St. Margaret's Episcopal Church - from the Rector's Desk

With their telescopes, other scientists reach ever farther in the opposite direction, into the limitless span of unknown space. Here, too, each new discovery hints of more and more still beyond reach. Yet each of these mighty bodies of outer space seems to be no more than an awesomely large aggregate of the miniscule particles that the microscope reveals. And, as with the microscope, there is always evidence that a Plan governs the formation and movement of these mighty bodies.

Some of the workings of this great Plan are within the comprehension of mortal men. We know that others exist, but how or why we do not know, and we accept them on faith. Surely, there may be other mysteries beyond even our imagination. These too, must be accepted on faith.

Thus, when I watch two little seeds fall to the ground, side by side, I know that one seed will grow into a mighty tree, while the other will become a tuft of grass. I also know that they will grow only because the world rotates and encircles the sun to create the seasons.

I know there are countless forms of life in the oceans. I know that the moon follows a precise course around the earth, that the oceans of the earth respond with ebbing and flowing of tides, and that the life forms of the oceans depend for their very existence upon the certainty of those tides.

The mystery of life in each little seed, and in each bit of marine life is a marvel of creation in itself. Their dependence for continued existence upon the ponderous movements of celestial bodies is cause for even greater wonder.

Confronted with such evidence, it became increasingly difficult for me to doubt the existence of the Plan that operates far beyond the limits of our comprehension. The question then arose, are there not better terms to signify this Plan - Natural Law, for example, or Guiding Force, or Greater Being, or Creator -- or God? There must be this God, if you will, whose genesis and power are far beyond the ability of mortal men to comprehend.

It has taken a long time to transform doubt into faith, and even longer to an acceptance of the possibility that the Bible may be the word of God. And that Christ may be His Son, in a special sense. "In the beginning God created ...."

Which means that God (as I now consider the plan to be) existed before the "beginning" and even before the creation of any form of matter. So time, as we understand it, becomes meaningless in such considerations. And a God if such magnitude requires some interpretaion before He can enter the hearts of men.

To me, it seems conceivable that such a God could bestow special inspiration upon those who gave us the Bible, so that they might interpret Him in a manner that others can understand.

It also seems conceivable to me, now, that this God could have bestowed upon one man a kinship with Himself much closer than that of any other inhabitants of this earth, -- a man whose teachings and example would be a further revelation, giving further weight to the evidence in the Bible. Christ the son of God, to be revered and cherished by us, the children of God.

Surely, the frailties of mankind are only too evident. Faith that there is a superior, sentient being to guide us, who is interpreted to us through the Bible and Christ, points the way, for me, to sanity and faith in the future.

And what of this future? Is this life the be-all and end-all of our existence? But my faith leads to the hope that man's spirit is immortal. The body dies, and returns to the dust. But the spirit lives on. It is not within me to visualize that form this continuing life of the spirit may assume. But I have faith that it is a natural sequence to our lives on earth and, therefore, that it includes some wonderful form of reunion with those we have known on earth.

My thoughts do not dwell upon this question of life for the spirit after death. The faith that there may be such a life is sufficient for the moment.

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My faith provides room for each individual to place his own interpretation upon the word "Creator." There is room for many creeds and beliefs or uncertainties, to meet each indvidual's need for doubt, faith, and conviction.

Cold logic can destroy my reasoning. But it is logic that is limited by man's imperfect and limited knowledge. Is such logic qualified, therefore, to pass judgement on matters that are so far beyond man's knowledge or ability to comprehend? Is such logic qualified to say, "These beliefs or these creeds are right -- these are wrong?"

GSK, revised December, 1975