Incarnational Living: Finding Joy in relationships – Episode 28

Join Franciscan Associate Applicant Elise Carey as she breaks open the gift of Jesus coming to live among us, and the bigness of God who is known in relationships with others and with creation.

From Elise’s interview: “I came (to Russia) with my worldview from growing up in the States. That impacted what I understood and even how I related to God. Different countries, different cultures, their worldviews are a bit different. When I worked with, lived in community with, prayed with, cooked meals with, lived life with people from other countries and cultures, it began to change my understanding of God and my faith dramatically. I began to see that my way of thinking was not the only way of thinking or understanding faith or God.”

“Jesus is the Word. The Word was with God, the Word was God. And so it's really God in the flesh. In carne, flesh. Coming and living among us, taking on the form of a baby, as we celebrate this time of Christmas, this time of Advent. … Jesus came and pitched his tent among us. He tabernacles among us. He is Emmanuel, God with us. He participated in the day-to-day of life. Just like we did, just like we do. He went to weddings. He mourned the loss of friends. He ate with people. He spent time with his mates. He told stories. He prayed with people. He grieved with people. He talked with people in the most unassuming places. … He lived life and so in his coming, through the incarnation, Jesus, he's translating who God is to us.”

“He takes the commandments and the laws from the Old Testament and he condenses them into basically two themes, love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. He lived this and he exemplified it. He entered people's lives and he let others into his life. Through the incarnation, we have a model. Not do's and don'ts, but a model. An example of what the economy of the kingdom is or the ways of the kingdom works. This is good news; we have an example.”

“We see in Francis of Assisi, a life living the example of the economy of the kingdom, the ways of the kingdom. And out of that, some of the Franciscan values are formed. Care for the poor and the marginalized. We see that Jesus said, love your neighbor. We see loving God and loving neighbor in the life of Francis.”

“Incarnational living is connecting with people. It's about relationship. To me, that's the bottom line, relationship. But it's relationship with people, with the other. So it's nice to talk about relationships with people that we like to like, but that challenge of the other. For St. Francis, the other was the leper. But in that embrace, in that kiss, that leper became a man, became equal. And so it's embracing the other, so to speak. … When I care for (ducks and chickens), this is the economy of the kindom. Yes, the kindom. It is incarnational living. It's living in relationship with people, with creation.”

For a full transcript, please include episode number and email: [e-mail].

 

References:

John 1:1-4, 14: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of humankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (ESV)

Jon Bonk: We must begin to see the incarnation, not merely as theologically descriptive, but strategically prescriptive.

Saint Francis of Assisi references:

Francis and the Leper (1 Celano 17): https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-saint/the-life-of-saint-francis-by-thomas-of-celano/636-fa-ed-1-page-195.

Francis and the Wolf (Little Flowers 21): https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-prophet/the-little-flowers-of-saint-francis/2502-fa-ed-3-page-601.

Canticle of the Creatures: https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-saint/writings-of-francis/the-canticle-of-the-creatures/129-fa-ed-1-page-113.

Jorspeis, Latvian Christian band, sample music: https://jorspeis.bandcamp.com/track/uzticams.

What is a seed library and how does it work? Creating Seed Libraries - How Does A Seed Library Work (gardeningknowhow.com)

What is an heirloom seed / plant? Heirloom Vegetables - Tips For Growing Heirloom Plants (gardeningknowhow.com)

Matthew 6: 9 – 10:  Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Saint Teresa of Avila: “Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”

Elise’s formula for life: Implication + Application = Transformation

Icons, Eastern Orthodox Church: http://ww1.antiochian.org/icons-eastern-orthodoxy