Jesus is so tired that he falls again under the weight of the cross. He
is bruised and bleeding and the soldiers whip him to hurry him along.
If
we are afraid of falling, we will never walk again. If our focus is on
not falling, we will miss the thrill of living. An infant learning to
walk will fall but get back up to try again. Each time, they will get
stronger and better for their failure. How many times have we heard
from a convicted felon that his going to prison was the best thing that
ever happened to them? Either because they discovered strength and
perseverance that they did not know they had, a deep font of compassion
for the least of these or, it saved their life from a downward spiral of
crime and destructive behavior. Falling and failure often makes us
stronger.
Remember the great circus act, “The Flying Walendas”?
It was a family of performers who glided through the air with the
greatest of ease. They dared the forces of gravity by walking on wires
stretched high across canyons and chasms of every sort. In 1978, Karl
Walenda, the founder of the troupe died when he fell trying to walk a
wire between two ten-story buildings in Puerto Rico. Later, Karl's
wife told a newspaper “All Karl thought about for three months prior to
his death was falling. It seemed to me that he put all his energies
into NOT falling rather than WALKING that tightrope.”
Where do
we put our energies? On our fear of falling or our faith in walking?
Falling is the easy part, it is getting up that is the hard part. When
we fall, we can get up and walk again. When we fail in sin, we can be
forgiven again. When a loved one dies, we can live again. Jesus fell
in love for us, for whom will we fall?
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The Sixth Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Without any fear of public opinion, Veronica rushes out from the crowd
and presses her veil to the bleeding, sweaty and filthy face of Jesus.
She can’t do much, but she offers what little help she can. What will
people think of her as she breaks rank to tend to this lawbreaker, to
someone living on the fringe of society, to this convicted felon? She
rejected the standards of society because she saw dignity in the face of
this condemned man for whom she did not know.
What would we do for a loved one? Would we run into a burning building? Would we dive into turgid flood waters? Would we ignore hospital visitation rules? Would we fly across the country at a moments notice? Would we stand between them and a vicious animal? Would we break the ranks of a barricade as Veronica did? We would do anything for someone we love, just as Veronica did for Jesus?
Sometimes we fail to notice the needs around us. Sometimes our own family members crave our attention, and we don’t even seem to notice. Sometimes a co-worker, friend, or family member could use help or understanding, but we don’t reach out to help lest we be criticized, or fear that they'll demand more of us than we’d like to give.
When my mother was dying from emphysema I took two months off to take care of her. During the final two weeks of her life she was in a morphine induced sleep. I never left her side. I propped her pillows, rolled her over, gave her sponge baths, brushed her hair, I sang and read to her. I even slept on the floor beside her bed each night. It was both the most difficult and beautiful event of my life and I would do it all over again.
The name "Veronica" comes from two Latin words, "true" and "image." After Veronica wiped the face of Jesus, her veil was in imprinted with an image of Jesus' face. I have photographs and memories of my mother imprinted in my mind and heart so that I can remember her. I am now more inclined to be patient, forgiving and understanding to strangers because of the gift of love I experienced while caring for my mother. May we see the face of Christ on every person we meet, to love and serve them all the days of our lives.
O God, help us see the needs of others as being as important as our own needs. Remind us to go out of our way to be helpful, even if we’re not asked. Help us to not be concerned about what others may think of us as we take the road less traveled, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Finding leads to losing
losing let's you find
living leads to dying
but life leaves death behind
-Ken Medema.
What would we do for a loved one? Would we run into a burning building? Would we dive into turgid flood waters? Would we ignore hospital visitation rules? Would we fly across the country at a moments notice? Would we stand between them and a vicious animal? Would we break the ranks of a barricade as Veronica did? We would do anything for someone we love, just as Veronica did for Jesus?
Sometimes we fail to notice the needs around us. Sometimes our own family members crave our attention, and we don’t even seem to notice. Sometimes a co-worker, friend, or family member could use help or understanding, but we don’t reach out to help lest we be criticized, or fear that they'll demand more of us than we’d like to give.
