Now in the days following the watershed event of Easter, we are given time to absorb the impact of and wonder about the possible meanings of Jesus’ Cross and Resurrection for the world today. One such attempt is a sermon by Fred Craddock, a renowned Methodist preacher.
In his “Why the Cross?”, Craddock considers but finally rejects the notion of following the teachings and example of Jesus up to but not including his Passion (what Craddock calls “the beautiful Jesus”). The teaching, feeding, forgiving, healing Jesus is so attractive!
But without the Cross, without the experience of suffering, there can be no Resurrection. The Apostle Paul said, “I must preach the Cross of foolishness and scandal.” A Christian faith without the Cross is not Good News, cannot bring hope, does not even need Easter.
But we do need Easter, especially now. Not merely a rescue from our problems, but a doorway to New Life. The Cross tells us about God who, it turns out, identifies with our suffering and stays with us in love to the end. And then? Then it is not the end!
Our disappointments and losses are not the end, nor should they be the center. They are the prelude to Resurrection, the seeds of sacrificial love for one another.
The Lord watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other.
-Genesis 31:49
A popular piece of jewelry, called the Mizpah coin, originated in that ancient Bible verse. We usually recall it sentimentally when we experience separation from people we love. Truth is, it comes from a rather contentious delineation of territory and belongings between Hebrew patriarch, Jacob, and his father-in-law, Laban. Neither of those biblical figures lines up solely on the hero side of the room. In their flawed familiarity, they recognized that absence from one another would not only make them fonder of each other, but would also keep them alive; that is, from killing each other.
Back to today and the good thoughts we attach to that saying. Some of the distance enforced on us by C-19 tears our hearts out. As a pastor at RPC, the fact that I can’t simply get on my bike and visit any number of you counts as the saddest reality with which I (and your other pastors) have to deal. Even worse, I am fully aware that some of you are separated from those you love the most; people who, up until this point in your life, you have poured the best of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. We number among RPC members spouses whose health situations have mandated complete physical separations. I am also aware adult children with older parents—those people who changed your diapers and bandaged your wounds, who cheered you on since T-Ball times, who funded your educations and joyfully picked up the tab for your weddings, who blissfully watched your kids so you and your spouse could gaze into each other’s eyes over a quiet dinner, etc, etc. Now, they must contend with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune…on their own. I know of first-line caregivers who presently exist in caves and cubbies for fear of spreading of the devilish killer to those they love. Dad gum breaks my heart!!!
I write this meditation for you. I am stymied and pained because all I can do is to pray for you. Old dog that I am, I will admit that my appreciation for modern connective technology has grown by leaps and bounds. Not so much for myself, but for you in these times and places of separation. I also invite you to call me if you’ve worn out all the other nearer and dearer ears. Let’s face it, we sometimes do. We are human, after all.
Kind of brings me back to Jacob and Laban. We can grab hold of the positive sentiment we so value in that verse, assuring one another that our love for the other runs deep; but never deeper and stronger and truer than that of the Lord who focuses an eagle eye on us in our separation.
Prayer: Covenant God, we pray especially today for those who love and care for each other deeply, many of whom have done so for decades, but who are now physically separated. May they find ways to be together remotely; and assure them that you are watching over and between them in these days. Amen.
We’ve been hearing these words, “We’re all in this together.” Our connection to and interdependence with each other locally and globally has never felt more real. We are distancing ourselves and wearing masks. We’re washing our hands more and wiping down surfaces. We’re making masks and delivering meals and offering words of encouragement and hope. When we listen to foreign correspondents they describe distancing measures, the situations in hospitals, the shortage of PPE, the devastation to economies, the jobless rate and we realize they could be describing the United States. We have the same virus in our midst and its impact is the same – profound and broad – wherever we are. All of humanity is united to fight this common enemy. We are forced to put our differences aside and our leaders are being asked to consider a global ceasefire.
Having these common experiences and a common goal – even a colossal one – doesn’t completely explain the sense of community I feel with those close to me and around the globe during this time of physical separation. The words of Paul, in Ephesians, and those of Bill Hoff, on Easter helped me understand it better. This idea of unity of all people isn’t really news to Christians. For example, in Ephesians (Chapter 2) we’re reminded that in Christ there are no more divisions, we are no longer strangers and aliens, but rather fellow citizens with the saints and are of God’s household. There is no dividing wall. Christ’s example is our cornerstone. The community he showed us with his life with the apostles is the foundation. With the resurrection, Christ is transformed and he appears again and reminds the disciples (us) to gather, to tend his sheep, to take his message of love to everyone. In Bill’s Easter sermon, he said, “The Resurrection vindicated Jesus in His way of radical inclusiveness, borderlessness, non-violence, and suffering love. Now we are invited to hold on to each other. ‘That is where you will find me. That is where I am living,’ Jesus instructs. Hold on to each other, in your uncertainty, in your vulnerability. Hold on to each other in your despair and in your diversity.”
