Water Works4/30/2019 Wednesday of the 2ndWeek of Easter/ St Joseph the Worker
I think “Water Works” is a “workable” title for a reflection on Baptism that happens to fall on the feast of St Joseph the Worker. As I mentioned yesterday, this whole week has a baptismal context to it in the encounter of Jesus with Nicodemus. I can’t even begin to count the number of baptisms that I have performed over my 40 years in ministry. There have been individual and communal, infants, children and adults who have “come to the water.” All of these celebrations have been experiences of God’s Spirit working wonders with water. As joyful as the celebrations of infant baptism have been over the course of my priesthood, it is not infant baptisms that I remember with clarity. I may remember the time when there were 17 families and the ritual was chaotic, but I don’t remember the names of the children or their parents. I do remember the baptism of children whose parents were friends of mine and whose life and love I had shared. In general, infant baptism is a moment in time for the parents and families of a new born. The “born again” experience of adults and even children who can think for themselves, has always been very memorable. There have been many adults who have come seeking baptism, desiring to belong to a community who profess faith in God, in Jesus Christ and in God’s Holy Spirit in the world. Some came from different religious traditions. They have been raised as Hindus, Jews, Buddhists. Some comes as ‘non-believers”, agnostics or skeptics. Some came from Christian families and have even attended Catholic schools but were never baptized. Each and everyone has a rich human experience as well as a story of God’s accompaniment with them on life’s journey. Some are more familiar with the stories of the Jewish/Christian bible than others. Some have never heard of Moses, the Exodus, the Prophets, Jonah, or Job. It is the story of Jesus that captures their imagination, heart and soul.. Whatever their background or their life story, it is an integral part of the baptismal experience. Each person brings who they are: their history, their passions, their achievements and their failures to this moment of “rebirth." It is what makes the experience so rich and powerful. I wish I could tell the story of each and everyone of those whom I have had the privilege to baptize. The photo above is of Fatima (Fatou Koné) from Côte D’Ivoire whom I baptized at St Francis Xavier. During Lent I shared with you the story of Scot, a pediatric intensive care physician and the poem he wrote after his baptism. I want to share with you part of the homily I gave at the Easter Vigil when he was baptized in 2004. "But maybe I should ask you Scot? Do you know what you are doing? Do you know that in the waters of baptism you are dying with Christ and rising with him as a new creation? Do you know that you are becoming a member of a Church community that is in need of intensive care? Its vital signs are almost unrecognizable. Do you know that what you are doing makes no sense? You are making the claim that you have seen the face of God and lived. You are making the claim that in all the suffering you have known in your own life and have seen in the lives of the children you serve, that there is ultimate meaning. And that meaning if found in God who is Love. This God, who created all, who desires freedom for all, who loves us so unconditionally dares to become flesh and blood in Jesus of Nazareth. And this Jesus freely gives his life in love that we might have eternal life. Nonsense! Nonsense? Sense the life here. In the music, in the story, in the dance. Sense the love here. In the community gathered, in the lives of us non-believing believers, in us with all our wounded humanity. Sense the Lord here. Calling you by name, Scot Luke. Calling you to the waters of new life. Come to the water, Come to the feast!" The great mystery of the sacrament of baptism is that “water works” in different ways. It is life-giving and can also be death-dealing. Water quenches thirst, cleanses, gives life. Water also brings death in drowning and flood. What better symbol for a share in the living, dying and rising of Jesus Christ than water’s works? May I finish this long reflection with a continuation of my own experience of “dying” with the hope of “new life?” "My disgrace has been a passage through the waters of death, drowning and gasping for air. It is of course, an emotional, not physical “drowning.” Depression, despair, wallowing in self-pity, overwhelmed by grief and loss, there are times when tears come unexpectedly, the flood gates, the “water works” are opened and I find myself sobbing uncontrollably. And yet, at times I’m flooded with moments of graciousness, “loving kindness.” As I look out my window or as I walk in the woods, I’m reminded that “death” is part of the cycle of nature. Now there are only dead leaves, barren branches. There is a stark beauty in this “dying” of the elements that had once been so green and vibrant. And yet I know that there will be spring and new life in a few months. There are already traces of things hidden, coming to life again, blades of plants and flowers breaking through the cold earth. How I want to believe that something “new” can come to life in me."
