Sorrow into Joy
Dear friends,
Last week in Connecticut, my niece and her husband lost a baby. At about five months into her pregnancy, Dawn when into labor and delivered Joseph -- much too early. He lived just a short time. Certainly this has been a difficult time for these parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles. The death of a child, no matter what the age of that child, is one of the most difficult things that anyone could face.
Likewise, our attention has been riveted to the incredibly sad case of Terry Shiavo in Florida. This sadness has been somewhat lost by the antics of politicians and the unbearable chatter of the OCNN's (obsessive cable news networks). For me, this chatter came to a screeching halt this morning when, on Holy Thursday, I heard one of the "spiritual advisers" say that "our hope is in..... Governor Bush." Quite frankly, I was hoping for a different finish to that sentence.
Having said this, I remind us that we are witnessing this unbelievably difficult family drama through the relentless and distorting eyes of television that has become obsessed with "reality." The only reality worth mentioning here has nothing to do with politics or positions on hot button issues. The only reality worth mentioning here is that it is a supremely difficult thing to accept the death of a child, or a spouse, or a parent, or even a good friend. Let's face it. Giving up a loved one to death is perhaps life's most challenging task -- probably even more difficult than facing our own deaths.
By the way, of much less importance, I fell in our kitchen last Saturday and landed pretty hard on my "sitting parts." The good news is that I did not break any bones. The bad news is that I cannot walk and have had to recall my wheelchair. I will have an MRI next week to see what is going on. Meanwhile, I am now able to stand and it appears that whatever is wrong, I am healing. For now, however, we must return to Holy Week.
Holy Thursday is the day in the "reality" drama when there are several "twists" in the action. Please forgive me if I jump around among the several gospel accounts. The first of these is when Jesus gathers his friends to celebrate the Passover. Everything goes along normally until after the meal when Jesus picks up a piece of bread and stuns his friends by telling them that this bread is his body broken for them. To further drive the point home, our Lord picks up the cup and declares that this is his blood shed for them.
Second, as all this was taking place, Jesus stunned his disciples by declaring that one of them would betray him. This elicited emotional protestations on the part of these fellows who thought themselves to be his best friends. On the other hand, I am sure that just bringing up the subject caused each one to look at the others as potential betrayers. In the ancient Middle East, this would have been a perfect moment for a "tribal council" to vote on who should be eliminated from the group. Suspicion and potential betrayal makes for great drama!
Third, Peter protests the loudest of all when he declares that he will protect his Lord with all his might. Later he proves it by the heroic amputation of a guard's ear. While this sort of gesture might be anticipated and appreciated, another twist hits us squarely in the face when Peter loudly denies even knowing Jesus.
Finally, this whole crowd of devoted disciples eventually scatters to the four winds because they feared what the Jewish leaders might do to them if they had retained their alliance with Jesus. This is "reality" drama at its very best. If you throw in a little sensational advertising and not a small amount of dramatic distortion you could have a winner on your hands.
During Holy Week 2005 we are all faced with the question of what it means to let go of a loved one in death. I am sure that many of you reading this letter know something of what Mary was going through as she left the Cross on Good Friday. To turn one's back and walk away from the hospital bed or the grave of a loved one is both a life-shattering and life-changing moment.
For Christians, Holy Week helps put our personal grief into a cosmic perspective. Today's lectionary from John's Gospel reminds us of why Jesus came and his purpose. Listen to the first five verses of chapter 17:
After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.
Jesus finished his work by means of a politically motivated and totally unjust death. If that were the end of the story, it would be a sad one indeed. It would have been just another sad, unfortunate story in which the human system displayed unspeakable cruelty and no mercy. Obviously, this could not be further from the truth. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Hopelessness, or misplaced hope, is the worst thing that could happen to us.
The dark twists and turns of Holy Week are certainly not the end of things. Not only do we know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, there is music, and flowers, and tears of joy that simply cannot be stopped!
I want to close with something that I hope will become an Easter tradition for us. The wonderful Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom.
If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him enter rejoicing into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from this first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings, because he shall in no wise be deprived. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the 11th hour, let him also not be alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of His honor, will accept the last even as the first;
He gives rest unto him who comes at the 11th hour, even as unto him who has worked from the first hour. And he shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one He gives, and upon the other He bestows gifts. And He both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering.
Wherefore, enter all of you into the joy of your Lord, and receive your reward, both the first and likewise the second. To rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day.
Rejoice today, both of you who have asked it and you to have disregarded the fast.
The table is fully laden; feast sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away. Enjoy the feast of faith; receive all the riches of loving-kindness. Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his inequities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior's death has set us free: He that was held prisoner other has annihilated it
By descending into hell, He made hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of his flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, cried: "Hell was embittered when it encountered You in the lower regions." It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took birth, and encountered heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.
Oh Death, where is your sting?
Oh Hell, where is your victory?
Christ is risen, and you are overthrown.
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen, and life begins.
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.
I hope you can appreciate the darkness before you enjoy the light -- and the singing!
