“Everybody’d be nice to you if they knew you were dying.” (Bruce – Robert DeNiro – in Bang the Drum Slowly) I never knew that this DiNiro film was about life and death and baseball until last week when CPA M referred to it in an e-mail. Now, I can’t wait to see it. I’m thinking…..When I know that someone’s days are numbered, do I treat them differently? I guess that I do. I make the phone call, just to say, “Hi!” I try to say positive things. I don’t talk about dying, unless the other one brings it up first. I’m a pastor, and I’m conflicted. Perhaps you are too. In my heart of hearts I ask God to intervene and that His will might be done in this situation. Life sometimes is difficult, isn’t it? ;-) Jack. www.jackswinningwords.blogspot.com to see my blog
FROM SR RD: YES, Jack, it surely is. .===JACK: ...yes, but God is good and does not abandon us.
FROM CPA MD: : . I often wondered why we pray for the sick and
wounded such as part of church services. It seems that your belief in God and
life ever after would comfort you in knowing that He is going to do the right
thing. Perhaps we pray so there is no suffering or we pray to help ourselves
through the loss of a loved one.===JACK: I don't think that praying is so much asking for a miracle as it is communicating with "the source of all that is, and asking that "God's will" (which is ultimately good and perfect) be done of us and those we pray for. "I place Mike (or whoever) in your hands, o Lord, because then the outcome will be for the best.
FROM FACEBOOK LIZ: what on earth does this have to do with me?===JACK: I believe that you've been a caregiver. Have you ever offered a prayer on behalf of the person entrusted to your care? Or, have you ever prayed? even recited the "Our Father?" In your mind, is prayer useful or useless?===L: prayer helps the person who prays, if they believe in
prayer. not sure it changes god's mind abt anything...===JACK: I don't nbelieve that prayer is meant to change God's mind. We prayr: "Thy will be done!===FL: a fb friend in maryland is a born-again catholic. i am an
episcopalian... we both question and believe. i always pray for you, btw===JACK: Believe and question is a good way to approach religion. You've told me several times that you are an Episcopalian. Evidently that brand of religion is important to you. What is it that appeals to you? Many church changes have been begun by that church. There have also been bumps in the road because of the changes. The ELCA has always worked closely with the more moern Episcopals...in fact in our community an ELCA and Episcopal congregation share the same pastor and the same building. Thje worship service is a hy-brid one. It is called, Spirit of Grace Church.===FL: my german grandfather's dad was a sea captain. he dropped my
8 yo grandpa off at jesuit school in san francisco. my grandpa said the priests committed "unspeakable
acts," and he ran away at 16 to join the merchant marines, never to return
to his german family. he became an episcopalian by choice bc of the freedom of
thought afforded its members. no one ever mentioned hell or any of that
damnation stuff the rest of the organized religions scare you with... we
encourage dissent and discourse. we think for ourselves. ===JACK: I find it interesting that if you ask the right questions, you are able to hear "the rest of the story" and understand each other better. Thanks for sharing. I had a German background on my mother's side, but her father never talked about how and why he came to America. It was mysteruous.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment