Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century

Category: darkness night

  • The Already-But-Not-Yet…

    The Already-But-Not-Yet…

    As we light the first Advent candle, the candle of hope, we do so with the prophetic words of Jeremiah ringing in our ears, “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people…” (Jeremiah 33:14)

    These words were first spoken to those living in the aftermath of war; standing in the ashes and rubble of all they held dear.  Jeremiah reminded them of God’s promise to send exactly what they longed for, one who would restore justice and bring safety.  There was little proof that this “Righteous Savor” would arrive within their life time, in fact it took another 500 years before the birth of Jesus.  In the meantime these people had to get up every day and begin to slowly bring about life amid the ashes. 

    Author, professor, and modern day theologian, Kate Bowler writes that we, like those who first heard these words of Jeremiah, find ourselves living in the “already-but-not-yet.”  She is known by many as a modern day Jeremiah, one who has fought stage four colon cancer into remission and who discovered hope through a curtain of tears while standing in the ashes of life.  She knows what it takes to get up each day and bring about life in the midst of a terminal diagnosis, living through horrible cancer treatments that fell profoundly short of fulfillment, and yet, she brings good news from this land of loss and desperation; there is reason for hope.

    Bowler writes, there is a new hope, a new truth.  She writes that the season of Advent invites us to bear witness to the hope of God’s promise being fulfilled while also bearing witness to our not so perfect lives,  “God has made us for truth-telling, to have eyes that glimpse through tears at the already-and-not-yet that we live in. And at the same time, these same eyes are trained on Jesus, who embodies the compassion, restoration, and justice we long for.” *

    She teaches that the only way to true life sustaining hope is by being honest with ourselves; to open ourselves to lament all that is not perfect in our lives.  Truth is, the story of God’s work in the world consists both of hope and despair, not hope in the absence of despair, but hope in the face of despair and, often, through despair. 

    Living between the already-but-not-yet means we need to make space to lament. Lament is a biblical practice that invites us to express our sorrow, pain, or confusion. It is the act of grieving with God. By practicing this honest form of prayer we are creating a space for hope to take root despite all that isn’t perfect.*

    May your Advent journey begin with an honest and truly sustainable hope,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    (Kate Bowler, The Weary World Rejoices, Advent Study.  2024; pgs. 6-7)

    Photo by Gantas Vaiciulenas/Pexels

  • Do Not Despair

    Do Not Despair

    It was a damp, cool and foggy morning; perfect for a walk through the park.  As we quietly strolled past the tall bare trees draped in mist and over small wooden bridges almost swamped by the over flowing streams I thought how perfect this weather fit my mood.

    The recent headlines had left a fog hanging over me, images of broken bodies pulled from tons of debris.  Two massive earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the first at 4:00 a.m. on February 6th as folks were slumbering snuggly in their beds registered a 7.8 magnitude which was felt as far afield as Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. A second quake, which recorded a magnitude of 7.5, struck just 9 hours later. Both resulting in a death count at 41,000 and rising.

    How can one look at the images, read the data, watch the carnage on the evening news and not be affected?  Besides donating funds (check out Canadian Red Cross at redcross.ca) we can also pray asking for God’s light, love and healing to reach each victim and strengthen the rescue workers.  

    It is easy to despair and feel vulnerable. We know that one minute these people were sleeping soundly and the next chaos ensued. We know they did not deserve this to happen and we know, from witnessing this devastation that it could happen to us too.  Perhaps our chaos may not come as an earthquake but may be disguised as a pandemic, cancer or a car accident. Some were left feeling anxious this past weekend as an American Fighter Jet shot down an Unidentified Flying Object over Lake Huron. This happened way too close to home!

    Thing is, we have only so much control over what happens in this world and there is no sense worrying over that which we cannot control.  What we can control is how we spend our days. The moments of our lives add up to the sum of our days and result in the story of our lives.  It matters that we handle what we can control well. 

