The Pink Flamingo :: Part Three: Fr. Peter Channeling Obi Wan Tonight

“…This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster; an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times... before the Empire….”"

My faith is rather simplistic. Sometimes the Lord does strange things to make us stop and look and learn. I don’t mind admitting I’ve been feeling down about the state of the world and the way things were going. I’ve almost felt defeated as a Christian in an age of Islamic terror and as a Republican dealing with the tidal wave of Barack Obama. Today, if you’ve read my other two posts, you can tell I’ve been seeing things, patterns.

I wasn’t sure where all of this was going. I did not want to go to church this evening. I truly dislike Maundy Thursday. I knew I was rebelling so much if I did not go I would miss something important. Deacon Laurie had a wonderful sermon. I’ve found some bits and pieces that tells a little about Maundy Thursday which she did. It is all about Christ washing the feet of his Disciples. It is about becoming a servant for Christ. It is also about the first Eucharist. It is also about the Greatest Commandment: LOVE

I realized earlier today the Lord was trying to tell me something with today’s theme of salvation and growth of Christianity in the lands of darkness. Then Fr. Peter started doing the Eucharist. I’ve only heard him maybe one other time. I am enchanted by him – and his slight Scottish accent. He is proper Anglican, spit and polished. Having him is like having a breath of England in our embattled parish.

“The Great Thanksgiving
Alternative forms will be found on page 367 and following.
Eucharistic Prayer A
The people remain standing. The Celebrant, whether bishop or priest, faces them and sings or says
                 The Lord be with you. People       And also with you. Celebrant   Lift up your hearts. People       We lift them to the Lord. Celebrant   Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People       It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Then, facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
Here a Proper Preface is sung or said on all Sundays, and on other occasions as appointed.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Celebrant and People
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.    Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.    Hosanna in the highest.
The people stand or kneel.
Then the Celebrant continues
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant is to hold it, or to lay a hand upon it; and at the words concerning the cup, to hold or place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel containing wine to be consecrated.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Celebrant and People
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
The Celebrant continues
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.
Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
And now, as our Savior
Christ has taught us,
we are bold to say.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
     hallowed be thy Name,
     thy kingdom come,
     thy will be done,
       on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
     as we forgive those
       who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
     but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
     and the power, and the glory,
     for ever and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread.
A period of silence is kept.
Then may be sung or said
[Alleluia.] Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; Therefore let us keep the feast. [Alleluia.]
In Lent, Alleluia is omitted, and may be omitted at other times except during Easter Season.
In place of, or in addition to, the preceding, some other suitable anthem may be used.
Facing the people, the Celebrant says the following Invitation
The Gifts of God for the People of God. and may add   Take them in remembrance that Christ died for                       you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith,                       with thanksgiving.
The ministers receive the Sacrament in both kinds, and then immediately deliver it to the people.
The Bread and the Cup are given to the communicants with these words
The Body (Blood) of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in everlasting life. [Amen.]
or with these words
The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. [Amen.] The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. [Amen.]
During the ministration of Communion, hymns, psalms, or anthems may be sung.
When necessary, the Celebrant consecrates additional bread and wine, using the form on page 408.
After Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
Celebrant and People
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

MY STORY CONTINUES
I was half-heartedly listening to Fr. Peter until he reached the word “evil”. I was instantly alert. He pronounced “evil” exactly the way Alec Guinness. Suddenly I realized his diction, the way he spoke, even the tone of his voice was identical to that of the late Obi Wan Kenobi. If you’ve read my other two posts, you realize this is not a coincidence.

So, what was the Lord trying to teach me? I sat there and prayed through the remainder of HE, asking what I was to learn. Nothing happened. Then, when I sat down to write this post, to put the headers into it I suddenly realized the title should be A NEW HOPE.

Wait a minute A NEW HOPE!

NEW HOPE – get it? The Lord has given us HOPE. He has shown us that He is in charge, not Barack Obama. The Lord is going to allow who ever He wants to be elected POTUS in November. I have this feeling He is going to chose the candidate who is full of love, humility, and there is something about suffering.

The way I see it today there is only one person who fits that description. But – we are not to fear. Our Father who art in Heaven is in charge. He is our HOPE!

For some reason I think this is the clue. While I was watching Fr. Peter serve HE, standing there in line, the thought I had was, this is a more graceful weapon of a more civilized age…

“..an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times... before the Empire….”

For a thousand years we have been at peace with Islam (sort of) before the dark times. There is only one person, aside from George W. Bush, who is capable of leading us in this battle. It all goes back to one of my father’s favorite comments. The Lord is in charge and He is not going to abandon this nation. My father truly thinks John McCain has a destiny to fulfill – a destiny that comes from the Lord. According to my father, this is all tied up together.

A NEW HOPE!

MAUNDY THURSDAY
The word "Maundy" comes from the Latin for 'command' (mandatum). It refers to the command given by Jesus at the Last Supper, that his disciples should love one another.

‘…Last Supper
The word Maundy is derived from Latin and refers to Christ's commandment at the Last Supper to love one another, before he washed the feet of his disciples. The tradition of the sovereign giving alms to the poor stretches back to at least the 12th Century and there are continuous records from the reign of King Edward 1. From the middle ages, the number of recipients mirrors the sovereign's years. The Queen presented Maundy Thursday alms purses to 164 people - 82 men and 82 women.
These people came from all over Northern Ireland and were deemed to have made a significant contribution to church or community life.
The Royal Visit
The distribution of the alms came in two parts. The red purse contained an allowance in place of food and clothing given in bygone times. In the white purse there were Maundy coins, as many pence as the Queen is years old (82)...."

“….Maundy Thursday" is the name for this day in England. It is therefore the usual name also in English-speaking Protestant Churches that originated in that country and even in some that originated in Scotland, although the Scottish Book of Common Prayer uses the name "Holy Thursday".[2] Other English-speaking Protestant Churches, such as the Lutheran, use both "Maundy Thursday" and "Holy Thursday".[3] Among Roman Catholics, except in England, the usual English name for the day is "Holy Thursday", in line with the name used in major ..

The word Maundy is derived through Middle English, and Old French mandé, from the Latin mandatum, the first word of the phrase "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" ("A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you"), the statement by Jesus in the Gospel of John (13:34) by which Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet. The phrase is used as the antiphon sung during the "Mandatum" ceremony of the washing of the feet, which may be held during Mass or at another time as a separate event, during which a priest or bishop (representing Christ) ceremonially washes the feet of others, typically 12 persons chosen as a cross-section of the community….”

IT’S ALL ABOUT
John 13: 31-35

When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’