 Being Fully Alive: "The Glory of God is the Human being fully alive." ~ St Irenaeus of Lyon
I am over 40 years old, and am just now starting to figure out what it means to be “fully human." As a person born with slight brain damage from a traumatic birth, I've always been "a bit different." Parts of daily life that come naturally for most people, such as balance, spatial recognition, and verbal skills challenge me. At the age of 30, a neurologist finally diagnosed me with a mild form of autism. Looking back on the first two-thirds of my life, I can see now that I merely existed-- as my neurological issues made it hard for me to communicate in both verbal and nonverbal ways. Throughout my walk with Christ, I've known and loved many church families. Collectively, they taught me about Christ and {more importantly} how to be more like Christ. Starting from young childhood, I sought out Christ. In the Roman Catholic parish where I asked my grandmother "Why can't girls be priests” to the Presbyterian church where I was baptized at the age of 20. Eventually I followed Christ towards my way home to the Episcopal Church at St Augustine's in Navarre, and now I love sharing my time and talents with St Christopher's Pensacola and St Francis, Gulf Breeze. I am thankful for all the humans who have helped me become fully alive in Christ. All of us are constantly working to become more alive in Christ and we need each other as sister and fellow travelers. Some of us have weathered more 'bumps in the road' than others, but we are all working towards being more like Christ. This Advent, when we prepare our hearts and homes to welcome Emmanuel, He who is God-With-Us, let us remember to see Christ's face in every human we meet. Take time during this season of preparation to sit with someone and share your own sacred stories. Christ became human so that God may take part in humankind's existence. Christ makes it possible for God to truly know what it is to be fully human. For that we are thankful. Amen. Daily Reading: Romans 15:4-13 4. For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel for Jews and Gentiles Alike 7 Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, ‘Therefore I will confess[a] you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name’; 10 and again he says, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’; 11 and again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him’; 12 and again Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.’ 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Comments are closed.
|
