What is a life well lived?
I have presided over many celebration of life services and often wonder, what is a life well lived? Each person, unique, wonderfully made, and loved. Never, and I mean never, have a person’s material possessions been the center of attention. My task as pastor, besides proclaiming the gospel, is to shed light on what truly matters as a human being, that is, how have you made a difference in the lives of others. While we claim faith in Jesus, we fail to follow his teaching to love him by loving others. Most of us continue to embrace fully the practice of scarcity not abundance, accumulating more and more out of fear. Will I have enough? This week at synod assembly Rev. Tim Brown spoke of stewardship and generosity. Stewardship is not just money, it’s about relationships, self, work, play, etc. Stewardship is our life. A life well lived is about surrender. Surrender of your ego to the service of others. Take some time this week to reflect upon your life and what it means to live well before you die. While doing so, I leave you with a poem on death from Rumi.
When I Die
When I die
when my coffin
is being taken out
you must never think
i am missing this world
don't shed any tears
don't lament or
feel sorry
i'm not falling
into a monster's abyss
when you see
my corpse is being carried
don't cry for my leaving
i'm not leaving
i'm arriving at eternal love
when you leave me
in the grave
don't say goodbye
remember a grave is
only a curtain
for the paradise behind
you'll only see me
descending into a grave
now watch me rise
how can there be an end
when the sun sets or
the moon goes down
it looks like the end
it seems like a sunset
but in reality it is a dawn
when the grave locks you up
that is when your soul is freed
have you ever seen
a seed fallen to earth
not rise with a new life
why should you doubt the rise
of a seed named human
have you ever seen
a bucket lowered into a well
coming back empty
why lament for a soul
when it can come back
like Joseph from the well
when for the last time
you close your mouth
your words and soul
will belong to the world of
no place no time