Northern Reflections Part 3 - Body & Spirit

 Earlier this summer I read a delightful book of reflections by Desmond Carroll, an Anglican priest (Irish by birth) in Canada's Arctic.  The book also contains original painting-illustrations by Ted Harrison, a renowned Canadian artist.  I'd like to share just a few of Carroll's words of wisdom:

"Let Us Run with Patience"

The race that is set before us ... (Hebrews 12:1)

One can only marvel at the physical capabilities of the athletes performing in the Olympics ... The discipline and sheer hard work that has gone into producing these efforts must be admired and is a reminder to all of us of the potential of the human body.  St. Paul many years ago drew on the comparison of faith and athletic discipline, reflecting upon his own time and the affairs of that day that could encourage and give insight.

But there are dangers as we pay exclusive attention to the body and forget the spirit.  The Christian faith is incarnational - that is, it seeks to integrate the physical and the spiritual.  Too great an emphasis on either of these things can distort the true character of the message of the Good News.  There is the cult of physical perfection that would seek to claim some sort of eternal quality, some kind of ideal, that can only be reached through athletic prowess.  On the other side are those who would tend to despise the body (the physical) and forget that God made each one of us in his own image and of flesh and blood.

The incarnate nature of our faith begins to come into its own as we try to balance the physical and the spiritual.  Each carries its own discipline, each can be supportive of the growth of the other, and each can lose its strength as it seeks to journey on its own.

Carroll, Northern Reflections (p. 91)

Northern Reflections Part 2 - Enthusiasm and Delight

 Earlier this summer I read a delightful book of reflections by Desmond Carroll, an Anglican priest (Irish by birth) in Canada's Arctic.  The book also contains original painting-illustrations by Ted Harrison, a renowned Canadian artist.  I'd like to share just a few of Carroll's words of wisdom:

"Ah-ha!"

"All the world's a stage" - according to one of Shakespeare's characters, and the players thereon represent all sorts and conditions of men and women.  Let's imagine that there are three types of players who walk upon the stage and interpret life in a general sense.

The first type could be called the 'yeah-buts', those who generally respond to ideas and proposals with a cautious 'putting-on-the-brakes' routine.  "That's not a bad idea, but ..." is a frequent response.

The second type could be called the 'ho-hums', those who ponder at great length the issues of the day, weigh all things in the balance, and find it difficult to come to a decision.  They can be persuaded to adopt a position, but often need applied pressure to reach a conclusion.

The last type could be called the 'ah-has', those who embrace life with enthusiasm and express delighted surprise as life unfolds before them.  They always seem poised to jump and engage the issues of life with a hopeful expression on their faces, reaching out towards the vision.

Can we try to be 'ah-ha's'?

Carroll, Northern Reflections (p. 77)

For what it's worth, I love the sentiment that Carroll expresses, but also think he fundamentally mischaracterizes both the yeah-buts and the ah-has.  The 'ah-ha' approach, if undirected by wisdom and prudence, can lead to jumping off bridges into shallow waters and being shattered upon submerged rocks.  The 'yeah-but' approach, if combined with a true excitement about the possibilities of life, can lead to rigorously analyzing ideas and proposals in order to arrive at a workable and exhilarating outcome.  Where I can fully agree with Carroll is being suspicious of the 'ho-hums'.

Northern Reflections Pt 1 - Facing the Loss of Loved Ones

 Earlier this summer I read a delightful book of reflections by Desmond Carroll, an Anglican priest (Irish by birth) in Canada's Arctic.  The book also contains original painting-illustrations by Ted Harrison, a renowned Canadian artist.  I'd like to share just a few of Carroll's words of wisdom:

The Loss of a Companion

Someone has died.  The one who died was a young man, still growing into maturity, knowing the responsibilities of husband and father - life stretching before him, with that sense of immortality which can be so deceptive.

All this has gone and the family that once felt its oneness and completeness, is fragmented and shattered.

A friend has left us, a companion has died; we sense the disappointment and the sadness and yet we confront a mystery that is ever present.  In the silent moments we begin to glance at those who share our pilgrimage, and reach out to touch and be touched by our other companions who will share our burdens and sorrows.  We experience the fellowship of the Spirit that heals and binds together as the journey of life is continued.

The human race is not immortal, so why should death come as such a surprise and catch us so unawares? ...

For the ones that remain, especially one who has been chosen as a life companion, the time is confusing and there is a grasping for that which gives meaning.  Ancient words, borne towards us by our spiritual roots and traditions, sound true as they confront the reality of life.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want ... yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil ... For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23)

Somehow, what has been up to this time a private world, begins to be transformed into a world which is universal and timeless. ... We do not hide our sadness in the sands of religious ritual, but rather our faith gives us strength to face the emptiness that death brings, and to grasp, at least initially in some small way, that life shared with God transcends time and space.

Carroll, Northern Reflections (pp. 36-37)