This isnโt necessarily a sermon; it may be better categorized under the heading, โThings to Ponder.โ
Our saint for today, Bernard Mizeki, was from Africa. In my readings about his life, I was reminded of the writings of another African clergy person, Bishop Desmond Tutu.
Bishop Tutu wrote a rather inflammatory book as far as some Christians are concernedโGod is Not a Christian: Speaking Truth in Times of Crisisโa collection of sermons and lectures.
From a lecture in 1992, Bishop Tutu says, โIs God dishonoured that Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu? Shouldnโt we be glad that there was a great soul who inspired others with his readings of satyagraha, who inspired the Christian Martin Luther King Jr in his civil rights campaign? Do we really have to be so ridiculous as to assert that what Mahatma Gandhi did was good, but it would have been better had he been a Christian? What evidence do we have that Christians are better? Isnโt the evidence often overwhelming in the opposite direction?
โDonโt we have to be reminded too that the faith to which we belong is far more often a matter of the accidents of history and geography than personal choice? If we had been born in Egypt before the Christian era, we would have been perhaps worshippers of Isis, and had we been born in India rather than in South Africa, the chances are very, very considerable that we would have ended up being Hindu rather than Christian.โ (p.15)
I believe in an omnipotent God, and I believe His word. The Psalmist declares,
โYour eyes [Lord] saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.โ
(Psalm 139:16)
I believe the Lord knew us and our lives even before He began the act of creating; therefore, I believe He knew that I was going to be born in Louisiana and into a Christian upbringing. He knew that I would try to follow Him, and that, if it is His will, I will attain salvation through His Son, Jesus. I believe these things. However, with that said, does it also mean that I believe Gandhi was a really great guy and teacher, but because he was Hindu instead of Christian, he cannot attain salvation? That he is damned for eternity? There are plenty who will say, โYes. Heโs going to hell.โ As for me, the answer is above my pay grade, but I do know that on the day of judgment, I do not want to be next in line behind Gandhi.
Jesus gave us the Great Commission: โAll authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.โ (Matthew 28:18-20) If we have one โjobโ on this planet, it is that; however, what happens to those we donโt reach with that message? What about those who lack the benefit of a Christian upbringing or any access to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Is it their fault or ours, or did God simply choose who would be saved and who would not? I donโt have answers to these questions, but they are worth pondering, even if they may make us uncomfortable.
Bernard Mizeki was born in 1861 in what is now Mozambique. He later traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, where he came into contact with Anglican missionaries. He converted to the Christian faith and became a catechist in the church. He then obeyed the Great Commission and went out proclaiming. Many came to believe through his work, but in the end, some of those he was seeking to bring the message of Godโs love to killed him, for they failed to understand the Good News.
Perhaps, when we ponder certain questions, we should not be overly concerned with โWho is in and who is out?โ Perhaps our concern should be for souls. Who can we, like Bernard, proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to? From there, the work is and always has been Godโs.
The story is told of Franklin Roosevelt, who often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one truly paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to conduct an experiment. To each person who passed by and shook his hand, he murmured, โI murdered my grandmother this morning.โ The guests responded with phrases like, โMarvelous! Keep up the good work. We are proud of you. God bless you, sir.โ It was not until the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, โIโm sure she had it coming.โ
A recent article stated that 96% of people believe they are good listeners. The article also stated, โThe bad news is that thereโs a massive disconnect between the confidence in our listening and our actual abilities.โ
There are several reasons for this: we are more interested in what we will say than in listening to what the other person is actually saying; we drift offโtune out because we arenโt interested, or we are more interested in something else. Another article stated, โIn the act of listening, the differential between thinking and speaking rates means that our brain works with hundreds of words in addition to those that we hear, assembling thoughts other than those spoken to us. To phrase it another way, we can listen and still have some spare time for thinking.โ (Source)
Your brain works much faster than a person can speak, although I have known some individuals who can put the words out there at a remarkable pace. In between the spoken words, our brain processes not only what we hear but all sorts of other information. What does this mean? How do I respond? Can this person really be this thick? Did I remember to start the dishwasher? I wonder who just texted me? Oh, heck, Iโm going to be late!
