"The Parting of Clouds"

Last night, 

I was soaked

by the storm

and the lightening

frightened me

as I ran from the car

to the apartment.

This morning, 

the skies were grey

and heavy

with the promise

of dreariness

in all of my day.

But as I drove to work

I saw the smallest 

of schoolboys 

with the largest

of backpacks

joyfully break away

from his mother

and run toward the school

(she released his hand

without protest).

The crossing guard,

who hasn’t looked my way

in decades,

(which makes me wonder

why I wave at him daily)

raised his head,

smiled,

and waved back.

As I continued

along my familiar route

on this dreary morning,

I saw two men 

who usually wander

the streets alone

walk toward each other

with smiles 

and outstretched hands

as if to greet the morning

(perhaps they have felt

alone for too long).

And of all things,

every single light

turned green

as I approached it

on my way to work!

It is wondrous and

somewhat miraculous

to me

how a raised head and wave

or a child anxious to learn

or unexpected greetings 

or green lights

can part the clouds!

"Accusations" (thoughts flowing from Luke 16:1-13)

Am I willing not only to be accused, but convicted of squanderings? This might not be the message of the story found in the parable of what is often called The Parable of the Shrewd Steward. Or maybe it is.  It is everything that flowed in my personal response to this difficult parable.  Choices. 

He steps out from the crowds of this world,

the nameless one, with small offerings.

That which was given to him,

to keep his own stomach from growling

is placed into the hands of someone else …

for others.

And there are murmurs.

Frivolous!

Squanderings!

(Such accusations)

He reaches into the pocket of his heart

and draws out a handful of words.

They have been entrusted to him,

yet he lavishly scatters them

over the fields of those

 who are debtors in need

of forgiveness.

  

And there are murmurs.

Frivolous!

Squanderings!

(Such accusations)

There is one who stands to 

be without wages for a week.

And those whose hours have been cut

and salaries have been reduced,

ask, “May we give a portion of our pay

to this woman?”

And there are murmurs.

Frivolous!

Squanderings!

(Such accusations)

There is a man

who runs in a manner

that would bring dishonor

to any man of great position.

A father’s robe 

covers a son in disgrace.

A ring is placed

on a hand dirtied

by life.

And there are shouts.

Frivilous!

Squanderings!

(Such accusations)

There is a steward

Who, with a master’s ledger in hand,

Forgives and forgives and forgives 

as if he is in the world of his reality

yet strangely not of the world.

And there are accusations

of shrewdness …

of dishonesty ...

and above all,

of squanderings.

(Accusations only)

As I walk through my days,

and find placed in my hand 

that which holds power 

to hurt or to heal,

to feed or to starve, 

to forgive or not,

I wonder if I will buckle

under accusations.

My questions are these ….

Will I, too, hear accusations

of squanderings

shouted about me

when I choose

what to do with that which

has been entrusted to me?

Oh God, I hope for such accusations.

And will the accusations

of squanderings

remain just accusations,

or will I be convicted 

of such things?

Oh God, I pray for convictions.

"THE MISSING ANGEL" (an angel in need of repair and cleansing?)

This morning the sanctuary 

was flooded with a bright sunlight

like I had never seen before.

The memories of the elders

could not recall such light either

for the stained glass angel

that pointed heavenward,

was the oldest window

in the sanctuary,

moved into place

over 100 years ago

and had always provided

a warm color in this place.
The angel is missing today
and in its place,
clear glass.

The bright light

of the September morning’s sun

was alarming at first

as it poured into the sanctuary.

It made me feel uncomfortable

and somewhat vulnerable

as if the colors from

the stained glass

had always been

a cloak for me …

or a shield of protection.

“You might notice

that the Tiffany angel 

is missing.

It is being cleaned 

and repaired

and will be back in place soon” 

came the announcement

from the pulpit.

I wanted to respond 

by saying,

“Ummm, excuse me …

I didn’t know angels

were EVER in need 

of cleaning and repair!”

It was then when I remembered

that the stories of the 

stained glass windows -

of the Good Shepherd 

and the Road to Emmaus,

of the Resurrection and

this lovely old angel

pointing to God -

are reminders 

of what we are to share

outside of the walls

of this sanctuary.

Perhaps the clear glass

with the sunlight streaming

into the sanctuary

in such a startling way

tells a story just as important

as the other windows tell  …

“See … there …look outside…

there is a world beyond the

stained glass that needs to

hear the good news of

God’s Great Love!”

And those of us

who heed this sunlight,

will point to God

(as does this missing angel)

with our own words

and actions

and love

and we too will risk

becoming dirty 

and in need of repair.

In the promise of God’s

repairing and cleansing Grace,

may we respond 

to the Light that 

that beckons us to

the world outside of the walls.

And yes, angels do become dirty

and in need of repair …

SO BE PREPARED!

(9-11-16 Broad Street UMC / Statesville, NC)