The Hunger We Feed ~ Developing My Taste

Greetings Dear Reader,

In the ages-long battle of getting children to eat their vegetables, there exists the miracle of ranch dressing.  Almost any vegetable will be consumed by a child if dredged through a suitable quantity of the buttermilk-based condiment.  I recently heard one young child tell his younger sibling, “When you are older like me you will not need ranch just to eat your broccoli.”

As our tastes mature, we can begin to appreciate the tastes we have for things that seemed unpleased but are necessary.  This is true for every aspect of our lives.  We avoid the things we know we should do for which we have no taste.  We embrace the things that please our taste and often we do so to excess.

When we choose to mature our tastes to better ourselves, we become committed to doing that which is tasteless if it is necessary.  I often find that if I work through the tasteless part of developing a good habit, I begin to look forward to doing the things I should be doing.  The satisfaction of doing what is right for the sake of doing right is a taste that I long to develop in everything.

If I keep feeding the hunger of avoidance in any area, I will never develop the mature taste for doing what is right in that area.  It is through choosing to develop my taste for what is right that I can learn to follow Christ more closely.  If I feed the hunger of avoidance, I miss out on the bounty that lies in feeding on righteousness.  By failing to feed the right hunger here, I diminish my resources to love others and am more easily derailed by the temporal problems of the world.

Part of following Christ is developing the right tastes.  It is learning that dining on grace, kindness, mercy, and forgiveness leads to a taste for loving everyone with humility and peace.  The journey home requires that we grow these things so that we can share them with others.  You and I must develop our taste for them, Dear Reader if we hope to feel nourished on the journey.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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The Hunger We Feed ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

Anyone who has been around church for any length of time has heard the story of the two dogs.  I will try to relate it without the usual condescension and cultural appropriation.  I remember my Grandfather telling it from the pulpit on a few occasions when I was a boy.

A man is trying to relate his inner struggle.  He explains that there are two dogs inside him that are always fighting.  When relating the story, the narrator is asked, “Which one wins?”  His answer is “the one I feed.”

This obvious illustration about our two natures is a good one.  There is a facet to it that I ponder often and palaver over when I have the opportunity.  That would be the idea that since both of our natures are always hungry; I must examine what they hunger for and how I will manage the hunger.  The hunger is what creates the problems against which we must stand or the solutions we must embrace.

We hunger for many things both physically and emotionally.  Sometimes, we even hunger for things that we have never tasted.  We choose daily the things that we will satisfy and how we will obtain that satisfaction.  Physical hunger is simple enough.  Whether it be food, touch, or rest, we can find ways to fulfill our needs.  Even then we can feed the wrong thing if we are not vigilant. 

I think a more important step would be to identify the desire behind hunger when it comes to my soul and spirit.  I wish to spend some time walking through this and determine what it is that drives me.  When it gets down to it, we so often focus on the hunger we wish fed for our own purposes when we are supposed to hunger and thirst for the things that are righteous and good.

I hope you will keep me company as I ponder the hunger in me and what causes it.  I want to hunger for the right things.  Once I identify them, I wish to humbly ask the Father to provide them.  Your companionship in this is always welcome Dear Reader.  Your thoughts and questions push me to think better and live well.

The Lion’s Share – Dan Fogelberg

Grand slam, your moment's at hand

The day holds a costly bargain

Lost lamb asking the lion's share

Homespun, a prodigal son

Comes begging a humble pardon

But no one rises to hear his prayer

Lone star, you've wandered so far

And long in the unfamiliar

That now you travel a map unknown

Star bright, a constant delight

To those in the dark and still your

Birthright's to shine in the night alone

Living in the shadows

Of the things that might have been

Torn between the blessing and the curse

You may starve the hunger

But you'll never slake the thirst

For the nectar you remember

But you'll never taste again

Nonesuch, your Midas' touch

Has gilded your heart and left you

So much playing the prince of clowns

Hell-bent, empty and spent

Just look what your gamble's got you

Exiled, far from the sacred ground

Living in the shadows

Of the things that might have been

Torn between the blessing and the curse

You may stop the hunger

But you'll never slake the thirst

For the nectar you remember

But you'll never taste again

Grand slam, your moment's at hand

The day holds a costly bargain

Lost lamb asking the lion's share

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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Liturgy of the Common Man ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

The cants and responses of daily life become routine it too many ways.  Even the expressions of love between our family members take on the tone of an empty soulless liturgy at times.  We say the words that society expects but do not really engage with each other. 

