The Easter Vigil

Penn Family Memorial at North Lawn Cemetery, Utica, Ohio

The morose truth that we learn to forget is that death is our common experience.  This forgetting is a kind of saving grace in our day to day life. But death is at the core of our being.  It is exposed at extreme intervals and faced when someone we love is taken from us.  The grief is not only overwhelming but contains a kind of personal expectation.

I remember my father's funeral.  The family was gathered in the little room adjacent to the casket and just out of sight from the other mourners.  It was quiet as we waited for the service to begin.  One of my aunts turned to her sister and whispered "I wonder who will be next."  The words, though quiet, echoed in my heart.  What an ominous thought!  She was referring to herself, her sisters and brother...my dear aunts and uncle.  Two had passed before my Dad.  Five remained.  Someone would be next.  One day they would all be gone.  And of course, it came to pass. The emptiness that follows death seems unbearable.  We have been left alone and abandoned.  The time that follows the ceremonies and burial are dark.  We are numbed and seem to be just going through the motions.  There is little consolation.

These are the experiences of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil.  The church enters into death.  We stop our rush to the future and sit in collective sorrow.  We can the imagine the grief, fear and hopelessness of Jesus' family, friends and followers.  We can do this because we too have experienced the death of a loved one.  No one is spared.

It is, however, at the darkest hour on Holy Saturday that the unexpected happens and continues to happen.

Good Friday

The observance of Good Friday allows people to explore the depths of their own emptiness. We have the opportunity to understand that within our full and busy lives is the heart of a child who has been misunderstood. We find the wounds of loneliness, abandonment, insecurity, frustration, grief and agony that we avoid touching at all costs. This kind of suffering is universal to all, but unique unto each individual. How can going to this sad place serve any purpose? Why should we stop for a moment to savor the ugly? The reason is to fully accept, recognize and grasp our own humanity.

It is only through an acceptance of our own suffering that we can become truly useful to others. We have been broken in order that we might be given to others. I am reminded of the lyrics of “The Rose” performed by Bette Midler:

It's the heart afraid of breaking

that never learns to dance.

It's the dream afraid of waking

that never takes the chance.

It's the one who won't be taken,

who cannot seem to give,

and the soul afraid of dying

that never learns to live.

These acts of reflection and acceptance lead to reconciliation. Reconciliation leads to meaningful service to others. That is what makes Good Friday good.

Holy Thursday and Brokenness

The Savior of Zvenigorod

The Savior of Zvenigorod, an icon painted by Andrei Rublev sometime in the early fifteenth century, has been a great source of meditation for people over the centuries.  Henri Nouwen, the catholic scholar, priest, activist and author, wrote about it in his book "Behold the Beauty of the Lord" about twenty years ago.  He was moved by the depiction of Jesus because of his obvious brokenness and compassion. For Nouwen the facial expression became a profound spiritual experience.  The Saviour does not look severe, he doesn't judge, but sees everything.  Christ’s eyes seem to be directed at him.  He concludes that Christ’s tender and loving gaze penetrates the brokenness of humanity.

The icon is a powerful image for me as well.  Those eyes seem to be looking at that part in me which denies, and through that denial, betrays.  They look at me as they must have done with Peter on the night of his trial.  Three times he strongly declares that he does not know Jesus and is certainly not a follower.  The rooster crows and Peter looks over to see Jesus looking at him with those forgiving eyes.  Again and again I am forgiven.  Again and again I repeat my mistakes.  There is no judgement.  Only love and compassion.  Jesus suffers with me in solidarity.  Through this my weakness becomes my strength.  My brokenness becomes my path to healing and hope.

It is sometimes difficult to deal with that which has been broken. The proud, strong and invincible youth that we once were has stumbled. The idealism and dream that was clearly defined in our character and mind has dimmed or altered. Our hearts have been wrenched by losses and disappointments. There is no way to avoid these occasions of brokenness. Living life from day to day necessitates their occurrence.

