Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles -- Ss. Francis and Clare Parish, Birch Run

Premiering on September 17, 1972 and running for 11 seasons, the television show M*A*S*H was a dramatic comedy (or dramedy) set during the Korean War and revolving around the key personnel of a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital near the front lines.

In 1983, after the last season, M*A*S*H was, at that time, the longest-running television series. It was nominated for over 100 Emmy Awards, and won 14; also winning the 6 Golden Globe, the 7 Directors Guild of America awards, a Peabody Award, seven Writers Guild of America Award, and several Humanitas Prizes.

In the tenth episode of the fourth season, titled “Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler” the characters encounter a wounded bombardier waking up on his arrival at the hospital, and thinking he is Jesus Christ. The reactions of the cast range from concern to outright disgust — and everything in-between. 

The Latin phrase in the title: “Quo Vadis” — relates to an apocryphal story relating to Saint Peter. Supposedly, during the persecutions of the Emperor Nero, Saint Peter chose to flee Rome. While walking out of the city along the Appian Way, Peter encounters Jesus himself; and asks him “Quo vadis, Domine?” Or “Where are you going, Lord?” To which Jesus replies: “I am going to Rome, to be crucified again.”

At that, Peter changes his mind about running away, and instead returns to Rome to continue leading the nascent Church, and subsequently being martyred during the persecution of Nero.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul — an annual celebration which falls on June 29. In many places, it is a Holy Day of Obligation, but it hasn’t been in the United States since a dispensation of Pope Gregory XVI (the sixteenth) in the year 1840.

The last time this feast fell on a Sunday was 2014, and so we see this on a weekend Mass roughly every decade.

Saint Peter is held to be the first Pope, the chief of the Apostles. His turbulent life — even while following Jesus during His earthly ministry — was one of many ups and downs. 

Saint Peter is the first to proclaim Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God; but almost immediately after that tries to stop Jesus from talking about His eventual Passion and Death. 

Saint Peter declares his unwavering loyalty to Jesus at the Last Supper, and later that night denies that he even knows Him, three times. Yet, this merely points to the powerful action of God’s Grace — that an uneducated, confused, and very human man was able to lead the early Church for roughly 30 years, before dying on the Vatican Hill in the City of Rome in the year 64 AD.

And Saint Paul, the master of the run-on sentence, wrote 14 Letters to the early Churches scattered around the Roman Empire — most of which he visited, preaching the Gospel, and admonishing them to persevere in the Faith. 

All of this despite having initially persecuted the Church in his younger years.

Saint Paul met Christ on the Road to Damascus as a bright light — that blinded him — and a voice — that converted him. And Saint Peter knew Christ first-hand during His earthly ministry, and having encountered him in a time of fear was inspired to return and continue in his mission — despite growing persecution.

In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus ask the disciples: “Who do you say that I am?”

And we might ask ourselves that question as well.

As we approach this altar to receive the most holy Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ — let us listen for His voice, calling us to follow Him. 

And as we receive Him in Holy Communion, let us tell Him who we say that He is.

He who is our Way, and our Truth, and our Life. 

He who is Our Lord and Our Savior. 

And may we hear Him say to each and every one of us: “Follow me."

Ecumenical Lenten Reflections - Christ Lutheran Church, Birch Run

ECUMENICAL LENTEN REFLECTION

MARCH 12, 2025 

This year, we are using reflections from Henri Nouwen; a Dutch Catholic priest; who was also a professor, a writer, and a theologian. 

I suppose he could be called an intellectual of sorts, having taught at Yale Divinity School, Harvard Divinity School, and the University of Notre Dame. Colleges aside, he eventually went on to work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities at a special needs community in Canada.

Puzzling through the week’s worth of reflections on the subject of The Way of Love, where seven Scripture verses are tied in with seven quotes from Nouwen’s prolific writings, and seven reflections on top of all of those quotes; I would say that in following The Way of Love, we begin as individuals in isolation. Each one of us begins this path all alone.

But through Baptism we become, a Child of God, and through that, we step onto the path — the Way — of the Gospel. Following in the footsteps of Christ, and headed for Eternity; an Eternity of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

As we proceed through this Season of Lent, and as we move through our lives; we run into the opposites of those things. Sadness, conflict, haste, meanness, badness, infidelity, harshness, and chaos. We find that things don’t always seem to fit. Or maybe things don’t seem to fit the way we would like them to . . .

At those times when we are unable to proceed along the Way as we would desire, we find ourselves turning more and more to God. Sort of like the old line about Atheists in Foxholes.

Lent is an opportunity to de-clutter our lives. 40 (or so) days to be reborn. To re-discover what it means to be a child of God. To re-commit to following Christ Jesus — wherever that leads . . . Even if it’s not where we think we want to go.

The Way of Love — the Way of Christ — leads to the Cross.

But, as we all know, Ash Wednesday moves through Lent, to Palm Sunday, and then Maundy Thursday, and eventually Good Friday.

Lots of drama. Intense stories, memorable dialogs, shocking acts and actions. Every year, each year, more and more familiar. 

But Good Friday is not the end, and even Easter Sunday is not the end. Rather, Easter opens us into another 40 days . . . Ending with the Ascension of Our Lord . . . and beginning with the question:

“[W]hy are you standing there looking at the sky?”

Even that end is a beginning for the Apostles, and when the book of Acts ends at Chapter 28; we take over with our own mission.

Following Jesus Christ. Carrying our own Crosses. Walking along our own Way of Love with Him.

During my brief stint in the US Navy, I was trained in Chinese Mandarin; and after sloshing my way through water survival training — nearly failing the section called “drown-proofing” — I deployed to east Asia, and spent a lot of time in a lot of strange places, with a lot of strange people, and a lot of strange ideas.

I learned that, twenty-six hundred years ago; around the time that the Prophet Ezekiel was speaking to the the Israelites — who at the time were exiled in Babylon; an old man riding an ox was heading in that direction, out of China. 

Laozi – literally “Old Child” — was fed up with politics and people; wars and power. He was looking to get away from all of the mess that comes with so-called civilization. 

The guard at the western gate — recognizing him as a wise, old, philosopher — wouldn’t let him pass until he had written something down.

He wrote roughly 5,000 words (about 10 pages single-spaced) which are broken into 81 chapters. It’s titled Tao Te Ching (Dao de Jing) — or the Scripture of the Way and Virtue. And to this day is held in great esteem in Chinese folk-religion.

The 78th chapter begins:

天下莫柔弱於水，而攻堅強者莫之能勝，其無以易之。

Tiānxià mò róuruò yú shuǐ, ér gōngjiān qiángzhě mò zhī néng shēng, qí wú yǐ yì zhī.

Nothing in the world is softer and weaker than water, yet nothing can overcome it when it attacks something hard and strong.

If you’ve ever been caught in a heavy rain; you can understand this. Or if you’ve ever watched the 40 million gallons per minute that flow over Niagara Falls . . . you’d be hard-pressed to argue.

But 12,000 years ago, it all began with one drop of water from a melting glacier. And yet we see it’s effects to this day.

But I would argue — or maybe re-write — the Ancient Chinese wisdom of the Old Kid.

Because, in the light of the Gospel — Nothing in the world is softer or weaker than Love; yet nothing can overcome the power of Love . . . especially when we are talking about the Love of God poured out in Christ Jesus Our Lord.

And so, let us continue to move forward into this Holy Season of Lent. Walking the Way of Love . . . and living our lives according to the Gospel Way of Jesus Christ. 

And let us support one another . . . and transform the world we liv in . . . with the gentle power of His Love.