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Born Again/ Borne Again4/30/2019 4-30
Born again/ Borne again (Tuesday of the 2ndWeek of Easter) You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in his shadow for life. Say to the Lord, "My Refuge, My Rock in Whom I trust." And God will raise you up on eagle’s wings, Bear you on the breath of dawn, Make you to shine like the sun, And hold you in the palm of His hand. I think you can “Name that Tune.” It came into mind as I was praying this morning. As you can see from the title of today’s reflection I’m focusing on the interplay between “born” and “borne.” Throughout this week we are hearing the story of the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus from the third chapter of John’s Gospel. "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you are born from above, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?" I know that some of my dearest friends have been “born again,” not in the sacramental, baptismal, confessional sense but rather have had to begin life over because of life-threatening illness, loss of a life’s partner, divorce after decades of marriage. Even being fired from one’s job, can be the catalyst for having to recreate yourself or be recreated. I also know that they have not only been "born again" in the sense of beginning life over but also "borne again" through the loving presence of God and supportive friends. When my life dramatically changed almost 9 months ago, I thought I would write a book about my experience. Its title was to be “Dis-graced.” In it I wanted to describe what it felt like to have your life radically change because of something outside of your control. At the same time I wanted to look at my own life and ministry through the lens of the sacraments I had celebrated for 40 years with so many wonderful people and focus on those graced encounters. During this week I’d like to share with you some of my reflections and also focus on the sacrament of Baptism. “Unless one be born again of water and the spirit….” If you continue reading, it’s important to know that I wrote what follows in the throes of grief and loss. Thanks to your willingness to share this journey with me by reading and responding to these reflections, I am in a much better place. I may not yet have been “born again” (Nine months is next month) But I certainly have been “borne again.” :-) What follow is an excerpt from the chapter on Baptism. New Life Life begins at 70? Can that possibly be? How do you begin a “new life” when you are completely unprepared for something “new”? The disgrace that I experienced in these past months has compelled me to reconsider what my life can be. Before my disgrace I had an identity given to me by the church. I had “power” to preach and celebrate the sacraments of the church. I had a position of authority within the church and with that position came a certain respect. I have lost all of that and I’m wondering what a “new life” can be at 70. Is it possible that I’m going to be “born again”? But to be born again, there is a presumption of death. The predominant feeling I have had since my public disgrace has been that of “dying”. Even though I still am breathing, eating, drinking, sleeping, waking, the dramatic break with my former life feels like “death” to me. And what does “death” feel like? It feels like an end to life as you have known it. It is as if everything you have “lived” up to this moment has been a dream, an illusion. With the disgrace comes disdain and distance from many whom you thought were significant persons in your life. It is as if you no longer exist. The feeling of “dying” is intensified by the rejection on the part of some whom you thought would always be a part of your life. As someone said to me, “The good thing about dying while you are still alive is that you know who will show up to your wake!”. "For to the angels, God's given a command To guard you in all of your ways Upon their hands they will bear you up Lest you dash your foot against a stone. And God will raise you up on eagle's wings, Bear you on the breath of dawn, Make you to shine like the sun.... Wound up with Wounds4/29/2019 Monday of the Second Week of Easter There was so much in yesterday’s Gospel that I wanted to spend some more time reflecting on the wounds of Jesus and our human woundedness. Jesus wound up wounded. He shows the disciples the wounds in his hands, feet and side. There is something so very beautiful about this. He is not ashamed of his wounds. They reveal his love for his disciples and for all humankind. There is a chapel in the Basilica in Montserrat, Spain that has an image of the Risen Jesus. What is most visible are the wounds he bears. The artist was somehow able to let them come to the forefront of the image. I have been searching for a picture of this to show you but have not had any success. The photo above at least gives you an idea of how beautiful Montserrat is. In contrast to Jesus who wound up wounded but is able to accept and embrace them as part of who he is and his life story, many of us get so wound up with our wounds that they never heal. You may know from personal experience that the wounds that are inflicted through betrayal or cruelty are the most difficult to forgive. Isn’t it enlightening that in the Gospel passage where Jesus shows the disciples his wounds, he is also talking about a radical experience of forgiveness? When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." This passage is most often read as Jesus’ instituting the sacrament of Penance. Could we think of this in another way? When I stop being so wound up in myself, I become free to love and embrace my woundedness as Jesus did. When I am wound more tightly with the inability to let go and forgive, my wounds cannot be healed. So I invite us to reflect today on our wounds and how wound up we are in them. Perhaps there is a way to “unwind.” In addition to being Monday of the Second week of Easter, today is the Feast of St Catherine of Sienna. Catherine is a Doctor of the Church who is noted for her mysticism. Much of her writing speaks of how she was “wounded” by the love of Christ. His love “pierced her” heart and soul. She is not unlike Teresa of Avila whose “Ecstasy” the artist Bernini captured in his sculpture, which is in the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome. Speaking of Sienna, the picture below is a medieval fresco that is on the wall of City Hall in Sienna. Its title is “Good Government.” It has a special significance for me. I had seen the image of the women dancing in a History of Dance and it inspired some of my choreography for the Second Act of “A Dancer’s Christmas,” which always used Medieval and Renaissance Music. I was so surprised and delighted on a visit to Sienna with friends when I saw the “original” for the first time. These dear friends gave me the copy as a keepsake and reminder of a wonderful journey.
