Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century

Category: Jesus

  • 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

  • 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  

  • 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

  • All Are Welcome

    All Are Welcome

    Photo by Jon Tyson/Unsplash

    We come to worship every week, saints and sinners; two sides of the same coin. Gathering to sing praises, studying scriptures, utter prayers and share in fellowship.   We gather not as a perfect people but as those seeking to become a holy people; holy in God’s sight. 

    And we know we are not alone; the bible is full of sinners like us transformed by the love of Jesus.  We read of Jesus welcoming the boastful, the prostitute, the tax collectors, the selfish, and even the hypocrite. In fact the Apostle Paul, the one credited with writing most of the New Testament, claims himself to be a hypocrite, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:19)

    Perhaps that is the only place where holiness can begin; the honest place of self-awareness.  Paul knew of his own short comings and brought them before Jesus.  

    And so, to all those who are imperfect, seeking to find a place of refuge in a difficult world, I say, “Come as you are and find a place among us where sinners sing and saints pray.  Where hypocrites are welcome and the lonely find belonging; come and break bread with us and find that in our imperfections we celebrate a perfect love made available to all.” 

    Come to worship, for a warm welcome waits!

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Notes Of Humility

    Notes Of Humility

    Picture by Patrick Hendry/Unsplash

    There is a new rule in our house; no news after 7:00 p.m. !

    The last time I watched the 11:00 p.m. news I didn’t sleep a wink that night.  The softness of my bed and the quietness of my room carried me back to the underground garages where Ukrainian families slept on damp cement floors covered by thin blankets.    

    As  I tossed and turned my thoughts returned to the father standing outside a train as it pulled away holding his son’s toy car with tears rolling down his face; he sent his family away to safety while he stayed to fight for his country.  My prayers began to rise throughout that long night.

    I began to ponder, “What is power?”  Certainly from the news we can easily make the mistake of thinking missiles, bombs and instruments of war define that which power is.  Putin and his kind seem to have the upper hand, their brute force leaving us all feeling small, useless and vulnerable.

    Jesus knew what it was to feel vulnerable.  He lived his final days with the knowledge of what lied ahead; the fickle crowds, misled leaders, and the unimaginable pain of nails hammered by the hatred of humanity.

    Despite this he demonstrated the ultimate act of humility. Everyone except Jesus was caught off guard. With a basin of clean water and an ordinary towel he knelt down and washed the feet of every disciple; even washing the feet of Judas, knowing all the while that Judas was going to betray him. 

    Over 2000 years later this humble act remains an example of how to reach great heights by kneeling low to help others. As Saint Augustine writes, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes humans as angels.”

    Such an angel is Davide Martello who traveled 5000 miles to play his piano for the Ukrainian refugees.  This man knows a thing or two about what is truly powerful.  He traveled from Germany to the Ukrainian-Polish border with his piano where he played music to bring peace and hope to the refugees. He understands the power of beauty and melody to carry people out of the ugliness of war and to help soothe anxieties.   

    What a vision he created; sitting there at his piano defying the bombs, the soldiers and the devastation that surrounded him. His humble act of love and beauty has lifted the spirits of many around the globe.

    We each can do our part to add to the peace in this world; each bowing down to pray or reaching out to help.  We can share our resources; the Red Cross is accepting online donations as are most denominations.  Humbling ourselves to lift others up is the most Christ-like act any of us could ever do; it connects us to an eternal power that brings life out of seemingly dead situations.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel