Remembering Romero in song and film

3/28

Some weeks ago, I received this e-mail in response to an earlier post which quoted Archbishop Romero.  It is fitting that the anniversary of his death this year, March 24th, fell on Palm and Passion Sunday. His story is very fitting for reflection on Good Friday....when we truly enter the Passion, and even more Easter. I share the original e-mail with you along with the links contained. May this song aid you in your reflection and experience of the dramatic conclusion of Holy Week...

From: DUANE W.H. ARNOLD <dwha1863@aol.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 11:03 AM
Subject: Oscar Romero/Music
To: 86amsterdam@gmail.com

Your recent posting quoted Oscar Romero.  The words you referenced are the very ones we chose for a song. With the approach of March 24th, I thought you might enjoy seeing a music video of that song that we just produced on Oscar Romero.  It is part of a new CD release. The singer is a UMC deacon, Michael Glen Bell, and the film maker is Owen Thomas. The Project is the subject of of a three part podcast by Bishop Christopher Coyne of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis which you may link to here:

http://thoughtsofacatholicbishop.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-martyrs-project-podcast-part-1.html, and of a wonderful article in Canada’s Catholic Register http://www.catholicregister.org/arts/movie-news/item/15749-video-brings-awful-memories-flooding-back

Go to http://TheMartyrsProject.com, or click on the image below to view the video. Feel free to use it on your site, review the album or video, or blog about The Project.  If you do, let us know so we can put a link on ours. If you are interested in a story on The Project, please get back to us. We are located in Indianapolis. You can follow us on Twitter @martyrsproject.

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Bible Study: Notes on the crucifixion

3/25 

I have a few minutes to eat the Mad Russian sandwich Stephen brought me from Popover’s as I prepare for tonight’s Bible Study. We are studying the crucifixion of Jesus in Mark 15: 21-42. 

We notice:

• Jesus is apparently so weakened from the torture that he cannot carry his own cross.
• A man from the country side, where Jesus is from, is pressed into carrying the cross. The names of his children (Alexander and Rufus)  indicate he’s probably a Gentile or totally Hellenized Jew. The Simon who promised to follow to the end has disappeared. A stranger Simon carries the cross.
• His charge, King of the Jews, is a political charge, equivalent to insurrection. Thus he is executed between two bandits. These were rural guerrillas who robbed military expeditions and wealthy travellers to support the revolution. Different from Barabbas who was an urban assassin. One on his right and one on his left, where the disciples had wanted to be. Only not here. 
• Much of the detail underlying the crucifixion  comes from Psalm 22, the psalm of abandonment, finally quoted by Jesus. (14: 34)
• The mocking ultimately includes all sectors of the Jerusalem community: soldiers (occupying military), scribes and chief priests (religious establishment  authorities), bystanders, the general pubic. By now the abandonment complete.
• Who are we in that picture? Can we understand the anger at yet another  who has once again left us with broken dreams after so much hope? 
• Maybe at some level, people are still hoping Elijah will come down.like a deus ex machina to save the day. But no. Instead, he made a loud cry and breathed his last. 
• Darkness at noon. Like the plague of darkness in the exodus from Egypt story. But even more so, the darkness at the dawn of creation. We have returned here, to the very beginning  again.
• Aftermath:
• The Centurion has been called the first convert. Maybe not. In Mark, it is always the demons and enemies who recognize  who Jesus is while his own followers do not. Plus he goes to report to Pilate. In a true conversion story, he would have walked away from his job.  
• Joesph of Arimathea’s burial has a white linen, like in the Garden of Gethsemane scene. But he would have no legal right to pick up the body. His actions are rushed, incomplete. Seemingly to remove  possible problem. perhaps more out of strategy than compassion. Like rolling the stone across the tomb entrance is the last word. Over.
• BUT, Jesus is  not totally alone. The women are watching  from a distance. Two are named. One, the Magdalene. But the other, by her children’s listed names, could be Jesus’ mother. What’s important now is not that she is his mother but that she has now become a disciple. In this moment, that is all that matters.
• Just when it seems it’s completely over, total defeat, the curtain is torn. What does this mean? By Jesus death, there is no more separation. between God and humanity. God has become one  with us. 
• And it is a sign of the radical reversal of the expected, the sign of a new creation, that it is these women who will be the bridge to what happens next.

