Where's My Resurrection, God?

Broken things have been on my mind lately because too much has broken this year in the lives of the people I love—hearts, health, confidence. Beside this personal brokenness, I’ve noticed all sorts of really dumb things breaking lately, too. I’ve had a dozen calls from friends reporting broken cars, water heaters, a window, even Patti’s finger.

The Dalai Lama told his followers that they believe when a lot of things start going wrong all at once, it is to protect something big and lovely that is trying to get itself born – and that this something needs for you to be distracted so that it can be born as perfectly as possible.

That first Easter morning everything was breaking in the life of those who loved Jesus. All the disciples saw when they got to the tomb was two piles of old clothes. No one can say what happened IN the tomb because no one was there. There were no witnesses. It was between Jesus and God. Jesus was not there. The risen one had people to see and things to do.

Did you notice that every time he came to his friends they became stronger, wiser, kinder, bolder. Every time he came to them, they became more like him. And that’s what the resurrection is about—it’s not about what happened in the tomb—that was entirely between Jesus and God.

The resurrection is about us. It’s about what the appearance of the risen Christ points to. It is so much more than a leap of faith to belief. It’s about learning to practice resurrection. It’s about learning to live. We all have Easter moments daily if we just look around.

However, if it seems like to you that more things are breaking than being resurrected in your life then start looking for that big, lovely thing in your life that is about to be born. We journey through life, wounded at times. Resurrection is when we do not stop living because we are wounded. We move through the pain, with the wounds, into new life, scars and all.

Where’s my resurrection, God? You ask. My holy week has been way too long. Where’s the resurrection? In the end, that is the only evidence we have to offer those who ask us, how we can possibly believe. Because we have found, to our surprise, that we are not alone. Because we never know where Christ will turn up next. Where’s our resurrection? It’s here, now, whenever you encounter the risen, living Christ in loving relationships with one another.

I believe there are hundreds of Easter moments in our everyday life —signs of the promises of Easter. Sure, life is far from perfect—but life is good, life is beautiful. Resurrection is happening all around us if we have “eyes to see and ears to hear,” even when bleakness stands very close.

God prays for us as we reflect on the resurrection: “If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.” (Romans 6:5).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who practice the resurrection every day by reaching out to others. Thank you for nudging us to bring your life to those who feel like life is breaking apart. Never get so focused on the empty tomb that you forget to speak to the gardener…. or a lonely person, or that person standing in line to get food at the food bank, or a child—you may encounter the risen, living Christ in them and they may encounter the risen, living Christ in you. That’s where resurrection is today. In us.

I Came Because Of You

The Mercy Spring Show was to be a Lenten treat for my “sweethearts” on Blossom Road. I had the privilege of serving as chaplain for the retired Sisters of Mercy in Rochester, New York. After serving for eight years as motherhouse and hospital chaplain, our friendship continues despite the fact that many of the sisters have gone to their eternal home. It’s been eleven years since Sister Rosemary died holding the angel soap in her hands that I gave to all the sisters. She was the bold Irish lass who told her community at an annual chapter meeting how proud she was of her younger sisters for their wonderful ministries. She envied their creativity and generosity to the sick and poor. However, despite the frailty of her fellow sisters she announced in her best Irish brogue that all the retired sisters pledged to be a “powerful of prayer” to support their works of mercy. In response, Rosemary received a standing ovation from all the Mercy sisters.

I had offered to share some of my photo gallery with my retired friends. The remodeled motherhouse chapel sported a new computerized 12 by 15 screen for presentations. Here was a chance to display daffodils of spring at Highland Park with meadows of summer in Vermont. I arranged pre-dawn moments and babbling streams in the Great Smoky Mountains with a crimson sunrise in San Diego during the recent firestorms. The winter scenes featured an impressionist scene at Durand Eastman Park and glory rays shining through the trees at Ellison Park. The only hitch in this premiere show was that my photo disk and the chapel computer were not compatible. Regretfully, each image was distorted and enlarged and made the viewing quite a challenge. Technology was not our friend, yet these ladies were most patient as they looked upon each image and listened to my narration despite the irritation in my voice. I apologized several times for the lack of clarity and humbled that this premiere had not come close to my expectations.

I helped push the sisters in wheelchairs back to their rooms. Waiting for the elevator, I stooped down to Sister Mary DeChantel thanking her for coming to the show and apologized again. She lovingly looked into my eyes and said: “ I came because of you.”

How many of our dreams fail to work out as planned? We want children, but remain infertile…we want to stay married, but separation comes…we work overtime to keep our jobs, but many go overseas…we want good health, but find a malignant bump…we want our sons and daughters in the service to be safe…but some come home with purple hearts and broken spirits.

Our intention is to show beauty to the world by our sacrifice and service, but we make a mess of things and sin. Jesus rides into Jerusalem as king…only later to be crucified. And from the cross, I hope you hear loud and clear these profound words of DeChantel…”I came because of you.”

God prays for us as we reflect: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped." (Psalm 28:7).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine friends who bring beauty into the lives of family and friends. Our words of affirmation and gratitude can help to raise the spirits of anyone who feels a failure. Whenever our expectations fail to meet our standards, may we remember to visualize the cross and look into the eyes of Our Savior and hear his words of hope: “I came because of you.”

