#gracechurchnyack

[gracechurchnyack]

April 6

A parting word from a parishioner . . .

You don't know how glad and honored I am to be asked to write something for my church! “Grace is the Place.” I can't believe it's been twenty years. I've seen kids grow up and go off to college. When I first came to Grace Church I really felt welcome, right from that first day.

I wish I could do more for my church, but I have to work. My children are all grown up now and on their own. But I still have to pay bills! Being alone isn't so bad; I know God is always with me.

When I get up I'm thankful I get to work. Right now I'm at work with my 90-year-old patient. He's always telling me to be quiet while he's blasting the TV. I go to another room and write my letters - just me and my dictionary.

I'm blessed every day. Since Rev. Owen came, I feel more and more blessed. His sermons feel like he is talking to me, and the spiritual message stays with me all week. I think most of the church family feels that way too.

This is going to be a great year with Rev. Owen. We are in this family together and have a lot to be thankful for everyday.

[gracechurchnyack]

April 3

Good Friday Reflection

A number of years ago I worked a 4 PM to midnight shift in a little shop on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Mostly I commuted by bus to Warwick through the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 42nd and 8th. The homeless were ubiquitous at the hours I traveled. There was one spot on 8th where the doors of the terminal were recessed and permanently closed. The space offered some protection from the elements and in the good weather was always filled as if it were a front porch.

One afternoon leaving the terminal, something caught my eye. I stopped and looked into the space. A group of homeless people sat propped up in a line. A young man was kneeling in front of one of the people. A towel was draped over his shoulder and a bucket was on the ground next to him. I stood and watched as the young man went from person to person washing their feet, drying them, and putting clean socks on their feet. There was an aura about the young man. I really do mean that he glowed. I realized that God was there.

Over the past 30 years I have thought about what I saw. The experience changed me. Whatever belief in God that I have comes from what I saw that afternoon. I came to believe that “God so loved the world, that She gave her only Child.” And that She has given us Her Child in many times and places in many guises. I believe God walks among us. And that we just don't notice.

I don't know why I had the opportunity to see God and I know I haven't lived up to the experience. But it has been a source of great comfort to me that God keeps on trying to get us to notice Her.

I hope you get the chance to notice. If you need to believe that I didn't really see God, that's OK. You can still look for moments when the Spirit moves people to act and maybe be inspired to act yourself.

[gracechurchnyack]

April 2

‘We all share the one loaf’

Passage: 1 Corinthians 10:17

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.

Reflection

The verses I was assigned all seemed very negative; my faith is like birds exploding in the sky. Verses are irrelevant to my personal faith journey and these verses seemed far removed from the interconnected web of faith I described so fervently to my college age acquaintances at early morning services (so many!) years ago.

First, the birds: My church school children have heard the story of my 11-year-old dream. In my dream, I walked through a dried-up lake bed, following footsteps through the bleak landscape. A sense of expectancy drew me to move faster until I came to a glowing, golden altar that linked land and sky. A moment passed and the altar transformed, revealing itself to be a flock of birds exploding into the sky, flying higher until all disappeared. I awoke, but the dream remained.

Fast forward thirty plus years, past the years of college, of law school, of meeting my best friend and husband, of marriage, of gang prosecutor, of three children, of mundane but predictable legal work, of returning to school, of becoming a teacher, of starting to work for the NYC Department of Education…. Fast forward past all of it and sit with me in my government class of seniors on Friday.

On this day (one of many, but it's on my mind), students in the Bronx who have very little but a dream to hold onto, who work every day to overcome poverty, and anger, and fear and division, sat down to have a real world conversation about whether Muslim prison inmates should have the right to grow beards. During that conversation, two Muslim girls in head scarfs, a Pentecostal Christian, a Muslim boy (without a beard), an apparently agnostic boy with a beard who has served time at Rikers Island but who once had dreams of being in law enforcement, a girl whose father has served time and others … all had a long, civilized discussion of the legal and personal issues around the issue, showing unity and a willingness to understand each other's point of view that would have put the talking heads that dominate our national conversations to shame.

In that fleeting class, I saw the dream manifest. I saw the loaf from which we all draw strength. I saw the birds which I continue to follow, all exploding toward the sky.

[gracechurchnyack]

April 1

‘Yours is the day, yours also the night’

Passage: Psalm 74

1 O God, why have you rejected us forever?    Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture? 2 Remember the nation you purchased long ago,    the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed—    Mount Zion, where you dwelt. 3 Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,    all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary. 4 Your foes roared in the place where you met with us;    they set up their standards as signs. 5 They behaved like men wielding axes    to cut through a thicket of trees. 6 They smashed all the carved paneling    with their axes and hatchets. 7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground;    they defiled the dwelling place of your Name. 8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!”    They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land. 9 We are given no signs from God;    no prophets are left,    and none of us knows how long this will be. 10 How long will the enemy mock you, God?    Will the foe revile your name forever? 11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them! 12 But God is my King from long ago;    he brings salvation on the earth. 13 It was you who split open the sea by your power;    you broke the heads of the monster in the waters. 14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan    and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert. 15 It was you who opened up springs and streams;    you dried up the ever-flowing rivers. 16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;    you established the sun and moon. 17 It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth;    you made both summer and winter. 18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,    how foolish people have reviled your name. 19 Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts;    do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever. 20 Have regard for your covenant,    because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land. 21 Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace;    may the poor and needy praise your name. 22 Rise up, O God, and defend your cause;    remember how fools mock you all day long. 23 Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries,    the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.

