The Luminous Podcast

Parish Hopes From Here | Fr. Chad E. JarnaginTraditionally, to have a parish meant to take spiritual responsibility for a designated geographic area. The greater Nashville area now has over 2 million people. Over the next 7-8 years, there will be another million.We believe in the importance of commitment to local community and planting roots to form deep and meaningful relationships in our neighborhoods that can help bring about real change and renewal. Our society is thirsty for spiritual nutrition, belonging, and genuine reverent worship. We desire to cooperate with God in the transformation of our souls. Beauty, Communion, and Peace will continue to be central values as we move forward into our third year.As Followers of Christ, we believe that we are nourished by living an integrated life of three streams: scripture, spirit and sacrament.Worshiping with both sacramental and spiritual gifts can deepen our joy, enrich our lives, and remind us that there are things we can learn from the worship practices of other traditions.It is interesting that the early New Testament church, namely the church in Corinth, was both eucharistic and charismatic. The Corinthians were knew that these streams moved together for a reason... only in our modern practices have we worked incredibly hard to separate them. Andrew Wilson (Spirit and Sacrament) says, “neither did Paul regard this as strange or problematic; in fact, he encouraged them to continue celebrating Communion together (1 Cor. 11:23–6) AND to eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy (14:1). With the idea that God is stillactive, speaking, moving... it would serve us and the Church well, to believe the this God who was, who is, and is to come is still alive.From the Gospel today: It is so easy to fall into the trap of believing that the Golden Rule has a secret ending: Do to others as you want them to do to you as long as they agree to do the same to you... This isn’t a contract. The love we are called to give is not conditional. It is kenotic, a beautiful Greek word that means ’self-emptying’. It is not passive love that naturally flows from you to those who do good to you.If we can embrace these words and allow them to shape our internal ethic, if we can lay down our instinctual response and take up Jesus’ calling, we will discover a way of living that liberates us from our pain, anger and, somehow, may also liberate our enemies from theirs.

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Peace | Fr. Chad E. JarnaginPeace"Shalom" is the Hebrew word for "peace." It means something like everything in its place, flourishing as God intends. We find God in all things and all things in God. Blessed are the peacemakers. - Jesus. To be peacemakers, we need to be people of peace, both inwardly and outwardly. Our living The Way is the shalom that is proper for God's future world to be revealed here and now.If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. -Mother TeresaThere is an intentional pace to what we do. Our hope is that anyone who walks through the doors of Luminous Parish will find rest and peace in presence of the Almighty. There is no unsustainable thrill seeking here... however, we are quite often surprised by the Spirit.If we extracted and evaluated everything we know of Jesus, his life, teachings, and instruction, we could arguably draw the conclusion that Christ’s entire objective was to give, live, and embody peace. Maybe that is the meaning behind Christ-likeness... and why we find it so difficult or even off-putting. Our distractions and near sightedness hinderour ability to abide in peace. We don’t know what to do with it when we find it... unfortunately, we may feel more accomplished when we resist or combat peace.Resurrection gives hope for peace:1 Cor. 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope[a] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.There is no peace without reconciliation... which comes from confession. The idea of repentance was and is to make way for peace. Our resistance is the enemy of peace.“Did I offer peace today? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.” -NouwenSo much of our society wages war... may we wage peace.A parting thought: We are a small part of a very large picture. How we live today, may have lasting gravity.

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Communion | Fr. Chad E. JarnaginCommunionThe Way of Jesus is inevitably communal. Communion is intrinsic to a life of faith. We long for a sense of belonging. We weren't meant to live out faith in a vacuum of isolation. We were meant to process, translate, and discuss The Way in a communal setting. Much of life continues to gear us to be self-centric, so it is on us to practice the work of the people (liturgy) on Sundays to be the liturgy Monday through Saturday.Koinonia (/ˌkɔɪnoʊˈniːə/) is the Greek word, which means communion, joint participation; the share which one has in anything, a collection, a contribution. It identifies the idealized state of fellowship and unity that should exist within the Church. Historically & theoretically, this has a higher success rate within parish life... intentionally smaller with lesser show and distraction.
Now, there is a drastic contrast between communion and consumerism."The church that can’t worship must be entertained.”—A.W. Tozer“I believe that the community - in the fullest sense: a place and all its creatures - is the smallest unit of health and that to speak of the health of an isolated individual is a contradiction in terms.” ― Wendell BerryIn creating rhythms to be with God and to be with one another, our expectations should be realistic and patient. Most of us paint our current situation in the light of a previous experience, be it positive or negative.The Eucharist is central to our worship. At the center of the Eucharist, is Christ: Life, death, and resurrection. Jesus is and always has been known in the breaking of the bread.Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we have a deep and constant communion with God, enabling his “Kingdom Come” and will being done on earth as it is in heaven.John 15 (ESV)I Am the True Vine15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.“First, we must call people to communion with God, to intimacy with God, to a sense of belonging. Most people are lost, confused, alienated. They suffer and struggle immensely in relationships. We have to proclaim loudly and clearly in our actions and in our words that God loves us that we belong to him. That’s a call to the mystical life.” —Henri NouwenCommunion encourages grace, trust, and eventually begins to leave fingerprints on everything it touches. Communion allows us to choose to keep our soul healthy rather than fatigued and consumed. From a consumer-view, we take communion... from a communion-view, we receive.

