<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body ><div>Forwarded from Bob Morrison:</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="font-size:8px;color:#575757">From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.</div></div><br><br>-------- Original message --------<br>From: robertpmorrison@charter.net <br>Date:10/31/2015 11:07 AM (GMT-05:00) <br>To: 'joeparrish' <joeparrish@compuserve.com> <br>Subject: RE: All Saints' Day <br><br>Part 2<div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> There <b><u>ARE</u></b> some things that seem to be able
to tie us up in knots, that make us feel as if were dead, or as good as.
Anything which makes us imagine that our lives have lost their meaning;
anything which seems to impel us to sit in our chairs and not move, even
finding the activity of eating and interacting with others too much; these can
paralyse us hold us fast physically. And the same goes for mental activity.
Rocky challenges, changes of many kinds, can arrest our minds and make us feel
quite isolated, as if shut away and unable to come out of our funk.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> The pressures on our lives these days <b><u>CAN</u></b>
be enormous. Still, Jesus comes, speaking sometimes loudly, sometimes softly,
sometimes unrecognisably, talking about what may not seem to make any sense at
all. After all, grave clothes and stone-sealed tombs <b><u>DO</u></b> seem
pretty final! Jesus comes, Jesus speaks directly to us, telling us to come out,
to risk engaging in the different, the dangerous, the impossible, He invites us
to let Him unbind us from everything which imprisons us and keeps us from
discovering how much joy there is in knowing that our souls – every one of them
– the souls of all the other righteous are in the hand of God. I mean, really,
that <b><u>DOES</u></b> cut away at the bandages of fear, doesn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Even in the midst of rocks, of deserts, of troubles, of
challenges, of loneliness of every sort, God is present to offer hope and
reassurance that all shall be will. <b><u>THIS</u></b> was what helped keep our
familial and spiritual ancestors going. This is what enabled them to keep
working through all sorts of discouragements and disappointments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> I remember reading one of those hand-calligraphed cards
on which there was a fascinating inscription. To paraphrase, it said, “Saints
were not saints because they were fantastically great. Or world-renowned, or
even particularly honoured in their communities. We call them saints – God
recognises them as saints – because they persevered; they travailed; they
shared; they followed in the footsteps of others, who followed in the footsteps
of others, who followed in the footsteps of Jesus and the disciples, and
Lazarus! And they did that so that each generation could, in turn, show those
who came after them that God’s Presence was and always will be in our midst.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> This Feast of All the Saints is an opportunity for us to
take great hope, and to say “Thank God for Jesus. Thank God for our ancestors
or family and congregation friends. Thank God for Lazarus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Why
for Lazarus? Well, having been brought into new life, he devoted himself to
spreading the Gospel that Jesus taught. He was given courage. He found depth of
faith. He found that he had abilities that he could use to impact the lives of
others and set them back on their own paths. And he was SO successful at this
that, “a</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">ccording
to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Church" title="Orthodox Church">Orthodox</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>tradition, sometime after the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_of_Christ" title="Resurrection of Christ">Resurrection of Christ</a>, Lazarus was forced
to flee<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judea" title="Judea">Judea</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>because of rumoured plots on his life
and came to Cyprus.” <sup>2</sup> He was too much of a threat to those who
weren’t interested in dealing with those who were struggling beyond making sure
that they could squeeze the last coin out of them. Lazarus had been so unbound,
he’d taken to heart that his soul, and those of all the righteous, was in the
hand of God, that he wouldn’t let anything stop him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> I
wonder if the verse from The Wisdom of Solomon and the story of Lazarus are
given us this day as some sort of a </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">parable about never avoiding
anything, even the things that makes us uneasy, the things that we can’t
understand, or feel that we can do nothing about. Is this not a parable for us
in this room, at this very moment, encouraging us, at the voice of Jesus
calling out, to unwrap ourselves and our friends from everything that inhibits
life, and love, and happiness, and productivity, to believe that <b><u>NOTHING</u></b>
can keep love and life from bringing miracles in our midst.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> Brother Geoffrey Tristram, who leads
the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, wrote
something that encouraged me. “Over the years, in spite of all the easy in
which I have been foolish, made mistakes, been faithless – with my hand on my
heart – God has always been faithful.” <sup>3</sup><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> And as one really encouraging sign
of Jesus unbinding people in our own day. Think about <span style="color:#444444">Kobi
Tzafrir “the owner of the Hummus Bar at the M Mall in Kfar Vitkin”. In the
midst of all the terror and killing, he’s advertising, “</span><span style="color:#333333">Scared of Arabs? Scared of Jews? With us there are no
Arabs, but also no Jews. With us there are people! And genuine excellent Arabic
hummus! And Jewish, excellent praiseworthy falafel with free refill on every
hummus, whether you're Arabs, Jews, Christians or Indians. Special bargain: 50%
discount on hummus to a table where Arabs and Jews sit together. Valid
Sun-Thurs.” <sup>4</sup><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333"> What an unbinding might there be
there? And what of Albany? What unbinding will come to us, will be accomplished
by us – especially as we think of each of those we’ll name in a moment?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#333333"> As Kfar said, “</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:#333333">If there's anything that can bring together
these peoples, it’s hummus.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"">NOTES:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size:
10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> <i>“The
Raising of Lazarus”</i> by <span style="color:#3F4040">Duccio di Buoninsegna<span style="background:whitesmoke"> (</span></span><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">c. 1255-1260 – c. 1318-1319</span><span style="color:#252525">)
</span><span style="color:#3F4040"> -
Google Art Project.jpg</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><span style="color:#3F4040"><br></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">2</span></b></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> See<b> </b> <span style="color:#222222"><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCsQFjAEahUKEwjQ6sLa9-vIAhUG22MKHVO_AI8&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FChurch_of_Saint_Lazarus%2C_Larnaca&usg=AFQjCNFfqEvMzSwZCeQDQPCGzRkQ8OJnOw"><span style="color:#660099">Church of Saint Lazarus, Larnaca - Wikipedia, the free
...</span></a> </span><b><span style="color:#006621"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/.../Church_of_Saint_Lazarus,_Larnaca"><span style="font-weight:normal">https://en.wikipedia.org/.../Church_of_Saint_Lazarus,_Larnaca</span></a> </span></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><br></span></p>
<p class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"">3</span></span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> <i>“Compassion”,</i>
Brother Geoffrey Tristram, <i>“Brother give
us a word”, </i>24<sup>th</sup> October, 2015. <span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 33); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">ssje</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 33); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">.org/word/ <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">4</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “An Israeli hummus cafe is giving 50
per cent off to Jews and Arabs who eat together<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">19<sup>th</sup> October, 2015”
Posted by <a href="https://twitter.com/matthewchampion" target="_blank"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">Matthew
Champion </span></a>in news<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#A0A0A0"><a href="http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/an-israeli-hummus-cafe-is-giving-50-per-cent-off-to-jews-and-arabs-who-eat-together--WyxvWQdJdl">http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/an-israeli-hummus-cafe-is-giving-50-per-cent-off-to-jews-and-arabs-who-eat-together--WyxvWQdJdl</a></span></p></div><div><br></div><div><br><joeparrish@compuserve.com><div>
<br></div>
</joeparrish@compuserve.com></div>
</body>