Wasting a Day or Two

"Then come, my sister! come, I pray,
     With speed put on your woodland dress,
And bring no book; for this one day
     We'll give to idleness."

William Wordsworth
"Lines Written At A Small Distance From My House..."
Lyrical Ballads

These past few days since Boxing Day and the Feast of St. John, I have indulged in the poet's suggestion to his beloved Dorothy and giv'n myself to idleness.  It is an important thing for a priest, or I suppose anyone, to do from time to time.  It is different from sabbath.  It is merely a time for sleeping in and letting the mind grow fat with nothingness.  With the coming of Sunday Services on the morrow, it will end for me, but it has been lovely. 

 

I visited my daughter and son-in-law and the girls at their newly acquired horse farm.  We made snowmen, went sledding, and drank hot cocoa, and laughed a lot.

I read books about training gun dogs in preparation for the selection and homecoming of the "Espaniel Breton" that Rebecca gave me for Christmas.  Tristan and I drove to Bay's Packing House on Pleasantville road and brought home the beef we bought back at the end of November.  The hanging weight of 1250 pounds netted us almost 700 pounds of packaged beef.  That well keep three families of us through the coming year! 

We watched "The Hunt for Red October" with Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin, and "The Replacements" with Gene Hackman and Keanu Reeves.  We took in a couple of great parties. 

I hope that all of my readers were able to find at least a couple of days to do nothing over the holiday season.  I wouldn't reccomend it as a regular practice, but as an occasional indulgence, it is wonderfully refreshing!

Sermon For Christmas Eve 4 PM: Luke 2:1-20

Sermon for Christmas Eve, 4 PM
Luke 2:1-20
Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 24 December, 2012

It was a time of great uncertainty. The taking of a census unauthorized by God had on more than one occasion led to judgment and disaster in ancient Israel. The country was rough and harshly policed by her rulers. The economy had created enormous inequities between the peasants who worked the land and the merchants who traversed it. Rebels and bandits and false messiahs rose up with distressing regularity. There was little love or respect between the Romans and the Jews, or for that matter, between the Jewish people and their leaders in Jerusalem.

And Mary and Joseph, following the orders of the Roman Governor, traveled from their home to Joseph’s ancient tribal capital in Bethlehem. There she delivered a baby, who was Christ the Lord. We will speak more of him later, but for now, turn your attention with me to the shepherds. Have you ever spent the night alone, or with a small group of friends, in a wilderness area? It could have been a forest or a desert, or a wind swept coastland. There was no electricity, and as the small fire flickered in the darkness, you could see the immensity of the heavens and hear the howl of the wolves and the yip of the coyote. Unknown sounds surrounded you, and perhaps you experienced real anxiety about what evils or unknown beings watched just beyond the glow of your small, your ever so small fire. As many nights as I have spent in the woods of the American Heartland, or in the deserts of the Tex-Mex border lands, I never managed to feel anything but small and vulnerable. Regardless of the armaments I carried or the company I kept, there was always that sense that lack of vigilance could lead to unspeakable situations. Such was the life of a shepherd. Falling asleep on watch could lead to the loss of a lamb or worse. Theirs was not a camping trip within view of the shelter house of the lodge. They were on their own.

And on that night, as they watched, the angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. I dare say it was a first for everyone there. It must have been a terrible sight, for angels in the Bible are not the playful cherubs of Greek mythology and Valentine’s day cards. They are the celestial warriors of God- mail clad with great spears and an aspect both terrible and gentle to behold. Their sense of justice and their confidence reflect the character of their maker, and they are not to be trifled with. Yes, it was a terrible sight to behold, and without doubt the shepherds wondered what was happening. And the angel said unto them, “Do not be afraid.” Angels seem to say that a lot in the Bible; and so does Jesus. And both they and he are still saying it today. That is perhaps one of the greatest beauties of Christmas. In the midst of your fears and uncertainties, Jesus sends his angels to you to say “do not be afraid, for I bring you glad tidings, good news. Today, in fulfillment of the prophesies, God comes among you to deliver you and keep all of his promises. Perhaps it is not in a way that you expected it to happen, but it has happened just the same, so don’t be afraid. Your deliverance has come.”

Do you believe today that Jesus Christ has come into the world to salve our wounds and to meet our needs and to enfold us in his love? Are you willing today to face the evils and difficulties of this world with the angels by your side? Are you willing to heed the words, “be not afraid?” You see, Christmas is not about the trimmings of gifts and trees and family feasts. Those things are all good and holy and ought to be enjoyed, because they express our transport at the true message of Christmas. But the true meaning of Christmas is that Jesus has come into the world to save us from all that the devil or man can do to destroy us or to mar all that God calls us to be and to do. When the angels said “Don’t be afraid” to those shepherds so many years ago, they were in effect speaking to all of us. They were announcing to us that Jesus has come to give us a strength beyond our own to face our fears and trust in the love of God given to all who will believe.

Today, on this Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, on this day when we celebrate and venerate the fact that the creative and sustaining Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us to deliver us from evil and restore us to friendship with God; on this day, might we bring to this altar all of our fears, and our uncertainties, and our hurt and our pain and our guilt and our shame. Might we with the shepherds travel to that small cave where the King of Glory lay in humility in a manger. Might we receive the gift of salvation that God has prepared for us. And might we rejoice without fear as we hear the angel’s song.

I invite you, in just a moment, to walk through your fears and stand with me to boldly and publicly confess that Jesus Christ has come into the world just as the Bible proclaims, to meet all of our needs: spiritual, and emotional, and physical, and relational. Confess with me in the Creed that Jesus Christ is who the Bible says he is, and that he has accomplished all which the Bible says he accomplished. Then kneel with me and bring him all of your needs. Tell him of your fears and your hopes, your situations, and realities, and dreams. Then confess your sins. Admit to him those things that you have thought or done which have shown disregard for him and disrespect for the people and things he has made. Receive his forgiveness and feel the arms of his love envelop you with liberty and peace and new creation. Wish to all here God’s blessing at this holy season, and ask forgiveness of any present whom you have wronged. Then hear the words of the sacred mystery of God’s salvation and come to receive his mercy and grace and strength by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of our God. Receive the grace and mercy and love of God and you will have truly experienced the real joy of Christmas this year. May God bless us every one in this holy season, and may the peace of the Lord be with you all.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.

Sermon for Advent IV C, Luke 1:39-55

Sermon for Advent IV, Year C Revised Common Lectionary
Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 23 December, 2012
Luke 1:39-55

Mary's Visit with Elizabeth

In his First Letter to the Corinthian Christians, St. Paul says, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition…” (I Cor. 10:11) In essence, he tells us that the events and occurrences we read about in the Bible are given as examples to teach us how we ought to live. And that brings us to these last days before Christmas. How are you spending them? Are you so busy that the spirit of the season has seemingly departed from you? Is the busyness and the rush of getting ready for this visit or that party robbing you of joy and of the milk of human kindness? Are you dreading the long hours and pressures of making sure that the family party is just right? Are you so focusing on who is not there this year that you have rendered yourself incapable of appreciating those with whom you will share the holy day?

