| Parish of St. Edward the Confessor Daily Lenten/Easter Reflections |
 |
Holy
Saturday
March 22, 2008 By Tom Threlkeld |
|
| Reading 1 |
| Psalm |
| Reading 2 |
| Gospel |
|
Text
of Reflection: For me Holy Saturday has always been like a hold-your-breath reaction, that moment when we know something big is on the way, but has not arrived. My senses are at full alert, looking, listening and hoping. I suspect the Israelites experienced this reaction in a BIG way upon departure from Egypt, Jesus’ disciples in a HUGE way after the crucifixion and for myself in a small way a few weeks ago when I accepted the Chief’s invitation to fill the office of Chaplain for JVFD. As Chaplain, I will be delivering the invocation at the annual firefighters banquet, a first in many ways. The invocation text, the result of my prayers and preparation is shared below. I suspect you are not a firefighter, but as a disciple you my find the invocation useful as one response to Matthew 28: 10 “Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid! Go and carry the news to my brothers”. When you finish reading the invocation, I invite you to memorize Numbers 6:24-26 and whisper it to all. ________________________________________________________________ Jonesville Voluntary Fire Department 2008 Banquet Invocation To call upon for assistance, support or inspiration - the first definition of the word invoke. To whom shall we call? What assistance, support or inspiration is needed? When shall we call? Let’s consider each of these questions. As firefighters, family of firefighters and friends of firefighters we will have diverse answers. Well maybe the answers have some common ground. Let’s take a look at this fellow named Moses, born into poverty, raised in the Pharaoh’s household, a refugee in a foreign land, protector of people, a person who draws water for wells, finds water in rocks and commands huge quantities of water to move and was a protector of people. Don’t you think with that background Moses could be a firefighter? Let’s see if we can use Moses to help answer the three questions:
Exodus 3: 1-3 “Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Median. Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horab the mountain of God. There an angle of the Lord appeared to him in the fire flaming out of a bush. He look on and was surprised to see the bush though on fire was not consumed. So Moses decided, “ I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned” To answer the first question: To whom shall we call?, it turns out Moses did not call, he responded to a call. Does this sound like the tones going out from fire control to Jonesville? What about the bush that does not burn, are there two kinds of fire? There is certainly a fire that takes and destroys property and people. I propose there is another kind of fire that gives. When the tones sound, our hearts are like the bush receiving a fire that does not burn. The fire that gives and does not burn calls Moses, firefighters, all of us to action. Exodus 3:10-11 “ Come, now! I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt? He answered, “I will be with you” There is no answer to the second question: What assistance, support or inspiration is needed?, Moses, firefighters, all of us are called to the unknown, what we need, will be made know, once we are on scene. We are called by the fire in our hearts that does not consume to be on scene, the fire that does not consume will provide what we need. The third question: When shall we call? appears to be incorrect. Should the question be: When should we listen? Because the fire that does not burn is always calling, sometimes we just fail to listen when the tones are not sounding. When we are listening, how do we respond? Numbers 6:22-27 the Lord said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.” So now I invite all the people in this room to stand, join hands, and looking at the eyes of those across the table whisper to one and all, remember respond in a whisper that maybe only you can hear. The Lord bless you and keep you! Pause . . . and whisper The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! Pause . . . and whisper The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! Pause
Please be seated. As we all know we can and do ignite a fire on our hearts that consumes ourselves, our family and our friends, a fire that takes. Remember the fire that does not burn is always calling, your job is to listen. We whisper the blessing because we can use it anytime, maybe the blessing is just a thought. A whisper will not interfere with our listening. AMEN |