As we gather, we recognize that we live, work, pray, and play
in the traditional, unceded lands
of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves
to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.     

Call to Worship:

I wait for the Lord;
in his word is
my hope.

Psalm 130.4

O Come. Let Us Worship. 

Gathering

Almighty God,
to you all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden.
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the
inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

Collect for Today 

Almighty God, 
you sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church. Open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love, joy, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirt, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:

John 6.24-35

Sermon:  The Ven.  Brian Evans

May the words that I share with you today be words that are given to the Glory of God and in thanksgiving of God’s blessing in our lives.

"Contemplating Eternal Life"

This summer, I challenged myself to read two books. The first book The Wealth Money Can't Buy: The 8 Hidden Habits to Live Your Richest Life by Robin Sharma. It has been many years since I challenged myself to read a book of over 400 pages.

One reviewer writes: ‘The Wealth Money Can’t Buy will hardwire one in a completely new way of measuring wealth. We inhabit a world where the common idea of success requires you to hustle and grind, to sacrifice your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health, and to miss out on the finest times with those you love to scale a mountaintop of financial fortune, fame, and material possessions.’

The second is actually a re-read: Tuesdays with Morrie, a memoir by Mitch Albom that chronicles his conversations with his former college sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz. The book is centered around the life lessons that Morrie imparts to Mitch during their weekly Tuesday meetings, as Morrie faces the terminal stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) ¹².

The narrative explores themes such as the meaning of life, love, work, and death, offering profound insights and reflections on these universal topics ²³. One quote from the book, where Morrie quotes W. H. Audin: “We must love one another or perish.”

Think about that for a moment…”We must love one another or perish.”

With this week’s Gospel we continue in John sharing with us the message of Jesus about eternal life. Last week in the parish we celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism. One of the characteristics of the liturgy in the BAS is an emphasis on the sacrament of new birth.

The picture of the two Adirondack chairs on the front of our bulletin today reminds us what it is to think about life—to look out into the world and consider life—

on the front of our bulletin today with the caption “Contemplating Jesus” is just that.

Summer is a great time to step back and contemplate Jesus and the meaning of life.

Robin Sharma’s book is about contemplating life. Sharma challenges all the superficial things in life bringing that which is more thoughtful and philosophical into focus. In similar fashion, Mitch Albom steps back from the everyday concerns of attaining more, working harder, to look at life through the lens of his old professor who is facing death. With each new page we discover more fully a meaning for life.

Last Sunday, we were all asked if we would assist in raising and supporting the newly baptized. Of course, we all responded, 'Yes.'

Paul in his letter to the Ephesians today speaks to us directly about what Christian community is about.

Paul would say it is life without anger, except in verse 26 he says, ‘allows some anger, just not the sin which goes along with it’. This is so typical Paul.

If we re-read our text, we note just as Paul advises the community to put away falsehood, he says ‘let each of you speak the truth of your neighbour, for we are members of one another.’

Sort of goes back to that idea of if we don’t love each other, we perish…

Then Paul writes:

“Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.”

Then he continues,

"Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."         

These words of Paul, give us a look at what eternal life is all about.         

It is not about kindness, having a tender heart--it is all those things.

To read deeper into the meaning of the words of Paul is to be imitators of Christ as beloved children. One admonition from Christ and Paul is about living life worthy of Christ.

Although Sharma and Albom may not use those words, their advice is very similar.

Back to, ‘Contemplating Eternal Life.’

We live in a world of tuning on to the AI World our lives are filled with hunger, thirst, armed conflicts, climate disasters. The list goes on.

At the same time people do think about this topic of eternal life? This makes the question even more challenging: What is eternal life to the world?

Few people today go through life with only one vocation.

When I was graduating from high school it was a time when you could choose a career path and believe you would do this for the rest of your life. Except sometimes this “path” turned out not to be your “path.”

For myself, after a number of pensionable years in municipal administration you might say I made a complete U-turn in my path in life. Entering the academic world of theological education was one of the most threatening moments in my life.

Seminary was challenging, hard and it was life-changing. At one moment the challenge was so overwhelming I found myself facing with an anxiety attack.

For others, it might be the field of agriculture—living in that realm, believing it is what life is to be—it might be fishing, or it might be forestry, or it might be nursing, or it might be medicine—endless amount of topics—I have an image of looking out across a prairie landscape, in the day before tractor cabs, listening to a young farmer singing his heart out while turning the soil on the land. It’s an image of happiness, of peace, of glory, and excitement.

It’s an image about real life. It’s an image for us all to think about.

We all have our eternal life here and now; except often, we don’t see it that way.

What Jesus is telling us today, I believe, as we encounter life in him--he is offering us here and now to have eternal life and have it abundantly. The good news is, here and now Jesus offers us new life—new life here on earth and in eternity. By Jesus’ death and resurrection, we will be raised up in eternity at the last day.

As much as we want to know what that day is and what that day will look like, is not ours to know today.

We are all invited to share our faith journey and to share what it is which gives us eternal life today. Most often, it is living in the particular calling which we may or may not be doing to earn a living.

To quote Morrie Schwartz:

“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”

The place where every tear will be wiped away.

Contemplating Eternal Life.

Amen.

Let Us Pray

Calling on the spirit of Wisdom to guide our hearts and our minds, let us pray for the church, the world, and all in need.  

Reignite the prayer of the church. By your Spirit root your church around the globe in prayer and spiritual practices. 
Merciful God, receive our prayer. 

We rely on the goodness of your creation in everything we pray for the trees that offer shade and for our fellow creatures that depend on trees for shelter and food. Sustain the work of all who advocate for forests and wilderness areas. 
Merciful God, receive our prayer. 

Guide our leaders and nations with a spirit of justice and mercy. Let no evil come out of our mouths, but rather let us extend grace. We pray for our enemies. 
Merciful God, receive our prayer. 

Sustain feeding ministries and organizations such as the Cowichan Food Basket Society, Hiiye’yu Lelum House of Friendship, Meals on the Ground, Nourish Cowichan, Salvation Army Family Services; we pray for a day when hunger is no more. 
Merciful God, receive our prayer. 

We pray for this congregation and for all who are gathered. Be present among anyone who cannot be with us today. Be with all who are hurting, grieving or ill. We especially lift up to you: Gail; Sue; John; Lillian; Sheila and those on our hearts, naming them aloud, or in the silence of our hearts. 
Merciful God, receive our prayer. 

We remember the saints particularly John the Baptist  who have gone before us in faith. Trusting in the promise of the resurrection, we find hope in your communion of saints of all times and all places. 
Merciful God, receive our prayer. 

We lift up these prayers to you, gracious God. Receive them into your holy keeping.  AMEN.

As our Saviour taught us:
Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
And lead us  not into temptation,
but deliver us fom evil.  
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory,
forever and ever.  Amen.

The Blessing: 

The peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and
love of God, and of his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you, and remain with you, always.  Amen.

As we go into the world this week, may our Christian witness be a place of unity and peace; may it be a reflection of the true sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Let us rejoice in the Lord. Alleluia!