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October 2009 - Finding faith and comfort in times of uncertainty
Discovering the gift of hope within the abundance of your many blessings
Dear Members and Friends,
The greatest spiritual gift my mother ever gave me
was a bedtime prayer that goes like this:
“Jesus gentle shepherd hear me. Bless my little
lambs tonight. Be now with me and watch my
sleep ‘til morning light.”
It was the gift of faith that she gave me as a
young boy for which I will always be grateful.
During this past year, I have thought of that
simple child’s prayer and even recited it from time
to time when I have felt anxious or wanted to be
nearer to the comforting presence of the Lord,
our Shepherd.
Where do you find comfort in anxious times?
Where do you look for the proverbial rainbow among the dark clouds?
As a faith-based community, we at Christ Episcopal Church face similar uncertainties when we consider the mission and ministry given to us by God, and we are called to remember Jesus who said not to fear anything for he is with us. Given Jesus’ words I would offer three spiritual “best practices” that may help sustain you during uncertain and anxious times.
The first ‘best practice’ is to count your blessings.
Think about the people for whom you are thankful. What are the things that give you joy? Take time to stop and reflect about places and ways where you feel blessed. In Matthew 6, Jesus says not to worry about your life but to consider the birds of the air that neither sow nor reap yet God feeds them. If you take each day and consider one thing you are grateful for that makes you feel blessed is to develop a best practice that considers the abundance instead of the scarcity in your life.
The second ‘best practice’ is to be content.
Being content is not just about having enough materially but having a sense of worth as a person. Knowing who you are and that your life is grace-filled is to live with simpler pleasures and joys. It may be downsizing in ways that you never before dreamed possible. Making a list of ways that bring contentment and peace is a good way to begin. As a spiritual practice, learning to be content means conducting a faithful spiritual audit of one’s fears and joys. I find Psalms 23, 27 and 46 to be very helpful in learning to be more content.
The final ‘best practice’ is to share with others.
The saying that it is better to give than to receive holds the key to a more contented and purposeful life. Spending time getting to know others and what their needs are is part of Christ’s commandment to love one another as we wish to be loved ourselves. More than ever, during these uncertain times when the needs for pastoral care and outreach to the most needy are in such demand, this is the time when faith-based communities are needed most to share the gifts of faith, love and hope.
Typically at Christ Church, October is known as Stewardship Month. This year, I would like to change that name. Since stewardship is something we need year round, this year I would prefer to think of it as “Count Your Blessings Month.”
In the days ahead, you will be hearing more in sermons and writings about counting blessings, finding contentment and sharing with others. As we begin October as “Count Your Blessings Month,” I will conclude my letter with a parable by Michele Gold that I find apt for finding blessings nearer than you think. The parable goes like this:
“There was a man who gave his daughter a simple locket and told her that it contained a very valuable diamond inside so that if at any time she was ever in need she could crack open the locket, sell the diamond and make it through her difficulties. The daughter grew into a woman and struggled alone through terrible times of poverty, but just the thought of the diamond in the locket she wore around her neck gave her enough courage to pull her through. Many years later, she finally became a success and no longer had to struggle for survival. Her curiosity had grown to the point that she had to know the value of the diamond. The woman took the locket to a jeweler to have it appraised. The jeweler eyed the worn and tarnished locket, raised a mallet and with one blow smashed the locket into many pieces releasing a small tiny gem. He held it up to the light and said, ‘Why this is not a diamond at all but a worthless piece of glass!’
‘No, sir,’ she replied. ‘That is the most valuable diamond in the world!’
Her father had given her a priceless gem… the gift of hope and the belief that she would always be all right. For this she would always be grateful.”
In this month and always, I encourage you to find the gift of hope within the abundance of your own many blessings.
Blessings and Peace,
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