We conclude our study. Images of Sunday’s Passion still very present in our minds. 

As Cara and I are wrapping up, (last Sunday the Session noted how much Cara is becoming part of our fabric, quietly helping to keep things knit together, in her own way taking on some of what Teddy left behind...), Rachelle appears at the door.  A litany of complaint about her current residence, Capital Hall, and me, an educated woman...She asks if she can bring a cart load of things into the sanctuary, just for Passover... 

I say, Uh, no...not a good idea....And she says, Please pastor, think about it, just think about it...

Earlier in the day, during the organ consultation,   el borracho was in the back of the church checking his Iphone. Maybe Anna was right...

I wish Rachelle a good passover and send her on her way. 

There is a new young white guy I haven’t seen before setting up for the night in the north doorway. A few days ago, when I arrived, I found a man asleep between Barney Greengrass and the church on the sidewalk. I asked him to leave. Then noticed his wheelchair. And that he was a double amputee with no feet. He gathered himself up. Wheeled away.

Note: the notes on the crucifixion are again heavily informed by Ched Meyer’s Binding the Strongman and the new Jewish Annotated New Testament by Vanderbilt’s Amy Jill Levine among others. 

Of organs and organizing

3/25

Tara from Friday’s penthouse wedding is waiting for me. Somehow I had left with the wedding license still in my suit coat pocket. They need it for their French Polynesian honeymoon so it’s a fast cab ride home and back to get the license.

I stop by Barney Greengrass and wish Gary a hag sameach as he gets ready to close up shop for his annual Passover hiatus. No visit to their Beverly Hills outpost (...they’re  fancy schmancy, we’re just schmancy...) this year,  just Long Island and then south to Florida. I’ll miss my daily coffee and conversation while he’s gone. 

Back out on the street, I see Marty. Freilich Pesach, I say. 

Are you fluent in Hebrew,reverend? (Actually that was Yiddish.)

No, I studied it. In school. Remember I told you?

My father liked to study. Every Friday night, he’d take out 3 or 4 books, lay them on the table and study. He liked to steal books to study. Pick them up in the synagogue, put them inside his black coat, take them home, study...Saturday, when sabbath was over he’d watch TV. The wrestling, the Jackie Gleason Show. I was a lifeguard. The school had a 15 yard pool which was ridiculous. But I could crank open the roof and let the sun in. My father liked to study. 

For a moment, I see him, a strapping teenage lifeguard. You have a good Pesach, Marty. He touches his finger to his cap brim, nods. 

Our Austin hybrid organ

In the sanctuary, the two partners of the Perragallo Organ Company are meeting with Stephen and Danielle. Longtime family business.  Reviewing their findings. Our Austin organ replacement value is about a million dollars. Alan Van Zoeren had changed it from romantic with a heavy bass to baroque with stronger treble. The mystery pipes in the basement are finally explained to me. They are not pipes that were never installed, they are pipes that were removed (and stored badly.) It’s one like I knew back in Tulsa that you could walk around inside of. That used to amaze me, that you could walk around inside an instrument. Feel it’s music enveloping you, all around you.  

There’s water damage in the downstairs engine room. Worn out leather bellows. Bent and broken pipes. But it can be made to play again. And even restored some day. With a movable console. Full midi capacity. I can see it. Jamie has joined us for the discussion.  We learn that the facade pipes are only for decoration. 

