Karl Barth, one of last century’s great theologians, said that one preaches with a Bible in one hand and the news-paper in the other. Last weekend both Father Matt and I tried to do just that. Obviously, we struck a few raw nerves here in Barrington. Over and over we hear the mantra, “When will these young people learn.” But it is not just the young people, it’s all of us who live in this town. We need to learn that material things (i.e. status, fast living, cars, alcohol) do not address our deepest hungers. Today’s reading at morning prayer came from the prophet Isaiah, “Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life.” (Isaiah 55, 1-3).
In our lives we are always restless. All of us live on Long Island in that we long for power, affection, control,status. In listening to our God we find the rest and peace only God can give. My hope as the pastor of this parish is that we can take the recent events and use them as a wake-up call to return humbly to our God.
Father Bob Hawkins July-29-2007
Photo of stained glass at St. Mary's Church, Newport, RI by Chuck Anastasia
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