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Now, I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing hallelujah
 
Those are the opening words of Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah!”  In many ways this song has become iconic … the tune sung with a whole slew of different lyrics at weddings, and funerals, anniversaries, and other special occasions.  However, the original song is about King David … the David who we have been hearing about all summer in the readings from Hebrew Scripture.

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​My words this morning are about “taking seriously what Jesus took seriously.”  And, they are about compassion in a world where tragedy, violence, and systemic oppression grab the headlines.  They are about the need to “rest a while.”

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People who have been around the Episcopal Church for a while will know that the usual response after one of the readings from Holy Scripture … the response in the Book of Common Prayer is, “The Word on the Lord,” and the congregation responds with “Thanks be to God.”  Here at St. Cyprian’s we have substituted, “Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.”  And the congregation responds with, “Amen. Amen.”  Today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark is one of the reasons for the change … the beheading of John the Baptist does not deserve a “Thanks be to God.”  

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This has been a rather long … and hot … July 4th week.  I hope some of you enjoyed the fireworks over the Nation’s Oldest City on Wednesday evening.  For me this week has had a feeling of being discombobulated.  As best I can recollect, Monday morning was fine … until I realized that the office wasn’t going to be open on Wednesday, and Caren was scheduled for second cataract surgery on Thursday.  All at once I had to get a full week’s “To Do” list done in two days.  Then there were the fireworks.  We sat in front of our house to watch … with one very frightened dog crawling all over us whenever a loud boom of a rocket bursting into a colorful star … no matter how far distant. Then, Thursday morning at 7am, Caren had her surgery.  Cataract surgery is rather routine … many of you have been through it … but juggling two dogs and transportation to the Eye Doctors that early in the morning is anything but routine.