Reflection

Yours is the day, yours also the night; you establish the moon and the sun. You fixed all boundaries of the earth; you make both summer and winter. Remember O Lord, how the enemy scoffed, how a foolish people despised your Name. Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; never forget the lives of your poor. Look upon your covenant; the dark places of the earth are haunts of violence. Let not the oppressed turn away ashamed; let the poor and needy praise your Name.

(Psalm 74:15-20)

These five verses really struck me because I feel that we were given this gift of our beautiful earth by God himself and we are not doing our part to take care of it. We drain its natural resources, we pollute its waters, air, and soil and we kill endangered species for our own benefit. I wish we would collectively realize that this is the only home that we have. God gave us this earth, this sun and this moon, so that we might live and thrive and fulfill God's promised kingdom. In the creation story God said that we should have dominion over the earth and the seas. I don't believe God's idea of “dominion” meant decimation and destruction. As the children of God, can we not leave this earth - our island home - to the generations to come without thoughtless ravaging?

As we move into the future, our collective desire for consumption continues. So will we destroy more and more of our planet until we realize that this is not our earth to consume for our own benefit? We must start using more sustainable technologies and practices. As one who, globally speaking, lives a privileged and comfortable life, our actions (or lack of action) unfairly affect the least among us. The poor and impoverished are facing famine and water shortages that threaten their very existence. Our weather patterns are changing and, while some debate the credibility of our scientists, God made both the summer and winter and we have begun to alter that intelligent design.

There has to be an awakening: a realization that each one of us is here for a short period and it's our duty to protect our earth - the people, the plants and the animals. We have been given this precious gift of the Earth. The least we can do to honor God is to allow our children and our children's children to have that same gift.

[gracechurchnyack]

March 31

Jesus Predicts His Death

Passage: John 12:20-26

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Reflection

This line from the passage would not have made much sense at another time in my life - “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

I recently had an opportunity to lose my life as I know it. After 22 prideful years working for my company, and in the midst of a corporate restructuring, I told my only real employer that I was passing on the opportunity to pursue another job. Instead, it was time for me to get going.

I decided to follow my heart, not my head, and take a deep breath for the first time in a long time and a journey to search for: my strengths, passions and a clearer career purpose; work closer to home and my community, without a long, impersonal commute; and, a pace and schedule that would allow me to be fully present for my family.

I had been talking a lot with my family, my wife of over 18 years and four children (ranging from 3 to 15 years old), about finding opportunities closer to home. Commuting 3-plus hours every day takes its toll, and now with teenagers in the mix, quality time and simple things like family breakfasts and dinners become even more important.

Ambition, the expectation of others, family responsibilities and chance may lead us in many career directions - some satisfying, some not. We don't reflect enough on what we love to do. What we don't like to do. What we do great. What we don't do so well. At least I didn't reflect as much as I should have.

After working for one organization for so long, I have a lot of questions. What do I want to do for the rest of my life? How do I do it? Will I have the nerve to talk to the people - friends, family, and business contacts - to help me pull it off? And, if by some twist, I can't pull it off, what happens? It's a little scary and I have more than me to worry about, but I have to believe that I will come out stronger.

The passage goes on to say, “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Time will tell, but I hope my kids, my seeds, will benefit from more of my presence and grow by seeing me deal with change and learn that they too should understand their strengths and pursue their passions.

When you take a risk and are all consumed in finding a way, it's hard to deny the spiritual signs that appear to show you the way.

My faith is as important as ever.

[gracechurchnyack]

March 30

Praise the Lord, my soul

Passage: Psalm 103

1 Praise the Lord, my soul;    all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the Lord, my soul,    and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins    and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit    and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord works righteousness    and justice for all the oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses,    his deeds to the people of Israel: 8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,    slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse,    nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve    or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,    so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west,    so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children,    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed,    he remembers that we are dust. 15 The life of mortals is like grass,    they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,    and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,    and his righteousness with their children’s children— 18 with those who keep his covenant    and remember to obey his precepts. 19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,    and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Praise the Lord, you his angels,    you mighty ones who do his bidding,    who obey his word. 21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,    you his servants who do his will. 22 Praise the Lord, all his works    everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.

Reflection

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy Name.

