Plus None

In so many ways, we are a culture obsessed with knowledge.  We have to know what is going on in every arena of popular culture at every minute.  Entire life stories are compressed into soundbites.  We listen to endless theories on what happened, how it happened and what the motives were.  For example, Whitney Huston's recent passing.  It was not enough for the public to know that she died.  They had to know all of the possible circumstances surrounding her death.  Not on a realistic medical/legal timeline, but on their own.  Which, of course, meant immediately.

So, if we really look at our culture's obsession closely, it is not one obsessed with knowledge, but with theories.  This same obsession makes it way into our religious beliefs.  For some, it is not enough to know that Jesus died for our sins and rose again.  They must pick apart the who, what, where, when and why.  It is not enough for them to simply believe that God created the world and everything in it.  They must theorize how God did it.  Was it literally seven, twenty-four hour days? Did he wave a wand?  Could dinosaurs possibly exist?

My answer to this is:  who cares.

Does it matter how God chose to create the world?  Or, does it matter more that God chose to create it in the first place?

Does it matter if Jesus was white, black or middle eastern?  Or, does it matter more that Jesus was God incarnate and that he came to us in human form in order to save us from ourselves?

Christian culture, just like the rest of the world, gets caught up in these theories that, at the end of the day, don't matter.  These theories have been divisive within the Christian community since...well...as far back as anyone can really remember.   This is why we have so many denominations.  And it's funny.  At the core for most are the same truths.  It is the theories that have divided us, not the truths.  And theories, although they may be entertaining and interesting, are just theories.  What matters is the truth.

Maybe once we are able to put speculation behind us and truth before us, we will be able to see each other, and more importantly God, more clearly.

So, once again, it's Lenten season.  I just realized I haven't posted a blog since last year.  I guess that's just what happens when life takes over.  I've been trying to give a lot of thought lately to what sacrifice I can make this year and the only thing that comes to mind (besides coffee) is time.  Time is what I try to hoard more than anything.  Last year's coffee sacrifice went swimmingly, but I think I'll keep it this year in exchange for a new idea; a new commitment.

Something I heard in mass tonight really stuck with me.  Father Miller was talking about how we, so often, use this time as a time for us.  For self-improvement and other things that we can be proud of.  And, how this really isn't the purpose.  We are reminded all the time that Jesus walks with us through our lives.  He is beside us in good times and bad.  What we fail to consider is: although He walks with us, when was the last time that we walked with Him?  He spent 40 days in the wilderness fasting and self-examining.  When was the last time I spent time examining my life with Him?  Reflecting on deeper truths?  Truth be told, it's been awhile.

So, my new commitment this season is to spend time daily in true self reflection.  I don't plan on it being very pretty.  I'm sure I have some things that He may call me to task on.  I'm kind of a willful child, to be honest.  Some of what I reflect on, I hope to share here.  I don't know if I'll have the nerve to put it all out here or keep some to myself.  But this is my commitment for the season.

For now, I'm going to make a cup of coffee.