By Keren Dibbens Wyatt —
“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Romans 14:8 NIV
The world seems fearful right now. Things feel out of our control (because they are). We don’t have any training except in media-hyped panic and we are falling foul of the invitations to hoard and make sure we are marked safe in the war on contagion. Death is fine if we can keep it “over there” somehow, at a distance, like an old woman who lives at the end of the road. We nod at her sometimes, we see her out of the corner of our eye as we run to the next errand, the next appointment, the next job, but we don’t really look, just in case she has something to say. The last thing we want is to be neighbourly with the one whom St Francis called Sister Death.
We Christians have, in the west, been guilty for many years of thinking Jesus is like a kind of spiritual Domestos, that he will kill all the germs and keep us safe and that it is only the poor people abroad in those other, far-flung, not-remotely-like-ours places who will die, hopefully quietly and off camera.
But those of us who have been living in various states of isolation for a long time, those of us who are chronically sick and who have asked Jesus for help and have found him, rarely healing us, but more often climbing down into the plague pit with us, those of us who are well-used to looking death in the face, and finding only a sweet smile, we have some things to say to our fellow disciples who are scared.
Don’t be.
You know all those poems you have heard at funerals that tell you your beloved dead are only in the next room? Thought they are steeped in metaphor, they are not wrong. You know all those hymns that sing of heaven as a real and glorious place full of praise and light? They are not selling you a lie.
“He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Luke 20:38 NIV
Death is a part of life just as Winter is one of the seasons. And Resurrection, just like Spring, is a real and certain living hope.
We all want to carry on living our earthly lives. Though if you are comfortable, you might be surprised at how many of the sick and poor are quite keen on passing through into something better. Death might sometimes be called a doorway or a rebirth, and so it is. But we spend so long avoiding the very thought of it, that such sentiments seem silly and twee, even to some brought up as Christians. We don’t really believe all that hokum, do we, about heaven and that? Somehow, it’s become a bit like believing in Father Christmas, a nice idea but we all know that’s not how things are.
Well, maybe now is a good time to sit with the idea that it’s all true. That this is part of the Good News. Maybe now we might quieten ourselves down and decide whether we really believe what Jesus told us, that we might, if we die, be that very day in Paradise with him. Maybe now is a time to sit and ponder how we might want to live now, if we really believe that we are going home to God when our earthly time is done.
Perhaps then we might be less afraid of dying and more concerned about not having lived for Christ. We all have an opportunity to make this pandemic a turning point in our faith and in our relationship with the Lord at the same time as taking necessary precautions. Maybe we have a little extra time that could be turned to prayer, or to loving our fellow humans and any creatures in need. Maybe we could be a witness to the love of God and the eternal nature of his kingdom by standing firm and sure in our hope of “the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting” that we profess to believe in each time we recite the Apostles’ Creed.
We may have less to lose, and more to gain, than we think.
Image from Pixabay
By Sue Duby —
I’m not a great auditory learner. Give me a pencil and some paper, notes to take, equations to solve or some journal-type writing to clarify my thoughts… THEN information may well stick in my mind and memory.
I know the truth . . .that we are all uniquely and wonderfully made. Even so, I do feel badly in the middle of a great sermon and I find myself wandering off to the grocery list, a friend in need or the next sleepover with the grandkids. Saturday night was no exception (we love Saturday night services, but are tempted to create a T-shirt for our Sunday morning hikes that reads “I went to church last night!”).
The pastor read through Psalm 23 reminding us of God’s great affection as our Shepherd. I know that Psalm, can quote it and have studied it multiple times over the years. Not a good set up for me, the “drifter”. Familiarity leads me to “tune out” even more quickly than normal.
Amazingly, in the midst, I suddenly heard these words: “What if you turned all your ‘What Ifs’ into ‘Even Thoughs’?” Just as the Psalmist does in not placing focus on “What if you walk through the valley of the shadow of death”, but rather “Even though you…”. My whole body felt alert and I knew that Holy Spirit nudge was saying, “This one is for you!”.