When my mother was dying from emphysema I took two months off to take care of her. During the final two weeks of her life she was in a morphine induced sleep. I never left her side. I propped her pillows, rolled her over, gave her sponge baths, brushed her hair, I sang and read to her. I even slept on the floor beside her bed each night. It was both the most difficult and beautiful event of my life and I would do it all over again.
The name "Veronica" comes from two Latin words, "true" and "image." After Veronica wiped the face of Jesus, her veil was in imprinted with an image of Jesus' face. I have photographs and memories of my mother imprinted in my mind and heart so that I can remember her. I am now more inclined to be patient, forgiving and understanding to strangers because of the gift of love I experienced while caring for my mother. May we see the face of Christ on every person we meet, to love and serve them all the days of our lives.
O God, help us see the needs of others as being as important as our own needs. Remind us to go out of our way to be helpful, even if we’re not asked. Help us to not be concerned about what others may think of us as we take the road less traveled, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Finding leads to losing
losing let's you find
living leads to dying
but life leaves death behind
-Ken Medema.
Friday, March 8, 2013
The Fifth Station; Simon helps Jesus Carry the Cross, by Mark.
There he was minding his own business as part of a large crowd when the
soldiers grabbed Simon and forced him to help the struggling Jesus.
Whether Simon was reluctant to help or not isn't important. After all
who wants to worry about other people's problems. We have enough of our
own. But there is much we can do to help people who are stumbling under
the weight of their own crosses even when it would be easier to look the other way.
Every day, hundreds of people die of neglect, violence, abuse, hunger and even lack of clean water. When we feed or shelter another person we are doing the same for Christ. When we lift unjust burdens from another person or defend them against prejudice and exploitation, we are lifting the same burdens from Christ's shoulders. When we change unjust systems, racism, sexism, unfair wages, unfair trade and alienation, we alleviate the suffering of one million Christ's. When we take a step out of the crowd we stand in the spotlight of someone else's suffering, we make a difference in another person's story.
In Marty Haugen's song, "We Remember," verse four starts: "See the face of Christ revealed in every person standing by your side;" and verse one begins, "Here, a million wounded souls are yearning just to touch you and be healed." Sharing in another person's passion (suffering) holds the promise of transformation in our own lives. This single step, this initial attempt to help carry another person's cross is a ladder to the very heart of God.
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give themselves to the service of others: that with wisdom, patience and courage, they may minister in His name to the suffering, the friendless and the needy. Help us notice the needs of those around us. Help us do more than just stand there and watch. Help us see the needs of others as opportunities for us to reach out and help as you did.
Every day, hundreds of people die of neglect, violence, abuse, hunger and even lack of clean water. When we feed or shelter another person we are doing the same for Christ. When we lift unjust burdens from another person or defend them against prejudice and exploitation, we are lifting the same burdens from Christ's shoulders. When we change unjust systems, racism, sexism, unfair wages, unfair trade and alienation, we alleviate the suffering of one million Christ's. When we take a step out of the crowd we stand in the spotlight of someone else's suffering, we make a difference in another person's story.
In Marty Haugen's song, "We Remember," verse four starts: "See the face of Christ revealed in every person standing by your side;" and verse one begins, "Here, a million wounded souls are yearning just to touch you and be healed." Sharing in another person's passion (suffering) holds the promise of transformation in our own lives. This single step, this initial attempt to help carry another person's cross is a ladder to the very heart of God.
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give themselves to the service of others: that with wisdom, patience and courage, they may minister in His name to the suffering, the friendless and the needy. Help us notice the needs of those around us. Help us do more than just stand there and watch. Help us see the needs of others as opportunities for us to reach out and help as you did.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Fourth Station; Jesus meets his Mother, by Sharon
Mary watches her son being dragged toward certain death. She is helpless to save him.
As a nurse, I find it difficult to watch people come in to the ER and with all my training and experience I find myself helpless to do anything to save them. The most difficult scene which I see replayed over and over in the ER is when a child or infant come in and there is nothing their mother’s can do to save them. I have seen children with tumors on the brain, mangled limbs from automobile accidents, teens overdosed on drugs, and babies with genetic blood disorders. Pre-planning the funeral for a baby is not the way it is supposed to be.
