Mountain Musings The Church of the Good Shepherd March / April, 2008

Father Bob’s Love Page

Love Page: Easter 2008

In just a few days we will be celebrating, liturgically, once again the central redemptive events of the mystery of God’s love for us – the gift of God’s own life in the Bread and Wine of the Lord’s Supper, the gift of the great love of a God who lays down his life for us on the Friday we call Good and the gift of a God who returns to a visible life among us on a Resurrection morning to assure us that he is and always will be with us. Because God and his goodness to and love for us is so far beyond anything we can know or even imagine we celebrate these events year after year to open ourselves again and again to the possibilities of the graces of new insights.

Have you ever thought: these event are so central to our faith, so much a part of God’s life within us, that it is possible that they are the cornerstones of all of the important moments of our lives?

I have been on the road quite often in the past few weeks – to Nashville and Chattanooga. I have celebrated funeral Masses for three special people. One, a grandmother, who finally succumbed to complications from Parkinson’s disease after joining our Lord in his passion for many years. Another, the wife of my nephew, who died unexpectedly in her sleep, but who had fed many who were hungry as she ministered to drug and alcohol addicts. And most recently to a young mother, 36 years old, who will remain alive in her husband and three children and in the hundreds who celebrated her funeral because she had enriched their lives in so many ways by her joy and unfailing willingness to help, support and encourage.

With each of these women, I had celebrated Eucharist both liturgically in church, in their homes on birthdays and other celebrations. With each of them I have shared some of the Good Friday painful events of their lives: the death of a grandchild, or a friend, the anxiety of a sickness – their own or that of someone else. And because I share with each of them the gift of a faith that is founded on the resurrected living Christ, I continue to share with them the gift of new life.

Easter and all its wonder is forever. We celebrate it each year in Holy Week. We celebrate it each Sunday as we, “an Easter People” gather to pray and feed on the Lord’s Body and Blood. And, if we listen carefully, we celebrate it in each event and moment of our lives.

AN EASTER MEDITATION

Resurrection and New Life

The new life of the Risen Jesus released him not only from death but also from those restraints on human existence that are the signs of mortality. Mortal existence forces us to live out our lives in discrete moments at a given period and at a particular place. We are prisoners of time and space. But with the Risen One it is different: no longer circumscribed by time and space (as he had been in his mortal existence), he has become and forever remains the contemporary of every age and the Savior-in-residence of every place.

Try to imagine what this means in terms of the theme of this book: awareness of God and a deep consciousness of all persons, of all created reality, in God. The Risen Jesus’ sense of being-at-one with all that is was the experience of total communion with all reality, not in some general sort of way but with everything in its own unique singularity. To put this very concretely, it was and is a profound consciousness of communion with each and every person who lived from the beginning of time till now. Just to say this is to say the incomprehensible. When I say it, I have to admit quite literally that I don’t know what I am talking about. The words blow my mind – quite literally. They empty it of all thoughts and concepts. In fact they leave me with meaning I can find only in God. One might even react by saying that what I am affirming is that in the resurrection of Jesus he became God. And actually that isn’t too far from the way the first Christians saw the significance of the raising of Jesus: the One who had lived among them had become God. This was the kind of language Peter used in the sermon on the first Pentecost, when he tells the people; “This Jesus whom you crucified God had made to be both Lord and Messiah.” In understanding this passage, one needs to know that the word for “Lord” here is the Greek word Kyrios, which is the Greek translation of the Holy Name of God (YHWH).

Somehow this seemed at the time to be the easiest way of putting it. They had known this man who had lived among them. Now that they see the transformation that has been accomplished in him, the seemingly logical statement is that this human being became God. But it is a logic that is demolished by even a momentary reflection on the reality which God actually is. One does not become God. God simply is. Inexplicable though it is, we find ourselves needing to say not that Jesus of Nazareth became God but that he is God. It falls to short of the reality to say that in him humanity became God; rather we have to say that God became humanity. Or, to use the word of the Fourth Gospel: “The Word became flesh, and made his dwelling among us.” The culmination of Jesus’ human awareness is the awareness that he is God’s Son in so unique a sense that we can say he is God. ( p.138-139)

Silence on Fire: Prayer of Awareness by William Shannon

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A thought to ponder:…Jesus began his public life by changing water into wine, and His life ended by changing bread and wine into his body and blood.

  Early Easter
 
Easter is early this year. Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 
1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating 
of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to 
identify passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.
 
Based on the above information, Easter can actually be one day 
earlier (March 22)  that is rare.
 
Here's the interesting information.  This year is the earliest Easter 
any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! 
 
Here are the facts:
 
1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the 
year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).
 
2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the 
year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!
 
Interesting!
 
 
Spring Garden

Spring Garden…Spring is just around the corner…I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses….

Plant three rows of peas: Peace of mind; peace of heart; Peace of soul.

Plant four rows of squash: Squash gossip; Squash indifference; Squash grumbling; Squash selfishness.

Plant Four Rows of lettuce: Lettuce be faithful; Lettuce be kind; Lettuce be patient; Lettuce really love one another.

No garden without turnips: Turnip for meetings; Turnip for service; Turnip to help one another

To conclude our garden we must have thyme: Thyme for each other; Thyme for family; Thyme for friends.

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow.

Remember – THOSE WHO GIVE LOVE, GATHER LOVE.

