The shortness and uncertainty of human life


The storm came out of nowhere yesterday afternoon soon after 3:30 p.m.  What had been an overcast sky became dark within minutes. Then there was an hour long deluge, with utterly fierce winds.

Parts of my lanai got flooded. Trees or parts of trees in the neighbourhood were felled. It was almost as dark as midnight.


I was not afraid.  Nor was I scared.  But I was apprehensive.

In a Movie house in Aurora, Colorado a storm came out of nowhere soon after midnight last Friday. Twelve people were killed.  Some fifty eight were injured.  What a ghastly horror.

The storm here in Sarasota was unexpected and fierce.

The storm on Aurora was fierce and deadly.

Here's the truth.

In the end none of us are safe.

Physical security is an illusion.

We live in a world in which a falling tree, or a suicide bomber, or a landslide, or a determined shooter, or a heart attack, or some other illness could triumph over our all too brief lives.


“It” could happen to anyone of us.

The Prayer Book of the Episcopal Church (and maybe of other Churches in the Anglican Communion) is refreshingly honest about this.

That’s why these words have been in my mind today.  They are from the Prayer Book, and they are so penetratingly true.

O God, whose days are without end, and whose mercies
cannot be numbered: Make us, we pray, deeply aware of the
shortness and uncertainty of human life.

Wise people of any or no religious beliefs will become even wiser inasmuch as that they are deeply aware of the shortness and uncertainty of human life.

Location: Sarasota, FL USA or anywhere)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not remember the words “ar
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were able to get together a few
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur
Read more