There is a story about Mahatma Gandhi that took place back in the 1940’s. A young reporter traveled to Gandhi’s home with the hope of interviewing the Great Soul. He was surprised, however, when he was ushered into Gandhi’s presence to find this famous man sitting on the floor in essentially an empty room. Gandhi had his spinning wheel next to him. He had a walking stick, a pocket watch given to him by his father, his sandals, robe and glasses. That was it! Gandhi, seeing the look of surprise on the young man’s face asked his: Am I not what you expected? The young man replied: Well I was just shocked. Where is all your furniture, your dishes, your clothing? Where are all your things? Gandhi smiled and responded: Well I could ask you the same question. The young reporter quickly rejoined: Why would I travel with all those things? I’m just passing through. Gandhi nodded and replied: So am I. So am I.

            I thought of that story just the other evening. I was out for a motorcycle ride and enjoying some of the breathtaking scenes of an August evening in Wisconsin. The rolling fields of wheat and corn and soybeans all providing a beautiful overture to a perfect sunset. The evening was spectacular. Just by chance I stopped by New Life Church just down the road from us and was surprised to find that they had built a labyrinth on their church property.

Have you ever walked a labyrinth? The labyrinth is a prayer tool that began in medieval times. In their desire to draw closer to God, people often took pilgrimages to the Holy Land or other sacred sites. Some of these were thousands of miles from their homes. For many people, most people, this kind of journey was impossible, so they built labyrinths, often in the floors of their great cathedrals to symbolically represent their pilgrimage journey. New Life’s labyrinth is modeled after the labyrinth built into the floor of the Chartres Cathedral in France. The labyrinth is a large circle (75 ft. diameter) of winding paths. There is only one entrance and one exit. It is not a maze with tricks and dead ends; rather, it is an elegant and beautiful winding path that leads to a center point. The idea is that to walk the winding journey helps one focus inward and creates a spiritual stirring within. In walking the labyrinth you are reminded that we are on a journey to God – or better – we’re just passing through.

As I walked the labyrinth on that beautiful evening I spent some time praying for the people who have asked for my prayers; I prayed too in gratitude for my children and my wife; I remembered the people of Messiah Church as I took in the beauty of the sunset. As I ended my time in prayer however, I thought of that story of Gandhi and remembered that I’m just passing through. I wondered if I’m carrying too much baggage on my journey. There is the baggage of possessions to be sure. Like so many people, I sometimes long for a bigger house, a nicer car and the newest gadget. Is all the “stuff” I carry with me really necessary? I carry as well the baggage of worry about the future. I worry perhaps too much about things over which I have no control – the future for my children, or the health of the greater church, or my health and the health of those I love. Does any of this worry help me in living the fullness of this day or is it simply weighing me down on my journey? I know that I carry around memories of past mistakes and some regrets of things I failed to do. I sometimes dwell on old wounds and allow anger to get the best of me. There are moments when I’m too concerned with what others think of me and fail to make the difficult decision. Isn’t all of this unnecessary baggage that keeps me from growing and holds me back on my journey of faith? You see, all of us have unnecessary baggage that we carry and we often forget that we are just passing through.

Perhaps in the next few weeks you might find a moment or two to reflect on your own journey. You might even want to take a ride out to the labyrinth at New Life and take a reflective stroll (you don’t need to ask permission or check in at the church – just pull into the parking lot and look for the entrance to the prayer area). However you reflect, think about the extra baggage that might be weighing you down or holding you back. Remember the story of Gandhi. Remember the importance of each day. Remember that we’re all just passing through.

                                                                           You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

            This was the quotation that was going through the mind of David Roche as he prepared to give his first public speech. The quotation is from Eleanor Roosevelt and her words seemed to lift him each time he faced his fears. David was facing this time a giant of a fear. It has been said that the number one fear that people have is the fear of public speaking – of standing in front of an audience and drawing a blank, or looking silly, or worse, appearing ignorant – (by the way, as someone who stands in front of people each Sunday, this fear never really goes away!!!)

            Still David’s fear of public speaking was even beyond the normal range due to his disability. David Roche was born with a severe facial disfigurement. On the left side of his face is an extensive cavernous hemangioma, a benign tumor consisting of blood vessels. As an infant and child he underwent many facial surgeries and heavy radiation therapy, which left radiation burns on his temple and eyelids. While David is a bright and personable young man, whenever people first came into contact with him they would immediately be take aback by the ugliness of his condition. Often people would stop in their tracks and their faces would freeze. They would try to hide their amazement, but David learned to accept the stares of others and their whispered comments.

            David wanted to face his fear of public speaking and so he attended the Lee Glickstein Speaking Circle and volunteered to be the first one to stand at the podium. On this particular day the audience shifted uncomfortable as David stepped up the makeshift stage. David kept repeating to himself Roosevelt’s mantra: You must do the thing you think you cannot do. He stood before the crowd as dozens of people looked down at their hands to avoid his face. David simply stood there silently until in an awkward moment everyone finally met his eyes. Then he began his first speech.