Into the midst of our seasonal distractions and responsibilities, God sends this wonderful example of Saint Mary the Mother of Our Lord and her visit to Blessed Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Forerunner, who would one day announce to all the world, “Behold the Lamb of God! Behold him who takes away the sin of the world.” When the very pregnant Elizabeth heard the very pregnant Mary’s greeting, baby John leaped in her womb for joy in the presence of his cousin and his Lord. The Holy Ghost fell upon Elizabeth and she, like Deborah of old, prophesied. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Mary was overcome by the presence of God and responded with those words we know so well: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour…” It was a time for rejoicing. Even with so much to do.

It is still a time for rejoicing. Yes, there are details to be worked out: hams and turkeys to be cooked, pies and breads to bake, and tables to set. And don’t forget presents to wrap. But we are called today to emulate the example of these two holy women, who in the midst of their duties found time to listen to the Holy Spirit and rejoice that the Saviour was come into the world. Consider what this great blessing of the first Christmas means in our lives:

1. God’s mercy is poured out on all who fear him forever!

2. He has exalted those who are powerless and victimized, and overthrown the plots of the treacherous and the arrogant.

3. He has turned the tables on the selfish and proclaimed equity for all.

4. He has fulfilled the promises of the covenant he made to his people, and through them to all people.

Let me make a few suggestions today. Sit back today and enjoy this Church service. Appreciate the beautiful decorations and the music. Confess your faith in the Creed with an ever deepening appreciation for him who came to save us. Bring him your prayers with a real expectancy that Jesus is still in the miracle business, and determine to see the evidence of his working in your life and in the lives of those you love. When you confess your sins and shortcomings of this past week, believe with all your heart that they really are forgiven and forgotten by God, and that he wishes you to have a new start, free from guilt and shame and discouragement. When you share the peace with those around you, wish them the very best of God’s blessings from the bottom of your heart without reservation, whether they deserve it or not, and if you have wronged anyone here present, go to them and make amends before you approach the altar of God together as siblings and spiritual friends. Give of your wealth in the offering for the support of God’s work and the relief of suffering, and let your gift be a token of your willingness to give yourself to God and to his work in every way you can. Then come forward and receive God’s grace by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Holy and Blessed Trinity, God himself. As your teeth press the bread and as the warmth of the wine spreads through your body, know that you are filled with the Spirit of the Living God, and endowed with his love and his gifts to bring hope and purpose to everyone you meet. Then go forth to share the love of God with all those for whom Jesus came into the world.

In short, join me and so engage God this day, in this service, that all of us might rise above the distractions which surround us and say with Mary, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor upon me.”

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.

How Are You Doing This Advent?

Sermon for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year C
Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 16 December, 2012

Saint John the Baptist Preaching to the Masses in the Wilderness
by Peiter Brueghel the Younger

Zephaniah 3:14-20
Canticle 9 BCP 86, Isaiah 12:2-6
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18

Here we are at the third Sunday of Advent. How are you doing preparing for the birth of the Saviour? Are you finding something to rejoice about in your life? Are you being gentle to the people you meet? Are you doing better not worrying about things? Are you praying more, and taking your issues and problems to God with a real thankfulness and a belief that he will meet your needs? Are you experiencing in a knowable way that peace of God which passes all understanding? If we are to believe the lessons for today, such measuring sticks ought to be regular parts of our lives.

Christianity is a very practical faith. It is not just an exercise in philosophical reasoning or a denial of the realities around us. Perhaps that is why God chose to reveal himself to us through the incarnation of Jesus. We believe that at Christmas God came down and became one of us. As St. John says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory.” That is why the Fathers of the Church worked so hard to verify that all four Gospels were eyewitness accounts before they approved them for continued use in the Church. That is why all of those stories about Jesus sitting down and eating with folks are so essential to our faith. That is why of all the stories that could have been told about the post resurrection appearances of Jesus, Jesus telling Thomas to touch him is so important. Christianity is not just about great ideas or noble beliefs, it is about the reality of God stepping into the physical world to assure us of his love.

Lots of people over the years have used Christianity for lots of things. Some have killed in the name of God. Others have used the faith as a stick to beat others into submission. Some have employed faith to get themselves a pretty comfy berth with good pay, social prestige, and a bit of power over their neighbors. Many have taken a verse or two or three out of context and ridden their partial truth into the ground in ways that caused much suffering and pain. But the mistakes, and sins of fallible men and women in no way negate the fact that God loved us so much that he sent Jesus Christ his only begotten son into the world to save you and me from ourselves and our sins, and to allow us friendship with God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son in the power of the Holy Ghost.

If today’s second lesson tells us what our attitudes ought to be like, and if the Gospel tells us practically how our lives should change after we meet Jesus, then the Old Testament lesson and Canticle give us a glimpse of what the future holds for those who are in the process of living into friendship with God. It is a practical vision of what the world could be like if we all treated others the way God wants us to treat each other. Imagine, no more war or violence against children like we saw this week in Connecticut and in China. Imagine no more worrying about making ends meet or being alone. Imagine a world where there was no laziness or oppression, and where everyone pulled their weight with a sense of cooperative teamwork and justice. Imagine a world where the most vulnerable among us were protected by all of us, and where everyone believed that human life was sacred and that every human being had a God given right to live decently and to earn the respect of his or her neighbors.

Advent is about getting ready for such a world, and about living in the here and now as if that world were just around the corner. To paraphrase that first paragraph of this sermon about how are you doing, perhaps this would be better. Are you so living in this world that when the new world comes, you won’t have to change a bunch of habits or practices, because you are already doing now what you will be doing then? This life you see, is just practice for the next. Jesus Christ came into this world very physically two thousand years ago so that we could see what it would all look like, and to take the steps necessary for you and me to get another chance with God. We are going to celebrate that first coming in just nine days. Some day, Jesus Christ is coming into this world again just as physically to usher in the promises we heard in today’s Old Testament lesson and Canticle. That is the message of Advent.

Are you ready to meet him when he gets here? Are you in the habit of practicing those attitudes and actions which he modeled for us when he was in a physical body living with the disciples in Judea and Roman Palestine? We have been reminded this week, as we are reminded every week, that there are many people in the world who have not yet started making themselves ready for Christ’s Return, and the world is a worse place for it. God calls all of us who name Jesus as Lord and King to be in the habit of practicing today that which will be the norm when he returns. As we follow him in obedience and faith, as we live in humility and love, all the world will see the wisdom of this better way, this promised way, and the Holy Ghost will use our actions and attitudes to draw many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our true King. This is the real meaning of Advent. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

How to Build a New Year's Resolution

Rector's Rambling for January 2013
St. John's Lancaster

Looking to the Future
Monarch of the Glen by Edwin Henry Landseer 1851

December is the busiest time of the year for a priest.  But I must admit (as my good wife occasionally points out) that much of the busyness is of my own making.  I agree to do things that are good in and of themselves, and I suppose it is an honour to be asked to do them, and someone should do them; but they don't directly support my mission and vocation to be a good priest at St. John's, a good husband and father, and a great grandpa.  This December experience, which is much the same every year, prompts me to consider a new rubric for developing my new year's resolutions for the coming year.

