Interim Healing

 This is a poem for the 2nd Sunday of Epiphany 2016  as All Saints is celebrating the 20th Anniversary. In this 3rd week we have asked the Rev. Edwin L. (Ted) Bishop, who was our interim Minister from 2002- 2003. Ted was a Navy Chaplain and an Episcopal Priest  who now lives in retirement in Richmond. Ted was very interesed in the Healing Ministry and when he finished being interim at All Saints. He asked if he could retire here and help out. He stayed for 12 years until he and his wife Joan retired to Richmond

Isaiah 62:1-5               1 Corinthians 12:1-11             John 2:1-11                 Psalm 36:5-10

Interim Healing

No bodies are perfect; either individual or corporate,

nor are those bodies wrapped in shiny bubble wrap

keeping us perfectly safe from one another’s passions.

“Sick” or “well”, all will need healing and realignment

in those empty moments feeling living wine has gone.

On Maundy Thursday the Chaplain showed up to pray

for wholeness and to walk the path being open for the

interim Balm of Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul;

to forgive and be forgiven,

to call to mind and to forget

to empty and to fill

to mourn and to hope

to wake and to dream

to work and to rest

to listen and to speak

            to give and accept love

            to find and share strength

Bringing with him a structure of ship-shape expectation,

surrounding parishioners with a comforting of routine

of no surprises, giving a rest from those hectic changes.

Understanding that momentary flashes of irritation are

not love’s opposite; that space reserved for indifference,

he reminded that all are treasured parts of the one body.

As are all broken; realization’s but first step of healing paths,

so that mere waters may find again being changed into wine.