Go to the celebration

07Feb
About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. The Jews were astonished at it, saying, ‘How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?’ Then Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him.
-John 7:14-18


This seems like a great story to read as we move into the busy season of Mardi Gras.  Jesus and his brothers have gone to a big festival - the festival of Booths - where the Jewish people celebrated finding shelter after wandering for 40 years in the desert.  His brothers go ahead of him, but Jesus tells them it isn’t his time yet.  At this point in the story Jesus is a very controversial figure.  Many are astonished by his works of healing and preaching, seeing him as a good man. While others are very suspicious and because of their mistrust wish him dead.  So he travels to the festival “in secret” and shows up hear teaching in the temple. 


Why in secret, I wonder?  Does he wear a mask as some do during Mardi Gras to cover his true identity?  Does he travel by the outer neighborhoods to avoid the parade gauntlet on St. Charles Avenue?  How would we know him? 


In this short passage Jeus  reveals something to us of his values.  His speech is inspired by God and he practices a deep humility in saying so.  He also asks us to notice that he does not speak to seek his own glory, but God’s.  It seems to me that these two values give us insight to the authenticity of his teaching. 


This past week our EfM class was given the assignment to define our two most important values.  It’s more difficult than it sounds.  In the worksheet by Brené Brown, she begins by giving us these guidelines:  When selecting your values, ask yourself the following questions….


Does this define me?
Is this who I am at my best?
Is this a filter I use to make hard decisions?

Sometimes the qualities we value are aspirational. That’s ok.  But at some point we have to leave the comfort zone of our prayer chair and go to the celebration - whether it be the festival of Booths, the Mardi Gras, a political rally, or church.  In those places the values we practice will be seen and noticed whether we wear a mask or not. 


Musical Reflection - The Kingdom is Within You - Jesse Welles


Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief.

Walk humbly now.

Do justly now.

Love mercy now.

You are not obligated to complete the work,

but neither are you free to abandon it. Amen.


— Rabbi Rami Shapiro (translation of Rabbi Tarfon’s Wisdom of Sages)

Mercy

Posted by Maria Elliott

Maria Elliott has been Trinity since 1994, first as a parishioner and then for sixteen years establishing the office of stewardship and development, and currently as the Director of Pastoral Care and Spiritual Life. 

WIth a degree in Music and Business from Drake University in her native state of Iowa, Maria went first to New York to work for a concert artist management and then for the Arts department at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.  At the Cathedral, Maria was confirmed, met and married her husband, The Reverend Michael Kuhn, and began an accidental career in the Episcopal Church. She has served on the Diocesan Stewardship Committee, the boards of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship and the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes, as a Stephen Minister, and currently Education for Ministry Mentor.

Maria’s interests include playing the oboe in the New Orleans Civic Symphony and she is currently training to be a Narrative Enneagram mentor. Her daughters, Hallie Wilkins and Sophie Bedaña are Trinity School alumni. Maria has two grandchildren, Celeste and Alden Wilkins.

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