I'm fixin' ta ruffle some feathers

Today is the 4th Sunday of Advent, often called Mary Sunday in liturgical church traditions. The candle for this Sunday in the Advent wreath might be pink for that reason. We often hear the Magnificat, or the Canticle of Mary, said or sung:

Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1791)

My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his handmaiden: For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel:
As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
(Book of Common Prayer, 1662)

The text of the canticle is taken from the Gospel of Luke (1:46–55) where it is spoken by Mary upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth.^[2] In the narrative, after Mary greets Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, the latter moves within Elizabeth's womb. Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith (using words partially reflected in the Hail Mary), and Mary responds with what is now known as the Magnificat.  (Direct quote from Wikipedia)

There are many amazing choral settings of this text, including those of J.S. Bach and Camille Saint-Saens. There are quite a few settings of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Lord, now lettest thy servant depart in peace) paired, to be used in Anglican evensong services. 

I often like to joke that my birthday, December 8 (it's never too late to send me presents!), is known as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. One former friend quipped that he believed it about the feast, but the immaculate part? Not so much. (As I say, he is a former friend.) But this begs the question: Do you believe in the Virgin Birth?

My own answer to that question would be considered quite rude. The best answer I know of came from an unnamed seminary student who was being interviewed as part of the ordination process:  "The Virgin Birth wouldn't matter if it weren't for the Incarnation." 

Back to my rudeness. I have often observed that the question, "Do you believe in....?" or "Are you a Christian?" really means "Does your belief system mirror mine exactly?"  What the poor victim of these questions seldom realizes is that these questions say more about the questioner than the one being questioned. It is unfortunate that this sort of thing often happens in such interviews as the one I describe above, where one is being examined for fitness either to enter into the ordination process, to continue it, or to complete it.  

Let me be explicit here. Offensive, if that is your take on the matter. Literal truth is a recent concept. Before the 17th century at earliest, no one ever believed that anything written, especially anything passed down as generational or cultural tradition, was literally true. Why is it important to have a stance on one side or another about literal truth? Does that affect one's ability to seek and serve God in all his works? Does that affect one's ability to serve his fellow man and woman? Does having someone complete a laundry list of core belief points qualify him or her to be a servant of God? 

If this ruffles your feathers, I would suggest you take a moment--or a day--to contemplate exactly why it does. I'm not here to criticize anyone's belief system. I'm telling you about mine, and I'm decrying what I see as inflexibility and intolerance for other systems that I often see in people who claim to serve their God. Was Jesus inflexible? Was Jesus intolerant? If you think you are acting like Jesus, then I challenge you to find a scripture passage that supports that belief. (If you're feeding the hungry and clothing the poor, I get you. I'm not talking about you.) 

Let me be clear. I know many very kind and generous and giving people whose beliefs do not mirror mine. They don't have to. In my old age, I've learned that what you believe doesn't matter, but what you do matters. Some people who on certain topics are inflexible and judgmental are still very giving when it comes to taking care of those who are less fortunate and those who need immediate relief. Some people (like me, I fear) who spend more time pondering these things than acting don't live up to that example of service.

Is there an answer? Does there have to be an answer? I'm not here to change anyone's belief system, but if I've made you think, then I might have done a good thing. 

How to love a dog

Don't know where that title came from, but it just hit me. 

It will surprise no one to learn I watch many, many pet rescue videos. Mostly dogs--again, no surprise--in great need of physical and spiritual recovery. Just this evening I was pondering how I might talk to a small child--and I do not have enough children in my life, I admit--about dogs. It might go something like this:

Do you remember when you were very small and you only understood the world in the way it related to you? Probably not. Think of dogs in that way. A dog sees you as a big, goofy, hairless dog. A dog wants to be part of a pack, part of a family. That is why he sticks so closely to you. That is why he loves you so. 

If you see a dog introduced to a baby, the dog understands that the baby is a very small being who needs care, and becomes protective. There are stories in the hundreds and thousands about this sort of bond that lasts as long as the dog lives. It is sad that dogs do not live as long as people do. Some people say that is because the purpose of life is to find perfect love, and dogs do it so well, they can progress to Heaven much sooner than people do. Dogs and babies develop their own language and understand each other in ways grownups have forgotten.

A dog introduced to a boy or girl about 8 or 10 or 12 is a very fortunate dog indeed. He gets to run and play and benefit from a beautiful love that only a child of that age can give. He can be trusted friend, body guard, helper, or whatever he is asked to be.  (Math tutor might not be a good thing to ask--but never underestimate a clever dog!) I once saw a movie that was told from a dog's viewpoint, where the dog was advised how fortunate he was to have his very own boy to play with.

A dog who is introduced to most grownups will learn that he is there for fun and diversion, but he also must behave while that grownup is forced to act like a grownup. How frustrating that must be! For the person and the dog! Human grownups very often forget how to have fun, how to enjoy life and love and laughter, and that is why dogs are such a wonderful gift to them. 

A dog introduced to an older person is very fortunate indeed. An older person will have seen a lot in his or her life, will have known joy and sadness, and will be happy to have a wise soul that will understand without having to hear the words.  In the end, the words don't matter that much, do they? They certainly don't matter to the infants we talked about before!

So. How do you understand a dog? You understand that the dog has had a lifetime of experience before he met you. Whether it is eight weeks or eight years. Just like people, sometimes dogs overreact to things that bring up bad memories. Sometimes learning about those things can be a surprise, just as it might be with people. Most of the time love and patience will be the best way to go.

Also scritches behind the ears. Never forget those.  Also for the dogs.