__Sgleuiytoy MEDITATION

unE =, T3974
JOH NM. BUCHASAY
Gne woncers how Tong this nation can sarvive the self-doubt, self-
criticism, anc cynicism that have come atuut as a result of Watergate. One
wonders abeut to: endurance of the mstion - the idea - in the midst of a
crisis that scems ta wave no end. Ideas die first - the institutions built
on those idezs mere stowly - but they die just as surely. aad se thoughful
people arc ccnceraed tocey akbaut what is happening te the heart of the nation,
Tuas intristed, in this context, to reac an editorial on the Presidency
in Time magazine entitled ‘we go on as a peeple’. It began by documenting
the current mood of crisis ~ but foune solace in the observation that ....
“something spactel ondures, aad Gemecrats, liberals and conservativas, ins
and outs, eceasel and accus.rs". “het inspired that observation was a
memorial servicc for Sclumntsi Stewart Alsor in Washington's St. Jorn's Church.

fas pegs wav Bave wade this cauntry go for several decaces were there.
They Peac ghe Salms Cagstier, ant afterward-aceording te tie eaitorial,-
"hate died. Ag the s<rvice enued, there seemed te be alwest a conscious
effort by adversarius ic seek each ether out aad say a aind werd,"

Wewshien end Widte ifeuse aides chatted: editors and former cabinet
officers excuaagud gutet greetings .... “There scammed to be a reluctance
to break the spell, to resuwe tae family fight. *

Twas glad to pead thas eaitortal, Having read Stewart Alson'ts
chronicle of his Battle against Cancer, I think he would have liked the
Fact that nis Neucerial Service brougn: Awericans together on a level deeper
than their divisions. I afoyed tue editorial alse because it reminded me
$O much of the chureu. veole whe often are divided From eaca other: people
WO Cail we and are often petty with eect other: and yot peovle wo in a
deeper sense balouy to eacn utinear,

Haat came te tre surface at Alsop's Hemorial was a commonly shared
Aationatlity: sometaing literally given to each of the peopic present, bigger

than any of tham - something with a history before then ad a future that

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Jia fH. BUCHARAN
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will go on after them. And what comes to the surface here tn the church;
or rather what needs accassionally to came tu the surface - at ccmmunion,
for instance, is mucn the same. A shared faith - a common hope - and a
solid sense that fo matter how divided or uhrelated we may seem, we really
do belong to cach other and love eacn other,
¢ doesn't happen eften enough, however, and I would guess that for

some poople ene scue churches tt decsn't happen at all.

€. $. Lowts once wrote a delightful chronicle of a correspondence
between @ Sr. devil ~ Screwtape and an apprentice devil - Wernmyood, under

the titie The Screwtape Letters. Wormwood is on assignment, charged with

seducine a aan inte hell.

Listen ¢o Seret¢are's second letter ta hin:
HeHKR Py Ucar Lermguccd,

I note with drave cispleasare tnat yvour patient has kecouwe a Christian.
Do not indulge tae nope tiat you will escape tne usual parities: indeed
in your better morencs, I trust you would karuly even wish to deo so, In the
meantive we muet make the best of tee situation. There is na need to despair;
hundreds of these adult converts have beer reclaimed after a brief sojourn tn
tie Eneny's carp and are now with us. AT] the habits of the patient, both
mental and bodily, are stil} fnour favour.

One of Gur great allies at present is the Churen ftself. je not mis-
understand ie. =I do not mean the Church as we see her spread ouc through all
time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners.
Tnat, | confess, is a spectacle whica takes our boldest tempters uneasy.

But fortunately it is quite invisible to these Humans. All your patient sees
is the half-finished,suan Gothic erection on the new building estate. When
he goes inside, he sees the Tocal grocer with ratner an ofly expression on
his face bustling up to offer him one shiny little book containing a liturgy

which neither of then understnads, and one shabby Jittle book containing c

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corrupt texts of a number of religious lyrics, mostiy bad, end tn very small
print. when Se sets te nis pew ane Tock@ around him fie sees just that
selection of kis neighbours whom he nas hitherto avoided. You want to Tean
pretty aéavily oa tiose neighbours, ake ats mind flit to and fro between

an expressten Tine “the body af Crartst" an the actual facss ip the new pew.
It matters very Tittle, of murse, what kind of pecple that next new really
Containe. You mcg enow one of them te be a great warrior on the Enemy's

Side, .o matter. Your patient, thanks te tur Father belew, is a fool.
Previdec that nay of tacee natgabours sing ouc of turne, ar faye boots that
Sducak, Gr doubts cains, or cud clethes, the patient will quite casily believe

a

that their religion must therefore be sauehow pidiculeus., At his present

Stage, you Sel, ue nas an ivea of “Christians” in nis wiad varies he suppposes

te be spiritiect eet wadiceh, ip fact, 78 Tereely pictorial. His mince t€ full

Of toges anc Senwals ana arrour and bare Tegs ane the were fect that the

ur>

Other poopleo fa ciuerch wear addern clothes is a real » through cf course
an unconscious - difficuity for hiv. ever tet it com. to t.: surf&ee: never
Tet Win asa stint he exueccued then au look loke. noeen everything hazy in his
mind new, ana you will have all eternity wherein te amuse yourself by produc-
ing dn atm the peculiar kind of clarity whichtlell ERE affards.

Tia tragcuy 18 that Screwtane was nore rigjit than wrong. AT] & us have
a vision soneriere tn thie recesses of our minds about what a Christian
Ougnt toe look Téke. sniat the Churc! ougnuk to feel Tike. what rcoal Christian
community ought da be. Anu for all of &s those noble, albeit hazy vision
pop like so many valicons wherever va confront the vers: gecale with whan
We wordip Sunday after Sunday.

st. Paul confronted the dilemna in the early Christiat Church at Galetia:
he told the people that tietr relationship with each otncr ought to be
cnaracterized by Tove, joy, peace, patience, kind ess, goodness, gentleness,
faithfulness. he teld them to be healing rather than judgitig when oné of

their number offended the rest and then he used a phrase that, for me at least,

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summarized that snecial, bea-rock relationship that happens in the Church:
“Bear one angthor's turcens, end sa Fulfill the Taw of Christ’. (3:2

what's “eset a churne is for. That is the specetal quality of life waich
distingui¢hes a church frem any other group: and it is around that activity
that tre church way rally in a tine of crisis. We HURT aseda't be
enkarrassed ty it - or ashawed of it. Church is where we go to find someone
to hel: bcar guy Surges.

So, we co 2 tovis moraine to the tside of our Lord Jesus Christ, Let us
remember that ua nas favited us te come - thet he will Lear woeatever burden
We carry. Ut us romerbor thit ae has invited us te his telbse together - and
that ia shartas to. elements - in serving each other ~ wi are celebrating

BRE that wi.dchis sucetal abeut us agg our relatioaskie. AUTY

FATE, Ya disus Surist. you heve prapised te ter our burdens: you have
Given us that cinistey as a gift. UNelp us to love each other ~ to accept and

foradive cacy otrr: to Lear cach other's burdens. AMER