, we all share in this death, but this death can be remedied by the healing touch of the Messiah, the innocent man, who allowed himself to be bound, taken away, beaten, and killed for our benefit.

Postscript:

While the Catholic Church, which I love, sadly did not support Franz Jagerstatter well during his life, this church in 2007 did honor him as a martyr for his faith and now calls him “Blessed.” In the words of Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, “In a time like ours, the testimonial of Blessed Franz, his unbroken bravery, and his imperturbable strong conscience is a shining example.”

Prayer:

Learning from our past, let us pray that all of us from every faith and from every good spirit will not wait too long to recognize the path to peace, and that we will earnestly seek healing and justice for all, and do all that we can now to avoid war and work for peace. Let’s pray too that it’s not yet too late for each of us to join together and say, “No more!” and to leap off our train and leap into the loving arms of the Spirit for Peace.

Thanks all and thanks be to God!

Righting our Capsized Boat

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Last week, I dreamt that I was in a capsized boat. I kept trying to figure out how to right the boat or to find safety. But it was dark, and I was just stumbling through the boat, waste deep in water. Abruptly, I fell forward but caught hold of a handrail. My head was still above water, and as I caught my breath, I began to think how older folks, like me, with a few years left in their life, were needed to get the boat righted. I thought of young people too and all kinds of people working together to right the boat. Then I woke up.

Later that morning, I reflected on the dream and our world situation. I wrote:

Our boat is capsized
not all see it or feel it
but look around
the needs – the news
the storms

Our boat can be righted
not so much for ourselves
we have slept too long
but for the young and for the future
the alarms are ringing

The Seawise University (formerly RMS Queen Elizabeth) capsized in Victoria Harbour (Hong Kong). Photograph by Barry Loigman, M.D., July 1972.

The Seawise University (formerly RMS Queen Elizabeth) capsized in Victoria Harbour (Hong Kong). Photograph by Barry Loigman, M.D., July 1972.

Some of the wisest words, ever spoken, were spoken by Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” These words compliment Jesus’ perception: “How can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? How fake, how bogus! First take out the log in your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck out in your neighbor’s eye.” To right our boat, each of us needs to start with our own self, not accusing anyone else of anything, but continuing to focus on our own improvement and the improvement of our own groups.

To right our boat, we must also work together! This requires that we practice respect, trust, forgiveness, and love for one another – whether the other be Agnostic, Atheist, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, or a believer in another religion. Let us open our eyes, not so much to what the propaganda machines or the accusing Satans want us to see, that’s focusing on all the specks in our neighbor’s eyes, but focus on “whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, … excellent, … worthy of praise …” (Philippians 4:8). In this way, we can grow together in peace, righting our boat with joined hands, step by step, benefitting from each other’s perspectives. In this, we are ultimately trusting in God, who has placed all these extraordinary people and perspectives here for us and for our benefit. Trust! For “whoever trusts in God, God will suffice!” (Qu’ran 65:3). As we look forward in trust, we need also to forgive the many transgressions of humanity. As the Jewish book of Proverbs teaches, “Love flourishes whenever an offense is forgiven” (Proverbs 17:9). Finally, it’s each of our answers to the call of love that matters. This is beautifully expressed in Shantideva’s prayer:

May I be a guard for those who need protection
A guide for those on the path
A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
May I be a lamp in the darkness
A resting place for the weary
A healing medicine for all who are sick
A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance and awakening
Enduring like the earth and sky
Until all beings are freed from sorrow
And all are awakened.

In doing this, we will see Christians standing for Muslims, Muslims standing for Buddhists, Buddhists standing for Jews, Jews standing for Hindus … Africans standing for Australians, Australians standing for Pacific Islanders … and in this solidarity we will discover and win “liberty and justice for all!”

May each of us work to right our boat: being the change we seek in the world, focusing on bettering ourselves, working together, patiently trusting each other, generously forgiving, and loving all, just as God loves each of us.

Finally, be assured, that each of our parts in this is far greater than we can imagine. Even our seemingly “small” positive actions are having extensive effects beyond what we see. Each of us is part of a much bigger picture, that is beyond our comprehension, and that is creating a new and better future for us all. But we need to work well together now to right our boat.

A Church of New Light

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I was one of the many speakers at the 123rd anniversary celebration of New Light Missionary Baptist Church. My 10-minute reflection was a small part of the two and a half hour service filled with wisdom, exhortation, prayers, worship, history, dance, and music. I prepared these thoughts after prayer and reflecting upon my family’s experience here in Deer Park, Alabama. My words below are taken from a hard-to-hear audio recording. My reflection followed Deacon A. C. Bivens’ reflection, “My Attitude,” a remarkable talk explaining his positive attitude toward life.

