Here's this week's video chapel message, with transcript below for those of you without speakers on your computer.
Opening Prayer:
God of the still, small voice, quiet us within.
Help us to understand your guidance.
Let the words of the scripture inform us:
“Be still and know that I am God.”
In weakness, help us know our strength.
In depression, help us know our joy.
In apathy, help us know our love.
We pray all his with grateful hearts and in your name, Amen.
Hello Friends! I hope this finds you safe after the rather drastic events in Texas last week. For those of us who are Christian, we are in the season of Lent, a time of repentance. We as Christians have no corner on the market when it comes to spirituality, so this is one of those times where I will share what I know about another faith tradition. I am no scholarly expert in the area, but I know a couple of things.
This week, in the Jewish faith tradition, at sundown on Thursday and on Friday it is the joyful holiday of Purim! After last week's events, I sure could use a party, so the timing could not be better! Purim is an occasion where costumes are worn, and scripture is read with noisemakers used by all when the name of the evil villain Haman is read.
Because of the costumes, it is often called Jewish Halloween, but it has almost nothing in common with Halloween.
Mitzvas of care for the poor, gifts of food, and even a mitzva of drinking (if you are heathy and can do so) are all observed. For those of you who do not know what a Mitzva is, it is a good deed done from religious duty.
All this is in recognition of what Christians know as the Book of Esther in the Bible. The story is found in the Hebrew scriptures or what some people call The Old Testament.
It is a great story. I will give you a Birdie’s CliffsNotes version, for a more detailed account, read the scripture yourself. It is great reading and an interesting story.
The story of Esther takes place during the reign of King Xerxes I of Persia. When queen Vashti refused to come to a banquet when the king summoned her, the King looked for a new wife.
Beautiful women from all around the country were brought to the palace. Humble but gorgeous Esther was among them. Poor, an orphan raised by her Uncle Mordecai, Esther found herself in the very unlikely position of queen.
Esther was Jewish but her uncle advised her to keep that to herself.
Haman was the king’s advisor. Although he was not royalty, he decreed that everyone should bow to him. Mordecai refused. This was incredibly brave of him. Haman was furious and decreed that all Jews should be killed.
In another brave act Mordecai stops eating in protest and wears a sack, and other Jews follow his example. Mordecai asks Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jews. This would be an unacceptable thing for her to approach the king in that period of history. She could be killed for such an act.
She promises to pray and fast and famously says, “If I perish, I perish.”
So courageously, she offers a banquet for the King and Haman who, thank goodness, accept the invitation. She does this amazing act of great character and reveals her heritage to her husband, explaining Haman’s plan to kill her people, and basically her as well.
Haman was killed, Mordecai becomes the king’s new advisor, and the Jews were allowed to defend themselves from the edict that they were to be killed.
Wow, what a ride of a story!
So many ups and downs; a rags to riches story- highlighting anything thing is possible. Political intrigue, individual courage, community bravery, and social justice. What’s not to love, right?
The weird thing? God is not mentioned once. As a matter of fact, Esther is the only scripture that does not mention God at all.
But I see a lot of the Divine in the story. The up and down nature of life, the fact that seemingly impossible things can happen, bravery, and doing what is right are all spiritual notions, greatly at work the story.
Who wouldn’t want to celebrate all that?
It really does not matter that God is not mentioned, God is fully present in the remarkable courage of the characters.
As a dear friend and mentor used to tell me, “There is not a spot where God is not.”
Happy Purim to all that observe it, and I thank you for listening. May the God of your understanding bless you today and always.
Just because we are not meeting in person does not mean we cannot make prayer requests. You can do so in the chapel on the first floor of the hospital, or by email to jshawker@connallymmc.org Your requests are kept confidential and prayed over for a total of sixty days.
I have not included a nifty song in quite some time in our digital chapel service, but this one comes to mind for me nearly immediately when I think of the story of Esther, I hope you have the ability to listen:
The Prayer for Protection (Rev. James Dillet Freemen)
The light of God surrounds us.
The love of God enfolds us.
The power of God protects us.
The presence of God watches over us.
Wherever we are, God is.
Amen.
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