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Strange Connections
Bear with me on this article! I promise that it will be worth the ride if I can communicate this correctly.
On Sunday morning, as is my custom, I was doing some last minute preparations for my sermon. I already knew what I was preaching and had an outline for the approach I planned to take. I got up at 5:45 AM, got my shower, and got ready for church. As I drank my coffee, I read a favorite commentary that offers several approaches to each passage of Scripture for a prescribed Sunday. I wanted to read something fresh to see if it might influence what I planned to do. As I read one of the commentaries for John 21:1-19 that I was preaching, I found my sermon plan reinforced and found several things that deeply resonated with what I hoped to do. So much so was I impacted by what I read that I took note of the commentator’s name, Thomas Troeger. I recognized the name and thought to myself that I have several of his books. I took the time to Google him to make sure this was who I thought it was. What did I learn through my search? He was who I thought he was and I learned that he passed away in April and that his Memorial Service will be held the day this article is sent to all of you. He was a second career pastor, professor of theology, and prolific author and hymn writer. He has three hymns in the United Methodist Hymnal we use each week.
This really struck me Sunday morning! Someone who was now dead had spoken to me through his written commentary on the passage I was about to preach. The passage from John is a passage where the one who died for my sins and yours appeared for a third time to his disciples resurrected and who continues to speak to us in powerful ways through people like Thomas Troeger, who now is dead, but through faith in Christ enjoys life eternal.
Strangely, this made me think of the many people who still speak into my life who are no longer living among us, but who speak through memories and impact long after their time with us on earth is over.
I thought about my mom. Even though we butted heads more than we should have, she loved me and I loved her. She pushed me like no one else ever could. She cared for me and my family and she speaks into my life and through my life every day. As we approach Mother’s Day, I pray that we will pause to either connect with our living mothers or reflect and allow our mothers who are no longer with us to speak to us anew. I pray that we might take a moment and give thanks for the motherly love and wisdom that have helped shape our lives as we celebrate the love of an eternal parent that seeks to speak into and through our lives each and every day.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jay
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