I don’t often write follow up Reflections, but the number of comments I received on my last one about vacations moved me to do so.
Last week I wrote about our recent family vacation. I asked if it really is a vacation when it is with the family. It was a humorous assertion but it does have a slight bit of truth to it. That is, although it may not be the put-your-toes-in-the-sand and relax type of vacation, it was nevertheless a highlight of my year and my life. The centerpiece of difficulty – sharing a queen size bed with my active 6-year old whom I nicknamed Sir-kicks-a-lot – is, perhaps paradoxically, the center of precious memory, too. As a result of that column, many people shared their favorite vacation stories with me. Some of these folks have been on very nice, empty-nester, vacations. Yet, when recalling their favorite vacation memories, they don’t mention the trips to France, the Mediterranean, or European river cruises. They talk about being stranded in Yellowstone with a flat tire and screaming kids during a lightning storm. I heard stories about sharing beds with children and finding themselves sleeping on the floor with only a bath towel for a blanket. I have a friend who had to sleep on a hammock strung across the two front seats of his family’s camper. Others had to fold down the rickety kitchen table of their travel trailer so their kids could sleep on lumpy cushions. My parents reminded me of our trip from Tacoma to Denver. The day we left, the starter on our VW van went out. We had to push-start the van during the entire trip. To this day I can push start any vehicle that has a manual clutch. These are the vacation memories that we hold onto. And I got to share in many such memories just because I wrote an honest column about the ups and downs of family time together. This view on family vacations has given me new insight into reading the Bible. What if each story of the Bible is like someone remembering their family vacations. We don’t hear about the times that Jesus walked into a town and everything went smoothly. Or the places where Saint Paul didn’t get arrested for proclaiming Christ crucified. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years. But, we don’t hear about the times they got along or what the sunset looked like. One of the most remembered stories of Jesus is when he calmed a storm. The disciples were in fear of sinking the boat and drowning while Jesus slept. They woke him up, he calmed the storm, and then asked where their faith was. They made a lot of boat trips but we only hear of the family-vacation type events. I imagine that years later, they’d say, “Hey, do you remember when we left Jesus and then he had to walk on water to catch up to us?” Yup, the family vacations with the flat tires, broken starters, and kids in bed who kick. And since we Christians are a family of sorts it all makes sense. Fr. Tolley shared stories with me on Sunday afternoon. With a twinkle in his eye, he told me that in twenty years from now, I’d probably give anything to go back to the vacation where I had to share a bed with Sir-kicks-a-lot. I’ll bet my friend would love to go back to the time he had to sleep across the front seats of their camper. I yearn to go back to my teenage years for one more sailing trip with my Dad. Years after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, I imagine the apostles yearned for the boat trip when Jesus calmed the storm. We seem to know only in retrospect there’s nothing better than family trips. -Fr. Marshall I recently took a week of vacation. My in-laws rented a house in the small town of La Mission which is at the 65 kilometer marker between Rosarito and Ensenada, Baja Mexico. The house was big enough to house nine people – the Marshall’s, Christi’s parents, and our 25-year old daughter, Victoria, and her husband and almost-4-year-old son who were visiting from Miami. Situated on the beach, the living room had sliding glass walls that opened up to the entire expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
This past Sunday I was asked if it truly is a vacation if you travel with your family or is it the same stuff with a better view. In typical Anglican fashion, I answered, “Yes and no.” No in the sense that the Marshalls' sleeping quarters consisted of two queen size beds. This meant I got to share a bed with Sir-kicks-a-lot, our 6-year old, who decided to wake me up every morning just after dawn. And no, we still had food prep, cleaning, refereeing, entertaining and everything else that goes with parenting and grand-parenting. And also “no” because Mexico brings its own charms and pitfalls. We had to be vigilant with drinking water, there was no lifeguard at the beach, there is a language and culture barrier, and we frankly missed the ease of simply going to the store if we needed something. But then there is a “yes” side to that question. Yes, it was a vacation. I got some down time. I spent a whole bunch of time with my family. Literally, I was side-by-side with Elijah for a majority of the 24 hours of each day – including 8 hours at night. Christi and I got an evening where we just listened to the surf as the sun set. I got to connect with my daughter and to grow closer to my son-in-law and grandson. And, I had the joy of watching my in-laws enjoy spending quality time with their grandchildren and great-grandchild. A vacation highlight was Sunday morning. By the time others were awake, I already had my wetsuit on. I grabbed my boogie board and headed out into the surf. It felt like I had the entire ocean to myself. Because it was early and foggy, I didn’t need a hat, sunglasses or even sun screen. As I stepped onto the wet sand, I said aloud, “Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…” I recited Morning Prayer while getting used to the cold water. I was knee deep by the time I recited Psalm 95 and waist deep by the time I recalled the Gospel lesson. I said the confession (and offered my own absolution) by the time I was chest deep, and I said the Apostles Creed while riding a giant six-foot wave onto the beach. I sang a hymn while diving under waves waiting for the right one to ride. I said the Lord’s Prayer while riding one of the best waves in my life and said my prayers while lying in three inches of saltwater sprawled out on the beach. And then, while riding another monster wave, I prayed, “You have promised that when two or three are gathered together in his Name; or just me on this beach with you; God will be with us…” This was one of my most holy experiences of the year. At that moment, I tasted saltwater and toothpaste in my mouth. I thought that is what vacation tastes like – saltwater and toothpaste; thanks be to God! Was it a vacation? Yes. In the years to come, I will cherish spending precious time with my wife and family, Morning Prayer on the beach and frankly, having to share a bed with Sir-kicks-a-lot. To me, that is what vacation is all about. -Fr. Marshall There is a test that anyone seeking ordination must go through, the General Ordination Exam, or GOE for short. I have alternative names for this test, but they’re not suitable to print. The GOE consists of seven categories, each with a three sentence question requiring 1000 words to answer. A grab-bag question is thrown in which clergy call the Coffee Hour question because it is one a parishioner might ask – assuming they wouldn’t be inclined to ask about how one 12th century theologian (that no one has ever heard of) disagrees with a 10th century theologian (that no one has ever heard of). The Coffee Hour question the year I took the GOE was something like this, “You are at the hospice bedside of a stranger. The patient’s sister, who hasn’t spoken to the patient in 20 years, walks into the room. What do you say?”