Nouwen says "We are called to claim our unique brokenness, just as we have to claim our unique chosenness and our unique blessedness."  This should give us peace, hope and direction. Our brokenness is distinctive to each of us. It is through these experiences that we receive bread for the journey. We are like the reed which must be dried, hollowed out and carved in order to become a flute. Our music is played only through our brokenness. The one facet of our being that others can clearly relate to is that which has caused us pain. The one light that shines for others is our subsequent ability to live through it, make it to the other side, survive and then to thrive. Our brokenness can provide the lamp of hope for others. The healing eyes of The Savior of Zvenigorod urge us on.

Sacrifice

Boys Image Reflected in The VietNam Memorial

Self sacrifice is a miracle in action. There are times when our world seems to be driven by greed and selfishness. One of the most powerful things to experience is a personal observation or the story of one who freely gives for the sake of others. Such deeds actually are not in short supply. One such account was recently transmitted by National Public Radio.

Joe, a school custodian, was an Army Ranger during the first Gulf War. He rushed in to save a friend who was hit by a mortar and stepped on a concussive charge which resulted in several serious injuries that ended Joe’s Army career. His friend had been killed before Joe could even get to him.

As a result of his head injury, Joe also lost his fiancée, his excellent social skills, and the life he assumed he would live. Now he works nights, emptying the school garbage and trimming the shrubbery every now and then while his dog waits in the car. When asked if he wishes things were different, Joe still says, “Yeah, I wish I could have saved Brian. I would have gladly died for him.”

Self-sacrifice is the act of deliberately following a course of action that has a high risk or certainty of suffering. It often entails personal loss or death which could otherwise be avoided in order to achieve a benefit for others. It is a powerful theme that says “There is something I want more than life itself. There is something more important.” I am reminded of the Oskar Schindler story.

The movie Schindler’s List told us about the life and times of Oskar Schindler. He was a very wealthy socialite and businessman in Germany prior to World War II. The plight of Jewish victims of the Nazis compelled him to change. He continually risked his life to protect and save his Jewish workers. He desperately spent every penny he had bribing and paying off the Nazis to get food and better treatment for them. Finally, more than 1200 people were saved. When asked why he made the sacrifice that he did, Schindler replied, “I just couldn't stand by and see people destroyed. I did what I could, what I had to do, what my conscience told me I must do. That's all there is to it. Really, nothing more." Schindler never recovered financially but was mourned on four continents when he died. He is revered as a beloved hero to this day.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said “Sacrifice is the miracle that makes great things possible.” We are sanctifying our actions when we make sacrifices. The drive to make a personal difference, whether by living a life of service or rising to the occasion when it becomes clear that someone must, is the essence of self-sacrifice. We trade the uncertainty of options for the certainty of gloom when we surrender to despair. Life isn't filled only with difficulty and pain. It is also filled with people whose dignity and spirit rise above their circumstances. There are situations when great sacrifice or love and wisdom turn a problem into an opportunity and strength. If we look at what has happened in our own lives and in those of others, we have ample reason to hope. This hope can change the world.

Living With Passion

  Monarch Preparing for First Flight ~ Photo by Steve Magin

Life should be lived passionately. The promises of Passover and Easter are ones of opportunity and second chances. It is beginning again just when we thought it was almost over. Enthusiasm should accompany this gift without a doubt but passion is the key element of renewal. It is easy to confuse passionate living with recklessness. The two are not compatible. Lust, power, greed and irresponsibility are symptoms of selfishness. Compassion, humility, generosity and dependability are the touchstones of action which generate from a spiritual and emotional wellspring of passion. It means being true to our principles and doing the right thing. It means putting family, friends and community first. It means following our dreams and bliss rather than money and prestige.

A friend of mine was a great businessman. He spent his hours developing a large concern that served hotels and casinos in the south. His successes were obvious. They were evidenced in a very comfortable lifestyle.  There was plenty of stress and many headaches as well. His time away from work was limited.  Then came Hurricane Katrina. Everything was blown or washed away. They lost their home, their employees were devastated, and the business was practically ruined. His despair was to be expected but his response was probably not. He and his wife have dedicated their lives to a new way of appreciation. They spend quality time with each other. They no longer collect meaningless possessions. They share their bounty of love and treasure with others. A new home was eventually purchased. The business was sold. Each day is now lived to the fullest. They are among the happiest people I know.

