Sunday reflections

Funeral
I took a funeral on Friday. I have had four in relatively close succession. This one was for a father of a firefighter. The man had been a mechanic at the fire station years ago before his retirement. As I explored his life and character I could not help but be impressed by what people, including his children, said about him. He was a genuine caring husband, father and a real gentleman, and it was a privilege to lead his funeral. One of the things I notice in the "shindig" (Refreshments) after a funeral is that the conversations tend to be more "real". People cut out trying to impress one another with stories, status and rubbish and because of their common reminder of their mortality, are more "real" with each other. It is often good human interaction. This morning in the service I was trying to illustrate this depth and that there is deep joy in such openness and depth. I set up on a coffee table a whole lot of ornaments and toys... toy cars, boats, a caravan, war figures, a motorbike and model furniture and household gadgets.  Behind all these, I had some ornaments of people and a cross, symbolising the important things in life - love and people. To illustrate the desire to cut through the "superficial rubbish of life" and get into the truly profound, I put an arm on the table and swept all the toys and ornaments onto the floor, leaving the people and the cross. People in the pews got a bit of a fright to see all these toys splattered on the floor and giggled a little, but I think I got the point across. I meant to point out that this is actually what happens in life. We gather our toys and material possessions and sometimes value them more than people and relationships. But at some stage, whether it is when we are too old to play with them, or when we are put into a single room in a rest home or eventually when we die, all our baubles and toys will be dumped. I talked to the family of the man who died and they are beginning the process of tidying out Dad's house already. We are so wrapped up in measuring ourselves by our baubles, when ultimately they mean nothing.
Joy
Today I spoke from the book of Philippians. Paul wrote that book from prison where he was expecting to be executed. He fills his letter with the words "joy", "rejoice" and "peace".  Where does he find this joy? It is an internal joy, irrespective of circumstances. I decided that this joy is found in our involvement in the purposes of God, of love, of justice. (I don't mean the purposes of religion or church) It is deep and lasting meaning in life. We know that the purposes we are living for are worthwhile, are bigger than us, are making a profound difference to people, and will out-live us. It is a deep sense of partnership with "the deep and sacred" in life.  Unfortunately most of us are happy to just live for moments of "happiness" or times of "having fun".  Sometimes I see sad people desperately trying to find happiness and fun in all sorts of forms, sometimes destroying relationships, themselves and others in the attempt. The joy that Paul discovered does not deny us happiness or fun, but adds a deeper dimension, and is still there in pain, suffering and set backs. I have enjoyed exploring this subject this week. While, particularly as I have matured, I experience this joy at varying levels of awareness, it is so difficult to communicate to others.


An atheist gives great advice about joy. I think he is right.
George Bernard Shaw was an atheist but when he writes about the true joy of life, I agree with his statement. He discovered what many churchgoers fail to discover.

This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

I do like the bit about "Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."  I come across people like that. To be honest, I think I sometimes could be described in that way. But I do identify with his directions. Jesus put it, "When you lose your life, you find it. When you give you receive."

RWC
NZ national anthem is playing on TV. The All Blacks will play Argentina in a few minutes. Just watched Australia grind out a slim win against South Africa. I never thought I would be cheering for South Africa! This Rugby World Cup saps your energy a bit. Two games in one night!