The Magdalene Mystique - The Path Inward

Nevermind the rain, people poured into the Cathedral today — the celebration was a Reconciliation Eucharist for the UBE (Union of Black Episcopalians) Convention being held in Houston this week. The preacher was the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church.

I was glad I had arrived early to help with the preparations. Among other tasks, I cut eight sprigs from the Cathedral garden and rounded up four water bowls, all for the baptismal sprinkling. I also made new friends. One new friend I especially remember: the Reverend Lewis Sitting Panther Power, a Deacon in the Diocese of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He had flown in for the smudging.

Smudging is a sacred tradition of Native people across this land. A prayer offering of jasmine, sweetgrass, sage and cedar incense. Smudging promotes healing and unity and prepares for worship.

By the time the drums and the smudging started, the Cathedral was completely packed. Considering it was July 4, that was something.

Then Bishop Schori began to preach. She admitted it seemed an odd day to talk about repentance and reconciliation - July 4 - but ironically, she said, reconciliation and freedom go hand in hand. The word reconciliation means to call back together - to take counsel together - to make friends again - to restore what has been separated. This, the Primate declared, is our vocation: the healing of our separations and divisions - the repairing of the world, as our Jewish brothers and sisters speak of it.

It is a healed world that must be our focus. We must labor for many kinds of reconciliation. We must challenge the injustices of the world - even the ancient injustices. We must ask the hard questions. We must tell our stories, and lament.

The lament needs to be heard. But after the lament, comes the healing. And some sacrament for the healing needs to take place - some outward and visible sign of an inward healing that comes from the grace of God.

It was a prophetic voice we heard today on this day of freedom. It was a great blessing to be there. I wish we all could have been together. Katharine Schoriepiscopal church Union of Black Episcopalians

This morning I couldn’t help thinking of the Gospel of Mary when I heard Bishop Baxter of Central Pennsylvania speak at the Opening Plenary Session of the UBE Convention. I was reminded of that central portion of the Gospel of Mary when Jesus tells the disciples that “the child of true humanity exists in you!”

Bishop Baxter was the keynote speaker for the morning session of the Convention. He gave what he called his “personal musings” on the meaning of reconciliation. And he gave much more. In the course of his talk he urged us to move from mere toleration of difference into something new. Toleration, he suggested, may be simply “managed hostility.” And the problem with “managed hostility” is that we can’t handle so much hostility. It breaks out unsuspected in what we say and do. Then we behave in ways we thought we never would.

For Bishop Baxter, the Christian tradition calls us to move beyond toleration into transformation. Transformation, he said, does not require that we sacrifice the self - it doesn’t take our humanity away. What transformation does is to allow for “true humanity”; that is, a humanity that rejoices in hope, extends hospitality to the stranger, lives in harmony with others and peacefuly with all.

Bonnie Anderson, the President of the House of Deputies for the General Convention for the Episcopal Church, also gave an address. She hit a similiar theme. She urged all of us to move from mere toleration to advocacy and voice. Silence, she said, on major issues is often taken as an assent and agreement. We need to be more forthright in how we stand.

And for Anderson, we don’t stop at advocacy - we need to move from advocacy to transformation - become transformed in our ears and our hearts. Develop wisdom along with humility and above all, develop new relationships. It is a new day, realize more fully our interconnectedness, realize more fully that “I am because you are.”

Anderson has been a voice for equality and racial justice for many years in the Episcopal Church. She is committed deeply to an anti-racist church, to the UN Millenium Goals and the Episcopal Relief and Development. Click here for futher information about the ERD http://www.er-d.org/aboutus.htm and the Millenium Goals http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

Tomorrow promises to be another awesome day with UBE. I hope you can steal away for a few hours from your 4th holiday to hear the Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori preach at 11:00 am Reconciliation Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Avenue. Probably better get there early!

Yesterday was the first day of the UBE (Union of Black Episcopalians) Conference held here in Houston. I, and Richard Miller from Florida, had as our mission to pick up Bonnie Anderson from the airport. Bonnie, the President of the House of Deputies of General Convention of the Episcopal Church, will address the Convention this morning. I will report later her views. Also remember that the Presiding Bishop Kartharine Jefferts Schori will preach at the 11:00 am Memorial Eucharist tomorrow, July 4, at Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Avenue.

Last night was the Grand Opening Worship Service for the Convention. Christ Church Cathedral was ablaze with candles and ceremony. It was a joyous occasion for all who had travelled across the nation to be there. Before the ceremony at dinner, it was my good fortune to be seated next to the preacher for the evening. He is a writer as well as the Dean of the Cathedral in Newark, New Jersey. We hit it off right away when he began to talk about the book he had written and those that would be published soon. Remember the name The Very Reverend C. David Williams for future reference.

