By Ajung Sojwal

Sunday after Sunday, the most visible marker of me as the priest at the worship service is my prerogative to preside at the Lord’s Table. It is a constant reminder to me that I, for a moment, get the rare privilege of holding the attention of God’s children on the sacrificial love of Jesus manifested in the breaking of bread and the sharing of wine from the common cup.

A few years ago, I realized just how vital and sacred a ritual it is for my parishioners when one of them came to me and said, “I need to hear you say the words of administration for Holy Communion a little louder. It’s what holds me together during the week.” The words she waits to hear as she kneels at the altar rail are, “Body of Christ, the bread of heaven broken for you,” and, “Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation poured out for you.”

The ordinary bread and wine becoming the very presence of Jesus in the life of those who come to the Lord’s Table is a mystical encounter between God and the one who humbly kneels down to receive the Holy Communion. There are times when some can’t help but cry silently as they put the palm of their hands together to receive the bread and I sense that somehow the expansive love of God has become accessible in the particularity of one life. It is truly an undeserved honor to be privy to such intimacy between Jesus and his loved ones.  

In the gospel of John, the risen Jesus shows Thomas his wounds and says to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” I suspect that my parishioner wants to be reminded Sunday after Sunday that the presence of Jesus in her life is, in fact, a wounded Jesus. These days, I too find myself longing for a deeper understanding of Jesus’ presence in the world and in my life as one informed by his woundedness. At a time when it seems like the most popular image of Jesus is that of a vanquishing king, I fear the imagination of Jesus’ presence lingers in a warzone as a conquering hero with no comfort, no healing, and no salvation for the defenseless among us. 

In the scramble to lay claim to the most “authentic” Jesus by the many Christian factions, I am humbled and challenged by the authority vested on me to proclaim Sunday after Sunday, Jesus’ enduring message to all who long for him that his presence is in the coming together of sorrowful and hungry people, wherein he lifts up the everyday staple of bread to say, “This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Even after his resurrection, at the end of the road to Emmaus, Jesus was recognized by the two disciples only when he broke bread with them. Surely, Jesus’ presence is most palpable when we break bread together.  

Ajung Sojwal is the Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church, Palo Alto. The endemic question for her wherever she lands up serving is, how can the church community be the living Body of Christ bringing hope in this suffering world? In her free time, Ajung loves to discover new places, new food, catching up with friends, family and K-drama!

Read Full Post »

By Angela Ryo

Some years ago, at a retreat with my Korean American Presbyterian clergywomen, we were sitting around chatting about ministry when someone asked, “Where do you see the Spirit of God at work today?” It was the kind of question that made all of us pause to reflect on the Spirit’s work in our lives and ministries. 

One pastor, who had founded a domestic violence shelter, spoke up. She said she saw the Spirit of God in the stories the women could finally tell about themselves once they had been there long enough to feel safe. For so long, she explained, these women weren’t allowed to speak their own truth; their spouses had told them who they were, and over time, the lies became their prison. But when they found the courage to tell their own stories, something began to shift. They rediscovered their voices and remembered who they truly were. In that remembering, they were empowered to break the cycle of abuse.

Read Full Post »

By Julia Qiuye Zhao

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”  —John 1:14

I admit that I struggled with this topic. When I think about God’s presence, I usually think about the Holy Spirit. Of course, I believe that Jesus is always present with us, but I don’t usually think of Jesus as “presence.” That particular phrase seems ambiguous, even a bit “airy fairy,” not quite what I associate with the solid, strong, physical presence of Jesus Christ, who came in flesh among us. 

However, since it is almost Advent, my mind has been on the Incarnation, the coming of Jesus in flesh among us. As I reflect on the incarnation, I think this is the key to resolving the conflict I sensed between the strong, human presence of Jesus and the seemingly “airy-fairy” way of thinking of Jesus as presence.  

Read Full Post »

By Emi Iwanaga

“You’re all I want in heaven! You’re all I want on earth! 
…I’m in the very presence of God— 
oh, how refreshing it is!”
Psalms‬ ‭73‬:‭25‬,‭28‬ ‭MSG‬‬

JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF HIM

Last month my daughter who is an animal lover got married outdoors, lakeside in the High Sierra mountains.   The fish sending boils across the lake and the squirrel taking a bite of the cake even before she had a chance to give her husband his mouthful made for an appropriate memory. 

