Running, I understand, is the world’s most accessible and practiced sport. It is so because you don’t need much to run, and in many areas of the world people even run barefooted. I am always fascinated by people who have found great joy in running, and so run as often and as religiously as possible. I have a friend who lives in San Francisco and travels all over the world to run marathons. Steve Alpern - Christ Church's Sr. Warden - runs marathons and has the habit of running daily. There are a few more people within our parish who have also developed the habit of running. I wish I could run like Steve, or my friend in San Francisco. "Nothing stops you," my friend will remind me. If only I can discover the inner athlete in me and just run like Forrest Gump. I don’t think running should be as intimidating as many like myself like to make it out to be, especially if you run with a group where no one judges us for our ability, or speed, or weight, or look. It is also no secret that if we should run regularly or even walk, we wouldn’t only become healthier, but we will feel good about ourselves. You and I may be surprised that we are harboring an ‘elite’ athlete inside of us, and if only we would take that first step, there’s no telling how we would be surprised with what we can accomplish. In my case, and I think for many people, the challenge has been the motivation to take that initial first step. In my readings, I was surprised when I learned that the etymology of the word sport is derived from an old French word desport, which means, among others, as leisure, diversion, or being carried away, and sports of all kinds still carry us away from the disappointments of everyday, from dashed hopes and bad luck to a world of possibilities where our inadequacies are of no relevance. A point worth considering is that in the exertion of sports - just for a moment, you become more than yourself, get out of yourself, and away from yourself - you get lost like the way you do in great music or literature. Maybe this is why sports has been called "the faith without explanation" - it takes us beyond what we know of ourselves. And we feel not only our selves, but that which lies beyond us and empowers us to touch its very reality. If you have faith, you might reach for an explanation - like the Olympic sprinter Eric Liddle who, in the 1980’s movie Chariots of Fire, remarked that “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure.” I believe that when we test ourselves in sports, we make discoveries about ourselves - most especially about our inner athlete which may carry us away out of our very own selves. For some of us, running is about solitude, a thinking time, a meditation, an act close to offering a prayer. For others, it is about commitment and perseverance. Early Christian teachers like Paul saw the life of faith itself as a marathon - let us run with patience the race that is set before us. The physical running of a race is a powerful metaphor for the spiritual life which, itself, needs focus, commitment, and training. And combining physical strenuousness with the commitment to spiritual attentiveness offers us a way of living that’s not always easy, but it’s purposeful. Sports, including running, is also about liberation, a release from the constraints of the everyday, "a search for freedom" is how a Catholic philosopher, Michael Novak, puts it. To run is to be free, and there’s no freedom comparable to the power within you to run - whether figuratively, or in reality. I know I want to run. I want to feel the power of freedom within me as I brace chilly winds hitting my face or drops of sweat running down my face like morning dew. The weather has indeed been beautiful, and I wonder if like me you are also struggling to test the inner athlete in you, or like me, you are struggling to take the risk. Life is about risk, and to discover your inner athlete is to embrace life's risks. ~Manny

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter. Readings for today: Acts 5:27-32 Psalm 150 Revelation 1:4-8 John 20:19-31 The Collect of the Day: Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Father Manny's Sermon for today can be read here.