We’re not alone. God is with us and we have each other. We’re all in this together. This truth is at the core of what we believe. It’s our charge. It’s our hope.
Prayer: God of all, we thank you for living among us and for reminding us that we have you and we have each other to help us through all things. You call us to community with you and all people. Give us hearts and eyes to see your love and hope where we are. Help us to hold on to each other. Give us hearts and eyes to see and respond to those around us and boldly claim the fullness of life in You.
Recently I listened to a podcast conversation between a father and son. Their names may be familiar to some of you. The father is Presbyterian pastor, Dr. Jody Welker. The son is Joe Welker, a student at Harvard Divinity School. The podcast is Joe’s project. He had invited his dad to share in a conversation about Holy Week. I encourage you to google the site.
Toward the end of the podcast the conversation centered on Easter. Joe said, “what’s sticking to my ribs right now is…” and the conversation became a fascinating engagement of Christ’s resurrection. It stuck to my ribs! What is sticking to your ribs following Easter? About Easter? About Christ’s resurrection?
Of particular interest to this father and son was the demonstrated recurrence of resurrection in the text. Jesus was resurrected beginning the wave of changed experience, perception, life understanding. Jesus showed resurrection to Mary in the garden. Mary was resurrected from fear and the dying of her spirit because of the loss of her dear friend. The disciples were resurrected from fear and the death of their spirits when Christ entered the room where they were hiding and spoke, “Peace.” The Spirit of Peace and Resurrection began to seize the lives of others who encountered the Risen Christ. We remember the resurrection experience of the two men on the road to Emmaus. Their hearts were burning as their spirits were resurrected.
Father and son began to explore the ways resurrection occurs among us in these days. They spoke of a cancer diagnosis in their family. Remembering a friend bringing cups of coffee to the hospital, they agreed that was a resurrection moment—a neighbor bringing love, presence, life into a deathly moment…the image of the cup of cold water to a thirsty soul…
In their conversation I began to hear your voices as I have talked to you by phone in these days. “How can I help?” “I will deliver those meals.” “I am delivering banana bread to my neighbors.” “Let me help call and check on our church member.” Resurrection. Resurrection brought into our lives by those who reach out to us. Resurrection spoken through the phone, email, text.
Resurrection is not a static moment held tightly by history thousands of years ago. Resurrection is an action word changing lives of fear and death of spirit to hope supported and surrounded by love.
What’s sticking to your ribs in these post Easter days?
Join with me in prayer: Gracious and Loving God, resurrect our tired, worn out spirits. Bring life to our aching souls. Bring love to our hearts. Resurrect us to your life for us in these weary days. Help us be agents of your resurrection power loose among us. Amen.
As a child, my favorite time of the week was Friday after school. At that time I had Friday evening and night, all day Saturday and all day Sunday (minus church) to do whatever I wanted. I liked choice and being able to pick whatever I wanted to do.
This social distancing has given me back that choice of picking what I want to do. I find one of my biggest challenges now is trying to distinguish one day from the next. Virtually every day is Saturday and I can’t tell them apart. One difference between choices I made as a child and now is that I have more responsibility today. Another difference now is that I find I view life as a much more precious commodity.
Earlier this week I called a good friend I made when I was an exchange student living in Germany when I was a teenager. I haven’t talked with him in over a year and haven’t seen him for ten years. Talking with my friend, Paul, helped me remember so many good times we had together as teens. Paul’s wife is a Headmaster and both are now working from home. Her school has gone virtual too. These challenges we face are being duplicated around the world. We aren’t alone.
I hope you all are able to reflect, also, on good times you have had while we are having this unique period of separateness.
Prayer: May these circumstances we find ourselves in remind us of the good experiences we have had. Help us to maintain those experiences we have had and find the time to reach out to others who are also segregated one from another.
