Tomorrow's Sermon

JANUARY 9, 2022

          Christmas is over. Jesus has been born in Bethlehem.

          Epiphany is over. The Magi found the child when he was almost two and gave him their precious gifts and went home by another way to avoid King Herod.

          Jesus and his parents have gone to Egypt and returned only after Herod was dead.

          Herold killed many male children under two in the slaughter of the Innocents.

          All that is over and we return to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and his baptism by John in the Jordan.

          Baptism is a strange ritual.

          I was baptized at 12 in a church with a pool by a Methodist minister after I was “saved” at a Methodist revival meeting. Mountain Methodists aren’t like New England Methodists!

          A few days after my baptism, I was in Math class, taught by my aunt, and she told the class what had happened. I was terribly embarrassed and dropped my pencil.

          When I bent over to pick it up I looked up Donna Grubbs skirt and thought---“Oh God, it didn’t ‘take’!!!”

          As a priest, I haven’t observed the ‘no communion without baptism’ rule.

          At St. John’s in Waterbury, where I was Rector for 21 years, I put in the bulletin each week, “All people are invited to receive communion.”

          A parishioner, who loved the rules, called the bishop and the bishop told me to take that out of the bulletin.

          I did take it out, but I always said, “all people are invited to receive communion” right before the communion itself.

          I’ve always believed that if the baptismal font can lead to the altar, then the altar can lead to the font.

          Over my career as a priest, I must have baptized two dozen people who received communion before they were baptized.

          So, my theory is right!

          Two people in particular stick in my mind. A 78 year old mother and her 50 year old daughter at St. John’s, they came to communion regularly and then realized the rule was ‘baptism before communion’.

          So they came and asked to be baptized. I put them with several others through a class or two and asked if they wanted to stop receiving communion before their baptism.

          The daughter said ‘yes’ but her mother said, “I’m too old, I need all the Body and Blood I can get.” So she kept coming to communion until, a month or two later, in a glorious service, I baptized them and several others.

          In my mind and heart, I believe God works in mysterious ways.

          John baptized Jesus and the Spirit came to him like a dove and spoke, “you are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.”

          Mysterious ways.

          Jesus took Bread and Wine and shared it with his disciples (and we don’t know how may of them had been baptized) and told them it was his Body and Blood and to always remember him when they shared it.

          And we do that today—take Bread and Wine and share his Body and Blood.

          I don’t understand it at all, but I do it.

          God works in mysterious ways.

          Mysterious indeed.

          Be well and stay well and Amen.

 

Snow

We had a snow in the early morning hours.

Six or seven inches.

Bern couldn't take Brigit on her morning walk because no one had cleared the sidewalks yet.

I didn't wake up until almost 9 and couldn't help Bern shovel the walks.

(I'm not good at that anyway and Bern is great, so I wouldn't have been much help, I'm sad to say.)

Our house is surrounded by trees and when the wind blew the snow off, all was covered again.

I did get out because Mark, our neighbor, snowblows our shared driveway.

I like snow, but hate the cold.

Life goes on.

 

One year ago....

It's hard to believe it's already been a year since those rioters entered the capital and tried to overcome democracy.

So much has come out due to the January 6 committee in the house (which Republicans opposed) that points back at the former President (who will not be named here) and some of his minions planning the whole thing.

Videos of the attack make it seem close at hand and not a year ago!

Hundreds of the pro-MAGA  maniacs are already in jail for what they did. Yet many Republicans still try to down play the violence. Thank God for people like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, who put Truth over Party.

But those hundreds were simply the foot soldiers of revolution--the higher up's still need to held accountable.

It was the worst day in this country since the Civil War and some Republicans like Margery Taylor Green, speak openly of a 'national divorce'! That seems like treason to me.

The President and others today held a national day of mourning for the events of January 6, 2021.

The President ripped his the previous President a new and big one in his speech.

A sad day for all Americans, though some won't mourn....

 

Why I'm an agostic about the after-life

I realized I ended that last post on an odd note--not knowing if I believe in the 'after-life'.

I thought I should explain.

I am an Episcopal priest for nearly 30 years now.

I believe I am a good priest to dying people and their loved ones.

But I never say anything like 'he's in a better place now' or 'she's with God now'.

Because I don't know.

I'm a Christian and a priest because I believe Jesus taught us 'how to live our lives', not about whatever comes after.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Give to the poor.

Dedicate yourself to peace and harmony.

Love even your enemy.

Lay down your life for you friends.

Embrace and share 'healing'.

Call others to join you in all that.

If we can do all those things, we needn't worry about what comes after death.

Whatever it is, we have done the best with our living.

That's what matters.

That may be all that matters.

Just me pondering and talkin'....

 

The Lights went out...

At 5:35 p.m. our lights went out, computers shut down, clocks got thrown off.

Bern was downstairs in total darkness, but I had a flashlight on the table beside my computer table and went down to her.

They came back about three minutes later, but even three minutes knowing the furnace won't work is frightening in January. 

Darkness is comforting except when it comes suddenly and unexpected.

Then darkness is terrifying.

All is well again, though my computer took a long time getting itself up and on-line.

Maybe that's what death is like.

Darkness that comes unexpectedly and is eternal.

I know I'm a priest, but I still am pondering what death brings.

I should believe in an after-life, I know.

But I'm still an agnostic about all that....

 

New year, new Wonder!

Wonder is all around us--if we only have eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts to feel.

The temperature outside has already dropped almost 20 degrees and will drop more over night.

What a wonder.

The woman I have loved for over 50 years is in the warm house with me on this cold night.

What a wonder.

The dog (Brigit) we adopted three years ago is in her forever home and so secure and happy.

What a wonder.

I am writing this on a screen on a computer and you will read it on your device of choice.

What a wonder.

Life and joy and happiness go on, even in a time of pandemic and death.

What a wonder.

Wonder is all around us all the time.

Open your eyes.

Listen closely,

Let your heart enfold it.

Wonder.

Wonder!

WONDER!

 

New Year's Day

Warm and foggy all day long.

Very strange.

I drove by a local bank where the temperature was 52.

Very strange indeed.

I love it warm, even in winter. But Bern craves the chill.

We are different in many ways, even after 50 years together.

The hoppin' John and greens were great.

Josh called and we talked for a long while.

I love our kids and granddaughters so much.

So much.

Trinity, Milton cancelled church tomorrow and I cancelled our Wednesday study.

Omicron is a clever virus.

Better safe than sorry.

A weird year turning into another weird year.

Get your vaccines and boosters.

Let's end the weirdness.

Please....