She is also a creature of habit.  Growing up she was known to wear a USC baseball cap, mismatched color socks, and basketball shorts every time, everywhere.  Her USC cap had gotten so worn she was gifted a new one…which she put aside to continue wearing her old one. 

Read Full Post »

By Eunhyey Lok

A few months ago, I participated in an online challenge sponsored by Sungshim and John Loppnow through their Presence and Practice ministry. During the coaching, I was struck — almost shocked — when Sungshim urged us to “not separate God from our bodies” (paraphrase). She guided us in how to accompany what we sense in our body, then invite God to care for us. It felt radical and simultaneously so obvious.

Since that moment, I have paid more attention to how situations feel in my body. I became aware that I often “shush” my body in order to get things done; or, rush my body onto the next chore. The moments when I did turn and had compassion on what I was feeling tended to be the harder times. My need for peace and comfort drove me to seek solace from this practice.

Read Full Post »

By Yuri Yamamoto

When I began my Clinical Pastoral Education to become a chaplain, I was still exploring my Christian identity in baby steps. When some hospital patients asked me about my religion, I didn’t feel comfortable claiming myself as a Christian lest someone might call me out on being an imposter. Friends have warned me about Christians who would quickly condemn people to hell when they disagreed on theology or “lifestyle” such as the LGBTQIA+ community, and I didn’t want any confrontations with them.

Instead of calling myself a Christian, I often said, “I’m a follower of Jesus.” Most people probably interpreted my statement as being a Christian. For me, there was a difference between the two. Jesus taught how to realize God’s will on earth through loving God and each other, and I wanted to follow him on this ministry.

Read Full Post »

By Sarah D. Park

One of the key Christian tenets that I learned while growing up was that the goal was to become like Jesus. 

Deny yourself and follow Christ. Deny what makes you you; your desires are suspect, they may even come from the devil; ask not what do you want but what does God want for you? Yet not my will but yours be done. 

It’s a strange notion to introduce to a young girl. Furthermore, I liked who I was – something not many little girls could say for themselves. How was I supposed to become like a 33-year-old man who lived thousands of years ago and lived a life that didn’t look anything like mine?

Read Full Post »

By Diana Kim

But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you, to turn back from following you! 
Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; 
your people shall be my people and your God my God.
-Ruth 1:16

I imagine that the journey from Moab back to Judah was quite different for Ruth than it was for Naomi. Both were vulnerable, grieving the loss of family and life as they knew it. Naomi was returning to her homeland after ten years, though she was without husband, children, financial stability, or physical protection. Ruth was going to a land quite foreign to her, a place she had never been as a stranger, the “other.”

In hindsight, I admire Naomi’s relationship with God. She knows that God is Almighty, so mighty that he can even take on her complaints and her bitterness. Having been so immersed in the faith, it would have been natural for Naomi to turn to God in all matters of life. But oh, to think of just how resentful she must have been towards God during that journey back to Judah!

Read Full Post »

By Wendy Choy-Chan

Growing up, I had this message imprinted on my heart: that I was not enough. I wasn’t smart enough, sporty enough, social enough… But after becoming a Christian, the Spirit slowly began to heal me, erasing that message. My heart found rest and assurance. As much as I am lacking, I am good enough for God.

Recently, an incident (and I don’t even remember what it was) brought that old accusation back: I am not enough. Sensing I was falling into the trap of shame, I went to God in prayer, expecting Him to say, “Wendy, you are good enough for Me.” But what I heard was quite different.

Read Full Post »

By Tina Teng-Henson

It’s bewildering to me how God works.

This morning, I woke up so groggy, but I just knew I had to open up the scriptures and try to connect with the Lord. It had been longer than I knew was healthy since I had spent some good quality time with him. I read through several chapters of Acts. Then I turned to the end of the Psalms and just spent some time ingesting those words of praise. 

Without drama or fanfare, he turned my attention to a woman I first met about ten years ago through a pastors’ cohort. I’d run into her just a few weeks ago here in my area, and she’d just relocated from elsewhere in the state. We had a really meaningful time of reconnection and prayer – and made plans to reconnect more regularly. I had sent a follow-up email but we hadn’t set a date.

Read Full Post »