SANTAN SUN NEWS | MAY 19 – JUNE 1, 2018
Faith
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As endurance is tested, honor those who died BY DR. RABBI IRWIN WIENER. If we should learn anything from their Guest Writer sacrifice it is that they are the perfect
The one thing that man has perfected above all else is the art of war. The one thing that man has yet to perfect is the art of
peace. The many we honor on Memorial Day are truly a testament to these pronouncements. The hallowed grounds that contain their remains should remind us of the destructive nature of weapons beyond description and behavior that imitates the most heinous efforts ever perpetrated by human beings.
examples of goodness and mercy abiding in all of us. We desecrate their memories when we abandon our obligations. Yes, we devote time to commemorate and celebrate. We commemorate the vision they represented when they went off to battle – the vision of peace and tranquility. We celebrate their lives because now what we have are memories of fathers and mothers and husbands and wives of brothers and sisters who remain with us through the difficulty of remembrances. How many times in our journey have we been forced to memorialize a loved one? How many times in our journey have we asked the purpose for which they
died? How many times have we really tried to determine the value and purpose of all life? Questions, more questions, an endless display of the questions asked through the ages. Yet, there is one more, and it is connected to today, involving the seemingly mindless killings and murders, not only of adults, but now our children. So, here is the remaining question, at this time as we connect to our heroes: Is this what they sacrificed so much for? Our endurance is being tested as never before, and we take the time and expend the energy to pay tribute to all who answered the call of their country since the beginning of our republic. We do this to offer our thanks and to pray:
Dear God, you endowed us with both eyes and ears. Teach us to those eyes to see the horrors before us. Teach us to use our ears to listen to the cries of the generations sent to all corners of the Earth to fight for justice and decency. Give us the ability to access the teachings you sent through the Holy words of Scripture: there will come a time when the lion will lie down with the lamb, and each will live under his fig tree and not be afraid. Perhaps then, O Lord we will earn the blessings you bestow upon us each and every day. Dr. Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D. is National Chaplain of Jewish War Veterans-USA and he is with Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.
Be like a rabbit in the desert and listen BY LYNNE HARTKE Guest Writer
Several weeks ago, my sister and I took advantage of the cooler morning temps and went hiking on South Mountain at the Pima Canyon trailhead. We hiked in the brown of a dry winter that produced a spring with few wildflowers. We passed an ocotillo without one single green leaflet on its stalks, as the plant had cast off all its leaves in hopes of surviving, yet orange flower flames shot from the tip of each withered stick. We took the service road back with its ambling up-and-down gravel surface, where the most dangerous things we encountered were mountain bikers racing back to their cars. I kept a tight grip on the leash of Mollie,
my terrier-retriever who would much rather have been bounding after ground squirrels in the underbrush. About 100 yards from the parking lot, I saw it: the first saguaro bloom on the top of a 10-foot giant with three arms raised to the morning. The three-inch creamy blossom tilted toward the east, and I knew it had bloomed during the night, the beginning of its 24-hour life in the desert where it would attract bats, white-winged doves, and other pollinators. “I want to get a photo,” I said to my sister and handed her Mollie’s leash. My eye caught something else off to my right. A cottontail rabbit sat motionless in a sunbeam, the veins of his extended ears alight in the sun. The rabbit did not move as I stepped closer, which surprised me because their natural defense mechanism is to bolt at the first hint of danger. His nose twitched. He
was hidden in plain sight, which was a good thing, because Mollie still had not noticed him. I figured he must have been an older rabbit – not a skittish two-week-old youngster away from the nest for the first time, but maybe an ancient two-year-old – a grandparent of a rabbit. I snapped several photos of the saguaro and then the cottontail, motionless in its environment of creosote, hedgehog and staghorn cacti. Ears straight up, grandparent bunny sat gathering data – the changing sounds at daybreak. The mourning dove greeted the dawn, along with the call of the Gambel’s quail and the scolding cactus wren. The snakes would slither out soon to warm their cold-blooded bodies and I knew the rabbit was alert for coyotes seeking a bunny breakfast.
