From the OT Lesson for Friday in the week of Easter 5
Wisdom 16:15 ~ “To escape from your hand is impossible; . . . .”
Words spoken to God
by the author of this book
(by Solomon?)
How perfect!
What a wonderfully
fitting sentiment
on this day!
25 years ago
today,
I was ordained,
made a deacon
by Bishop Stewart Zabriskie,
late bishop of Nevada.
Throughout the process leading to ordination,
through all the screening interviews,
sessions with discernment committees,
meetings with spiritual directors,
conversations with examining chaplains,
seminars with fellow students at seminary,
hiring interviews with rectors
and search committees and vestries,
the same question was asked
over and over again:
“Tell us about your sense of call. . . .”
I should have quoted Wisdom:
“To escape from God’s hand is impossible.”
I did try to escape.
I went through “the process” while in college
and found myself,
for political reasons having to do
with an episcopal election,
rejected.
So after a couple of years alienated
from the Episcopal Church,
I decided
I could be
“comfortable as an active lay person”
in the Anglican tradition.
(I actually said that
to another bishop
who had asked me
to consider training for ordination).
I taught Sunday school,
served on vestries,
was a parish treasurer,
led in the Cursillo community,
became Chancellor of my diocese.
I was fine doing my ministry
from amongst the laity
I said,
every time the question of ordination came up,
and come up it did,
often.
I was fine . . .
until my friend Barry died.
At Barry’s funeral,
I turned to my wife
and said,
“I can’t do this anymore”
and she knew
exactly
what I was saying.
The next day I met with my rector.
He said, “Tell me about your sense of call.”
I could have quoted Wisdom.
I didn’t.
I said, “God is a nag.”
Which pretty much means the same thing.
If God wants you,
you can’t escape;
God is a nag;
God will get you.
Happy 25th Anniversary, God.
Leave a Reply