Perspectives by Rev. Geoff Howard

Blessed Easter Season

In four more days we will be hunting for “Easter eggs” probably hidden outside in the snow this year! Maybe we will be having Easter breakfast of hot chocolate and hot cross buns with our sweaters on, as opposed to spring clothes. 

Whatever the weather brings the traditional celebrations of Easter will be as it always has been.

Most of us have traditions for certain celebrations during the year. Customs, information or beliefs that we pass on to our next generation that aren’t necessarily written down anywhere but that are passed on by thought, action, or word of mouth. 

What are your traditional celebrations of Easter?  We don’t always know where these traditions have started, but we know that we always do them.

Our communities of faith all have traditions too. There are 11 churches in Morrisburg inviting you to come along and be a part of the spiritual and religious celebrations of Holy Week and of Easter Sunday. Easter comes every year to make sure that we don’t forget that all we are is transformed in and through God. The only thing that limits our Easter joy is our reluctance to believe in the risen Christ.

I personally invite you to join us by coming to church with us to celebrate.  

May God bless your Easter Season!

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Trouble and Tragedy

It seems that we’ve seen a lot of trouble and tragedy lately. Terrible floods in Alberta, this horrendous disaster in Lac Magentic, plane crashes. 

Across the world it’s the same: ongoing violence in Syria and now again in Egypt. What to make of it? How do we understand all these awful things?

Some would say that all these awful things that happen are just random. There’s no rhyme of reason to them. There’s no god or creator overseeing things. The world just evolved and now things continue to just happen.

If there’s anyone to affect what happens it’s us. We’re it. As for the purpose or end result of this world, they’d say, that there isn’t any. We live, we die, that’s it. This way of looking at things seems mighty meaningless to me. Why live, why be good, why anything. 

A world like this would also be a pretty scary place. Imagine there not being anyone in control. Kind of like racing down the highway without anyone at the wheel.

Another way people look at trouble and tragedy is to see it in terms of karma. People reap what they sow. People get what they deserve. If you’re good, good things will happen to you. If you’re bad, it’ll be the other way around. Somehow the universe is able to pay you back what you have coming to you. I hear more people talk like this is a cool way to look at life.

But is it? Are we then to think that those people in Alberta got what they had coming to them? Or beautiful Lac Magentic deserved the awful destruction brought on by the explosion and fire of that runaway train? Yuk. This seems awfully cruel to me. It adds insult to injury.

How then should we see trouble and tragedy? There may not be simple answers, but the Bible sure gives us some helpful insight as it avoids both of the unhelpful approaches mentioned so far. 

First it makes it clear that this world is not out of control. There is a god overseeing everything, a god who made all things well. Trouble and tragedy entered the world thanks to us (read Genesis 3 for the details.) 

The Bible also steers clear of saying that people get what they deserve in this life (read John 9:3 and Luke 13:1-5).

The Bible makes it clear that in the perfect world God created there was no trouble, no tragedy. Best of all, the day is coming when God will once again perfect his creation. That’s why he sent his son Jesus. 

Christ came to pay the world’s debt on the cross. Those who accept that payment personally will one day live in God’s new heaven and new earth. A place where trouble and tragedy are banished forever.

One last thing. Jesus said that even though there’s nothing good about trouble and tragedy in themselves, they can serve a good purpose. They can turn us to himself (see Luke 13:3). They can help us see our need of him. 

As we consider all the bad things happening lately, first, let’s pray for all those affected. May we also see that there are answers in God as to what’s happening. And there are long term (as in eternal) solutions. They’re found in faith in Christ.

Pastor Clarence Witten

Community Christian 

Reformed Church

Dixon’s Corners

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The Most Wonderful Time of the year

Andy Williams sang it. The movie (with that name) declared it, but I have a hunch that not all of us would agree. 

For some it’s more like the worst time of the year. Maybe because it’s a time we feel most alone. Or because we miss loved ones the most. Or perhaps because it’s a time of painful memories. 

Even if none of those situations are true of us (and I hope and pray they aren’t), I suspect that for all of us Christmas has this huge down-side simply because it’s a season of stress, crazy busyness, too much baking and preparing, and too much running around.

This makes me smile. I find it a tad ironic that this is how we (me included) celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 

When he was born the angel promised that Jesus would bring us “peace.” And in one or Christ’s most famous quotes he promised us “rest.” 

Remember what he said? “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

This rest he promised was more than just a nap on the couch. More than a quick coffee break from the treadmill of life. 

It was meant to be something deep-seated; a supernatural peace that carries us through life. That stays with us through whatever life throws at us. Through all the upheaval and ugliness that comes our way: illness, loneliness, even the death of loved ones.

So how can this peace, this rest, become ours? In two ways.

It begins us with finding peace with God. That happens when we own up to our to our wrong living (our sin) and ask Christ to forgive us. This reconciles us to God. 

That’s where ‘rest’ begins as we become dearly loved children of God and as we increasingly experience God taking care of us.

Christ also gives us the rest we need by coming to live within us. This may seem hard to grasp, but there’s something amazing about having God ‘move in.’ Then come what may in life, he is able to give us strength and comfort to help us through.

I think Blaise Pascal, one of the greatest scientists of the 17th century explained best how Christ gives us rest. 

He discovered that even though he enjoyed success, pleasure, and a good life in many ways, he still felt empty. His conclusion was that we have a ‘God-shaped’ hole in our hearts that only God himself could fill.

I do hope that your Christmas will be a most ‘wonderful time of the year.’ 

Yet in the hustle and bustle of it all, remember, that at this time and always there is ‘rest’ to be found and peace. It’s in the Christ of Christmas, the Prince of Peace.

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