Tag: Joyce Smith

Sharing peace

*My friend Joyce has recently visited ‘her’ puffins on the East coast. Here’s a glimpse of what she saw.*

We meet in his name and share his peace.

Joyce has captured a moment of ecumenical unity in the bird world.
The puffins are gathered with the razorbills, sharing a common rock.
It could almost mirror a religious gathering.
At least two of the puffins are engaged in leading the hymns, or perhaps even an Anthem.
One of the birds may have tried to avoid the sermon by burying its head in the rock.

However you view it, there is a sense of harmony, a coming together in fellowship.

The longing for peace is at the heart of all religions. Sharing peace together is one of the joys of worship. It is more than a nod of greeting. In the Jewish faith, Shalom expresses something far deeper. It is “a feeling of contentment, completeness, wholeness, well-being, and harmony.” These are all the things we hope for each other and which we are to strive for.

In order for our ‘peace’ to be real and authentic it must begin in our hearts and it must come from God through us and others. So respect for each other is essential if our care and love is to grow. In the eyes and heart of God we are all equal. Followers of Jesus Christ are encouraged to follow a rule of St. Benedict which bids us to see Jesus in all we meet. We are all made in God’s image and likeness.

In the Muslim faith this is understood by the greeting Muslims use on meeting. As-salamu alaikum.
This greeting recognizes the worth of the other because they are important. The greeting receives the response Wa alaikum assalaam, and upon you be peace. One of the values of this is that it helps bind Muslims together as one family and also establish strong relationships with each other.

The Christian Greeting Joyce has chosen for her little ones on the rock is a central moment in the Eucharist, often called Holy Communion. That itself tells us that, together, we are gathered with our Lord Jesus Christ and because we are in communion (fellowship, with Him we are drawn to each other. We express this in The Peace.This greeting often includes the words Joyce has chosen : We meet in his name and share his peace.
Again, this roots our relationships with each other in the Peace Jesus gives to us. We may wave and smile but it goes much deeper. A word for our fellowship is Koinonia and it has a meaning that we are all drawn into a fellowship not only with each other but, and most importantly, with God. The Spirit of God fills our hearts and in so doing calls us into a ‘holy’ fellowship. Holiness, God’s gift to us, enfolds us into the very being and love of God. When we are ‘holy’ we belong to God and to each other and we are filled with God.
We meet together in His name and share His peace and His love. We are to shine with it.

So why is it, then, that Mr Putin, a supposed Christian, and those who are led astray by him cannot practice this?

There may be a clue in these thoughts by Lao-Tze, a Chinese philosopher of the 6^th Century BC. It applies to Putin and to all who are destroying Ukraine; and to the Taliban who are destroying the women of Afghanistan; and the leaders of Israel & Palestine who destroy each other. And it applies to us because war and violence begin much nearer home.

It’s a long time since 6^th century BC but we can pray these words and apply them to our world today, starting with ourself.

If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbours.
If there is to be peace between neighbours,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.

(Lao-Tse – 6th Century BCE)

[Mr G]

Wasting time?

The latest photo-Tweet from my friend Joyce lives up to its caption.

The quotation from Maya Angelou speaks of how we remember people for the way they make us feel.We all have people we turn to when we need a shoulder to cry on, an ear that will listen or someone who can hug us. Hopefully, we are such a person for others. In this case, the lovely little Robin makes me feel happy. This little creature is uplifting and in giving pleasure expects nothing in return.

It reminded me of story by Sheila Cassidy in her book Good Friday People.

Sheila writes on aspects of Christian spirituality and is also a doctor. She was involved in the hospice movement. In the 1970’s she was practicing medicine in Chile at a time of political unrest. Because she treated a leading figure of the opposition, she was arrested and tortured. As a result of her imprisonment she was keenly associated with Human rights and prevention of abuse.

