For the last month, I have been working my way through a wonderful reflection book, Jesus in Blue Jeans: A Practical Guide to Everyday Spirituality by Laurie Beth Jones. This book had caught my eye many years ago at a discount bookseller and then spent the next 20 years in my bookshelf. While looking through the books in my bookshelf last December this book jumped out and I pulled it out to read.
It is a collection of short reflections on the nature and mind of Jesus along with his teachings that are presented in a down to earth way including many real-world examples. I find them right on target and have to constrain myself to only reading one or two a day so I can spend time reflecting on them each day. The nature of this book can be found in the prologue:
Many years ago I dreamed that I was standing in a meadow. Suddenly I saw a man approaching me. As he got nearer I gasped to realize that it was Jesus in Blue Jeans. When he saw the expression on my face he said, “Why are you surprised? I came to them wearing robes because they wore robes. I come to you in blue jeans because you wear blue jeans.”
A wonderful reminder to us that Jesus is to be found in the ordinary events and culture of our lives and the world around us. Many times we may feel that Jesus is only found in the special pomp and circumstance of church worship and miss the beautiful presence of God among us.
This great book is available on Amazon and at the St Paul Public Library, and I would encourage you to consider spending some time with this book. Usually, I am willing to lend out my copy, but I am sure I will be referring back to the reflections in this book for homily material.
As a final taste of the interesting reflection material in this book, here is a snippet from the reflection entitled “He Did Not Whine - He Hummed”.
“I believe Jesus may also have even been humming on his way to visit Lazarus’ tomb, even though the waiting women were frantic at his tardiness. He was humming because he knew what he was going to do, and he had serene confidence in the face of the difficult task that awaited him.”
Peace and blessings,
Deacon Richard
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