Reverenda Heidi

I don’t spend too much time in cities, and so last week when travelling to see my son, daughter-in-law and grandson I was struck once again how much black city dwellers wear.   Why is black so popular in major cities (at least major northern hemisphere cities)?  Here are some possible practical answers:  It doesn’t show dirt.  It looks sophisticated.  Black makes one look slim. It absorbs heat on cold winter days.  Everything matches black.   It’s a city “uniform”, and doesn’t require much thinking to get dressed in the morning.  We all went to Disneyland one day, and even there all the adults seemed to be wearing black.

Clearly it is not a liturgical choice!  The only day in the church year to wear black is on Good Friday.   Now, in May, we continue in the Easter season.  If there was any time not to wear black it would be for the Great 50 days of Easter!

Even at funerals these days, more and more people are wearing white instead of black.  I always wear a white clergy shirt at funerals and Easter to symbolize resurrection.  We have been using white hangings  on the altar at funerals for many years now.  White is for hope and purity and assurance of our resurrection to new life with Christ.

There has been a great ad by Target recently showing acrobats tumbling out of a colorful hot air balloon and touching people to turn their clothes from black to bright colors.  The message from Target is that it’s Spring and time for a new wardrobe.  Our message from Jesus Christ is that a new wardrobe is always called for when we are brought to new, resurrection life.  Can we make our outsides match our insides, and vice versa?

It is a glorious Easter morning.  The full moon is setting in the West as the sun rises in the East.  The pear blossoms are open, and Connecticut looks like it will become the 17th state without the death penalty.  We will join modern civilization with this step, and will not be a party to sacrificing human life any longer.

I can hear my grandson in the other room squealing with joy because he just found his Easter basket.   We will have two beautiful celebrations at church this morning due to the efforts of so many people working together at Trinity Church.  What more could one want!  Christ is risen!  Alleluia!

One more day until Easter.  One more day of waiting for Christ to be raised from the dead, and the bloom of new life to open, and thrive within us.  One more day to wait until “Christ Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and of death.  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh could not do.” (Romans 8:2-3)  God sent his own Son to us to deal with sin forever. Thanks be to God.  We look forward with great joy for the new fire to be kindled tonight at the Easter Vigil and the light of Christ to be spread to each one of us candle by candle!

We have arrived at the darkest day of the year.  At Trinity Church we will honor the death of Jesus with the Way of the Cross at noon and a service of music and reflections at 7 PM.  Wherever you have had to walk in the footsteps of Jesus remember that also like Jesus, we can be assured of resurrection life.

Today at Trinity Church in Lime Rock we will celebrate the Last Supper at Noon.  Jesus ate and drank with his disciples for the last time before his arrest and crucifixion at this meal.  It was there that Jesus gave the words that we now say at every celebration of the Holy Communion, “Take, eat, this is my body.”   This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.  Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”  Mark 14: 22b, 24-25

The sacrament of the Eucharist is thereby given to us from Christ.  Whether individuals receive it as transubstantiated body and blood, or as the real presence of Jesus, or as a memorial of the holy event is in the hands of God, and the heart of the person taking communion.  That Jesus intended for the disciples to be fed and strengthened by Christ in spirit and in body is clear is what is of foremost importance.

A tiny palm cross ready for our services this morning.  It’s always such a strange mystery that this service starts in joy and ends in sorrow. We, the crowd, shout, “Hosannah!” in joy at Jesus’ triumphal entry, and then shout “Crucify him!” in a matter of a few short minutes.

2 Corinthinans 4:6-10    “For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.   But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.   We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.”

This is St. Francis who lives in my garden.  He was given to me by a good friend, and he waits for the coming seasons with the “patience of a saint”.

One of the psalms for today is my all time favorite.  It says what the psalmist is, or hopes to be.  I think of it as what I wish to aim for on a daily basis.

Psalm 131

O Lord, I am not proud; I have no haughty looks.

I do not occupy myself with great matters, or with things that are too hard for me.

But I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother’s breast; my soul is quieted within me.

O Israel, wait upon the LORD, form this time forth for evermore.

Psalm 130   De profundis

1       Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice; *  let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.

2       If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, *  O Lord, who could stand?

3       For there is forgiveness with you; *   therefore you shall be feared.

4       I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; *  in his word is my hope.

5       My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, *  more than watchmen for the morning.

6       O Israel, wait for the Lord, *  for with the Lord there is mercy;

7       With him there is plenteous redemption, *  and he shall redeem Israelf rom all their sins.