“I don’t know if I’m too good with the microphone.” Everyone laughs encouragingly. “I’ll just, I’ll try here” (try speaking by the front pews without a microphone). “And I don’t know how to honor everyone here,” and Pastor Taylor and others assure me that that’s alright, “but I want to honor some other people.”

“Today, we’re celebrating 123 years. In doing so, we honor all the people who have been part of this church: people who farmed, people who washed clothes, people who fought fires, people who endured storms. We honor all the parents, grandparents, children, aunts, and uncles, who sacrificed a lot and suffered, but who lived well by faith, who hoped in a wondrous future, and who built this caring, welcoming community.

The Promise of the Mountaintop

The promise of the mountaintop is shining for us! We’ve never been closer! – Photograph by Nancy Heise of Raspberry Island, Alaska in July 2009.

“Pastor Taylor talks about difficult times. We live in difficult times. He calls difficult times ‘these last and – ’”

Pastor Taylor and many others join in saying: “’evil days!’”

“In these struggling times, my family needed to move, and about a year ago I remember coming up here and stopping at this church and I stopped a few doors down and a kind man directed me to Earl Wood Road. Soon my family met friends there: Douglas Woods and Edward Jackson. Deer Park is a wondrous place. We were really surprised to come here at the all-around tremendous welcome, even the animals welcomed us: the birds, frogs, deer, even a coyote.

“And we found this church, New Light, a church rich in compassionate love – reaching out to all! A church that’s very like a Scripture that’s dear to me, Luke chapter 1, verse 78, ‘In the compassionate love of God, the new light,’ just like the church’s name, ‘the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on us who dwell in darkness and who live in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace!’”

As I’m continuing to say all this, there’s plenty else being proclaimed by everybody too: “Amen!” “Yes!” “That’s right!” “Alright!” “Yes, Lord!” … sighs of agreement and laughter too.

“Each Sunday the deacons come out and pray a lot of prayers that have touched my family: ‘Thank you, Father, for getting me up this morning!’ ‘Thank you, Father, for getting us ready for this day!’ ‘Thank you, Father, for the plan that you have for us this day!’

“God answers these prayers with love all through our services. We hear the answer to these prayers in our pastor’s words and in his laughter, in caring smiles all around, and we enjoy God’s answers in the spirit-filled music, the singing, the drums, the dancing! What is God saying in all this, over and over, Sunday after Sunday? ‘I love you, I love you, I love you, even if no one else loves you, I love you!’

At this point, Chastity, our organist, starts playing the organ. She’s amazing in every service with the organ and her voice. There’s clapping too. Most people are probably thinking I’m done, but I keep going.

“For 123 years, this church has been on a journey to God’s mountaintop. We’ve never been closer to that top. There’s still sacrifices to be made, suffering ahead, much to overcome, but who is with us on this journey? Who? Who strengthens us? Who – ?” (I was going to continue, “Who is always with us?”)

Everyone answers: “… God … Jesus …!”

“Jesus who comes down from Heaven to us, Jesus who is in each of us, each sister and brother! When my family, when all of us are in this church, we feel God’s loving presence.

“God’s Chariot, God’s Sweet Chariot is swinging low for us, forgiving us – no matter what we’ve done, healing us – no matter what we’ve been through, and joining us together to find our way to God’s mountaintop! This mountaintop is a dream to be followed and it’s also a blessed assurance, something we can count on! It’s also an invitation! We’re all good people! We’ve all been invited! This, like any other day, is our day, and we can do it! Together, with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we can plant seeds, together we can share meals, together we can take care of the sick, together we can conceive new ideas, together we can work in the community, fix roofs, together can see that no one is cold during the winter! We won’t do it in a day, but we can do it!

“With the Holy Spirit and Jesus, they’re helping us to bear one another’s burdens, to forgive seventy times seventy, to comfort the sorrowful, to spread kindness wherever we go, to heal the old wounds, the old divisions, and to create a new world, a wondrous world of light, based on justice, generosity, and love! And this church, this church of New Light is being given all the grace it needs to shine its light so that people [and each of us], no matter what they’ve done, no matter what they’ve been through, can find their way to peace, and also that we can all hear deeply the healing words of God, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you, even if no one else loves you, I love you!’