Somewhere along the line, probably in the Army, I attended a management seminar which taught that I should establish a brief, quantifiable mission statement for my life, and that everything I do ought to be justifiable in terms of that mission statement.  For instance, I am a parish priest.  Therefore conduct of the worship service on Sunday is very important, because that is what my status as a priest demands that I do.  In like manner, sermon preparation, personal prayer, and adequate rest are essential to the successful performance of my professional duties, and therefore are given a high and justifiable priority.  On the other hand, a three week trip to Argentina to shoot game birds might be lots of fun, and might be very relaxing is some ways, but there is no possible way that I could say it supports my mission priority as a parish priest.  It would have a much lower priority in my life, and would be done on vacation time, not work time.  And it would be improper for the church to fund such a trip.  All because it is not directly related to my mission as a priest.

Bishop Breidenthal has over the past three years or so led our diocese in the development of a set of mission priorities.  Our budget and diocesan staff are now organized around these priorities, and all expenditures of time and money are expected to be justified in terms or their relationship to the priorities.  And so as I approach the new year, I find myself thinking that I should dig back into my old notes from the Army, and inspired by the example of our bishop, try to tighten up my own erratic calendar of commitments in the year to come.  My mission statement has already been stated above.  I will strive to be a good parish priest, a good husband and father, and a great grandpa.  That is the easy part.  Now comes the hard part.  As I fulfill current obligations, will I have the strength to say "no" to future opportunities to do good things if they do not directly support my priorities- my mission?  What it means to be a good parish priest is clearly outlined in the ordinal in the Book of Common Prayer and in the Pastoral Epistles of Saint Paul.  What it means to be a good husband is clearly outlined in the vows and charges of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.  What it means to be a great grandpa (and perhaps a good dad) is measured more subjectively by balancing the laughter of Margaret and Helen with the raised eyebrows I get from their mother!  Other things, even good things, which do not fit into one of these three priorities are luxuries that I may or may not be able to afford.  I may say yes to a few, but if I say yes to too many, I will fail to accomplish my mission and purpose, because my focus will be scattered and my resources spread too thin.

I dare say the conundrum I ponder faces us all most of the time.  In the coming year, I hope that we will all be able to establish a list of priorities, a mission for our lives.  I pray that we will have the wisdom to focus not on all of the good things that need to be done, but on those things which God has called us to include in our mission.  It may be that on occasion there is some justification for saying "yes" to something that does not directly support our mission.  But if we do that too much, we will never accomplish the work God gives us to do.  In this coming year, I hope God will give you the strength to say "no," and the wisdom to know when to say "yes."  And I believe with all my heart that if we include him in the process of determining what is the real purpose and mission of our lives, he will give us all of the strength and wisdom we need.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.  AMEN.

   

Sacramenmtal Confession at St. John's

Dear Friends,

Over the past months, the “Pizza and God Talk” sessions with the youth of St. John’s have led us to consider how we might experience a deeper sense of forgiveness and acceptance from God. One of the disciplines we discussed was “The Reconciliation of a Penitent,” found on page 447 of The Book of Common Prayer. This sacramental rite, sometimes called “Confession,” has not been regularly offered at our parish for many years, if ever. When properly considered and practiced, it allows a Christian to be much more specific about dealing with issues which can produce guilt, shame, or alienation than the general confessions of the church are likely to do. Verbalizing one’s specific sins and shortcomings to God in the presence of a priest; and discussing practical spiritual, emotional, and vocational responses within the pronouncement of forgiveness, can be a powerful way to develop spiritual, emotional, and physical health. Telling God what you are doing in the presence of a priest who is sworn to confidentiality not only gets the secret off your heart, but it also can give you strength to not commit the sin again.

Some of the young people of our parish have asked if I will hear their confessions. If you are a parent and have questions or concerns about this discipline, please call me at 740/215-3900 so that we can set up a time to talk. If you would like to participate in or learn more about this ancient practice of the church, please call me as well. Regular confession can be a wonderful, healing part of your Christian devotion and can make you feel clean and at peace with God.

Sincerely,

Bill+

Spiritual Classics of Anglicanism

The Compass Rose of Anglicanism

I was attracted to Anglicanism by many things.  But perhaps its eminent practicality and pastoral realism were for me the greatest draw.  If the writers of the old British situation comedy "Yes, Prime Minister" are right in season one episode seven (The Bishop's Gambit), and theology in the modern church is merely an exercise for justifying not believing in God, then eminent practicality and pastoral realism, growing out of a warm faith in Jesus, based in apostolic orthodoxy, constitute a welcome respite from what often surrounds us.  In any event, I sometimes get tired of arguing with hard headed zealots (both Whigs and pharisees) on the one hand, and pinheads who employ intellectual methodology to redefine the faith on the other.  Perhaps it is better to believe that which I have received from eyewitnesses- that which is contained in Creed and Canon of Scripture.  Perhaps it is better to acquiesce to the faith received than to argue modern notions of piety or interpretation.  Perhaps it is better to live the religion I have known and experienced by faith than to agonize over that which I am not smart enough to understand or industrious enough to discover through honest scholarship.

With these things in mind, I have been considering two books which I have long thought to be among Anglicanism's greatest classics: Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, and The Compleat Angler, by Izaak Walton.  Neither book is particularly religious, and the former was written by a neo-pagan, but both describe admirably the nature of Christian life and community within that aphorus ideal which is called "the ethos of Anglicanism."

A Story of Living Together

Wind in the Willows chronicles the everyday adventures of forest dwellers who are very different, and at times even at odds, but who are forced to co-exist by virtue of their geographic proximity to each other.  In simple ways, that proximity over the years allows them to develop a common set of basic values which ultimately transcends their diversity.  Perhaps this lesson of the animals is an idealized reflection of what ought to be in a land where all the King's subjects are in a sense the responsibility of the King's Church, whether they realize it or not.  As weasels and stoats, badgers, rats, moles, rabbits, and otters live together in and around the wild wood and the river bank; so all those who name Christ as Lord, and beyond that all those for whom he died, are called to realize that we share one world, bestowed upon us by a loving Heavenly Father for our own benefit and pleasure.  It behooves us to get along and to care for one another, for God desires our reconciliation to himself and to each other.

The Izaak Walton Window
From Winchester Cathederal's South East Transcept

The Compleat Angler grows out of one of Mater Anglicaina's most difficult experiences, that of the interregnum under Cromwell and parliamentary rule.  What is a good man to do in impossible times?  To follow the example of Christ's apostles and "go a fishing" is perhaps the best thing.  But fishing is more than merely the pursuit of meat for the frying pan.  It consists of true conviviality, of sharing fellowship, wisdom, and material goods with friends and strangers alike.  It is a matter of appreciating the blessings and beauty around us, and sharing them generously with all people in the name of simple civility and grace.