I’ve spent much of my life battling fear. Gratefully, its hold has lessened over the years and the wrestling is now more of acknowledgement when it crops up and then letting it go. Still, it’s ready to grab hold at the least expected moments.
Fear is “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat” or “anxious concern”. My own list tends to center around health, family and future. For each one, instead of saying to myself, “I’m afraid of _____”, I’m really thinking, “What if______?”.
What if my aching back never feels better? What if something happens to Chuck? What if our kids get in an accident? What if my memory really starts fading (more than it already is!)?
Just the words, “What If” make my heart stir, knowing any way I finish that sentence will be scary! No matter the focus of the “What If”, it leads me to feeling alone in my fear, pensive, unsure and anticipating bad things. “What If” leaves me dangling… full well knowing that something may happen or not, so I’m stuck feeling very insecure and unsettled.
In His grace, God offers a better way. Psalm 23:4 gives us a roadmap.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” NIV
Not “what if” I take such a difficult journey, as we all will at some point… or many times in our life. But rather “even though” I take such a journey. Just attaching those two words to one of my fears… “Even though my back may never feel better…”, somehow physically feels like a weight rolling off my shoulders, a fresh breath of air and a letting go.
The Psalmist gives clear reason for being able to speak “even though” in confidence. “You are with me”, “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me”. There is the Shepherd. Present. Protecting. Tending, Caring. Encouraging. Directing. Leading.
I’m choosing to daily embrace a better way of thinking, a new way to battle fear. When a fear pops up, no matter how silly or overwhelming, my heart now says “Even though….”. I can feel myself falling back into the Shepherd’s embrace and letting Him carry the weight, knowing He knows and that His presence is enough.
May you purpose to grab hold of every “What If” when it hits and acknowledge the good Shepherd’s presence with a simple whisper back to Him, “Even though…”.
The Celtic saints were a fun loving people with many prayers that expressed this. Here is one I love that I thought you may enjoy as I focus on laughter today.
My walk this day with God,
My walk this day with Christ,
My walk this day with Spirit.
The threefold all-kindly;
Ho! Ho! Ho! The Threefold all-kindly
My shielding this day from ill,
My shielding this night from harm
Ho! Ho! Both my soul and my body,
Be by Father, by Son, by Holy Spirit:
By Father, by Son, by Holy Spirit.
Be the Father shielding me,
Be the Son shielding me,
Be the Spirit shielding me,
As Three and as One:
Ho! Ho! Ho! As Three and as One.
by Christine Sine
“Don’t let the world defeat your laughter and song.” This quote by Keren Dibbens-Wyatt has held my attention this week as I, like all of us, have grappled with the seriousness of what COVID-19 has imposed upon us. It is so easy to forget that in the midst of dealing with the fears and anxieties of possibly getting sick and even the busyness of moving so much of what we do online, we also need fun and laughter. So this week, I did a little research on the impact of laughter and thought that you would like to see the stunning results of my investigations. We really do need laughter. It’s good for us physically, emotionally and I think, spiritually too.
The joy that laughter brings can impact our creativity and our perspective on life. Babies laugh on average 400 times a day. Yet adults over 35 on average laugh only 15 times a day. So get out there; play, have some fun, laugh and enjoy yourself.
I have adapted the rest of this post from this article Stress Relief from Laughter posted by The Mayo Clinic.
Short-term benefits
A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. And laughter is contagious. Last week, we were taking photos of Tom for publicity for his upcoming book. It was my job to make him smile. He asked me to tell some funny stories but that was hard for me so I just started laughing, and by the end of the session Tom wasn’t just smiling, he was laughing too.
Laughter can:
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- Stimulate heart, lungs and muscles. It enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Laughter reduces your blood pressure, improves your muscle tone (especially your abs) and and increases your tolerance for pain.
- Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling. Even a smile can help. It, like laughter, is contagious and often leads to a good laugh too. This not only improves your mood, but has the added benefit of improving the quality of your relationships with those around you. It can even help create new relationships. And at a time like this, these are all things that we need.
- Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress and improve the quality of your sleep.
Long-term effects
Laughter isn’t just a quick pick-me-up, though. It’s also good for you over the long term. Laughter may:
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- Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
- Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
- Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
- Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier.
- Creates hope. Laughter changes your perspectives and helps you to see difficult circumstances as a challenge rather than a threat. It is hard to feel anxious, sad or angry when you are laughing.
- Promotes creativity. Humour reduces tension and causes you to relax, and relaxation is an important component of creativity.
Improve Your Sense of Humour
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- Add a daily dose of humour to your schedule. What makes you laugh? Is it photos, greeting cards, or comic strips that make you chuckle. I know I have a collection of each and am pulling them out this week to help me get my daily dose. I might even hang a few of them around the house for when I need an extra boost. And in the evenings, Tom and I are looking for funny movies and books to read. I am particularly drawn to cartoon prayer books that both make me laugh and nourish my soul: Like Scott Erickson’s Prayer: 40 Days of Practice Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the fox and the Horse and Michael Leunig’s A Common Prayer.
- Laugh and the world laughs with you. What about the current situation makes you laugh? Find a way to laugh about your own situations and watch your stress begin to fade away. Even if it feels forced at first, practice laughing. It does your body good. And if you are not sure where to begin watch this:
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- Or you might like to try some laughter yoga:
- Share a laugh. Make it a habit to spend time with friends who make you laugh. Perhaps you could plan a virtual fun night together. Share funny stories or jokes or play games together that make you laugh.
Laughter is the best medicine and a gift from God
Risen Christ by the Sea – artist unknown
Jesus was “anointed … with the oil of gladness” (Heb 1:9). Some of the things he did sounded very humorous. I think he loved to laugh. Spend a few minutes reflecting on Jesus laughing. What images come to mind? How does it make you feel?
Now go ahead and give it a try. Turn the corners of your mouth up into a smile and then give a laugh, even if it feels a little forced. Once you’ve had your chuckle, take stock of how you’re feeling. Are your muscles a little less tense? Do you feel more relaxed or buoyant? Do you feel a little more connected to God? That’s the natural wonder of laughing at work.
I really enjoyed listening to this today and thought that some of you would too. We all need to develop, and listen to, practices that help us center in on God, find peace and nourish our souls. Contemplative prayer, and particularly the Taize style prayer used here is one of the most powerful tools I have found for doing this.
Another beautiful version of the Lord’s Prayer. This one is from World Prayers. I love this site which has a rich and varied collection of prayers on it.
O Breathing Life, your Name shines everywhere!
Release a space to plant your Presence here.
Imagine your possibilities now.
Embody your desire in every light and form.
Grow through us this moment’s bread and wisdom.
Untie the knots of failure binding us, as we release the strands we hold of others’ faults.
Help us not forget our Source,
Yet free us from not being in the Present.
From you arises every Vision, Power and Song from gathering to gathering.
Amen – May our future actions grow from here!
By Carol Dixon for St Cuthbert Day, March 20th —
March 20th is St Cuthbert’s day and on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, just off the Northumberland coast, this is a day of celebration when all the churches come together in a procession to Cuthbert’s Isle, a small islet just off the main Island, accessible at low tide for an act of worship where the saint himself prayed.
Most of what we know of St Cuthbert comes from the 7th century monk, the Venerable Bede, who wrote an account of St Cuthbert’s life at the monastery of Jarrow on the North East Coast of England.
