“To each person is given the expression of the Holy Spirit for the common good.” – 1 Corinthians 12:7
Dear People of St. David’s,
I pray that you and yours are safe and well and warm on these very cold January days. Winter is not always my favorite season of the year, but as the sun starts to come back and the days grow longer, I gain a sense of hope and promise for what is to come.
In this new calendar year and in the midst of this ongoing pandemic, I’ve been thinking about the quality of my life and yours. It’s not that I’m trying to come up with New Year’s resolutions several weeks late, but more of a sense of how I want to go through my days, moment to moment. Maybe it’s more of having a certain attitude about life in general and how that colors the way I act with people specifically.
You all know how important I think it is to have an attitude of gratitude about each day and all the gifts that come to us in this life. I’ve also been thinking about how important it is to be a blessing to others. By that I mean, I’ve been thinking about how many people in my life have given me the gift of themselves, from a quick smile to something more profound, and the powerful impact that has had on me and my life. All of us have people in our lives who bless us and that’s who I want to be. That’s who I want all of us to be – a blessing.
When St. Paul is writing about all the gifts that come to us through the power of the Holy Spirit, he reminds us that these gifts come with a purpose. They are given to every one of us in different forms and at different times for the common good. They are given so that we all experience the goodness of God and the goodness of life. They are given to us as gifts that God expects us to share with others.
So as we look at our lives and sense the gifts of God that are present with us, who in your life needs a blessing? Who needs a smile from you? Who needs a word of encouragement? Who needs a phone call or a quick text? Who needs the gift of your time? Who needs to share the unique gifts that God has given each of us to encourage them and build them up?
I’m guessing it’s a pretty long list and, with the Holy Spirit’s encouragement and power, we ought to get started. There is no limit on the blessings you and I have to share with others so let us not skimp. Instead, let’s be a blessing.
Grace and Peace,
The Rev. W. Frank Allen
Rector