In these uncertain times, when so many things that seemed so sure are vanishing with each ensuing day, I cling to the faith I have received from the Anglican Divines, the Church Fathers, the Apostles of our Lord, and so many other good and godly people.  I suppose I have stopped looking for a perfect church, or state, or institution of any type.  I must be content to live where I find myself, trusting in God, coming to terms with those people, good and not so good, among whom I live, and doing all the good I can in all the ways I can.  Others may be called to other ways, or to other visions of how the faith ought to be lived, but for me, at my age and in my place, the graces and beauties of classic Anglicanism, with all of her lovability and all of her warts, will have to do. 

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  AMEN. 

Goodbye Pony Girl

Ashley on Squirt in 1996

Today, Dr. Forsythe came to the farm and we put Squirt down.  The Cushing's had advanced to the point that keeping her comfortable was beyond our available resources.  Ashley came up for the day to brush her one last time and to be with her as she died.  Our tears have flowed freely today.  Rebecca and I hugged each other as T.J. buried our beloved pony next to Locksley, her old stablemate.

Tristan and Squirt, ready for pass in review sometime in the  mid '90's

She taught several children to ride, taught us all to drive, and was the hit of many a school or church festival, where she tirelessly gave pony rides to scores of children who without her never would have been close to a horse.  In her younger years, she was a regular fixture at St. Francis Day animal blessings, and her flash and style made her a real crowd pleaser.  As a three year old, she placed third at the Ohio State Fair in open roadster class, and we bought her not long after that.  Dave Bailey and I drove to Darke county and brought her home for $500.  It was some of the best money I ever spent.

Ashley driving a very young Tristan somewhere,
Perhaps to a regimental muster?

 

Tristan called home from University to see how things went with the vet.  While he never developed a love of horses like his sister, he did think a great deal of this little gal who was so much a part of our lives here at Briarwood. 

I'd like to thank all of the people who have called and written to express their condolences to us about the loss of animals over the past two weeks.  First we lost Faithful Pat the white hound, and now Squirt.  It is as if an era in our lives has passed.  We give thanks for what has been, and look forward to a wonderful future together.  In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.

Goodbye Squirtie

Fergus, Pat, and Lassie
other good friends from the old days

Sermon For The First Sunday of Advent: Jeremiah 33:14-16

Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

Advent I C: Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 2^nd December, 2012
Jeremiah 33:14-16

It is fitting that we should begin our observance of this Advent Season with the Prophecies of Blessed Jeremiah. He was born in the best of times, when good King Josiah led the people to renewal and revival through the study of the Scriptures and the cleansing of the land of the outward signs of idolatry. But war clouds loomed as the instability of Assyria, the rise of Babylon, and the lawlessness of the Scythian tribes led Egypt, the great southern power, to attempt the re-establishment of stability and peace in the region she had so long dominated economically and politically. In 609 King Josiah led Judah into a disastrous war against Egypt as he sought to play the great powers against each other in a bid to increase Judean security. He was killed as Pharaoh Necho swept aside the forces of Judea and the allied northern tribes.

By the time of today’s first lesson, about 588 or 587 BC, it was obvious to everyone in the region that Babylon would be triumphant, and that Judah, already a vassal, would at best maintain that position. With the economy in shambles, civic life destroyed, and Babylonian armies ravaging the rebellious cities around Jerusalem, Jeremiah found himself imprisoned by the faithless King Zedekiah because he had denounced the false prophets who counseled alliance with Egypt, and called for submission to the Babylonians. Jeremiah, who had been reluctant to speak out at first, had ultimately been faithful to God, and as his world seemed to vanish around him, he saw through the destruction and agony and understood more clearly than ever the certainty of the promises of a loving Heavenly Father.

I have always been amused and a little bit frustrated when organizations or individuals make high sounding resolutions or statements in the face of injustice or unrighteousness, but are unwilling to risk anything but words to live out their prophetic zeal. Words are cheap, and reformers who avoid personal risk and expense are a rather piteous sight, perhaps even an embarrassment to themselves and those who care for them. Jeremiah was no such man. With the city besieged and the country in flames, he said that after the destruction and coming captivity in Babylon, God would restore his people, the people with whom he had established his everlasting covenant. He maintained against all odds that the prophesy would be fulfilled, and that a descendant of David would indeed sit upon David’s throne and reign with justice and equity. To demonstrate his faith in the fulfillment of God’s promises, he went out and paid cash for a piece of property, knowing that he would never inhabit it himself, but that those exiles would one day return, and the title and deed to that property would pass to them. They would live in this sacred land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He could have run to Egypt and cried out for justice. Many did. But he chose to stay in obedience to God. He chose to put his money where his mouth was, knowing he would in the short term lose it all. And he chose to do the right thing, even though it landed him in prison and caused his countrymen to denounce him as a traitor.

And what was this message that was so important that it was worth risking everything to proclaim it?  It was that even in the midst of our greatest nightmare. Even in the midst of our deepest loneliness. Even in the midst of our greatest uncertainty and tribulation. “The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time, I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: The Lord is our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 33:14-16)

The message of Advent is that we believe this promise to be true. The message of Christmas is that we believe that it is accomplished in Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God, the Word made flesh, who came into the world from God the Father, via the agency of God the Holy Ghost, through the obedience of Mary the Virgin, the God-Bearer. We believe that this prophesy, given to God’s people in the darkest of times, has been fulfilled, that it has brought to us reconciliation with God, and that in it we can see beyond the difficulties and vicissitudes of our own lives to the final consummation of his Kingdom when he comes again to receive us as his own. On that day blessed Michael will lead the armies of God. And Satan and sin, evil and injustice, rebellion and unrighteousness will be cast into the pit forever. Jesus Christ the Son of God and of Mary the Virgin, will publicly ascend the throne of David and usher in his promised reign at the end of the age. He shall wipe away every tear from our eyes. He will bring us healing and peace. And he will grant us true joy and fullness and life everlasting.

Jesus Christ has triumphed over hell and death and the grave to inaugurate his reign. He now sits at the right hand of God the Father interceding for you and for me. He demonstrated to us during the thirty three years of his life among us that he understands the burdens we bear and the trials we face. The Father has sent to us as individuals and as a Church the Blessed Holy Spirit that we might do the work to which we are called. And now King Jesus sends us into the wider world to proclaim the message of Jeremiah and of all the prophets to all who are made in the image of God. In the midst of your sorrows and your sufferings and your aloneness; in the mist of evil and rebellion and guilt and shame; in the face of sin and hell and Satan himself, we proclaim to all the peoples of the Earth that our Heavenly Father loved us so very, very much that he sent his Son Jesus Christ to offer us the free gift of reconciliation to God with all of the rights and privileges pertaining thereto. He offers to each of us, to all of us cleansing, and belonging, and acceptance as his own adopted sons and daughters. He makes it possible for all of us to be known as the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, our master and our friend.