ORDINARY MADE EXTRAORDINARY

What we celebrate in the Eucharist is the ordinary made extraordinary. The bread is ordinary; the wine is ordinary. They become extraordinary. More importantly, it is our ordinariness that becomes extraordinary. And the miracle is that it is the ordinary things that save us. Our whole lives are graced when transformed by the love of God that is grace. All the sacraments, in one way or the other, celebrate the way in which the ordinary, boring, and weary experience of life is transformed by the love that goes into it. Dragging yourself to work each day because you love your family. Scrimping to get the kids through school. Working overtime to pay the medical bills for Mom and Dad as they get older. All of it is tough stuff, but because of love, we would not really want it any other way. To paraphrase the great mystic Julian of Norwich, all pain can be changed to joy by love.

Of course this is the great lesson of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. From one point of view, Jesus was God, and it was wonderful and noble, and all that stuff, okay. One the other hand, he was a human and a flop by human standards. His friends deserted him. His mom was humiliated. His plans failed. His career was shot. And it is pretty clear that he knew this and didn’t like it. In the garden he sweat blood, and on the cross he cried out that God had forsaken him. Judging by most standards, he was right. There is good evidence to show that Jesus didn’t know how it was going to come out three days later, and he was not pleased. And let’s not get too down on his friends. After all, from the perspective of Good Friday, it certainly seemed wise to cut their losses and clear out. Again to quote Rahner:

This Good Friday, was the futility of life, the hatred of enemies, betrayal of friends,

loneliness, remoteness from God, an exposure of the stupidity of human aims

and designs and death. What is all this? Precisely, as we may express it, the

concentrated, the purest essence of what is apportioned to us again and again

gradually and piecemeal in our everyday lives

Jesus’ death is the concentrated essence of the everyday, and it is his death to which we are united every time we share in the Eucharist. In fact, we pledge ourselves to it! Why do we do such a dumb thing? It seems that just as Jesus’. death was salvific, so is our everyday. This everyday saves us – or rather, our accepting it does. After all this is God’s will for us. This is what God gave us. This everyday takes great courage, and this is the assignment God has given us to help us grow in faith and hope and love.

But we all know the end. Jesus rose from the dead. The dull boring, killing part of the everyday was transformed once and for all into the joy that love brings, and only the joy remains. Now that is a gift! We know we have it when we love and are loved despite all evidence to the contrary. So hug your kids, your parents, your spouse, your friend. When they smile and hug you back, God is hugging you. And you will know for sure that you have grace.

( “If the Sacraments Give grace, how do I know I’ve got some” by Dr. Gary Macy, MINISTRY and LITURGY, March 2008

Woman and a Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly. 'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.

'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.

'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie… something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork, the best is yet to come!'

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel , indeed They make you smile and encourage you to succeed . They lend an ear, they share a word of praise , and they always want to open their hearts to us .
Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to 'Keep your fork.'

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share...

Being friends with someone is not an opportunity, but a sweet responsibility.

BECAUSE OF HIM

Jesus my Savior bought my soul

In blood and pain. He paid in full,

He sacrificed His life for me

That I might live eternally.

Because of Him I know I'll rise,

A soul redeemed in my Father's eyes.

He suffered lashes, prodding spears,

Braved cursing tongues and heartless jeers.

Though pierced with nails and raised up high,

Forgave all who came to watch Him die.

Because of Him I know I'll rise,

A soul redeemed in my Father's eyes.

He chose to be a sacrifice

That we may have eternal life,

And that gift He gave to everyone

As He told His Father "It is done!"

Because of Him I know I'll rise,

A soul redeemed in my Father's eyes.

Now the tale is told throughout the world

Of His empty tomb with shroud unfurled.

Of His words that we, too shall ascend

And that He shall be with us unto the end.

Because of Him I know I'll (we will) rise,

A soul redeemed in my (our) Father's eyes. Amen

The Everingham Poetry

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

March 16, Sunday 8:30 A.M. Mass and Blessing of the Palms

March 18, Tuesday 7:30 P.M. Chrism Mass at the Cathedral in Knoxville

March 20, Holy Thursday 7:00 P.M. Mass of the Lord’s Supper

March 21, Good Friday 7:00 P.M. The Lord’s Passion

March 22, Holy Saturday 7:00 P.M. The Easter Vigil

(At this Mass TIM PACK will be confirmed and welcomed into our parish family)

March 23 Easter Sunday 8:30 A.M. Easter Mass

BECAUSE OF HIM

Jesus my Savior bought my soul

In blood and pain. He paid in full

He sacrificed His life for me

That I might live eternally

Because of Him I know I'll rise

A soul redeemed in my Father's

eyes

He suffered lashes, prodding spears

Braved cursing tongues and heartless jeers

Though pierced with nails and raised up high

Forgave all who came to watch Him die

Because of Him I know I'll rise

A soul redeemed in my Father's eyes

He chose to be a sacrifice

That we may have eternal life

And that gift He gave to everyone

As He told His Father "It is done!"

Because of Him I know I'll rise

A soul redeemed in my Father's eyes

Now the tale is told throughout the world

Of His empty tomb with shroud unfurled.

Of His words that we too shall ascend

And that He shall be with us unto the end.

Because of Him I know I'll (we will) rise

A soul redeemed in my (our) Father's eyes

Amen

SUNRISE SERVICE

Not in this land alone where we abide

In others, too, 'cross oceans wide

In tiny towns and cities great

Around the world they congregate

In churches, homes or country glen

For sunrise service once again

To praise the Lamb who died for man

Then rose again as was His plan

As mortal man He chose to die

To show, as God, He'd death defy

And so He did! Thus on Easter day

As dawn gently ushers night away

We worship Him, the 'Risen Son'

Who conquered death

And proved God has won.

For us! Thank You Lord