Montserrat, Rome, Sienna! Artists, Mystics, Lovers! Belong, Engage, Believe! 2nd Sunday of Easter
With “poppin’ and poppings” you might suspect that I would be quoting a song from Mary Poppins, like “Let’s Go Fly a Kite.” But since a good friend and former student, Chris Lowney asked if I would be continuing the My Fair Ladytheme from this past Friday, that’s the musical that will be “popping up” in this reflection. And yes, June will be bustin’ out, but spring is “popping out” all over, which you can see from the photos above. I realize that what follows is very “light-hearted.” But isn’t that appropriate for the “eye-popping” experience of encountering the Risen Jesus? Heavy-hearted disciples are filled with Christ’s peace and joy. They must have been “light-hearted” when they said, “We have seen the Lord!” So having some fun with today's Gospel, this is what came to me using the My Fair Lady score. The disciples would be wanting an “upper room” somewhere “far away from the last day’s scares” Then Jesus would appear and sing “I’m No Ordinary Man.” When he disappears from their midst, Mary Magdalene sings “I Could Have Gardened All Night” Peter sings “On the Beach Where You Give” John, the beloved disciple sings “I’ve Grown Accustomed to My Place” James sings “The Reign in Spain” because he’s going to end up in Compostela in Spain.(Hope you like that one, Chris!) When Thomas appears they all sing to him “Just You Wait” and he responds with “Show Me.” When Jesus appears the next week and Thomas is there and sees Jesus for himself, Jesus encourages him with “A Little Bit of Pluck” and Thomas sings “A Hymn to Him” Everyone sings to Jesus, “Without You” and to God, the Father, “You Did It.” Could the finale be “Get Us to the Temple on Time?” On a much more serious note, I chose the title “Eye-popping/ I popping” as I reflected on the appearance stories of the past week. All of the encounters with Jesus are “eye popping” in the sense that the disciples cannot believe their eyes. They need the reassurance of Jesus who tells them to “touch” him and know that he is not a ghost. The encounters are also “I” popping in the sense that the “ego eimi” “I Am” of John’s Gospel bursts forth from Jesus who reveals himself to his disciples as the Christ of God. In the encounter with Jesus the Risen one, yours and my “I” becomes so much more. As St Paul says, “It is no longer “I” who live, but Christ who lives within me.” That’s pretty “I popping” in my opinion. To be continued….. God-tears4/27/2019 Saturday in the Octave of Easter
If yesterday’s reflection was “high as a kite,” today’s is more “down to earth.” For the past few days we have heard readings from the Acts of the Apostles, where Peter acts and speaks boldly. This is a very different Peter from the one portrayed throughout the Gospels. There he is almost always saying the wrong thing. Even when he gets it "right" with his confession of Jesus as the Messiah, soon after Jesus reprimands him for getting it "wrong." The last we see and hear of Peter before the Resurrection is after the triple denial. “And Peter went out and wept bitterly.” “And Jesus wept.” (at the death of his friend, Lazarus) “Sunt lacrimae rerum” “There are tears for things” (Aeneid Bk.1ine 462) or as poet Seamus Heaney translates. “There are tears at the heart of things.” In a few words, the human experience of grief and sorrow is captured in “tears.” Can you see in the photo above a “God-tear?” Yes, it is a raindrop but look closely and see the reflection within. I’m seeing this as a tear-drop from the eye of God that somehow holds the world within it. This “tear” tears at my heart. Years ago I wrote a story for the Second Sunday of Easter. It is entitled “And Peter wept.” I share it with you on the Vigil of the same Sunday 17 years later. And Peter wept. He couldn't control his tears. Every time he thought of what he had done, he would break down again. He didn't know where to go, where to run to, after he had denied Jesus. He wished he had never left the Sea of Galilee, never left behind his fishing boats. Where could he go? Everything was lost. Jesus had been crucified and he was so afraid for himself that he denied the one who was his friend. "I do not even know the man.” The words echoed in his mind. What a mess he had made of his life! He had sworn that he would always be faithful to Jesus and he was the one who had denied ever knowing him. "He was my friend, he thought, and I turned my back on him. If only he was here now I would ask his forgiveness. But how could I be forgiven?” And Peter couldn't stop crying for what he had done. “Excuse me sir, can I help you?” It was the voice of a young girl, perhaps thirteen years old. Peter looked up through his tears and saw a face that he thought he recognized. But he could not place her. “Excuse me sir. Forgive me for saying this but I have never heard a man like you crying? You must be so sad? Have you lost someone, wife, a daughter, a son, a