Meditation Moment in Easter Week ~ Tuesday ‘23

Luke 24:13-14, 30-31, 35 

      Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem and talking with each other about all these things that had happened....When he was at table with them he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight...Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. 

      "If only..." is a frequent refrain for all of us who wish we had done things differently, or the pandemic had not happened, or the weather was ___ [fill in the blank]. Mostly, though, I think most of us have yearned, with some desperation at times, for that if only I could see, talk to, or touch them one more time moment. As for the death of one loved deeply, I can say from my own acute experiences that yes, much time does soften the punch and shock of loss, and it is then the memories become ever more important with the hope and desire to believe that they are still present with us. It is with that understanding that we enter this segment of Luke’s Gospel about two little-known disciples of Jesus.

      We read about two regular guys walking down the road to Emmaus talking about the strange events of the prior few days. This other guy shows up and seems unaware of these events and their importance. They, surprised he didn’t know, explain it and then invite him home to dinner. Suddenly the stranger is hosting the meal and even more suddenly, as he blesses and breaks the bread, he vanishes. In an instant their eyes were opened as never before and when they realized who He was, they rushed to tell the others what they experienced.     

      Let us remember that at any time and any place when we tear a piece of bread that is blessed at a meal, whether we are alone or with another, to know Christ in the breaking of the bread. More than a memory, Christ IS LIVING within us. As we travel the road of this life, wherever it takes us, when we call upon His name we know we are in His love. When we are consciously in His love and our thoughts and actions are guided by His Truth, this Road will lead us Home.

     Risen Lord Jesus, our constant Companion on the Road, You ransomed us from the futile ways of sin, and we are born anew through Your Resurrection. Reinvigorate our dedication to purify ourselves by obedience to Your Truth, to live in and act through genuine love for others and ourselves, and to set our faith and hope on God. We ask through You, the Living Enduring Word; and the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of our Souls; who together with our Impartial Creator, reign as One God, always, forever, eternally. Amen. 

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Prayers of the People: A Letter to Thomas ~ Second Sunday of Easter '23 Yr A

For Sunday, April 16, 2023, Readings: Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31

    For David says concerning him, "I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken, therefore my heart was glad...my heart will live in hope."   [Acts 2:25-26]

    O Lord, you are my portion and my cup; it is you who uphold my lot….You will show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore. [Psalm 16:5, 11]

     Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... [1 Peter:3]  

    [Jesus] said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."...Jesus said to [Thomas], "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." [John 20:22b-23, 29]

       Dear Thomas, what infamy you have achieved, quite unfairly, I think. You have become a label ~ "a Doubting Thomas"~ for those who don't believe something without concrete proof. You watched him die, being taken down from the Cross, placed in the tomb. Who of us would not be doubtful of the claim of the Resurrection in that moment? You are saddled with all the blame for your disbelief until your eyes beheld the Risen Lord and touched his wounds. And yet, you were far from alone in your skepticism. The other Gospel accounts all tell of your companion disciples doubting. Luke 23:11 tells of them dismissing the women's account as an idle tale, and in Mark 16:11, when Mary Magdalene tells them she had seen the risen Jesus, they would not believe. My personal favorite ~ in defense of you ~ is in Matthew 28:17 that says even when they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

      Whenever any of us are unsure or questioning of this preeminent event in the life of Christ, despite the Gospel accounts and the significance to the whole of Christian theology and practice, we are in good company! For me the story of Thomas and the other disciples' initial disbelief, humanizes these men and brings them into this current time, as did Peter's denial of Jesus, and Judas' betrayal, remorse, and suicide. We know these people in our own lives, we are some of them when we struggle to accept and understand all that we are told in the Christian/New Testament and by those who have taught us from the pulpit or in our families. Our own doubt seems unfaithful to those who say and think they must accept it all on faith alone. Yet key elements of true faith for me are to constantly learn more, think more, wonder more, examine more, and discuss more with others. If we aren't questioning the tenets of our faith at various times, it seems to me that we haven’t really discovered the specifics of what it is that we do believe and why.

      These Gospel moments allow us to be who we are in this present time and relate to those who were with Jesus and still wondered what his movement was all about even as they moved forward with him. Each time I read this Sunday’s and other accounts of Christ’s life, teachings, death, and resurrection, or any part of any of the Gospels and Epistles, I discover something new and often profound.

      Whatever I believe about the Resurrection and its significance to our Christian faith, in moments of human wavering or in absolute certainty, I try to remember the words of King David from Peter's quotes in Acts 2. David isn't known for unwavering fidelity to God's Commandments! Yet these words for me form the crux of the message of Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah which is to see the Lord always before me, to live in hope, and to follow the path of life He has shown me, as well as I can, through all of this life's trials. There is no better time than this moment to ponder those thoughts. The Presence of Christ is always within us, and our faith, however shaky at times, is the vehicle that keeps us upright and guides our thoughts and actions through trial and triumph. Un-doubt-edly in our human mistakes and wanderings, the writer of 1 Peter 1:4 reminds us quite specifically that what we have been given by the resurrection is: an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading... 

      Dear Thomas, I firmly believe that Jesus wasn’t scolding you, he was speaking to all present then and all of us now, in love, compassion, and the utmost understanding of our human foibles and failings.

      Whether seen or unseen, the results of living in faith, as Christ teaches through the Greatest Commandment  [Matthew 22:36-40], will be a gift to ourselves and to others in our mortal time and in the time to come, by receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. [1 Peter 1:9]. I’m reminded of a title of a book by the late Dr. Wayne Dyer, You’ll See It When You Believe It. And even when we struggle in claiming our beliefs, our place in Jesus is always saved. For now, for always, Christ IS Risen! Alleluia!  

        

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Christ Risen! How often have we simply walked through the penitence of Lent, the excitement of Palm Sunday, the passion of Holy Week, and the joyful celebration of Your miraculous Resurrection, taking it all for granted because it happens for us every year? In this and all times of trial, open our hearts to truly REJOICE as if for the first time. You have suffered, died, and Resurrected for each of us. Thomas saw and believed, help us to simply believe in the gift of our salvation.

                                                      Jesus, Messiah

       RESPONSE:                    Our Living and Eternal Hope

~ O Christ Risen! Grant us new courage to refresh our faith in eternal life, and the energy in this life to challenge the leaders of this planet, this nation, and this community, to provide a Just, Safe, and Mercy-filled life for all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Living and Eternal Hope                                            

~ O Christ Risen! Ease the hearts of those who are sick, fearful, or life weary in mind, body, or soul, and grant energy, strength, and resilience to all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Living and Eternal Hope       

~ O Christ Risen! Our joy at Your resurrection is tempered with our grief at the loss of those we love. Yet in faith we can rejoice knowing they are with You in the miracle of their resurrection into Your eternal promise. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Living and Eternal Hope

~ O Christ Risen! We pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Living and Eternal Hope               

~ O Christ Risen! Refresh and renew those who guide us in Your Church as they seek and find ever more inspiring ways to reach us with the continuing Good News of our own salvation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Living and Eternal Hope

The Celebrant adds: Creator of All There Is, Seen and Unseen, shelter us when we retreat into doubt, remind us to seek Your Path through this life, to set You always before ourselves, and to forgive as we are forgiven by faith in the imperishable inheritance of our salvation to come. We ask this through Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life; and the Holy Spirit, the Wisdom of our Souls; who together with You, reign as One God, forever and beyond.  Amen. 

 

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Meditation Moment in Easter Week ~ Monday '23

Now What?

    How often have we simply walked through the idea of the penitence of Lent, the excitement of Palm Sunday, the passion of Holy Week, and the joyful celebration of Your miraculous Resurrection, taking it all for granted because it happens for us every year? And now, all our work of Lent and Easter is over and we can get back to normal while we finish up the peeps, jelly beans, and what's left of the chocolate bunnies, right? Yet, a question remains ~ where are we to put all the faith eggs from our baskets?

O Christ Risen! 

