Sunday, March 23, 2008

Easter Sunday


The Great Easter Truth
is not that we will be born again
someday but that we are to be alive here
and now by the power of the resurrection.
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Wishing you joy, love and power
This Easter Day and Always!
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From the Easter Sunday's New York Times article "Obama Talk Fuels Easter Sermons":


The Very Rev. Tracey Lind, dean of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland, said she would preach about when Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” went to Jesus’ tomb and were met by an angel who rolled away the stone before the cave to reveal that Christ had risen from the dead.

“I’m going to talk about the stones that need to be rolled away from the tombs of lives, that are holding us in places of death and away from God,”Ms. Lind said. “One of the main stones in our churches, synagogues, mosques, communities, countries, world is the pervasive stone of racism. What Obama has done is moved the stone a little bit.

“I will ask our congregation to look at the stones in our lives,” she said.

Preach it, Sister! Alleluia! Alleluia!

5 comments:

JimB said...

Years ago, when Bp. Montgomery was still our ordinary, and still rather ambiguous about women priests. He was celebrating at Grace in the loop. One of the (still rare) women the Rev. Janet Godon, was preaching that Easter Monday. The gospel was the story of the three women, led by Mary of Magdala being met with the disciple's skepticism.

I think I will carry her sermon in my memory to my death. She said "You can understand the disciple's problem, here was this amazing news coming from mere women!" Bp. Montgomery laughed so hard I had to chase down his dropped miter halfway across the altar. One of the best days I ever had as an acolyte. :-) Rev. Jan nailed the difficulty we still have accepting resurrection. It is hard truth to accept, and yet it is truth! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

FWIW
jimB

Rev. David Justin Lynch said...

If someone asks me why I am a Christian, my answer is one word: Easter. I knew Bp Montgomery when I was a freshman at DePaul University. He used to celebrate the Tusday Mass at Ascension Chicago, and I would acolyte for him. He is presently Bishop in Residence at Atonement Chicago at Kenore & Ardmore. According to the Church's website, it is fervently Angl0-Catholic, has a gay rector and one or more female priests. It is where Barack Obama should go so he can do what he needs to do to get elected: distance himself from Jeremiah Wright and the UCC. A litte incense never hurt anyone and is certainly preferable to the unmitigated hatred that Wright spews.

Jonathan said...

One of the things that bugs me about the cute victorian church where I worship is that the stained glass window illustrating the crucifixion shows Jesus on the cross surrounded by his male disciples. Which I suppose is fine as an allegory...but in fact I think the disciples were cowering in hiding and it was "the Marys" who were there in person.

seraph said...

Good comments from the Reverend despite the unfortunate reference to Obama...."moving the stone"..I would wonder in which direction!

There is no way that by a 20 year association to someone spouting such hate and misinformation as Rev Wright spouted from the pulpit, exposing your children to such, comparing it to private remarks of your grandmother moves the stone anywhere but in the path of blocking progress and a true liberal , Christian and post racial world view.

Christ is risen indeed!

Blessings

seraph

robin said...

Dean Lind did preach a good sermon Sunday. She often does. Her stones sermon is posted at
http://trinitycleveland.org/sermons/08-03-23sermon.html