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Beauty | Fr. Chad E. JarnaginValues - Beauty, Communion, PeaceAs an Anglican Mission to Nashville | Franklin, we desire to cooperate with God in the transformation of our souls. Sacred rhythms are the undercurrent of what we do and we intentionally have a contemplative stillness to assists in a time of rest and response.BeautyWe believe beauty inspires us in accordance of our view of God - The ultimate source of creativity, beauty, artistry, and holiness. Our desire for and orientation toward beauty is in fact a desire and orientation toward God. We also believe that this orientation leads us to repentance and enables our ongoing spiritual formation. Beauty is so quietly woven through our ordinary days that we hardly notice it. -John O’DonoghueIt would serve us well to reframe the concept of beauty. Our subjectivity certainly has a default. Beautiful things don't ask for attention. (Walter Mitty)... From time to time Jesus was the revealer or beauty. His miracles empowered beauty... his word/ life embodies beauty.Luke 4:18-21“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed meto proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captivesand recovering of sight to the blind,to set at liberty those who are oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”There is a lot going on in this Gospel. Jesus teaching in the synagogue means he was accepted in their ranks... which made what he says even more bothersome for them, and we now see it as him being the embodiment of this word. Also- Let’s be reminded that he is voicing these words of Isaiah in suffering terms: Poor, captives, blind, oppressed.There is beauty in contrast. There is no light with our darkness. No darkness without light - No melody without movement; No crescendo without silence.
We can become so used to mediocrity that we find it difficult to look for beauty. How do our senses return? We need pallet cleansers as well as healthy spiritual practices.Contemplation is a gift, not an achievement. This practice of will heighten our senses; Gives us a calmer approach for responding, awareness, meaning, & discernment.“I stood willingly and gladly in the characters of everything - other people, trees, clouds. And this is what I learned, that the world's otherness is antidote to confusion - that standing within this otherness - the beauty and the mystery of the world, out in the fields or deep inside books - can re-dignify the worst-stung heart.”―Mary Oliver

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Epiphany | The Reverend Chad E. JarnaginMatthew 2:1-12 (ESV)The Visit of the Wise Men2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men[a] from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:6“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a rulerwho will shepherd my people Israel.’”7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.An epiphany is: a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by a simple or commonplace occurrence or experience. ‘Epiphanic moments' are those times when, quite suddenly, something of the greatest importance strikes us unexpectedly. At the Feast of Epiphany we commemorate for the first time, revealed to the whole world - the birth of the historical Jesus is revealed to be the incarnation of the eternal Son of God. The Word made flesh. All the rumors, all the prophecies, all hope... Everything coming true.It may be healthy for us to realize that the magi didn’t continue to search for Christ after they found him. Meaning, there is no record of them convincing one another that this wasn’t really who they were searching for... this Christ meant God was with them, us.This year, I would like to suggest a couple of things:1. Lean into the life and rhythms of Luminous consistently. Spiritualhealth doesn't solely occur in isolation, but in communion.Communion with God and with one another... because God is with us. Embrace the Anglican Way and it’s rhythms without reservation. Lean from curiosity to intentionality. As a parish, our values are Beauty, Communion, & Peace. Over the coming weeks, we’re going to discuss these in more detail.2. When a course or class resonates, make an effort to be a part. You will be a part of a conversation that is meant for spiritual health and growth.3. Daily Office. Begin with 1-2 Psalms each week. Realize that in doing so, you are joining many Believers all around the world doing the same.Prayer:Be our daily star, O Father, Son, Spirit.Guide our lives to be Your Kingdom come...May we follow your light of beauty & truth.Forever trusting, hoping and believing in The Way of Christ. Lift our eyes to see and our ears to hear.To the glory of your name. Amen.

