Jesus the Good Shepherd - Rector's Rambling for April 26, 2020

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

The Second Sunday after Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday because of the Gospel lesson. The Bible is full of shepherds and shepherd imagery because shepherds were plentiful and well known to those living in those biblical times. To know what a shepherd was was to just look around your family or town and you were sure to know a shepherd or two.

For those of us living in Metro Detroit, encountering a shepherd in real life is probably unlikely. My only encounter with a shepherd in my lifetime (and granted I am a city-mouse through and through), was when I was living in Jerusalem in 1993 while taking a course at St. George’s Anglican College. But even if shepherds are uncommon to us here and now, the imagery is still powerful for Jesus, whose life and ministry, and even his mission, has some commonality.

From year to year, on Good Shepherd Sunday I have tried to focus on one or two points of how the image works for Jesus, and our relationship with him – we follow, he leads us, we know his voice, he seeks the lost sheep. These are a few examples of ways that this example works for us today even living in a major metropolitan area.

But the opening lines of the Gospel lesson for today is our deep theological reflection in Eastertide! The good shepherd is one that is welling to die for the sheep. Jesus even says it twice in the same pericope, both in verses 11 and 15.

And in light of what we have celebrated in the last 2.5 weeks, Jesus has done just that! He went to the cross on Good Friday to die for our sins. As the second person of the Holy Trinity he could have stopped his execution. But instead he knew it was the will of the Father to complete the work that he was given to do. He laid down his life on the cross for us. He died for our sins to conquer sin AND rose again to conquer death. By this we are led to the green pasture of Eternal Life with him forever

(photo of the tower door entrance of The Church of the Good Shepherd, Rosemont, PA, where I served as curate 1994-1996)

Low Sunday or Divine Mercy? - Rector's Rambling for April 19, 2020

This Sunday has several names in addition to The First Sunday after Easter.

On the calendar used by the new prayer book in the Episcopal Church this Sunday is known as “Doubting Thomas Sunday” because the reading assigned in the new order is the story of Thomas doubting the account of his friends that they had seen the Resurrected Jesus.  He says he won’t believe unless he sees and actually touches Him.  A week after the Resurrection Jesus appears again, this time with Thomas present, and offers his wounds as proof.  “My Lord and my God”, Thomas exclaims as he falls down in worship.

In the Roman Catholic Church this Sunday is known as Divine Mercy Sunday.  This is a relatively new title, promulgated by John Paul II in 2000 after the devotion by Sr. Faustina Kowalska, a fellow Pole, who had a vision of Jesus in 1931.  A painting by her of that vision has become well known.  In it we see Jesus with rays of divine love and mercy emanating from his heart, and the phrase “Jesus I trust in you” underneath (Jesu ufam Tobie in the original Polish).  It is a wonderful follow- up to the Resurrection because it is by Jesus’ Death and Resurrection that we receive the Divine Mercy of the forgiveness of our sins.

But there is a third title for this Sunday, albeit not an official one on any calendar.  It is known as Low Sunday.

After the Easter Sunday celebration with a very large congregation, a full choir (with brass in our case), and all the highest of liturgical offering, the First Sunday after Easter has LOW attendance, LOW choir staffing (and no brass) and LOWer liturgical offering without as much “smells and bells” as the week before.

This year, of course, everything is different.  Last week was not the wonder-filled observation we have become accustomed to, and this week’s service, with the exception of the readings, will be liturgically like last week’s offering.

But we hear once again the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection appearance in the upper room to the disciples, and rejoice again at his greeting of peace and the assurance of the forgiveness of sins.  And that COVID19 cannot take away.

No Lilies??? - Rector's Rambling for April 12, 2020

Alleluia!

Christ is Risen!

The Lord is Risen Indeed!

        Alleluia!

This will be an Easter Day that we will never forget.  When word came out in mid-March that the bishops of the Episcopal Dioceses in Michigan had decided that were would be no public worship in our churches until May 10, “including Holy Week and Easter”, those words hit like a slap to the face.

No Holy Week?  No Easter?  Impossible!!!!  Surely this cannot be real!

By now we know that it is real and we continue to hope and pray for an end to the spread of this virus, and a return back to the worship of the Church that God desires us to participate in!

But it was last Sunday afternoon, Palm Sunday, that the fullness of the new reality hit me again.  No procession, no “All glory, laud, and honor” being sung with gusto as we circumambulate the nave of the church with palms in hand.

And then I slumped down at the thought that the best week of the year, liturgically, had been scrubbed from our participation at St. John’s.  Spy Wednesday Tenebræ, Maundy Thursday Mass and Garden Watch, and Good Friday three hours together in the church: gone.  The great drama and wonder of the Easter Vigil: gone.

Then the final blow – no lilies.  No glorious decoration of the altars with their wonderful happy appearance and that heavenly smell.  No lilies for Easter.  I was at a great low at that realization.  The tears began to flow.  No parishioners, no choir and no lilies.

I moped for the rest of the afternoon, spending some time reading and praying.  And at the end of Evening Prayer, I had what was a divinely inspired revelation,  like a light bursting through the window in the scene in one of my favorite movies, The Blues Brothers.

Jesus is Risen.  Although we cannot be together and cannot celebrate with all the festivities of choir with brass, and even though there will be no lilies – Jesus is with us because He has risen from the dead and He is Lord!  Easter is NOT cancelled.  The Jewish authorities tried to cancel Jesus, as did the Roman authorities.  Our sins that drove Jesus to the cross tried to cancel Jesus.  Jesus conquered sin and death and is risen!  Easter is not cancelled, just different this year.  May God grant us a deeper appreciation for His Son, for His Church, and the gift of  being together next year, God willing!

Palm Sunday in CoronaTide - Rector's rambling for April 5, 2020

Our time of social distancing continues, and as we enter the holiest week of the year we do so knowing that the public liturgies of the Church have been cancelled.  Rest assured, all the proper liturgies for the important days coming up will be prayed, and many livestreamed.  But it will not be the same without the Body of Christ gathered together here in our wonderful church and chapel to worship, pray, wait, watch, mourn, and rejoice TOGETHER.

I have a favorite place in my house where I read and pray.  It is in our living room, where a pile of books sit on a table between two chairs.  During this time of Staying Home to slow down the spread of the virus, I have set up an oratory chapel in my house in order to say The Holy Communion Service, also known as The Mass.  Although Sunday Services were pre-recorded in the church, the daily Masses are being livestreamed from this new temporary location.  Here I stand before the altar of God to say the prayers of the Church on behalf of all the people of St. John’s, and Christ becomes present in the Sacrament, which I wish I could administer to you.  This is really hard for me to not be able to do so.

And even though I can see on the YouTube and Facebook counters that hundreds of people are “tuning in” during the service, it is not the same as having you there with me to celebrate these Holy Mysteries.

Although not physically present at these Masses you can still make what is known as a Spiritual Communion, praying “In union, O dear Lord, with the faithful at every Altar of Thy Church, where Thy Blessed Body and Blood are being offered to the Father, I desire to offer Thee praise and thanksgiving.  I present to Thee my soul and body, with the earnest wish that I may be always united to Thee.  And since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, I beseech Thee to come spiritually into my heart.  I unite myself to Thee, and embrace Thee with all the affections of my soul.  O let nothing ever separate me from Thee.  Let me live and die in Thy love.  Amen.”