Early this morning, finding myself awake and unable to fall back asleep, I decided take a walk. At one point in my life, pre-dawn runs were a regular occurence, but they have been pretty rare recently. Today, though, I was reminded how much I love the cool and quiet of a city right before it wakes up. As I neared the halfway point of my walk, I felt a breeze waft off the river, and a tree ahead of me rang out with the morning song of birds. A tiny spark of joy ran through my body – I knew the signs of a cooling morning and the first notes of the birds meant that dawn was on the way. As I continued walking, a line from my favorite Christmas hymn popped in my head:
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
As yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
I realize I’m in the entirely wrong season here. We left Christmas behind months ago and have made our way into Eastertide. To be honest, though, I’m still having trouble getting in that Easter mood. I look around, and I don’t see a world being remade by a death-conquering Jesus. I see a weary world-
-weary of having nowhere to go
-weary of missing friends and family
-weary of restaurants too empty and hospitals too full
-weary of wondering how rent will get paid or if hours will pick up next week
-weary of figuring out how to do things virtually
Weary of so many things. Just so very weary.
In this weary world, it is hard to see evidence of the earth-shattering, world-remaking resurrection. The love of God coming in the tiny, unsuspecting form of a baby makes a lot more sense to me right now – the world being remade in ways so small we almost miss them. Maybe this makes more sense to me right now because in my family we have an actual new babe to celebrate – my less-than-two-week-old nephew. Nothing beats back despair quite like mooning over pictures of a snuggly, chubby little newborn. In his peaceful face, I see the tiniest signs of hope. I may not know about resurrection today, but I know about God’s love sneaking in.
Prayer
Dear God, open our eyes today to see your love breaking into our world in the tiniest ways so that our eyes will be trained to spot the signs as you remake the world in big ways. Amen
Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and move towards the goal of true maturity.
-Romans 12:2 (Phillips Translation)
We wandered through Lent with our new restrictions on personal movement serving as a kind of enforced discipline. Now, Easter has arrived with its focus on new life and grow and expansion; and we are getting really tired of the recent status quo. I confess that I am longing for a boatload of normal stuff to float my way. I will also admit that I hope some of those regular things drift off into the Bermuda Triangle, never to plague humanity again. Let me share a little of my wishful thinking.
Polluted air can just stay away forever! We have been driving less because we can’t go anywhere. Still, I believe we drive too much and some of that motoring around doesn’t need to happen. Can we drive ten or twenty percent less in the new order of things? That would go a long way in our fight against greenhouse gases and climate change.
Interpersonal hostility: O, it hasn’t gone way; but people over all seem to be kinder and gentler these days. This has become a we’re-all-in-this-together event like none before. Yes, some are suffering way more than others, but life is different for pert-near everyone. I wouldn’t miss the every-being-for-themselves attitude prevalent in our previous social order.
Endless political campaigning: Who misses the constant attack adds everywhere you look or listen? I see no hands!! Other civilized societies attach time limits to their campaigns. We can, too. We have to get the fox guards away from the campaign industry hen house, however. Way easier said than done. I am all for it, just the same.
Apathy among RPC members (other churches, too):We are experiencing just how valuable our ministry is, mostly because of those things we value about it are gone for the time being. I hope that the new normal witnesses all RPC members putting up and stepping up to make the next chapter in our life together the best ever!
Busy-ness:We humans are too busy! We’ve slowed down because reasons for busyness, good and otherwise, have disappeared. I hope that more of us will realize that Sabbath—rest for rest’s sake—is a good thing. Examine what keeps your SUV on the road too much, and pare a thing or two from your Gotta-Do list.
I have gone on and on; and the more I think about this, the more I could go on and on. Take the sit-and-think time you presently have to imagine how you can create the life you want, not the one the world expects you to live. I hear a lot of complaining about the way things are. Things won’t change if WE don’t change. Sweet dreams!
Zoom is quickly becoming a household word. Who would have thought that a month ago? I know I use it all day these days. I’m setting up live online Zoom Art lessons weekly joining all the other teachers transitioning to Distance Learning. Zooming, if that’s a verb, has also become a vehicle for families or groups of people to connect. To set up a Zoom meeting, I pick a date and time that works with the big schedule then I set the times on Zoom and then I invite my participants and give them the meeting ID number as well as the password. Then the participants have to be sure to join my meeting at the right time entering the right meeting number and password. If I ever go over the time I’ve set up for the meeting to end, the screen goes blank and we’re all disconnected. And then there’s the question of whether the internet is going to be working…
I was thinking about that and I thought in contrast about how God is always ready to “zoom” with us without having to set up a meeting and He will listen as long as we want. Jeremiah 33:3 says “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know”. What a remarkable promise God gives us that He is always there for us. And not only that but He longs to hear what’s on our minds and hearts.
