Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century

Category: Faith

  • When Healing Doesn’t Come

    When Healing Doesn’t Come

    One of my favorite pastimes as a child was to go roller skating around the neighborhood.  My skates were two metal frames with four metal wheels that would buckle onto the soul of my running shoes. They did not have a rubber stop so when it came time to stop, I would throw myself down on the grass or against a tree.  Needless to say, I spent most of my summers with bandaged knees!  Eventually the wounds would scab over and before I knew it my knees were back to normal.  I took for granted that healing would always come.

    A couple of months ago I had a somewhat simple procedure performed on one of my knees.  The surgeon had said that within 6 to 8 weeks I would be back to normal.  Well, six weeks has come and gone and still my knee isn’t functioning like it should.  A few unexpected complications have delayed the healing. In my frustration I called out to God, demanding strength, patience and a pain free day.  

    In the Gospel of Mark there is a story of Jesus healing Samuel’s ill Mother-in-law followed by Jesus healing all kinds of people (Mark 1:29-34).  The story seems to imply that so long as you reach out to Jesus in faith, your healing will come.  The opposite truth being, if you do not receive healing, it must be a sign of some weakness in your faith.

    But we know that eventually healing didn’t come to Samuel’s Mother-in-law.  The same is true of all those Jesus healed; a day arrived when each and every one of them died.  Eventually, healing does not come.

    What do we do when the healing doesn’t come?  We all know those moments when our pain seems to increase and resilience seems impossible.  What do we do when all seems to fail?

    We do exactly what Jesus did. 

    In the same passage in the Gospel of Mark, after healing hundreds of people, Jesus went off alone to pray (Mark 1:35).  He knew that when we feel depleted, there is one who is always ready to listen, to offer peace and to make whole that which seems broken.  We are reminded to “Draw near to God and God will draw near to you.” (James 4:8 NKJV)

    May we always believe in God’s eternal plan, trusting in the one who sees beyond any of our limited horizons. 

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by Lukas Rychvalsky/Pexels

  • Reaping What We Sow

    Reaping What We Sow

    The vegetable garden has been a source of constant inspiration this summer, time spent weeding, poling up the beans and peas and trying to stay ahead of the many intruders trying to nibble at my pending harvest.  Recently, under a smoke filled sky and through a dense humidity I found myself wondering why I even bother gardening but the answer came almost as soon as the question was formed.

    The answer arrived at the far corner of the plot where I purposely planted the tomato plants. I had arrived prepared to cage up the four tomato plants I placed weeks earlier and was surprised to find not 4 tomato plants but three times more!

     Puzzled at first I took to pulling up the weeds only to discover growing wildly among the rows were tall tomato plants, seemingly they were the result of the seeds from last year’s fallen fruit.  I wasn’t sure at first if they should be allowed to continue or if I should pull them out, especially since they dared to grow where I had planned straight pathways.

    Some were pulled out while others were left to grow and now, they bear fruit with just as much pride as their purposely planted neighbors. 

    It has reminded me of a lesson Jesus teaches in the Gospel of Luke and Paul repeats in the Epistles; we reap what we sow. Meaning, those who spend their life spreading seeds of kindness, patience, joy and understanding will gather in a harvest just as rich. However, the opposite is also true, spending one’s life selfishly focused on your wants, at the expense of others, results in a lonely and conflicted existence.   It is a lesson in karma or as Robert Louis Stevenson writes, “Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.”

    Robert Louis Stevenson advices us to “not judge each day by the harvest we reap, but instead by the seeds we plant.”  May we all have a rich harvest.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel  

    Photo by Binyamin Mellish/Pexels 

  • Tiny Trilliums

    Tiny Trilliums

    These past few days the trilliums have begun to take over the hillsides and sunny patches along the forest floor and beside the park trails.  These beauties are the cause of bottlenecks as folks stop to snap photos or simply to enjoy their elegance.  There is one notable difference in the trilliums this year, at least where I live, although perfect in every way they are much smaller then usual.

    Curious about these miniature trilliums I did some reading on the topic and learned that the cooler winds and near freezing evening temperatures are causing a stunted growth in many spring flowers this year.  This certainly would be true in my own backyard as the north wind blows off Georgian Bay causing myself and my neighbors to don wool sweaters while out in our gardens.

    As I stood in the late afternoon sun admiring the loveliness of a hillside covered in trilliums a certain respect for their tenacity began to take hold. Despite the cold winds, duller days and near freezing rainfall these little gems doggedly took root, fought to grow as tall as possible and proudly display their best efforts at blooming.  Could God be speaking to us all through these little flowers?  Is it possible that the great Creator notices the courage and determination found in a simple wildflower?

