A Beautiful Day
On Sunday, our minister began his weekly sermon by welcoming everyone, launching into a gentle rendition of "It's a Beautiful Day," the theme song from “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Faithfully changing into a red cardigan and running shoes, he playfully tossed a shoe from one hand to another in homage to the ritual Fred Rogers performed for the camera 895 times. Off with uncomfortable artifice, on with friendly authenticity. By the end of his performance, we were all singing along. “Please won’t you be my neighbor?” Again and again over 31 seasons, Mr. Rogers invited us to share acts of kindness.
The “what goes around comes around” principle dictates that it’s best to behave well toward others out of self-interest – we might need someone to reciprocate one day. But Sunday’s sermon relied on a biblical perspective. We’re kind to others because of the kindness that has been shown toward us by Christ. Because the Holy Spirit inspires us to look not only to our own needs, but to the needs of others. Because our redeemed nature demands it. Essayist Garrison Keillor recalled the inscription on the Latin teacher’s classroom wall: "Aspera ad astra." Reach for the stars. Be better than you have to be. Be unreasonably good.
James Russell Lowell’s 1848 poem “A Vision of Sir Launfal,” tells the story of a knight, far from home, searching for the Holy Grail. He stops to share his meager supply of food and drink with a beggar – only to discover the beggar to be Christ himself. The Savior responds that the value of an act of giving far exceeds the value of the gift itself -- it is imbued with additional value because it flows from the heart that is a reflection of who we are in him.
“The Holy Supper is kept, indeed,
In what we share with another's need,
Not that which we give, but what we share,
For the gift without the giver is bare;
Who bestows himself with his alms feeds three —
Himself, his hungering neighbor, and Me.”
On a recent shopping trip, a young, slightly awkward woman in front of me paid for her goods with cash, then turned, motioning for me to hold out my hand. She deliberately placed first a quarter, then a nickel in my open palm, smiled with delight, and said, “I have enough to share. Have a beautiful day.”
May we go and do likewise.
-Patti Summers