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<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica; font-size: 10pt; color: black;">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Frank Fisher <f.fisher.obl.osb@comcast.net><br>
To: SBA <SBA@SBAbbey.com>; sermonshop.sermons.topic <sermonshop.sermons.topic@ecunet.org>; PRCL-L <PRCL-L@LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU>; propertalk.topic <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org>; midrash <midrash@joinhands.com><br>
Sent: Sat, Apr 23, 2011 12:48 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Two for the price of one<br>
<br>
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<pre style="font-size: 9pt;"><tt>Here's my two for the price of one special for today. ); The first sermon.<br>
"Singing to Resurrection," is the one I'm actually preaching. The pericope<br>
is Mark 16:1-8. The second, "Dancing in the Tomb," is an old one that some<br>
might find useful. It uses the Lectionary text for the day from John.<br>
<br>
Easter blessings!<br>
<br>
PAX,<br>
<br>
<br>
__<br>
<br>
Frank R. Fisher, Obl OSB<br>
<a href="http://www.ffisher.net" target="_blank">www.ffisher.net</a><br>
Interim Pastor<br>
First Presbyterian Church of Kewanee, IL<br>
<a href="http://www.fpckewanee.org" target="_blank">www.fpckewanee.org</a><br>
Elmira United Presbyterian Church<br>
<a href="http://www.elmiraunited.org" target="_blank">www.elmiraunited.org</a><br>
<br>
aka<br>
<br>
Brother Oscar Romero<br>
Oblate of St. Benedict's Abbey<br>
Bartonville, IL<br>
<a href="http://www.SBAbbey.com" target="_blank">www.SBAbbey.com</a><br>
<br>
<br>
"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so<br>
that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."-Cherokee proverb<br>
<br>
<br>
_____________________________________________________<br>
<br>
"Most of us<br>
go to our graves<br>
with the music<br>
still inside us."<br>
<br>
My mother<br>
always said those words<br>
to me.<br>
She'd laugh<br>
as she spoke them.<br>
Then she'd add,<br>
"But you'll never do that<br>
Salome.<br>
You were born<br>
with your song<br>
on your lips"<br>
<br>
I always joined in<br>
my mother's laughter<br>
as she lovingly stroked my hair<br>
and spoke to me<br>
about music.<br>
Part of my own delight<br>
came,<br>
of course,<br>
from her complete attention,<br>
and her love.<br>
But most of the joy<br>
fueling my glee<br>
came from<br>
the truth of her words.<br>
For it seemed like music<br>
was on my lips<br>
for every waking moment<br>
of every waking day.<br>
<br>
Every day at dawn,<br>
I'd rise from my sleeping mat,<br>
rush out the door,<br>
and gaze with delight<br>
at the expanse<br>
of the sea of Galilee.<br>
The red morning sun<br>
reflecting off the water<br>
would ignite my music<br>
as my voice lifted up<br>
in a morning Psalm<br>
praising the Holy One<br>
for all of creation's beauty.<br>
<br>
And as I skipped from task to task<br>
for the rest of the day,<br>
my song never quieted.<br>
Indeed<br>
I never ceased <br>
my song of God's praise<br>
until after the evening Psalm<br>
when I closed my eyes<br>
once again in sleep.<br>
<br>
My music<br>
gave voice<br>
to the very center<br>
of my life.<br>
And at each step<br>
I took<br>
along life's pathway,<br>
my music seemed<br>
to expand and grow<br>
to match my life's new heights.<br>
When Zebedee<br>
and I wed,<br>
my music truly blossomed.<br>
Then,<br>
when our sons,<br>
James and John were born,<br>
the joy they brought<br>
made my songs soar afresh.<br>
At that point<br>
I was sure<br>
there were no further heights<br>
for my songs to reach.<br>
I was very sure <br>
of that.<br>
Or at least I thought<br>