The story which came to mind on receiving Joyce’s tweet is from when she was being a doctor in more calmer times. In her book Good Friday People she wrote of a seemingly insignificant incident but it had huge implications.
One day she was working on a boring job and a friend popped in to see her. This is how she described it.

He loitered around for nearly an hour, perched on the edge of the table, smoking a cigarette and talking occasionally of nothing in particular. After he left, she found herself filled with a special joy because her friend had deliberately wasted an hour with her. She wrote that “we were not discussing something of importance or that I needed consoling; it was a pure and unsolicited gift of time.

She reflected that if we think about it, for busy people, time is often the most precious gift they have to give. Doctors, priests, those who counsel will always ‘spend’ time with those in need. They may sit up all night with someone who is distressed; they may pass long hours in listening to problems or giving advice; but it is all time deliberately spent.

People who spend or waste time in this sort of way are those who understand the difference between what is urgent and what is important, or, to put it another way, they understand something that is key to our relationships– that real busyness is about being busy for others rather than being so busy that we shut them out.
Having time for others is, as Sheila Cassidy noted, among the most precious things we can give to them.
It is particularly important in this day of instant communication and of a real sense of loneliness in a lot of people to make people feel they matter.
I don’t know about you but when I’m talking with someone and their mobile phone rings and they immediately answer it, I feel my importance to them has been somehow diminished.

Our little Robin above reminded me that I need to be attentive to others in a very special way which shows them they matter – a lot!
We could even turn our phone off whilst spending time with them.
Now there’s a notion!!

Into your hands

My friend Joyce has sent me her latest Photo Tweet.

The little bird may seem to be a far cry from the Crucifixion of Jesus but the photo expresses something fundamental about God’s message to us on Good Friday.This little bird exudes Trust in God.
There is a certain still confidence that she is being held in the love of God, who silently but surely is holding her in the cleft of the wood—in the cleft of God’s love, which is the at the heart of wood of the
Cross
She is held securely by God. And so are we.

A prayer poem by Ladislaus Boros, reflecting on the Crucifixion of Jesus, tells us
why we can be certain of God’s deep love from us.

Crucified

“Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the Saviour of the world:
come, let us adore him.”

This is what the Church sings during the Good Friday liturgy.

Before the mystery of his death on the cross,
we must fall silent.
Only adoration remains.
This fundamental letting go,
self-abandonment,
in the presence of God
is already adoration.

Not simply deep adoration
but the deepest possible.

Such adoration is like
pure light, clean air.
Through it breathes
unshakeable trust.

It comes from the conviction
that despite all difficulties
we are held in the hands of God.
As Jesus said in his last moments:
‘Father, into thy hands,
I commend my sprit.

(Ladislaus Boros; Breaking through to God)

It is easy to believe that from its position of trust, our little bird is adoring God who loves
her. Jesus on the Cross tells us the same. Come, let us adore Him.

[Mr G]

Special and unique

“Dear Friends,
Isn’t it amazing that each one of us, and all creation, is unique and special to God.
With my love and prayers,
Joyce”

This latest Picture Tweet from Joyce, with the quotation from Margaret Mead, is saying something very simple and very profound.

You don’t need me to tell you that our world is in a mess right now. There are huge problems Internationally and more locally. The News is generally depressing and it’s easy to feel dispirited and overwhelmed.

So, all the more reason to look at the uniqueness of creation and all the wonderful things that are happening as Spring reveals itself once again.
We are all a significant part of that revealing so we can contribute uniquely to a new direction for our world.
A friend, Bishop Jack Nichols, commenting on the state of things, prays: ‘God Bless this Mess’.
We do that best if we are ourselves a blessing to the world.
We are such a blessing because of what Joyce reminds us about our being special and unique to God.
But don’t rely on what I say, or what Joyce says. Much more importantly believe what God says. Believe it and live out its truth in your life.
In Isaiah 43 verse 1, we read.

But now, thus says the Lord,
He who created you …
He who formed you …
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name,
You are Mine !!!

[Mr.G.]