Saturday, June 6 2015

2 Corinthians 9:1-15  Living by Faith & Reconciliation

On this day in 1944 the Allied Forces landed on Normandy Beach and began the invasion that would end Nazi occupation of Europe. This was at great cost, with Canadian Forces incurring a very  sacrifice of lives in the endeavour. When I noticed the scripture reading assigned for today, I couldn't help thinking... how fitting for this to coincide.

Paul was writing to the early Church in Corinth about faith, death and dying: for those early Christians in his time were facing and struggling with persecution as they sought to be faithful to following the Way of Christ. What he had to say to them applies just as much to those who were wounded, and to those who died on D Day, and even to us in the time in which we find ourselves. This passage is often used by me for comfort and reflection when I am leading a burial service.

Basically Paul is saying that even when we die, there is part of us that continues in as much as there is part of us that is of God. The Resurrection & the Ascension  of Jesus are reminders of this in, as much as the spirit of Jesus is also part of each of us. Although this is part of the mystery of God and is expressed in terms of Faith, there are pointers in that we can sense signs of God moving in in our lives today, both within the Church and in Life, and also at times, for us at the individual level. 

For me, there are times when I find my plans for the day suddenly changed: something  drives me to do something different from what I planned to do, and yet in the process, my new direction allows me to meet with another and to be in a time of sharing and caring. It's then that I sense and realize that the Good Shepherd has nudged me so  ministry might be done. I suspect this may also be part of your experience, as I have had many  others also share this reality with me. Christ's love for us, encourages us to move out beyond ourselves and to follow his example in being for others, in life and in dying, sacrificing if need be. 

"Sacrifice" means "making a holy gift", and within this action, is the spiritual reality that God is there for us in this moment, in this time when time and space become One and we again " Remember, do this,” we realize unity and communion in God, and, for me this is sufficient unto itself.

Archdeacon Ken Cardwell