Thursday, February 27, 2014 (George Herbert, Priest & Poet, 1633)

February 27, 2014 (George Herbert, Priest & Poet 1633) 

John 11:55-12:8

What would you offer from your Life's Journey to God?

Our scripture passage today is about a visit of Jesus to the home of his friends: Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, sisters and brother. This takes place in Bethany, a small village just outside the walls of Jerusalem, in that immediate time just before his arrest in what we now know as Holy Week. There in that safe home provided by Lazarus, Jesus was received for dinner. Martha busied herself in the kitchen doing her thing which she knew best, preparing a meal. However Mary, being a gracious host, tended to washing the dust and grime off Jesus'feet and then , as a finishing touch, used some expensive perfume to "anoint his feet". This did not go unnoticed by Judas who proceeded to question Jesus. Jesus in turn  replied that her gift might well be considered a sign,  foretelling what she might well be doing.. at Jesus burial. For you see, Jesus appreciated whatever those around him had to offer.

On this 27th day of Februaryin the Anglican Calendar of the Church Year [remembering individuals who have contributed to the life and work of Christ's Church] we pause to give thanks for the life of George Herbert.   George, an English priest of the early 17th Century, was assigned to   the small rural  parish of Bemerton England . There in that country setting George  faithfully sought to serve his people. George was also given to writing poems, a collection of  which after his death was published as The Temple. Some  of his poems were later set to music and a couple of them have now became very popular as hymns: "Let all the world in every corner sing", and "Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life."

This promising ministry of George in the service of His Lord was however suddenly cut short, for like many of that period,  he caught TB and after a couple years as parish priest, he died in early 1633, just short of his 40th birthday.

No matter who we be, (we've heard about  Mary,  Martha, and  Lazarus, and also today about  George, who was a poet as well as a pastor) no matter who we are, each of us can take time to  pause , to reflect and even to discover that  within our own lives, there is always something special that each of us  can seize  and offer to God, whether be it time, or  talent, or perhaps action. Jesus really  appreciates each one of us, who we are, and what we have to draw upon, to offer and share. And what we do now, this very day, may not only affect this time in which we find ourselves, but it may well playout against the backdrop of eternity in new ways!       

- Ken Cardwell