March 05, 2010
FAITH MATTERS, March 5, 2010
Dear Friends,
I read in the Wall Street Journal that each year a Dutch insurance company flies six hundred of its sickest and most disabled clients to Lourdes, France, where, in the year 1858, a fourteen-year-old girl claimed to see the Virgin Mary. Though a town of about fifteen thousand inhabitants, Lourdes receives over five million pilgrims a year with the second largest number of hotels in France after Paris. Most of these pilgrims are motivated by a desire for healing. I'll leave it to you to decide whether such a geography can hold this power to restore.
As for the insurance company, it doesn't expect the Virgin Mary to intercede. It hopes for a different sort of miracle. A company board member says that, "Lourdes leads people to compassion and friendship. They remember what it's like to have somebody really care about them." In our season of "piling on the tackle" of the insurance industry, I say kudos to this particular company. Experience reveals that finding compassion, friendship, and someone who really cares lies at the heart of all that is truly healthy. Sounds close to our "love your neighbor as yourself."
And this brings to mind a memory of an unusual momentary mentor. By way of background: According to Wikipedia, the Lexington Avenue subway is the busiest line in the New York system carrying 1.2 million riders a day. That's right - a day. I can attest to the busyness of the Lex line because that's the one I generally ride. (I'm guessing this is the principle reason the 2nd Avenue line is being developed.)
As many of you know, there's no such thing as hopping on board - it's more like cramming. If you're a shy and retiring type you're at a distinct disadvantage, which is why I was surprised to see an elderly woman sneak through the gauntlet one day when my train stopped at Grand Central. Bobbing and snaking through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd she caught my eye with a wink and I gave up my seat to her. She never stopped smiling when she said, "Not bad for an eighty-year-old. I still have the mojo."
Turned out we were getting off at the same stop and when we stepped onto the platform she took my hand and said, "Would you mind if I gave you a hug?" I said sure thing. She gave me a quick embrace and then said, "Now you remember that all day." Well, it's been several years now and I still haven't forgotten it. I suspect I never will. In fact, I'm glad I remembered it for this piece. It has changed my attitude.
I mention these brief, small tidbits by way of suggesting that the sorts of personal disciplines, behaviors, and attitudes we promote and encourage in our season of Lent (and every season of life, really), things born of humility, confession, kindness and sacrifice, are not nearly as large and daunting as we often make them out to be. Actually, if we could stay alert, opportunities for practicing these disciplines are nearly always present and they nearly always have a transformative effect. They are agencies of hope. And speaking as one lone pilgrim, I can never have too much of that.
Here's to hoping you're able to keep up with some new spiritual effort that leads to tangible action in the world.
A reminder that we've changed our Easter schedule to include another service at 9am, identical to 11am. The dawn service will be pushed earlier by half an hour to 7am. This creates new opportunity for you to invite a friend or two - Easter is a wonderful time to introduce someone to the Christ Church community.
Remember our Thursday services in Lent followed by a simple supper prepared by a member of the staff. And please remember the Christ Church pilgrims who are traveling to Israel on Sunday.