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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-07-11, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2019. By Charmila Ireland Melville Presbyterian Church, Brussels Praise the Lord! Sometimes I wish that I belonged to some sort of Pentecostal or Southern Baptist Church, one where people shout out their praise; where it’s normal to stand and shout “Hallelujah!” in the middle of the sermon. Yet, that sort of outward, exuberant expression of love and praise seem to me to be the epitome of Jesus-love. It seems that members of those congregations are so full of their love, of the Holy Spirit, that they can’t help but let it out. As someone who preaches, I admit, I’d probably find it disconcerting the first few times. But the external validation, the audible indication that I’m saying something that resonates, would be pretty great. Sadly, it’s not really the Presbyterian thing to do. I think that’s too bad. There’s something profound and moving in that sort of enthusiastic, grandiose, verbose love. C.S. Lewis said it best when he wrote, “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.” Consider: does the expression of praise complete the enjoyment for you? Well, in Luke (17:11-19) we have an example of nine people who didn’t seem to think this. While Jesus was traveling, 10 lepers called to him from a distance, asking that Jesus have mercy on them. “When he saw them, he told them, ‘Show yourselves to the priests.’ As they went, they were made clean. When one of them saw that he was healed, he turned back and praised God in a loud voice. He quickly bowed at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. Jesus asked, ‘Weren’t 10 men made clean? Where are the other nine? Only this foreigner came back to praise God.’” Jesus healed 10 men from an awful disease, which had made them into social outcasts, and how did they react? Only one returned to give thanks and praise! We all like to think that we’d be the one in 10 who would go back to say thank you, but would we really? What reason could those other nine have had for carrying on without so much as a thank you? I’m just hypothesizing here, but perhaps: one waited to see if the cure was real. How could this have happened? What if it came back tomorrow? How could he be sure that this wasn’t some sort of trick? Who on earth had the power to do what Jesus had? No one! So it probably wasn’t real. The second thought might have been that there must be a catch. This man probably just wanted his money! When I was in Italy years ago, my tour director warned us not to let someone tie a bracelet onto our wrist, not to pose with any of the fake gladiators near the coliseum, and not to accept flowers from someone. Why not? Because each person would then expect money. It was not kindness that compelled them, but profit. Such is life. When someone does something kind for us, we expect a catch. Was the leper so wrong to be suspicious? The third thought would maybe have been that he would see Jesus later. He could say thank you when Jesus came through again. How easy is it to put off sending a thank you note, fully intending to send one later? But “later” never seems to be the right time, and the thank you is never said. I have to admit, I still haven’t finished sending out thank you notes for wedding gifts – which was nine months ago! Don’t be the third leper, procrastinating on your thank yous until it’s too late. The fourth one decided that he had never had leprosy. If he hadn’t actually had it, Jesus couldn’t have healed it, and God deserves no praise. This is the person who denies that they needed help in the first place. They’re too stubborn to admit that they need help. The fifth said that he would have gotten well anyway. He was already getting better. Jesus was the placebo effect. The sixth gave the glory to the priests. They are the ones who did the real work! This is the pastor that brags about all the souls that he has saved, never acknowledging that everything they do is only possible through God. The seventh said, “O, well, Jesus didn’t really do anything. It was my walking that cured me.” This is when we accomplish something difficult and only think about how much hard work we did. How much sweat we put into it. We are the ones who worked hard. We are the ones who deserve the praise. No one else helped. Our pride tells us this all the time. The eighth said that any rabbi could have done it. Minimizing the role God plays in our lives is pretty common. This is like the person who refuses to thank his friend for coming to tow his car out of the ditch, because a tow truck could have done the same thing. The final leper was maybe embarrassed. Yes, it seems silly, but he was embarrassed that he had to ask for help. He didn’t want to see Jesus again. What if Jesus mocked him for his need? He just wanted to get on with his life, leaving that awful time behind. You might have recognized yourself in some of these lepers. It is so easy to be swayed by pride, to refuse to admit that you needed help; so easy to deny, deny, deny or to be an island, self-sufficient. But, the reality is that whether you want to admit it or not, God does love you. God works in your life, and is deserving of our praise and thanks. Be the one; the only leper who came back. How can you ensure that you’re THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph’s Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. huronchapel.com huronchapelkids.com huronchapelyouth.com 519-526-1131 ~ 119 John’s Ave., Auburn July 17-20 “180 CAMP” for Gr.7-12 - info & register at huronchapelyouth.com Evangelical Missionary Church 10:30 a.m. Worship Pastor Phil Delsaut - “Can You See the Miracles?” (Mt. 11:1-6) Sunday July 14 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, JULY 14 Nursery care available 519-887-6687 Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ~ Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville’s basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Worship & Sunday School - 9:30 am Coffee & Snacks following the service We invite you to join our church family in: The Regional Ministry of Hope BLYTH BRUSSELS Trinity St. John’s 9:15 am 11:15 am COME WORSHIP WITH US! Rev. JoAnn Todd, Rector 519-357-7781 email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca The­Regional­Ministry­of­ Hope St. Paul’s Trinity WINGHAM 11:15 am These Anglican Churches Welcome You BRUSSELS United Church July is our summer break Your chance to worship with other congregations including Melville Presbyterian at 9:30 am B.U.C. services resume August 4 at 11:00 am OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday ~ 9:30 am - 2:00 pm blythunited@tcc.on.ca No services during the month of July Accessible Blyth United Church Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, July 14 at 10:30 a.m. 650 Alexander St. (former Brussels Public School) Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. Summer evening service 6:00 p.m. at various homes. For additional details please contact Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship From the Minister’s Study Don’t be afraid to express praise: Ireland Continued on page 17