What did I say?

As part of my participation as a team member in the Emmaus walk that was completed last weekend, I was asked to model a response at closing. For no other reason than I want to remember what I said, and that I don't have it written down anywhere, I'm going to post it here.

I gnawed over it on Saturday night, writing down thoughts, which eventually didn't get used. On Sunday morning, I was sitting in the sanctuary, and the image of rain ran through my head. I never did get a chance to really write anything down in any real way, and I worried about that. Until the time came to get ready to come to closing. And then I knew that I could do it -- no notes, no more prep. Just do it. Not that I wasn't nervous -- I was.

What I said (more or less - this is from memory that is fading):

If you know me, then you know I like analogies. I have one for you today.

It started raining on Thursday. It poured rain on Friday. Remember all those umbrellas? Eventually on Friday, we put down the umbrellas, and we walked in the rain. It was a rain of grace -- abundant and measureless. I stand here this evening soaked. The sky is blue outside, but I know that it is still raining. You know how I know? I can see the son shining from your faces, and it is grace.

This walk has meant that I got to sit at the Table of Joy, and it has been a blessing. I knew I would like it from the first time I heard the name.

This walk has meant that I have been surrounded by agape and support. From you (pointing to the pilgrims), from you (pointing to the community), from people I know, from people I don't know and from people I have never heard of, and it has been a blessing.

What am I going to do about it? When I was standing here a year ago, I left the walk with a feeling that God wanted me to love more and to trust more. I've been trying to do that. I think he wants me to continue to do that. I also think he wants me to pray more, so I'm going to try to do that.

More is a brave word. How can it be more than this? The mountain will go away, but God will stay. And I'm telling you babe, He's only getting started.

I'm not sure that it was a particularly good model for what the pilgrims were being asked to do. I actually think it is more of a blog entry than anything else, but it is what I said.