I recall how the last person to play that organ in 2009 was Leila’s father, Samir. Egyptian trained in Paris. A genteel and gentle man who loved that organ. Even after the church closed, he had his own key and would come in and rehearse. I used to worry about an octogenarian alone  in a closed church. But there was no denying him. I can hear his notes, his toccatas and fugues still echoing. He finished his career as a dance accompanist at Adelphi. Where Cara finished her dance degree. Circles.

Alexander is listening in as he opens the pulpit, pulling out long lost treasures like rabbits out of hats as part of his volunteer clean up duty. He dreams of playing that organ some day. Cara too has begun her work. 

Stephen and Jamie and I head to Popover’s for soup. But all too quickly, Danielle calls. The Interfaith Assembly on Housing and Homelessness Executive Committee has arrived  and I have to run. 

The Assembly walks the same financial tight rope as West-Park. Has managed to survive over 25 years. One of the original board members  has come back. With a proposal to renew the Assembly’s original vision. An organization of organizations, those organizations being congregations. It’s classic CO style. One on ones relationships, Assembly liaisons truly connected to their congregations bringing their concerns to a shared table. Joining with homeless people recruited from the streets. I know from my recent experience with PHEWA, this is where the energy needs to go. 

We also have a young intern who has come to us from Portland, Oregon. (PDX, yet again...) He’s presents a proposal to develop and expand our financial base. What the previous conversation reminds us of is the classic community organizing fund raising rule, grants are important, but what sustains long term is serious money locally raised, from the base.   

We commit ourselves to a four month go with these proposals, reviewable after two. We wish each other the best for the week of Passover and Easter. 

Palm Sunday: A Passion Play

3/24

Palm Sunday.  

Dzieci is there rehearsing their Passion Play as I arrive. Cara has arrived, ready to get the steps clean and ready. And ready to pass out palms.

Cara and palms

Anna ready to hustle the crowds. I’m feeling anxious.

People begin arriving in the darkened sanctuary. Only a simple communion table in front. The cast is dressed like Jews in the Warsaw ghetto. We gather in the back of the sanctuary and enter in procession, with palms, chanting Hosanna, hosanna in the highest. 

I introduce the service. Read the the triumphal entry into Jerusalem as it is in Matthew. Then there is silence. 

Then the Dzieci, from different corners of the church, come together  singing Hinay ma tov u manayim, chevet achim gan yahad. (How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in harmony.) The gather around the table with a Torah like scroll. One cast member is given a white prayer shawl, begins as the character of Yeshua (Jesus). First comes the anointing by Mary with oil. Then the betrayal by Yehuda (Judas).  

Then the talmudim (disciples) gather around the table to celebrate pesach (Passover, the Last Supper). Echoes of da Vinci. By now the shawl has been passed to another actor, a young woman, who takes over as Yeshua. All characters will trade parts throughout the play. 

Yeshua uses the traditional Hebrew prayers for blessing the bread, Baruch ata adonoai, elohenu melech ha olam, ha motzi lehem min haaretz (Blessed are you Adonai our creator, who brings forth bread from the earth) and wine, Baruch ata adonai, elohenu melech ha olam, boray pri ha gafen...(Blessed are you Adonai our creator, who brings forth the fruit of the vine..) and the bread and wine are passed through the congregation. The passion continues through the Garden, the betrayal, arrest, trial and ultimately crucifixion. Roles constantly shifting. Until Yeshua is taken down from the cross, cradled Pieta like by a woman. 

Then the scroll is rolled up again and the cast recesses, singing Hinay ma tov once again. There is profound silence in the sanctuary. Then applause. 

It was a moving performance ritual. The table, the only set. On the front is carved Do this in remembrance of me. And so it was. The Warsaw Ghetto setting opened up a metatext. The passing of the prayer shawl and shifting parts had what one person  called an everyman experience. That is, all were Jesus. And all betrayers. We are all both. Contain both. And so the experienced  truth of the story reaches down to the archetypal depths.

As my friend Beppe said, It was the most soulful Passion rite I have experienced in a church.…this time, for the first time, I was moved to tears. It was delightfully unassuming and powerful.