There are things we need to hear, but there is so much more information coming at us. โScientists have measured the amount of data that enter the brain and found that an average person living today processes as much as 74 GB in information a day (that is as much as watching 16 movies), through TV, computers, cell phones, tablets, billboards, and many other gadgets. Every year, it’s about 5% more than the previous year. Only 500 years ago, 74 GB of information would be what a highly educated person consumed in a lifetime, through books and stories.โ (Source) That was written in 2012, and if you were listening, you know that the amount of information increases by 5% a year. Iโll let you do the math as to how much information there is now, because I didnโt listen so good in math class, but it is a massive amount of information.
So, when youโre having a conversation with someone and they tell you the time and place of a particular event, and ten minutes later you canโt even remember who you were talking to, much less what the conversation was about… blame it on that 74 GB of information pouring into your head along with your own desire to speak and your general lack of attention.
โJesus said to the disciples, โI still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.โโ And we all respond, โIโm sorry, JC, what was that?โ
The Holy Spirit of God will guide us and speak to us what He hears from Jesus and the Father. Yet, in this noisy world, how easy do you think it will be to truly hear what God is saying to His people? Perhaps if He sent His words out in an email or text message, we might take the time to read them; however, His words are communicated to us far more softly. We must learn to listen, and what is spoken will not always be displayed in flashing neon messages.
You know, I went on vacation to Japan. It was a wonderful trip, but the language barrier is real. While in Osaka, I went to the Doguyasuji Arcade, a large outdoor covered mall filled with hundreds of small and large restaurants. It is also wall-to-wall people, mostly teenagers. At the time of day or the day I visited, I was very much in the minority, and I was surrounded by all these young, energetic Japanese teens, who were all speaking Japanese. In addition, all the signs were in Japanese, and even Google Maps was messing up and showing everything in Japanese, leaving this particular older Caucasian a bit lost. However, as I walked along, there was one thing I briefly heardโtwo people walking in the opposite direction speaking English. In the midst of that cacophony of noise, language, lights, signs, and information, I could isolate one soft voice that I could hear and understand.
When I lived in Montana, I had some friends who owned a small ranch that was located down in a narrow valley. They kept about seventy cattle, and the second quarter of each year was calving season. One year, they wanted to take a week away and asked if I would watch the ranch. No problem. I had done it before and enjoyed it. Only a few mommas hadnโt calved, and they werenโt expected to that week while I was on duty. To keep me company, other than the cows, there was Bear. Bear was a great big olโ fluffy mixed-breed of a dog, and Bear never barkedโneverโunless he spotted a coyote.
One evening, it is about nine oโclock, Iโm sitting inside watching TV. I start to hear a dog barking, but I live in town and am accustomed to hearing dogs bark. For probably fifteen minutes, I didnโt think much of it. Dogs are always barking, but then it clicked. I jumped up and ran, stopping only long enough to grab a shotgun on my way out the door. One of the mommas had calved, the coyotes had smelled it and came down into the valley, and Bear, who never barked, was raising a fuss. I was so accustomed to hearing barking dogs that I had almost become deaf to one when it really mattered.
One more story, also from adventures in Japan. Japan is an incredibly clean country. Truly. There is literally no garbage on the streets and no graffiti on the buildings. Shopkeepers are out every day, sweeping up leaves and any other debris. Cement trucks, eighteen-wheelers, and dump trucksโall of them, even though in use, look like they just drove off the showroom floor, spotless and shiny. Additionally, Japan is as safe as it is clean; the crime rate is almost non-existent.
Iโm in Tokyo, and Iโve no idea where I am, but Iโm safe and Iโm exploring. I turn onto one street and then another. There are a lot fewer people. I see someone sitting on a curb, drinking from a bottle. That was very unusual. Next, for the only time Iโm in Japan, someone approaches me and offers to sell me drugs. Wow, I think, this is so weird. I look down, and it strikes me, thereโs garbage on the street. It is exceptionally rare and quite small, but I have managed to find the bad side of Tokyo. If I had been paying a little closer attention, I would have picked up on these subtle changes long before I ended up where I shouldnโt have been.
