'Tis the Sound of Silence...

Those of you who know me well, know that I'm never short of words. And no matter what the world tells us, it's not good to be constantly talking! I keep reminding myself of this every day. Today, however, I was silenced - totally by grace. You may be thinking that it would take and act of God's grace to silence me, and you're right again!

Our Birmingham home parish, Cathedral Church of the Advent, offered the Eucharist in thanksgiving for our time in their midst and as a corporate gesture of love and support as we depart for Siberia (okay, Wisconsin, but it's still cold!). I was expecting only a brief service with three or four people and - maybe if we were lucky - some fixed prayers from the Book of Common Prayer celebrating the launch of a new ministry. Then, in steps grace!

Instead, Canon Warren, under whom I did my diocesan chaplaincy at St. Vincent's Hospital and with whom I've spent many Sundays around the High Altar, greeted us wearing his best Mass set, which I would later learn was almost two-hundred years old. Also, over a dozen parishioners were waiting in the chapel to join us. The service was moving, humbling, and most enjoyable, taking almost a meditative approach to the liturgy. Our dear friend, Deacon Jacob, offered a thoughtful homily surrounding St. John 21:15-25.

Worship of God, you see, moves us from things temporal to things eternal. In Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis observes:

The real test of being in the presence of God is that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself a small, dirty, object. It is better to forget about yourself altogether (p. 111).

I must tell you that's what we experienced today - we were in God's presence, especially in receiving the Most Blessed Sacrament of His Body and Blood. Many of you know the freedom that comes from "forgetting about yourself", even if it's very brief (we're human; it's always brief. That's why we have heaven!).

Forgetting about ourselves, or as the Gospel puts it, "dying to one's self" is counterintuitive to be sure, for the world tells us always to be fixated on ourselves. But thanks be to God, Christianity says otherwise. The gospel frees us from focusing solely on "me, me, me" and all the demands thereon, and says look to God and His character for strength. Today's worship encapsulated this great truth gloriously.

I'm so thankful to the Cathedral staff, especially her clergy, for offering this wonderful departing gift. I'm most thankful to my dear friend Helen, who, among wearing many other hats around the parish, coordinated all of this.

At the end of the liturgy, Canon Warren, asked us (Malacy was at my side!) to come back up and kneel. He proceeded to take off his antique fiddle back chasuble, bless us, and give the chasuble to me, essentially handing over his favorite vestment! Of course, I can't wear it until I'm ordained, but I have to confess, I've always found it attractive both to the eye and to my emotions. He mentioned how many Easters he'd worn it, almost revealing a teary-eyed countenance as he presented it. It is with profound sadness (and joy for God's blessings) that we leave the Cathedral.

All of this was, for once, enough to silence me. And that's a cause for great rejoicing in every era. Silence is a sound, a good sound, brothers and sisters.

P.S. We had cookies, homemade no less, afterwards and good coffee!