I was sure.<br>
<br>
But then,<br>
James and John<br>
began to follow<br>
the Master.<br>
The first time <br>
those boys<br>
brought me to meet Jesus,<br>
I knew in an instant<br>
any song,<br>
I'd ever sung<br>
was only a prelude<br>
to the ones<br>
I'd sing now.<br>
With my sons,<br>
I followed Jesus<br>
across high Galilean hills<br>
and through dusty city streets.<br>
And as I followed,<br>
I sang.<br>
I sang<br>
of the blind regaining their sight<br>
and the sick their health.<br>
I sang<br>
of sins forgiven<br>
and of the good news<br>
Jesus preached<br>
to the poor.<br>
Most of all<br>
I sang of the joy<br>
of finding the Messiah,<br>
the true morning sun<br>
who would long shine over Judah.<br>
<br>
Every day<br>
seemed to bring<br>
a new crescendo of song.<br>
It was almost like<br>
something<br>
was about to begin.<br>
Then one day,<br>
I,<br>
and hundreds upon hundreds <br>
of others singers,<br>
sang<br>
as Jesus rode into Jerusalem.<br>
"Hosanna in the highest,"<br>
we trilled<br>
as the Master neared the temple.<br>
"Blessed is the One<br>
who comes <br>
in the name of the Lord.<br>
Hosanna in the highest."<br>
But as we reached the temple<br>
my song<br>
caught in my throat.<br>
I knew somehow,<br>
as soon as I saw the sun<br>
reflecting <br>
off its golden roof,<br>
something horrible<br>
was about to happen.<br>
<br>
My music died<br>
the day Jesus died.<br>
As I watched him <br>
hang there<br>
twisting in agony<br>
on the cross,<br>
I screamed<br>
and screamed,<br>
and screamed again.<br>
I screamed and cried<br>
until<br>
I couldn't utter<br>
a single sound.<br>
<br>
That was fitting,<br>
I thought.<br>
For how <br>
could I make music<br>
when Jesus<br>
was dead.<br>
And as I watched Joseph<br>
take his body <br>
down from the cross<br>
and carry it away<br>
to the tomb,<br>
I knew<br>
my mother<br>
had been wrong.<br>
<br>
There were no songs<br>
left to sing;<br>
no music<br>
left to make.<br>
I would<br>
go to my grave<br>
with my music<br>
locked down deeply <br>
inside me.<br>
<br>
Slowly,<br>
ever so slowly,<br>
I began to move<br>
through my new<br>
joyless,<br>
non-musical world.<br>
I ate,<br>
slept and washed<br>
like one<br>
whose very mind<br>
had shut down.<br>
Gradually<br>
I began to respond<br>
to the others around me<br>
and to understand<br>
they too<br>
were feeling pain<br>
of unimaginable depths.<br>
I reached out to them<br>
for comfort<br>
and they <br>
reached out to me.<br>
Their presence<br>
kept me alive<br>
in those days.<br>
<br>
It was my gratitude<br>
for their presence<br>
that made me agree<br>
to accompany the two Marys<br>
back to the tomb<br>
on the first day<br>
of the week.<br>
I certainly didn't want to see<br>
the decaying body<br>
of the Master <br>
I'd so loved.<br>
But I knew<br>
I couldn't let the others<br>
face its presence <br>
alone.<br>
<br>
We stopped in the market<br>
as it first opened<br>
and bought the spices we needed<br>
to anoint Jesus' body<br>
in the way<br>
<br>
taught by the law.<br>
Then,<br>
step by dragging step<br>
we made our way<br>
toward the place<br>
Jesus had been laid.<br>
<br>
On the way<br>
we suddenly realized<br>
we'd brought no one along<br>
to help us<br>
open the tomb.<br>
We knew<br>
we hadn't enough strength<br>
to do it alone.<br>
Yet <br>
we also knew<br>
we couldn't face another<br>
agonizing trip such as this one.<br>
So we continued walking,<br>
heads held downward in despair,<br>
wondering all along<br>
what we'd do<br>
when we were confronted<br>
with the <br>
immovable <br>
grave stone.<br>
<br>
But as we neared the tomb<br>
something<br>
made us look up.<br>
And we saw<br>
someone<br>
had already<br>
rolled the grave stone<br>
