Like Barry . . . and I needn't look any further . . . well, first, how comforting to just hear your voice without sight. Just with my eyes closed, listening. Then, as I usually do, getting lost and having to catch up in the progression of what is being said, I enter into mental dialogue. As per usual, my immediate responses become less relevant as I catch up and the message moves along gathering momentum in taking shape and becoming clear. At first, I thought, sometimes a sense of privilege can get transferred along with its companion - self-righteousness. Sometimes, it is easy to turn around and point the finger at all one imagines are "the enemy". I struggle with that and pray my Lord helps me to see in anyone, even real enemies, those fellows whom God loves. But, thank you, you moved along away from my focus on others . . . or me versus others . . . to truly ask myself, "What is it I want from my Lord?" I'm forced to turn that into a different question: for me to be able to respond with what I need. Then things get really difficult. It is not simple to distinguish what I want from what I truly need. That's something God knows, but I may not. Or I may not want to know as my ego drags me back to me . . . away from God, as it happens. My deepest, darkest, self-serving wants are so contrary, and I fear now being forced to choose: what I want versus what God knows and would have me know that I need. It happens to be, I believe the Gospel's author would have me learn, openness to God's Will which I cannot see but can only know by faith, faith which rises above my fears of letting go of myself. For 'myself' wants to cut out and run when everything I fear arrives at the Garden. Oh, but for God's Grace! Without being able to see my Risen Lord, I would be in such horrid darkness, lost, hopeless, and forever afraid.
THANK YOU. I retired from active ministry about a year ago, but am filling pulpits now and then in nearby congregations. Preaching has always been my favorite part, and the most rewarding part, of parish ministry... but it has gotten harder and harder since my ordination in the late 80's. And each Sunday now, when I'm blessed to be a guest preacher one more time, it's an approach-avoidance conflict! I've found myself constantly asking, without truly realizing it, Bartimaus' question... and just hoping whatever I offer might bring a little something of hope and mercy. Thank you for sharing your experience and your heart, and this blessing of hope for all of us. It touched me deeply, and others who hear it will also be touched, I think...and perhaps, in this age of uncertainty, willful ignorance, and incredibly-purposefully sightlessness, may SEE again. :)
Your last sentence- I wrote it down to put words to my prayers this week . Thank you Pastor. :) My wonderful grand daughter early voted today not for the first time --but-- for the first time in this swing state in which we now live. She video called me and she was smiling and looked relaxed. That is the way we felt after we early voted earlier. Her good friend also texted her today about voting. There is hope in our wise and younger generation. And that gives me hope as many are willing to carry on the work ,the older generation's vision and work started. We raised them well!!!! That gives me hope!
Thank you, Diana. A powerful sermon that brought tears to my eyes, blind in so many ways. I would like to quote you in my reflections this week to the diocese as I prepare for an interfaith prayer service on election day. Thank you for all that you are doing for us.
Your sermon holds so much for me at this time. The uncertainty awakens me at night, and all I can do is pray. I know God's hand is in all this, and I pray to see it whatever happens next Tuesday.
BTW After the first time I preached in Duke Chapel, Tom Long asked me what it was like. My reply was, "I felt like I was riding a chariot into a dark cave." I could see people on only the first 3 or 4 rows.
I regret I won't make it to Southern Lights in 25. Maybe 26 will work out. Thank you! Ann Hoch
Yes, 'a blind beggar' crying out for mercy. How many voices resonate with that cry right now? Thank you for your passion and identifying with the needy.
This is my first ever comment here, Diana (if I may). I want, first, to praise you hugely for a beautiful, very relevant sermon. You lead me to think about what I would ask Jesus to do for me, and your Substack posts in general lead me to ask something of you as well. What I would ask Jesus--immediately after He sees Kamala Harris through to success in a hard election--would be to cause Kamala herself and the gurus of public discourse in the US to arise from their blindness about Palestine and the gross sins we in the US are committing against the Palestinians (by arming their genocidaire, Israel, and by ignoring the oppression that Israel, with our help, has been inflicting on them for almost a century). To see a way to justice for both Palestinians and Israelis.