It is in this Liturgy of the Common Man that our passion is lost.  The daily effort to fit in wears away our individuality and joy.  We hide what delights our hearts in order to espouse the “right” answers in our public congress.  Speaking honestly becomes dangerous because the responses no longer fit the common cant. 

We end up compromising who we are and denying who we are intended to become.  The Father designed us to be people of love and joy.  His desire is that we put our faith in him and then in honest humble communication with each other.  We are meant to speak the truth in love to each other.  We are designed to function best when we are good to each other.

The Liturgy of the Common Man asks us to take up offenses, to be insulted and injured by things outside of our faith and following.  Anger, insult, and offense are not what we are supposed to embrace and intone.  Instead of responding to the cants of this liturgy, we can choose to voice unique and beautiful responses of love, grace, kindness, and mercy.  We can choose to not take offense at the failures of others to be the same. 

If we respond to hatred with love, to anger with grace and kindness, and to offenses with humble mercy, we will stand out in the liturgy.  We will impact others with our genuine words and actions that stand out from the common responses.  Others will ask the reasons why we do not join in the liturgy. 

When they ask, the answer will either draw them or anger them.  We must not expect everyone to be pleased with our choice.  The liturgy would not draw so many were it not providing false comfort.  I will step outside of the cants and responses where they do not match the call to love and peace. I will develop responses of my own that speak to the Father’s cants with love for him and my fellow humans.

What I will do Dear Reader is learn to be lovingly unoffendable.  I hope you do not see this as a challenge.  I expressed once to someone that he could say what he needed to say to me, as I have caused him great offense by my failures.  His response was, “then prepare yourself.”  This was the first inkling that I must be willing to listen to anything without becoming offended.  As we turn toward other things this year, we will build on our foundation of love the capacity to let offenses roll off of us.  You are welcome to walk with me and ask anything you wish.  I cannot promise that my answer will fit your expectations as I withdraw from the Liturgy of the Common Man.

Empty Cages – Dan Fogelberg

Waiting in the wings your courage sings before you falter...

It's just another way to say what's there but never shows.

It's just another day to lay your sins before the altar.

And where it's going to end this time around nobody knows.

Every time it seems that you have gained an understanding

Those devils at your heels reach up and try to tip the scales.

Waking from a dream you see it's all been done without you.

And every vain attempt to make it stay is destined to fail.

Fury rages through your restless days

Shades of time that's gone before

Empty cages where the prisoner plays

'Til the door swings closed behind forevermore...

Evermore...

Evermore...

Long before we come of age we yearn to leave the garden

And wrestle with a myth the hand of fate has faintly drawn.

But somewhere on the way, we feel our hearts begin to harden

And see just as we learn to turn around the garden is gone.

Fury rages through your restless days

Shades of time that's gone before

Empty cages where the prisoner plays

'Til the door swings closed behind forevermore...

Evermore...

Evermore...

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

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Liturgy of the Common Man ~ A New Layer of Reliance

Greetings Dear Reader,

During the sixties, there were those who called for Dr. King to renounce nonviolence and use his voice to incite riot and rebellion.  People were more concerned about getting the desired result rather than getting there through peace and faith.  As a boy, I saw all this unfolding on the news.  What I always saw when he would speak was his calm, his peace. 

My Grandfather would say to me, “This man is trying to do a very hard thing in a very hard way.  He cares about justice and right but refuses to leave behind love and peace to get his way.  He understands that Jesus wants him to be peaceful with all men.”  My Grandfather impressed on me how important it was that I see how, that even in the storm Dr. King endured he was a man of peace. 

This is part of what has my focus this year.  We are supposed to live at peace with everyone.  Even when others oppose us, we are supposed to love them, forgive them, and not strike out against them.  Our nature pushes us to be violent.  Anger and injustice fuse into rage that distracts us from the power of love and peace. 

We can see the wrong in things and not become offended at people.  The injustice in the world should trouble us and we should not be at peace with it ever.  What we must do is separate that from the people.  We have to see that all people, even the unjust need love and mercy.  We must peacefully stand against injustice, hatred, and violence. 

It is not enough to set aside a day to remember Dr. King and his work.  We must choose the level of resilience he chose and become unoffendable.  He did not respond to the vile epithets or rise to the bait of his detractors.  He refused to let his voice be used for violence and hate.  He demanded that our voice for justice be couched in love and peace.

We are not able to promote love whilst advocating hate, being offended, and accepting violence.  I must insist on justice and right in every situation.  I must do so without being offended.  I must love so deeply that I see past intended and unintended offenses to the needs of those who hate me.  I must see the need for love of those who are unjust.  My voice must always relate that love in peace.  It is our obligation to do this no matter how we feel Dear Reader.  If we want to honor Christ and Dr. King, we must add a layer of resilience to love that is unoffendable.  If we are going to work for peace we can do no less.