Among the victims was an eleven-year-old boy who was looking forward to new life as a student of Sidwell Friends, and to live in the suburbs of Washington, a home which may be about fifty miles south of Columbia. He simply went downstairs to the hotel in which he was staying to grab breakfast - and then all of a sudden, a huge blast. A terrorist detonated his bomb, and Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa, a brilliant mind whose dream it was to be a neuroscientist and work on Alzheimer’s disease, was gone. He was an only child. A beautiful life cut short by the bomb of a terrorist. The terrorists didn’t know him, nor did they care about him. All they cared about was their desire to inflict as much pain on the innocent. Caroline Mahendran, a Sri Lankan Sunday School teacher at Zion Church which was also targeted by terrorists, shares about what happened: "Today was an Easter Sunday school at the Church, and we asked the children 'how many of you willing to die for Christ?' Everyone raised their hands. Minutes later, they came down to the main service, and the blast happened. Half of the children died on the spot." Just like Kieran, these are children the terrorists didn’t know, nor did they care about them. All they cared about was their desire to inflict as much pain as possible on the innocent. Then there is Holch Povlsen of Denmark who lost three children, and Ben Nicholson of Britain who lost two children. Beautiful dreams cut short by a bomb of an assassin packed in a backpack. I can picture, in my mind’s eye, the victims carrying their backpacks to school, like my child and yours carry theirs to school, full of books and other school supplies from Mondays to Fridays. Only this time there were no books in those backpacks, but the assassins’ bombs. These terrorists didn’t know these children, nor did they care about them. All they cared about was their desire to inflict as much pain as possible on the innocent. In all, three hundred and twenty-one (321) people - many of them children - died from this horrific attack. It was Easter morning. The sun was up, because the Son had been raised from the dead. New life sprang forth from the sharp sword and nails which he could not withstand. Christians all over the world were in a joyous mood, for he that was dead has been raised from the dead. The events leading to the crucifixion, the crucifixion itself, and the attacks in Sri Lanka has given each of us some reason to think about the horrors that continually inflicts our world. To juxtapose this heinous act on the children and adults at hotels and churches in Sri Lanka on the one hand, and the atrocity visited on the innocent Servant on Good Friday on the other, leaves me with deep sadness - a kind of sadness which is too much to comprehend because it is not only about children but our actions towards the other. These are the moments when you want to hold your children a little closer and offer them one more squeeze before they retire to bed. The human ability and penchant to inflict harm on the other - even the innocent, irrespective of how justified we may be - hasn’t diminished one bit. We continue to relive stories where some still desire to see blood spilled on our streets, in hotels, and in churches. We glory in the pain we cause others. But the question is, "To what end?" On Easter morning in Sri Lanka, Easter’s joy turned into tragedy. In Ghana, however, the National Chief Imam, who is the head of all Muslims in Ghana, worshiped in a Roman Catholic Church on Easter Sunday in celebration of his hundredth birthday. Sadness, devastation and pain on the one hand; joy, celebration, mutual recognition and preservation of our common life on the other. Two pictures of the Easter story for us to ponder over!! In my mind, Easter answers for us the question of the value of life; whether that life is eleven years or one hundred years, both have equal value. Easter honors the vibrancy of creation, while shaping for us the stake we all have in the new life we have been freely given. I really do not think the Easter story is an exclusive Christian story because belief in the value of life, new life, or the vibrancy of creation shouldn’t be. And so, as morbid as the tragedy is, I'm convinced that - in so far as none is never too old to set another goal or too old to dream a new dream - may it then be your goal and my goal, your dream and my dream, to dream like the eleven-year-old boy whose only desire was to solve one of the challenging medical problems of our time, and may it be your goal, if you can do anything at all, to be kind. Manny.

“Social media” has its faults. It can be and has been used to spread disinformation and engender anger. However, it can also be used to share positive stories and words of love, compassion, comfort and wisdom. I have found many such words and here are some of my favorites that I believe relate to this year’s theme. "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:8-10 “Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” -----Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “I have decided to stick to love… Hate is too great a burden to bear.” ----Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” ----Nelson Mandela “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” ----Interpretative Translation of Talmudic Texts “If you know you are Beloved of God, you can live with an enormous amount of success and an enormous amount of failure without losing your identity, because your identity is that you are the beloved. “ -----Henri Nouwen “My father early on taught me that the only purpose of life is to make a difference in the lives of others & to stand up for what is right & just & full of love & full of compassion.” ----Rev. William J. Barber III “Jesus didn’t call it “social justice.” He simply called it Love. If those who profess to follow him would only love our neighbors beyond comfort, borders, race and religion, “social justice” would be a given. Love makes justice happen.” ------Bernice King “Life is short. We do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us. So be quick to love, make haste to be kind.” --Henri Amiel "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:5-7

Today is Good Friday. Readings for today: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Psalm 22 Hebrews 10:16-25 John 18:1-19:42 The Collect of the Day: Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Fr. Manny's Sermon can be heard by streaming or downloading below.

Today, we drove by a church sign in our neighborhood announcing an upcoming sermon entitled “Hidden Treasure”. My heart and mind were touched by this concept. Since every Christian has a treasure of our Lord’s grace and immeasurable love that we often take for granted. We don’t often offer to share our exceedingly valuable gift of Christ’s infinite mercy, forgiveness and open invitation to a growing and deepening relationship with family, friends and acquaintances. We don’t routinely share how our lives have changed. How new purpose has given greater meaning to our journeys and how we are impacted by encounters with other people. We are like the recluse headlined in the newspaper, that on his death everyone discovered was a very rich man, but he was poverty stricken in connections to others. God is so generous in every way and would like His followers to spread the word. Invite others to the table to share New and Abundant Life. I hope that we are all moved to act in love and to offer Christ’s joy to others.

Maundy Thursday at Christ Church begins with a 5:00 p.m. Seder meal in New Brick, and is then followed by a 7:30 p.m. Eucharist, when we will gather to bring into remembrance the Last Supper of our Lord and the Institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We hear and remember the words of Jesus as he states, “Do this in remembrance of me.” As the service concludes, the altar is stripped of all of its apportionments, so that the focus of all can be upon the cross alone on Good Friday. Then we hear of the Agony in the Garden as Jesus is arrested. The Watch that takes place through the night, as in response to our Lord’s question- “Could you not watch with me one hour?” The congregation is then invited to come and spend an hour (or any portion) in prayer and solitude at the Altar of Repose, which is set up in Old Brick. We do hope that you'll join us.

I wonder What God was like As a little boy? How did His mother Dry His tears? How did He Spell His name? I wonder How He felt When He realized That He was The Ruler Of the Universe, That He Was King Of…Everything? His crown Is made Of faces. ~P. Pruitt Sept. 21, 2018

