Raising Children Jesus' Way

Early on Wednesday morning my phone rang. I recognized the voice of a dear friend's daughter. The purpose of the phone call was not altogether unexpected, just difficult to grasp. I can only try to imagine how difficult it was for her to make. She phoned to tell me that her father had died earlier in the morning; just a few minutes before the call....his battle with cancer now complete.... Our conversation was brief.... Hanging up, my mind wandered back in time to a moment almost twenty-five years earlier when I saw her for the first time. Actually I saw the evidence of what she was yet-to-be, as unborn, she expanded her mother's abdomen for everyone to see. I'm sure I joked with her expectant mom and teased her about being "great with child". But the truth of her existence was, nonetheless, real - and the rest of the world- including her mom and dad - would have to wait the requisite nine months to be properly introduced. Yet, the waiting did not diminish the reality of her existence in any way whatsoever.

So today - hours after the phone call - I went searching for an image I had long ago encountered. Soon the brush strokes of Henry Tanner's painting, "Resurrection Of Lazarus" were reintroduced to my eyes. Today I have pondered their significance anew......Like any work of art the medium seems initially stagnant, or even worse - antique. Yet, interestingly enough the painting continues to speak. For one thing, Tanner's depiction of the crowded tomb almost makes me claustrophobic. I also notice there are children who witness the raising. It seems as if Mary and Martha (Lazarus' siblings) are the ones kneeling in the cave; one with head in hands as if she can't bear to see what happens next, and the other preoccupied with her distraught sister. Someone has the head of Lazarus in his hands (maybe this is Tanner's way,like Rembrandt, of creeping into the scene of his own design). One devout onlooker is praying with open eyes and palms upturned toward heaven. Then there's Jesus - standing with inviting hands amongst the gawking crowd - eyes firmly fixed on his deceased friend - a picture of quiet, calm, confidence - The Lord of Life demonstrating that he is also the Lord of death.

Today I noted for the first time that everyone in Tanner's depicted tomb is reacting to Lazarus' death in a different way. One man even turns his back on the whole process. This reminds me that each of us encounters the reality of death from our own, unique perspective. But the one constant in the midst of all the shrouded mystery of death is this: Jesus. Prayers from the liturgy of Death and Resurrection are one of the ways I experience the quiet, calm, confidence of Jesus in the here and now....even in the face of death.

We pray to you for one another in our need, and for all, anywhere,
who mourn with us this day. To those who doubt give light; to those who are weak, strength; to all who have sinned, mercy; to all who sorrow, your peace. O God, all that you have given us is yours....As first you gave James to us, now we give James back to you.....Gracious God, we thank you for those we love but see no more. Receive into your arms your servant James, and grant that increasing in knowledge and love of you, he may go from strength to strength in service in your heavenly kingdom; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Raising children Jesus' way has a name - RESURRECTION - a reality we can experience while we have life and breath, and one we experience in completeness when we stand in his presence on the other side......Author Eugene Peterson speaks of the mystery of resurrection in this way:

"Jesus resurrection provides the energy and
conditions by which we "walk before the Lord in
the land of the living" (Psalm 116:9) The resurrection of Jesus creates and makes available the reality in which we are formed as new creatures in Christ by the Holy Spirit....the resurrection is not something we can use or manipulate or control or improve on....resurrection is not available for our
use; it is exclusively God's operation."

from Christ Plays In Ten Thousand Places

From the tomb of Lazarus we hear Jesus speak: "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." (John 11) So on Saturday we will gather....family...friends....former
parishioners,..colleagues and classmates....yet all of us children.....and none of us able to "raise" ourselves any more than Lazarus could. Our job is to acknowledge God's power and to assist in God's resurrection work by letting James go. "Before he is ours - he is yours", prays the liturgy.

As our Lord declared to Martha, he now says to us: I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will
live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and
believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?

There was a time when yet-to-be-Kristi, though
unseen, was present. Not being able to see her
in no way diminished her existence. In time the invisible became visible. So now her father - invisible to us for a season is undiminished in his existence and is present with the Lord.

I say, "Yes, Lord - I believe....help my unbelief..........."

Still In ONE Peace,

Jon(the methodist)