Today we begin another Holy Week. This is the one week in the year when the most important business at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Cypress, Texas is worship and prayer. Most everything else is suspended for this one week. This is the week that year after year, I invite all of us to walk intentionally day by day with Jesus. Knowing that some of us cannot get to St. Mary’s everyday for worship, we handed out wonderful beeswax candles made by the sisters of the Monastery of Saints Mary and Martha in South Carolina. Everyday, especially on the days they cannot join for worship at St. Mary’s, each family is invited to stop intentionally for prayer and worship and light the candle as a connection to the candles lit at the worship occurring at St. Mary’s. I’ll also be posting a daily blog to give us shared food for thought in our daily Holy Week worship.

As a beginning, here is the sermon that started us off on the Sunday of the Passion, Palm Sunday.

Don’t we all want Jesus to walk with us?

Most of us know that Jesus is always walking with us. Always. I wonder. Does Jesus want us ever to walk with him?

This is the week that Jesus is kind of busy. Jesus is busy taking on the sin of the whole world. Feeding his disciples one last time, being betrayed, being arrested. Being denied, being beaten, being ridiculed. Having nails hammered into his hands and feet. Dying.

Jesus is very busy.

Today we read the Passion Gospel (Matthew 26.17–27.16), that last less than twenty four hours of so of Jesus’ life [before his resurrection]. Today, you, the congregation, read the part of Jesus. You will be hearing the Passion narrative from Jesus’ perspective.

As you read, notice who is walking with Jesus this week.

The disciples who are all with him when he is feeding them a meal.

The disciples who are all with him when they go out singing the last song.

The disciples who fall asleep when Jesus is praying.

Judas and Peter who betray and deny.

Caiphas and the other leaders of the temple who look for loop holes of blasphemy.

Pilate and the Roman guards who mock and beat and crucify.

The crowd who is….well caught up in being a crowd.

This is who is walking with Jesus this week.

So I wonder.

Since Jesus is pretty busy this week, on our behalf, could we walk with Jesus, and surround him with those who love and adore him? Not just for the meal and the song. We already walked into Jerusalem with him today having an awfully glad time. When it was easy.

Can we, not just today when it’s easy, this whole week long keep walking with him?

Yes, it’s not convenient. Sure it takes a little extra time and effort. I don’t think Jesus is looking for convenient in his life this week. I think Jesus is taking a lot of extra time and effort on our behalf this week.

So as you listen to the Passion Gospel. As you read the words of Jesus, imagine: Who is walking with Jesus? Who would he like to be walking with him? Who is surrounding Jesus? Who could make Jesus’ week more bearable by being with him?

I have a song that I think that Jesus might sing to us if Jesus were to sing to us:

AMEN

Except. It seems as many times as I remove the Diocese of Springfield from a corporate prayer list, it pops up on another. At our 8 Eucharist this morning, once again, in the Prayers of the People, as we prayed for the Church, there those Illinois clergy and people were again, as our Deacon Russ prayed, “…….and for the Diocese of Springfield.”

Since this week is when the three candidates will be walking about and meeting the folks in Springfield, I guess the Holy Spirit, once again, knew better than I did who St. Mary’s was to lift in prayer. After all, St. Paul did write in his epistle to the Christians gathered in Rome (Chapter 8):

Pray for Christ’s body, the Church, especially for the clergy and people of the Diocese of Springfield as they take counsel together to select the bishop whom God has already chosen.

August 7, the Synod in the Diocese of Springfield selected three men to be candidates for the bishop election in September. The Archdeacon from Springfield and I traded votes for five ballots to see who would be the fourth candidate. The Archdeacon had more clergy votes, and I had more lay. At nearly 10 PM, the Synod decided that three candidates were good enough.

After the fact, I have had chats with a few lay folks from Springfield. After conversation with them, I am certain that God had me in their episcopal process, once again, for God’s good reason.

But the Springfield process has left me tired. Weary.

In God’s graciousness, the election was followed by a trip to meet my new grandson–what better healing in the world than holding my first grandchild?

I continue to pray about where God is calling me to serve. For today, once again, God has made it clear that St. Mary’s continues to be the place that God is calling me to serve. For that I am very, very grateful.

Next Saturday, the synod in Springfield will decide which four of us continue in the process for Bishop. So I’m waiting.

Meanwhile, in three weeks, we’ll celebrate 25 years of being St. Mary’s, Cypress, Texas. It hit me–I’ve been rector for half of St. Mary’s existence. Who would have ever thought?

I remember the Sunday at St. Cuthbert (where I was a member then) when a group of folks left to go help start St. Mary’s. I actually have a notation somewhere in my Bible, next to whatever Scripture we were reading that day: The Departure.

Twenty five years ago! I was so sure I knew what God’s will and God’s way was. Strangely, God’s point of view lined up pretty nicely with mine. Talk about creating God in my own image!

Twenty five years from now, God willing there will be another 25 years, what will I look back at and smile at my foolishness? Isn’t God’s patience wonderful?