Dear Fathers, Friends in Christ,
Luke 9:43b-45
When is the "party" over?
At a recent wonderful class reunion, some of our "elders" from urban areas were commenting that there was "nothing to do" in our small town. That raises the question of when do we step back from the "doing" phase of our life and become more content with just "being." Some time for solitude is needed at any age. Solitude gives way to reflection, to prayer and to reading, and just enjoying the simple beauty of life around us.
In the Apostle's Creed, we affirm publicly that we believe "Christ will return to judge the living and the dead." That's us. Christ will return at the Second Coming as judge. Should we not take some time in our lives to consider that fact? Should we not come to know and to love Christ more? If we keep ourselves in perpetual motion with "all the doing," how can this happen?
In today's gospel, Christ asked His apostles to listen to what He had to say. He then predicted for the second time that He would suffer and die. They did not really hear or understand what He said. Their minds, like ours at times, were centered on the "here and now," on the so-called "happy days."
Father Ed Bakker
Anglican Catholic Church / Original Province
Mission of Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
Bendigo
Australia
