Refelctions on Halloween (and Baptism) from a Friend...

At the end of October, children across the country will venture out into neighborhoods donning superhero capes, Star Wars attire, and all other sorts of costumes. As a child I always looked forward to Halloween, the day I would march around in my homemade Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume (as Donatello, of course) and walk from door to door trick-or-treating. A funny thing would happen when I wore this costume -- I changed. While inside the costume, everyone expected me to take on the persona and the behavior of Donatello and I happily obliged with “Cowabungas”, “Dudes”, and attempts at athletic jump kicks into the air. I had put on Donatello and the clothing changed my very thoughts, words and actions. I was a “little Donatello” for a night, realizing a lifelong dream of being a “hero in a half-shell”.


In baptism, we hope for a similar transformation. Paul writes, “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Gal 3:27). Symbolized with a white garment, the newly baptized are clothed with Christ. Unlike the Donatello outfit, when we “put on” Christ, it is once for all. He does not come off. We never dry off from our baptism and are continually challenged and strengthened by the Sacrament to take on the very persona and behavior of Jesus Christ. Like the Donatello costume, what happens on the outside hopefully changes our very thoughts, words and actions. The goal, then, of putting on Christ is for the inside to match the outside, so that our very identity becomes who we outwardly claim to be in baptism. For those of us who were baptized as babies, we spend our entire Christian lives trying to grow into the infant-sized baptismal garment. We strain to join our voices with Paul’s in proclaiming that “it is no longer I, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20).

We return now to the image of young Isaac as “little Donatello”. As I returned home, plastic pumpkin overflowing with candy, I was a happy kid and felt more turtle-like than before. But after the shell came off the effects quickly withered away. Once the costume was boxed up on November 1st, once there was no big event to look forward to, I forgot about the whole thing. With no continual reinforcement, I slid back to my usually quiet six-year-old self.

This too is a danger for us all -- forgetting our new identity in baptism. “Every Christian is to become a little Christ,” C.S. Lewis writes. “The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.” We are continually challenged to appropriate our identity as “little Christs”, to grow in faith, hope, and love. This becomes especially difficult when there is no big “faith event” on the horizon to look forward to. In a world that pulls us in hundreds of different directions at once, we need constant reminders and help to be “little Christs”; we need the St. James community and our family to ensure we recognize and live into our baptismal clothes.

This Halloween, as we see the “little superheroes”, “little Buzz Lightyears”, and “little princesses” parading from house to house, may they serve as a reminder to baptism. May the automatic taking on of personalities by the trick-or-treaters inspire us to take on the personality of Christ. And may we support each other in our journey, no matter where we are in our faith.

Hope all is well in the land of the Packers!

Blessings,

Isaac

The Gift of Silence

Last night I asked my Confirmation group how much time they spend each day in silence. My motive was to challenge them to spend a portion of that time listening for God's voice in their lives. The most silent time, that any of them admitted to, was 30 minutes. I asked them to look for 5 minutes this week to be quiet and listen to what God has to say to them.

 How would you answer this question? How much time do you spend each day in silence? One of the ways that we connect to God in prayer is to listen. Do you ever make the time to stop to listen for the voice of God?

This week you are encouraged to take some time, individually or as a family, and simply be quiet. Take a walk and silently appreciate God's creation. Set a timer for 3 or 5 minutes and repeat in your mind, "speak Lord, I'm listening".   Perhaps you can refrain from listening to your ipod or car radio for 5 minutes and offer those minutes to God. Another idea might be to set a timer and focus on your breathing for 2-3 minutes. Challenge yourself this week to spend some time in the quiet and see if you can hear the "still small voice of God" (1Kings 19:12). 

A Service Opportunity!

Christians, Muslims and Others working together to aid flood victims in Pakistan

FOOD PACK FOR PAKISTAN

November 1-4 Monday thru Thursday
Wisconsin Products Pavilion, State Fair Park

Shifts each day 6 -7:30 and 7:30-9 PM

OUR TARGET: 1,000,000 MEALS PACKED AND SHIPPED

Worldwide Hunger Relief is working together with local churches and the Islamic Society of Milwaukee to conduct a 4 day food pack to feed the hungry people of Pakistan whose homes and crops have been destroyed by the monsoon flooding this summer. 20 million people were displaced. All food packed will be shipped to Pakistan and distributed with the help of Zindagi Trust: www.zindagitrust.org, one of the most respected charities in Pakistan

REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT

http://www.worldwidehungerrelief.org/

Cost: $20 per participant which covers the cost of the food you will be packing.

A sponsor sheet is available on our website or by email from revtomkent@sbcglobal.net

This is a great event to bring confirmation classes, youth groups and other groups from your church. Join us in saving lives and sharing acts of compassion and mercy.