We best proclaim this message to those who walk apart from God and the hope of his promise when we live the faith as if we truly believe it. We name Jesus as our Saviour in our words and in our actions. In our humility and by our obedience to the clear teachings of the Bible, we demonstrate the nature of the coming reign of Christ. In the love we show to others, and the forgiveness we offer to those who wrong us, we show the nature of God to those who have not yet known him. As our lives are transformed into what God would have us to be, people wandering in darkness and sin have the opportunity to see that God will transform them even as he has transformed us into the very image of Christ.

On this first Sunday of Advent, in the year of our Lord 2012, commit with me to live into this promise that God gave to all of us through Jeremiah, his prophet. Might we, like him, experience the friendship of God in spite of the difficulties around us, so that everyone we meet might find the hope, and the purpose, and the forgiveness, and the peace that we have found in Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the Son of David, and David’s Lord, the fulfillment of all the prophesies and all the hopes of every nation and every tribe. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.

Thanksgiving Report

 

We spent the day at home, with Tristan and Rebecca's parents.  It was a traditional and quiet day with turkey, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, cranberries, pumpkin pie, oyster dressing, and
all of those things which go with a traditional formal American Thanksgiving dinner.  Tristan cooked, employing some of the techniques he has picked up in the dietetics department at the University.  He raided the garden and greenhouse for fresh herbs and his production really was quite good.  Perhaps we will let him cook next year as well.

Friday we left early to shoot pheasants in Federal Valley with Ashley's family on her husband Matthew's side.  We killed eleven birds with Fat Leo the Labrador's help (he hunted very well for the day) and then repaired to the club house for fellowship with friends the Montecristos and Mr. Daniels, an old acquaintance from Tennessee.   Then it was back to Chuck and Kathy's where the girls had prepared a wonderful luncheon of prime rib, roast potatoes, cranberry rice, and all the fixings.  We had fun playing games and make believe with the grand daughters and had a wonderful afternoon.  It is amazing how much fun those girls can have with a handful of pheasant and turkey feathers.  Ashley is doing a wonderful job rearing them without a lot of electronic over stimulation and whiz bang gadgets.  I believe they will in the long run be much better for it.

We  ended the weekend special events with a trip to the Palace Theatre to enjoy Christmas Carol, a stage adaptation of Dicken's famous work, yet another wonderful dinner, and finally we will go to Church for Christ the King Sunday.  I am so very thankful that my family is all back in Ohio for this Thanksgiving.   Whatever the future may hold, I cannot say enough times how blessed of God I am.

Goodbye Old Friend

Faithful Pat the white hound died today.  It was a freak accident,  An old blind and deaf dog wandered in front of a truck.  We were all broken hearted.  I have cried a lot today.

Some people divide their lives according to great events such as births and marriges.  Some establish their eras of living around military service or schools attended.  I have always imagined the calendar of my life according to the dogs who were by my side.  Pat joined our family through the kindness of friends at a very dark time for us all.  It now seems so long ago.  He was there for our rebirth, and our new home, and the real living into our beliefs as a family of Christians.  He was there when Ashley married, and when Tristan was deployed, and when the girls were born.  And now he is gone.  We buried him in a simple ceremony in the rose garden, and his grave will be marked by a white tea rose come spring.

Like Pat, so much of my world has passed in the last few weeks.  The electoral college spread in the recent elections here made it pretty clear to me that the demographic realities of the Republic have changed to such a degree that I am unlikely to see a major party presidential candidate who shares my philosophy of culture and government again.  The number of bishops who have been charged recently under the Episcopal Church's disciplinary canons would seem to indicate that my vision of what the Church should be is as endangered as my political philosophy.  But for all of the change, I remain optimistic about the future.  Jesus Christ still reigns, and all the feeble actions and attitudes of us men are firmly in the hand of God, guided ever so gently and lovingly by his holy providence.  Even when we oppose him, he is working through our disobedience to glorify himself and to bring us back to himself. 

I will miss Pat.  I already do.  I will miss what the Republic and the Anglican Communion have been.  But God who gives me breath will still reign, and he is faithful and true, as was old Pat.  There is something very comforting about remembering an old dog after the tears are dried and you come to terms with the fact that he is gone.  There is something very liberating about knowing that the game is over and you have lost.  It frees you to be yourself and to be faithful in a new and comforting way. 

Thank you Pat for being my friend.  As long as I live, you will have a place in my heart, and I will tend your rose as long as I am able.

Sermon for Christ the King Sunday 2012

Sermon for Christ the King Sunday
Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 25 November, 2012

The idea of celebrating anything to do with a monarchy, any monarchy, seems a little strange, a lot foreign, and rather suspicious. Our national ethos teaches us that kings are part of what our ancestors came here to escape. To most of us, even the nice ones, like they have in the UK or the Netherlands, are expensive diversions without much purpose. And yet on this “Sunday Next Before Advent,” our Holy Mother the Church calls us to celebrate “Christ the King Sunday.” What were they thinking?

Actually, “they” were continuing an ancient tradition of the people of God which allows us to consider anew the nature of God’s covenant with you and me. This covenant runs all the way back to Father Abraham, and even back to Adam and Eve. It was restated to all of us by the blood of Jesus, the blood of the everlasting covenant, and its “earnest money” or “surety” is found in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ on that first Easter. But to more fully appreciate the Covenant of God with his people, we must grasp the concept of kingship as it relates to Jesus, our liege lord and true sovereign.

A king is very different from a president. A president is chosen by people (and from among the people) to hold a particular term of executive office. If the people don’t like the job he or she does, they can vote for a new president. A president is usually bound by the actions of a legislature or court, and by the content of a constitution or body of customary case law. Kings of the biblical sort have no such limitations. At least in theory, their right to reign and rule is granted by God himself and confirmed by providence via lineage or conquest. They are not bound by law or constitution, because their word is the law and their will is the constitution. In a word, their power is absolute and they do not answer to the people they rule.

But they do answer to a higher principle, a form of “noblesse oblige” if you like. With the gift of sovereignty comes a responsibility to govern well with justice, and mercy, and wisdom. Herein lies the basis for the covenant God has provided for us. It actually appears in the Bible in the form of an ancient near eastern suzerainty treaty. It was a well known legal form in the ancient near east, and was very different from a contract, because the signatories were not equal in any way, shape, or form. It usually sounded something like this:

“I am the great and mighty king. I have conquered your armies in battle and seized your cities and herds, thus demonstrating to all the world that my god is greater than your god. My army is stronger than your army. My desire is now your law.”

“Because I am gracious and just and merciful, I will rebuild your cities and provide security for your economic and personal pursuits. I will institute equitable laws and a court system that will enable you to prosper and live in peace. No one makes me do this and you do not necessarily deserve it. I do it because I choose to do it.”

“I expect you to follow the laws I establish and live peaceably with each other. Know that I will not tolerate rebellion of any kind, and I expect you to translate the loyalty you gave to your former king to me, because your former kings are not kings at all.”

“If you follow my expectations, you and your children will live in peace and prosperity. If you do not, I will kill you, destroy your homes, break up your families, and sterilize your land with salt.”