The first lines of Psalm 103 are very soothing. They are an example of why I frequently turn to the Psalms for prayer and contemplation. Not only do they offer comfort and a change of focus from the everyday world, but they give guidance on the path to spiritual growth and self-understanding.

In today's world of terrors and personal disquiet, we can find help if we realize that we are God's and always have been. This perspective is uplifting and freeing. We become open to inspiration in all aspects of our being. Self-centered behaviors begin to fade.

The words of verse 3 reveal other insights:

He forgives all your sins and heals all your infirmities;

Our sins and infirmities are often our own wrong thinking and unrelenting ego. They are the enemy and cloud our vision. Understanding this can bring us to a place of contemplation and out of the depth of our discomfort. It can prepare us for other ways of seeing ourselves and others, our predicaments, and the world. We can make that shift away from fear to hope and closer to peace. Our focus becomes wholeness.

Verse 8 is also meaningful as it reads:

The Lord is full compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness.

And so, if we are God's children, it seems that we are meant to model his mercy, kindness and compassion. The reality of making these principles a part of our response to the world is more challenging than it seems. We need to consider their true meaning when incorporating them as part of our response to the world. When Emily Dickinson wrote, “I'm nobody, who are you?” we can wonder if she was aware of the value of shunning our ego in favor of becoming God's.

Upon reading verse 3 we are reminded that:

As a father cares for his children, so does the Lord care for those who fear him.

[gracechurchnyack]

March 28

Jesus Wept

Passage: John 11:35

Jesus Wept

Reflection

I'm old enough to remember the days when Sunday school included homework and the regular memorization of Bible verses. Every child of those days had a favorite verse, and for many it was the easiest to remember, the shortest in the King James Bible, John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” This is not only the shortest verse, but also one of the most poignant, and perhaps the one that best sums up the entirety of the Christian message. Jesus loves us and through his love, sees and knows our suffering, and offers us a love that conquers all, even death.

Jesus went to the home of his beloved friends Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus, knowing that four days earlier Lazarus had died. When Jesus saw Martha and Mary and their loved ones in grief crying, he was deeply moved and he wept. He not only saw the grief of Mary and Martha but he empathized with them, he felt with them, and he wept with them, allowing their sadness to touch him, to move him.

Often when we encounter the great sadness or grief of another, we turn away from the one who is grieving and think about ourselves: “What can I say to them? How will I ever be able to handle their grief?” When we turn away for a moment from our own worries about what to say or do and allow ourselves to feel with another in grief, there is only one truly empathic response - to feel what they feel, to grieve with them, to weep with them.

And this is the gift that we all want when we are suffering, to know that we are not alone with our sadness, but that there is another who grieves with us. Yes, we know that we can turn to God with all of our cares and woes, but to put our head on the shoulder of a friend and to cry with them, this is as healing a love as we can find on this earth. I've been the one needing the shoulder, and I've been blessed to be the shoulder at times as well. It is in these times, when another had wept with me, that I have most felt God's love and have known that I am not alone in this vast expanse of interstellar space.

[gracechurchnyack]

March 25

The Feast of the Annunciation

Into this everyday, female life, let there enter a messenger, praising her and telling wild stories about God inside her body. Let the girl be wise and curious. Let her ask, how can this be? When the messenger is overwhelmed by beauty, and he can tell her only that the shadow of the holy will fall across her life, let her receive the God of fearsome possibilities. Let her conceive the Christ.

— from Invocation by Rachel Srubas

Reflection

The origin of the Annunciation can be traced back to the early fifth century. It began in the Eastern Church during the time of the council of Ephesus, in 431, and became an observance in the Western Church around 496. From its inception, there were major differences in the central theme of the feast between the East and the West.

For the Western Church, the Annunciation is a feast honoring the Virgin Mary as the mother of Christ. The emphasis of the celebration is placed on her acceptance of this honor as the fulfillment of the prophecy written in Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel” (7:14).

The early Eastern Church centered the feast on the conception of Christ and his Incarnation as the Son of God. The “Infancy Gospel of James” looks backward telling the infancy stories contained in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke and presents a narrative concerning the birth and upbringing of Mary. These writings are not in the canon of scripture and paint the Annunciation story differently from Luke. In James' account (v. 11), Mary goes to a well or a fountain and is about to draw water into her pitcher when the angel Gabriel announces that she is chosen to be the Theotokos, the Christ bearer. “And she took the pitcher, and went out to fill it with water. And, behold, a voice saying: Hail, thou who hast received grace; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women!”

This story is apocryphal; yet, in the center of Nazareth is Mary's Well, a trough under which runs an ancient stream. This catches my imagination and reminds me of the importance of water in our Christian symbolic identity. Water was instrumental in Jesus' first miracle, the wedding at Cana. Jesus was baptized in the waters of Jordan. Jesus offers the springs of eternal life to the Samaritan woman at the well. In the service of Baptism we give thanks for the gift of water.

It is not important how, when or where or the Annunciation happened, but that it did. What does this mean to you and how does this story ignite your imagination?