Trinity Cathedral the Carillon for August 2017
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Trinity Cathedral The Carillon for August 2017 Dean’s Desk Page 2 Canon’s Corner Page 3 Internet Insights Page 4 The Carillon is the monthly newsletter of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Trinity Windows Pages 5-6 Sara Calkins, Editor Outreach & Opportunities Page 7 www.trinitysj.org ECW Retreat Page 9 Celebrations Page 6 The Carillon Page 1 The Carillon August 2017 Trinity Episcopal Cathedral “A place at God’s table for everyone” Diocese of El Camino Reál The Right Reverend Mary Gray-Reeves, Bishop Trinity Cathedral Staff Dean’s Desk The Very Rev. David Bird, Ph.D. Dean and Rector Beyond Left and Right Mr. Michael Joyce As children we are told not to look down on other kids; not to be bullies; and to Music Director tell the truth. It all seems a very simple set of ideas, until we enter the “adult” Ms. Heike Merino world. Cathedral Administrator Mr. John Davis When we ‘put away childish things” and join the real world of “grownups,” sud- Sexton denly we find ourselves characterizing one another as followers of the left or the right; perhaps even the center. Volunteer Staff The Rev. Canon Randolf J. Rice, J.D. Yet we follow a founder who preferred to teach by asking questions and telling Canon Residentiary stories so that we, his listeners and followers, could think for ourselves. His stories The Rev. Canon Lance Beizer, J.D. gave his followers the chance to look beneath rules and regulations and see the Canon Vicar strength in what they stated. His stories sometimes also brilliantly challenged their The Rev. Lee Barford, Ph.D. assumptions and enabled them to think more deeply about their faith and way of Deacon life. James Haddad Treasurer Such a way of reflecting, thinking and then acting is essential to us in a nation Graciela Velazquez clearly divided over many issues. We need to cease categorizing people and listen Coordinator for Latino Ministries instead to their arguments and see how and where we can work from common The Rev. Penelope Duckworth, M.F.A. ground. Mr. Stuart Johnson Artists in Residence This is much more difficult than identifying ourselves as left, right or center. But it Professor Brent Walters will help us to hear each other better, develop greater understandings of each Scholar in Residence other and build some common ground. (Continued on page 4) Trinity Cathedral Established 1861 81 N 2nd Street, San Jose CA 95113-1205 24-hour phone 408 293-7953 Fax 408 293-4993 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.trinitysj.org Submissions to The Carillon may be sent via e-mail to the office or to editor, Sara Calkins, at [email protected]. The Carillon Page 2 Please indicate “For the Carillon” in the subject line. Canon’s Corner This month’s offering from A long time, didn’t it, before the message really got to Great Cloud of Witnesses (the people? Even today, there are great swaths of the world new name for what used to be where smoking is just as pervasive as it once was here. Holy Women, Holy Men) is a bit Diets? One more cookie, or whatever turns you on, can’t different, since it commemorates really make a difference, can it? O.K, I’m only picking on not a person but an event: the those things I have wrestled with over the years, but I’m Transfiguration of our Lord, one sure you can find your own pitfalls to better, more of the few events depicted in all healthy, living—those areas in your own lives that have three of what are generally provoked your best rationalizing capability. known as the synoptic gospels— Matthew, Mark and Luke. Be- So, even if it were Jesus himself who set out the way we cause it is a truly central incident as really ought to behave, would we listen attentively even related in all three of these gospels, the story of the to him? Would we follow him wherever he’d wish to Transfiguration appears on our Lectionary calendar eve- lead us? Would we drop everything, like Peter and An- ry year. Pretty clearly, then, it is one of those stories drew did, to become his disciples? Would we, as he meant for us to take very, very seriously. counseled the rich young man to do, give everything away to the poor and then follow him? There are, of But what is it all about? Is it another one of those myste- course, those who have—St. Francis, for example, who rious incidents that are generally classified as miracles? was a really rich young man before he became the figure Jesus turns dazzling white and stands alongside and we have all grown to love. chats with Moses and Elijah? Well, first of all, I suppose, whatever we may think about the literal truth of the re- Most of us, however, like Peter, James and John, would port, it clearly is here to describe what all of us, in one much rather capture that moment of magic and pre- way or other, both the disciples in his day and we in serve it as if it were a painting by Da Vinci or Michelan- ours, have come to believe about Jesus of Nazareth, that gelo, to stand in front of in awe forever. Perfection is he really is, as God says in the story: ”my Son, the Be- perfection. Why spoil it? But, then, the story of the loved,” the same words spoken at his baptism in the Jor- Transfiguration is about Jesus, and not about them and dan. not about us. It’s like a scene I witnessed many years ago in Laguna Beach, California, at what is called a tab- Although I have, frankly, some doubts about the literal leau vivant, a living tableau. It’s called the “Pageant of truth of this report, the story of the Transfiguration the Masters.” I don’t know whether any of you have speaks loudly to me both about what I have come to been there, but for those of you who haven’t, allow me believe about Jesus, and also about what that belief to describe it. It is a production—and I do mean a pro- means in my own life. “Listen to him!” God says. Listen duction—that takes place for most of the summer—and to him indeed! It isn’t always easy to do that with so it’s been functioning that way for more than 80 years— many other voices coming from other directions, but since 1933 in fact. In conjunction with a very grand arts there’s no doubt that I’d be a far better human being if I festival—lots of paintings and other creations in lots of were always able to hear his voice as I make my deci- booths—every evening a group of individuals get them- sions on how to act in a given situation. selves made up and clothed—sometimes in very intri- cate and even uncomfortable outfits—so as to represent Of course, hearing good advice and following it aren’t figures from well known paintings by one of the masters. exactly the same, are they? We humans have an almost Then, on a set designed to look as near as possible to the uncanny ability to rationalize away what we don’t want backdrop of the scene being depicted in the original to govern our behavior. Perhaps you remember, as I do, painting, in this case The Last Supper, they stood abso- the days when TV commercials appeared regularly in lutely motionless for a minute and a half of oo’s and ah’s which doctors were depicted recommending Camel ciga- from the audience, while flash bulbs blinked on and off rettes for your T-Zone. Surely they must know as much from all the assembled audience members wishing to about the matter as some government doctor. It took a (Continued on page 4) The Carillon Page 3 Canon’s Corner, continued (Continued from page 3) The Bible is not a manual for suicide bombers. What he is capture the scene for their particular posterity. asking for, though, I am convinced, is for us fallible human beings—few of whom are worthy even to be in the same Ninety seconds of perfection, though, are not what our paragraph as St. Francis, let alone in the same sentence— religion is all about. Even if the three disciples were able to guide our behavior as best we can by the standards of to stay on the mountain forever—a sort, for them at least, Jesus’ message—to love our neighbors, both the wonder- of heaven on earth—it can’t match the opportunity for ful and awful ones, as we love ourselves. If, in doing that, growth and service that discipleship prompts us towards. the decisions we make should put us at any risk, there is God makes it abundantly clear to these three closest to that assurance of his that “those who lose their life for my Jesus of all his disciples that they had best pay attention to sake will find it.” The more we try to make our time here Jesus, his beloved son. (“Listen to him!”) And what is it all about us, the more frustrated we shall be. The more that they should hear? Well, just days earlier Jesus told we try to stop life in its tracks to preserve what we per- them that any who might wish to become his followers ceive as a moment of perfection, the more surely it will must take up their own crosses: “For those who want to slip away from us.