Today's Daily Lesson comes from Mark chapter 13 verses 24 through 26 and is in recognition of the St. Michael & All Angels feast day:
24 ‘But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
25 and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. 27Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
Many years ago when Irie and I were living in Vermont I made a trip to Manhattan for the Fosdick Convocation in New York's Riverside Baptist Church. The historic Riverside Church does not actually have Baptist in its name. But I guess because Baptist Harry Emerson Fosdick was its first pastor and it was shaped early on by Baptist principles and governance, I first thought it was called Riverside Baptist Church. I always try to catch myself because I know it's wrong, but the name is stuck and I seem to not be able to help myself.
Irie was planning to meet me in New York. But she was very unsettled about traveling to the City for the first time. It was the days not too far from 9-11 and the anthrax scare, and she was pregnant for the first time. For the first time, she felt a great responsibility for the life of another. Not helping things was the fact that it was before Uber and she would have to take public transportation -- a bus from La Guardian actually called the M-16!
Irie touched down in New York, found ground transportation, and the M-16 stop. She stood at the stop without talking to any of the other waiting passengers and when the bus pulled up she allowed the driver to load her luggage. Irie got on the bus, sat down in the seat, looked forward and planned not to talk to any other passengers. But she worried how she would know which stop to get off on.
That's when a man climbed aboard, walked down the aisle, and sat next to her. He was an older, black gentleman. He turned, looked at her clutching her purse and small carry on, and asked in a big city accent, "Where you headed?"
Irie was a bit taken aback. It was a very forward question -- too forward for a man to ask a young pregnant woman. Yet, Irie said, he seemed very kind and peaceful. "My husband is a pastor," she said. "And I am meeting him at a church conference."
"Oh, wonderful," the man said. "I'm going to a church right now too. I'm going to Riverside Baptist Church."
"You mean Riverside Church in Manhattan?" Irie asked. "That's where I am going."
"Well, then I'll help you get there," the man said.
They sat and talked for the 30 minutes to Riverside and when the bus made its way through Harlem and then down Broadway Ave. When they neared 122nd Street, he told Irie to clang the bell. "This is our stop," he said. He helped Irie with her bags, and the two stepped off the bus, at peace with this man but still a little anxious that it be the right stop.
When Irie stepped down from the bus she looked up at the street sign. "Seminary Row," it said. She knew it was the right stop. She looked up and could then see the church's iconic tower a block away.
The man helped Irie with her bags the block over and when they arrived at the door he said, "Welcome to Riverside Baptist Church." She shook his hand and then turned and went inside.
Today is St. Michael & the Angels feast day. Ask me if I believe in angels, I will tell you absolutely. I absolutely believe they help us get where we need to go -- to church, and to heaven, and one day even to whatever comes after heaven.
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