Perspectives by Rev. Clarence Witten

May 9, 2012 Editor Opinion

 

Does Anybody Love Me?

Not long ago I heard a guy on the radio mocking Jesus. “Who needs him?” he said. The sooner we get rid of our silly belief in Jesus the better, he added. 

According to this guy, believing in Jesus was just an old-fashioned out-dated idea. He especially thought it comical how those NFL football players point up to the sky after making some great play. As if there’s anyone up there, he went on to say.

Now we may not be ready to chuck our belief in Christ completely, but I think many today wonder about how relevant he really is. I mean, when life seems to be going half-decently, who needs Jesus? When we’re relatively happy, have friends, family and food on the table, hey, who needs Jesus? Right?

Sure, we may think that way, but if we’re honest, we’d have to admit that there’s another side to our lives. Despite how well we may pretend that our lives are going, despite how well they may appear to be going, all of us have our struggles and issues.

We have these places in our lives where all is not well. Where we have questions, doubts, hurts, and heartaches. Our relationships aren’t going as well as we pretend they are. There is stuff going on in our lives, sometimes in our hearts, that not everyone knows about. That we don’t want anybody to know about.

The issue may be a gnawing emptiness. We ask, “Does anybody really love me?” Or “would anyone love me if they really knew me?” 

Maybe it’s a deep sense of worthlessness. “Everyone else seems to have it so together, but not me. I’m a failure.” 

It could be loneliness. “How come everyone has friends, but not me?” 

Maybe it’s deep pain from hurts or abuse from the past. It could be an issue with a violent temper. Or some addiction, maybe hidden from others. Or maybe we wonder and worry about death.

Henry David Thoreau, the great American philosopher and writer once said that “most men live in quiet desperation.” 

It’s when we admit that we often live lives of ‘quiet desperation,’ and it’s when we acknowledge our deeper struggles and issues that we will finally see that, hey, maybe we do need Christ after all. 

In fact it’s because of this ‘quiet desperation’ and these struggles that we so much need him. It’s because of these things that Christ came. 

He himself said that he didn’t come for the healthy, but for the sick. He didn’t come for those who have it all together (or pretend to), but those who don’t.

When we cry out ‘Does anybody love me?’, we need to know that Christ does, and he proved it by dying on a cross for our sins. 

When we wonder if we have value, we need to realize that Christ dying for us gives us amazing worth. 

When we feel friendless, we need to know that when we receive him as Saviour we have a friend forever. 

When we struggle and hurt, we need to know that he understands and cares. 

When we worry about the end of life, we need to know there’s eternal life available in Christ.

Soon the churches of South Dundas will be working together for another year of Love South Dundas. 

It’s our attempt to reflect God’s love to our community. To show the love of Christ. Sure, we’ll hardly do it justice. It’ll be a tiny and imperfect expression of God’s love. Yet it’ll be us trying to point our community to Christ. The Christ we all need. Where we struggle. Where we are broken. Because we are sinners living in a sinful world.

Getting back to the guy on the radio… the guy who asked sarcastically “Who needs Jesus?” I would suggest that the answer is “Everyone.” If we’re honest.

 

Pastor Clarence Witten

Community Christian 

Reformed Church

Dixon’s Corners

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Perspectives by Rev. Arlyce Schiebout

October 31, 2012 Editor Opinion

 

Saints and Sinners

Here we are teetering between All Hallow’s Eve and All Hallows, October 31st and November 1st.

Let me tell you a couple of personal experiences, also known as stories.  

I was settled in my first pastoral charge in the month of October.  I invited a friend over for dinner on October 31st that year, and we were deep in discussion later in the evening when there was a pounding on the door. I was not expecting any children because the manse was located out in the country.  I answered the door and in walked six fully disguised adults who stood in the kitchen and just looked at me. 

Initially I was amused, but when I asked them who they were and what they wanted, they said nothing. Then I got a little concerned. I stepped closer to the figures and looked into their eyes.  Perhaps I could recognize them just from their eyes.  I stepped back and took in their body size.  Slowly I began to search for names that were becoming familiar to me over a few short weeks.

During my ministry at this pastoral charge I came to know its parishioners as hard-working, faithful people. As trust was built they began to tell me their stories.  They told me why they sat on this side or that in the sanctuary.  They told me about divisions within and reconciliation; they told me about “keeping up appearances” when all indications would point to difficulties.  

They were dealing with two issues that resonate with most pastoral charges then and now:  insufficient resources, human or financial, and trying hard enough to keep the parish alive, let alone growing.  

The solution was to take “make believe.”  They reminded people in the rural area that they were a worshipping community, celebrating the sacraments, sharing hospitality in meals and activities, using their hall.  For those people who were told years before that the church would close, these parishioners kept up a good appearance of existing by the grace of God.

And actually that “make believe” was not false, it was their faith.  They did not change their appearance; they continued to act in faith.  It was their leap of faith.  And it is these people who taught me what it means to move from All Hallows’ Eve, October 31, to November 1st, Feast of All Saints, or All Saints Day. 

There are many demons that would sap our strength, and then we triumph because, regardless of one’s religious preference, we can honour the unnamed heroes and heroines of our families or parishes.  

Saints are sinners turned inside out, writes Edward Hays.  By throwing off all our disguises and demons we use our talents and time to hold fast to our faith in these changing times. 

In fact, this is exactly living in a new life in Christ. Christ showed us the way, so let’s give it a try.  And in living as saints we will be given the strength to discern the way forward.  

Peace and Blessings

Rev. Arlyce Schiebout

Lakeshore United Church

Morrisburg

 

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