    Medieval Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas asserted that God is not just a being but Being itself, “present everywhere in everything,” not just confined to a supernatural heaven above but existing even in nature. If Aquinas is to be believed, then it is possible God not only notices these tiny trilliums but is cheering them on!

    Perhaps, they are the teachers, and we are the students; learning how to withstand the chilly winds of life. The lesson being: no matter what chilly breeze is blowing through our lives right now, we are to be like the trilliums and take root, stand tall and dare to show our beauty for all.  We may not always be at our best, but perhaps just the effort to grow and be present is enough.  The trilliums teach that we cannot let the chilly winds stop us from blooming exactly where we are planted.

    It is a marvelous thing to belong to a God so great that even small wildflowers are used to point us in the direction of a meaningful life. May we all be wise enough to pay attention!

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by David M. Chambers/Unsplash

  • A Pursuing Love

    A Pursuing Love

    Photo by Emmanuel Phaeton/Unsplash “Book of Love”

    Richard Francis Xavier Manning (April 27, 1934 – April 12, 2013), known as Brennan Manning, was a prolific American author, defrocked Priest and public speaker who summed up the Advent journey colourfully when he wrote, “You could more easily catch a hurricane in a shrimp net that you can understand the wild, relentless, passionate, uncompromising, pursuing love of God made present in the manger.”

    The last sign post before arriving to the destination of the Advent Journey is the last blue candle, the candle of love.  We pass through the doors of love as we draw ever closer to God among us, in the form of a wee baby born in a feeding trough.

    This love surrounds us from birth to the life beyond this life; a love so perfect we know not life without it and yet, so often fail to recognize its presence. As it is written, “In this life we have three great lasting qualities-faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love.”(1 Cor 13:13)  

    This last week of Advent I offer a poem by Margaret Matthews to accompany you on the journey:    

  • Saucer Moments!

    Saucer Moments!

    Photo by solod_sha/Pexels

    He was sitting in the dirt, covered in his burlap cloak with his hand out stretched hoping someone would drop in a coin, a piece of bread or in the very least acknowledge his presence. Then he heard the name being spoken. The Healing Rabbi was finally walking past and without hesitation he yelled, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

    “Oh, you just quiet down.  Jesus doesn’t want to hear from the likes of you!” They hissed at him.  Ignoring their taunts, Bartimaeus shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

    All the footsteps stopped, silence.  One singular voice spoke, “Call him.”

    A chorus rang out, “On your feet! He’s calling you.” 

    Throwing his cloak aside, Bartimaeus jumped to his feet and reached out.

    “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

    “Rabbi, I want to see.”

     “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately Bartimaeus could see.

    It is written that once receiving his sight Bartimaeus “followed Jesus along the road.” But I imagine he didn’t follow quietly and sedately but instead twirled, danced, and sang all the way to Jerusalem.   

    What joy and gratitude must have filled his soul!  The sheer exhilaration and celebration! 

    Have you ever experienced this kind of joy?  Perhaps at a new baby’s birth?  When you were told the cancer was gone?  Holding the winning ticket? Or, that moment you looked up at a tree ablaze in autumn finery?

    These are saucer moments; moments when we drink from our saucer because our cup runneth over.    

    That is what I imagine Bartimaeus sang as he danced behind Jesus, he sang about drinking from his saucer because his cup runneth over!

    May we all have countless saucer moments this coming week and may these moments open our eyes with such vision we see clearly the presence of the divine in our midst.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel  

  • A Secret Worth Knowing

    A Secret Worth Knowing

    Photo by Anna Tarazevich/Pexels

    There sure is a lot to worry about these days. The threat of nuclear war, increasing COVID cases, rising costs to just about everything and too many environmental disasters to count.

    How do we find peace of mind at a time like this?  Rev. Darlow Sargeant writes, “To be perfectly at peace amid the hurly-burly of daily life is a secret worth knowing. What is the use of worrying? It never made anybody strong; never helped anybody to do God’s will; never made a way of escape for anyone out of perplexity.  Worry spoils lives which would otherwise be useful and beautiful.” 

    It would seem Jesus agrees, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25) 

    As the stoics teach, it is never wise to worry over things we cannot control. 

    What we can control is how we live our daily lives in our own little worlds. Why not trust in God’s presence and God’s call to serve others?  We have the power to help those around us.  As Mother Teresa wisely said, “I can’t help thousands.  I can help only the one who stands before me.”

    Why not spend our days counting our blessing and offering back to God our praise and gratitude?  If we are doomed anyway, why not spend our days doing and thinking that which adds beauty and comfort?  Perhaps as we do so we will draw closer to the presence of God, and as Rev. Sargeant writes, “Scale the heights of a life abandoned to God, then you will look down on the clouds beneath your feet as you rise above all the worries.”