Jim
Last week in Connecticut, my niece and her husband lost a baby. At about five months into her pregnancy, Dawn when into labor and delivered Joseph -- much too early. He lived just a short time. Certainly this has been a difficult time for these parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles. The death of a child, no matter what the age of that child, is one of the most difficult things that anyone could face.
Likewise, our attention has been riveted to the incredibly sad case of Terry Shiavo in Florida. This sadness has been somewhat lost by the antics of politicians and the unbearable chatter of the OCNN's (obsessive cable news networks). For me, this chatter came to a screeching halt this morning when, on Holy Thursday, I heard one of the "spiritual advisers" say that "our hope is in..... Governor Bush." Quite frankly, I was hoping for a different finish to that sentence.
Having said this, I remind us that we are witnessing this unbelievably difficult family drama through the relentless and distorting eyes of television that has become obsessed with "reality." The only reality worth mentioning here has nothing to do with politics or positions on hot button issues. The only reality worth mentioning here is that it is a supremely difficult thing to accept the death of a child, or a spouse, or a parent, or even a good friend. Let's face it. Giving up a loved one to death is perhaps life's most challenging task -- probably even more difficult than facing our own deaths.
By the way, of much less importance, I fell in our kitchen last Saturday and landed pretty hard on my "sitting parts." The good news is that I did not break any bones. The bad news is that I cannot walk and have had to recall my wheelchair. I will have an MRI next week to see what is going on. Meanwhile, I am now able to stand and it appears that whatever is wrong, I am healing. For now, however, we must return to Holy Week.
Holy Thursday is the day in the "reality" drama when there are several "twists" in the action. Please forgive me if I jump around among the several gospel accounts. The first of these is when Jesus gathers his friends to celebrate the Passover. Everything goes along normally until after the meal when Jesus picks up a piece of bread and stuns his friends by telling them that this bread is his body broken for them. To further drive the point home, our Lord picks up the cup and declares that this is his blood shed for them.
Second, as all this was taking place, Jesus stunned his disciples by declaring that one of them would betray him. This elicited emotional protestations on the part of these fellows who thought themselves to be his best friends. On the other hand, I am sure that just bringing up the subject caused each one to look at the others as potential betrayers. In the ancient Middle East, this would have been a perfect moment for a "tribal council" to vote on who should be eliminated from the group. Suspicion and potential betrayal makes for great drama!
Third, Peter protests the loudest of all when he declares that he will protect his Lord with all his might. Later he proves it by the heroic amputation of a guard's ear. While this sort of gesture might be anticipated and appreciated, another twist hits us squarely in the face when Peter loudly denies even knowing Jesus.
Finally, this whole crowd of devoted disciples eventually scatters to the four winds because they feared what the Jewish leaders might do to them if they had retained their alliance with Jesus. This is "reality" drama at its very best. If you throw in a little sensational advertising and not a small amount of dramatic distortion you could have a winner on your hands.
During Holy Week 2005 we are all faced with the question of what it means to let go of a loved one in death. I am sure that many of you reading this letter know something of what Mary was going through as she left the Cross on Good Friday. To turn one's back and walk away from the hospital bed or the grave of a loved one is both a life-shattering and life-changing moment.
For Christians, Holy Week helps put our personal grief into a cosmic perspective. Today's lectionary from John's Gospel reminds us of why Jesus came and his purpose. Listen to the first five verses of chapter 17:
After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.
Jesus finished his work by means of a politically motivated and totally unjust death. If that were the end of the story, it would be a sad one indeed. It would have been just another sad, unfortunate story in which the human system displayed unspeakable cruelty and no mercy. Obviously, this could not be further from the truth. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Hopelessness, or misplaced hope, is the worst thing that could happen to us.
The dark twists and turns of Holy Week are certainly not the end of things. Not only do we know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, there is music, and flowers, and tears of joy that simply cannot be stopped!
I want to close with something that I hope will become an Easter tradition for us. The wonderful Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom.
If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him enter rejoicing into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from this first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings, because he shall in no wise be deprived. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the 11th hour, let him also not be alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of His honor, will accept the last even as the first;
He gives rest unto him who comes at the 11th hour, even as unto him who has worked from the first hour. And he shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one He gives, and upon the other He bestows gifts. And He both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering.
Wherefore, enter all of you into the joy of your Lord, and receive your reward, both the first and likewise the second. To rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day.
Rejoice today, both of you who have asked it and you to have disregarded the fast.
The table is fully laden; feast sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away. Enjoy the feast of faith; receive all the riches of loving-kindness. Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his inequities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior's death has set us free: He that was held prisoner other has annihilated it
By descending into hell, He made hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of his flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, cried: "Hell was embittered when it encountered You in the lower regions." It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took birth, and encountered heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.
Oh Death, where is your sting?
Oh Hell, where is your victory?
Christ is risen, and you are overthrown.
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen, and life begins.
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.
I hope you can appreciate the darkness before you enjoy the light -- and the singing!
Jim
posted by Pierce | 8:00 AM
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