The Parable of the Good Dishes

Parables are awesome... ok maybe I should explain that... I find that often parables have 2 meaning, or two lessons to share. They are told in story mode so that it is easier to remember. And parables in a way are 'truer' than some other forms of story telling, but that is because a parable doesnt even try to claim historical authenticity, for it is meant to be timeless, a timeless lesson, one that is good for all the ages and all the generations, even to come. My personal favorite of Jesus' parables in of the Two Sons (also known as the prodigal son), it's double meaning comes from learning both the lessons of the younger child and the lessons of the older child. Jesus is not the only Teacher to use parables; the prophet Nathan told King David a parable; and we also have modern parables too. 

So today I share with you a parable I wrote. It is inspired by the true story of my Great-Grand-Mother (who I never met myself). My grand-father has taught me a lot about the care and love that he received from his mother, and now I am happy to share her life lesson in "The Parable of the Good Dishes"... ok if you have a better title idea... let me know :) I hope you enjoy.

She set out the good dishes and smiled…She thought of her past, thought about what brought her to this moment. 30 years had past since she watched 4 little talcum coffins being lowed into the ground. Disease took all four of the children in 28 days. Those were dark days, some disease show no mercy, especially on children. They spent no more than a few weeks, in a state of living dead, until gracious death arrived bringing peace to broken and disease battered bodies. Talcum was needed to contain the disease and the heavy burden of cost was the responsibility of the parents alone.

The now middle aged woman looked at the special plates through blurred vision; some wounds leave deep and painful scares. She turned and moved around the kitchen putting some final touches on dinner.

It had been over 30 years since she came to Montreal, although she had little education she had taught herself to communicate in a second language; she learnt English, although her heart always spoke Gaelic.

She returns to the present to see a young man in his early 20s walk through the door, coming in from work. She smiled as she looked up and saw her youngest child. For just like Job, she was blessed with 4 more children to love and to raise. All of them could read and write English, something this mother was proud of. Seeing the good dishes on the table the young man asked: 'Who is coming for dinner?'

She thought of the days events; she remembered placing the last couple of coins down on the counter, Mr Bunnier smiled graciously as he accepted the money and put a zero in a little black book. It had been more than a couple decades since the corner store master started her tab, but now she smiled at her son, and said 
“No one is coming for dinner son.” 
“Then why the good dishes.” 
“Today, son, we owe no one anything.”

After a joy filled meal with her family, the woman is in the kitchen drying the good dishes when her cousin drops in. 

“Sorry, I didn’t know you had company.” 

“No it was just me and my boys.” 

“what is the occasion then?” 

“I paid off our tab at the corner store today.” 

“Congratulations! You know, now that you have paid off your tab, you should go to the STOP and SHOP, the prices are much better there.” 

“I will not!” Said the woman in a stern voice, “When I didn’t have he took care of me, and now that I do have, I will take care of him.”  
She never did go to the STOP and SHOP.

Teaching Prayer

I do not think that the Our Father is some type of magical incantation, but I do believe that it has become a traditional way to pray. Even 2000 years ago people wondered at how one communicates with something that is invisible. In the Our Father, or Lord's prayer, Jesus offers more than words to help us engage with the Invisible, but also a structure in which to do this. 

This is my extrapolation of the Our Father that I shared with my congregation a couple weeks ago.

Teacher, please teach us how to pray…

 Our Father in heaven, O Creator God, Guider of the Cosmos, Mover of the Universe, a God who calls humanity; God’s own, the people of God, the children of God.

Hallowed be your name, Reveal who you are, we come here trusting in your ways of justice and compassion, you alone are God, always creating, always loving.

Your kingdom come, Set the world right, help us to be apart of the solutions to the problems here in this world, help us to show others the possibility of truly living in joyful, creative peace.

Your will be done, Do what’s best— We trust in something bigger than ourselves allowing us to continue to live a life of positive thinking and right action, through the good times and the hard times.
On earth as it is in heaven, help us to bring your way of hope and joy through love to this world, for peace is true paradise.

Give us today our daily bread. Keep us alive with three square meals, help us to make good choices, in how we care for our physical bodies.

Forgive us our sins We know that we are not perfect, help us to do better everyday, help us to be kind even when its hard, and patient even when it is difficult, Keep us forgiven with you.

As we forgive those who sin against us. Remind us to be kind to others, not everyone has learnt the same lessons in the same ways. Help us to let go when someone truly demonstrates the desire to make amends. And help us to know when we must ask for forgiveness too.

Save us from the time of trial, Keep us safe from ourselves, give us the support we need to face any adversary that might come our way.

And deliver us from evil We face difficulties that hold us down, help us to better understand what it is that we are facing so we can better react and finding solutions to the problems, both in our own lives and for people all around the world.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, You can do anything, our hope is in you, You are our creator, we are Your people, You are that which is too great to be named.
Now and for ever. Amen. Yes. Yes. Yes.