BD&A
After five, the sun doesn't rise for an hour yet. The shrimp boat is still working, that motored out on the Bay last evening while we were sitting outside enjoying 7H porch before sunset and for two or three hours. That is human time, we leave electronic devices inside.
Which is where I am now, cup of black, in my study/office/den, brain dragging, fingers dancing. Haven't checked the news yet but that there's a weather thing in the Gulf to the southeast of us, moving this way, active radar shows it giving us some showers, maybe thundershowers, about eight or eight thirty this morning.
Reading a book again, Under the Wire by Bill Ash. A native Texan, he escaped the Great Depression in 1940 by making his way to Canada and joining the RCAF. Was sent to England and, a fighter pilot, flew Spitfires against the Germans until he was shot down in March 1942 and began his second wartime career, first on the run protected by French Resistance in Paris, then as a prisoner of the Gestapo and the Luftwaffe. He was an escape artist who started that lifestyle at age seven, skipping school and hitchhiking rides to nearby Texas towns to spend the day, late afternoon turn himself in to local police, to be returned home in time for supper.
A free soul though not spirit, I'm trying to bring a bit of discipline into my nearly ten years of, from age 75, first CaringBridge in October 2010 to keep friends and loved ones advised of my health journey, phasing to +Time blog in February 2011 as I left Cleveland Clinic and returned home for the Duration.
Generally I've thought of my life as being in more or less 20 year chunks:
- Grow up & school
- Navy
- Business, adjunct college professor, seminary & parish priest
- Retired.
Lately, as Retired draws but no means drags on and on, I'm realizing a new perception of my life in terms of overlapping significant BD&As. Moments or Durations of sea change. Before, During & Afters. BD&As. BD&A each child. BD&A USN. BD&A Fr Tom. BD&A Apalachicola. BD&A the Old Place. BD&A being a son. BD&A age 75. BD&A 7H. BD&A NOYB. BD&A May 2018. BD&A Cat5HMichael & Hurrication. BD&A covid19. BD&A +Time. BD&A retirement.
A number of those are still D and haven't yet reached A, but the idea holds. At this morning moment it's BD&A +Time, the notion of disciplining a decade of freewheeling day to day Nonsense because, with Shelter in Place, +Time is on the parish website as one of our ways of holding community life together while we hermit in caves. Holy men (I'm not one) mind their manners for the most part, and are expected to meet expectations. My discipline in +Time is in the nature of schedule: Sunday School, Monday Lectionary (yes I did, you didn't look, it's behind that Marmon touring car, actually between the Marmon and the Cadillacs). Wednesday Bible Study. Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat whatever, but be mindful, take care, may be little ears or Innocentia.
So, Tuesday. I'm looking at the Collect for next Sunday, Easter 2
The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First, when I'm the Celebrant, I do whatever. It comes with being eighty-something and take me or leave me. Instead of "may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith", I pray "may show forth in our lives what we profess by our faith" lest I or anyone in the crowd think it's not meant to signify personally, and mean me and us. It relates to our Baptismal Covenant, the deal we make with God about how we promise to live because of what we claim to believe. It's the "Will you?"s of the Baptismal Covenant:
The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First, when I'm the Celebrant, I do whatever. It comes with being eighty-something and take me or leave me. Instead of "may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith", I pray "may show forth in our lives what we profess by our faith" lest I or anyone in the crowd think it's not meant to signify personally, and mean me and us. It relates to our Baptismal Covenant, the deal we make with God about how we promise to live because of what we claim to believe. It's the "Will you?"s of the Baptismal Covenant:
- Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
- Will you persevere in resisting evil, and whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
- Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Jesus Christ?
- Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
- Will you strive for justice and peace among all people and RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING?
As members of a liturgical church, in worship on Sunday mornings we are not unlikely to mouth our way mindlessly through the liturgy, thoughts wandering at will or won't. I'm afraid it does then too, but that ought never happen when we're renewing our baptismal covenant, because it's the heart of what we're about as Christians. The five "Will you?"s are a canon of expectations, and they are ordered significantly: RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING being the pinnacle of loving God. If one fails in that, the rest of the typology is pointless.
I'll be trying to remember that, if and when BD&A covid19 comes to After, and we can get back to hating those who are different from us. Socially. Racially. Politically. Ethnically. Religiously. Sexual Preferentially. Economically. In this election year 2020, mostly Politically.
It's still Easter, you know.
RSF&PTL
T+
I'll be trying to remember that, if and when BD&A covid19 comes to After, and we can get back to hating those who are different from us. Socially. Racially. Politically. Ethnically. Religiously. Sexual Preferentially. Economically. In this election year 2020, mostly Politically.
It's still Easter, you know.
RSF&PTL
T+