friend?” “Lost?” Peter cried. “Yes, I am lost. I do not know where to go or what to do? I have betrayed my friend, my master. I am worse than a betrayer. I turned my back on him when he needed me. Jesus, was my friend and I could not stand by him. We all abandoned him, well all the disciples did but the women stayed by him. But I was the one he trusted most. Or so I thought!” And Peter wept again, the pain wrenched from his insides, crying, “Jesus, I am so sorry!” “Did you say, Jesus?” the young girl asked. “Jesus from Nazareth? You were one his followers, weren't you?” the girl said gently. “That's the same question I was asked by another young girl only two days ago. Then I denied it. Now I say, "Yes," I was one of his followers. He called me his Rock. He trusted me. I was the one he brought with him when he needed one or two of us to be with him. I was his special, trusted friend.” And Peter was again going to cry but the young girl spoke in excitement. “You are Peter, aren't you? You don't recognize me? My name is Johanna. My father is Jairus and my mother, Ruth. I told you that I had never heard a grown man cry. That's not exactly true. Now that I think of it, I remember being in a deep sleep. It was as if life was slipping away from me. I was dying, I think and I heard many voices, weeping. And then, I heard a voice calling me out of the deep, "Talitha cum! Little girl, arise." And it was as if I was coming back from the dead. It was the voice of your Jesus. He brought me back to life. And then he said, "give her something to eat." Peter don't you remember? You had some bread in your bag and you broke it and gave it to me to eat. You told me your name. Peter, you smiled at me and asked me my name. I remember seeing the face of Jesus looking at you. He loved you Peter. I'm sure he loves you now no matter what you said or did. If he raised me from the deep sleep of death, can't he forgive you? "Forgive me?" Peter said more to himself than to the young girl. "One time I asked Jesus how many times you should forgive someone who has hurt you. I asked him seven times? And he said seventy times seven times! Now that I think of it he was always talking about forgiveness, especially forgiving the one who was not your friend, or the one who was persecuting you. Little girl, Johanna, I tell you, it is easier for me to forgive Judas for betraying Jesus into the Roman's hands then it is to forgive myself for turning my back on him!” “Peter,” the young girl said. “Where are the friends of Jesus now? Do you know? You belong with them. I am sure they are as sad as you are.” “But how can I face them?” Peter asked. “What must they think?” “What does it matter what they think? Your friendship with Jesus, his promise to be with you and to love you always, that is what matters. Who knows what will happen? Remember he is the one who called me out of the sleep of death? HE is the one who said, "Arise." Peter, Get up. Go back to your friends. It is there you will find his peace, his forgiveness.” And Peter no longer wept. He got up and embraced the young girl, Johanna, daughter of Jairus and Ruth. He began to walk and then to run and he was running as fast as he could, back to the upper room where he knew his friends would be. And when he arrived there, the door was locked and he began knocking and banging and crying, “Let me in! Open the door! There's nothing to be afraid of!” On the Beach Where You Give4/26/2019 Friday in the Octave of Easter
I’m wondering how many of you reading this reflection consider today’s Gospel, which recounts the post-Resurrection story of Jesus’ cooking breakfast for the disciples, as one of their “top 10” New Testament texts? It certainly is for me. I always loved preaching about this text because I could share stories of fishing with my grandparents and my father’s cooking breakfast for us on Sundays at the shore. I love this text, not only because of the memories it evokes but also because of its truth. After the traumatic events of the past days, the disciples return to a familiar place and do what they love to do. They return to the Sea of Galilee. They go back home and they go fishing! Friends, familiar places, faces and fun can go a long way to help healing. (I know that from personal experience.) Another reason I love this text is that I have encountered the Risen Lord very often on a beach. Corporation Beach in Dennis and Niles Beach in Gloucester hold a special place in my “beach memory.” I wrote about my Easter morning, driving to Corporation Beach in Dennis, hoping to encounter the Risen One at dawn but it was rainy and foggy. Thanks be to God that we have an “octave of Easter” so that every day of this week is considered Easter Day! “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!” That’s the constant refrain this week along with Easter Alleluias. Yesterday, was very much an Easter day for me. I spent time at a SUNNY Corporation beach, trying to “fly a kite.” At first I couldn’t