A Voice for Peace – Dan Fogelberg

You know that everybody has a voice
And how they use it is their own free choice
In your glory I will not rejoice
If you choose the ways of war
If you choose the ways of war

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
My country 'tis of thee, in God we trust
But how much longer will He shelter us
While we choose the ways of war
While the winds of war rage on

Let mine "oh let my small voice" be a voice for peace
Oh let mine "oh let my small voice" be a voice for peace
Oh let mine "oh let my small voice" be a voice for peace
Let it start here with me, Oh let mine be a voice for peace

The good book tells us thou shalt not kill
The truth came shining and it's shining still
But how much blood upon this earth must spill
Before we lay our weapons down
Let us lay our weapons down

Let mine "oh let my small voice" be a voice for peace
Oh let mine "oh let my small voice" be a voice for peace
Oh let mine "oh let my small voice" be a voice for peace

Let it start here with me, Oh let mine be a voice for peace

And in the face of the beast, oh let mine be a voice
Until the breaths in me cease, oh let mine be a voice for peace

Let mine "oh let my small voice" be a voice for peace
Oh let mine "oh let my small voice" be a voice for peace
Oh let mine "oh let my small voice" be a voice for peace
Let it start here with me, Oh let mine be a voice for peace

Raise your voice up, raise your voice up
Raise your voice up and sing for the promise

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

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Liturgy of the Common Man ~ A Hefty Buffet

Greetings Dear Reader,

In Virginia Beach, there is a seafood buffet called George’s Seafood Buffet.  It is vast, elegant, and the best buffet I have ever experienced.  One could not possibly try everything.  Still, I ponder returning to it to see if the repast matches my memory.

Buffets are one of my favorite ways to dine out.  It is not the volume so much as the variety that entices me.  I do not have to know what I want until I see it.  I can get a salad, meat, and vegetables in a variety that suits my mood of the moment.  Buffets are also one of the things that are dangerous for me.  They are temples to gluttony where one can worship or not.  Like so many things the idea of the buffet is a good one until one crosses the line overeating.

There are other buffets that have nothing to do with food.  There exist in our opulent society, many choices about many things.  Shopping malls host a vast smorgasbord of choices for clothing, jewelry, and electronics.  We are given enticements through discounts, buyer rewards, and sales.  There are even social buffets.

We live in a culture where every single day we are offered a bounty of things over which we can choose to be offended.  To see this clearly is to recognize that being offended is a choice.  Like every response, we may train our brains to be automatically angered or offended by something but it is still a choice.  That we choose often enough for it to become a reflex is always on us.

If we survey the bounty of offenses available in our culture, there is something for every faith, ideology, passion, and political position.  We can find something to offend us for every meal or mood.  We have become a society of the perpetually offended.  The difficulty is that we are never meant to dine at this buffet.  We are supposed to be people who are forgiving, loving, and merciful.

If we dine on offenses, we become angry, bitter, and hard.  When we are guided by our offenses, we must constantly feed them.  It is my obligation not to feed on anger or offense.  It is my duty to filter everything that comes at me through the love of Christ.  Even if something is offensive on the face of it, we are not obligated to take up the offense.  I must choose to avoid being offended as often as possible.  I must not visit the buffet of offenses offered daily but, rather, I must focus on being kind and loving with equal measure for everyone.

I can stand against injustice, prejudice, and hatred without being angry or hating.  I can offer a healthy diet of love, generosity, kindness, and grace to anyone who will dine with me.  I can offer samples of these things to entice others to feed on that which gives life by being lovingly unoffendable.  I can choose to ignore the Liturgy of the Common Man that entices me to feast on offense and instead take a seat at the bounty of love and grace.  You are always welcome to dine with me here Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

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Second Thoughts ~ Parents at Kid’s Sporting Events

Greetings Dear Reader,

Part of my morning was spent watching my nephew play basketball for his middle school.  The drive to the opposing team’s gym was a long one but I wanted to support my nephew.  We took our seats midcourt and midway up the risers.

Not two minutes into the game a parent of one of the players on the other team started “coaching” his son.  His tone was angry and aggressive. His words were demeaning and demanding.  He was berating his son as if lives were at stake in a middle school basketball game.  This continued the entire game.

