— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
This week, I was thinking again about a segment between songs on a radio programme I listened to a few years ago. The programme was hosted by the English comedian Frank Skinner; he was commenting that, as a man in his mid-sixties, the pack of one hundred biros he had bought that week might be the last time he would ever buy a pen.
This was brought to my mind as I was thinking about all the little Christmas rituals I have just gone through again recently: these small and formalised repetitions designed to link people together through a shared thread that runs forwards and backwards through time. The thread, deliberately crafted to be strong and familiar only to a few.
I have been thinking about the difference between the designed significance of ritual and the potential of ordinary moments, such as the last time a person ever buys a pen, to become significant. Each time we do something it could be our last; for example, the redesign of a local supermarket brings with it an unmarked final visit to a very familiar space. Groups of colleagues and friends are continually shifting as people leave and arrive. Final meetings of various configurations are rarely recognized as such.
This perspective infuses ordinary moments with extraordinary significance, and brings a profound potential to every one of life’s fleeting encounters. After all, everything we do is, in some sense, doing it for the last time.
So just like for ritual, there is a resonance in every moment. But this resonance is more diffuse and connects us all not only with both the past and the future; importantly, it connects us together. A web rather than a string. This recognition of the transient nature of experience comes embedded in the idea that each moment holds intrinsic value, and can be independent of religious reference. However, for me, looking through Paul’s eyes shows a much richer picture.
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Collosians 4, 5
In reference to this verse, the Scottish minister William Barclay recommends that we Christians cultivate three virtues: tact, initiative and charm.
Tact – each moment has its own importance without us having to stamp our own particular perspective on it. The web of these moments is continually being broken and re-made. We don’t need continually to force the design of this web or direct its connections. This is being done for us. We just need to be aware of the threads that are holding us together at each moment in time.
Initiative – this is not to say that we should sit back and do nothing. Christian life is full of opportunity: to visit, to connect, to learn, to teach, to sing, to laugh, to commiserate and to serve. Speaking personally, too often I pass these opportunities up. Life is full of instances where we can bear witness to our faith, not only in what we say, but also in how we carry ourselves.
Charm – we should show the best side of our natures to the world. Be benign, be gentle, be kind. Laughter is encouraged. As Barclay says: “there is too much of the Christianity which stodgily depresses and too little of the Christianity which scintillates with life.”
In the quiet transitions of life, we are called to take notice of the fabric of our existence. The poignancy of doing something for the last time carries a weight that transcends the mundane, and encourages us to allow God’s grace to fill us with His wisdom. In this way we can move towards a greater awareness of the profound potential embedded in each fleeting moment.
The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.
Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.
We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.
Freiburg Anglican Church 