figure out how to assemble it and it kept crashing. (Go Figure!) It finally flew up but not very high at all. Later in the day I returned to the beach, determined to see it fly higher and it did. The reason for my determination is that during the day I kept thinking of a certain song that sings of someone waiting for the “appearance” of a beloved. As I thought of all the encounters I have had with Jesus, I couldn’t help but change the words to fit my experience. I was surprised and delighted that I wouldn’t have to change too many. I have often walked on this beach before But the sands have always stayed beneath my feet before All at once am I several kite lengths high Knowing I’m on the beach where you give. Are there beach plum trees on this stretch of shore? Can you hear a lark ascending, singing “evermore?” Does enchantment pour out of every shore? No, it’s just on the beach where you give. And oh, the flowering feeling Just to know somehow you are near The overpowering feeling That any second you may suddenly appear. People stop and stare, they don’t bother me For there’s nowhere else on earth that I’d rather be Let the time go by, I don’t care if I Can be here on the beach where you give. Thursday in the Octave of Easter
For the past two days the reading from the Acts of the Apostles has recounted the healing of a lame beggar and the reaction of the people to this marvelous event. “Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.” More than 20 years ago, the Second Act of A Dancer’s Christmas was entitled “Town of Miracles.” In this medieval town some wonderful things happened. A wayfaring couple, who were expecting a child, “miraculously” appeared in the town and were offered lodging since there was room for them in the Inn. Later on, they return with the newborn child in their arms. (Yes, it was a real baby!) The newborn child is placed in the arms of the lame beggar who as he begins to rock the child finds that his feet and ankles grow strong and he could walk again. And then he was “dancing and jumping and praising God.” Although it’s a long time ago, I’m sure I was inspired by this scene from the Acts. As someone who has been a “beggar for one thing or another, who has a chronic heel injury that makes him limp and as a dancer from the age of 5", this passage with the dancing beggar has always resonated with me. I happened to dance this role in “The Town of Miracles” in 2001 so I know the feeling of “hopping with hope, jumping for joy and leaping with love.” Here’s a link if you would like to take a look. The dance begins 50 minutes into the video. https://vimeo.com/310172375 The Gospel that we hear today is a fitting accompaniment to the story from Acts. Jesus appears to his disciples as “flesh and blood.” Yes, he can disappear into “thin air” but they experience him as “skin, not thin.” (Sorry!) He says, “Touch me!” Know that I’m real. If anything makes you want to hop with hope, jump for joy and leap with love, it’s the experience of the Risen Jesus saying to you “Touch me!” Know who I Am for you. I’m including a photo of the phenomenal dancer, Mikhail Baryshnikov. It feels like he’s soaring into space. Does this capture for you what it means to “hop with hope, jump for joy, leap with love?” Chloe's Clue (It's Blue)4/23/2019 Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
It’s always bothered me that you have two disciples on the Road to Emmaus and only one is named. That’s the guy, Cleopas. So I imagine that the “other” is his wife and I’ve given her the name Chloe. Why? It’s a Greek name that means “blooming” or “fertility,” Sounds like a clue to me! So let’s call her Chloe. (Blue rhymes with clue so I chose a blooming blue flower for Chloe.) 20 years ago I wrote a story about a family on the road back home to Emmaus. It’s one of my favorites. I’d like to share it with you. Although it was written for the 3rd Sunday of Easter, year A, it's today's gospel as well. 3rd Sunday Easter A We have just heard a story about two people who met the Risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus. One’s name was Cleopas and the other has no name so let's give her one. How about Chloe? Cleopas and Chloe were not the only people on the road to Emmaus that day. Another family, a mother, father and child had also left Jerusalem some time after and were also on the road. But I have jumped ahead in the story. As that Sunday dawned, two days after Jesus had been crucified, David, Miriam and their child, Solomon were asleep in the house of David’s father and mother, Solomon’s grandparents. Suddenly a sharp knocking and a voice woke them from their sleep. It was the voice of Cleopas, their neighbor from Emmaus. His voice was urgent: Clopas: David, wake up. Come quickly. We must go to Jesus’ tomb. His body is not there! And some crazy women are saying they have been “touched by an angel or two”. Come and see for yourself! David quickly dressed and went with Cleopas. David was very tired