Prayer
O Lord, Thank you for today and thank you for always being there for us. Help us to call out to you and tell you what’s on our hearts today. Thank you for Your promise that You always hear us and You love us. Open our eyes to see Your work in our world around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen
I can’t explain it. Boredom? Fear? Denial? Whatever…I have found myself watching (don’t laugh…ok, do laugh) the Old Faithful webcam from Yellowstone National Park. The webcam runs about 2 minutes behind. Snow is falling. The landscape is wrapped in fog/snow/steam. First there is a little plume of steam…then, after hours of watching the plume thickens. The screen says that you know when Old Faithful will erupt when crowds gather. There are no crowds. No one gathers. The park is closed. But, the camera continues to capture the moments. Old Faithful continues to be faithful.
The moments go by. I call my daughter to watch. “Ok, Mom. If that’s what we need to do.” I don’t know if we need to watch but there is something riveting to me about Old Faithful and this time period. Oh, yes, I am also watching lambing on the Isle of Iona, Scotland. The puffins returning to their ancient homing ground on Staffa and other islands. Highland Cows being brought in from pasture.
Why? Because there is hope. There are much needed reminders that the cycles of nature…of our natural world continue screaming, “Life! Life! Life!” The tree outside our apartment balcony have new leaves maturing where 2 weeks ago there were none.
The Hebrew language has the word “hesed…” Hesed may be translated steadfast faithfulness. God is known through “hesed” to the writers of our Hebrew scriptures. God is steadfastly faithful. Nature around the world is showing us that.
Old Faithful. A reminder that there is life among the sadness and trauma of these days. That God’s love is steadfastly faithful and present in all those who are serving us whether doctors, nurses, cleaning crews, first responders, teachers, military, grocery store employees, and the list goes on….
As my teacher Walter Brueggemann reminds us in a prayer offered in his devotionals titled A Way Other Than Our Own:
O God, you summon us to life in the midst of death, peace in the midst of violence, praise in the midst of despair. Filled once again with your unruly Spirit, may we answer your summons and be part of the movement of life. Amen.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.
-Paul (I Corinthians 15:20)
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!Like a too-tightly wound jack-in-the-box, I finally get to rocket out of my Lenten box and declare openly what I’ve known my whole life: Everything changed forever when Jesus emerged from that dark cave two millennia ago! No matter what we are required to endure; no matter what evils befall us; no matter how long we are trapped in small spaces with those we are supposed to love the most; no matter how many lives and jobs Covid-19 claims; death and darkness and distancing do not have the last word! I am not a pie-in-the-sky optimist. The brutal realities of daily life in the best of times tax us to the max. These days? We can see the limit from here! We have been asking for weeks, “How long, O Lord?” How much can we bend? How far can we stretch??
Time will prove how tough we are. Our resilience—another title for hope—springs like a jack-out-of-the-box precisely because we cling so tightly to the truth we celebrated yesterday, for the seven weeks of Easter, and forever. The angel first mouthed the message: “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.” (Matthew 28:5-6) The Hallelujahs and Alleluias we put away during Lent have been hauled out, gussied up, and returned joyfully to our hymns, prayers, and lives. Theoretically.
On the face of it, however, nothing seems to have changed. We worshipped remotely yesterday. Today, the nasty little death dealer stalks invisibly and prejudicially. We are still confined to our cabins, large or small. No March Madness champion was crowned. No Jumbo Shrimp bats are cracking. The Masters…in November?!? The tux and prom dress don’t need cleaning. Sigh! Liturgically, it’s Easter! Practically, we’re trapped in a Lenten-like existence.
Attitudinally, spiritual, and relationally, however, we are liberated by our Easter cry. After Jesus’ resurrection, his followers didn’t get on the express train to heaven. Paul inks the word above, not because life unfolded like the petals on a rose. Rather, because it didn’t. But signs of hope—first fruits—kept popping up all around the place. I, too, have witnessed their presence around RPC and the half-block I cover these days: acts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, even self-control—at Publix!! I have been moved to tears so frequently by the stories of resurrection I have seen and heard each and every day. A lot of other shtuff, too; but those things do not have the last word. Paul and Pope Francis and Pastor Bill…and we do. So find an open widow and shout it out: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Better yet, sing with Brain Wren, to the tune of Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You:
Christ is risen! Earth and heaven, nevermore shall be the same.
Break the bread of new creation where the world is still in pain.
Tell its grim, demonic chorus: “Christ is risen! Get you gone!”
God the First and Last is with us. Sing Hosanna everyone!
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