As much as I wanted my nephew’s team to win, I was relieved for the sake of the other boy that the opponents won.  I have been pondering this all day.  When did it become allowable for us to berate children in front of others?  What is that makes us miss the opportunity to be encouraging at every turn?

In contrast, I listened as my brother and sister-in-law cheered for my nephew’s team.  They loudly expressed the pleasure at the progress the team has made this season.  They did not just cheer their son.  The entire team received praise for doing the best that they could.

As I work at becoming lovingly unoffendable, I realize that idiot parents will be a hard row to hoe.  I will, however, turn this soil and plant new seeds of loving understanding.  I had to make sure that I did not take up offense at this misguided father.  I had to attend to see just what loving parents my brother and sister-in-law are.  This must extend further, however.

I must see that I journey through a world where people hurt each other constantly.  I have to guard against increasing that hurt, mitigating it where I can, and forgive those who harm me.  It is vital that I not take offense when I am not even part of the interaction.  It is these small things that can turn my tide to one that flows in kindness, mercy, and grace always.

 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

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Liturgy of the Common Man ~ Party Like It's 1984

Greetings Dear Reader,

If you have not read 1984 by George Orwell, you must.  Further, I think we do not believe or realize just how much the Liturgy of the Common Man pushes us toward having our thoughts policed by others.  The common cant in the world insists that if we disagree with the current groupthink that we hate those who think it.

I realize that all sounded very political but I am reaching for something beyond that.  We talked about political correctness yesterday.  What concerns me is that there is a great lie that is perceived as truth in a culture where perception is reality.  Not only is there a rejection of thought contrary to acceptable thought.  There is anger and vitriol behind the perception that gets applied to everyone.

It is not enough in the Liturgy of the Common Man to say the acceptable words.  As with all liturgy, the words only have value if there is belief behind them.  Many in this liturgy think that if I do not believe in their particular cause that I hate them.  If I disagree on a hot social issue with the commonly accepted thought, it is assumed that I am phobic, greedy, and filled with hate.

It is completely possible to disagree about something and still love the person with whom one disagrees.  I do not hate anyone.  I also do not agree with some positions that are deemed the “right” way to think.  I do not have to agree with anyone on any political issue to want every human to have vital compassionate healthcare.  In fact, if I politicize this at all I am violating the very ethic that is core to following Christ.  I am to love every human and wish them the very best in all things. 

We have seen throughout history that eventually the Liturgy of the Common Man demands that we agree with them completely or we be condemned as haters and outcasts.  Both those who claim to be Christian and those opposed to Christianity have canted this demanding the proper thoughts and response.  It reaches the level where we abuse, debase, and kill those who do not embrace our beliefs. 

It comes to the point where children in cages and murdering babies in the womb seem like good things to do to each other.  Depending on where you go for your liturgy you land on one side of this or the other.  Why can we not agree that anything that hurts children in any way is the wrong belief, thought, and action?  Instead, we get caught up in a frenzy of worship involving our own beliefs demanding that others serve the belief over the love and compassion that are supposed to be its hard deck. 

I am required to love everyone.  I am obligated to show kindness, grace, and mercy in every situation.   So, are you Dear Reader. Not only will this fly in the face of the Liturgy of the Common Man.  It will surely garner accusations of hatred when I show love and do not agree with the proper group think.  If any thought or belief requires me to hate anyone, then I will not think those thoughts or believe those things.  If I am going to follow Christ, I cannot dismiss any human for any reason by refusing to love and respect every life.  That is the journey.  That is our purpose.  Any political or social agenda that requires otherwise is the cant of bad religion, even when called by those who do not believe.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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Liturgy of the Common Man ~ Acceptable Responses

Greetings Dear Reader,

Years ago, I took a friend to a Lutheran church service because he wanted to understand different denominations.  His background was a denomination that did not have anything close to a systematized service.  I thought that I had prepared him well but I was wrong.  As the first hymn ended and the pastor approached the front of the platform, I was thinking about remembering the responses. The pastor canted, “The Lord be with you.”  The congregation responded “And also with you,” except for my friend.  At the top of his voice, he replied, “Amen! Preach it!”

It was interesting to see several hundred Lutherans turn to look at him as if turning and gawking was part of their practiced liturgical response.  The pastor smiled and commented that he loved a drift from the common from time to time.  I quietly explained things to my friend as the service continued.  When we consider liturgy, we understand that the cants and responses have a pattern and rhythm that we discussed earlier in the week.  Part of liturgy as well is that our responses are prescribed.  We read them from a book or memorize them.