    Where do we go from here? Of course life was so much simpler when I was a kid (in age, body, and too long in mind). Easter was just a day for new clothes and a big family dinner like Thanksgiving and Christmas. And now, as an alleged grown-up (no doubt of that in age and body), I’m supposed to actually stop to think and reflect that You suffered, You died real actual death, and You Resurrected from that real actual death for each of us. Of course I have done that in the moment during Church services that were inspiring and then I'd go home. I've often felt as though I have more to do, more to be in terms of putting my faith into action ~ but ~ I am well aware that openly and intentionally following You carries some serious responsibilities and, honestly, I'm really not sure I'm completely up to the task. I mean, I fall off that wagon of attempted perfection quite regularly and those moments of doubting my faith and my commitment creep in. BUT ~  okay, insert taking a long deep breath here, it's a new week, it's a new season, maybe even a new me as in a new creation [1 Corinthians 5:17]. I'll keep going. I'm putting all of my faith eggs in one basket, Yours. I do believe that You are all I need but I could use some serious help here, please.

   In this and all times of trial, open our hearts to truly REJOICE in this Eastertide as if for the very first time and for all the best reasons. amen. 

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Meditation Moment in Holy Week ~ Saturday '23

John 19:38-42:

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Jesus, our Holy Redeemer,
         On this Saturday, the silence of the Tomb engulfs the followers of Jesus. They are still and hear only the beating of their sorrowful hearts. The night before was long and dark and cold, and painful in heart, mind, and soul.

         For anyone waking to a stunning loss, the day after is confusing as first light offers a nano-moment of forgetting. Then as sudden as the loss, the reality hits the psyche again as a lightning strike that penetrates deeply and burns hot. In their time, the followers of Jesus would still be in shock, knowingly and futilely grasping at any hole in the truth that what they witnessed yesterday didn't happen. 

        Be with us, Lord, as yesterday and the day before, we had the opportunity to hear or read again the Gospel accounts of the last days of Your human life. Help us, on this quiet day after to relate to the grief of those who knew and loved You in that time. Embrace us in the mercy of Your redemption to answer Your call to return our souls to You, to know and love You by being Your disciples in our time. 

        Even as we know the story of what tomorrow will bring, let us go through this day and this night as if we don't. May we awaken to all the  joy, jubilance, and Faith-filling experience that Easter offers every day of our human lives. amen. 

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Meditation Moment in Holy Week ~ Friday '23

The Gospel of John 18:1-19:42

                In Wilmington, Delaware, USA, on Good Friday, for several years prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, my Episcopal Parish and choir of Sts. Andrew and Matthew (SsAM), with members of other congregations of various denominations, gathered to walk the city streets in procession stopping at 8 different places that were designated as our Urban Stations of the Cross for that particular year. Some of the places chosen over time were community centers, shelters, food distribution organizations, the State Building housing criminal courts, and neighborhood sites of prior violence and death. Traditionally there are 14 Stations but in the interest of time and coordinating with the City for assistance in crossing busy streets, etc., 8 were chosen each year. The procession returned to SsAM for the 8^th Station and a concluding prayer service. It was a humbling privilege to be asked to write the prayers for these Urban Stations each year being joined with the others who wrote for and planned these powerful experiences. The following is my contribution to the walk of 2017.
              If you have never experienced the Stations of the Cross, or even if you have many times, follow along as if on the walk in this year through the last hours of the earthly life of Jesus.

1.      Jesus is condemned to die – Truth

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, You were condemned to earthly death by the will of the self-interested, who, fearing loss of their local power, fueled and manipulated the rage of the discontented. As we walk through our human time, let us look deeper into Your Gospel to find our guidance, seeking the True Life of eternity with You.

      Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Grant us courage to follow and stand fast in Your TRUTH

2.      Jesus takes up his cross – Fortitude

Jesus, Messiah of Humanity, with courage and determination, You took on the cross, bearing its worldly weight upon your scourged and weary shoulders. Help us, in everyday moments and our deepest darkest times, to see Your cross as a symbol of survival, on our way to the never-ending joy of Life without shadow in Love’s Pure Light.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

            Strengthen our hearts to persist in this life with Your FORTITUDE

3.      Jesus falls for the first time – Perseverance

Jesus, Messiah of Humanity, even in a most weakened physical state, You are our model of endurance, an example of pushing on through excruciating pain ~ physical, emotional, and spiritual ~ even in the most brutal stages of Life. As our Perfecter of Faith, reinforce our willingness to get up again and again and again, whenever we fall down in our faith in You.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Empower us to run with PERSERVERANCE the race to everlasting peace.

4.      Jesus meets His Mother – Tenderness

Jesus, Messiah of Humanity, this exquisite yet tragic image of Mother-Son love reaches profoundly into the essence of us all. Infuse our souls with the instinct to protect and shelter each other in the midst of Life’s traumas – loved ones and strangers alike – as we are sheltered by Your Saving Grace.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Inspire our hearts to reflect and offer the TENDERNESS of Your perfect love.

5.      The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene – Hope

Jesus, Messiah of Humanity, as even the strongest need a helping hand in a difficult time of Life, relieve us of our reluctance to give aid to another in trouble, for whatever the burden and whatever the cost.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

May the infinite HOPE of Your Sacrifice dwell deeply in our souls.

6.      Jesus and the women of Jerusalem – Compassion

Jesus, Messiah of Humanity, in Your most difficult moment in human Life, You show us an extraordinary example of empathy for others. Assist us as we strive to follow Your Commandments to love God, and to love others as if they were ourselves.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Grant us the COMPASSION to know ourselves and others as Your very own.

7.      The Crucifixion – Acceptance

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, as Your mortal time waned upon the cross, Your steadfast spirit gave way to accepting this price for the redemption of every single human Life. Let us take a moment to be still, to breathe deeply, to ponder the depth and breadth of emotion, the wonder and awe, of the moment that Your being transformed from lifeless Human to Eternally Divine.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Empower our souls to know Repentance, Faith, Trust, and ACCEPTANCE of the trials of our Earthly time, caring for others as we care for ourselves, as our vehicle to Heavenly Glory. In the Shadow of Death there is Life, everlasting.

8.      Jesus is laid in the tomb – Life

Jesus, Messiah of Humanity, let us wait in quiet solitude, in the silence of the Tomb, for a radiant awakening in the dawn of New Life. Grant us a peaceful transition at our own time, being serenely willing and unflinchingly ready to rise again in Glory, free of sin and strife, through the magnitude of the Sacrifice by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Transform our mortal sojourn by the way of Your Truth, Fortitude, Perseverance, Tenderness, Hope, Compassion, and Acceptance, as we await Your Glorious Resurrection and the LIFE of the World to Come. AMEN.

 

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Meditation Moment in Holy Week ~ Thursday '23

The Book of Exodus 12:1-14

The Gospel of John 13:1-7, 31b-35

           For the Passover, God, through Moses and Aaron, promised protection to all whose homes displayed the blood of a sacrificed lamb and proclaimed it a day of remembrance forever. It is celebrated this year before sundown on April 5 and ends after nightfall on April 13. It is a Festival of Liberation remembering the Jews’ Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

         On this Thursday, Jesus knew his earthly life was coming to an end. In his final Passover supper with the Disciples, he gave them ~ and us ~ the mystery of the sacrament of His Body and Blood ~ the Eucharist ~ as a New Covenant with God, a perpetual remembrance of Him for the redemption of us all. On this night, Jesus surprised his Disciples by washing their feet, as a servant would do, to show them humility. And on this night, he told them that Judas would betray him, and, that Peter would deny him 3 times.

        The phrase “Last Supper” never appears in the Christian/New Testament as for Jesus and his followers, this was Passover, which coincidentally, has just begun this week in this year. The name for this day in our time varies with Christian worship traditions: Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, or even Thursday of Mysteries. The Anglican/Episcopal tradition calls it Maundy Thursday which some say comes from the Latin mendicare for beg or, from mandatum for mandate or command. We now enter the solemn Easter Triduum [trid-oo-um], a period of three days, that in its fullest extent, begins with a Liturgy tonight after sundown, reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil on Saturday night or a sunrise service on Easter Day, and concludes with Evening Prayer on Easter night. Counting from sundown to sundown: Thursday to Friday is 1 day, Friday to Saturday is 2, and Saturday to Sunday is the 3rd day.  

         However your Faith Tradition names it, on this night, Jesus said, I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

           

Jesus, Lamb of God,

         Gathering for Holy Eucharist is always our primary remembrance of You. Tonight, we remember You in the Garden of Gethsemane with the disciples who could not stay awake with You for even one hour. In ordinary human existence it isn’t that hard to imagine escaping into sleep as someone else is praying for something you don't quite understand. Would I have had the prayer words I'd need? Do I have them now? How much time are we willing to give on this night, and in any day or night, to remember You in moments of joy, or in everyday life paying bills, grocery shopping, filling the car with gas?  

         Lord Jesus, my Savior, thank You for all You have done for me and for all of us. Help me to be a reflection of Your love and humility in this world so that I may rightly be known as a disciple, as a Christian. As a small token of remembrance before I turn to sleep, whatever the day has brought, I offer these words as I take a slow deep breath in: Lord Jesus, Son of God, and as I slowly breathe out, Have mercy on me. 

        And, Lord Christ, keep us ever aware and mindful of You as we come across all the people and all the activities of everyday life that we usually overlook as unimportant. Let us love one another every day close in and at a distance, family, friends, and strangers alike, and especially all with whom we disagree. Let us love You by who we are and how we are in this world. amen.

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Meditation Moment in Holy Week ~ Wednesday '23

The Gospel of John 13:31-32

                 On this Wednesday, Judas Iscariot has conspired with the Sanhedrin to support their efforts to trap Jesus. He is paid the sum of 30 pieces of silver, enough to purchase a slave or a good potter's field. How much money is enough to sell someone's life to an enemy ~ what if the seller is a trusted friend? But of course, Jesus knew it would be Judas...
                Paul's letter to the Hebrews says: Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart [Hebrews 12:3]. When I have felt the world is against me, or life is just too hard, or I simply cannot cope with one more thing going wrong ~ did I ever once think of the suffering of Jesus at the hands of others? Have I ever thought of Judas if I did someone a wrong turn to benefit myself, even if "only" in a small way?  Perhaps Jesus is too big in my mind to compare myself to and perhaps Judas is too bad...  
               On this Wednesday in our time some churches mark this evening ~ or some others will on Maundy/Holy Thursday or Good Friday ~ with a service called Tenebrae [ten-eh-bray].  The name comes from the Latin and means shadows or darkness.  The service consists of readings and chanted/sung Psalms while candles are extinguished in sets between readings and chants until the church is completely darkened. Often at the end, in the dark, a sudden loud noise ~ a gong, slamming a large book, or stamping of feet ~ is heard as a symbol of the earthquake that signaled the death of Jesus. Holy Wednesday in Holy Week, hearkens back to the penitence of Ash Wednesday just a few weeks ago, as the solemnity of the mood of this Week of Weeks deepens.

        O Jesus, the Light and Redeemer of us ALL ~ this night reminds us of the story of Judas conspiring with the Sanhedrin and selling you out. This night makes us wonder how he could have done that to You. This night makes us shudder about ways we might have betrayed another for our own benefit even if in seemingly lesser ways. This night calls us to ponder true forgiveness ~ You have forgiven us for all of our sins and trespasses. But have we ever forgiven Judas, the only Apostle never called "saint," the only original Disciple to have died a remorseful death at his own hand, the only one Satan entered [John 13:2] to do the bidding that fulfilled the prophecy of our coming Messiah?  Who is a Judas in our own lives that we have not forgiven? In whose life have we been a Judas? Can we take a first step, this night, and breathe the life of forgiveness into Judas Iscariot? Certainly Jesus has. God has. The Holy Spirit has. If we can take that very small first step, then, with Your love and help, perhaps we can look at forgiving the Judas closer to home and being forgiven ourselves.  amen.

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