March 2007

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
-- Paul to the Philippians

Dear Members and Friends,

Perspective is one of the most important pieces of equipment we have in pursuing the Christian faith. To see things from a wider view, historically and theologically, is crucial if we are to live life fully and happily in the here and now.

So much of our current media has become very callous and cynical. Whether commuting to work in the car or simply savoring a last cup of coffee, it is difficult to tune in a station on the radio without being encountered by the kind of biting commentary and attempted humor that almost always has a hard edge. It is a fashionable approach that attempts to lift the listener up by bringing someone or something else down.

Thus, the patina emplaced over the start of our day is one tinged with a hue of negativity and sarcasm that tends to sap the joy from our pursuits. It is a gloss that pretends to reveal the underlying reality beneath the world in which we live. But it is a lie most palatable to those who may not have the opportunity to encounter the kind of people who regularly frequent our church.

Just recently, we had a solid gathering of highly successful individuals sumptuously feasting on a delectable meal in Fellowship Hall. This gastronomic extravaganza was then followed by a simple auction of worldly goods brought to benefit the Branford Football Association.

What struck me, even more than the donations made and the amount raised, was the laughter and the unrestrained delight that attended this occasion. Gathered in the room were some of the most successful souls you could ever meet anywhere. Nearly all were members of our church, yet just as revealing is the fact that bidding on every item were not a bunch of naïve individuals with nothing better to do, but some of the most productive citizens a community could ever hope for.

Though it resulted from a great deal of hard work, the evening was an uncomplicated one. It was also a most exhilarating and encouraging one as well, completely devoid of the cynical cancer that has invaded so many aspects of our culture. People at the pinnacle of what the modern world has to offer were actively engaged at the edge of their seats, over items that often went for just a few dollars! No intrigue, no innuendo, no suspicion, no dark suggestion. Just good, clean fun. Indeed, the cause was worthy, but the experience was nearly an end in itself.

As we take our first steps into the season of Lent, it is important to stop and consider what kinds of thoughts and emotions typically occupy our minds. With the Cross looming up ahead on the liturgical horizon, it would be easy to think negatively on the prospects that appear to dot our collective human landscape. Yet it is this very time in the cyclical celebration of the Divine Story where it becomes manifest that out of tremendous evil, God brings eternally Good News.

Being positive then, about life and one another, is not a Pollyannaish delusion, but a prophetic witness. It becomes a daily activity of praise to our Lord, not in denial of struggle, but in recognition of the heavenly salvation that no earthly turmoil shall ever take away.

Godspeed,

From Reverend William J. Keane, Senior Minister of First Baptist Church of Branford