What do I know about golf? Not much. What do I know about the resurrection of the dead? Not much. And what do I know about restorations? Not much. But what do I know about comebacks? Quite a lot, for I have been privileged to hear stories upon stories of comebacks. I have read stories about comebacks. I have seen more comebacks than I could ever count. Comebacks reflect more than our belief in ourselves, and our abilities. At its core is the strength of that which is larger than each one of us. Comebacks are about a hope that is restless, until it comes alive. Tiger Woods’ career was all but counted as over. The last championship he won was fourteen years ago, when his second child had not even been born. Between that interval, many in the golf world just about wrote him off. His problem was also compounded by the many personal troubles in which he found himself. He also had several medical issues relating to injuries. I, for one, do not think he lost any hope in his ability to play excellent golf, but he was so down at the bottom of the ladder that, if I remember correctly, he was selected to be a part of the US Golf team, not because of the caliber of golf he played but because of his history and former pedigree. In a way, Tiger’s life was in some metaphorical ruins. But Tiger never gave up on himself. He worked hard, continued to play, sought the healing that he needed and rebuilt a life that had been reduced to ashes. Winning the Master’s was glorious. The sweetest part about a glorious comeback is not only about the overcoming, but to know that hope still lives in us. Monday was a somber day around the world, but especially among the people of France and among Roman Catholics. Many were the millions who watched as part of a beautiful cathedral was reduced to ruins. One of the compelling images was the kneeling crowd who also sang Ave Maria and other hymns. I had the opportunity of visiting the Notre-Dame in May of 2001. I was part of a group of pilgrims who traveled to France from Atlanta in order to participate in a retreat at Taizé, in the south of France. While in the cathedral, I realized I was one of hundreds of pilgrims from all over the world who had traveled to Paris to soak in the ambience, and explore the rich historical heritage and the depth of spirituality that has come to embody the spirit of Notre-Dame. Time spent at the cathedral was also a moment for prayer; many were those who sat, knelt, and stood up to reach out in prayer to the God of our being. I was surprised to read the report that thirteen million pilgrims visit Notre-Dame every year. As astonishing as it may be for both you and I, I’d like to invite you to ponder, for a moment, the number of pilgrims who have walked, gathered, fed at the Eucharist table, sought the face of God, and been refreshed and renewed. Ponder, for a moment, the many people who have been touched by their visit to this holy place. Over its life span, the floors of Notre-Dame has felt the feet of over a billion people who sought what we also seek here in Columbia and everywhere - the God who makes our comebacks possible. Notre-Dame Cathedral will make a glorious comeback. It may not be as it was this past Sunday, but with the goodwill of people around the world, Notre-Dame will rise from its ruins, and new life will emerge out of the ashes of all that was charred, as it journeys towards a glorious comeback. Our reality is one where God transforms our wilderness by bringing new life - that is why we cannot lose hope or dare not lose hope, for we are all built for glorious comebacks. The prime example to which we all hold dear and which we will celebrate this Easter Sunday is the one comeback which occurred in the garden where tombs had been hewn from the hills outside the city walls of Jerusalem. A glorious comeback always makes for a magnificent story. What is your comeback story? "Yes", I ask myself, "what do you know about the resurrection?" "Not much", I assure myself. But the little I do know speaks of human redemption, one of a glorious comeback. This is the moment where we acknowledge that our lives are not about never falling, but rising when we fall. This is the moment when we realize that although our lives has often been about ruins and ashes, new life always rises out of those very ruins and ashes of that same life and reality. Hope is restless until it comes alive. Indeed, I do not know much about golf, but I know about Tiger’s comeback story. I do not know much about restoration of historic buildings, but I am looking forward to a beautifully restored Notre-Dame. I do not know much about the resurrection, but I know that the power of the resurrection not only make human transformation possible, but it gives birth to a new kind of hope. The image of a shining cross overflowing with the glory of God in the ruins of Notre-Dame makes me more than a believer in glorious comebacks. Manny.

Most of life is spent in hope for better things yet expectation of what is to come or anticipation of what could be and while this is good, even necessary... Focusing on the few more “memorable” moments misses out on much of the spaces in-between: Time with loved ones, time amid others, time to ourselves, time spent going places and getting things done,  time spent sitting utterly still. Such seemingly mundane spaces on life's broad canvas are the under painting of the portrait, that our life becomes the basis of the character we create moment-by-moment day-by-day. While more exciting times are mere small fragments on their own, a sad display an infinitesimal, tiny sample of the grander scene of life. So slow down, dear ones. Breathe deeply, remembering that rushing only leads to rudeness.  Instead of slopping through these middling spaces... Correct some of their ugliness by brushing them with beauty, a little each day. Carefully choosing each word and action- coloring them with kindness.  Be honest, but without cruelty. Stop tolerating the intolerable. Stop committing to what you don't want. Stop rejecting what you truly need. Life is a limited commodity. Don't squander your time or anyone else's.  Clothe yourself with humility- artist's smock of life is the covering that allows for mistakes, creativity and continual learning.   Make the most of every moment especially the ones in-between. You might find that in the end they were the most precious times of all. Copyright © Rhona McFerran | 2018

Steer the ship of my life, good Lord, To your quiet harbor Where I can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict. Show me the course I should take. Renew me in the gift of discernment, So that I can always see the right direction in which I Should go. And give me the strength and the courage To choose the right course, Even when the sea is rough and the waves are high, Knowing that through enduring hardship and danger In your name We shall find comfort and peace. -Basil of Caesarea, 330-379 AD