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Pastors
Ponderings
by Rev. Judy Crane Jones,
Pastor Christ Memorial Church

Have you ever had a case of the “if
only’s”. You know, when you say to
yourself, I would help my neighbor, if
only I had the right tools. Or I would
join that group, if only I had the right
outfit to wear. It seems that whatever
we know we should do, we can always
find an excuse for not doing it. Either
we don’t have the time, the money, the
skill, the clothes, or even the temperament
to attack the task.
Have you ever wondered what our
country would be like if the great
historic figures had only come up with
the right excuse to get “out of ” doing
the tasks that made them important
to our history? How about George
Washington? Surely he could have sited
the running of his farm and family
to help avoid becoming our first president.
Jonas Salk could have decided
that he wanted to work on something
safer than polio research. How many
lives would have been lost if not for
his work? Think a little closer to your
life, what if your own Pastor had
decided that a career that was a little
more financially stable was really their
calling? I know that I would be lost if
professors that I had in Seminary had
decided to become bankers instead of
studying religion. We all have times
when we wish we were doing any
other job than the one we are doing
at any given time. But for most of us,
the job we do truly does make a difference
in the lives of the people around
us. We have to remind ourselves to
stop making excuses and answer the
call of others.
Last week we were privileged to
join together with several others from
Blue Island, to honor the like of Rev.
Martin Luther King. As I sat there
and listened to the speaker recite one
of Rev. King’s speeches, I was transported
back to 1967, to the era of the
Vietnam War. I heard the words that
called us to peace that were spoken
over forty years ago. I remembered
my friends who fought in that war
and many who lost their lives there. I
remember that we carried with us the
belief that if we joined in that war,
we would bring about peace. But as
we now know, there is still not peace.
Rev. King and all the other religious
leaders, called us to peace. They sited
passages of Scripture that call us to
put away war, to take the instruments
of war and turn them into instruments
of peace. You remember, the swords
that became plowshares and the spears
that became pruning hooks. Men and
women of faith prayed endless hours
for those young men and women to
come home and for peace to fill our
lands. But that was forty, actually
more than forty years ago and we are
still finding ways to hurt others. There
are still people who live where there is
no justice, and children still not being
taught to resolve their disagreements
without violence. So the question
that struck me as I sat in the company
of others who live in hope, was,
“What are we waiting for? Why do we
continue to offer excuses?” Too much
time has already passed. We cannot
not wait for the perfect time, the perfect
leader, the perfect cause to stand
for. There will never be a time when
all the stars are aligned just so and all
the world’s leaders are of a like mind.
But there can be a time when we all
are awakened to the need to reach out
to the people of the world to offer the
hand of peace.
Put away your excuses, put away
your “if only’s” and decide that today
is the best day that there is for you
to share peace with someone. You
may feel that you cannot change the
world, but I tell you, you can change
your corner of the world. You can put
aside the petty arguments and prejudices,
and pick up the branch of peace.
You can begin to answer the call that
Jesus made so long ago, to “Love your
enemies”. I, for one, am thankful
that men and women life Rev. King
and those who are presently in Haiti
helping out there, are willing to give
of themselves and not make excuses.
Now I call you to do likewise. Oh, I
am sure that not many of you reading
this will leave your homes and families
to go into the fields of disaster, but I
am sure that each of us reading this
today can take time to say a prayer for
those who do go. And I am sure that
we can each spare a dollar or two to
help their efforts. Help us find peace
for the children of this world and for
our own hearts.
God bless you all.
All Are Welcome
Christ Memorial Church
2440 York Street
389-7710
Special thanks for favors granted to:
The Holy Family, Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, St. Walter,
Seven Holy Founders, St. Francis, St. Donatus, St. Stanislaus,
St. Christopher, St. Peter Claver, St. Isidore, St. Benedict,
St. Bernadette, St. Clair, St. Peregrine, St. Lucy, St. Blaze,
St. Th eresa, Little Flower of Jesus, St. Margaret, St. Anthony,
Our Lady of Fatima, St. Padra Pio and Mother Teresa. - DFS |