The news has been full of random awful shootings – at schools, in churches, in so many places. I just received a text from a teacher asking for prayers as there is a shooting threat near her school. It’s the last day of school, and the children have all been called inside from the playground to remain in their locked classrooms. It has reminded me of a foundational lesson the Lord taught me many years ago, about finding our safety in Christ.
It began with the news of an airplane crash in Bosnia that had claimed the lives of US government officials and service people who were on an economic aid mission to help the people of the war-torn country. Among those in the crash was my cousin Charlie, and it was in the course of responding to this tragedy that the concept of safety began to unfold in a different light for me.
Searching for words to write just the right thing in condolence to our cousins, my mother called me looking for an adjective to describe faith. She wanted to share with her nieces and nephews the depth and quality of faith that had sustained our family through its moments of tragedy. Looking for the right words to express the kind of faith she knew in her heart, we tossed a few adjectives around, but didn’t arrive at the one she wanted, so we agreed to keep thinking about it and re-connect later.
After an hour, the phone rang, and mom, with a note of satisfaction in her voice, related that she had found the adjective she had been searching for – it was “secure!” “Secure faith” was just what she wanted to express!
It brought joy to my heart too, as I recognized God’s confirmation of this word with a game we had been playing with the kids. We had been putting Bible quotes on a chalkboard, and the one for that very morning was from Ps 16:5 – “Lord, You have made my destiny secure!” “Secure!” What a great word to describe faith! I had picked the quote because of the thought of “destiny,” thinking about Charlie and his journey into eternity. Another affirmation appeared that evening when we attended a Christian musical that included the phrase “our faith secure.”
When I came home from the musical that night, I pulled out the dictionary and looked up our adjective,”secure,” and these are the definitions listed: 1) free from fear, care, doubt, or anxiety; not worried, troubled or apprehensive. 2) free from danger; not exposed to damage, atttack, etc; safe. 3) in safekeeping or custody. 4) not likely to fail or give way; firm; strong; stable. 5) sure; certain to be relied upon. What a great word! And to couple that with “faith” made it a real powerhouse!
The word “secure” came to my mind often through the next few weeks, and especially coupled with the word “safe.” They really spoke to me of the assurance of God’s presence and care. It was after another tragedy that this sequence moved to a deeper level for me.
A young boy in our community had been hit by a train and lost both his legs. He was a member of our parish, and our whole small community was rocked by the tragedy and responded with messages of support and aid. At the closing liturgy for our Catholic grade school, Fr Len prayed for safety for all our kids this summer, as the train accident was on his mind as on everyone else’s, and we prayed that no more tragedies would occur during the summer vacation.
Less than a week after the close of school, another family suffered a deep loss. An eighth grade boy drowned in the rain swollen waters of the Wolf River. At his funeral liturgy, Fr Len expressed our collective grief, and his own personal feelings of loss at the death of a boy he know well. He spoke of how fragile life is, and how greatly we need to cherish it, his words echoing in everyone’s hearts. He also spoke of the boy’s faith; it was a real faith, and Fr Len expressed his assurance that Brett was with Christ.
What had happened to our prayers for safety? How could another tragedy come so soon, especially after our hearts had been so lifted to the Lord for our children? The connection with the secure faith my mother had been describing and the definition that included safety came to my mind more and more. For me the transition to safety in Christ became evident. Surely there is not and cannot be any true measure of physical safety in this fragile world we live in. The only true safety is in the assurance of faith Christ – in having our being entrusted to His Heart and abiding in Him. My humanity longs for the tangible physical well-being of those I love, yet my spirit knows their actual wholeness rests in Christ. Only when we have given our hearts to Him, and trust in His mercy, will we really be safe! Our lives on this earth are so short, and so very fragile. A single instant transforms vibrant health to death! How can we possible live in security unless we are grounded in Christ? The words of St Paul echo in my thoughts, “neither death, nor life, nor angels, not principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39).
Thank You Lord, for Your gift of secure faith! Grant me the grace of perseverance to believe and trust in You, for You alone are the sure foundation. In the storms of life, may I always be reminded of Your love and protection which will remain with me into eternity.
Spiritual Sun Pennies 