“In All Things, A Love That Trumps All” Mother’s Day Celebration! by St Matthew Rocklin

My brother and I shared a room and slept in bunkbeds growing up. He was four years older than me and we were always close, every night talking in the dark after the lights were out. One night when I was maybe in the third grade, I must have been struggling with some things because in the dark after the lights were out I said something like, “Steve, what if this God-stuff isn’t true?” To which –after a pause where I asked the question again - in a typical big brother way he answered with absolute certainty, “Ah Brad, shut up and go to sleep.” It was enough for me. Do you have some doubts?...even great doubts? Today, the living Jesus would come face to face with you to give you absolute certainty!

My brother and I shared a room and slept in bunkbeds growing up. He was four years older than me and we were always close, every night talking in the dark after the lights were out. One night when I was maybe in the third grade, I must have been struggling with some things because in the dark after the lights were out I said something like, “Steve, what if this God-stuff isn’t true?” To which –after a pause where I asked the question again - in a typical big brother way he answered with absolute certainty, “Ah Brad, shut up and go to sleep.” It was enough for me. Do you have some doubts?...even great doubts? Today, the living Jesus would come face to face with you to give you absolute certainty!

When is the last time you’ve been “in a funk?” You know, when it is like you are walking under a shadow? Sometimes we know how we get there and sometimes we are just there and we cannot even figure out how-right? Usually what puts us there is that the stuff or people in life we thought we could depend on no matter what becomes unstable or unsure, like quick sand, though sometimes it is just a shadow over our souls that, as I said, we don’t know where it has come from. Where do you need a little light in the great shadows? It is what Jesus, the living One, would bring to you face to face; a light to chase away all darkness.

Peace. Say the word out loud. How do you long for it? What fears grip you, getting in the way of peace? We live in such a time of fear….fear of violence, fear of the other political party, fear for our children…or grandchildren, fear that we “won’t have enough.” Fear. And it causes us, at times, to have such violent thoughts and words and actions, doesn’t it?..In what fears do you especially need peace?...a peace that covers everything?.. Face to face, it is what Jesus, the resurrected one, gives.

On this day -Easter Sunday- millions of Christians as well as millions of others who are not sure or who are searching and are welcomed in hundreds of thousands of Christian Churches throughout the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Why? Because we don’t have to go to the mailbox anymore.

More and more, when I have the honor of walking with a family during a difficult time, I find myself praying with them out loud asking God, the Holy Spirit, to give them hearts and insight to give each other a little grace as they go through this difficult time together.

How about you? When is the last time you needed a little grace? And where do you have an opportunity to give it? Life is hard. Sometimes we foul up. Sometimes tragedies strike us. Sometimes the enemies just seem too great and we fall. Sometimes –maybe all the time? – we need a little grace. And sometimes –maybe all the time? – we need to be able to give a little grace as well. Tonight, we see the source and heart of grace; Grace given to us…and grace that we can give another.

It seems that we are put together to want and to need to be a part of others, to be part of a group, something beyond ourselves. We have families and couples and communities and circles of friends and clubs and well, it goes on and on. Even those of us who are extremely independent would find ourselves living in emptiness if we had to live a totally isolated life. Tonight, we are renewed in what brings you and me together and makes us one. It is not me. It is not you. It is another. And it is all about Him! And He is always with us!

Reboot. It’s what the computer does once in a while – right? It’s like a death and resurrection. And it’s not just with computers. My cell phone was acting crazy the other day. I asked my electronically astute son, James, what to do…and he said to turn it off and then on. Death…and resurrection. It’s kind of like when the TV doesn’t work or when the copier in the office goes wacko and when everything else fails, we turn it off and on and presto! It works! A death and resurrection. A new beginning. Today, we focus on Joseph and his “reboot.” Where do you need one?

Do you remember the story of how Robin Hood and Little John met? They each started across a log bridge from opposite directions at the same time. When neither would back down, they had to fight it out until one “hit the water.”

Today, we see Jesus coming face to face with death…and grieving. Guess who “hits the water?” Come and see what this means for us in the lives we live when we come face to face with death…and grieving, not only for us but in the lives of others. Sooner or later, death…and grieving, touches each of us. But in Jesus, we too can win!