What was Mary thinking when she saw her son’s battered and bruised body. When their eyes met and they saw each other through the blood, the sweat, and the tears. As heart wrenching as this scene is time and again, I am often touched by the scene of mother and child's eyes meeting, if just for a moment, there is a deep affection held in that sacred stare.
I pray that I always have the courage not to look away but to look toward the light and hold in our hearts the look of love.
Jesus, you feel so alone with all those people yelling and screaming at you. You don’t like the words they are saying about you, and you look for a friendly face in the crowd. You see your mother. She can’t make the hurting stop, but it helps to see that she is on your side, that she is suffering with you. She does understand and care. Amen.
As a nurse, I find it difficult to watch people come in to the ER and with all my training and experience I find myself helpless to do anything to save them. The most difficult scene which I see replayed over and over in the ER is when a child or infant come in and there is nothing their mother’s can do to save them. I have seen children with tumors on the brain, mangled limbs from automobile accidents, teens overdosed on drugs, and babies with genetic blood disorders. Pre-planning the funeral for a baby is not the way it is supposed to be.
What was Mary thinking when she saw her son’s battered and bruised body. When their eyes met and they saw each other through the blood, the sweat, and the tears. As heart wrenching as this scene is time and again, I am often touched by the scene of mother and child's eyes meeting, if just for a moment, there is a deep affection held in that sacred stare.
I pray that I always have the courage not to look away but to look toward the light and hold in our hearts the look of love.
Jesus, you feel so alone with all those people yelling and screaming at you. You don’t like the words they are saying about you, and you look for a friendly face in the crowd. You see your mother. She can’t make the hurting stop, but it helps to see that she is on your side, that she is suffering with you. She does understand and care. Amen.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
Lake Tear In The Clouds, A Poem
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Anybody who hikes, especially in the Adirondack State Park of upstate NY, can attest to the fact that water indeed can flow from rocks. It is very common up in the High Peaks.
Water seeping out of rock formed a lake called "Lake Tear In The Clouds," which has been traced to be the birthplace of the mighty Hudson River ("Co-ha-ta-te-a," - River from Beyond the Peaks, as interpreted by the Mohawk Tribe). The lake rests just below the summit of Mount Marcy (Tahawas: Cloud Splitter) at 4,293 feet. Its primary outflow is Feldspar Brook which then becomes Opalescent Stream. This is the site where where Teddy Roosevelt learned that McKinley had been shot. From the lake, it is about a ten hour hike to get back down to the town of Newcomb where Roosevelt then took a stage to Buffalo to be sworn in as President.
Birthplace of the Hudson
A mossy cushion on the mountain
dripping in wetness, mountain blood
exists the birthplace of a fountain
from deep dark springs destined to run
Like glossy birds o’er rocks they ripple
gift of mountain purity
traversing over feldspar pebbles
universal unity
The trickle pauses for a rest
where often mist enshrouds
beneath Mount Marcy’s edifice
lies Lake Tear in the Clouds
The lake at times had fallen away
by summer drought and noontime sun
the painted trunks and bank display
what springtime thaw had long since done
Nature takes her liberty
this little place, to occupy
unseen to human apathy
a dotted fleet of water flies
The outlet played its melodies
like tingling nerves it ran downhill
flowed in braided songful peace
shaping at its wild will
And fainting not to thirsty suns
the throbbing water darts with ease
to preordained symposium
to kneel at the foot of its emperor the sea
On its journey purely chastened
falling on, its swiftness doubles
plunging numerous black basins
glittering bright with silver bubbles
This gentle stream now mighty brook
leaps in white astonishment
interposing streams partook
a streaking shower opalescent
In fierce heedless chafing water
driftwood striped of bark and branch
terrific cataracts of slaughter
plunge in rabid avalanche
A crag, a perfect net that strangles
prostrate trees now lying entombed
the foaming steeps and channeled angles
catapults Opalescent Flume
-Malcolm Kogut.
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