Dear Friends,
My sabbatical started with a pilgrimage. My wife Mary and I joined a group from Redeemer, Bloor St. on the St. Cuthbert Way. Cuthbert lived and moved and had his being in a region of Northumbria, along the borderland between Scotland and England. The trek began at the Abbey of Melrose, where his vocation was planted, and it ended on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, where he served at the monastery. The 100 km trail was broken up into mostly manageable pieces over a six-day stretch.
I have to say, the pilgrimage was a perfect way to begin a sabbath leave. No time to worry about what was left behind, work unfinished. No time to fret about what’s to come, work yet to start. Only time enough to put one foot in front of the other, stretching muscles that haven’t been stretched in a while, if ever. Only concentration enough to watch the path to avoid trip hazards, roots, rocks, gorse and heather. Only energy enough to navigate narrow passages and slippery surfaces, and to watch the beautiful landscape as we walked on. Armed with two walking sticks and a broken-in pair of hiking boots, sporting woolen socks and feet coated with foot glide to avoid blisters (thank you for the tip, Bishop Riscylla) – away we went. We were pilgrims encouraging fellow travellers along the way. We had time to think, to pray, to be silent, to reflect and to empty out. It was a perfect way to begin.
The balance of my leave was spent reading, travelling, renovating, chopping wood, visiting family and friends, completing a course, sitting on a beach, enjoying a gin and tonic or two, watching sunsets, going for long walks with Mary and just resting.
Being at rest. When you rest, you let go.
Rest is critical to our Christian life. The book of Genesis reminds us that rest is holy. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:2-4)
Rest punctuates a musical score. Rest carries us from evening to morning. Rest stands between Friday and Sunday. Rest rejuvenates the soul, gives us perspective, sows gratitude and awakens in us the desire to serve where there is unrest. And there is plenty of unrest south of the border, in the land of the Holy One, in Ukraine and now Poland. We know the growing restlessness in our own communities, too – the rise in incidence of racism, the growing intolerance for difference, the despair of poverty, the challenge of finding affordable housing, and on and on.
As pilgrims, followers of Jesus, we are called to disarm with love, step in with compassion, navigate with mercy and encourage with hope.
It’s good to be back.
Yours in Christ,
The Right Reverend Andrew Asbil
Bishop of Toronto
P.S. We hope you will join us for the Season of Spiritual Renewal’s Lift Up Our Hearts service at St. James, Orillia on Sept. 27 at 2 p.m. All are welcome.
