:: M squared T ::

:: Saturday, February 28, 2004 ::

Music Fasting

One of my Lenten disciplines this year is a fast from "background music". This evening, it's getting difficult.

I realized how much time I spend listening to music, just to fill the silence of my time. And I also realized how much music I think about on a daily basis that is stuff that's ok, and all, but I don't want it in the forefront of my mind.

So I've resolved not to turn on music or "talk radio" for the "background" noise element. So now, when I'm cleaning my room (which is a time I usually crank the music), there isn't any. So it's hard to want to clean my room.

Disciplines are supposed to make you realize things. I guess I'm dependent on the radio?

:: Matt 2/28/2004 08:23:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Welcome To Lent

Yesterday we held an Ash Wednesday service. One of the impressions that I got while listening to the scriptures read was that Lent isn't so depressing after all. Yes, we remember our mortality and transience - but we remember those things in light of God's everlasting faithfulness and immortality. True, we use the time to ask for forgiveness, but that is in light of God's gracious, compassionate love - he does not treat us as our sins deserve.

Given our nature as both righteous and sinners, "simul justus et peccator" (Martin Luther), it makes sense that we should have a time of the year devoted to reconciliation of ourselves to God, our neighbors and ourselves. Lent could, in fact, be the time when we focus on some corporate spiritual housecleaning - dedicating ourselves to resolving our differences with one another as an expression of Christ's love, shown on the cross.

Yes, Lent is a time for soul-searching. But soul-searching need not be depressing. The kind of soul-searching that reflects our Christian life always leads us back to the place that God is sufficient - sufficient to care for us, and willing to take on the burden of our sins. The Lenten burden is light, the Lenten yoke is easy - just like the rest of the year.

This Lent, we in this place are creating space in our lives for God to move by praying the Psalms from the Daily Office, according to the Book of Common Prayer. See the Lectionary Page for the readings. You are more than welcome to join us.

:: Matt 2/26/2004 11:44:00 AM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

This seems to be the cry many are chanting against Mel Gibson these days. There is an increasing groundswell of media sources denouncing Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" for its "Imbalance" (See the Chicago Tribune, Downstate Ed.), its "graphic violence" and "anti-semitism."

While I have still yet to see the film, it strikes me that the public opinion has turned so rancorous against not just the film, but against Gibson himself - Andy Rooney called him "a nutcase."

Somehow, this movie seems to be eliciting a similar response to the one elicited by Jesus in the Gospels - most especially by those who see it as a "bad movie."

I wonder what could be going on?

:: Matt 2/25/2004 09:00:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Service Tomorrow

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 we will be hosting an Ash Wednesday service at Sutton Place.

Those who are interested in giving to the poor as a
part of this service may bring a non-perishable food
item (canned, etc.), or the equivalent monetary
amount, which we will donate to Restoration Urban
Ministries.

Ash Wednesday is the traditional beginning of Lent -
the 40 days (plus Sundays) before Easter. In Lent, we
journey with Jesus to the Cross. Therefore, it is a
time of reflection and repentance, of sacrifice and
service.

Please feel free to invite friends.


:: Matt 2/24/2004 04:38:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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I need a radiator

I just overheated my computer. Just blew $12 on a case fan. Too bad you can't just add water to it like you can your car.

:: Matt 2/24/2004 03:02:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Happy Blog-Day to Me

It's been a year since I started blogging... Check out my archives! :)

:: Matt 2/15/2004 09:49:00 AM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Spring Break

Some of you have been waiting on news regarding Spring Break. We will be taking a team of up to 15 people to St. Augustine, FL to work with Habitat for Humanity and with one of their ministry partners there who repair and restore homes for the poor. Contact me to sign up for the trip or check with the BSF secretary.

Cost is still TBA.

:: Matt 2/12/2004 10:15:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Discipleship Group

This evening I spent three hours with the two guys I am intentionally leading in discipleship. Both are freshmen here at UIUC. I continue to be encouraged by their passion for God and by their desire to grow into the image of God in Christlikeness.

Tonight I introduced them to Lectio Divina - the Benedictine way of praying the scriptures. Instead of just reading the scriptures, or studying them, Lectio Divina helps us encounter God himself in the scriptures as he speaks his word of life into our beings. In Lectio we trust that the Holy Spirit and our spirit will collaborate to discover the part of the passage that we need to hear and meditate on. We invite God to do what he has promised - to speak to us through his words written in the scriptures, allowing us to encounter his Word, Jesus Christ.

The last hour and a half were spent cooking and eating a meal together. This made the meeting "ordinary" and the meal "extraordinary." We joined other friends and ate together - an expression of our love, our friendship, our common desire to grow in Christ and our common humanity.

:: Matt 2/11/2004 07:40:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Mission Work This Week

Last Saturday (7 February 2004), a crew of 11 went from University Baptist to Restoration Urban Ministries. I was really excited to see that the majority of our "regulars" are freshmen. They are learning a new way of seeing the world that integrates service to the poor and the rest of their life - academic, spiritual, social. They are beginning to get to know each other, and are getting along great!

I pray that God will continue to work through this team. We have a group that is committed to going to work with Restoration every Saturday morning. They continue to impress me with their diligence and increasing maturity in all aspects of life. Some in their lives treat them as "adolescents;" this work they do shows that they are truly "adults."

:: Matt 2/09/2004 11:04:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Observations of Proportionalities

The number of times per week I blog is inversely proportional to my stress level.

The state of cleanliness of my room is directly proportional to my stress level.

The state of organization in my room is directly proportional to the state of my mind and soul.

Kyrie Pantocrator Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison

:: Matt 2/09/2004 12:44:00 AM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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XML Feed

I've enabled an Atom XML feed for my site. It is in the "navigation bar" above, between "bloghome" and "contact." Feel free to syndicate me!

:: Matt 2/06/2004 11:18:00 AM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Comments Are Back Up

I'm using www.haloscan.com for my comments now.

Leave me a note!

:: Matt 2/05/2004 11:03:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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My Computer Was Down

...for a week.

And when I came back online, my commenting service has quit.

I'll be fixing comments soon.

I'll be updating things regularly.

I promise...

Send me e-mail at the address above if you want to talk!

:: Matt 2/05/2004 08:11:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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