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God Nn Life
Geese veer north gabbling of new nests, leading millions of birds and moths;
maples, willows, crocuses and lilacs swell; deer, rabbits, skunks and foxes rouse
after the cleansing warm rain. The Great Bear turns east, Orion rides westward, —
favorites of Job who wondered Who made them. It is Spring on unfailing schedule
through aeons, and Spring is Easter. The Hebrew word for God is life. Life may
come on other planets than our earth, suggests a new book, “We Are Not Alone”.
“There is no God, the fool hath said in his heart”, was quoted from Psalm 14 by
the inimitable bishop in Les Miserables’.
The Christian Church emphasizes the triumph of Jesus Christ over death
by insisting on a new moral birth in each believer. Its prayers are that God by
his grace will put into our hearts new desires (ideas, ideals, plans) and help us to
carry them out; to die daily from sin that we may live with Him in joy; to find God
in bread and in all His works; to live purely in truth; to thank God for life, — a
great discovery. These calm, simple prayers make sense in a flood of
modern hysterical verbiage. “My religion is ofno value”, said a good friend, “unless
it makes me want to help you”. Every Sunday is a weekly Easter in the Church;
each day can bring dawn of resurrection.
If a man dies will he live again is a question as old as humanity. St. Mark’s,
the earliest Gospel ends in trembling fear and amazement of women first at the tomb.
Later accounts gain in confidence telling of a dozen appearances of the Risen Jesus.
The Church leaves us in overwhelming awe, a majestic mystery of beauty and
hope holding to a new life in Christ. Words cannot tell of the glory of the handiwork
of God but a new life in him shines in a darkling world. Like His Son, we can place
our lives in His hands.
RE Ralph A. Weatherly
Rev. Weatherly is the retired former pastor
of Grace Episcopal Church, Kingston, now living
in Mount Zion. He has been a frequent guest
at Prince of Peace Church in Dallas.