In his preaching Dean Williams took us immediately into the story of Esther, whom you may remember from the Book of that name. Esther was Jewish living in Persia and she, as Williams put it, had some “soul-searching” to do. In her soul-searching Esther, who had attained a position of influence and honor, was able to use her influence to save her fellow-countrymen who were in danger of extermination by the grand-vizier Haman.

We all have some soul-searching to do, exhorted Dean Williams, and I nodded in affirmation. It is a new day, a multicultural environment, new circumstances. A new version of Esther has come before us, he said, and she is YOU. We all have some soul-searching to do. Perhaps there were some gains in the 60’s but we can’t hold on to that - we must stand up to oppression. We must overcome fears, for it is fear that keeps us in the role of slaves, even if we are free. Williams was certainly right when he proclaimed that blacks have been “supplanted and supplanted and supplanted,” and then he asked the crucial question, “Will we ever be equal?”

Toward the end of the sermon, Williams called for a “true partnership church” - one where mutuality and equality and justice are truly lived out. And I pray for that kind of church as so many of us do. And then he recalled the story of Esther who had some soul-searching to do.

I will continue to post some of the treasures I am receiving in my experience as an associate member of the UBE.

The Rev. Canon Edward W. Rodman
is Professor of Pastoral Theology and Urban Ministry and Carpenter Visiting Professor of Racism Studies and Social Change at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA. He is a moderator for the Presiding Bishop’s Forum to be held on Thursday, July 5, 9:30 am at the Hilton Hotel.
The Rev Canon Carelton Hayden is with the Office of Black Ministries of the Episcopal Church and Assistant at St. George’s Church. He will also serve as moderator for the Presiding Bishop’s Form entitled “The Need for Reconciliation and Liberation.”

Antoinette Davis is an honor gradutate of Orange Park Highschool, West Jacksonville, a politician and student. She is one of the presenters for the Presiding Bishop’s Reconciliation Forum.

Bonnie Anderson is the President of the House of Deputies to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. She will be the keynote speaker at the Opening Plenary Session on July 3 at 9:00am at the Hilton Hotel.

The Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts-Schori, former oceanographer and scientist, is the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. She will preach at the Reconciliation Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral on July 4, 11:00 am and will make a presentation at the Presiding Bishop’s Reconciliation Forum at 9:30am Thursday, July 5 at the Hilton Hotel.

Rev. Canon Kortright Davis (unpictured) will also make a presentation at the Presiding Bishop’s Forum. He serves on the Advisory Committee of the Office of Black Ministries and teaches at Howard University of Divinity.

I draw your attention to the upcoming meeting in Houston of the Union of Black Episcopalians. For more information click on http://www.ube.org/main.html

“Set us free, O God, from every bond of prejudice and fear…that we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of God…” are the guiding words for the Union as well as “God acts on behalf of the oppressed.” These are important words for all of us to commit to memory and to live out in our daily lives.

The Union of Black Episcopalians was organized in 1968 as a union of black clergy and laity dedicated to the ministry of blacks in the Episcopal Church. The Union is active in the United States and the Caribbean, in Canada, Africa and Latin American.

I am an associate member of the Union and have been working with the host committee for the conference. I plan to attend the conference and will be able to report back to you some of the messages that are central to this organization and to all of us.

The Theme of the Conference is “Telling Our Story: Hearing God’s Call for Reconciliation”

Here is the calendar of events.

Monday, July 2, 2007

12:00pm – 5:00 pm Registration: Hilton Hotel
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm Chapter Leadership Training
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Free Time
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Dinner
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm Opening Eucharist: Christ Church Cathedral
9:30 pm – 10:30 pm Reception: Christ Church Cathedral

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

9:00 am – 5:00 pm Registration: Hilton Hotel
7:00 am – 7:30 am Morning Prayer/Bible Study
7:30 am – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast
9:00 am – 11:30 am Opening Plenary and Welcome
Keynote Address by Bonnie Anderson, President of the House of Deputies, Reports from 815
11:30 am –12:30 pm Reports of Bylaws, Nominations, Resolutions
Committees
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm ————–Lunch————–
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm Workshops on Revisioning UBE
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm Memorial Eucharist: Hilton Hotel
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Dinner
7:05 pm Until Baseball Game: Houston Astros and Free Time

Wednesday, July 4th, 2007

8:00 am – 10:00 am Registration
7:00 am – 7:30 am Morning Prayer—Hotel
7:30 am – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast
11:00 am Reconciliation Eucharist: Christ Church Cathedral
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefforts Schori, Preacher
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Reception
2:30 pm – 7:30 pm Free Time and Dinner On Your Own
Regional Meetings and Elections
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Youth Eucharist: St. James Episcopal Church
9:30 pm Reception: St. James Episcopal Church
10:30 pm Youth Party—Hilton Hotel

