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When I was a day-school chaplain, I used to tell the children that Chaplain Susan didn't do 40 Days of Lent just to do ONE day of Easter, so we were going to celebrate all FIFTY Days of Easter ... every single one of them!
So here's a start, on this glorious First of Fifty Days of Eastertide, a couple of things to celebrate:
At All Saints Church, the rector's Easter Day sermon began with the story his 85 year-old mother's encounter with the young many who entered her house uninvited on Good Friday afternoon with a gun in his hand. You'll want to watch it for yourself here ... don't know if you'll be able to hear the "gasp" that went through the 900+ in the congregation when he gets to the "and then he raised his gun ..." part but it really is quite an extraordinary Easter moment.
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In the Guardian, there's a great post-Easter profile of the Bishop of New Hampshire entitled "Gay bishop's mission to unite" by religious affairs correspondent Riazat Butt.
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And a couple of things to remind us how are we are STILL from "thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven:"
This reflection about the Lambeth Conference from the AAC (American Anglican Council) weekly email update for Easter by David Anderson :
If those of us who are orthodox Anglican bishops had all been invited, and had we gone with our brother bishops from our respective overseas Provinces, how would we have entered into Eucharistic fellowship and communion with the bishops from the American Episcopal Church (TEC) who are currently teaching false doctrine, permitting and even celebrating immoral behavior, deposing clergy including bishops who disagree with them, and going to secular courts of law to bring suit against our clergy and laity? It is not a small thing that a simple "sorry" could wipe away. To be in Eucharistic fellowship with them would require a profound change of mind and heart on their part, a return to historic orthodox Christian teaching and practice.
My, my, my.
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And finally, and most sadly, the sobering benchmark of 4000 American dead in Iraq was reached, according to news reports.
May they rest in peace and rise in glory ... and may we be given the grace, the wisdom and the courage to END this war ... Period.
4 comments:
O how the church needs resurrection! Easter is my favorite season in the church and I love the Easter service. Life...it is all about Life. I am a gardener and lover of plants. I love rescuing half dead plants from nurseries (or discount stores with nurseries) and help bring the poor creatures back to life. That is what the church needs - these deadbeats who have their good ol' boy club meetings on "orthodoxy" need resurrection. Let us pray as Easter People that together we may all rise in Christ this season.
Their ranting and raving gives me a lot of insight into what it must have been like to deal with the Sanhedrin.
Susan, I know this is totallly off topic, so you don't have to add it... Saturday is our special convention (for the reconstituted Epsicopal Diocese of San Joaquin) and we in the diocese are baited with excitement at the thought of renewal.
For those who desire to share in the joy but have nowhere to lay there head, there are parishioners willing to open their homes. Just contact me at: herb-and-jamaal@hotmail.com by Wednesday, March 26 and I will make sure I reserve a space for them.
On a personal note: I have the distinct honor of being the driver for our Presiding Bishop for the weekend.
Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare for this monumental step toward a new beginning
Stephen Bentley
"a return to historic orthodox Christian teaching and practice."
Just once I would like someone making this statement to specify exactly when historic orthodox Christian teaching and practice became codified. Before or after Nicea? Before or after Martin Luther? Before or after the AC owned slaves? Back when Anglican bishops had the good sense to remain closeted?
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