Preparing for Liturgy

we learn from one another

a sharing here, a sharing there

a thought, an idea, a story, a joke

in this big world of ours

little things matter

 

this sunday, as you know,

the gospel will be about jesus curing the ten lepers

only one of whom -- and this, a samaritan who was not expected to be good --

returned to say thank you.

 

part of what i will be sharing to congregations

which i now advance

is a reference to a song by the carpenters

which for  a good part of the piece

is just a lovely piano movement

and then, and then

unobtrusively, creeps us the haunting voice of karen:

'sometimes, not often enought

we reflect upon the good things

and our thoughts always center around those we love

and i think of all the people

who mean so much to me

and all the many things happening to me

that made me so very happy

and i count the times i had forgotten to say

thank you

and

just how much i love them.....

 

and just as softly as she entered the music

her voice fades

and the piano fades

leaving the listene

if he or she is attentive enough

to say to self first

perhaps to god second

or in reverse order

 

thank you

thank you lord

i love you lord

 

and one looks around

and thinks around

of the many people

in one's life

husband, wife, daughter, son

mother, father, sister, brother

relatives, friends

everyone

 

where are they now

when was the last time i said to them

thank you

i love you

 

even jesus, as the gospel reveals,

missed a thank you

'were not ALL TEN made clean?

where are the other nine

is there no one to thank god

except this stranger, this foreigner?

 

(for samaritans, to jews, were outcasts

and jews, to samaritans, were enemies

which is why in the parable of the good samaritan

the twist is really that the samaritan

who was not expected to be good

was even better than the priest and the levite

who WERE expected to be good

but passed by on THE OTHER SIDE.)

 

and so, today, or this sunday,

may we all say to those we love

i love you

and to those who have done us good

thank you.

 

and we must say it clear

and say it loud enough to be understood

 

for the realm of silence

is large enough beyond the grave

 

here, now, where we are

while silence also has its role

we need to say

thank you

i love you

 

years ago, dear chio,

in our student days

you won the bacs elocution contest

with the piece

wanted, a chaperone.

 

hear god now saying to you

"chio

i shall be your chaperone

i want to be your chaperone

may i?"

 

 your answer of yes

will be your happiness

our life

your joy

 

happy weekend tabi

 

father rod