On Bended Knee, In the Eye of God

The summer before Lillian’s senior year at Beaufort High School, she was attending an elite basketball camp at the University of South Carolina when she suffered a severe knee injury. Dr. Kevin Jones performed the successful surgery but her physical therapy and the length of her recovery made it impossible for her to compete in her senior basketball season. As the Division 1 letters and recruiters disappeared, Lillian did receive several offers from smaller colleges but decided, for good reasons, not to play, Another hard lesson learned. Life is often dotted with life-changing moments and surprises.

So, instead of playing basketball, Lillian worked at a little pub in Beaufort serving food and beverages in order to make a little spending money for her freshman year at Appalachian State University. Lillian had been working for several weeks, when someone approached me in the hall of the Christian education wing. During the course of our conversation, he happened to mention that he had been approached by an acquaintance who asked him what he thought about his preacher’s daughter working in a place that serves beer. I responded by saying, “The next time you bump into your acquaintance I want you to tell him that not only is your preacher proud of his daughter, but your preacher loves beer!” I never heard another word.

For those of you who have never heard the story, there was a Saturday during Desert Storm when I accompanied half of the crew of the USS San Jacinto CG-56 to the beach in Hurghada, Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea for a little beach party (if there is such a thing for a group of sailors who have been at sea for a while.) The inquiry was made if there was anyone in the crowd who might be willing to assume the responsibility of popping the tops of 52 cases of beer. Immediately, my arm shot into the air. “Padre,” someone said, “you’re it!” For hours, I stood in one spot popping the lid on one beer after another until every single beer was gone. The blessing of it all? Every sailor saw their chaplain that day as I would pop a lid and hand a beer to a thirsty shipmate along with the words, “Bless you my son!” I’ve never blessed so many people at one time in all my life.

One of my favorite stories recorded in the gospel is a story offered at the beginning of John. The story is about Jesus attending a wedding feast in Cana in Galilee and finding himself in somewhat of a tight spot. The wedding feast appears to have been quite a celebration and the wedding party was facing the embarrassing crisis of running out of wine. Jesus’ mother volunteers Jesus to intervene, but Jesus is reluctant. However, before all is said and done, Jesus converts no less than 120 to 180 gallons of water into wine, which leads me to speculate the wine served from those six water jars were most likely the highest caliber of wine ever enjoyed at a wedding feast anywhere in the world.

Remember me saying that life is often dotted with life-changing moments and surprises? It seems we’re in one of those moments, wouldn’t you agree? More and more people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in South Carolina, but nothing like New York or Louisiana. A little while ago, the Governor announced that he will put into place a “stay-at-home policy” only if necessary. As much as we would like for this to be over and done, the experts are uncertain about when that might be. Keep yourselves busy, my friends, and your minds occupied. One of my grandsons said to me the other day that he was bored. “Bored?” I said. “Why all you have to do is find the vacuum cleaner and vacuum your bedroom and the rest of the house, help your mother with the dishes, wash and fold your clothes, take care of your homework, mow the yard, rake the pine leaves, bag the leaves, sweep the driveway, go run three miles, read a book! Bored! You have no reason to be bored!”

What is the point of all this? When this crisis has run its course, this is what I plan to do. The first thing will be to bow my head and fold my hands as a sign of reverence, and offer a Celtic Prayer, “I am bending my knee in the eye of the God who created me. In the eye of the Son who died for me. In the eye of the Spirit who moves me, in love and desire. For the many gifts you have bestowed on me. Each day and night, Each sea and land. Each weather fair. Each calm. Each wild. Thanks be to you, O God.” (Celtic Prayers from Iona by J. Philip Newell. Page 54)

And the second thing? I won’t be popping 52 cases of beer, but when we are able to return I plan to propose the toast (a wee dram) for a new beginning as we stand together in our Courtyard, side by side, in the shadow of the Celtic Cross, “Love to one, friendship to many, and goodwill to all.” In the meantime, read your Bible. Say your prayers. Support family, friends and neighbors. Follow the guidance of our public health officials, medical professionals, civic leaders and government agencies. The mantra remains the same. Let’s stick to it. Stay safe! Stay well! Good night and in the spirit of Jesus at the wedding feast in Cana, I look forward to seeing you at the celebration! In Christ +

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Steve Keeler, Pastor