All Saints' Day- All Souls' Day
| pic from usdailyreview.com |
When the phone rings in the middle of the night, albeit at 3:43 in the morning, it literally takes my breath away. There is a certain panic that rushes through my brain and screams, "Who is it? What's happened?" So a couple of weeks ago, when the phone rang at 3:43 in the morning, I raced across the parsonage from the bedroom to the kitchen, hurdling sleeping dogs and and computer cords and grabbed the parsonage phone sitting on the counter. "St. John's Parsonage..." I breathlessly offered in the guise of my most professional persona. On the other end of the phone came sounds that I can only describe as being from far out in another galaxy. It sounded like a transportation center from the cosmos with voices and noises that were indiscernible. "Hello? Can I help you?" No answer but chaotic bruit. My heart was pounding, my brain was reeling, but I hung up and made my way back to the comfort of my warm bed. I no sooner had shut my eyes and was trying to steady myself with some deep breathing when the parsonage phone rang again. 3:46 AM. I read the clock and this time in slow, determined motion I pounded my way into the kitchen, answered the phone, spoke my litany of responses, but the only reply was the garbled sounds of people speaking under water ....through tin cans.... half way across the world. And although I made my way back to bed, it was fruitless. I was up for the day. I pondered how phones ring in the middle of the night and tried to shake that ominous feeling.As I made my way into my morning routine, I was knee deep in my daily devotions at 4:20 AM when the parsonage phone came to life again. This time, wide awake, I turned to the phone, looking at it like it was possessed. I read the caller ID and it read, "Ultimate Communications" and I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. Ultimate Communications, a local business in downtown Randolph, was owned by my dear friend Bob who passed away on July 13, 2014. Although it was still in business, I was confused. I picked up the phone and trembling said, "Hello?" This time I heard a very distinct voice reciting an incantation from an answering machine, "You have reached Ultimate Communications. We can't come to the phone right now..." Stunned, I just stared at the receiver and said, "but you called me." I made my way back to the bedroom,and I explained to my groggy spouse what had just transpired and, in my overly analytical way, what I thought it could mean. "Something's wrong with the phone lines..." he tried to assure me. In my mind, it was something more. I made my way to the prayer chair and said a rosary in thanksgiving for my friend Bob.
Last night while I sat at church reading the bulletin about the Festival of All Saints, I thought of Bob again and my phone calls in the middle of the night. *I listened to readings from "Revelation" and "1 John" as Les rang the church bell for each member of the congregation who "in the last year have died in Christ and entered life eternal." Derrick read the Gospel from "Matthew", and it was like I was hearing the Beatitudes for the first time. I renewed my fervent commitment to live a holy life, be a sign of Christ's Love and Light to others, phone calls or no phone calls. Thanks, Bob. Thank you for reaching out and touching me during your life and even now. I guess my little reminder the other morning really was the ultimate in communication.
*From the bulletin..."The festival of All Saints occurs just as the landscape in the northern hemisphere heralds the dying of plants and the quiet of winter rest. In like manner, the readings and liturgy of this day call us to rejoice in all the saints: those who have died and now rest in Christ, those who live now, and those yet to come. As the church year draws to a close, we hear warnings about the end of time, stories of crisis and judgment, and parables of loss and death. The Christian community speaks honestly about human frailty and mortality. At the same time, we confess our faith in the risen Lord, in the communion of saints, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. While both life and death may bring us fear and uncertainty, the liturgy calls us in life and in death. Christ has claimed us in baptism and nourishes us in the new Jerusalem. There we shall join all saints in praise of God, who has turned our graves into the doorway to eternal life."