away.<br>
Dropping the spices<br>
we ran to the tomb's door,<br>
ducked our heads<br>
under its low entrance<br>
and stepped inside.<br>
<br>
Jesus wasn't there.<br>
In the place<br>
where Joseph<br>
had laid his body<br>
there was a strange man sitting.<br>
He was <br>
dressed in dazzling white.<br>
My eyes <br>
locked <br>
with the man's eyes<br>
as something <br>
deep inside me<br>
unlocked<br>
as he said,<br>
"Do not be alarmed;<br>
you are looking<br>
for Jesus of Nazareth,<br>
who was crucified.<br>
He has been raised;<br>
he is not here.<br>
Look,<br>
there is the place,<br>
they laid him.<br>
But go,<br>
tell the disciples<br>
Jesus is going ahead of you<br>
to Galilee.<br>
You will see him there<br>
just as he told you."<br>
<br>
<br>
That something<br>
unlocking<br>
deep inside me<br>
opened fully<br>
with the man's words.<br>
And at its awakening<br>
I screamed out<br>
in fear and amazement.<br>
Both Marys screamed out too<br>
and together<br>
we three <br>
ran as fast as we could<br>
away from the tomb.<br>
<br>
At first,<br>
we were so stunned<br>
and frightened<br>
that we couldn't speak.<br>
And when my voice returned<br>
it wasn't speech<br>
coming forth from my mouth.<br>
Music instead<br>
came forth.<br>
The music<br>
I had felt<br>
would go with me to my grave<br>
bubbled forth<br>
and arose in a song of incredible gladness.<br>
<br>
I sang<br>
all the way to Galilee.<br>
I sang to my risen Lord<br>
as I sat with Jesus<br>
by the side of the lake.<br>
And now<br>
I sing across all Judah<br>
and out into the lands<br>
to the gentiles.<br>
<br>
I will not go to my grave<br>
with my music<br>
still inside me.<br>
I will go there instead<br>
singing alleluias<br>
to my Lord and Savior.<br>
And I will sing <br>
through death<br>
into the new life Jesus gave me.<br>
<br>
Alleluia<br>
I will sing.<br>
Praise<br>
I will sing.<br>
Thanks<br>
I will sing.<br>
Thanks<br>
to the risen Christ<br>
who died and arose<br>
for such a one<br>
as me.<br>
<br>
Hymn : "The Strife is O'er"<br>
<br>
To God alone be glory.<br>
Amen.<br>
<br>
<br>
___________________________________________<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
To Joseph of Arimathea,<br>
from Mary of Magdala;<br>
Greetings to you,<br>
brother in Christ.<br>
<br>
I can see your face now Joseph.<br>
You're smiling<br>
because you know whenever I'm being formal,<br>
its because I'm trying desperately<br>
to keep from laughing.<br>
And I bet you know why<br>
I'm laughing.<br>
<br>
Yes Joseph,<br>
they caught me again.<br>
All those stuffy people of Magdala,<br>
found out <br>
I've been sneaking out of the town <br>
again.<br>
Before the morning light appears<br>
on the first day of the week,<br>
I've been sneaking out of town<br>
to the tombs.<br>
Now Magdala<br>
may be a cosmopolitan place,<br>
but its still small enough<br>
for me to know <br>
everything <br>
about everyone.<br>
So I know<br>
which tombs are empty,<br>
and which are sealed up.<br>
So I go straight <br>
to an empty one,<br>
and as the morning light dawns,<br>
I enter it<br>
and begin to dance.<br>
<br>
They really think <br>
I'm strange <br>
brother Joe.<br>
Sometimes they think <br>
those seven demons <br>
are back;<br>
the ones <br>
the Lord cast of out me.<br>
Some of them say <br>
they want to lock me up.<br>
But my family's important here<br>
so they really wouldn't dare <br>
do that.<br>
They just don't understand.<br>
But I know you understand<br>
Joe.<br>
For you saw my first dance<br>
in a tomb;<br>
a dance remaining vividly <br>
in my mind<br>
no matter <br>
how many years <br>
have passed.<br>
<br>
I remember <br>
how it was <br>
to watch Jesus die.<br>