because of the events of the last days. With his family he had come up to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover. They had been there waving palm branches when their friend Jesus had entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. He could remember their shouting, Hosanna to the son of David. David’s own son, Solomon, named after the great King as he himself was, was always asking questions and as the youngest had asked the question at the Passover Seder. Solomon: Why is this night different from any other night? David thought to himself, Yes this night was different. Jesus was arrested and the next day put to death. They had hoped that Jesus would be the Messiah. But their hopes were dashed. He was dead. But now what was going on? Had someone stolen the body? Why was Jesus no longer in the tomb? David: Miriam, We must leave! We must return home! We can’t stay here anymore! There’s going to be trouble, as if we haven’t had enough! Cleopas was right. The tomb is empty and those crazy women are saying that they heard angel voices. We’ve got to go now! It wasn’t supposed to be this way! Solomon: But father, why are we in such a hurry? I haven’t had much time with grandmother and father. Miriam: Solomon, get ready. Do what your father says! Solomon: But why? David: Because I said so. So the trio, put on their sandals, took their traveling staff and left as those in flight. On the road to Emmaus, Solomon’s parents were silent. He could see they were troubled and he thought a question or two might help them deal with their feelings. (Solomon was very wise for a young boy) Solomon: Father, where is Jesus now? If he’s not in the tomb, where is he? David: (Very upset) Solomon, How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t know where Jesus is? He was my friend and I miss him. I can’t believe God would let him die that way...on a cross. I don’t know what to believe any more. David could see his father was upset, so he was silent. But in the silence, David thought he heard the wind whispering, the rocks rollicking, the dust declaiming. Wind: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Rocks: Remember, Remember Dust: Alleluia, Alleluia Solomon: Father, Mother, don’t you remember when we were at the Passover with Jesus. He took the bread and blessed it and broke it. Do you remember his words? TAKE AND EAT. THIS IS My BODY. And at the end of the meal, THE CUP OF WINE. THIS IS MY LIFE FOR YOU. Don’t you understand? Jesus has given his life for us. Miriam: (Gently) Solomon. You are too young to understand what death is. When you are grown-ups like us.....Solomon, your father is very upset. Don’t ask him any more questions? And Solomon heard again all creation crying out, the wind whispering, the rocks rollicking, the dust declaiming. Wind: Jesus, Jesus Rocks: Remember Dust: Alleluia And Solomon remembered what Jesus had told him: Solomon, I will be with you always. Don’t be afraid! And Solomon whispered: Solomon: Jesus, I believe. You are here with my family. You are walking the road with us. You are here. David: (Just to Miriam) Miriam, it sounds like Solomon thinks Jesus is not dead? How can we make him understand? Finally, the family arrived at their home in the village of Emmaus. While they were at supper, they heard a sharp rapping on the door and an urgent voice. It was the voice of Cleopas. Cleopas: David, Miriam, You’ll never believe this! Jesus is Risen from the dead. We saw him for ourselves. On the road. He walked with us, He told us that he had to suffer and die but now God had raised him. He ate and drank with us, like in the good old days. We recognized him in the breaking of the bread. And David and Miriam didn’t know what to believe but Solomon simply smiled. And the wind whispered and the rocks rollicked and the dust declaimed: Wind: Jesus Rocks: Remember Dust: alleluia Tuesday of the Octave of Easter
By now, you know that my religious imagination is often very unusual! One might say “contrarian,” meaning that I take an opposing point of view from the more “traditional” interpretation. But those of you who know the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius know that the imagination may run riot in prayer. The Holy Spirit can be pretty “riotous” and “raucous” when she wants, especially when it comes to the Resurrection! Perhaps it’s the association of the name Mary with the Garden in the children’s nursery rhyme that inspired me to associate it with the Gospel today where Mary is weeping at the tomb of Jesus. Notice that she is asked twice “Why are you weeping?” That’s where "Mary, Mary, Why so teary?” comes from. I suppose I could have left the original, “Mary, Mary quite contrary,” since Mary Magdalene is contrarian. She speaks her mind to Peter and others who do not want to believe her testimony. She is so invested in Jesus and her love for him that she will take the opposing point of view when others say that there is no hope left. The other