    Richard Wagamese, a truly inspiring First Nations writer shares this wisdom,  

    “All we have are moments.  So live them as though not one can be wasted.  Inhabit them, fill them with the light of your best good intention, honour them with your full presence, find the joy, the calm, the assuredness that allows the hours and the days to take care of themselves.  If we can do that, we will have lived well.” (Embers, 161)

    May we all continue to hold the victims in our prayers while also shaping our moments into lives of light, joy, peace and love.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by Dave Goudreau/Unsplash

  • Poking Holes In The Dark

    Poking Holes In The Dark

    Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world and we are to shine His light for all to see; “do not hide it under a bushel”, he warns (Matthew 5:16).  Hearing these words always reminds me of the author Robert Louis Stevenson who is best known for works such as Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  I once read a story from his childhood that illustrates what it means to be Christ’s light in the world.

    As a child Robert Louis Stevenson was in very poor health.  One night, when he was quite sick, his nurse found him with his nose pressed against the frosty pane of his bedroom window.  “Child, come away from there.  You’ll catch your death of cold,”   but young Robert would not budge.  He was mesmerized as he watched an old lamplighter slowly work his way through the black night lighting each street lamp along his route.  “See, look there,” Robert pointed, “There’s a man poking a hole in the darkness.” 

    That is what we are called to do, poke holes in the darkness.  To be Christ’s light means we go into dark places and share God’s love, forgiveness and acceptance.  These dark places may be grief, poverty, illness, injustices and loneliness. 

    It takes courage and faith to be Christ’s light in a darkened world.  So often the world rewards the “winner” at the risk of many “losers”.  What would TV be like today if we took out the competition to be the best and instead just celebrated everyone’s unique talents?  What if everyone received second place and praising God came in first place?  Then we would see the light everywhere! 

    We need not do grand acts that bring us a lot of attention and accolades, as Neal A. Maxwell writes, “Small lights have a way of being seen in a dark world.” Simple acts as taking time to listen to each other, building each other up and speaking words of love produce a powerful light.   

    Dwight L. Moody put it best when he preached, “We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to the shining—they just shine.”

    Go and be a lighthouse,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by Evgeni Tcherkasski/Unsplash

  • Casting Kindness

    Casting Kindness

    I got caught in a net this week; a net of kindness.  It all started off so unassumingly.   I had phoned the cell phone supplier with questions regarding my bill and what seemed like 12 hours of being on hold my turn finally arrived.

    After explaining the reason for my call the operator politely sighed and in a soft and kind voice said, “Sometimes things happen that we have no control over.  I am sorry this has happened to you.  Let’s get this fixed today.”  She began to explain what she was doing as she clicked her computer keys. It was just a mix up on my bill and within minutes she had corrected the mistake.  As I thanked her, she again said, “As I said before, sometimes things happen that we have no control over.  It is hard but we can help each other out.”

    After hanging up the phone, I paused and wondered if she was an angel or some kind of Zen Master!  Who knew that having a billing mistake would make my day?

    She was right, there are times when things happen that we have no control over and it is hard, but together we help each other out.

    I suspect that is what Jesus meant when he called the fishermen to be his disciples.  It is written that Simon (also called Peter), his brother Andrew, James and his brother John put down their fishing nets so to follow Jesus. (Matthew 4:18-23)

    Jesus taught them how to use the nets of kindness, understanding, acceptance and healing words to catch those falling into despair and darkness.  Jesus knew the world was in need of such “catching”.

    It would seem Jesus also uses cell phone operators to do the same kind of healing.  I wonder what the world be like if we all followed Jesus’ teaching, “…in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…” (Matthew 7:12) How many more could we catch?

    In these darkened days of winter let us all join in the work of Jesus’ fishermen and throw wide a net of kindness, gentleness and understanding.  As the Dalai Lama said, “Be kind whenever possible.  It is always possible.”

