Reflections -- Advent begins
Reflection
November 22 was the day my stepfather died. None of you would know that. He was the love of my mother’s life and for many years was a father figure to me. It was also of course the day that John Kennedy was killed in 1963, an event that many of us have etched in our memories. What many people don’t realize is that it was also the day that Clive Staples Lewis died. He was more commonly known as C.S. Lewis. I first encountered Lewis’s writings when I was in junior high. One of the priest chaplains at a church summer camp gave a talk on the novel Perelandra. He described it as a metaphor for what human life might be like without sin, or at least with sin completely redeemed. It was perhaps the first time in my life that I became aware of a piece of fiction trying to communicate the most significant things about life.
I subsequently read every piece of fiction that Lewis wrote and most of his nonfiction work. He became a key figure in my own conversion to Christian faith. Together with T.S. Eliot, another Anglican, I am who I am largely because of their work.
No one remembers Lewis’s death because it occurred on the same day that John F. Kennedy died.
Many people remember C.S. Lewis primarily as the author of a number of important apologetic works where he argued for the truth of Christian faith. His presentation of that truth was not abstract, and was accessible to ordinary folks. For example: “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” Or: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
In the final chapter of his life, he married Joy Davidman. Lewis loved her with all he had. And nursed her through an agonizing death from cancer. He talked about love and he lived it. One can not ask for much more than that.
We find important people in unlikely places. That is one reason that one of my deepest convictions is that God works in us through “indirection”. When I was growing up in Colorado, I experienced the phenomenon of looking off into the far distant horizon, trying to identify something, and not being able to see it except by my peripheral vision. Only by looking off to one side, for example, could I see that elk standing off in the far distance.
In my experience, it’s the same with God. If we try to look directly at God or God’s work, we may miss it. One can spot it in the fruit that is produced. One can feel it as much as think it. But it’s not just a personal thing. Other people can verify the love that is produced or the healing that is accomplished.
Formation by a village
We are planning to present Lizzie Becker for confirmation at the bishop’s visit in January. Ultimately, of course, it will come down to whether she chooses to be confirmed. But in the meantime I am inviting all of us to be a part of her formation. It is something like the now dated adage, It takes a village to raise a child. Beginning this Sunday, you will be receiving emails that carry a series of prompts for you to think about. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please email me at dhath12@gmail.com, and I will remove you from the list. The first set of reflections is the following:
Where is God in your life?
| Day | Reflect. Write in a journal. Share with the gathering on Sunday. |
|---|---|
| Sunday: 11/28 | “Think about the last 24 hours. What has given you joy? Name it, and give thanks.” |
| Monday: 11/29 | Reflect on your experience of going to church. Where in the church or |
| during worship do you feel God’s presence? | |
| Tuesday: 11/30 | Who introduced you to Jesus? How did they introduce you to Jesus? |
| Wednesday: 12/1 | Think of your life. When did you feel close to God? When did you feel |
| far away? What brought you home? | |
| Thursday: 12/2 | What is your favorite piece of Scripture? Why do you love it? |
| Friday: 12/3 | Write a thank you post, note or email to someone who’s been |
| influential in your faith life. |
Following the 10 am Eucharist on Sunday, I will host a gathering in the large Sunday School room. Lizzie will be there. I am inviting any of you who would like to share your reflections on the included prompts to join us. The goal will be to share with Lizzie our experience and thoughts. Our hope is that she will have questions and experiences and thoughts for us.
It takes a village to raise a child.
Yours faithfully,
Fr. Dale C. Hathaway
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