Here is a famous Coffee Hour question from years ago: “A parishioner walks up to you after services. She is upset that her dog has died. She asks you, ‘Is my dog in heaven?’ What do you say?” The bottom line is that no one, ordained or not, knows the answer to the who-is-in-heaven question so the best answer is run away as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the advice to run has not been heeded by all in my vocation. I have spoken with folks who claim that ordained persons have said that animals are not in heaven. In fact, at each church that I have served I have been asked this question. To those who say animals are not in heaven, I assert that St. Francis might disagree. A 13th century theologian, St. Francis was fond of animals and of God’s creation. The main emphasis of his ministry was to proclaim the Kingdom of God. He believed that God’s beautiful creation was created good but was then marred by human sin. Yet, the vocation of all beings – both “man and beast” – was to praise God. It is believed that Francis also preached to birds and that they’d lovingly listen to his voice. Using reason and faith together, I wonder why a great and devoted man of God would spend time preaching to animals if they were not a part of God’s eternal kingdom. After all, Scripture shows us that all beings in heaven are continually in praise of God. There are winged creatures in heaven, apparently. And, at the end of the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, there is a river, a tree, fruit and a restored kingdom where both heaven and earth meet. It is like a reestablished Garden of Eden. Would God plant a tree and have a river if there were no animals? Would it really be Eden if there were only humans? Experience shows us that our pets bring us closer to God by showing the grace and nature of our shared creator. How many times has a pet lifted your spirits or comforted you? How fast does your pet forgive you when you come home late or accidentally step on its tail. Are these not in fact reflections of God and of the eternal created order? Why would God create a heaven where our beloved animal family members could not exist. So, to my brothers and sisters of the cloth who think that animals are not in heaven, I invite you to take it up with St. Francis first and then answer your parishioner. Or, perhaps, just run away as quickly as possible. -Fr. Marshall It’s been said that the Bible quotes our prayer book nicely. Truth be told, the Bible was written way before the Book of Common Prayer but the two do complement each other well. Someone has figured out that 80% of the prayer book consists of direct quotes from Scripture. In fact, our Eucharistic prayer this Sunday at 10 a.m. will use this phrase, “In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ and bring us to that heavenly country…” This prayer alludes to Galatians 4:4, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman.” And, the prayer is also from Ephesians, “As a plan for the fullness of time to gather up all things in him.” (1:10) It appears there are two times of fulfillment – the first is when Jesus was born; the second is when Christ gathers all things to himself. Our Eucharistic prayer encapsulates both times-fullness.
When Jesus was born, there was a convergence of events, technologies, and social and political realities that made it to be a times-fullness. Pax Romana was the law of the land in the 1st century so that Jesus and his followers could travel throughout the empire with relative ease. The mail delivery system was intricate and dependable. Alexander the Great made Greek known throughout the contemporary world. There were more people of the Jewish faith living outside of Israel (Palestine) than in it. The empire was polytheistic and tolerated many diverse forms of worship. Rome made an incredible system of roads and seafaring throughout the Mediterranean was unparalleled as far as ease, frequency and reliability. During the earthly days of Jesus, taxation was squeezing farmers off their land who were then forced to seek employment in the cities. And, polytheism was being questioned in the hearts and minds of many citizens. They were seeking a different divine relationship – not just of goods, services, protection and wealth. They were seeking peace and health which fell on deaf ears no matter what idol they turned to. It was in this fullness of time that Jesus was born of Mary to redeem those who were born under the law of Moses and to receive everyone else through adoption of God’s grace to make them heirs to God’s Kingdom. (Gal 4:4-7) Shortly afterwards, Rome fell and with it came the destruction of free travel, mail delivery, free trade, common language, metropolitan infrastructure, and polytheistic tolerance. It wasn’t until the 18th century that roads, sea lanes, mail and cities came near their pinnacle in the 1st century. It appears that God arrived right on time. The second “fullness of time” is when Christ will gather all things to himself, when all things will respond to God’s call through Christ. That time has not yet been fulfilled. But, take heart, it is coming. Once again, we are in a time when people are leaving the farm and cramming into cities throughout the world. English has become the main communication form of international business. There are more Christians living outside of Israel (and Europe and America too). We are in a time of unprecedented electronic communication. And, perhaps most importantly, the wealth of the nations has created an impoverished soul. We have gained luxuries and can enjoy Dragon Fruit from Vietnam, lamb from Australia, wine from France, beer from Germany, chocolate from anywhere, yet we have never been more hungry. We have created the most powerful weapons ever conceived, we can see at night, listen underwater, and fly planes with satellites yet peace has never seemed so far away. Could it be that we are now living in the fullness of time when Christ gathers all things to himself. My God, I sure hope so. One thing I do know is that God will arrive on time. -Fr. Marshall |