“I am the great and mighty king.”

Now, let me rephrase this covenant form as the everlasting covenant of God with his people:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. I created you, loved you, and have given you chance after chance to do the right thing. Although you are a rebellious people, and have turned away from me time after time, I have chosen you for my own reasons to bear the good news of how men and women might be reconciled to me, to all the nations of the world.”

“Because I am merciful and loving, I will set you apart as a special nation of priests and kings who will have the privilege of sharing my love with everyone. I expect you to maintain a particular lifestyle and form of worship that I will prescribe, and I will give you an ability beyond your own to rely on me and accomplish this mission. You will be known as my special people.”

“If you follow in this path to which I have called you and for which I have set you apart, I will bless you richly in this world and in the world to come. You will have persecutions because many will not understand what I call you to do, and many more, who prosper from their rebellion against me in the short run, will see you as a threat to their interests. But in spite of their opposition, I will use you to build my church, and there you will find meaning, and a sense of belonging, and peace.”

“To demonstrate the truth of this arrangement, I will send my only Son to die for the punishments that you deserve for your bad behavior. By his life he will show you how I want you to live and he will demonstrate the attitudes and motives I want you to have. To prove the depth of my love I will do this. To prove that it is all true, after three days, my Son will come back to life, and in him, you will see the sort of existence you will taste in this world, and which you will enjoy in the afterlife.”

“If you accept these terms, ask forgiveness for your past sins of rebellion and evil toward me and your neighbors, believe that my Son Jesus can enable you to do all of these things, and do your best to live according to my plan, I will bless you while you live and you will be with me forever after your death. If you do not accept these terms and behave like your acceptance is genuine, you will suffer the results of your own plotting and conniving in this world, and after you die, you will be separated from me and from hope forever. You will feel an aloneness that no person has ever known.”

“I am you Creator and your God, and I love you.”

In the diplomatic forms of the ancient Sumerians, that is God’s offer to you and to me. God the Father has designated his Son Jesus to be our Liege Lord and Sovereign King, and has in his mercy sent upon us the Holy Spirit to give us strength to live into this relationship with our King. He has established the Church as the ark of safety, the dispenser of the Sacraments, and the proclaimer of Scripture to teach us and guide us. He has given us each other and every Christian who has ever lived as a supernatural family to help us along the way. In Holy Baptism, the people of God celebrated the fact that we were adopted into this family. In Confirmation, we as adults publicly reaffirmed our decision to implement the promises of our Baptism. In Holy Communion, we receive God’s gift of the body and blood of Jesus to give us grace and strength and assurance to live into this covenant with our king for yet another day. We come to this holy place to say to all the world that we have decided to follow Jesus Christ as our King, to live under his banner that all the world might know the love of God. By our constancy and our attitudes and our behavior people will come to see the truth of what God offers to everyone made in his image.

Are you up to the challenge today? Are you willing to change when some area of your life or some attitude or behavior fails to match God’s expectations? Are you willing to trust God enough to take the risks involved in sharing the love you have found with others in a life of service and ministry in the Name of Jesus? Then stand with me as together we affirm our faith in the words of the Nicene Creed. Kneel with me as we bring our needs before the throne of God. Along with me, confess your sins with a sorrowful heart and an honest desire to change when it is needed. And then join me at this altar of the living God as we renew our allegiance to Jesus Christ the true and living King. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

Sermon for 18 November: Hebrews 10:11-25

Sermon for the Twenty Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, MMXII
Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 18 November, 2012
Proper 28B: Hebrews 10:11-25

Reconstruction of Solomon's Temple
from The Bible Museum in Amsterdam

Saint John's Episcopal Church, Lancaster, Ohio, USA

God’s love for us is so marvelous, so far reaching, so creative, that he has built into the development of every culture, every people, and every person points of contact which in his providential time might help us to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Pope Gregory the Great understood this when he counseled Abbot Miletus to hold feasts of the martyrs in places where the pagan Anglo-Saxons had worshipped devils- that those who walked in darkness might be more apt to come to the light of Christ. But if God plants the seed of faith in every culture, he planted it most clearly in the history and culture of Israel, and in that faith which scholars name Jewish Temple Worship.

When after his resurrection Jesus walked the road to Emmaus with the disciples, the Bible tells us that their hearts burned within them as he explained to them “in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Lk 24:27) The early Church treasured this teaching of how God revealed himself through prophetic word and sacrament in ancient Israel, and the Book of Hebrews is the Holy Ghost inspired and superintended record of much of what Jesus shared on the road that day as he opened the Scriptures to them and revealed himself in the breaking of bread.

This brief introduction brings us up to today’s second lesson, where we are invited to discover the deeper significance of what Jesus did for you, and for me. It is only fitting that we should discuss the significance of temple worship here at St. John’s, where we figuratively come up the mountain by climbing the long flight of steps at the front of our church, pass between Jachin and Boaz, the great columns at the west end of the temple, and enter this parish church, which shares the same dimensions as King Solomon’s Temple, where the priests described in today’s lesson laboured in the service of God.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews describes in some detail how the daily Rota of the sons of Aaron and Levi served according to the law of Moses to provide that sacred sacrificial link between God and his chosen people, the Jews. With the exception of the seventy years of captivity, these faithful men offered the appointed sacrifices in the appointed way for over a thousand years; sometimes in tabernacle, sometimes in temple, but always according to the plan God had revealed to his servant Moses. They provided for all who would see a picture of God’s plan for reconciling the world to himself. Every day they assembled to do what God had commanded, but every day ended with the need to repeat the sacrifices and rites on the following day, because no amount of blood from beasts could heal the wound of sin that separated men and women from God.

And then Jesus came into the world. He lived among us to demonstrate to all people what attitudes and actions God would have to characterize our lives. He was God of God, because he was the incarnate Second Person of the Holy and Blessed Trinity, the Son. He was uncreated and eternal, and had always been with the Father and the Spirit. And of his own free will and accord, he became one of us to demonstrate the degree to which God the Father loves you and me. He was fully human because of the ministry and vocation of Blessed Mary the Virgin, Theotokos, his mother. And then, he did the most amazing thing. He willingly submitted to an unjust death at the hands of those he came to show this love of God. It was not just the Jewish leaders, or the Jerusalem mob, or the Roman Soldiers who murdered him that day. We were all there because of the sins we have committed against God’s holiness, and his love, and his righteousness, and his justice, and his peace. We were there in a very real sense when the mob cried out “His blood be upon us and upon our children. Crucify him!” The Bible tells us that he could have called it off at any time, but he did not. He willingly took upon himself all of our sins, individual and corporate. There is no evil act, or thoughtless oversight, or uncaring attitude which has ever or will ever occur that was not borne by Jesus on the cross that day.

And when he died he said, “It is accomplished!” And the great veil of the temple, a full hand’s breadth in thickness, which hung just about where I stand, and shielded the sanctum sanctorum, the holy of holies, from all but the high priest, was torn asunder by the miraculous hand of God. And from that day to the end of time, there is no need for the sacrifice of bulls or goats, for the Lamb of God died to take away the sins of the world! “Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain…” (see text of lesson) therefore let us approach our Loving God and Heavenly Father with the full assurance that the price of our disobedience has been paid by the blood of Jesus, freely given as the gift of love for you and for me. No more is it necessary to multiply sacrifice upon sacrifice. Circumcision has been perfected in the waters of Baptism and Seder has been completed in Eucharist. And we are set apart as the people of God. Old things are passed away and all things are made new. Our sins have been put away once and for all by the more perfect sacrifice. By the blood of the everlasting covenant we are reconciled to God. The shame and power of our sins have been broken and we can live new lives of hope and change and victory in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And now, the Lamb who was slain lives again in the power of the Resurrection. He calls us who have been baptized and washed in pure water to meet together, which we do this day. He calls us to encourage each other and to provoke each other to love and good deeds. He calls us to live with each other in hope, our lives directed by true hearts filled with that assurance which comes of faith. For today the prophesy of Blessed Jeremiah is fulfilled among us. As we enter this new and everlasting covenant because Jesus has fulfilled the prophesies of the sacrificial system, God writes his law, his motives if you will, upon our hearts and our minds. He fulfills his promise to remember our sins and our lawless deeds no more. He gives us the ability and charges us with the expectation that we will strive to live according to his way, revealed in all of the Scriptures, modeled in the life of Jesus Christ, and seen with regularity among those of us who name the Name of Jesus as our Saviour and our Lord, our Brother and our Friend, and our Master.

Go forth this day in the knowledge that your sins have been put away once and for all by the blood of Jesus, which has ushered the Everlasting Covenant into our lives. Live as did Jesus, in conformity to the teachings of the Bible and in the hope of eternal life. And provoke one another to love and good deeds. In the Name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Ghost. AMEN.

The Deeper Meaning of Christmas

Rector's Rambling: December 2012

At the Grotto in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity
Where Jesus Christ came among us

Gregory of Nazianzus was a Cappadocian Father who served as Bishop of Constantinople and lived in the fourth century.  He was a close friend of Blessed Basil the Great and Blessed Gregory of Nyssa.  In his "Letter to Cledonius," he gives to the universal Church a rich understanding of the true nature of what happened that first Christmas, and of its importance in the life of the Christian.

"For we do not separate the man from the Godhead; we teach that he is one and the same.  Formerly, he was not man, but only God the Son, before all ages, unconnected with a body or anything corporeal.  But in time he became man also, assuming manhood for our salvation; passable in the flesh, impassable in the Godhead; limited in the body, unconfined in the spirit; on the earth and at the same time in heaven; belonging to the visible world, and also to the intelligible order of being; comprehensible and also incomprehensible; so that man as a whole, since he had fallen into sin, might be fashoned afresh by one who was wholly man and at the same time God."

These words seem strange and theological to modern Christian ears, but they break through the sentimentality of so much of our seasonal celebrations to underline the fact that God's love for you and me was so great that it led him to alter the very fabric of heaven and earth to accomplish our "fashoning afresh" into his own image.  Understood through the mind of this holy man, the assurance of John 3:16 that "so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..." takes on a deeper and more mysterious meaning , and calls us to examine our lives with profound intensity during this Advent and Christmastide.

What does it mean to be "fashoned afresh?"  Clement of Alexandria says that he "forgives our sins and educates us to be free from sin." (Christ the Educator I.3.7) Hilary of Poitiers says that " he gives us confidence that a lower nature can be born into a higher condition." (On The Trinity 9.4)  Cyril of Alexandria says that "He opened up the way for human nature to incorruption and despoiled hell, taking pity on the souls who were imprisoned there." (First Letter to Succensus 9) 

In our preparations to celebrate the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, we might all ask the questions raised by these Fathers of the Church.  Am I a new creature in Jesus Christ? Has my relationship with him caused me to be transformed into one whose life is more filled with love, and discipline, and understanding, and submission to God's will as revealed in Holy Scripture than it was before I answered his call?  Have those bars of sin, and bad habits, and addictions which imprisoned me been broken by him who "despoiled hell" and "opened up the way" for my nature to work toward incorruption?  Can it honestly be said that my life is now illustrative of a "higher condition" of love and respect and obedience and better attitudes than it was before Jesus Christ "fashoned me afresh?"

In this blessed and holy time, might we all honestly ask those questions which will lead us to more perfectly experience the true miracle of Christmas.  Might we receive with joy and humility this great gift that God the Father gave to us all when he altered the very fabric of heaven and earth to accomplish our salvation.

Blessed Advent and Happy Christmas to us all.

Bill+

Choosing to Make a Bad Day Good

Rebecca and I awoke today to a slow winter rain.  After looking after the animals, I spent a bit of time in the greenhouse potting tulip and muscara for winter forced blooming, and burying some pine seeds from Scotland for winter hardening and sprouting.  As I write, Faithful Pat is asleep by the fire, and the terriers are at wood's edge doing their job.  They seem to have trapped a mouse or chipmunk in a length of six inch field drainage pipe, and there is a dog at each end, growling and shaking the pipe furiously, but to no avail.  If they would put as much energy into catching the mouse who seems to have taken up residence in the air return over the wood stove, it would be nice, but then that might be asking too much of them.

Over the weekend, I had occasion to attend a business meeting which I've never really enjoyed.  It is a very necessary annual event, but not my favorite way to spend two of my normal days off.  There have been some years past where I came home with a terrible headache, and one or two where something very akin to depression has grown from my participation.  But I determined this year that I would take steps to remedy the situation.  As I looked at the calendar and schedule of events, It became clear that there were some rather significant gaps where my attention might not be completely necessary. First, I determined to break away on the first night and enjoy a wonderful dinner with friends at Claddagh Irish Pub (http://www.claddaghirishpubs.com/) in the brewrey district of town .   We laughed, ate, and generally had a wonderful time.  Secondly, I noted that my fraternity, the Northern Jurisdiction of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (http://www.scottishritenmj.org/), was meeting in town for their annual fall reunion.  Better yet, the meeting location was only a few miles by freeway from the location of my business meeting.  To make a long story short, I decided to duck out and take in a couple of degrees and the wonderful baked steak luncheon that the Valley of Columbus feeds her members at reunions.  Again, my heart was refreshed by the teaching of the degrees and my belly was filled with good food, and there was laughter and fellowship all around.  I think Rebecca was amazed that I was in such a good mood when I got home.

The moral of the story is that even in the midst of things we cannot control, careful planning can make our lives much more pleasant than they would have been without thoughtful preparation.  Sometimes, our necessary vocations put us in places we might wish to avoid, and duty demands that we persevere.  But even in the most difficult of situations, when we choose to value the good around us, and to spend time with kindred spirits and friends old and new, a reality we dread can be made much more bearable, and even acceptable.  I hope all of you, my gentle readers, might find this to be true in your own situations.  A bit of time spent making a good and flexible plan can be the difference between a wonderful day and one that is awful.

