Dwelling in the House of Hearts

Read: II Timothy 4:1-8

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures, and he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness for His namesake. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, because You are with me. Your rod and your staff comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies, and you anointed my head with oil. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and my cup runs over. I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen. (Words from my mind borne out of Psalm 23)
She lives in the chambers of my heart. It is safe for her there. It felt safe for me, when she maintained my place in her chamber of heart. A Mother-in-law of highest order. No one ever has lived or is living or shall live, who could be better in the ethical sense as a physical, legal, and moral Mother-in-law. Annie Lee Davis (January 29, 1936 - May 19, 2008). In the natural history sense the marriage of her daughter, Connie, and I last beyond the rearing of our offspring. Before Mrs. Davis died, she shared her view on marriage, when I visited her house during a period of struggle. She said: "You are family. God determined that, Luonne." I hear her voice on the regular. The grave does not silence her, because she is not of death. She is a woman of God.
Born in Washington, D.C., the Capitol of the United States of America. She was nurtured in Philadelphia, Pennslyvania until 10 years of age. She desired to be raised in Hagood, South Carolina in response to the undeniable love she found in her grandparents, the late Bennie and Annie Osborne Reynolds. Mr. Bennie Reynolds died prior to my entrance into her life. However, I met Mrs. Annie Reynolds and the sincerity in her was beyond measure. She was a "pistol" shooting bullets of honesty. So much truth and love. It was easy to understand why a child would want to live with her, she was the model Grandmother, Great-grandmother, and Great-great grandmother having held and nurtured our daughter - Lanecia. Women of God, women of integrity, women of grace, etc... a heritage for our children. I write this about Annie Lee Davis, who I came to know and love as an eternal soul.
She was present at the key events of our lives. The day before I was legally her son-in-law, she came to my defense and no matter the circumstance she maintained defense of my being a child of God unto death and beyond. She never waivered from being there for me. In April of 2002, when I broke down in grief over the death of my Mother, Mrs. Davis said: "Luonne, she don't want you to cry. Stop now, you will have me as your Mother, too." I saw her face. I knew she spoke in truth. She kept her word.
Like a "Good Shepherd," she led me and would not allow me to be outside the fold. She had the right words at the right time and in the right way to focus me on my vocational call, and my responsibility as a man of integrity and godliness. Where is my Mother? Where is my Mother-in-law? They are both in my chamber of heart. They will live there and comfort me til the day...and beyond...into our Dwelling in the House of Hearts.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, and open the door to eternity. Amen.

Christmas: A Mass For Christ

Read: Luke 22:14-23

When are you coming home?

Before April 15, 2002, Lula Alberta Woodbury Rouse would answer her telephone sounding out greetings for the holidays. She would smile every time the phone would ring, and proceed with joy to answer: "Hello! This is Lula Rouse. Merry Christmas!" I can only imagine the responses on the other end, except for the one I know so well, my own. I would always say with a huge unseen smile: "Merry Christmas, Mother!" In less than a second she would yell: "Son, my baby, Merry Christmas... When are you coming home?" Having seen me for Thanksgiving Day was never enough. In fact, before I would leave one holiday, Mother desired to know my plans for the next journey home. Her concern was not just parental love. She had a sense of responsibility to God. She once said: "You are grown and on your own, yet I still am responsible to God for your well being. Dad and I want you to be happy, Son."
When are you coming home?
Mother loved music. Her stereo or radio would be playing throughout most days. She appeared to enjoy the sound of music more than the acting on screen. One of the Christmas songs had lyrics, which said: "Bells will be ringing..." Yes, "Come Home for Christmas" was a favorite in the house. After all the season is for lovers, right? People tend to misunderstand that it is about lovers of Christ. During the last feastive supper of his life on earth, Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper. One Christmas in Columbia, SC I played the part of Jesus in a citywide production through our combined youth ministries. Mother left her sounds of music to witness my witnessing for Christ in the part of the adult Jesus. However, when at the local catholic church, she departed with Dad as soon as the play concluded, so as not to disrupt the observance of communion at the closing of Mass. We, Protestants, had the option of leaving or staying without partaking of the elements. Cool, I stayed to witness the witness of Roma Catholcs trusting in the "substantial body and blood of Christ" present in the form of his soul and divinity. Transubstantiation did not rock my world, and not to believe in it did not hinder my faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of our living God. In fact, it became a means of grace for me.
From that experience until now, I observe the sacrament of "The Lord's Supper" as a means of grace. No, I am not looking for some mysterious or magical character in the partaking of the "dessert at the end of worship." I just enjoy the memorial feast as much as I enjoy cheesecake at the cheesecake factory having consumed the main course. Christmas derived its name from the "mass" gathering in memory of Christ over a memorial meal, which his disciples recalled. Coming home for Christmas to me is sacred, when we as a mass of people celebrate in memory of Christ. Partaking of the bread and wine may not change one element of the my flesh and am not trying to eat the flesh of Jesus. What it does is change the references in my cognition, so that I remember over and over again that I, too, belong to God. God has declared an eternal home for me. Forgiven of my sins, I, the prodigal, came home and each day at home I am with God. This Christmas you are invited to come in mass to the feast that we are hosting in United Methodist Churches throughout the world. Our doors, our minds, and our hearts are open to you. You may be at home with us, and will be welcomed to our open table observance of Holy Communion. May the partaking of the elements or even the witnessing of the same be a means of grace in your experience of Jesus, the Son of God, as the Christ. Come knowing that you may accept or excuse yourself from the dessert of worship. Still come witness our portrayal of the living Christ. Our characterization may not earn an Emmy, but it may earn all of us a seat in the kingdom when Christ shall come...

I am smiling with each "sound of music", and sending a shout out to you: "Merry Christmas! When are you coming home?"

Agape!
Luonne Abram Rouse, third son of Lula and Bishop, a child of God, too