Letter Three
The End of an Age
For the background of this End of an Age - see Letter One
So, it appears our Master, Lord, and Savor chose to let this elimination of our physical structure in its glorious use for Him, and its almost hundred and fifty plus years of incredible service from its founders in the 1860’s who built the church in 1890’s to our community of today. It is happening and we should follow His lead.
We must be patient with what will come. And do this with the full Power, Grace and Mercy of our One and only Master in all His Omnipotent and Omnipresence that is in us all, created in His Image and Likeness and Who is always at our side.
Most importantly, to do His will, we must be open to discerning all options He sends through His Most Holy Spirit.
And this will only happen if we find a way, through His way, to remain a community. I do not know what this means but it must be. (Sorry about all the ‘must do’s but we are ‘most’ in His service first, foremost, and completely.)
Never think otherwise.
As a member of this community that exceeds a century and a half, for forty plus years, I played a very small part, albeit one that keeps growing smaller at times. He gave me the gift of Parkinson’s, probably to slow me down and teach me patience , empathy and the increasing daily knowledge of His true love in so many categories. He was so successful with me that I thank Him for it every day so many times I lose count, and I thank Him for you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Though many of you did not ‘know’ me well except through the stories I believe He had me tell, I grew to know you with a deep appreciation as Secrete Warriors of the mighty One and only God. The book ‘Mortal Combat ‘by Fr. Dwight Longnecker, explains the concept of the Secrete Warriors of the Secrete Son. Best book I’ve read in decades. Thank you Mary!
As the physical aspect of my life, His temple, my body started to and continues to deteriorate , affecting even the closest of relationships because many of my abilities ‘to do’ were taken away, and people close to me struggled with what was happening to the point where they floated away – and I take full blame.
He has kept me in incredible shape, way past the due date. And I daily ask him to continue. I ‘hope’ for at least another quarter century and agreed when He ‘advised me’ to not only listen to my doctors but to put their efforts and suggestions for me in action.
Because that is what St. Wenceslaus warriors do – a lot of action – not so many words.
I love you all very much. I feel like bursting with it! I pray for you every day and think about you many times. I cry over the impact this has had on many of you.
I will keep writing, more aggressively now, though I rue losing Martin’s ‘most loving leash – held by the hand of the Son’. He kept my feet on the ground and was the prime mentor in my journey to accepting Jesus in everything and crediting Him, Our Lord, also in everything. Jesus, Who I lovingly call my ‘Jewish Boss’, the best ‘Boss ‘ever by all the universes.
After all, He was born a Jew, raised as a Jew, taught as a Jew… not a single letter of the law will pass away… died a Jew and came back to life as a Jew. I fear the day we forget our true ancestry, people chosen by Him exclusively.
So, there is no goodbye. There is only that unbelievable anticipation when we figure out how to remain and strengthen our community, solely in His name.
Or perhaps we will see each other next in our true, forever and only Home, that He has prepared for us. That place where their will be no more tears, no more pain, no more death…
With all His love and mine, daily and forever…
Clement
PS. In the meantime bulletin writing will be posted on my Substack page, clementcharles.substack.com or if we ever get the help we need, our web pages, Mary’s – fishtownproductions.com and clementcharles.org.