association I have with the rhyme is the “Secret Garden.” The main character is Mary Lennox and the rhyme is used as a way of taunting her. (During Lent, I referenced the song “A Bit of Earth,” from the musical version.) But the truth is that the Garden which was lifeless and abandoned has a secret. The Garden returns to life through Mary’s care and the mysterious life force hidden within. Ordinarily in prayer I would focus on the emotional content of the scene. I would pray with Mary in her loss and grief, blinded by the tears that conceal the presence of Jesus. I would feel with her the panic of the moment when she says, “They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they laid him.” I can certainly relate to that panic, grief and loss. I would long to hear the voice of the Risen Jesus speaking my name as she did. But for some “contrarian” reason, my prayer focused more on the Garden than on Mary’s emotions (or mine). This morning I am moved by Richard Rohr’s description of Creation as the first Incarnation and the humanity of Jesus as the second. “Instead of saying that God came into the world through Jesus, maybe it would be better to say that Jesus came out of an already Christ soaked world. The second incarnation flowed out of the first, out of God’s loving union with physical creation.” (p.15) This morning I’m thinking of the Garden in the Gospel as fully alive with beauty and splendor, rejoicing in the presence of the Christ, “raised from the dead.” Where once these plants and flowers were dead, now they have returned to life and can exult in the new life of Jesus Christ. I can even see the “rocks” and “stones” out of which the tomb has been constructed dancing a “jig.” I think of everything in the Garden, plants, trees, flowers, birds, animals, all dancing a “contretemps.” (A contretemps is a ballet term that describes a “pas” or step that goes “against time.”) What better way to describe the Resurrection as a “contretemps!” In Jesus’ rising to a new and transformed life we see God’s going against time, space and the laws of nature. God is the one who has the final word as to how things turn out! Wayfaring/Weigh fearing4/22/2019 Monday of the Octave of Easter Speak, Mary, declaring What you saw, wayfaring. “The tomb of Christ, who is living, The glory of Jesus’ resurrection; bright angels attesting, The shroud and napkin resting. Yes, Christ my hope is arisen; to Galilee he goes before you.” These are the words of the Sequence from Easter morning and it is the inspiration for this morning’s reflection. What captures my imagination is the word “wayfaring.” It’s simple meaning is to be somewhere on foot. Its broader meaning is to be on a journey, on the Way. We’ve been wayfaring together for more almost 50 days (48 to be exact) and we have before us another 50 to make our way to the celebration of Pentecost. In Matthew’s Gospel, which we hear today, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are on their way from the tomb and Jesus meets them “on their way.” There is mixture of emotions. They are “fearful yet overjoyed.” They do not yet know what to make of all of this. It is that mixed emotion that seems to be the reaction of all the disciples to the news of the empty tomb that leads me to think of an alternative to “wayfaring.” It is “weigh fearing,” in the sense that there is so often this balance between “joy” and “fear” on our way. The question is how much weight we will give to our fears. Over and over again the Risen Jesus will say, “Do not be afraid.” Don’t give too much weight to your fears. What I love about this week of scripture is that Jesus always meets people where they are, on their way. It might be a garden, a beach, a road to Emmaus or an upper room. The Risen Jesus finds us on our way. It’s that theme that will be recurrent this week in my reflections. I’m also mindful that today is Earth Day and it is a wonderful “coincidence” that it falls this year the day after Easter. Thanks be to God that we are beginning to realize that Easter is not just about something that happened to an individual, Jesus of Nazareth but is always happening in Creation. Yes, we know that our world is at risk because of human carelessness and yet we celebrate today the beauty of God’s creation and do our best to care for the Earth. I am also mindful of the tragic loss of lives on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka. It weighs heavily on the hearts of all who want to live in peace as brothers and sisters, as members of the human family. We pray for the victims of these terrible crimes and we pray for peace.
AuthorAs an ordained Catholic priest for 45 years and a member of the Jesuits for 57 years, I've had a great deal of "spiritual" experience! This is a place where I can continue to share my thoughts about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and what it means to live the "mystery of God." Categories |
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