Author: Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn

“Whoever would save his life will lost it and whoever loses his life will find it” – Jesus, Matthew 16:25 The Apostle Paul repeats an anthem of the early church… Though his state was that of God, yet he did not claim equality with God something he should cling to. Rather, he emptied himself, and assuming the state of a slave, he was born in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5ff) I am reading Cynthia Bourgeault’s book, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening. She states that all great religions/faiths have as their goal “death to self.” True I suppose. But let us not confuse “interior death” with a more holistic view. I deeply embrace meditation and contemplation. I lead retreats, guide people into silence, listening prayer, and centering prayer. All of this rich spirituality is meant to “plug in” our heart and world to god. It is not meant to simply a self—ish (self focused, self centered) spirituality, where god is just there to help us idolize our Self. No. Taking Jesus’ prime example of death to self, it is truly “Not my will, O Lord, but thine!” – and then he goes to the cross – not a symbolic cross, a real cross. The soldiers gamble away what little possessions he has. He falls into the hands of god The Father Almighty. Ladies and Gentlemen: that is death to self. This...

Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Why do we continue to look for Jesus amongst the graves of our dead ideas? … the dead idea of war, where military violence is suppose to bring peace; the dead idea where Christian moralism replaces sitting at the feet of Jesus; where terrorists replace prophets; where busyness replaces significance; where consumption replaces contentment? Jesus shows us what it takes to have peace: go and be with your enemy; how to pray – come together for daily worship and scripture contemplation; be the bold voice of truth! rest, re-create and wrestle in solitude with the Author of Life; and store up treasures in heaven. When British missionary Bishop Lesslie Newbigin was once asked when reflecting on the future, ‘are you an optimist or a pessimist?’ he answered: “Neither. Christ has risen from the dead!” If Jesus is risen then all things are possible. If he has not risen then all we have is...

Going to Conception Abbey soon On a crisp Spring day like this fine morning I’d love to be walking across the Abbey’s hill toward prayer (Lauds) as the bells toll. After prayers, go eat some simple breakfast with that particular taste of institutional coffee. Then later find a warm baking place in the sun, and like some content dog just BE, no worries. And then listen for the Voice. Windmills, flowering trees, orchard, the smell of dirt, the smells of the Abbey – frankincense and polish… my journal, a book maybe, a gritty Bible story about some despot ruler who failed to honor god – and as a result the price everyone must pay… imagine myself the prophet who ‘told them so’… then wander out in a quiet field… find a tiny obscure rivulet to watch the water drip and gurgle, singing its happy tune of praise. Feel small. Hear the Voice. And we are redeemed, like turning in a lost muddy Coke bottle, you found in a ditch as a kid. You walk into the grocery store, and… Three cents! Yes, that’s about right, three cents. How I wish that is all I desired: to find hidden three-cent treasures. Buy my candy and walk home content. Go to Conception Abbey. Find your Coke bottle; be redeemed. Have no where to be....

Set the captives free, defend the poor, share bread and one cup with everyone” We want to bite off more than we can chew in the inner city. We want to purchase an apartment complex and rehab it, have spiritual retreats there, and work in the neighborhood. This will be more than we can handle – and that is exactly the idea. Those of us in the outer city (suburbia) never drift into rebuilding the inner city in the name of Jesus unless we own the problems, unless we get in over our heads. This is a theological point, and a good point to make near Easter: In Jesus, god comes to be with us, he lowers himself, empties himself (Philippians 2:5-11) and enters into “solidarity” with us – he becomes one of us. BUT – though we kill him on the cross, unlike us, he rises and is victorious over death and humanity’s evil; Jesus begins a new era, a new way of being human. He is the first fruits, the first of the harvest of new Adams, new Eves. We now have power, god’s Presence in the his Spirit. Let’s be clear: we are not building the kingdom of heaven on earth by our own will and strength – the Spirit intercedes, guides, and empowers us. The resurrection shows us we need not worry or fear “those...