We meet, as always, to update where we are. As always, somewhere between solution and abyss.  

Outside, Cara and I see two actors, just finished lunch.  We sing on the way out because we come to the passion knowing the resurrection already has happened. And I bring up the everyman angle. And the other actor says, ...and we crucify the Christ inside ourselves...and I say, It’s so easy for us  to believe that everyone deserves forgiveness but ourselves...

The Dzieci Passion Play cast

Neither one of us wanted to lay honorific claim to a losing situation.

3/22

Cara is alone in the darkened sanctuary when I arrive. Soon enough she opens the front door for me and begins the sweeping of the steps. 

My counter guy at Barney Greengrass tells me I won’t be seeing him anymore. New job at the Modern. Hosting for their restaurant. A step up? I ask. He smiles, shrugs. I thank him for taking care of me daily. For the kindness across the counter, coffee ready the minute I walk in. I tell him I’ll miss him. I wish him all the best. 

The mother of DJ Dan, former occupier Dan and her husband have come in. Looks like Dan’s last day in court. Teddy’s assault charges against him dropped. (As Teddy wanted) Other charges combined. In the end, he gets to plead to a misdemeanor moving a barrier charge instead of felony resisting arrest. He’s been doing well. Living in Colorado. Working as a chef. Has his life back. It feels good to have been with him through this process.

His mom has been thinking creatively about the long missing cover to the baptismal font. Even though it is heavy bronze, she believes a ceramic cover can be crafted. We carefully examine the font. Realize that the lotus imagery continues and the basin of the font is an open blossom. I borrow a tape measure from RL and we measure the size of the basin exactly. When this is finished, it will mark a beautiful symbolic end to our Occupy story. We will remember Dan’s presence with us. All that was good and generous about him at his best. His true self. And the amazing hyper real days of  Occupy West-Park. Her ceramic cups are already used for communion. Now our second sacrament will be covered too.

Cara’s music is accompanying our examination of the basin.

Court math gives Dan one more in/out jail day. The surprise is that logic would seem to indicate that he could spend it at the Tombs, downtown near the court. But they insist he be bussed out to Rikers’ Island and out through the system there. This will cut his flight back close. But he handles it all with equanimity. It will be over and his life will be his own again. 

I think of the connections between Dan, Occupiers, the church, his mom and step dad. It took all of us. But Dan had to take the responsibility to move forward. And he did.

Just enough time to out the bulletin  together before heading out to a wedding. Thinking through how we handle Dzieci’s Passion Play. Danielle is arriving.

RL steps in. Danielle doing some printing for him. Stephen got his Internet up and going again. He sees and starts to thumb through Isaac Asimov’s Annotated Guide to the Bible. Pretty credible  work for a science fiction writer. 

RL looks up. Isaac Asimov. Neil Young. Van Morrison. What do these three have in common? I say I sure don’t know. RL's ready... I had fights with all three a them. Neil and Van kicked my ass good. Asimov and I? Well we allowed ourselves to be pulled  apart, separated. Neither one of us wanted to lay honorific  claim to a losing situation. Yet anther of the yet be to be told stories from RL’s life.  You underestimate RL at your own peril .

Just enough time to get to my 5th Avenue  penthouse wedding in the Village. 

When I get back, Martin is there. He’s concerned. Wants to know how I’m doing. And I tell him. He gives me hug. Promises to do what he can. I can hear the flashing flamenco feet still pounding in the studio.

Healing is a process

3/21

Back from a consultation with the Street Vendors Project. Another organizing effort to bring together workers from around the world at the base level of the New york City economic food chain. They  are literally from the four corners of the world. And today five languages are required. They’ve applied  for Presbyterian Self Development of Peoples Funds. I repeat the golden rule of organizing, (Thank you Saul) never do for anybody what they can do for themselves.I’m wondering how my antisweatshop friends might interact with the street vendors. Their organizing efforts are beginning to attract attention from street vendors internationally. From the grassiest of grass roots. Bottom up. Always. 