In our Liturgy of the Common Man, we are much like the congregation of that church when the responses are not what we are used to or are acceptable to our ears.  We develop a series of social mores that dictate how we are supposed to respond to social situations.  At some level that is a good thing.  When, however, a society becomes divided as ours is, political correctness and prescribed speech become the norm, it is a problem.

A fractured society will push an agenda by choosing what is an allowed response to situations and what one should think of feel.  Sometimes, it is good to challenge the beliefs and norms of a culture.  If we are going to live by the law of love, we cannot purposely be offensive.  As a culture becomes more politically correct and engages in a position of what is acceptable, the circle of what is offensive grows larger.   Offenses become more onus and people become offended more easily.   The day becomes carpeted in eggshells. 

There are two responses here.  One is to realize that no one gets to tell me how I must respond to a situation other than the Father.  He already has.  We are to respond to everything in love and kindness.  The second is that we are responsible to be unoffendable.  We are to stand out in the easily offended world by being lovingly unoffendable.  Others may choose to be offended because of my choices.  I must not fight with others over things that do not matter.  I must hold on to my love and humility.

The Liturgy of the Common Man tells us that our responses must fit the approved words of the cantor.  The difficulty of this is that we are supposed to be salt and light in a world that will become increasingly offended by the Gospel.  We cannot change them.  We can, however, realize that we can live unoffended and refuse the liturgy that calls us to be anything other than loving followers of Christ.  It will result in the sound of crunching eggshells as we go and we will tread on a few toes simply by refusing to respond “properly” to the cant of the offended.  I will refuse to embrace the liturgy of the perpetually offended.  I will do my best to love everyone and be unoffendable.  I may stand out but I hope it is for the right reasons.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

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Liturgy of the Common Man ~ Use Your Signal

Greetings Dear Reader,

My friend Tina often points out that one of the oddities of the community in which I live is that people will employ their turn signal to indicate that the person in front of him or her is turning.  There are also a vast number of people who have no idea that a turn signal exists in the vehicle they drive.  Still, we are a society that values indicators for our safety and movement.

We do the same thing socially.  In the Liturgy of the Common Man, we have a vast sea of social and virtue signals that we use to navigate our way through the day.  We discussed the cant and responses of the liturgy.  There are other social signals that we use to announce the group(s) with whom we identify.  How we dress, the symbols and talismans we carry, and even what we eat signals to others our response and standards within the liturgy. 

As part of the Liturgy of the Common Man, we express our desire to fit into society in ways that make it acceptable to the group-thought we value. We also see the social and virtue signals we value become common accessories and fashion statements.  The cross has become jewelry to many people.  Some do not even understand what it means to those of us who follow Christ. 

We even demand that others respond to the liturgy in the way we wish them to respond.  People decide that “meat is murder” and demand that no one enjoy a hamburger.  Things are deemed socially acceptable by a group of people.  That group insists that no matter what my values, I respond to their cants with the words and actions they deem acceptable.  We proclaim that we want equality, justice, and tolerance when in truth we want to let others live in freedom only if their responses match out cants. 

There are things that are wrong and we are not obligated to accept them or even participate in the liturgy that tries to justify them.  We must not reject others because their liturgy does not match ours.  The only virtue-signaling that really matters is that we are identified by our love for each other.  Out social signals of kindness, generosity, and grace are what matter.  We cannot afford to be distracted or offended by things outside of this. 

Our virtue signal must be to become lighthouses of love and kindness.  The seas are rough and the world is a dark and stormy place.  We need to give clear direction of where to go and who to follow.  The channel of love and faith is narrow and hard to find.  If that is, however, the cant we deliver in love and humility, it will be easier for others to respond. I wish to only signal love and grace from the one I follow Dear Reader.  I wish to be so committed to the signal of love for others that I cannot be offended by any liturgy that calls me to worship something less.

Which Way are You Going – Jim Croce

Which way are you going, which side will you be on

Will you stand and watch while all the seeds of hate are sown

Will you stand with those who say, let his will be done

One hand on the bible One hand on the gun

One hand on the bible One hand on the gun

Which way are you looking, is it hard to see

Do you say what’s wrong for him, is not wrong for me

You walk the streets, righteousness but you refuse to understand

You say you love the baby

Then you crucify the man

You say you love the baby

Then you crucify the man

Every day, things are changing, words once honored turned to lies

People wondering, can you blame them It's too far to run, and too late to hide

So, now you turn your back on, all the things that you used to preach

Now it’s let him live in freedom if he lives like me

Well you light has changed, confusion rains, what have you become

All your olive branches turned to spears

When your flowers turned to guns

Your olive branches turned to spears

When your flowers turned to guns

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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