Cuthbert grew up in the Scottish Borders close to Melrose Abbey. Bede tells us that on the night that Aidan died in 651 Cuthbert, having seen ‘wonderful lights’ in the sky which he took to be a vision of angels, made his way to the abbey and offered himself as a monk. After his training he was sent to Ripon where he served as guest master, offering hospitality to any visitors who arrived from the highborn to the very poorest, treating each person with the same reverence as though he was receiving Christ. Eventually he was appointed Abbot of Lindisfarne but the business of the Island interfered with the life of prayer to which he felt called and he was granted permission to absent himself from the community and live as a hermit on the Inner Farne, just a few miles out to sea. As preparation for this solitary lifestyle, we are told that he had spent many hours alone on St Cuthbert’s Island – the rock just offshore from Holy Island, cut off at half tide, and today marked by a large cross.
Towards the end of his life Cuthbert was called back to the community to become the Bishop of Lindisfarne, but it is clear that his heart remained with the solitary life, and the company of the birds and the creatures that still are a feature of the Farne Islands today. Bede records a number of delightful legendary stories about the saint, such as the otters and eider ducks (locally named ‘cuddy ducks’ after St Cuthbert) which came to warm and dry his feet after he has been praying in the sea all night. He spent his active last years as a bishop, caring for the poor, and offering himself as a soul friend to all who called on him.
Cuthbert returned to the Inner Farne to die. His body was brought back to Lindisfarne for burial; and within a matter of years his tomb had become a place of pilgrimage. A century or so later, repeated Viking raids led to the monks exhuming his body and fleeing for safety; and for more than a hundred years Cuthbert’s coffin was carried around the north of England, looking for a final resting place. That turned out to be Durham, where eventually the great Norman cathedral was raised over Cuthbert’s shrine.
A few years ago I celebrated it by writing a song about this favourite Northumberland saint for our little church on Holy Island that bears his name with words based on St Cuthbert’s Holy Island Mission Statement which reflects the life of the saint. (Music below, alternative tune: Sussex Carol)
We follow the example of St Cuthbert by offering:
A place to be apart with God,
A simple hospitable welcome,
A place of prayer & renewal,
A place where strangers feel at home.
CUTHBERT – song for St Cuthbert’s, Holy Island
St Cuthbert, humble shepherd saint
and hermit on the inner Farne,
who lived a simple life of faith,
praised God, and kept his folk from harm.
On Holy Island he worked and prayed
that all might come to God and be saved.
He blessed the cuddy ducks and seals,
and priests and pilgrims called him friend.
The poor and needy sought him out,
for help and hope, their lives to mend,
learned to set time apart to pray,
care for others and follow Christ’s way.
Still in St Cuthbert’s church today
we dedicate our lives again:
and strangers come and feel at home,
as all are welcomed in Christ’s name.
Praise God for saints who served of old!
May we who serve today be as bold!
A full account of the Life of St Cuthbert is ‘ Fire of the North’ by Canon David Adam, former vicar of St Mary’s, Holy Island and well-known author of many inspirational books of prayers.
Key Dates:
St Cuthbert 634 – 687
Venerable Bede 673 – 735
Synod of Whitby 664 (when Roman church practices replaced Celtic church customs in England)
Lindisfarne Gospels written 687-721 (by Eadfrith, who succeeded Cuthbert as Bishop of Lindisfarne)
Viking raid on Lindisfarne 793 (church on Lindisfarne sacked and monks killed or taken into slavery)
In case you are interested in all of the songs on the CD are all written & sung by Carol and one of them ‘Cuthbert’s Isle’ (set to a traditional Northumbrian Air) I performed in the Guest Hall at Alnwick Castle for the pilgrims traveling from Canterbury to Iona to celebrate the lives of St Augustine & St Columba in the late 1990s. The songs are: Holy Island hymn, Cuthbert’s Isle, In steps of saints, & A day on the Island. They were recorded in St Cuthbert’s church, Holy Island. If you are interested in purchasing a CD or MP3 files, your donation will go towards St Cuthbert’s ( price £5 + £2.50 postage for those in UK or can be e-mailed). E-mail Carol, at carol.dixon@talktalk.net for inquiries.
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