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by Andrew Thornebrooke/Unsplash

  • Thou Art With Me

    Thou Art With Me

    Painting by Canadian artist, Cecil Henry Greenhow ( January 27, 1935 – July 7, 2017)

    There is a painting that hangs in our upstairs hallway; it is oil on canvas in shades of blue depicting a city street on a blustery winter evening.  Among the snow fall and along the snow packed street two figures walk, their backs to us, one taller than the other, both huddled against the seemingly cold north wind.   

    This painting reminds me of the 23rd psalm. 

    The 23rd Psalm is a psalm for those times when life takes twists and turns leading us through the shadows of darkness.  There is no suggestion that we can take a detour around the dark valley; it is a path we all must travel.  But there is a promise that we will never travel the darkness alone. As Rev. Dr. Limburg writes, “Like a good shepherd who cares for the sheep, like a loving parent who holds the hand of a child, the Lord promises to be with us on that way through the darkness.” 

    The tall figure in the painting reminds me of God’s presence walking beside us all the way; even through the blustery storms of life.  As Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:20 “Surely I am with you always.”

    The same everlasting God who cares for us today will take care of us tomorrow and every day.  As the 23rd Psalm teaches, either God will shield us from suffering or God will give us the strength to bear whatever befalls.  As Saint Francis De Sales writes, “Be at peace, then, and set aside all anxious thoughts and worries.”

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Beating The Blahs!  

    Beating The Blahs!  

    Photo by Darius Krause/Pexels

    The days have been so grey lately that my light sensory Christmas decorations have been going on by 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon.  I don’t mind though, those little multi coloured lights help to brighten an already dark and dull landscape. 

    As we now head into the darkest days of the year it is important we take with us all we need to find our way back out again.  For some these darkened days spiral into despair, depression and days of such low energy they can barely climb out of bed.

    The tipping point is almost here, hang on!  Tuesday December 21st at exactly 10:59 a.m. E.S.T. we will arrive to the tipping point; this will be the longest night of the year and then we begin to gather more light daily.

    What do we need to navigate these last couple weeks of dullness?  Lights and lots of them!  Cover your house with Christmas light, inside and out.  I would even suggest you consider keeping a few strands of the indoor lights up until well into March. And candles, there is something healing and comforting about a flickering candle, perhaps its warmth and aroma softens the darkness and transforms it into something romantic and otherworldly.

    We also need good company.  Recently I have been enjoying the company of an old friend I hadn’t thought of since I was around 10 or 11 years old.  The ever optimistic Francie Nolan and her Tree of Heaven in the book a Tree Grows in Brooklyn.   Each evening I look forward to time with Francie and her stories of life in 1940s Brooklyn.  There are many ways to connect with friends:  Skype, ZOOM, Facebook, WhatsApp, or simply pick up the phone! 

    And, we need exercise.  It is natural for us to feel less energy during these grey days.  Getting out for a walk even if it is at the local mall helps to rejuvenate us and increases endorphins, dopamine, adrenaline and endocannabinoid all which are brain chemicals that help us feel happy, confident, capable, and less anxious. 

    There is also the need for a talk with God.  Take time to pray, read scripture, meditate or listen to your favorite preacher on YouTube.  Cultivating faith aids us in seeing the bigger picture and is a sure fire way to buoy our spirits.

    Don’t forget to be silly during these darkened days!  Intentionally adding fun and joy to our days adds brightness. I heard of a couple who went to the local toy store and bought silly string.  They had a riot in their own back yard!  One youth group leader brightened up everyone’s day last Sunday by letting loose a confetti cannon in the sanctuary!  So, sing a song, do a little dance or draw a picture.  Find a way to be creative and think outside of the box.

    Finally, end each day with a fistful of gratitude.  As you lay in bed, about to dose off, count five things from that day you are grateful for; by expressing gratitude we barricade the darkness from seeping in.

    May you find a spark of heavenly light in every day,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel