New Fire
Tonight the new fire is lighted. We wander in the dark, listening to the salvation story. The wait is over, the tomb is empty, and we have dazzling light. Open your eyes, look around and witness the return of love. Not just love’s return, but love’s triumph over death. All it took was three very long days, the longest days of your life, really.
Have you ever sat at a funeral, looking at the casket, wondering how you would get to the next day? How did you end up sitting on that pew and someone else ended up lying in a casket? Now what? You hold your breath, but you do not know that you are holding it. What if he or she came back?
At first, I imagine all sorts of zombie foolishness. I am holed up in my basement, the doors barricaded, and dad’s corpse on the outside, banging on the house, and shouting: “Brains! Brains!” Of course, that would never happen because we do not have basements in New Orleans. The image is ridiculous, but as a precaution, I make it a personal policy not to support any university that studies Corpse Re-animation, 101 or the follow-up course Aiming for the Brain, 102.
But seriously, how strange would it be to have that dear one return healthy and alive? What a reversal? Finally you could breathe again. I think we would be terrified and exhilarated because of what that resurrection shows us.
That resurrection shows us that this end is not an ending at all. All those things that frightened us are just smoke and darkness. The darkness cannot overcome the light. Not even death can diminish the power of love. We do not have to be frightened to love and lose because love will continue. We can go to the very length of love and find out that it continues beyond the horizon into forever, a world without end.
Have you ever sat at a funeral, looking at the casket, wondering how you would get to the next day? How did you end up sitting on that pew and someone else ended up lying in a casket? Now what? You hold your breath, but you do not know that you are holding it. What if he or she came back?
At first, I imagine all sorts of zombie foolishness. I am holed up in my basement, the doors barricaded, and dad’s corpse on the outside, banging on the house, and shouting: “Brains! Brains!” Of course, that would never happen because we do not have basements in New Orleans. The image is ridiculous, but as a precaution, I make it a personal policy not to support any university that studies Corpse Re-animation, 101 or the follow-up course Aiming for the Brain, 102.
But seriously, how strange would it be to have that dear one return healthy and alive? What a reversal? Finally you could breathe again. I think we would be terrified and exhilarated because of what that resurrection shows us.
That resurrection shows us that this end is not an ending at all. All those things that frightened us are just smoke and darkness. The darkness cannot overcome the light. Not even death can diminish the power of love. We do not have to be frightened to love and lose because love will continue. We can go to the very length of love and find out that it continues beyond the horizon into forever, a world without end.
Comments
And - are you Young Clergy Women Project members? If not, I think you would have a blast with us! Come join!
http://www.youngclergywomen.org
Peace and blessings from a Lutheran sister in ministry!
We can go to the very length of love and find out that it continues beyond the horizon into forever, a world without end.
Now that's good.