— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
Now that I am retired, I am often away traveling. To visit our son and his family in Cologne, to travel to the US, on holiday.
Recently I was en route to the US for the wedding of a cousin (first wedding…at 74!). My trip took me first to London/Heathrow before changing planes (and terminals) for the final leg into Philadelphia.
Already at the gate in Frankfurt, I noticed them. An older man accompanying two even older women. When boarding started, they were ahead of me, trying to manage their tons of (hand?) luggage. The line in the single aisle waited visibly impatiently for them to get settled.
After our landing in Heathrow, the other passengers merged to shuffle up the aisle again. The older gentleman was trying to enter this undulating line, to navigate his two charges. You can all imagine this scene.
Nobody stopped the shuffle. Myself included. Although I had time, I too stuck like glue to the person in front of me.
For days following, the image of unfeeling-me haunted me. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I chastised myself, wondering how I could be so uncaring, so distanced from the situation of a fellow human. Why had I not simply stepped back and motioned for them to enter the line?
Three weeks later, I’m back in Heathrow, waiting for the last short flight back to Frankfurt. Can you guess it? The same man with his two elderly charges was at the gate, waiting to board my plane.
How many times in life are we awarded such an obvious second chance to make amends?
I am immediately reminded of Saul. He was not only given a second chance. His revelation would of course impact generations of Christians in his new identity as the Apostle Paul.
While not comparing my second chance to Saul’s conversion, I sincerely experienced this second encounter as an act of grace. I saw the moment as a sign of forgiveness and yet was immensely grateful for the preceding days of soul-searching it had brought me. Days of reflecting, vowing to be different.
God’s grace is so complicated, so multilayered. Had I not been so callous and then been given the opportunity to reflect, I daresay I would not have this small event to relate and to invite you to reflect on those second times in your life. Don’t overlooked them, but if you do, be aware that our loving God will provide a third, a fourth, a fifth chance. Don’t despair. It’s about the momentary act, yes, but also about the journey, the processing.
Wishing you many second chances…as many as you need.
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 