From The Desk of Deacon Judy

Lord George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury (1991-2002)

A few days ago, Father Rob’s reflection on the daily Lenten Meditation referenced wisdom from the Archbishop of Canterbury who visited his seminary in Sewanee. Archbishop George Carey advised the seminarians:

"Don't take yourself too seriously. Take God seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously."

Father Rob’s reflection spurred me to muse on my encounters with Archbishop Carey.

In the 1990’s I was one of the leaders of a youth Celtic pilgrimage to England and Scotland. Our Associate Rector and fellow leader was English and of Scottish heritage and knew clergy in the Church of England. One of his good friends was chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury so we pilgrims were welcomed to Lambeth Palace. We gathered in the Crypt Chapel for our worship and were expecting a visit from Archbishop Carey. The chaplain then apologized profusely and said that the Archbishop had a dentist appointment and couldn’t be with us. We did receive Canterbury crosses that the Archbishop had blessed.

Years later, I attended a forum at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham where Archbishop Carey was the featured speaker. During the reception time, I recounted our pilgrim’s experience at Lambeth and how we were so disappointed that a dentist visit prevented him from meeting with us. He smiled, taking himself not too seriously, but then wrote a personal message in his book, The Gate of Glory, where he takes God and the Gospel very seriously, noting the centrality of the Cross for our Christian faith.

This Sunday is the last Sunday in Lent where Jesus prepares us for what’s next.

We will soon be walking the Way of the Cross with Jesus during Holy Week.

May we always remember that taking up the cross of Jesus is truly walking the Way of Love.

O Lord, you who let your body be taken, broken, and given away for the life of the world, take our own bodies, we pray, broken by sickness, sorrow, shame, or age, and bless them so that they might become agents of your healing in our broken world this day. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our bruised and battered Savior. Amen. (Prayers for the Pilgrimage, For Good Friday, p. 62)

Blessings, Judy Q+