You know how a dog will cock its head when itโs listening, trying to understand and hear more clearly? That should be us as we practice listening to the Holy Spirit. Listening in this way implies a sense of bending or leaning our body or mind toward a source. Since the Holy Spirit isnโt providing Godโs word to us through neon signs, we must learn to isolate the Spirit’s voice from the cacophony of voices that surrounds us, knowing that the Spiritโs voice is the voice of truth. We must not become so accustomed to listening to all the other voices and the incessant flow of information that we grow deaf to the voice of the Spirit, ignoring it when it truly matters. We must also open our eyes, paying attention to the subtle changes around us and acknowledging that these changes may very well be the Spiritโs voice warning us of potential dangers.
In these and many other ways, God speaks His truth to us, speaks His word to us, and guides and teaches us. We may get by with truly hearing only 50% of what other people may say to us, but we can ill afford to listen to only 50% of what God tells us.
When the Lord wanted to speak to the young Prophet Samuel, Eli the priest instructed the boy to say, โSpeak, Lord, for your servant is listening.โ This must be our prayer as well: โSpeak, Lord, for your servant is listeningโlistening in all the many ways You may speak to Your peopleโso that I may grow in Your ways, know Your truth, and follow where You lead.โ
Let us pray: Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made. O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above. Amen.
In chapter four of the Acts of the Apostles, we find the following passage: โThere was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means โson of encouragementโ). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostlesโ feet.โ This is the first of many references to Barnabas, the saint we celebrate today.
We know he was the one who introduced Paul to the other disciples and that he accompanied Paul on a missionary journey to Asia Minor. When the two entered the city of Lystra, they encountered a man who could not walk, so Paul healed him. Seeing this, the people declared, โโThe gods have come down to us in human form!โ Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice.โ Of course, Paul and Barnabas were horrified at this and proclaimed to them the Good News of the One True God, but such an event speaks to the charismatic appeal of both these men of God. Later, Barnabas went to Cyprus with Mark and is honored as the founder of the church there. According to tradition, due to his success in converting the people, he kindled the wrath of the Jewish religious leaders, who had him dragged outside the city and stoned to death.
There are many fascinating details about Barnabasโ life, but that moment of courage during his first encounter with Paul speaks of his great faith. As you may recall, the Apostle Paul was not always a believer in Christ. He was present at the stoning of Stephen and even describes himself as someone who persecuted Christians: โI persecuted this Wayโthat is the Christiansโup to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me.โ For this reason, the Christians were very afraid of Paul, but as I mentioned, it was Barnabas who brought Paul to the other disciples in Jerusalem so that Paul might plead his case. So what convinced Barnabas that Paul had truly converted and wasnโt just playing some charade to get to the leaders of the Christians?
In our Gospel reading today, Jesus said, โSee, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.โ When we hear this passage, we often think that we as Christians must be on our guard against those who wish to bring us harm or destroy our faith. While that is true, we sometimes get so caught up in hearing that part of the message that we miss the โinnocent as dovesโ piece. The โwise as serpentsโ reminds us how to interact with the world, but the โinnocent as dovesโ tells us that we are also to be like Jesus. We are to be on our guard, but we can never escape the fact that in the midst of it allโgood and evilโwe are to be like Jesus, willing to sacrifice it all for the sake of the Gospel.
Barnabas understood Paul’s reputation. He had good reason to fear him and what he might do, but he also knew Jesus and his message: โYour sins are forgiven.โ By accepting Paul, Barnabas extended the same grace that he knew he had received himself.
Like Barnabas, we must be โwise as serpents,โ but like him, we should never forget to be โinnocent as doves.โ Through this virtue, we reflect the nature of Christ.
There was only one place on the agenda for today. It took a little while to get there, but it was definitely worth the trip.
I confess to being a fan of Japanese whisky, and, in my humble opinion, you canโt beat Suntory. As they are the oldest whisky distiller in Japan, I am not the only one.
Isnโt it pretty?!
To make the best whisky, you have to try several different techniques and methods. How many? This is probably only halfโฆ
Iโve no way of getting any home, so I made good use of the tasting room.
Donโt worry, those are about 1/2 ounce.
My second round included some of their best (the top shelf went for $230 an ounceโฆ a bit rich for me, but mine was still delicious and special).
How do they describe it?
If you take your time, you will experience it just as they describe. It was a fun day.
Tonight, I will find one more bowl of ramen (Iโm sushied up for at least a week) and then return to the hotel for the final pack. After a little shopping here in Osaka, the packing will need to be creative.
Ohโฆ the mark I got on my arm yesterday just kept growing. Guess Iโll have to live with it.
