NUDGINGS: a journey into the unknown

  “A period of preparation and fasting has likely been observed before the Easter festival since apostolic times, though the practice was not formalized until the First Council of Nicaea in 325 ce.” Wikipedia  New members were traditionally admitted to membership in the church during the Easter festival. To reach that goal they had to undergo a year of training that climaxed during 40 days before Easter. Even today we still see vestiges of this practise of using Lent for study whether individually or in groups. The idea of giving something up for Lent seems at cross purposes to this. Perhaps the thought originally was that the theology being studied would lead you to change your ways (thereby giving up something) and so improving your  efficacy to live a Christian life. Spiritual growth tests old concepts that we hold about ourselves and  leads to new understanding which in turn evolves to changes in how we live. COVID-19 has put us all through a year long course in which we hav

“There is gold, and abundance of costly stones; but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.“   Proverbs 20:15 For centuries (and still today in some cultures) the elders were venerated and looked up to. Their advice was sought on many levels, whether where the best hunting areas might be, which herbs were useful for cooking and which might proved helpful in maintaining good health or how to appease the gods and everything in between. The knowledge that the elders had accumulated over the years was acknowledged and used. Then as life became easier for people generally there was a turning away from the wisdom of the elders. It was no longer needed by the next generations. They had specialists, highly trained individuals, to answer their needs. Life was good. They could do anything and go anywhere. There were no limits on what was possible. The old people became a burden, slowing down their lives and so many of them were put away in homes where they would be with others

There have been many emails coming into my computer these last couple of weeks showcasing spring clothes. I wonder who is buying them! My closet still has little-worn spring clothes in it. After all last spring we were in the midst of a lockdown and this year, while slightly better, we are still being encouraged to stay home as much as possible.  I know in the morning when I am getting dressed and there is a ZOOM  meeting or chat on the calendar, what I look for in the closet is something with an interesting neckline.  I don’t see anything like that in the spring wardrobes being offered, despite the fact that virtual meetings will still be there in our new reality. I find my thoughts turning to the parable told  in Matthew 7:24-27 of the wise and foolish builders. Indeed it took longer, and much more work to build a house on the rock, but its foundation was secure and it would withstand the raging storms. Building on the sand offered a fast and easy approach to getting the necessary s

  You remember the Bible story about the Tower of Babel ( Genesis 11:1-9) don’t you?  This is an origin myth meant to explain why all the world’s people speak different languages.  According to the story, following the flood there was a crowd of people all speaking the same language gathered around a tower they had built, a tower tall enough to reach heaven. God, seeing this, changes their speech so that they can no longer understand each other and are forced to scatter throughout the world. So today when there is a cacophony of sounds, of many voices speaking, we say it sounds like the Tower of Babel. This reminds me of a ZOOM meeting or a FaceTime chat. In both of these instances, as well as any other virtual get-togethers, if people are interacting freely, there are bound to be several voices speaking at once... meaning no one is being heard. This happens far more that would be the case if we were meeting in person. And I found myself wondering why. What is lacking in the  virtua

“Yes, the old ways of doing things are on hold, perhaps for longer than we realize. But this moment of rupture may be an opening to new paths. New connections. New ways of being. And, if we are diligent and blessed, maybe even liberation.“  -Rabbi Michael Rothbaum I copied this quote by Rabbi Rothbaum  back eons ago in another world, at the beginning of this pandemic. I remember wondering when I read it back then if this would in fact come true, even in part. After all we humans are opposed to change even small, incremental change. Of course back then we had no concept where COVID-19 would force us to go! The idea a year ago of going into lockdown for a month was almost impossible to comprehend. To say nothing of the fact that if vaccines arrived in a couple of years, we would be fortunate. No one had heard of social distancing. Washing your hands was something your mother had told you to do before meals. While mask wearing was reserved mainly for those people who were flouting the