“Can we say it together?” Everyone proclaims in unison, “‘I love you, I love you, I love you, even if no one else loves you, I love you!’” and concludes with simultaneous and spontaneous praise and clapping, “…Thank you, God!…Amen!…Alright!…”

Here are some beautiful songs reflective of the love and singing at New Light Missionary Baptist Church:
I need you to Survive – Hezekiah Walker Trouble in My way, I have to Cry Sometimes – Dorothy Bloat
Jesus Is Love – Melvin Williams Praise Is What I Do – William Murphy

Notes:
Douglas Woods and Edward Jackson are our good neighbors on Earl Wood Road and fellow church members at New Light Missionary Baptist Church.

Related posts:

The Coyote and Our New Home
The Key Story – the first time I experienced “I love you, I love you, I love you, even if no one else loves you, I love you!”

The Coyote and Our New Home

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Coyote

Coyote – photograph by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

On June 15 of this year, while seeking guidance in my family’s decision to move from Dauphin Island, I began reading some Native American works about “vision quests” or “lamenting” or “crying out for vision.” The advice in the readings included the consultation of someone old and wise. Later in the early evening, from our house on the Island, I began my quest taking a walk with no particular destination in mind. From Bienville Avenue, I entered the Audubon Bird Sanctuary and found my way to a wise friend and Spirit bearer, the large old magnolia tree. Placing my hands high onto it and leaning forward on it, I stayed there asking for “vision” and “guidance.” Walking home by way of the beach, I saw the moon rising after its eclipse. The moon was a remarkable yellowish, orange color. Throughout the night, I continued my urgent request for vision.Later that night, in a dream, I was walking through a large capitol like Washington, D.C. This place was under some vague threat, but I was a tourist, a spectator, taking pictures, and I and the other tourists were not particularly concerned about the threat. Soon I came to a stunning, silvery, domed structure with many openings that connected it to the outside. As I was admiring the structure and its outside gardens, a coyote appeared. The coyote was alert and engaging as it darted quickly around the structure. I was barely able to get a photograph of the coyote, when the coyote was once again out of sight.

After the coyote’s appearance, I and the other tourists looked at each other. We knew we had been warned. We knew that we should flee. But the lure of the capitol was strong, and why shouldn’t we enjoy this day a little more, why not see one more attraction, we’d probably be fine. So I kept walking around the domed structure, but then someone shouted, “I see it!” Instinctively, I knew it must be a missile, and I imagined that the person who had shouted must have seen the fire coming from the missile on its approach. With no looking back, I ran as fast as I could in full panic trying to get to some place of safety before the explosion. I knew that the other people must be running too. As I ran and ran, I was so frightened that I did not even dare to look to the side. Still sprinting hard, as I was nearing an area with some tall grass that I thought might afford some safety, the explosion slammed into my back and threw me forward. Still in midair, questioning whether I would live or die, I woke up.

The next day at breakfast, I told my family about the dream. Then, in consultation with my family, I identified three pieces of property that might be right for us.

The following day, I made appointments for myself at each of the three properties. Each of the appointments was for the next day. When I went to the appointments for the first two properties, they were less than I had expected. When I went to find the third property, I had trouble finding it, but with help of some kind people in the area I was able to find it. There were lots of birds, blueberry bushes, trees, and a small country house. The real estate person wasn’t there. I knocked on the door but no one answered.

I decided to take a quick walk around the house and then go into the field in the back. As I was walking on a cleared pathway in the field, I saw an animal along the backside of the field in the tall grass. The animal and I both stopped. We just stared at each other. I wondered what it was. A wolf? A German shepherd?  I was glad that I was carrying a walking stick. Before long we both gained confidence and continued along the way we were going. This brought us closer together until the animal entered the same pathway that I was on. At that moment, it stopped again and looked at me. Out of the tall grass, I could see the coyote clearly. Half with a laugh but much more with astonishment, I asked, “So, is this it, God? Is this how far we have to go to be safe?”

Of course, it’s a longer story with many more details, but this property is now our new home – Deer Park – Washington County, Alabama – just north of Citronelle. We plan to remain connected to and committed to the coast – its people and nature. But now we’re also sharing a new home with new animals, deer and even bear. We hope to do some serious gardening and are meeting wonderful people up here.

In terms of safety (and sustainability), everyone should follow their own heart. Each person’s heart may lead in different directions for different reasons. Ours has led us to Deer Park. Yet all our paths are interconnected. Each person and each family must find their own path. Seek, be patient and alert, wait, listen, …

Our new home in the country

Our new home in the country with Leo, Julita, and Edward – photographed November 12, 2011.

Enjoying a picnic in the field

Rosie, Julita, Edward, and Leo enjoying a picnic in the field – photographed November 12, 2011.