There's Whiskey in the Jar

I will confess that freezing ice pellets and driving on icy roads makes me scared to death. But duty calls to help at a funeral, so I am crawling at 25 over a snow covered Bay Bridge despite the SUV’s leaving me behind in their tracks. You think they take the hint and use better judgment after passing 3 SUV’s on 104 that skidded off the road into a ditch.

Somehow, I don’t care if I’m moving too slowly since the ice and blowing snow made for some nasty driving. However, once I crossed the bridge, traffic was moving slowly up a hill with their taillights on. In the distance, I could see lines of cars were keeping their distance following two huge state snowplows. One does not mess with these snow mammoths. The plows were working in tandem, one in the driving lane and the other in the passing lane with their yellow caution lights circling to warn that they got the right of way so—SLOW DOWN. The result of their “good work” was that my road to church was neatly plowed with a coating of salt despite the fact that we ALL were driving no more than 25. Listening to the radio to calm my nerves and focus on the road, WXXI was playing Irish Pub Tunes with the lyrics that sang: “Tally, tally ho…there’s whiskey in the jar.”

An hour later, I was sitting on the steps of the sanctuary at the funeral looking into the eyes of a grieving spouse and her adult daughters and son. Are we not all scared sometimes? When we are faced with the death of our husband and father we yearn for some words to take away our sorrow. Those two mammoth tow trucks with there flashing yellow caution lights are a sign to take some time to slow down and listen to the words of God. Of course, we are afraid when we find ourselves sliding all over the road. Of course, we are terrified by death and struggle with the pain of not knowing for sure what happens to our body and soul. Our hands on the wheel of life throb from holding on too tight. Of course, we do not want to let go of the memories, the warm hands, the gentle smile and laughter that brought joy a to our hearts.

Imagine Jesus sitting in the cab of that snowplow, telling us: “Do not be afraid.” I got the road covered, my blade of truth will set you free from all your doubts, despite all your foolish fears about the devil or your unworthiness or whatever else you think can keep you out of Paradise.

Once again, I remembered that Irish Pub Tune that was playing along the treacherous road. Did you not hear the words of the song? “Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there... I do not sleep. I am the thousand winds that blow...I am the diamond glints on snow...I am the soft star that shines at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry—I am not there... I did not die...”

God prays for us as we reflect: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who continue to shed tears of sorrow for family and friends. Give us the courage to surrender our doubts and cradle our fear into your merciful arms. May we raise our glass and toast all the saints with St. Patty who leads our family and friends into eternal glory with one voice: “Tally, tally ho.. There’s whiskey in the jar.”

The Way I See It

In Ravenna, Italy, a sacred destination to see is Saint Apollinare Nuovo Church where visitors come to see its ceiling mosaic of heaven. The problem is it is so dark in the church that visitors have to pay 300 lira, about 25 cents, for the mosaic to be illuminated for a few moments. Most visitors don’t pay. They just grumble in the dark. They want to see heaven for free. The mosaic depicts the Lord sitting amid a blindingly green paradise of eternal spring with white sheep grazing all around. Suddenly there is the sound of a coin and the light comes on, another coin, light again, another coin, more light, yet another coin, light still. The narrator goes to see who is doing this and discovers a man in a wheelchair, bent over. A female guide is looking up, then speaking in his ear, over and over. The man is blind, but he wants to see.

In Mark’s gospel, there is a story about a blind man. In fact, Mark has two such stories. The first is of a man to whom Jesus gives sight, but Jesus’ first attempt only lets him see people that “look like trees walking,” so Jesus touches him again and his sight is complete. Learning to see, especially to gain insight, takes time. That is why the man’s healing was not instantaneous.

However, John’s gospel also has a story about a blind man but with a different emphasis. First, Jesus says the man is not blind because of sin. Jesus counters one of the major attitudes of his day that all illness, disease, or disabilities are the result of sin. Jesus heals the man, no questions asked. Yet what follows in the rest of the passage is an account of various individuals arguing whether this really is the one born blind, or whether he truly was blind, or whether he truly can see at this point. There is not one word of rejoicing and praise to God for the gift of sight, except from the man himself.

How often do we fail to offer gratitude to God? There might be a number of important issues we do not see clearly. We are experts at grumbling and wasting lots of our time and energy attacking each other and each other’s ideas (John’s point), instead of trying to gain insight and clarity of vision (Mark’s point).

What are some of your issues? Catholic school closings, health care, bankruptcy, war with in-laws, disability, social security, prices at the pump, and care for the earth. Perhaps, it is time to stop trying to win arguments, or protect our investments, or make as little change as possible. It is time to care for what God has placed in our care.

God prays for us as we reflect: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight.” (Psalm 19:14)

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who feel better getting their hands in the soil and getting a little dirt under their fingernails. Coming up with a plan to teach our young people the “good news” will take clarity and creativity. Help us to be grateful for the many gifts of this earth and get our hearts into caring for God’s "little ones." Only God can create, but you and I can heal and mend.