Become A Part

4 Nov

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”  ~ Anita Desai

I really enjoy traveling.  I especially like to cruise.  One of the reasons I like to cruise is because I get a chance to meet many new people and see some awe-inspiring places.  When I go to Alaska, I get to see raw nature as we cruise past calving glaciers.  When we stop at ports, there is a real pristine beauty to the forests and mountains.  The White Pass train up to Canada and back is just jaw-dropping in its beauty.  When I leave, I feel as if I take a piece of nature with me.

When I went to Pearl Harbor, I wept at the Arizona Memorial.  They say that the ship still “weeps” for those who went down with her as oil still seeps out and blossoms on the surface.  Seeing that and thinking about those who are entombed there is such an emotional experience.  Whenever I hear about Pearl Harbor, that memory comes back to mind.

After a few pilgrimages to the Holy Land, the gospels are different now.  When a passage is being proclaimed, I can visualize the location and think about the people I met while there.  The experience changed me and made me more aware of the scriptures.

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”  That is so true.  The experiences I have had became a part of me and I look at the world differently because of them.  Because I went through the Panama Canal, the plight of those who created it takes on a new meaning.  One can always try to visualize; but, one will always remember when seeing something in person.

This is the great mystery and joy of ministry.  So often, parishioners have come to me after trying a new ministry.  They remark about how the people they have seen and served have become a part of their lives.  They worry when the people they visit are sick and they mourn when they pass away.  Doing ministry moved the parishioners from being strangers to being family because they became a part of each other’s lives.

When we reach out and help others, they become a part of our lives.  In doing so, Jesus becomes more a part of lives as well since He is in all people.  We have an opportunity to know the Lord more by reaching out to others.  It really is that simple.  Try it today.

FAITH ACTION:  Become more a part of Jesus today in your service to others.