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Advent | Peace - The Rev. Chad E. JarnaginLuke 3:1-6 English Standard Version (NRSV)The Proclamation of John the BaptistIn the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea (it-too-rea) and Trachonitis (Track-on-i-tis), and Lysanias (Lie-seen-ious) ruler of Abilene,2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas (Ki-a-fas), the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,make his paths straight. 5Every valley shall be filled,and every mountain and hill shall be made low,and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” Luke was arguably one of the more intelligent and insightful of the Gospel writers... and he is subtly undermining the systems of this world. Luke writes that someone greater than the early kings and rulers is coming to straighten the paths and smooth out the roads... and they will be contrasted with their leaders and will be outside of the framework and systems by which we even identify ourselves today.
God (I AM) actively calls us into the wilderness, where we are away from the noise and norms, but also the desired distractions and comforts. Silence can be unsettling, but it can also be more revealing than the loudest of voices. Advent is symbolically the wilderness without light. It is a time of uncertainty, waiting, and preparation.This evening, we lit the candle of Peace. The Hebrew word for peace, Shalom: Everything in its place flourishing as God intends. The word shalom is mentioned more than 250 times throughout Scripture. Peace is key to participating in the Way of Jesus. Peace is key in making the pathway straight in preparing the way or the Lord.Peace is first of all the art of being.” ― Henri Nouwen. Meaning, if we live in a way where peace is of high value, we will work toward this peace. When we know peace we can’t help but share it. We want it for everyone. There is no peace without repentance.The level in which we sense peace can depend on our pace of life and our awareness to live differently. Here is good news: Regardless of the busyness of our hearts and minds, we can have peace with God.Preparing the way by living differently may need to begin with repentance. Today, this isn’t an every day word, though it enables our hearts to prepare Him room.MUSIC by THE BRILLIANCE luminousparish.com

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Advent | Hope - The Rev. Chad E. JarnaginLuke 21:25-36 English Standard Version (ESV)The Coming of the Son of Man25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”The Lesson of the Fig Tree29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place.33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.Watch Yourselves34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”The word “Advent” is from the Latin “Adventus”, which means “arrival” or “coming.” Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the Church prepares to celebrate the arrival of Christ, the Word made flesh. The readings and liturgies not only direct us towards Christ’s coming, they also challenge our modern reluctance to slow down and wait.

Last week we spoke about embodying the Kingdom... and being people of Christ’s Kingdom means living differently from the mainstream.As we begin this Advent, here are two things for us:1. Slow down to pay attentionWatch for moment in our days where Christ is revealed... This slowly changes the way we see the world. Remember, God isn’t required to show up, God IS... we should be compelled to be present. Moments that seem set apartness or unusual may be holy moments.2. Prepare to make roomAdvent intentionally prepares us for Christmas. It can be a season that helps slow down, while embracing patience... As we prepare him room, we making room for holy moments.N.T. Wright describes Advent as a season mixed with prophecy, politics, prayer, and perseverance... and Christmas becoming cozy. While Advent calls us to stay or become awake. We can invite / yield to the Spirit, in our relationship with prophecy, politics, prayer, and perseverance. If we do, our awareness of God in all these things will bend us into hope.Overall, Luke 21 is encouraging preparation and awareness. Beginning a new church year / liturgical season with Advent reminds us that the work of advent (arrival / coming) it is a beginning of newness. New hopes, we rhythms, new perspectives.

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Fr. Chad E. JarnaginThe Reign of Christ / Christ the KingJohn 18:33-37 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” 35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”Jesus is handed over to the government / empire, and while standing on trial with Pilate, he is questioned: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus knows he is addressing the question that everyone is implying...With Christ saying, “my kingdom is not from this world. If it were, my followers would be fighting for me... but as it is, my kingdom is not from here”. Meaning, they don’t have jurisdiction or rights to pass this judgment to condemn, but he knows it is coming. His expectations were eternal-minded.“Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice”. This seems to imply that for those who believe, resonate with his way... and it serves us well to calibrate our expectations accordingly.If his kingdom is not of this world, what does it look like to embody another world? It may look like the best possible version of the current one. One where mercy, grace, and acceptance is given when its seemingly undeserved.Legacy is a transcendent encounter through time. Embodying the best possible version of this world beyond our time in it. A kingdom much greater than any empire or system. Regardless of our past prejudices, hurts, or traumas, we have a way forward in the light of the Kingdom not of this world... and it isn’t to wait for the extraction of eternity, but to embody the Way of Jesus here and now.Brennan Manning said “Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of our journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever.”