Preparing to Give Thanks

Norman Rockwell's American Icon: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just around the corner here in the US.  It is a grand time of year, with low key family gatherings, lots of seasonal food, some time afield, and "Low Sunday" sorts of Church services.  With the passing of Diocesan Convention this weekend, I am starting to gear up for the day.  Next week, I will sit down for an extended lunch with my United Methodist and Roman Catholic colleagues and we will plan our ecumenical service for the year.  There is not much planning involved besides determining who will preach, but it is a wonderful chance to renew friendships and let things run themselves, which is so much in keeping with the spirit of this holiday for so much of rural and suburban America. 

This year is particularly satisfying for us because all of the family is here in Ohio again.  Tristan will be home from University, and Ashley, Matthew, and the girls are just an hour away in Athens.  Everyone is as safe as can be, and the joy of children's laughter rolls through the woods and across the fields as it did two decades ago.  On Wednesday afternoon, Ashley brought the girls up for a visit.  They immediately dived into the dress up bag and came out attired as fairy princesses, complete with tiarras and magic wands for "enchanting" any unfortunate dog, chicken, or horse they happened to encounter.  Then it was "wellies on" and to the barn to feed apples to the equines and to determine what chickens they would take to their farm with them in the weeks and months to come.  From there we wandered over the back pasture and into the woods to visit the old hunting cabin (a marvelous adventure when you are only three feet tall!) Back at the house, we piled into Grammy's garden wagon with "golden Jesus and picture Jesus" (only my grand-daughters are allowed to loot the family chapel with impunity) for a ride around and around and down the lane to collect the mail.  Then, finally, we returned to the house for tea and a story before traveling for dinner to a local Albanian restaurant and then home to Athens. 

Presidential politics and Ecclesial disputes seem so far away here at Briarwood.  The clean air and the occasional smell of wood smoke seem to wash away the cares of the world.  The love of family and the comfort of a faithful dog, the aroma of a newly groomed horse, and the crisp taste of homeade cider make the unrelenting realities of the broader world seem so remote, and clear my heart to concentrate on those things which are truly important: my God, my family, and giving thanks.

Hail The Conquering Hero

Faithful Pat The White Hound

When I arrived home this afternoon, both terriers were barking at the south end of the barn.  I assumed they were bothering my chickens, who were on pasture for the day.  But as I passed the sawdust bin, I saw the body of a red fox draped across a stack of concrete bags.  Closer inspection revealed that it was still warm and limp.  Neither terrier was bloodied, so I placed the carcass where they couldn't get it, checked my birds, and returned to the house to change and do chores.  Faithful Pat, the white hound, was waiting for me at the back door of the house.  He was seriously bloodied and had a deep gash across the top of his head, revealing his bare skull.  He didn't seem to be in pain, and so I slipped a lead on him, walked him to the Jeep, and drove him to the vet, who assures me that with a few stitches he will be as good as new.  I pick him up tomorrow morning. 

For some ten years, Pat has been my primary line of defense against deer, racoons, fox, coyotes, and other mid to large sized animals who left to themselves would decimate my gardens, kill my birds, and generally wreak havoc on the farm.  While I have lost a few chickens, lettuce, and cabbage from time to time, and more than my fair share of quail and pheasants on one or two occasions, Pat's presence has been a consistant and generally non lethal deterrent to maurading creatures in the neighborhood.

But today, the game was obviously more serious.  Herr Todd had designs on my laying flock, and a thirteen year old dog, retired and well past his prime, did exactly what he was bred and kept to do, at no small cost to himself.  I salute his courage  and look forward to his triumphant homecoming tomorrow morning.  He will have a place of honour by the fire, and I might even cook him steak and eggs for supper tomorrow night.

It is said that the High Kings of ancient Ireland kept special packs of white hounds which were valued for their courage, faithfulness, and sporting ability.  I don't know if my Pat carries their bloodline, but he certainly exhibits their characteristics.  Thank you Pat for a job well done.  Might we all be as true to our calling as you have been today.

As for Mr. Fox, I will take him to the taxidermist tomorrow morning.  His beauty will entrance children and visitors for years to come. 

Icons of Christ: the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever

I've been reminded over the past few days of how easily institutions can fail to meet our expectations.  In the midst of those musings, I was reminded of him who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  In the idleness of my mind, I began to cast around for some tangible object which could be for me an icon of him who will never leave me or forsake me.  I sought some common and yet constant reminder which models if you will consistancy and unchanging functional goodness so completely that it might become for me a picture of something much greater than itself.  I imagined some Platonic "shadow" which might point me to the true form of all that is constant and true: Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour; and my Master.

Barbour's Beaufort Jacket

As I pondered these things, I decided to retire to the TV Lounge and wax my old Barbour shooting jacket.  When Rebecca surprized me with it a few years back, it was right out of a fashonplate, glistening dark green with a brown courdoury collar, brass zippers, the trademark tartan lining, and a quilted removable liner which could double as a vest underneath a tweed or herringbone jacket.  Now, it is well worn.  With its broken game pocket zipper and the odd tear or hole here or there, it is a veteran of many hunts.  Rebecca says it stinks and tells me that I ought not to wear it, save to the barn or afield.  I prefer to think of it as a bit "birdy," and take some rather unseemly pride in the fact that it marks me apart from those shooters, hunters, and horsey types that only roll out for the opening day of the season or for the odd horse or dog show.

And so I sat down with my old friend and a very overpriced can of "Barbour Original Formula Wax  Thornproof Dressing."  It took two full episodes of Inspector Barnaby and DS Scott in "Midsomer Murders" to repair last year's tears and to wax the jacket, with special attention to the seams.  But now it glistens with the soft gleam of fresh wax and hangs at the base of the stairs with my faded old Orvis Crusher Fedora, ready for yet another season.  It will keep me absolutely dry without the stifling odor of manmade fibers or the collected heat of a plastic or rubber shell.  Like all Barbour coats, it is cut for the specific sport for which it was designed, and I can swing right to left on a high pass  pheasant as if I were wearing only a light shirt.  My Barbour Beaufort shooting jacket has all of the function and style it had the day we bought it at Mad River Outfitters in Columbus.  It is just about as consant and true as any physical thing I own, even after these years of hard use on the farm and in the field. 

Now, when I look around me and see so many of the things I love passing into history, I look down at my barn coat and smile, because some things- the truly important things- never change.  It may seem strange to some of my gentle readers to think of a shooting coat as an icon of the Christ.  But there are many things in this great world which he can and does use to remind us of his faithfulness and changelessness.  I will never willingly give up the beautiful hand written Icon of Christ that cousin Helen brought back for me from Kiev.  And I doubt that my good friends at Holy Cross Carpathian Orthodox Church will be hanging up a Barbour jacket on the iconostasis anytime soon.  But when I don my faithful old friend on a cold and rainy winter's day, I will always think of Jesus, who saved me, and keeps me, and who will come again to receive me as his own.

Jesus Christ, by Heinrich Hoffman
My Constant in the Midst of Change