Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In the ecstasy of the moment, as a triumph and dénouement to Resurrection, the Disciples huddle about, gazing and gawking upwards at the sky as the Lord Jesus ascends. As spectacular as that moment was, it was Jesus who was still managing his Church, even as his twelve friends were occupied with the splendor and glory of heaven: “Go out to all the nations…preach the gospel and baptize with water in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...And remember that I am with you, even to the end of the world!” (Matt 28: 18-20).

We linger there for a moment, you and I, basking in the glory that has been and will be revealed to the world once again. I liken it to a crowd who has just seen the star player at a baseball game, hit the winning run right over the fence! For moments on end we are jumping around, hugging each other and thrilled with the triumph of the winners. It is not only their triumph but ours as well.

But for every triumph, there is the next day…the work at the office, the cutting of the grass…the baby sitting…the back to school blues…in other words, there is the reality of the work that must be done…to carry on until the time of another great championship game…until another great moment of glory!

We have not even come to Good Friday or Easter, let alone Ascension Day! But Lent is an important time for us! It is the “get ready” time! It is the setting up time…the time where in we prepare ourselves for the coming of a Champion who is going to win for us…not only is he going to win, but he is going to tear the cover off the ball!

Jesus is more than a player; he is the heart of the team. His management skills never waver and nor does his faith in his teammates.

Even in the moment when he is personally glorified…even as Heaven has vindicated his ministry…even as he has vanquished the foul enemies, death and sin…even as he has finished the game and the victory is complete, he is still coaching the team. “Go out, preach and baptize, and I will be with you, even to the end of the world”.

His inexhaustible energy and stewardship of his Church should be rewarded with the unwavering loyalty of all of his disciples! We should all be working for the edification and glorification of Christ Jesus in the Church, with the same zeal he displayed in saving it through his sacrifice on the Cross. “Must Jesus bear the cross alone, and all the world goes free…No! There’s a cross for everyone and there’s a cross for me.

Just think of this! If every disciple of Jesus would lose his/her doubt and fear of the world…if every disciple would come out into the clear light of day, meet and greet the people of God with the peace…if every disciple would take a child and treat it as his/her own…if every disciple would preach Jesus Christ crucified, Risen, and Coming again…if every disciple would look up to heaven for true strength and power, the Church, no matter what the denomination, would be the most winning team on Earth…the gates of Hell would not be able to prevail against it.

But it takes work…it takes a willingness to do what Jesus asks us to do, and not to count the cost! There is the implication of costly grace involved in this…there is the implication of loving and trusting involved in this action. But who ever said it was going to be easy!

This Lent, I call on all the disciples of Jesus to look up to the heavens, become energized by the glory in the skies, then look earthward and see the masses that need the baptism Church, the life giving word of Jesus, and unconditional love. Then disciples roll up your sleeves and get busy. We can’t get to the next and final championship being idle, lazy, or afraid. The hymn writer said it best:

“Work for the night is coming…work through the morning hours.

Fill brightest hours with labor…work mid springing flowers.

Work till the last beam fadeth…fadeth to shine no more.

Work for the night is coming, when our work is ‘ore.”

The Very Rev. Dr. C. David Williams

Dean/Rector