Street vendor leaders

The mumbling man has returned. This time with a bag of fresh soup and breads and..wants to feed us. But of course, on the side, he needs transportation money. I tell him I have none. And he is on his way.Cara picked up palms in the flower district. This Palm Sunday, the palms are her gift.

Sheryl, Occupier Dan's mom comes in along with her husband. Long day in court. Seems like it's all  heading to conclusion. Teddy's assault charge against Dan dropped. Which is what Teddy wanted. Finally plead guilty to one count of moving a barrier. Needs to serve one more day to be done. So it's off to Riker's. Sheryl is committed to crafting a cover for our baptismal font. That would be the most amazing tribute,to Dan..and OWS...so that they would always be a part of this church. 

I met with Matt of Dzieci to work out details of Sunday’s Passion Play.

Go upstairs to have a chat with RL and call Stephen down to get the Internet up again.

Dzieci’s healing circle begins. I can only halfway enter in. Two of my people have come. I know their vulnerability. I know the healing circle's intensity. I need to make sure that my people are taken care of. I’m beginning to trust Matt. His sensitivity to those with mental illness. And Isis (I told her the story of the students from the school of Isis) and her awareness of who people are. I need to trust Matt to know when to bring someone out of the circle. To know the appropriate level of intimacy. And so I’m watching,  monitoring. But I too step into the center. Raise my voice, listen for harmonies. Feel the support, the care. But healing, at least for me, is not immediate. It’s a process. And will continue. Too much going on right now. 

Rehearsal for a Passion begins...

Outside, on the steps, Anna wants to introduce me to Jerry. But I know him. He lives with Anthony at Euclid Hall. Seems Anthony is dying. Of cancer. Loses it sometimes. Anna has a whole plan, but Jerry just wants to give Anthony some space. Time to get it back together. You’re a deacon, I told him, says Jerry. Anthony has devoted his life to Blessed Sacrament Church. May Francis I move beyond dogma and recognize the saintliness of people like Anthony. Gay people like Anthony. Do that. Then we can talk.

You using that?

3/20

On the border between our property and Barney Greengrass, a man is asleep. As I go to wake him up, I notice a wheelchair. And as he stirs, I realize he has no feet. I tell him he has to go. Ask if he needs help. He says no.

I’m fresh from leading a Bible study with my colleagues on Palm Sunday. Passion Sunday. This is a gentrified neighborhood. But the passion is always with us. 

Anna has her daily analysis of the world around us. Advice for my apartment search. As always her mental Rolodex, search engine, moves faster than I can deal with. 

Stephen is continuing on the organ trail and working on a move out plan for rearranging our stuff should the deal go through. 

I see Marty. He wants to know when Easter is. A week from Sunday, I tell him. He smiles and says, Ah, the end of Pesach. Once again, Jewish and Christian holidays align. Like they did at the start. 

It’s getting towards the end of the day. Martin and I are outside, on the steps.Talking.  A couple of guys walk by. See the long pipe, probably left over from the city’s latest work nestled between the church and Barney Grengrass. Behind where the man with no feet was sleeping. Hey, you using that? they ask. No, take it, it’s yours. And they pick up the 30 foot lead pipe and walk off with it. After months, it’s gone. Simple as that.

It’s now dark. Three young people are in the sanctuary. I ask what they’re up to. They saw the sign advertising Dzieci’s healing circle. Thought it was tonight. But it’s tomorrow night. I ask where they’re from. We’re from ISIS, they say. And of course, I think of my Dzieci friend, Isis Phoenix. And then they tell me, the International Seminary of Interfaith Studies. Of course. I.S.I.S. A break off of the old New Seminary, founded by Rabbi Gelberman, whose New Synagogue used to worship at West-Park back in the day. Whenever I begin to feel old, I remember Rabbi Gelberman,vital into his nineties, his congregation young and eager. These three, their faces are very young.