            I was born with a face that is a gift from God! The crowd seemed perplexed as he continued. Perhaps my face is not the kind of gift that you rip open on Christmas morning and exclaim: ‘How exquisite! How did you know? How beautiful!’ No my face is more like ‘Oh you shouldn’t have! The audience couldn’t help but laugh at David’s self-deprecating humor. Then David turned serious and explained to them that he was able to master his fear by remembering that indeed his face was a gift – a gift from God. God gave me this face to remind you of what you already know, but sometime forget – that it’s OK to be flawed.

            I looked up David Roche’s website www.davidroche.com and saw a picture of his face and after reading his story I went to a mirror and looked at my own. I asked myself: Do I believe that I am a gift from God? Do I truly believe that God has given me to the world as an instrument of love and life? Do I really believe that it’s OK to be flawed and that God will use my flaws to do great things? These are the questions that Jesus confronts in our scriptures each week. He addresses the fears of the disciples that they are not smart enough; he addresses the fears of the lepers and the Samaritans and the poor that they are not clean enough; he addresses women and children and the marginal that they are not powerful enough. And always Jesus assures them that they are tremendous gifts from the Creator – that they ARE enough! Jesus allowed people to face their fears by reminding that they were enough and had enough and that it was OK to be flawed. And more, Jesus called them to trust in the God who would use them and their flaws as they were to bring about the Kingdom of God. David Roche has traveled the country inspiring people to see themselves the way God sees them. Like Jesus, he reminds us that we can face down any fear with God on our side; we can do great things with God on our side; and it it’s OK to be flawed because God is always and forever on our side.

The other night we took the kids to the Madison Mallards Baseball game. They were playing the Wisconsin Rapids Rattlers – the second of a three game series. We were the guests of Dunham Sports, thus Ben and Joey were each were able to invite a friend. The evening would include hotdogs, brats, burgers and soda in the Dunham Sport’s tent. Believe me, I’m aware of how much that same meal would have cost me at Miller Park!

            Anyway, on the way into the ball park, a young woman, an employee of the Madison Mallards, asked three of the boys if they would be interested in running in the fruit race at the bottom of the second inning. In the fruit race, three young children dress up as healthy snacks – an apple, an orange and a strawberry and race around the bases. So there I was in the stands watching my little Joey race toward first base dressed as a giant strawberry along with his friends Sean and Kyle Fahey. Melissa and Ben were down on the field urging them on and Rachel and I were up in the stands with thousands, literally thousands of screaming people. Even as I watched them run I thought: Why are all these people cheering? Certainly no one really cares who wins this race? Certainly they’re not cheering for a particular favorite fruit? There was such joy in the cheering, such effusive energy, and such pure abandonment. Why all the cheering? And as the race ended and the cheers died down, I looked around the ballpark and took in the scene.

It was a spectacular June evening and the stands were full. The smells of summer abounded – the grills were fired up, the beer and soda were flowing freely, the children were eating cotton candy and licorice ropes and popcorn; the home team was ahead, the flags were flying in a gentle summer breeze and the Duck Blind was rowdy as usual; there would be fireworks following the game, tee shirts were being tossed into the stands, and free custard was being given away. It was summer at its best! I smiled and thought to myself: They weren’t cheering for fruit…they weren’t cheering for a race…they were cheering for life! People were watching three young boys run around a baseball diamond dressed as fruit and cheering for life, the beauty of life, the gift of life!

            It was a wonderful evening, one that I will remember long. The Jewish people have a phrase for this experience – they say le-chaim – to life. I think that’s what we were feeling at the Mallard’s game last weekend. For a few hours on a beautiful Saturday evening we were reminded that in a world of flooding and destructive tornados we still say le-chaim – to life!  In a world where we are weary of fighting each other, tired of all the political dissension, and tired of the division we still say le-chaim – to life! In our personal lives that are filled with grief and stress, and health problems, and family issues we still cheer le-chaim – to life!

            This moment at a ballpark was I think a gospel moment. Jesus constantly urged his followers to drink deeply of those moments that gave them life – that allowed them to affirm life – that helped them to cheer le-chaim – to life! Jesus is often portrayed in the scriptures as lingering over a meal. It is recorded that he would steal away by himself to rest and be refreshed. Jesus allowed himself to be cared for by others. He would accept invitations to dinner, and have his feet anointed, and was the focus of attention at gatherings. He is pictured as a man who could enjoy the moment, and dwell in the beauty of life. Jesus was a man who had no problem cheering le-chaim – to life!

            So I suppose this July message is really more of a prayer for all of you. I pray that you will find those moments this summer to be refreshed and refilled. I pray that you will dwell leisurely in those times of family and friends. I pray that you will take time to feel the warmth of sunshine, or a cool breeze, or the sweet smell of flowers. This summer I pray that in the midst of a weary world you might find those moments of joy that you will remember long. And when you find them cheer for the beauty of life itself. Cheer for all you are worth: le-chaim – to life!