Greetings,
This has been a week of interesting contrasts. Well, most weeks actually are, but this week
they seemed to be more stark, or perhaps more profound than usual. Most of you know that I do not believe in
coincidences. I believe in the amazing
work of God which we are only able to glimpse and at times be aware of the
movement of the Spirit.
We started off with meeting one of the military flights
at BWI
Marshall Airport, and about midnight a young lieutenant came by and stopped to shake my hand and thank me
for the blessing, which is not that unusual, though they are usually in a hurry
to make their next connection. However,
he took me aback when he thanked me for the third blessing. This was his third tour, once in Iraq and
twice in Afghanistan, and beyond all odds, he remembered me being there to
bless him the first two times. Thanks be
to God that he continues to be safe, with only minor injuries. Yet, there is the possibility he will go out
again. If not him, then others. When will our leaders have to courage to not
only recognize the folly of our course of actions, but to bring them to a
halt. The news of another foiled bomb
plot, or potential terrorist attack certainly reminds us that there are so many
who hate our country and who want to do us harm. I am always thankful for all of those who are
working to keep us safe. The fighting in
Afghanistan is not what is keeping us safe, and perpetuates the
problems which every nation fighting there has experienced in the past 200
years. You know what they say about
doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Pray for peace. Pray for the safety of all our military
forces serving in harms way.
The next event is one of those mixed response items. Some members of the “Group” will be pleased
to learn that our pug, Marina,
died on Tuesday. We are sad, and already
miss her, but we know that her ailments were becoming painful and there was
nothing the vet could do to help her.
Roberta had dogs as she was growing up, and except for about 5 years
when we met and married, she has not been without a dog in her home. And for me this is the first time to be
without a dog since 1974. I have been
planning to get a canary, but I don’t know what Roberta will decide regarding
another dog – for now, no.
On Wednesday I had one of those occasions when you get to
see something of the outcome of actions which took place long ago, in this case
39 years ago. As a very troubled and
confused son of Jewish parents, a young man stood in the kitchen of the St. John’s of Hamilton United Methodist Church in Baltimore and talked with me, once more, about his life and
its hopelessness. Now he holds four
degrees, including a Masters in Theology from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore,
is the father of two adult children, and is active in his Church and is the
leader of one of the Home Churches in that congregation. After not seeing each other for 36 years, he
called me and we had lunch. He repeated
word for word everything I had said to him in that kitchen so long ago, and
told me it was truly the event which changed his life – all thanks and praise
to our most Gracious, Loving, Healing and Saving God.
Oh, and our old friend from so many years ago at
Chiapparelli’s, Steve Kuehn is now a member of his Home Church.
On Thursday we went to the Oriole game and while waiting
to eat at Dempsey’s, a young man came up and said that he had seen me on
television with the so-called leader of the Free World, and was now prompted to
lay before me his problems, thinking that if I was in with important people, I
would be able to help him. The first
thing was to explain that I could not help him, but Jesus could. Which immediately reminded me of that kitchen
conversation so many years ago. Of
course, I do not expect to be here in 39 years to find out how it all turned
out, but will just trust God for the outcome.
Friday, after the usual busy morning schedule, David
Jacobson picked me up so we could go to St. Mary’s Seminary for three
presentations taking 5 ½ hours over the afternoon and evening by N. T. Wright,
the man Newsweek calls “the world’s
leading New Testament scholar.” He is
the retired Bishop of Durham, England, a professor, and author of over 70
books, with two more in the works. I had
selected one of his books, Surprised by
Hope, for our Spring Retreat and it was very well received by out clergy
group. At that time I jokingly said that
it was very nice to find someone who agreed with me. Dr.
Wright was indeed brilliant, inspiring, challenging, and enjoyable. David takes a class at the Ecumenical
Institute of Theology in St. Mary’s, is very well thought of by the Dean of the
Institute, and therefore was invited to an event on Thursday to meet Dr. Wright
and his wife, and to attend the Seminary graduation where Dr. Wright
spoke. Therefore, I found it tempting to
pride, but also satisfying in the sense of approving, when David said that it
was interesting to hear from Dr. Wright the same things which I had been saying
since David starting working with me. Of
course, David was too polite to say that Dr. Wright said them so much better.
Dr. Wright is clearly calling for an authentic
examination of the scriptures to understand who and what we are as Christians,
and for us to act out of that understanding to bring about the renewal of the
Church in the world. This is what we
have been talking about, and working at for many years now in our clergy groups
and through The American Inklings. It is
very reassuring and encouraging to know that others, including important
leaders in the Church, are thinking the same way and working toward the same
goals. This truly is the power of the
Holy Spirit at work in the world today. You
and I have the opportunity to be a part of work of Jesus through the Spirit, to
the glory of God.
It was quite a week.
Thanks be to God.
Yours & His,
DED
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