Love God. Live the Eucharist.

Browsing Blog

Fifth Sunday of Easter, April 29, 2018, by Fr. Kevin Anderson

 

Have you seen the movie I CAN ONLY IMAGINE.  It is very good.  It depicts how the famous song [sing: I can only imagine] was created.  It is the best-selling Christian single of all time.  I would recommend the movie. 

 

Anyway, a major twist in the story is how the main character (who wrote the song), Bart Mallard is invited on stage by Amy Grant to sing the song and then success takes off after that.

 

Well, I have my own Amy Grant story.  You see, back in the spring of 1994 Amy Grant was to receive the Pax Christi award from St. John University.  And she was to receive the award during a concert that she would put on at St. John’s Abbey Church.  At that time, I was the chaplain at the College of St. Benedict (the sister school to St. John’s).  Amy Grant came out in October before the event to see the campuses and meet students, etc.   There was a big reception for her at St. Ben’s with a long line of students from St. Ben’s who wanted to talk to her.  For example, “Oh Amy you changed my life.  Please sign my elbow.”  Anyway, no was stepping in to speed up the line . . . so I did.  “Come on, let’s get moving.”

 

So at a break, Amy comes to me and says, “Thanks.”  Now it was a warm October day.  So she says to me, “You know how, when it’s real warm and your wearing wool you start stinking like a dog?”  “Uh” was my answer.  Then she asks me, “Do I stink like a dog?”  So I leaned in and sniffed her.  “Nope, but you sure sing pretty.” 

 

She thought I was so funny and we chat a bit.  Then the president of the college, Sr Coleman comes over and say to her, “Oh you met our Fr. Kevin.  You know he’s a great singer.”  Amy says, “Really? You know, the day before the Pax Christi concert, I am doing a concert here at St. Ben’s.  Why don’t you sing with me?”  “What?” was my response.  She says, “I just released a new album (Songs from the Loft, which is youth group songs).  Come on, it would be fun.”

 

So from she calls her manager over and gets my contact info.  Then he sends me the CD and music.  So I am practicing the songs for months.  They didn’t tell me which parts I would be signing  . . . so I learned all of them.  The music was not that difficult.

 

I am all excited.  Then ONE WEEK before the concert, I get a call from the manager.  He tells me, “You’re out.  You’ve been replaced for the concert.”  “What” was my response. 

 

My consolation was to be the Master of Ceremonies for the concert. And she did replace me . . . with Michael W. Smith (another big time Christian artist).  Before the show, we talked and she couldn’t have been nicer.  She tells me, “I am so sorry.  It’s just that I am so nervous about the big concert tomorrow, and I didn’t want to put together these new songs.  So Michael and I are just doing our old stuff like El Shaddai, etc.” 


Can you imagine if I did sing with Amy Grant?  Perhaps I wouldn’t be here as your pastor?  Nah, I love you all too much. I would never give this up.

In the gospel Jesus speaks of the vine and the branches.  That is, we are connected to him.  And just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own (that is, it needs to be connected to a vine and grounded into the earth), so it is with us.  

 

We are connected to Christ who wants good things for us.  But of course, we can all think of examples when things didn’t turn out like we wanted.  Still in the end, all things will be well, and if things haven’t turned out well you yet . . . that means it is not yet the end.

 

Can you imagine if you really trusted the power of Christ working through you?

Can you imagine if you believed that God wants you to bear fruit, that is, offer goodness to the world?  So you’ve got to ask yourself, “How would I change to reveal God?”

Can you imagine if you really kept God’s commandments (as John talked about in the second reading) that is, the commandment to love . . . and stop thinking only negative things about that one person at school, or at work?  How your attitude might change?

 

Can you imagine that your life, as it is right now, delights God?  That God is so in love with you?

 

Can you imagine if you stopped living in fear . . . fear of that group of people, fear of those kind of believers, fear of the gays or the divorced people, fear of those who vote different than you?  What if they are not the problem, you are?

 

Can you imagine what life will be like when this world is over? 

Can you imagine a God who is waiting on the other side to hug you and love you?

Can you imagine what it might be like to be in God’s presence for all eternity?

 

[Sing}

 

I can only imagine, what it will be like

When I walk by your side

 

I can only imagine what my eyes will see

When your face is before me

I can only imagine

 

Surrounded by Your glory,

what will my heart feel?

Will I dance for you Jesus

or in awe of you be still?

 

Will I stand in your presence

or to my knees will I fall?

 

 

Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all I can only imagine?

 

I can only imagine when that day comes

And I find myself standing in the Son?

 

I can only imagine

when all I will do

Is forever.

Forever worship You

I can only imagine

Subscribe

RSS Feed

Archive