“Too good not to be true”
I am of an age at which many of my spiritual fathers and mothers have died. When I look, then, for the generation above me, and ask, “If they are gone, who is carrying the light?”, the “Oops” is, that it is my generation. One of those spiritual fathers, who has shaped my life and pulled me back from dark places, was Brother Roger of Taizé. You may know Taizé prayer, and the music from that community is popular here and all over the world. Brother Roger was the founder of the Taizé Community and when I came within a few feet of Roger, I could feel holiness. He taught with gentle insight, was especially sensitive to young people, and above all, Brother Roger embodied hope for Christian souls. In one of his reflections, Roger wrote, “In Christ, your resurrection has already begun”. Today especially, it is essential for Christians to claim that resurrection can be for us, as well as for Jesus. It is essential for us to embrace the risen Christ, and then release that Christ-light in our communities and beyond. This Easter is about your and my personal resurrection, just as the first Easter was about Jesus’ resurrection. John O’Donohue, another spiritual father, wrote “May the mansion of your soul never become a haunted place. May you look with kindness when you gaze within.” A soul which is not haunted; self-esteem which honors the deep good within us? What if we are in resurrection, now, instead of waiting for something on the other side of death? I believe these are signs of our present resurrection, signs which you may recognize and own: If you seek a deeper experience of God, a personal communion with the Divine; if you wonder about life-after-life and what welcome or expectations might be on the other side; Your resurrection has already begun. If you have an active conscience; if you take a stand against injustice and try to respect the dignity of every human being; Your resurrection has already begun. If you walk gently on this good earth, mindful of the needs of those who come after us; if you find moments of beauty in sky, sea and stars, and in the gaze of little ones, moments which stop you in your tracks and leave you with only sighs; Your resurrection has already begun. If you look in your past and see good people who have been your heroes and angels, who have shaped you and made you who you are – when you honor their gifts to you; Your resurrection has already begun. If you cherish your dreams and have unfinished business, journeys still for you to make; Your resurrection has already begun. If there are people you need to forgive; if there are people with whom you would be reconciled; if you have discovered the hardest forgiveness is forgiving yourself; Your resurrection has already begun. If you have been betrayed or damaged; if you have been bullied or rejected; if you have been embarrassed at your own behavior or been disappointed at the unfairness of life, but refuse to surrender or become bitter; Your resurrection has already begun. If you know grief, or how a broken heart feels; if you weep at the suffering of children; if your heart goes out to another in deep pain; if you have ever prayed you could take on yourself the suffering of someone you love; Your resurrection has already begun. If you cherish those you love, and let them know; if you work toward unconditional love, if you strive to love others so that no one is allowed to become an enemy; In Christ, your resurrection has already begun. Friends, remember always, we are Easter people, and Alleluia is our song! Live into your resurrection. Recently I saw a video program on the Christian community in the Middle East, in Bethlehem. There was a fish merchant, a Muslim man, who had been educated as a child in St John’s Episcopal School in Haifa, Israel. The man had emerged from hopelessness and found a meaningful life through his education, and is sending his children now to the same school. On camera, he was asked about a Muslim going to a Christian school in troubled Israel. I was moved by how he answered. With confidence in his eyes, he said, “Christian, Muslim – never mind. One God… one God.” I remember, as well, his gracious smile as he spoke. Honoring this one God with our love, God who is God for everyone, in our communities, in our nation and in the world, for everyone without exception, is a sure sign of resurrection. Remember, the ways of God are always forward. Our mission is not a wish for a better world, but a step forward making hope, and presents itself in the next person we see. Let it be our conviction to let our light shine, so that when others see us, they may see something of Jesus. Is this too good to be true? It is too good not to be true. In Christ, our resurrection has already begun. A rare and blessed Easter to you all! Amen
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AuthorI don't know what the future of the church is, but I know that we will continue to be a place of sanctuary and hope, working towards healing in the world. Archives
October 2017
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