To all this – and the sounds of hikers and bikers – the rabbit listened and sought clarity. What sounds could he ignore? What sounds needed his attention? When was he in danger? As we headed to the car, I peered over my shoulder for one final glimpse of the motionless cottontail. Still listening. For a rabbit – near the bottom of the food chain – listening is the difference between life and death. Are you seeking clarity in your own noisy world? God reminds us: “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” (Jeremiah 33:3 ESV). Ears up! Take time to listen. Lynne Hartke is the author of Under a Desert Sky and the wife of pastor and Chandler City Councilmember Kevin Hartke. She blogs at www.lynnehartke.com.
Christians are ‘called out’ as Children of Light BY REV. SUSAN WILMOT Guest Writer
We’re at the doctor’s office and our name is called. We’re at the airport and our flight is called. We’re waiting for takeout and our order is called. The pharmacy calls to tell us our prescription is ready. Ditto for the service garage calling to tell us our car is ready for pickup. In times of war, soldiers are called to serve our country. We’re thrilled to get called for a job interview. Students are called to answer a question in class. The ringing phone is a friend calling. Our phones ping with new email messages and posts in social media, calling us to pay attention to our phones. We get all kinds of calls, and what do we generally do? That’s simple! Most of us answer, reply, respond, react, go where directed or do what’s expected. Pavlov would be proud at how well-conditioned our responses are to the world’s ways. But what of God’s call on our lives? Being one of the most highly quoted prophets, let’s look at Isaiah 6 and the
story of how the prophet responds to God’s call. Isaiah finds himself spiritually transported into the courts of Heaven, where six-winged seraphs praise God ceaselessly saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.” He then overhears the Lord God saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” and responds eagerly, “Here am I; send me!” Isaiah’s experience is unique. But notice that he’s open and vulnerable to hearing God’s call, and willing to risk love by responding in selfless service. As followers of Jesus, empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit, there’s no barrier to experiencing the same kind of clarity in our divine call, our mission or vocation in life. The question is whether we’re willing to listen, make ourselves vulnerable enough to hear that still small voice of God’s divine direction, and follow where it leads. We answer our phones with fearless alacrity, but even if we hear God’s call, too often we dismiss the experience for fear of ridicule or disbelief. Yet, here’s the kicker written across the pages of
Scripture. God knows us all intimately (Psalm 139), we’re inscribed on the palms of God’s hands (Isaiah 49:16), and according to Jesus, those who belong to Him hear His voice; He calls us by name and leads us out (John 10:3). What an interesting turnaround history has dealt us. Isaiah has a vision of God’s throne room and receives divine direction and confirmation of his prophetic call. Yet, he couldn’t have even imagined a telephone, let alone a smart phone. He certainly didn’t experience the same distractions we face today like surfing the internet or participating in social media. We have so many options to communicate easily and speedily. It’s interesting how we have no problem responding to all kinds of calls from the world, but sometimes struggle to respond to God. Isaiah helpfully provides us with a step-by-step lesson. Significantly, the context of Isaiah’s vision and call comes as he’s worshiping the Lord. Our worship together is the first step in discerning God’s will. When all parties are intent on communicating, you can bet that something is going to happen.
God is always intentional in reaching out to us, and as we gather in God’s name, we’re taking time to reciprocate that intentionality. It’s vital for our spiritual health and well-being to take time out to put the world’s frenetic busyness on hold, so we can connect with God, and touch the timelessness of eternal love. The faith community is where we affirm our commitment to align our wills with God’s will, and learn how to make it so. Community is the crucible in which we learn how to be agents of God’s transforming grace, serving the Lord, and making a difference in the world. In praise and worship, the Holy Spirit lifts the song and prayers of our hearts to join the voices of the saints and heavenly host. As we listen to God’s word and pray together, we find our scattered lives refocused rightly toward God in Christ Jesus. In Christ, we experience forgiveness and healing as we confess our sins, and as we’re fed, strengthened, and transformed by Christ’s body and blood. When Isaiah confesses he’s cleansed See
CHILDREN OF LIGHT on page 62