Week of October 8, 2001
Pastor Dan

"If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind."
     Philippians 2:1-2

Paul's letter to the Philippians is in the top three of my favorite books of the Bible. I find Philippians encouraging and uplifting. It's not just bits and pieces. The entire book wells up with communal, yet personal encouragement.

In our current situation in the aftermath of September 11, I as a pastor sometimes fear what diversity of opinion and diversity of overwhelming anxiety might do to our congregational life. Every day I run smack into my own limits of energy and even insight. Where is the encouragement? Where is the consolation?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote in his doctoral dissertation: Christ exists as community. Therein lies the encouragement. Therein lies the consolation. We have each other, so we have Christ. We have Christ for us, so that we can be "little Christs" for one another. Tangible proof of encouragement and consolation is right at our finger tips.

Such thoughts sustain this weary pastor in the spiritual desert like manna from heaven!

Heavenly Father, sustain us to understand that we have Christ for us, so that we can be "little Christs" for one another. In your name we pray, Amen.

Contributed by Pastor Dan
Published Monday October 8, 2001
Week 46 of Liturgical Year C