Blessings to you all. It has been a great trip. Homeward bound.
Day nine of Japan started with a nine-hour nap. That was absolutely brilliant. Afterward, I got up and started moving. I had a nice breakfast downstairs, and then it was time for church.
I had the option of attending an English language service, but I chose a Japanese one instead. I wanted the experience of it. The rhythm of the service is the same and they provided me a bulletin in English so that I could follow along with the lessons. It worked out just fine. It was beautiful. I wish I knew what the priest was saying because he was very excited about it. Regardless, his enthusiasm was catching, and I felt like I had definitely heard a good sermon.
The works in the church were produced by Cecco Bonaotte, and the design of the church was done by his son, Pier Paolo Maria Bonanotte.
This church was planned by 5 churches in umeda area, Osaka. It is a four-story complex facility, produces an impressive space with the fusion of tradition and modernity. In other stories of the building, there are the satellite campus of Sophia University, the bookstore of Sanpaolo, which deals with the books of Catholic and so on.
Utilizing the natural light, the pure white church marvelously brings out the grace and lightness of the bronze sculpture by Bonanotte.
Beneath the altar / Last Supper
Processional Cross
The sanctuary was quite full (I was the only non-Japanese), and the congregation was very welcoming. If you find yourself in Osaka, I can highly recommend Holy Family to you.
Ohโฆ I donโt know what kind of wafers they used for Mass, but they were โdifferent.โ I may have to try and find them for St. Matthewโs. Definitely not your standard styrofoam.
After all that work, It was time for an early afternoon snack. I went to my local favoriteโMinori. Enid does not need another Mexican restaurant. It needs an Aรงai Bowl restaurant!
Peanut butter with honey, almonds, blue berries, strawberries, banana, peach, coconut, granola, aรงai. Yum!
After a brief rest, I headed back out. While wandering the city, I bumped into something and canโt seem to get it off my arm. Very strange. Maybe itโll wash off tomorrow.
Being Sunday night and all, I thought the city would be quieter. That was not the case. I suppose they are getting in every minute of the weekend before back to work.
And, if you stand in this one spot for long enough, the camera comes on and your up on the big screen. Yes. Iโm a dork, and stood there and took a picture of me taking a picture of myself.
That is all for today, my Japan virtual companions. Tomorrow is my last day here, and I have only one item remaining on my Japan itenerary. Am I ready to come home? I suppose I probably am. I miss you all and I miss The Queen. So, for now, Iโll leave you with this thoughtโฆ
I have an idea, letโs go find lunch/supper on the Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street the longest Arcade in Japan.
First, we walk, then take a train, followed by a bus.
This is followed by more walking until we come to the street weโre looking for. Aha! There it is. It’s time to walk a bit more.
Now what to eat?
First stop? Yeah. Sushi time! Thereโs a raw quail egg under all that smelt roe. Nice and rich. The bonus: those little orange eggs get caught in your teeth. Even after brushing your teeth, thereโs a good chance youโll find one or two still lodged up in there and have them for breakfast tomorrow.
Yummy!
That was the appetizer; from there, I moved further down the street and found this tasty dish. Iโm not sure what to call it, but omelet works just fine. Pork on the inside with a tangy sauce.
Also, yummy!
After stopping in two different restaurants, I felt like this โDo not crossโ sign was intimating something about my current condition.
After more wandering about, I head back to the hotel, via walking, bus, walking, train, and walking a little more.
5,222 steps and all the rides later, and Iโm back at the hotel. Iโm thinking that a little later, I will head back to Minori for another Aรงai Bowl.
As for the riding and walking, it is how you get anywhere. Sometimes, the trains are literally packed like sardines. You canโt even turn. Other times, they are almost empty. It depends on the time of day and where you are headed. The bonus: they are highly efficient. Iโm impressed with Google Maps and its ability to even let you know if a train is running late and by how many minutes.
Tomorrow is Sunday and Iโve found a Catholic Church near by. They have an English language service, but I plan to attend the Japanese language one for the experience. Given the flow is very much like ours, Iโm guessing Iโll have some idea as to what is being said. So, if I can find a church to attend in Osaka, Japan, you can certainly find one near you. No excuses (even if it is a Morning Prayer service and your priest is out galavanting around somewhere!)
