Dear Friends,

Our Legacy series continues this month, offering the opportunity to deal with some of the realities of life and death that have to do with our eternal nature being caught up with mortality. Jesus asks us to consider the importance of holding onto our mortality with the perspective of eternity when he says:

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:23ff).

It appears that “life” is one thing and our “soul” is another. Jesus seems to be saying that we need to give up our attachment to preserving our mortal life, and embrace the reality of death, in order to preserve our soul. Life and death is the nature of the body; the goal of our journey with Christ is the preservation of our soul. Our soul is eternally bound up with God, and cannot but love to do God’s will whatever the consequence. Our soul grows through deeply experiencing all that life offers. A flourishing soul knows how to carry its mortality lightly, not driven hither and thither by a fearful clinging to life over death. Another story emerging in the middle east some centuries after Jesus picks up the same theme:

The disciple of a Sufi of Baghdad was sitting in the corner of an inn one day when he heard two figures talking. From what they said he realized that one of them was the Angel of Death.

‘I have several calls to make in this city during the next three weeks,’ the Angel was saying to his companion.

Terrified, the disciple concealed himself until the two had left. Then, applying his intelligence to the problem of how to cheat a possible call from death, he decided that if he kept away from Baghdad he should not be touched. From this reasoning it was but a short step to hiring the fastest horse available and spurring it night and day towards the distant land of Samarkand.

Meanwhile Death met the disciple’s Sufi teacher and they talked about various people. ‘And where is your disciple so-and-so?’ asked Death.

‘He should be somewhere in this city, spending his time in contemplation, perhaps in an inn,’ said the teacher.

‘Surprising,’ said the Angel; ‘because he is on my list. Yes, here it is: I have to collect him in four weeks’ time at Samarkand, of all places.’   (“When Death came to Baghdad” an eighth century tale recounted by Indries Shah in Tales of the Dervishes).

It is interesting to note that Death and the Sufi teacher were on good speaking terms. You and I can be as well, for in Christ, death is not something to be terrified of but a chance for us to have another experience of life changed but not ended. May the resources offered through the legacy program help us all to pick up our cross, embrace our mortality, and serve Christ with boldness and peace.

Love.
David+
W. David Dobbins+, Interim Rector