Angela Schaffner wrote: “We each have our calling and our place within the body of Christ, and God calls us to be a collective success …. a collective focus joins us more intimately with the purpose of loving God and one another well.”
When I read these words it made me realize that each one of us has a role to play in creating a true Christian life. The well-known passage in I Corinthians 13: 1-13, is a guideline, but very difficult to actually do. I especially find verse 5(d) … “It keeps no record of wrongs.” almost impossible. Every one of us has at some time done something we are ashamed about, and wish we could forget that it ever happened. Instead, it hangs over us.
Many people, unfortunately, are long on memory and short on forgiveness. That doesn’t help. Carmen was a member of the church I attended in Ottawa in my early 20’s. He was very involved in this parish where he wore several hats. He fell on hard times as his employment was terminated when his company was amalgamated with another. In desperation one Sunday, he helped himself to money on the offering plate. He did so three Sundays in a row until he was caught. His shame was apparent to everyone. He stopped coming to church. I would like to say that the church helped him. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Carmen eventually was rehired by his firm and transferred to another city. But for years afterwards, the Finance Committee was diligent, and made sure that the offering plates were monitored to prevent another “Carmen episode.” As I wrote earlier, ‘long on memory and short of forgiveness.’
Fortunately the opposite sometimes occurs, and the memory has a positive take. Angelo is a good example of this. He belonged to the same parish I did when I lived in Scarborough, and attended St. Andrew’s Anglican Church. He was a survivor of WW II, and the Korean War. He was a broken man when he returned from the latter. He had been what was then called shell shocked. Thunder storms terrified him. In his mind he believed he was still fighting the enemy. He would drop to the floor and cry like a baby. I once saw this happen in our church. His wife immediately went to him but he fought her off and lashed out knocking her over in the aisle. As he lay there blubbering, the priest came down to him and laying his hands on his head said: “Peace be with you, my son.”
Immediately Angelo stopped flailing about and was still. He saw his wife lying where he had knocked her over, and got up and helped her up. “What happened?” he asked her. Obviously he had no memory of what had transpired. The peace of the Lord had touched him. I have never forgotten that occasion.
Many churches now make shawls filled with personal prayers to give to those who need encouragement. Both my husband, Fred, and I received gifts of shawls after our many health issues in 2021 led us to move to Kingston from our country home in Carrying Place in Prince Edward County. These prayer shawls are most appreciated. One came with a card which says:
Prayer of Blessing “May God’s grace be upon this shawl … warming, comforting, enfolding and embracing. May the one who receives this shawl be wrapped in love. Our thoughts will be with you on the road ahead.”
I often wear my shawl. Its warmth is comforting, and I feel loved in it, knowing the prayers of many of our former parishioners are there to encourage and bring hope for the future. And, that also makes me feel total acceptance, and I know my past failures have been forgiven.
Thanks be to God!
Stewardship Reflections with the Ven. Wayne Varley