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2 Easter April 23, 2006 The Sunday after Easter is always the hardest one to preach on. The crowds have shrunk back to normal size, the pomp and circumstance is put away for yet another year. And this preacher has always had to dig deep into his bag of tricks to get even a small rise out of his congregation. For two plus decades, I must confess I have suffered the post-Easter blues. It never seems there are enough jelly beans and chocolate bunnies to keep the high going. But this year, things are different. As you all know by now, we at St. Mary’s this Easter Season have been given in the bequest of Mrs. Ginny Deal a great opportunity to ponder and a great challenge to accept. This Easter, at least for me, the adreneline rush is lasting way beyond the paschal celebrations. In considering this opportunity and challenge, I take stock in the fact that it was much the same way for the disciples as we hear about it in our Gospel this morning. They, too, were presented in news of a risen Christ with an opportunity and challenge. They, too, had to make choices and rise to a new occasion. Yet we read at first they weren’t so sure. In fact, we see them huddled for fear behind closed doors, afraid of the opportunity that lay before them. We see them shrinking back before the challenge they were given. Only when Jesus appeared to them did their hearts begin to change, only when they could touch and feel his presence did they begin to believe he was real. And even then, the story could have ended very differently. Even then, they could have played it safe. Even then, they could have returned to their old ways, and their old conceptions, and their old behaviors.. It would have been very easy for the disciples to just go back to what was familiar and predictable and secure. But, of course, they didn’t. And in considering the opportunity and challenge before us, neither can we. You will indulge this former Presbyterian when I say I do not believe in accidents. I do not believe this opportunity and challenge given to us now as a parish is a random thing. I believe that it is given to us here and now is for a purpose. In this Easter Season, I believe that in this challenge and opportunity, here and now, the risen Christ appears to us as he did behind closed doors in that upper room long ago. We are being given an opportunity to seize. The opportunity is to let the generosity of Mrs. Deal in her death inspire us to greater generosity in life. The opportunity is for us to step out in faith together as a parish community. The opportunity is to recognize how many good people in years past have given themselves heart, body, and soul to St. Mary’s, and how we are being called now to honor their legacy. The opportunity is to grow our parish through our faithful stewardship of God’s work in the mission and ministry of this parish. And this opportunity assumes a great challenge for us. For too long, we have suffered at St. Mary’s from the illusion that we are a rich parish and thus do not have to contribute our fair share. For too long, we have asked a few to carry the burden that is meant for all of us. Friends, no longer have we an excuse for being parsimonious or tight-fisted. No longer have we an excuse to suffer under any illusions. If we yield to the temptation and say to ourselves, well now that St. Mary’s has this windfall, I no longer have to give of my time, talent or treasure, we denigrate Ginny’s generosity, and even worse than this, we denigrate ourselves. Put quite simply, we now have the opportunity through this bequest to endow the maintenance and care of our beautiful property for future generations. And this in turn, challenges us to support fully the ministry and mission of our parish. Already, we are making strides toward inviting and involving everyone in our membership in this challenge. This can and this must continue if we are truly to rise to this occasion. We are learning, in ever new ways, that we are the Body of the Risen Christ. That Christ, in the words of St. Theresa of Avila, has no body on earth but ours, no hands but ours with which he can do his work, no feet but ours with which to go about the world, no eyes but ours through which his compassion can shine forth. You know, I believe, in her heart of hearts, Ginny understood this. Two days before her death, I visited her in her home. She was distraught and disoriented. Long since had her mind slipped away. And yet, she still remembered these two words: St. Mary’s. It was the only thing she said that day to me that made any sense. In going through her personal belongings after her death, her lawyer found this handwritten prayer among her keepsakes. I would like to end with it today, as a way to remember Ginny and also as a way for us to receive the gift she has given us, the gift of an opportunity and the gift of a challenge. “God is my help in every need.
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