One Who Cares

They had been lamenting the loss of her as a companion, and especially lamenting the loss of one who sewed so many garments for the widows and others in need.

And then it turned into songs of celebration.

There is no need for us to be jealous and complain that Peter was not here to pray for the same wonder to happen with Lillian.

The event with Dorcas was not the resurrection, but only an anticipation of the resurrection.

She was returned to the same life which she had had earlier.

The Lord God decided that she had more to do in her sewing, and then also she received a new job which was carrying in her person the promise of the resurrection to come, and calling attention to it.

She had more to do for the benefit of many in that day and place, and also for us.

Thanks be to God for all of his gifts, including the life and work and witness of Dorcas in her time and place.

In our situation, the Lord God decided that Lillian's work was truly completed, and now she has gone ahead of us to join in the celebration already underway in heaven.

And what has that work been?

Even as Dorcas sewed garments for the widows, Lillian sewed quilt tops for the poor around the world.

In the ancient world, there was no Social Security, no retirement pensions, no safety net.

A widow was tremendously disadvantaged and could easily be reduced to begging in order to survive.

Dorcas took on a great and needed project in her sewing for those with no means.

And the quilts that Lillian and all the others in our quilting group complete together are also for those of no means.

They are taken to the New Windsor Service Center in Maryland where they are baled and wrapped, and then shipped wherever there is need around the world.

I've spoken with persons returned from work in India who saw quilts like ours being distributed and used there.

They can be for warmth, for a room divider, to gather together and carry a few possessions, and so on.

They are given without an expectation that the eventual recipient would ever be able to say Thank You to us directly.

We do hope that those recipients will figure out a way to be helpful to someone else.

And so the Gospel is served, if indirectly.

Thanks be to God for all his gifts, including the vision of who needs help, and how we can fulfill those needs.

Lillian's work did not just benefit people.

She also sewed squares of material into pockets for catnip on behalf of the SPCA.

She told me how many, but I have forgotten how many thousands she said she had made and taken to them.

These are squares from her last batch that she asked me to deliver.

And then there is her companion in recent years, the little dog Pickles, whom she loved dearly, and fussed over constantly.

Thanks be to God for all his gifts, including our companion animals.

The First Lesson today is a vision of the heavenly celebration.

It involves crowds, and costumes, and singing, in worship of the Lord God.

The vision mentions movement, so we'll stretch it a bit and claim it as a first cousin to dancing.

And why not? Our thanks-giving to God can include everything we have and are and can do, including motion.

Lillian never claimed that her square-dancing was liturgical, but simply an expression of the joy of being with friends.

And that is parallel with the joy of the companionship of the multitude in heaven.

Thanks be to God for all his gifts, including joy, laughter, movement, and companionship.

And how is all of this possible?

Because long years ago, the Lord Jesus made a promise to Lillian, to hold onto her forever.

In the waters of Holy Baptism she heard that promise made for the first time, and it was renewed again and again, each time she came to the Communion table.

She knew that this is important, and she dressed her best when she came to participate.

Everyone else may have given up on hats, but not Lillian.

For her it was a part of showing honor and respect to the Lord God in the congregation gathered for worship... and besides that, it was just plainly fun!

We'll miss Lillian with all of the good things she was enabled to do over the years, and even her often prickly nature and argumentativeness.

But the important thing is that the Lord God has hold of her, and will not abandon her, so that she joins those who are... before the throne of God

and worship him day and night within his temple;

the one seated on the throne

will shelter them.

They will hunger no more,

and thirst no more;

the sun will not strike them,

nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them

to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away

every tear from their eyes.

Thanks be to God for all of his gifts, now and forever. Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.