faith in the midst of storms

Like a lot of Sunday's I didn't write out my entire sermon word for word, but I was inspired by a visit to the Museum of the African Diaspora yesterday where I heard a recording of Howard Thurman. Thurman told a story about a young man who was sent out to collect sticks in order to build a fire, and how on a clear, sunny, and calm weather day he discovered there were few to be found, but after a storm, when the wind blew and rain had fallen hard there always seemed to be plenty of kindling for the fire. This metaphor seemed to sync well with today's gospel in which Jesus warns the disciples that following him doesn't mean an escape from struggle, suffering, and the storms of life --- but that endurance, perseverance, faithfulness in the face of all kinds of challenges is how we discover what life is really all about. The storms we face reveal what's dead in our life, and what is truly life giving. The wind and rain, the struggle helps us discover those things that endure. Thank you Howard Thurman, thank you Saint Cyprian's, thank you life for your many lessons.