Vision is entirely a creative faculty: it uses the body and the mind as the navigator uses his instruments. Open and alert, it matters little whether one finds a supposed short cut to the Indies-or discovers a new world. Everything is begging to be discovered, not accidentally, but intuitively. Seeking intuitively, one’s destination is never in a beyond of time or space but always here and now. If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored. One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things. Which is to say that there are no limits to vision. Similarly, there are no limits to paradise. Any paradise worth the name can sustain all the flaws in creation and remain undiminished, untarnished.
Henry Miller / Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch
The list: USA, Italy, Spain, France, Ireland, Norway, Japan. Not an extensive list, but respectable. I still hope to add at least India to it.
Now, donโt think Iโm slipping over the edge here. Just having a think is allโฆ
In the places Iโve visited and the resources required to experience them, have any of them made me happier/a better person/more wise/etc/etc/etc, than 2426 Sherwood Drive with The Queen in my lap and a good book in my hands? The short answer: no.
To see the beauty of Godโs creation and those things created by His creation is a gift and a delight. To have walked through the halls of the Sistine Chapel, to have gazed out over the Grand Canyon, to have been a total tourist and ridden the elevator to the top of Tokyo TowerโI know that I am blessed (and spoiled) to have had these opportunities. I would not trade the experiences, but to write sermons and preach the Gospel, sit with friends and play Uno, write silly blog posts, are (I was going to say โequallyโ as enjoyable, but..) far more enjoyable and life giving/experiencing.
My friend, Mr. Miller, said, One’s destination is never in a beyond of time or space but always here and now. If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored. One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.
In this life, your destination is where you are at this very moment. You can choose the place where you will experience those moments, but the place is not your life. The place is the backdrop.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Today was a much quieter day. I had to check out of the hotel by 11 AM and make my way to Osaka. I had a late breakfast, packed up, and headed to the station for a one-hour train ride. It was not one of the bullet trains, but it was still quite pleasant.
After dropping my bags at The Gala Hotel Umeda (check-in was not available until 3 p.m.), I spent some time sitting in the lobby, reading, and wandering around fairly close to the hotel.
Along the way, I came across what looked like a very interesting๏ฟผ restaurant, Minori, where I could get a snack.
The restaurant had probably enough room to seat 15 people. It was about half full when I arrived, and I was the only guy in the building. It was filled with happy chatting young Japanese women. What was served? Aรงai bowls.
What exactly is aรงai?
Aรงai is actually a small, dark purple berry, which comes from a palm tree in the Amazon rainforest.
โSimilar to blueberries, acai is high in antioxidants and fiber,โ says Melissa Keeney, RDN, clinical nutrition manager at St. Vincentโs Medical Center. โGrown in the rainforest, theyโve long been used in medicine โ but have recently become popular around the world for their benefits with immune health.โ
Like broccoli, avocado and sweet potatoes, aรงai is considered a superfood, meaning itโs packed with nutrients and linked to countless health benefits. (Source)
Thatโs the official description. My unofficial description is that itโs a bit like a mullet. Business up front, and party in the back! All that healthy stuff is on top, and then all that delicious goodness is below. I was convinced that it had some Nutella mixed in there. I will probably have to stop by there at least once more before I leave.
Afterward, I came back to the hotel and sat out in the lobby to read my book, and then I rememberedโฆ Books. Not just any book, either. A very special book. A quick search in Google Maps found me a bookstore about a half mile away. I started walking.
I typed out my request in Google Translate and handed it to a clerk on the second floor. They read my request and immediately directed me to the third floor. The clerk there brought me to the correct section, but these were English language books. ๏ฟผThis will not do. Back to the clerk, and I revise my request. The clerk had an โAhaโ moment. He brought me back down to the second floor, and there they all were. I canโt read a word of it, but itโs my favorite souvenir so far! A Japanese version of The Shining by Stephen King!
And for the recordโฆ I am not a nerd! I smiled all the way back to the hotel (not The Overlook!) and then some. Itโll go next to my Norwegian version of Carrie.
Tomorrow, I donโt plan to go far. Iโll step out for a bite to eat and all that, but I will take a day of rest and enjoy not moving too much.
I hope you all have a good day and that you are well. Thank you for following along on my adventures in Japan. I hope you are enjoying these block posts because I enjoy writing them.
Candle in a Cave 