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Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Philippians 3:17—4:1, Luke 13:31-35
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, West Valley City, UT
The Reverend W. Lee Shaw
Today I have much of the same feelings I read in St. Paul’s letter to the Christians in Philippi, Greece. “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown…” I am entering into my sixth year with you as your priest and pastor. It has been a very rich time for me and I was reminded of that this weekend as your vestry and I went on our annual retreat to look at the upcoming year and our ministries with you at St. Stephen’s. I know that more will come later out of our time together, today just some personal reflections.
Today I was very moved by Paul’s language about those who live “as enemies of the cross of Christ.” This struck a chord with me: How can someone be an enemy of the “cross of Christ?” The cross is central to our faith, our life as followers of Jesus Christ. I am reminded of Becky Ball’s comment last week about the “old rugged cross” we use in Lent. So, I feel it may be helpful to tell you some of the story of this cross of Christ and why it is part of our Lenten time together.
In the late 1980’s, Bishop Otis Charles would lead the “Bishop’s Pilgrimage.” He did this for five years. This cross was a major piece of those pilgrim travels. For four years I was involved either as a “pilgrim” or “sherpa” (staff) for the weekend. Following an overnight gathering at the cathedral, we would go to Our Lady of the Mountains Retreat Center in Ogden. (Now I understand closed by the Roman Diocese.) Here we spent the weekend in a modified St. Ignatius silent retreat with our Bishop. It was all silent except for teaching sessions and worship. Meals, free time, pilgrim time in total silence. A wonderful discipline!
In the morning and afternoon we would do a prayer walk. Walking in silence behind this cross and a large Bible wrapped in a Navajo blanket. We would walk for most of the morning and then again for most of the afternoon, in silence. Periodically, Otis would stop the walk and open up the Bible and read some verses to give us food for our next meditation walk. It was an incredibly rich time for prayer, meditation, silence and being one with God.
One person would carry the cross. The person behind would carry the Bible. The rest of us would follow, including Otis. If you wanted to carry one of them, you would walk up next to the person and he/she would hand it over to you. You then carried it until the next person came up to you. Ten minutes or two hours. You carried the Cross of Christ. You carried the Word of God.
Our evenings were spent in worship and Bible study and sharing in which we could talk and share. It was an incredible time of spiritual growth for me with silence, sharing, prayer, journaling, Eucharist and the discipline of St. Ignatius. I loved it, having been twice as a pilgrim and twice as a sherpa/staff.
This cross led our way. So many people have held its curved form and rough wood. So many people have followed it into silence and into worship. It is for me the penultimate cross of Christ for I have experienced so much through it.
In the three parishes I have served, this Cross of Pilgrimage has been the Lenten Cross: It has led me and others into the pilgrimage of Lent. It has led me and others into the dawning of the resurrection. This is how I see the cross: leading us to Christ, leading us to a new life in him, leading us to resurrection. It is the symbol of not his death, but of his triumph. The cross is the sign of our life with him. To reject the cross is to reject the Christ.
As we move through our Lenten time together, led by this Cross of Pilgrimage, I invite you to recall my invitations to you: 1. Invite a friend to church with you. And this can start as easily as telling a story about some part of St. Stephen’s that is meaningful for you as I did today. Come and see. 2. Seek reconciliation with you and God as well as you and anyone else with whom you are out of communion. And 3, to be present with one another as support, friend and fellow pilgrim.
We need one another in this pilgrimage through Lent and through life. Life is too short not to hold up the value and gifts of those around us: both those who rely on us and those on whom we rely.
So this Lent, I invite you to follow this Cross of Pilgrimage in our liturgy and in your life with one another.