| Pastor's Message |
MARY TAYLOR MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
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The Reverend Virginia G. Carle
Click here to meet
Pastor Ginny
Pastor Ginny is an avid
photographer. Link here to
Main Avenue Galleria where
you can see some of her
artwork. At the home page,
choose view by artist and
select GG Carle.
www.mainavegalleria.com
photographer. Link here to
Main Avenue Galleria where
you can see some of her
artwork. At the home page,
choose view by artist and
select GG Carle.
www.mainavegalleria.com
Learn more about
Mary Taylor Memorial
United Methodist Church
Mary Taylor Memorial
United Methodist Church
168 Broad Street
203-874-1982
mtmumc@sbcglobal.net
Webmaster: Comments@mtm-umc.org
203-874-1982
mtmumc@sbcglobal.net
Webmaster: Comments@mtm-umc.org
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
PASTORAL PONDERINGS
“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit for
forty days in the wilderness, tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days.”
Luke 4:1-2a
Dear Friends in Christ,
As we enter the season of Lent, I am intrigued by the actions of Jesus. He had just
come from the Jordan, where he had submitted to the teaching and baptism of his
cousin John, six months his senior.
Luke tells the story slightly differently from Matthew, Mark, or John. (This is one of
few stories that appears in all four Gospels!) Luke has Jesus praying when the dove
appears, and in Luke’s tale, the dove and voice appear to Jesus only. Then Jesus
comes up from the river’s edge and takes a detour into the wilderness, where he fasts
and prays for six weeks. Many have debated whether he could have lasted this long
without food (yes, as long as he had water). But that is not the most crucial thing.
First, it is important to note that Jesus felt the need to withdraw from society, even his
family and friends, after hearing the word of God. We don’t really know if “You are my
beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” is the only phrase Jesus heard. It’s just all that
the Gospel writer recorded. We do know that Jesus needed some time alone to think, to
pray, and to ponder what the divine revelation meant for his life. My guess is that we
don’t take enough time apart to think, pray, and ponder God’s call in our lives today.
Many experience the warmth of renewal and dive headlong into a whirlwind series of
activities, many designed to sustain the aura of that holy moment for time to come.
Thing is, we are not designed to stay on the mountaintop forever. We are called to use
that experience as a springboard for new direction. Usually, the call of God is unfolding,
not immediate. When we spend a lot of time trying to stay in Alleluia-land, we miss the
purpose of God’s intervention calling us to do something special in earth-land.
Second, we need to look at the temptations offered to Jesus: bread, power, fame.
The devil caught Jesus in his weakest state, his most vulnerable hour. Isn't that when
most people fall from goodness? The first temptation was simply to gorge himself on
goodies. Turn this stone to bread; turn this dollar to millions; turn this Ford to a
Lamborghini. The temptation is there to overindulge oneself in things beyond our
means or our need. To give in to the first temptation is to deny the enough-ness of the
provision of God for the world.
The second temptation, “I will give all authority on earth to you”, is a temptation to
the abuse of power. “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,”
stated Lord Acton in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1877. “Power corrupts;
absolute power is kind of neat,” John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy 1981-87,
amended the statement. Herein we see that humans have difficulty resisting the
temptation to harness all power and use it for themselves.
The third temptation – that of fame – is seen in the devil’s invitation to Jesus to throw
himself off the pinnacle of the temple. This is tantamount to grabbing all the 30-second
commercial spots of the Super Bowl. Just think how famous you’d be as the Son of God
if you fell from the top of the spire and didn’t get hurt! Our reason for fame might differ,
but most humans crave something for which they will be known and remembered.
As we travel through Lent, we might try to take time each day, or at least each week,
to think, pray, and ponder God’s direction for our lives. In those moments we also might
question who the recipient of the glory will be. Anything that is done in anticipation of
self-gain is probably not what God is looking for! Lent is the time to meditate on God,
and discern where God is calling us. A little attention to spiritual disciplines, such as
fasting and prayer, might yield mighty results.
Yours in the love of Christ and of his Church,
Pastor Ginny
“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit for
forty days in the wilderness, tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days.”
Luke 4:1-2a
Dear Friends in Christ,
As we enter the season of Lent, I am intrigued by the actions of Jesus. He had just
come from the Jordan, where he had submitted to the teaching and baptism of his
cousin John, six months his senior.
Luke tells the story slightly differently from Matthew, Mark, or John. (This is one of
few stories that appears in all four Gospels!) Luke has Jesus praying when the dove
appears, and in Luke’s tale, the dove and voice appear to Jesus only. Then Jesus
comes up from the river’s edge and takes a detour into the wilderness, where he fasts
and prays for six weeks. Many have debated whether he could have lasted this long
without food (yes, as long as he had water). But that is not the most crucial thing.
First, it is important to note that Jesus felt the need to withdraw from society, even his
family and friends, after hearing the word of God. We don’t really know if “You are my
beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” is the only phrase Jesus heard. It’s just all that
the Gospel writer recorded. We do know that Jesus needed some time alone to think, to
pray, and to ponder what the divine revelation meant for his life. My guess is that we
don’t take enough time apart to think, pray, and ponder God’s call in our lives today.
Many experience the warmth of renewal and dive headlong into a whirlwind series of
activities, many designed to sustain the aura of that holy moment for time to come.
Thing is, we are not designed to stay on the mountaintop forever. We are called to use
that experience as a springboard for new direction. Usually, the call of God is unfolding,
not immediate. When we spend a lot of time trying to stay in Alleluia-land, we miss the
purpose of God’s intervention calling us to do something special in earth-land.
Second, we need to look at the temptations offered to Jesus: bread, power, fame.
The devil caught Jesus in his weakest state, his most vulnerable hour. Isn't that when
most people fall from goodness? The first temptation was simply to gorge himself on
goodies. Turn this stone to bread; turn this dollar to millions; turn this Ford to a
Lamborghini. The temptation is there to overindulge oneself in things beyond our
means or our need. To give in to the first temptation is to deny the enough-ness of the
provision of God for the world.
The second temptation, “I will give all authority on earth to you”, is a temptation to
the abuse of power. “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,”
stated Lord Acton in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1877. “Power corrupts;
absolute power is kind of neat,” John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy 1981-87,
amended the statement. Herein we see that humans have difficulty resisting the
temptation to harness all power and use it for themselves.
The third temptation – that of fame – is seen in the devil’s invitation to Jesus to throw
himself off the pinnacle of the temple. This is tantamount to grabbing all the 30-second
commercial spots of the Super Bowl. Just think how famous you’d be as the Son of God
if you fell from the top of the spire and didn’t get hurt! Our reason for fame might differ,
but most humans crave something for which they will be known and remembered.
As we travel through Lent, we might try to take time each day, or at least each week,
to think, pray, and ponder God’s direction for our lives. In those moments we also might
question who the recipient of the glory will be. Anything that is done in anticipation of
self-gain is probably not what God is looking for! Lent is the time to meditate on God,
and discern where God is calling us. A little attention to spiritual disciplines, such as
fasting and prayer, might yield mighty results.
Yours in the love of Christ and of his Church,
Pastor Ginny