What I would ask of you is to include Palestinians in your thoughts--see them as the children of God they are, equal to all Jewish children of God--and speak out occasionally on their behalf. You can do this without harming Israel or Jews. Yes, we Christians owe a huge debt to Jews, but we owe nothing to Israel itself, which speaks not for Jews, but only for a supremacist political agenda.
Please, like Bartimaeus and the Hebrew prophets, Palestinians ask only that the world see human pain and injustice where they exist and respond with justice and mercy.
I literally gave a lecture at a synagogue on Yom Kippur about "home" in which I talked about the moral challenges of when the search for home results in oppression and injustice for others seeking safety and a home. In a room of hundreds of Jews on their high holy day. I don't publish every single thing I do or say!
Wow, I owe you immense thanks for doing this--something that I know took great courage. I'm in admiration and awe, truly. And I totally understand that you can't publish everything you say. But imagine how much courage your words would give to any Palestinians who heard them, and to advocates of all faiths who nowadays think our years of work have gone utterly for naught (who can't even get our Episcopal bishops to speak up for Palestinians). Thank you so very, very much, Diana.
Diana, thank you for both versions (written and spoken). As one who lives outside of the current electoral turmoil in the USA, but is experiencing some of the same forces and temptations in our own elections, I sense the universality of the struggles, and find affirmation and hope that, indeed, God may be working in ways we do not see, bringing about what God wants for the church, and the world. And even if the cloaks of darkness and tyranny seem to gain a victory, we are called to trust in the mercy of the one who calls us by name and asks us what we yearn for. Thanks and may there be mercy in polling stations all across the world.
Thank you Diana for this beautiful message that spoke so deeply to me today. Your words give me hope as they also let me know how powerfully the spirit of Jesus walks with us through all that we experience. God bless, dear friend. -- Jefferson
Like Barry . . . and I needn't look any further . . . well, first, how comforting to just hear your voice without sight. Just with my eyes closed, listening. Then, as I usually do, getting lost and having to catch up in the progression of what is being said, I enter into mental dialogue. As per usual, my immediate responses become less relevant as I catch up and the message moves along gathering momentum in taking shape and becoming clear. At first, I thought, sometimes a sense of privilege can get transferred along with its companion - self-righteousness. Sometimes, it is easy to turn around and point the finger at all one imagines are "the enemy". I struggle with that and pray my Lord helps me to see in anyone, even real enemies, those fellows whom God loves. But, thank you, you moved along away from my focus on others . . . or me versus others . . . to truly ask myself, "What is it I want from my Lord?" I'm forced to turn that into a different question: for me to be able to respond with what I need. Then things get really difficult. It is not simple to distinguish what I want from what I truly need. That's something God knows, but I may not. Or I may not want to know as my ego drags me back to me . . . away from God, as it happens. My deepest, darkest, self-serving wants are so contrary, and I fear now being forced to choose: what I want versus what God knows and would have me know that I need. It happens to be, I believe the Gospel's author would have me learn, openness to God's Will which I cannot see but can only know by faith, faith which rises above my fears of letting go of myself. For 'myself' wants to cut out and run when everything I fear arrives at the Garden. Oh, but for God's Grace! Without being able to see my Risen Lord, I would be in such horrid darkness, lost, hopeless, and forever afraid.
THANK YOU. I retired from active ministry about a year ago, but am filling pulpits now and then in nearby congregations. Preaching has always been my favorite part, and the most rewarding part, of parish ministry... but it has gotten harder and harder since my ordination in the late 80's. And each Sunday now, when I'm blessed to be a guest preacher one more time, it's an approach-avoidance conflict! I've found myself constantly asking, without truly realizing it, Bartimaus' question... and just hoping whatever I offer might bring a little something of hope and mercy. Thank you for sharing your experience and your heart, and this blessing of hope for all of us. It touched me deeply, and others who hear it will also be touched, I think...and perhaps, in this age of uncertainty, willful ignorance, and incredibly-purposefully sightlessness, may SEE again. :)
Your last sentence- I wrote it down to put words to my prayers this week . Thank you Pastor. :) My wonderful grand daughter early voted today not for the first time --but-- for the first time in this swing state in which we now live. She video called me and she was smiling and looked relaxed. That is the way we felt after we early voted earlier. Her good friend also texted her today about voting. There is hope in our wise and younger generation. And that gives me hope as many are willing to carry on the work ,the older generation's vision and work started. We raised them well!!!! That gives me hope!
Thank you, Diana. A powerful sermon that brought tears to my eyes, blind in so many ways. I would like to quote you in my reflections this week to the diocese as I prepare for an interfaith prayer service on election day. Thank you for all that you are doing for us.
Please do, Mariann. I’d be honored. If you mention that folks can listen at the Cottage, that would be appreciated!
Diana,
Your sermon holds so much for me at this time. The uncertainty awakens me at night, and all I can do is pray. I know God's hand is in all this, and I pray to see it whatever happens next Tuesday.
BTW After the first time I preached in Duke Chapel, Tom Long asked me what it was like. My reply was, "I felt like I was riding a chariot into a dark cave." I could see people on only the first 3 or 4 rows.
I regret I won't make it to Southern Lights in 25. Maybe 26 will work out. Thank you! Ann Hoch
Yes, 'a blind beggar' crying out for mercy. How many voices resonate with that cry right now? Thank you for your passion and identifying with the needy.
This is my first ever comment here, Diana (if I may). I want, first, to praise you hugely for a beautiful, very relevant sermon. You lead me to think about what I would ask Jesus to do for me, and your Substack posts in general lead me to ask something of you as well. What I would ask Jesus--immediately after He sees Kamala Harris through to success in a hard election--would be to cause Kamala herself and the gurus of public discourse in the US to arise from their blindness about Palestine and the gross sins we in the US are committing against the Palestinians (by arming their genocidaire, Israel, and by ignoring the oppression that Israel, with our help, has been inflicting on them for almost a century). To see a way to justice for both Palestinians and Israelis.
What I would ask of you is to include Palestinians in your thoughts--see them as the children of God they are, equal to all Jewish children of God--and speak out occasionally on their behalf. You can do this without harming Israel or Jews. Yes, we Christians owe a huge debt to Jews, but we owe nothing to Israel itself, which speaks not for Jews, but only for a supremacist political agenda.
Please, like Bartimaeus and the Hebrew prophets, Palestinians ask only that the world see human pain and injustice where they exist and respond with justice and mercy.
I literally gave a lecture at a synagogue on Yom Kippur about "home" in which I talked about the moral challenges of when the search for home results in oppression and injustice for others seeking safety and a home. In a room of hundreds of Jews on their high holy day. I don't publish every single thing I do or say!
Wow, I owe you immense thanks for doing this--something that I know took great courage. I'm in admiration and awe, truly. And I totally understand that you can't publish everything you say. But imagine how much courage your words would give to any Palestinians who heard them, and to advocates of all faiths who nowadays think our years of work have gone utterly for naught (who can't even get our Episcopal bishops to speak up for Palestinians). Thank you so very, very much, Diana.
Diana, thank you for both versions (written and spoken). As one who lives outside of the current electoral turmoil in the USA, but is experiencing some of the same forces and temptations in our own elections, I sense the universality of the struggles, and find affirmation and hope that, indeed, God may be working in ways we do not see, bringing about what God wants for the church, and the world. And even if the cloaks of darkness and tyranny seem to gain a victory, we are called to trust in the mercy of the one who calls us by name and asks us what we yearn for. Thanks and may there be mercy in polling stations all across the world.
Thanks, Bob.
I trust that to be the case... and I appreciate the wider view.
Thank you Diana for this beautiful message that spoke so deeply to me today. Your words give me hope as they also let me know how powerfully the spirit of Jesus walks with us through all that we experience. God bless, dear friend. -- Jefferson
Powerful sermon Diana! Amen to mercy.
Thank you so much! It's come at a perfect time for me! Thank you for 'virtually holding my hand' at this moment in time.