[Propertalk] FT Sermon: Towards Becoming a Channel of Peace

[Allison Cline-Dean & Alastair Dean]

Good afternoon fellow list-sibs.

A rare sermon and preaching for the first time in front of my home 
parish.  Many thanks to whomever reminded me of the Northumbria 
Community's Evening Prayer service which I often use as well as to the 
rest of you for your thoughts, meditations, and reflections. 

Allison Cline-Dean
Chaplain, Pioneer Manor
Sudbury, ON, Canada

In his book, /Growing Spiritually/, E. Stanley Jones tells of a guide 
taking his group through a grand cavern.  There were many beautiful 
stalactites hanging from the roof and stalagmites growing up from the 
floor.  Water dripping from the ceiling form the stalactites and 
stalagmites.  Each drop of water, having percolated through layers of 
rock, had a tiny amount of minerals dissolved within.  As those drops of 
water dripped from the stalactites (the ones that hang from the roof), 
each one deposited a molecule or two of mineral on the stalactite or the 
stalagmite.  Over the years, those little bits of dissolved mineral 
formed those beautiful stalactites and stalagmites - some of them many 
feet in length.  The guide told them that the water travelled through 
the centre of the stalactites - not on the outer surface.  He said that 
when that channel becomes clogged, that stalactite stops growing.  
Stanley Jones commented that we are like that.  Many people "are 
spiritual stalactites with channels clogged."  He went on to say, "We 
need perpetually to get rid of the things that clog mind and spirit."

The reading from Ephesians is a guide about not letting our hearts and 
spirit become so clogged that we separate ourselves from God’s love and 
the Bread of Life.  I don’t know about you, but sometimes it is a much 
easier to hold onto anger and grudges than it is to let them go.  Yet, 
Paul in his wisdom tells us that to hold onto hurts, resentments, and 
anger will slow and possibly stop our growth in Christ, destroying 
relationships with others including our families, those in the community 
and the Church. 

 Working as a long-term care chaplain provides me with the opportunity 
to meet with people shortly after they come to Pioneer Manor.  Many are 
angry about how their health has let them down, forcing them to leave 
behind their homes of many years, belongings, and familiar routines.  
Others are angry because their spouse has died or their caregiver can no 
longer continue caring for them.  Their words and stories speak of their 
disappointment, their shock, their bitterness, and their loneliness.  
Many of these residents are devout persons but they wonder where God is 
in all that has happened.  Their words often echo today’s psalm “Out of 
the depths I have called to you O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be 
attentive to the voice of my supplications.”  Much of what I do is to 
sit with residents and explore where God is in all that has happened.  
As we do the exploration, many residents have been gradually able to let 
go of the anger and the hurt.  They are able to accept that while 
Pioneer Manor is not where they had planned to finish living out the 
final years of their life, that they are still able do some of what is 
important to them – and Pioneer Manor slowly becomes home.  This 
includes seeing family members and friends, listening to music, taking 
part in various activities, making new friends, as well as continuing 
their faith journey.  They have learned the difficult lesson at 80, 90, 
or 100 years of age of how to live in the moment, to live in love, and 
experience personal transformation.  They have discovered how to unclog 
the channel to find God’s peace and love, and to receive Christ, the 
Bread of Life.

The residents who do not do well at Pioneer Manor are those who hold 
onto the anger and pain, allowing it to clog the channel that enables 
them to give and receive the peace and love of family, friends, and 
God.  Their hurtful, biting words and sarcasm create roadblocks to 
personal growth and relationships with their family, friends, and the 
community around them.  These residents remain prisoners in the darkness 
of the pit of despair as they search for others to blame for their 
deteriorating health and lack of visits from family, friends, or other 
residents. 

There are times when anger is justified but we need to deal with it 
constructively so that it does not bring harm to ourselves, to those 
around us, and to our environment.  Sometimes it means signing a 
petition, working in a soup kitchen, knitting baby layettes for the 
Guardian Angels project, or other ways to bring about positive change in 
our world and our community.   

 There have been, possibly are, and will be times when we feel like the 
psalmist, imprisoned by a deep pit’s darkness, holding onto whatever 
smidgen of faith we have left with every ounce of our strength, praying 
that God hears us.  We put our trust in God’s word as we sink deeper 
into the abyss.  Herbert O’Driscoll writes “We are shown the depths to 
which we must sometimes go before we can taste God’s great power to 
redeem.  Thank God  - others around us and before us can witness to this 
power being stronger than the darkness.”  Christ invites us to let go of 
our hurt, resentments, and anger – to offer them to him so that we can 
learn how to forgive with grace and love.  Learning this lesson of God’s 
gracious love and forgiveness means our lives and relationships are no 
longer clogged by constant, unfocussed anger and hurt.  It does not that 
mean that we have to forget what caused the pain, but in following 
Christ’s example of forgiveness, we discover how to deal with what would 
separate us from God and from others so that we do not make the same 
mistake again. 

Christ forgave and accepted us because He loved us, dying on the Cross 
for us.  As we remove those things that spiritually clog our minds and 
spirits and try to imitate Jesus, we prepare to receive Christ, the 
Bread of Life, our Redeemer, our Sanctifier, and our Sustainer to whom 
we pray together with the Northumbria Community:

 Lord, You have always given bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor, today I believe.

Lord, You have always given strength for the coming days;
and though I am weak, today I believe.

 Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart, today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials;
and now, tired as I am, today I believe.

 Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden, today I believe.

 Lord, You have always lightened the darkness of mine;
and though the night is here, today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken when the time was ripe;
and though you be silent now, today I believe.  Amen

-- 
Edward Bear . . . permeates the whole structure of society.  This is because he is a truly international figure
who is non-religious and yet universally recognized as a symbol of love.  He represents friendship, and so is a
powerful instrument of good will, a wonderful ambassador of peace, functioning as a leavening influence amid
the trials and tribulations of life in the modern world.  (Colonel Bob Henderson)

          World Government Needs Bears!!!  (Helen Exley)


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://stsams.org/pipermail/propertalk_stsams.org/attachments/20090808/2a235964/attachment.htm>