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Alleluia - Christ is Risen
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some. ( John 21: 4-6)
I got home last night after a 48 hour retreat with the Order of Julian of Norwich (OJN) Episcopalian Monastic Community in Waukesha, WI. In one way of thinking, I went fishing. I kinda hoped, that I would find Jesus while I was there but I was more interested in getting a little down time. We coincidentally encountered the Divine. God's Son in one manner or another invited us to reconnect with the source and purpose of our lives. Peter and I went fishing and while we were communing with God and other Christians, Christ came along and invited us to reaffirm our love for Our Lord, and feed the flocks that we belong to back home. It's an Easter thing.
I along with the nuns and monks celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation while I was there with OJN. That feast day normally happens on March 25th, nine months before Christmas. The liturgical people who make such decisions moved it to April 8th because
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March 25th was Monday in Holy Week. Anyway, the community departed from their usual daily practices of devoted silence and contemplative prayer within the house to offer thanks for Mary's devotion and the (re)-birth of her divine Son of God. Mother Hilary offered a wonderful homily at the Eucharist. She reminded listeners that Gabriel's message
to Mary was not a request. It was an intrusion as well as an invitation for Mary to enter into a more challenging and by far more intimate relationship with God. Mary dutifully said yes, again and again, even to the point of her son's death. She along with Julian of Norwich provide this community of Christians a devoted source of inspiration and encouragement they access as they reaffirm their vows to Christ and to one another each day. God invites us too. On the beach, on retreat, or standing in line Krogers. God is weird like that.
What I learning from The Order of Julian is that our affirmative responses to God's invitations through Jesus Christ should not come from a
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source of obligation but rather from a sense of willingness to more deeply
abide in God's Love for us. Julian wrote: "If there is anywhere on earth a lover of God who is always kept safe, I know nothing of it, for it was not shown to me. But this was shown: that in falling and rising again we are always kept in that same precious love."
Finding and abiding in God's love requires intentional and attentive commitments on our part. We have to cast our nets and we need to be willing to listen to Jesus when he speaks to us through sacraments, God's Living Word, and devoted and ordinary moments of life alike. Seeking renewal by going on retreat is worthwhile, especially when you find a place where people love God, can be funny and faithful too, and don't take their faith too seriously but do it take it seriously enough. We're kinda like that here at St. James, at least I hope that we are.
I look forward to sharing some of Peter's fish, Julian's teachings, and the joys of the Annunciation with you in the coming week and throughout Easter-tide.
Blessings Along The Way, Jim+
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