Easter Friday 

Gospel – John 21:1-14

Sitting Around the Campfire

Church of Holy Sepulchre

4 years ago, just days before Covid shut everything down, a young member of our St. Kateri Native community passed away very suddenly.  Besides the wake, funeral mass and committal, there was also another tradition that really touched my heart – the sacred fire!

As soon as a Native member passes away, a fire is lit, ideally outside their home.  And from that moment until their burial, the fire stays burning, tended night and day, rain or shine, watched over, never left alone and never allowed to burn out.  That fire is meant to guide their spirit back to the Creator.  Through all that time, friends and family will stop by, enter from the east, circle the fire clockwise and add a pinch of tobacco and cedar to the fire.  They will sit, pray quietly or aloud, and share stories and memories about the deceased. 

Later as the community gathers for a meal after the cemetery, a spirit plate, containing bits of the food to be served, is blessed and offered in thanksgiving to the Creator and then scattered outside, returning to the earth.  It is a tradition that we do before every meal.  However, this time we offer a second spirit plate.  Then that plate is taken back to the sacred fire and added to the flames.  It is only then that the fire is allowed to die out!  It is never extinguished, only slowly goes out on its own.

It is a beautiful tradition and one that reminds me of how often we all have sat around a fire sharing hopes and dreams, fears and stories, laughter and tears.  It is an experience that unites us, binds us together and reminds us of our spiritual connections to our Creator and to each other.

And that is what resonates with me in today’s Gospel.  The Risen Jesus appears to the disciples on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee).  He has prepared a charcoal fire; He even cooks breakfast.  And then the disciples gather with Him around that fire and share a meal of fish and bread.  Can you imagine?  Sitting around a campfire, sharing breakfast with the Lord!

Most of us share that experience of sitting around a campfire or the fire pit in the back yard.  Sometimes words just aren’t necessary; we just sit and appreciate the warmth and glow of the fire, the outdoor setting and sharing that moment with friends and family.  Sometimes we do share stories, memories of the past, perhaps even a ghost story or two.  And sometimes we reminisce about the loved ones no longer with us and believe that the story we share keeps them safe and treasured in our hearts. 

I wonder how often we take the time to sit in the presence of the Risen Christ, perhaps in church before the Blessed Sacrament surrounded by lit candles?  Or maybe it’s when we light a votive candle in memory of a loved one or praying in the midst of a crisis?  How often do we gather before the Light of Christ and share our hopes, our dreams, our stories, and ask for comfort, for direction and for grace?

Great Spirit, help me to keep the fire of faith alive in my heart.

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