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

9:00 am – 12:00 pm Registration
6:00 am – 7:30 am Presiding Bishop’s Prayer Walk with the Youth
7:00 am – 7:30 am Morning Prayer/Bible Study
7:30 am – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast
9:30 am – 12:00 pm Presiding Bishop’s Forum with Rev. Canon Ed Rodman, Rev Canon Carleton Hayden, Rev Canon Kortright Davis, Antoinette Daniels, and Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm ————Awards Luncheon—————–
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm UBE Annual Business Meeting: Reports, New
Chapters, Bylaws Changes, Election of Officers
6:30 pm Gala and Awards Banquet
“Tribute to the 30th Anniversary of the Ordination of Women”

Friday, July 6th, 2007

8:30 am – 10:30 am Closing Eucharist: Hilton Americas Hotel
Installation of New Officers
10:30 am – 2:00 pm National UBE Board Meeting

Union of Black Episcopaliansepiscopal church

Our first service at the Rothko Chapel was held on September 11, 2005 - considering that date of remembrance, we dedicated our service to peace, harmony, and health. We first observed silence after the reading of a meditation that had been written for our space of Rothko paintings. We awaited to see the light, the insight, the Peace.

After posting the Love Song yesterday, I thought you might be interested in reading our first meditation in that space. Perhaps you can visualize being in the Chapel Space yourself as you read it. You might want to click onto the Rothko Chapel website to visulize your being there with us on that date. http://www.menil.org/rothko.html

Here’s the meditation we used on that day, now close to two years ago:

First we wrap ourselves in silence
In emptinesss and nothingness
In no-thing-ness
We let go of the things of this world that press in on us, that call us.

We sink more deply into ourselves in our rooted-ness
In our radicality - as rooted in the Good ad the Just, in the Beautiful and in the Love.
We remain still in this space of silence.

We wrap ourselves in the canvas of purple and dark hues that we see before us.
In the comfort of the true humanity and divinity that resides within each of us.
No matter the way we look, or our differences,
our age or the color of our skin, the gender we embody, the nationality or religious tradition out of which we live.
We are together here in community as true human beings.
and in the dark we await for the light.

We await to see.
We await for the silence to break into speech.
Mary Magdalene ventured boldly to the tomb while it was still dark,
She awaited for the light of angels and the prophetic seeing and speaking.
We follow her example. rothko chapelmary magdalenegospel of maryinterconnectedness

I hope you will enjoy a new song by David Dondero about the Rothko Chapel in Houston. The Rothko Chapel is the interfaith space where the Magdalene Community in Houston meets. As you enter the chapel space, you intuitively move into the silence and stillness and darkness shrouded by the deep purple hues of the abstact paintings that cover the wall. You instinctively pause and remain for a while in the stillness, as you either stand or sit. And somehow, wonders of wonders, in the pause and the stillness, you begin to see the light - the insight - the Light.

Listen to the music from David Dondero’s newest album Simple Love and consider your heart: among the lyrics we find “your heart is like the Rothko Chapel, cold dark void yet simple and intriguing, somewhat comforting, gets me believing almost anything.”
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/entertainment/4902884.html

rothko chapelmary magdalenegospel of maryinterconnectedness

Today is a good time to talk about penitential services. For one thing, it is neither Advent nor Lent, which are the usual times we discuss such matters. Now is the Season after Pentecost, which is marked with the color green and dedicated to our spiritual growth. Could it be that in Pentecost we can gain new insight into Advent and Lent?

Eveyone has different needs. Some find penitential services very important in their spiritual lives. I, for one, admit a resistance to such services. I have spent much of my life in self-blame and for me a penitential service is so familiar that I have grown to think I am rewinding old tapes when I should be moving on. For me to feed the self-blamer is counterproductive.

I have thought for some time that our attraction to the Magdalene has something to do with coming to a new consciousness about ourselves. What if her mystique has to do with a new awareness that we have stressed our sins for too long at the expense of our true humanity and divinity?

What if our fascination with the recent discoveries that have transformed her from a model of penitence into a spiritual leader has to do with our own transformation? What if our being drawn to her has to do with our realization that we, too, are rising out of the dust of a theology that has stressed our sins at the expense of our shared humanity and divintiy?

I recently received a letter from a dear friend who lives in California. She had read my book and mentioned that my comments about penitential services and self-blame rang very true for her. She said that long ago, she decided that God does not wish us to live in that manner. Instead, God wants us to be people who express our true humanity in a joyful, caring way. The most important challenge is to be in harmony with creation, and thus, be part of the Kingdom of the Human One, as the Gospel of Mary expresses it.

I hope you will weigh in on this matter. May we all grow this summer in our spiritual lives as the grass grows. mary magdalenegospel of maryinterconnectedness