The Ministers Letter (May 2008)
(Click here to view previous letters)

Dear Friends,

If, like me, you know and admire the film ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, you will recall that it is the story of how Andy survives, escapes from, and rises above the brutality and injustice of his incarceration in Shawshank prison for some twenty years. His own redemption comes through increased understanding, but this rubs off on those around, and especially on his friend Red. Shortly before his escape, Andy suggests to Red that you have to: “Get busy living, or get busy dying”.

Released a while later, Red has to work this out for himself. Struggling to live on the outside after 40 years in jail, Red considers breaking his parole in order to return to the familiarity of institutionalised prison life. However, with the help of Andy, Red too decides to get busy living, rather than to stay busy dying.

Sometimes we can sentimentalise the notion of friendship and the idea of Christ being our friend; after all, in calling the disciples his “friends”, Jesus expected a toughness from them; could they stay with him to the end? Yet, in the end, Christ redeemed his disciples, and, with compassion for them, invited them again to follow him. In Christ we recognise the one who has gone before to break the bonds of death and to liberate us from all that deadens and imprisons. And, as the celebration of Easter slips into our recollection of Jesus’ parting from his friends at Ascensiontide, so we recall also the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Spirit seeks to empower us with God’s liberating, life-giving love, to help and encourage us with all the struggles and choices of life. Thus Jesus invites us, his friends, to follow, and to get busy living, rather than dying.

For us (and for our churches) there are so many possible layers of meaning involved in that phrase: “Get busy living, or get busy dying”. May God be with you as, daily, you reflect and make your choices.

God Bless,

James

home | worship | mission | activities | news | about | links