What Can I Do?

from Katherine
I was driving home from my school day Tuesday in a blinding rain. Water was running across the road in sheets.  As I crossed the river and started up the hill I spotted the car in the middle of the road, debris and glass covering the pavement.

The accident must have just happened but I was surprised that no one had stopped. I pulled off the road and grabbed my phone and ran toward the car when I saw the young man on the edge of the pavement. Having been thrown from his vehicle, he was in a terrible state. I kneeled at his side, touched his shoulder and told him that I would stay with him until help came. I prayed simply, “God Help”. My calls to the emergency number on my cell just rang busy or did not even connect. I wondered if the storm had knocked out power to the cell tower nearby. 

“I am here with you. Can you feel God’s presence with us? I can. I know he is here with us. I am here, God is here. We will stay with you.”

It seemed like that was all I could do. I don’t have medical training. I am not a trained first responder. I couldn’t even get my cell phone to work. What could I do? Could I make a difference?

Others began stopping. Amazingly a young doctor just passing through stopped and immediately began rendering aid. Somehow some of the phone calls got through because police and ambulances starting arriving.

I stepped back to let those trained do what they do best but I continued to pray.  He was taken to a nearby hospital but the young man died later that day. I found out later that he was recently married and had a mom and dad and sister. It turns out that I knew many friends of his which helped me feel just a bit closer.

I learned something that day. Even when you don’t feel that there is anything you can do in a desperate situation, you can offer the blessing of presence and the comfort of prayer to someone in need.

Matthew 5:4      Blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted

Cultural Metaphors and Spiritual Experience

from Elliott
Having lived in the Northern Hemisphere, Lent always began toward the end of winter and culminated typically in the Spring. Subconsciously, I have always linked the concept of resurrection with life beginning anew and the transition from Winter to Spring is evidence of exactly that.

Many symbols have found their way into our practices surrounding Easter – certain flowers, bare limbs giving way to new leaf growth, new offspring in the animal kingdom or a new brightly colored dress. The natural world, as Winter turns to Spring, is witness in a metaphorical sense to what we understand spiritually.

In the Southern Hemisphere, Lent arrives in summer and culminates in Fall. It has made me wonder what cultural symbolism from the natural world or otherwise supports the spiritual truths around the Lenten experience here? Since we are in a tropical area there is not even a significant change in weather or flora and fauna during this time period. 

I have not found any cultural symbols so far but I am not as concerned as I once was about that. It may very well be that it may allow for, or even require, that we assure that we do not substitute cultural symbols for spiritual truth or at the very least allow them to become a greater focus.