When he said,<br>
"it is finished,"<br>
and breathed out <br>
for the last time,<br>
it felt like the Romans <br>
had taken one of spikes<br>
they used to nail Jesus <br>
to the cross<br>
and jabbed it <br>
into my heart.<br>
And when they jabbed a spear <br>
into his side<br>
it felt like <br>
they'd hit me with it too.<br>
<br>
They were going to throw his body<br>
to the wild dogs Joe;<br>
the ones<br>
that always gather <br>
at the foot of a cross<br>
and wait <br>
for their upcoming meal.<br>
You know that of course.<br>
For you were there.<br>
I was so grateful<br>
when you took his body down <br>
and helped Nicodemus carry it<br>
to the tomb <br>
in the garden.<br>
<br>
I didn't really <br>
want to leave him there.<br>
It was better <br>
than having him fed <br>
to the dogs.<br>
But it wasn't much better.<br>
He wasn't buried <br>
with his family.<br>
When his flesh decayed<br>
no one would take his bones<br>
and put them in the ossuary<br>
with the bones of his ancestors.<br>
For all eternity<br>
no one would remember.<br>
It would be almost as disgraceful<br>
to him<br>
as his death on the cross.<br>
<br>
I started crying then Joe.<br>
And I cried all that night,<br>
all the next day,<br>
and all the next night.<br>
>From deep in the city<br>
we could hear the sounds of rejoicing<br>
from the houses of those <br>
who wanted him dead.<br>
But around us<br>
the only thing breaking the silence<br>
was the sound of sobbing;<br>
a sound that went on,<br>
and on,<br>
and on<br>
until the sound of tears falling<br>
seemed to fill the whole world.<br>
<br>
Then,<br>
in the darkness<br>
on the morning of the third day,<br>
I heard another noise.<br>
It sounded like singing.<br>
At first it was gentle and pretty<br>
like the song<br>
the shepherds say the angels sang<br>
in the sky above Bethlehem<br>
on the night Jesus was born.<br>
But then the song changed.<br>
It got louder<br>
and louder,<br>
and louder.<br>
Even though<br>
I couldn't make out the song's words.<br>
I somehow knew<br>
they were ones<br>
of sheer, <br>
raw,<br>
unadulterated power.<br>
<br>
I ran to the window<br>
to see if I could make out <br>
who was singing.<br>
And I saw a blinding light<br>
coming from the garden<br>
where we'd buried Jesus.<br>
I had to find out <br>
what was happening there,<br>
so I ran out the door<br>
and raced toward the tomb.<br>
<br>
I was half way there<br>
when I heard another sound.<br>
It sounded a little like the sound<br>
a tool maker makes<br>
when metal is struck <br>
with a hammer.<br>
But it was so loud<br>
my ears almost couldn't bear it.<br>
It almost seemed like<br>
a giant chain<br>
had been snapped in two.<br>
And mixed in with the metallic sound<br>
was the grinding <br>
of stone on stone.<br>
<br>
When the sound stopped<br>
I uncovered my ears<br>
and started running <br>
toward the tomb again.<br>
When I got there<br>
the stone <br>
you'd put across the entrance<br>
was shoved aside.<br>
Someone had taken Jesus!<br>
How could someone be so cruel<br>
as to rip him<br>
from the peace of his tomb?<br>
Hadn't enough been done to him<br>
while he was still alive?<br>
So I turned around <br>
and ran back to the house<br>
to tell the others.<br>
<br>
They were horrified.<br>
And they ran out the door <br>
to go look for themselves.<br>
"Maybe,"<br>
they said,<br>
"we can find out who took him<br>
and bring his body back."<br>
<br>
It seemed forever<br>
until they returned.<br>
They came back<br>
and said the tomb was empty.<br>
They said the burial cloths<br>
were rolled up <br>
neatly in one spot<br>
and the cloth <br>
you'd put on his head<br>
was lying rolled up <br>
in another place.<br>
<br>
"Why would a grave robber <br>
unwrap him,"<br>
I asked.<br>
<br>
"We don't know,"<br>
they answered.<br>
<br>
So I went back out the door,<br>
more slowly this time.<br>
There didn't seem to be<br>
any real reason to hurry.<br>
And my returning grief<br>
dragged at my steps.<br>
It seemed like it took forever,<br>
but I finally found myself <br>
standing <br>
outside the tomb.<br>
I just stood there<br>
while my tears<br>
made a puddle <br>
on the ground.<br>
<br>
I don't know <br>
how long <br>
I stood there.<br>
But suddenly <br>
I noticed two figures<br>
sitting on the burial niche.<br>
One was sitting<br>
where we'd put his feet.<br>
And one was sitting<br>
where we'd put his head.<br>
They were singing <br>
the same song<br>
that made me look out the window<br>
before the sun rose in the sky.<br>
But one of them <br>
stopped for a moment<br>
and spoke to me.<br>
"Woman,<br>
why are you weeping?"<br>
Between the tears<br>
I gasped out,<br>
"they've taken my Lord.<br>
I don't know <br>
where they've put him."<br>
<br>
There was a movement <br>
behind me then.<br>
I turned around.<br>
It was just the gardener.<br>
He asked me,<br>
"Woman,<br>
why are you weeping?<br>
Whom<br>
are you looking for?"<br>
<br>
I wanted to ignore him<br>
and not let him <br>
intrude <br>
on my grief.<br>
But maybe he knew<br>
where the Lord's body <br>
had been put.<br>
So I sobbed,<br>
"Sir,<br>
if you've <br>
carried him away,<br>
please,<br>
please<br>
tell me<br>
where you've put him.<br>
I'll go there<br>
and take his body someplace<br>
where it'll be safe."<br>
<br>
Then I heard my name.<br>
The gardener <br>
called me by name.<br>
Only it wasn't the gardener.<br>
When I heard the word "Mary"<br>
I knew it was the Lord.<br>
"Teacher,"<br>
I cried,<br>
"Oh my beloved Teacher."<br>
<br>
I was going to embrace him<br>
but he stopped me.<br>
"I've not yet ascended ,"<br>
he said.<br>
"Go.<br>
Tell my sisters and brothers."<br>
<br>
And I went.<br>
I danced and twirled<br>
through the streets <br>
of Jerusalem,<br>
with my feet <br>
hardly touching <br>
the cobbles<br>
as I sang the news<br>
to everyone I met.<br>
"I have seen the Lord!<br>
I have seen the Lord!<br>
I have seen the Lord!"<br>
<br>
They still<br>
don't understand<br>
Joe.<br>
They don't understand<br>
why I come to a tomb<br>
on the first day <br>
of the week<br>
and dance there<br>
while the sun rises <br>
in the east.<br>
But what else am I to do<br>
on the day <br>
when our Lord arose?<br>
I have to dance.<br>
I have to dance<br>
as the song I heard<br>
on the day <br>
when the Lord arose<br>
rings <br>
in my ears and heart.<br>
<br>
Dancing is harder now<br>
Joseph<br>
then it was <br>
on that resurrection morning.<br>
I'm getting old.<br>
Soon,<br>
I know<br>
I will brought to a tomb <br>
by others<br>
and my body <br>
will not return <br>
with them.<br>
But Joseph<br>
when that day comes<br>
Don't let them walk <br>
to the tomb.<br>
Tell them<br>
to pick up my body<br>
and dance<br>
and sing,<br>
and laugh<br>
as they carry me there.<br>
<br>
And I <br>
will be dancing too.<br>
For I know <br>
I'll have heard the Lord<br>
call me again <br>
by my name.<br>
And as I dance <br>
after the Lord<br>
I'll hear the song<br>
I remember so well.<br>
<br>
You remember the words<br>
don't you Joseph.<br>
Somehow <br>
I knew what they were<br>
after I saw Jesus <br>
in the garden.<br>
Tell them <br>
to sing those words<br>
as they dance me<br>
to my tomb.<br>
<br>
Christ is risen!<br>
Christ is risen!<br>
Christ is risen!<br>
Alleluia!<br>
Alleluia!<br>
Alleluia!<br>
<br>
To God alone be glory.<br>
<br>
Amen.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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