Hi Friends,
It’s your long lost pastor, Jean Luc Picard. Actually with my earring and damsel-distressing muscles I look more like Mr. Clean. Or, if you’re around my age, I might bring to mind the (former) pop star Moby. Whenever I talk like this lately, my son Gabriel, ever helpful, shakes his head and tells me I look like Lex Luther- as played by Kevin Spacey not Gene Hackman.
That’s right, I lost my hair this week.
It disappeared in chunks as fast as Dennis Perry’s youth. My beard too came out with a few scratches as I sat out in the sun reading this week; it came out as quickly and completely as it first grew in when I was a boy in the 3rd grade.
In the mornings now I’d swear I look like Mr Bigglesworth from Austin Powers. Actually, I can tell from the way people look at me that I just look like I have cancer, but, all in all, that’s been a small price to pay considering that I’ve been lucky enough to feel pretty darn good this week.
I was glad to hear from so many of you (most of whom weren’t the folks I’d expect to hear from) how much you enjoyed Thomas Lynch’s preaching and personality last weekend. I’ve since heard from Tom several times as well that the appreciation was mutually felt.
I know Tom alluded to today’s scripture passage in his sermon so you already know the ‘miracle’ in the text as Tom sees it: how the compassion and forgiveness we show one another can be harder and holier than any miracle you can see with your eyes. I don’t know if Tom framed the passage that way on my account, but I’ll use it to my advantage now regardless.
Many of you know how one of my biggest pet peeves as a pastor is the assumption that it’s my job to do ministry for you; that is, to do Jesus’ ministry instead of you. For example, I hate it – absolutely hate it – when church people defer to me to pray at the beginning of a meal or a church meeting as though I’m the real Christian and it’s your job just to watch me.
Cancer’s a funny thing.
If I worried before about you doing Christ’s ministry on your own, claiming your baptismal commission as every bit as authoritative (more actually) as my ordination, I don’t worry now.
Ever since I found myself the diseased one on the mat, in need of hope and healing, so many of you, day in and day out, have ministered to me. I still wish more than anything that these tumors weren’t in my blood and that this nightmare wasn’t our life now, but, along with a few other things, cancer has shown me- made it as obvious as a hole in the roof- just what thorough-going, authentic Christian ministers you all are.
See what I did there? I’m not even around Aldersgate (I’m on ‘medical leave’ even) and I’m still taking credit for anything positive I identify among you.
To keep you abreast of my treatment-
I start my first ‘B Cycle’ of treatment Monday morning and will be undergoing chemo through Sunday. The good news is that I won’t have to do it in the hospital as I initially thought; instead I will receive the treatment at a stem cell transplant center in Fairfax. Long, boring and nauseating days to be sure but at least I get to go home to my wife and kids.
I’ll keep you in the loop.
Much love- cheesy, I know, but still true,
Jason
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