Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Musings at St. Andrew's
Rev. Wendy Paterson | Pastoral Care Coordinator

John 10:10: I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

This is one of my favourite verses in the Bible. Here Jesus is telling his listeners that unlike the thieves that attack and kill the sheep, he is the Good Shepherd who has come to give us life, abundant life.

Before you read any further, stop and ask yourself what ABUNDANT LIFE means to you. How might you define that term for someone who is hearing it for the first time?

If you came up with a definition that feels right for you, please consider sending it to me and I'll include it in my next Musings for others to think about.

The dictionary definition includes words like 'plentiful' or 'existing in large quantities.' So that could mean good or bad things. “There was an abundance of mosquitoes when we went camping!” (Yuck!) Or “At the church pot-luck supper, delicious food was in abundance.” (Yum!) I think when Jesus spoke those words, they had a positive connotation. The abundant life he was promising was something to be treasured and appreciated.

Today, I'd like us to think about abundant life in a spiritual sense. So I'm not talking about how many wonderful vacations we have had, the amount of material goods we have managed to acquire or even how many friends we have on Facebook. In a spiritual sense, the abundant life is not always about happiness and pleasure. Hopefully it will include much joy, but there can also be sorrow, struggle, and even pain. Some of those things are not what we would choose, but they can certainly add depth and meaning to our abundant life.

At the end of the summer last year, Scott and I went to Gatineau for a Celebration of Life for a cousin of mine who died of cancer at age 61. Her husband was devastated by the loss and her children and siblings were incredibly sad. The many grandchildren who were the joy of my cousin's life were also part of the 'celebration.' There was an abundance of tears. But the tributes paid to her were rich and beautiful. The people who spoke, told about a woman who lived her life to the full, sharing kindness and love in her workplace, her community and her family. They spoke about her quiet wisdom and the joy she brought to so many. Of course, those who were close to her continue to grieve. But I left that day feeling blessed and enriched that we had been there. The Spirit of God was certainly there as well. There was also a feeling of peace and gratitude as we remembered a woman who had generously given so much of herself. For me, being in the presence of so much love and support, even in the midst of deep sadness was definitely an experience of the abundant life that God offers to us.

This week, when you are thinking about what the abundant life means to you, I expect many of you will also recall times and experiences that were not at all fun, but that enriched your life and maybe even drew you closer to God. Take a moment to be thankful.

In my next Musings, I am considering exploring what the ABUNDANT LIFE might mean in terms of the church. You might want to think about that too.

Spring blessings to all,

Wendy Paterson
Pastoral Care Coordinator