It does not necessarily take tragedy to redefine our lives. Often, however, it is that which seems to be an ending that awakens us to a new dawn. I have been including photographs of the transition and metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a monarch butterfly for the past several weeks. The metaphor is obvious. Our defined lives are never really defined until we turn them over to a power greater than ourselves. We wake up to find that we have changed and that flight is possible when it seemed we were destined to crawl. Be passionate with the gift. Live, live, live! Life is a banquet!

Life Is Good

There is a new life that presents itself each spring. Something magnificent, marvelous, extraordinary and sensational is going to happen. Like the sometimes slow and subtle emergence of spring, however, we often have to look for the little signs. There might just be a moment or there might be an explosion of happiness but a miracle will unfold if we are only willing to bear witness. The suffering and death that is experienced in winter have given way to new life. We cannot deny this reality.

There is always something hidden that holds the promise that is stronger than any despair or suffering that we have experienced. Our being open to possibilities rather than confining ourselves to limitations is a key to finding an end to desolation. We can begin to face the reality that life is made up of seasons. There is often great courage required in going through distress and difficulties. It is, however, going through them that allows us to survive and to find new hope. We will discover that where we had least expected there is light and a green shoot or blossom. We will develop a trust that God’s love is stronger than anything that we might encounter. His loving presence can be found in the midst of jealousy, resentment, revenge hatred and even death itself. It is this trust that allows us to carry on with a spirit of optimism and appreciation.

Spring is here.  Passover and Easter are coming!  Life Is Good!

All You Need Is Love

Spring is in the air and things are blooming everywhere.  There is no shortage of the evidence of God's timeless and unconditional love.  It was in this spirit that I found myself when “All You Need Is Love”, a song from The Magical Mystery Tour, came through my speakers this morning. The Beatles were asked by BBC to write something with a simple message that could be understood by everyone around the world. It could not be misinterpreted. Love is everything. The song went on to top the charts after being performed on the first global network link on June 25, 1967 (the beginning of The Summer of Love). 400 million people in 26 countries watched and listened. “All You Need Is Love” has been rated as one of the top 500 songs of all time. How incredible that this music would have such an impact. Why would that little phrase resound so clearly with so many people? Perhaps it is so important because it is the real defining truth of our existence.

Love is one message that is contained within all of the religions and spiritual practices throughout time. We are taught, asked and commanded by God to love one another. We are told to be compassionate above everything else. It is the way to heaven. Jesus is pressed by the lawyers of his day to define the most important law of scriptures. His response is taken from The Torah and The Shema when he says “You shall love The Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” The Qur’an of Islam begins with a definition of God as “infinitely good” and “all merciful”. Love appears 69 times in the text. In Buddhism, the practice of universal loving kindness or mettà is called ' the Godly way of living ' or brahma-vihàra. It knows no revenge. It is one of four gradually upgraded qualities of love. Collectively they are also called 'sates of unbounded or magnanimous living'. Prema, or elevated love, in Hinduism is a sacrament. It is unfortunate and perhaps tragic that the caretakers and gatekeepers of many religions have seemingly lost sight of the great treasure that lies within our traditions. They have become fundamental, functional, fractional and extreme with an overriding sense of who gets out and who gets in to their religions and to eternity. They have discounted and diminished love.

The creation of a loving community was at the heart of the formation of Christianity. Symbols and stories of compassionate, unconditional love abound. Love is the central theme in the story of God, Mary, Joseph and the birth of Jesus. The gathering of apostles and multitudes of followers all speak to the path of spiritual redemption through non-judgmental acceptance. The Beatitudes tell us how to live in an abiding community of love. They ask for humility, comforting, gentleness, kindness, justice, mercy, purity of heart and peacemaking. It is hard to argue with those directives. Jesus’ radical concept does not create systems for power and money. There must be membership, exclusion, unforgiveable sin and fear in order to have institutions which yield great influence in those areas. I was cautioned by a minister not long ago that “love is the baby’s milk of our religion. The adult Christian cannot continue to live on milk alone. There is more to it than love you know.” I beg to differ.  “All You Need Is Love.”