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Ordinary Time | Our Great High Priest | The Rev. Chad E. JarnaginHebrews 4:12-16 (NRSV)12 Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.Jesus the Great High Priest14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested[a] as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.By pointing out God’s word is living and active, the writer wants us to recognize that it is vibrant and stirring. Sharp to the point of dividing soul and spirit... joints and marrow...thoughts and intentions of the heart. Verse 13 continues with no creature being hidden, all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account. Continuing into verse 14, the writer begins to submit the concept of how a Believer is kept in perfect rest... by grace, the office of our Great High Priest... and that he has passed through the heavens. Jewish writings speak of different layers to heaven: meaning that within heaven, God’s part of the two-sided created order, as opposed to ‘earth’, the space- time cosmos we live in, there are layers with God’s own dwelling being the innermost one.We have tendencies to project our version of god on to God. As God is unsympathetic, lacking empathy and understanding. This is one of themost complex breakdowns for Believers. The writer of Hebrews encourages to hold firmly to the faith we profess. Our high priest is able to sympathize with our weakness and temptation in every way. We are not alone. You are not alone.If that is the case, let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.We will experience a lack of confidence when Christ is removed from our center. The throne of grace becomes “a throne of suspicion”, a”throne of isolation”, or a “throne of know more / do more”... Any substitution will eventually prove to be a farce.What does a confident approach look like? Knowing the throne being approached... one of grace... with no hesitation, timidity... having assurance / knowing... there will grace and mercy in time of need. Here’s a reality for us to meditate on: approaching the throne of grace with confidence isn’t arrogance. It would arrogant not to, and attempt on our own power. Our way forward isn’t a by-pass route, it is direct joined with Christ.

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Yielded & Still | Fr. Chad E. JarnaginJames 3:13-4:3 (NRSV)To Kinds of Wisdom13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for[a] those who make peace.Friendship with the World4 Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? 2 You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet[b] something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.James 4:7-8 (NRSV)7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.James continues to bring great insight and instruction: Again, I want to remind us to approach James in a patient contemplative openness, not pragmatically. Here, James is essentially speaking of three things we are all interested in. This round he speaks of wisdom, peace, and conflict.13-18 is saying there are two kinds of wisdom. One from above and one earthly. One spiritual, and one unspiritual.Spiritual wisdom: gentleness, peaceful, willing to yield (meaning open to reason), full of mercy, and good fruits. I did a little digging - Side-note: The Greek word for open to reason (or yielding) it is always a feminine tense. So what is unspiritual? Well, he lays it our here...Unspiritual: bitter envy, selfish ambition... false & boastful... saying that where there is envy, there is disorder and wickedness of every kind.Where to these conflicts and disputes come from that James speaks of? Cravings (desires) that are at war within... we can all answer that to ourselves in our stillness.Toward the end here, he speaks of submitting to God... resisting evil... draw near to God and God will draw near to you.Unlike some passages, we see some clear applications for us.1. Spiritual wisdom and the fruit for this kind of living in contrast tounspiritual... so we see how / what it looks like.2. By giving in to our inward battles, we will remain distracted andfruitless.3. Drawing near to God by our humility will bring about the spiritualway: peace, gentleness, and spiritual life... and essentially gives us the tools to appropriately deal with conflicts.This word submission / to obey is difficult for us sometimes, huh? To submit, means to give over or to yield. Why is this so tough?Maybe because we celebrate our individualism more than our communion. Everything around us competes for our attention. Make no mistake, yielding in this context couldn’t be further from a weakness. Our society and culture sees yielding as a weakness... but Jame is reframing weakness: he insinuates that our resistance to a spiritual way of living is an actual weakness.
Have Thine Own Way Lord (1907)Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.Mold me and make me after Thy will,While I am waiting, yielded and still.Through the lens of this one verse of this hymn... In the light of this passage from James: what is it to live a spiritual way? What is it to live an unspiritual way.

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