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • 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

  • The Teachings of Spring

    The Teachings of Spring

    Photo by Oyster Haus/Pexels

    Spring is the season of new beginnings; a time when all the harshness and bitter cold of winter is forgiven.  This is a season that teaches the relevance of letting go of the past and embracing the gift of new life.

    The cold north wind slowly turns southward bringing with it seeds of growth and melodies of promises fulfilled.  These are the promises of newness but only for those who are brave enough to reach out with wide open hands, daring to let go of what has been ready to grasp the new thing about to happen.       

    It is the same in life; either we decide to let go of those things that hold us to the prickly past or we end up with a bitter winter chill deep in our souls.  It isn’t easy to let go, to forgive those moments of pain and move on.  As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The weak can never forgive.  Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.”

    It takes strength to forgive and let go, but we do it for our own freedom.  This freedom leads to warm breezes, unexpected sunshine and moments of pure divine joy!  Spring doesn’t wait for winter to apologize, instead, with spunk and a bit of grit spring brings forth new life daily.

    Perhaps this is why spring is so adored.  It has the audacity to embrace life despite all the darkness of the world, not allowing the shadows to dim its light

    May we all embrace this divine light.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Gems of Promise

    Gems of Promise

    It was later than usual when we headed out for our Sunday evening stroll.   Certainly there was some grumbling as we zipped up our warmer jackets and pulled our collars close against the chilly breeze. 

    Despite the calendar reading May 1st it felt more like early October and the joyful calls of the Canadian Geese overhead only added to the autumn feel.

    Perhaps it was due to the lessening day light or just the tiredness we each carried after a long day but without discussion we turned toward the “short cut” through the woods.  The melody of the Sydenham River carried us over tree roots and around the bare bushes.

    Looking upward I scoured the bare trees begging for any sign of spring be it a bud, a nest or better yet, a tiny new leaf. I was disappointed.  That is until we came around a small bend and beside the trail, among the decaying leaves and small sprouts of grass we discovered them.

    They were congregated in a graceful silence as though praying the very promise they represented.  I gasped and my husband turned back, he too bent down and together we were held in awe by their delicate beauty.

    Each tiny new trillium proudly held out three leaves in a curtsy and they stretched tall displaying their curled up petals with pride, as if to say, “Look here, look here! We are about to do something magical!”

    It was a sight to behold.  The promise of new life can be held back by cool breezes and stubborn snowfall but it cannot be stopped entirely.  As Martin Luther wrote, “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”

    We snapped photos wanting to capture this moment. Of course nothing can truly capture the wonder we each felt deep within; a reverence of God’s finer things.  These moments are fleeting, filling us with an awe that spurs us onward while also filling us with an undeniable awareness of God’s divine presence.

    Held by their charm we lingered until the day light was almost a whisper on the horizon.   We returned home trusting in their magic, knowing at just the right moment their beauty would carpet the forest.

    May God’s beauty also take you by surprise,   

    Rev. Heather McCarrel 

  • In A Word

    In A Word

    Photo by Pixaby/Pexels

    While at a meeting recently all those present were asked, “If you could describe your experience of the pandemic in one word, what would that word be?”

    I fumbled badly and it took me several words to finally conclude that the one word would be “faith”.  It was by faith that I journeyed the pandemic.

    This faith wasn’t a store bought faith with easy answers and platitudes printed on pretty cards. It wasn’t a faith that made the journey clear; there were twists, turns, and times of deep uncertainty.  As Martin Luther King, Jr wrote, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” It certainly was a faith of unseen steps.  

    As I reflect on the past two years I clearly see times when I riled against God questioning God’s wisdom and presence and also times when I sat in silence refusing to meet God even in prayer. It takes a deep faith to turn to God and admit disappointment and discouragement in God’s seemingly lack of interest or care.  That was the kind of faith that held me during this difficult time, an honest faith that dared to turn toward God demanding answers and when receiving none; returning again to what seemed like a one- sided conversation.

    Ironically, my faith deepened in those silent moments and now, as I look back it is with gratitude that despite the profound difficulties I experienced God’s presence in more subtle and unseen ways.  I suspect this dark time steeped me in God’s ways of steadfastness and endurance.

    It was with this faith that I firmly put my feet on the floor every morning and stepped into each day.  I deliberately chose faith over fear even when choosing faith seemed ridiculous.  “Every tomorrow has two handles.  We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.”  (Henry Ward Beecher) I chose the handle of faith and it has made all the difference.

    What one word would you use to describe your experience of the pandemic?

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel