For the Love of Links (FTLOL) is a collection of goodies from the Internet. Some of it is edifying, some silly, and a lot in between. It is submitted for your enjoyment if not approval.

If you’re not familiar with Father Greg Boyle, you should be. His story is a joy to read, and the ministry that he facilitates is nothing short of God’s Kingdom unleashed in difficult places. — A Modern Day Mystic: The Priest Behind Homeboy Ministries

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Ethan Hawke directs, and his daughter Maya stars in a film about Flannery O’Connor. I’ve only seen a clip and can’t wait to see the whole thing. Here is a review of the film — Capturing a Misfit: A Review of “Wildcat" - Also, you may notice some similarities between her self-portrait and the Pantocrater Icon. Interested? Check out this brief take - The Ghost of Flannery O’Connor.

Our brethren and sistren1 of the Orthodox Church celebrated Pascha (our Easter) this past Sunday. While our Easter season ends next week, theirs continues. Therefore, this article on the power and importance of Easter is only fitting. And, keeping with the ecumenical nature of this post, it is written with contributions by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and a Southern Baptist pastor. — Easter’s Blow to ‘Wretched Urgency’

I’ve been reading Richard Beck since the days of blogs. He’s a psychology professor at Abilene Christian College and an author who has written on subjects as varied as disgust psychology, Johnny Cash, and the devil. My favorite book of his is Hunting Magic Eels. (Important note: it’s not just about eels.)

In recent weeks, he’s been reflecting on the contributions of a fantasy novelist who is helping him think more clearly about the interaction of faith and prayer. His substack series, Magical Systems and the Soft Enchantments of Christianity provides a lens through which we can think about faith and prayer.

Go to his main site to read the episodes following this one. I’d love to hear your thoughts on “hard and soft magic.”

Are you bored with your recent podcast listening? Not inspiring, too shallow? Are you bored with it? If so, and even if not, I encourage you to give some of these live talks by Dallas Willard a listen. He is one of Christianity’s greatest modern teachers and we are blessed to be able to hear him in his own words. Sadly, he died in 2013, but there are a lot of free resources where we can still learn from him at dwillard.org

Check out his series on the Kingdom of God - “What Jesus Taught and Lived”

T-Bone Burnett is the musical genius behind movies like O Brother Where Art Thou?, Crazy Heart, and Cold Mountain. He was in Bob Dylan’s touring band in the 70s and has recorded several of his own albums over the years. His new album is “The Other Side,” which is great. This is just a taste. “He Came Down” is my favorite.

Yes. It is a real word.

Eastertide comes to a close next week. This does not mean we cease our celebrations, but they take on different emphases that match the time of year. Following the Church Year like this helps us live faithfully in a world wild with grief. 

Two collects collide this week. Last Saturday, we prayed one of the last prayers of Eastertide, and this Thursday, we pray the collect for the Ascension. Ascension is the feast day when we commemorate Christ’s return to the right hand of God. If we look closely at these two collects, we can see some of the logic of the church year.

Collect for Eastertide ~ Week 7 

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

This prayer reminds us of something we quickly forget. God wants us to flourish. The little agonies of everyday life can conceal this from us. (And often, those agonies are not so little.) Despite this, this Eastertide Collect reminds us of what the Scriptures repeatedly say, God wants good things for us.

The Apostle Paul says so in Romans 8:28-29, 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Likewise, in Ephesians 3, Paul blurts out a benediction. Something typically saved for the end of a book, but in his excitement, he includes it at the halfway mark,

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

The collect echoes Paul. The good that God wants for us is beyond what we can imagine or even desire! God has indeed “promised good to me,” as the hymn declares. And the words of both Jesus and Paul attest to this fact. (Matt 11:28-30, Luke 15:11-32, Eph 1:3-14, 2:6-10, Titus 3:3-8)

The Feast of the Ascension always lands on a Thursday, 40 days after Easter. It reminds us of Christ’s Ascension to the throne, where he sits at the right hand of God the Father. According to Luke 24 and Acts 1, Jesus is lifted up and taken away from the sight of his disciples. But there is more to this story than Jesus’ disappearance.

Christ’s Ascension is both an event and a symbol. It is recorded in Luke 24 and Acts 1. The resurrected Jesus appeared multiple times to his followers. They saw his physical body, watched him eat, and watched him walk through closed doors. He was with them in the mundane realities of life. But on this day, he appeared to them this way for the last time. As they gathered around him, he rose up from the ground and disappeared from their sight. 

The symbolic power of this event goes beyond Jesus’ supposed disappearance. The Church has always described it as an “ascension” and not an escape or even a departure. The way we speak of it reveals what we believe. Jesus’ Ascension is not really a story of leaving but of arriving. The Ascension describes for us the way that Jesus remains with us, and the collect helps us with its description,

Collect for the Ascension

Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

“Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things.” Jesus tells his disciples that he will go away so the Spirit might come to them. (See John 16) Jesus’ physical presence, which was limited to the amount of space an average human person would take up, is replaced with the presence of God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, is everywhere, all at once and all the time. By going away, Christ “fills all things.” 

Which brings us full circle. By filling all things, Christ can give us all good things. By going away and sending the Spirit, Christ is present with us. Because he fills all things, even our darkest moments are not devoid of his activity. Because he fills all things, whatever we now struggle with is found in his presence with the hope of healing. There is nothing free from Christ’s interference in the Holy Spirit.

It may be counter-intuitive, but for Christ to come near, he first goes away. For the Spirit to descend into our darkest places, Christ must ascend to the highest place. 

May God “give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages.” Amen.

Kelly wisely reminds us that Easter is not over. In a way, it has just begun. She talks about dementia, prayer beads, after-holiday sales, Madeline L’Engle’s poetry, and what it means to gather together in Jesus name. Through everything, we are reminded that Christ is risen and everything has changed.

For the Love of Links (FTLOL) is a collection of goodies from the Internet. Some of it is edifying, some silly, and a lot in between. It is submitted for your enjoyment if not approval.

You may be familiar with some of the "New Atheists" writers, such as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. While their influence has waned, the concerns they sought to answer are still being explored, and rightly so. Justin Brierly's podcast, The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God, explores the "New Atheists" failed efforts and the interesting paths some skeptics are making toward belief in God. 

I appreciated the episode on Jordan Peterson, but my favorite is the episode with Paul Kingsnorth, a spiritual seeker and environmental activist. Click on the link above or find this wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

This is not a "feel good" story. There is a mental health crisis among the young and the very young. It may be too early to understand all the causes, but is it too early to act? You may appreciate (though I doubt you'll enjoy it) Ted Goia's post - 30% of Children Ages 5-7 Are on TikTok

On a similar subject, my friend Geoff Holsclaw is writing about spiritual formation and mental health in his latest, "Bad Therapy": Why I'm interested and sympathetic; Or, a peek into Geoff's brain. He is engaging with Abigail Shrier's book, Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up.

Bishop Todd Hunter leads the C4SO Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. Mentored by Dallas Willard and John Wimber, he's had a front-row seat watching the development of Christian faith in the USA over the past 50 years. His most recent post addresses the idea of a Christian nation. With candor and wisdom, he warns that it may not be a good idea — A Christian America: Be Careful What You Wish For

I'll only say that this is true of me. I suspect it is true of you, too. 

Rick Elias was a member of Rich Mullins Ragamuffin band and he wrote and produced much of the music in the film, That Thing You Do. He left us too soon in 2018 after a bout with cancer.

In the future, I may include music from this century. But no guarantees.

Aimee Byrd’s new book is coming out soon, The Hope in Our Scars. This is a brief excerpt that’s worth a read. Enjoy! — The Only True Currency

Let’s wrap this up with a little bit of laughter. Nate Bargatze is funny. Almost, all the time. Enjoy!

What We Pray is a series of brief reflections on regular portions of Wheatland’s worship service and Morning Prayer. Many of the selections in this series can be found in the Book of Common Prayer.

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, on God, forever and ever. Amen. Collect for the Week of 4th Week of Easter

Some skeptics of the Christian faith have understandably asked, “What’s so great about eternal life?” If life has only been filled with suffering and loss, why would we want it to continue ad infinitum? If life is meaningless, it is not made more meaningful simply by prolonging it.

It is common for Christian people to assume that eternal life is good primarily because it never ends. However, it is wise for us to think more deeply about what “everlasting life” means. This week’s collect suggests that we pay attention to eternal life, not as a matter of quantity of time but of quality of life.

For example, N.T. Wright, when translating the New Testament, renders John 17:1-3 this way:

“Father,” he said, “the moment has come. Glorify your son, so that your son may glorify you. 2 Do this in the same way as you did when you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he could give the life of God’s coming age to everyone you gave him. 3 And by ‘the life of God’s coming age’ I mean this: that they should know you, the only true God, and Jesus the Messiah, the one you sent. - NTFE (The New Testament for Everyone, by N.T. Wright)

“The life of God’s coming age” is usually translated with the shorter phrase “eternal life.” From our standpoint, “eternal life” suggests a quantity of time. Not so much the quality of that time. David Bentley Hart, N.T. Wright’s sometime nemesis generally agrees. He translates the same passage this way:

“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that your Son might glorify You, Just as you gave him power over all flesh, so that you have given everything to him, that He might give them life in the Age. And this is life in the Age: that they might know you, the sole true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus the Anointed.” DBH (The New Testament, by David Bentley Hart)

These two giants stress the quality of eternal life. Neither denies that “life in the Age” is also everlasting. But more important is the quality of this “life in the Age/everlasting life.” What does this never-ending experience of existence consist of? It is a relationship with God, who transcends the universe. It is the fellowship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is a reminder that because God is relationship, life in the Age to Come is essentially one of knowing and being known.

No one wants to live forever if living forever is only about time. If we have a mediocre life now, or worse, a life of meaningless suffering, why would we want to prolong it? In these cases, everlasting life sounds like torture.

But, if what we look forward to is “life in God’s coming age” where “every tear is wiped from every eye”1 and where “everything sad becomes untrue,”2 where the knowledge of Jesus Christ is a source of ever-increasing hope, then we may be motivated to enter into that “eternal kind of life” even now, not by ending this one but by recognizing that it begins in the present. “The life of the Age,” according to Hart, or “the life of God’s coming Age,” is present in Jesus Christ. Who is, according to John 14, “the way, the truth, and the life.”

This prayer and the Gospel of John from which it is drawn remind us that “everlasting life” is not an interminable worship service but a kind of life where we interact with God and his people in continuously creative relationships. Reflecting on the quality of “everlasting life” helps us understand, in the here and now, what the supposed good life actually is. More than mere survival, more than duration, it is life lived in the …

… grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. - II Corinthians 13:13

Revelation 21:4

J.R.R. Tolkien via Tim Keller and many others.

Unfortunately, Nathan’s sermon is not available as a podcast this week. (Technical difficulties.) However, you can listen to it on our Facebook Group - Nate Preaches on FB. (You can watch the whole service or fast-forward to the sermon at 44:12.)

This is an excellent sermon on the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. You’ll want to read Acts 8:26-40 and Isaiah 56:3-5. If you want to follow along with Nate’s slides, you can click on them here - To the Ends of the Earth.

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For the Love of Links (FTLOL) is a weekly collection of articles, podcasts, videos, and other online content that is fun and occasionally edifying. Peace to you!

We all want our lives to count. However, our attempts to make our lives count can sometimes make us miss what is most important. Jeremy Jones writes a beautiful essay about his grandfather, whose life seemed unspectacular. What can we learn from someone whose life was known and seen by relatively few? — Obituary for A Quiet Life (special thanks, Jen S!)

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OK, no. It’s not the same. But, in some ways, it is (I hate to admit), and Mike Glenn’s comparison between the two is really interesting. This comes from Scot McKnight’s substack. — What I Learned about Church Going to the Gym

While we’re at it, here’s another reflection on athletics and our life in the Church. (After all, what’s more Wheatland than lots of sports talk!) Teer Hardy explores how baseball and the church's liturgy, including following the Church year, help us cope in a world that is often “destructive, unintelligible, and immoral.” You don’t have to be a fan of baseball to appreciate where he’s going. — How We Mark Time by Teer Hardy

Jacob Vangen is a good friend who works in a church in Kansas City. He’s a youth minister, a former student at Friends University’s Master’s degree in Spiritual Formation, and a writer. Here’s his substack called “Form Weekly.” It is a nice resource for growing in the faith. Check it out! — Form Weekly by Jacob Vangen

This one is a bit old, but it is a conversation between St. Eugene and Bono of U2. They discuss the Psalms, or “Sams” as Bono says.

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Resurrection is a mystery. When Jesus returned to life, it was not absolutely clear what his resurrected body was. On one hand, Jesus walked through closed doors. Was he an incorporeal phantom? On the other hand, he ate. Eating is the most physical and material activity, and he does it more than once. In the last chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus even does the cooking.

The Apostle Paul attempts to explain this mystery. I Corinthians 15 is a thorough attempt at explaining what Jesus’ resurrected body was like. It gives us a glimpse of what those earliest Christians witnessed when Jesus passed through closed doors and ate fish for breakfast.

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Ultimately, Paul does more describing than explaining. He describes what the resurrected body of Christ is like and what our bodies will be like. He compares our resurrected bodies to the plants that grow out of the ground after a seed is planted and buried. Paul uses metaphors because he has to. How can one describe something so improbable and wonderful?

Resurrection is a mystery—both Jesus’ and ours. Our bodies will be like his; they will be material and tangible. However, they will be more than merely physical or material. They will be physical +. Incorruptible, they will not be susceptible to deterioration, disease, or sin. We know something, but not everything. We see it described, but we cannot explain how it works. It is a mystery.

Christ Our Passover proclaims more than it explains. It is a great hymn of the church and a grand celebration of the resurrection. It comprises three sections of Scripture, and the third stanza comes from I Corinthians 15.

Christ has been raised from the dead, *
    the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
    by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
    so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

This little portion proclaims three great truths. First, Christ is risen. He is the “first fruits.” Second, we will be raised with him. So, if he is the “first fruits” we will be the “second fruits.” Jesus is the first of the crop to be harvested. Those who have died after him will be harvested with him. Third, death entered the world through the one man, Adam, but life resurrected and eternal, enters through Christ. “All will be made alive.”

Christ Our Passover proclaims God’s goodness through Jesus Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. It reminds us that a thoroughly Christian orientation to this world is one of hope. If we believe that Christ is raised from the dead and hope for our own resurrections, then we can hope for the resurrection of all. It’s quite Christlike to hope that all “shall be made alive.” Hope like that brings forth the exclamation, “Alleluia!”

The various icons of the resurrection don’t explain much, either. But they do proclaim. They shout, with the most evocative of images, that Christ has triumphed over death, and it is now time to pull everyone else out of their graves.

May God make that so. Amen.

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Jesus claims that because he is the “Good Shepherd,” his sheep can hear his voice and follow him. But how do we hear this voice? How can we distinguish it from all the other voices vying for our attention? John 10 helps, and so does the story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15. In that story, Jesus comes off rude and dismissive, but the Canaanite woman hears the quality of God’s voice in Jesus and hears through the seemingly unkind words.