Homecoming

One of my Lenten observances is following the Signs of Life from the Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE) https://www.ssje.org/.  They are, “a community of men giving our whole selves over to living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”  The have a special ministry which shares that life through social media. One aspect of the Signs of Life during Lent is a weekly video which focus on different parts of those signs, Light, Water, Food, Shelter and Community.  On Sunday I engaged with the video on Shelter which explored the concept of home and being at home.

In the course of the video a number of things resonated with me.  There was the idea of coming home when you arrive at a place you haven’t been before and discover you have come home.  I had this experience when I first worshiped at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church in London, Ontario.  I was not an Anglican and had limited experience or exposure to Anglican worship up to that point.  There was, for me, and experience of coming home and being in the place where I belonged.  I don’t believe I had ever had that experience previously.  I have had it at different times since then but that first experience of homecoming has stayed with me and I know that I have found my religious home in the Anglican Church. 

Another aspect of the video which resonated with me was the idea of seeking and finding your home on the journey in life.  Home, in this sense, is not a place but a state of being.  It seems somewhat contradictory to say that you can be at home wherever you are on your journey in life.  However, if you have found your home in and with God or your higher power, it does not matter where you are on that journey you are home.  There are numerous concepts for this such as sheltering under the wings of God or being in the palm of God’s hand or being carried by Jesus in times of trouble.  The relationship that you establish and seek to maintain and deepen with your higher power is what can sustain you in times of challenge and trouble.

Finally, during my participation in the video I was blessed to hear in my inner ear that wonderful spiritual Going Home in which combined wonderful lyrics by William Arms Fisher with beautiful music by Anton Dvorak.  It is one of those times when music and lyrics are a natural fit and were perhaps inspired by a higher power.  There are many wonderful versions of this spiritual performed by great singers.  However, my favourite is the performance by Paul Robson which moves me to tears whenever I hear it  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9smSP1dq-A.

I believe that we naturally have a longing to find our home.  This can take many forms and happen at different times in our lives.   One of the best expressions of that journey is by T. S. Eliot:

“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

Blessings on your journey