From the Rector…
Many of you have probably heard by now about the woman and two girls who were bitten by a shark last week in the gulf. All of them survived though their injuries are serious. The two teenage girls are Episcopalians who attend St. Luke’s in Birmingham. In the past two days I have heard from multiple relatives and friends of the girls all expressing concern and asking for prayer.
Shark attacks are scary things for many reasons, not the least is that they are unpredictable and typically happen in a time in which your defenses are down and you don’t have time to respond. Being on vacation seems the least likely time that something bad might happen to us—we may take a few precautions like using the hotel safe or carrying our passport under our shirt, but we generally don’t expect something life threatening to happen to us. I can’t even count the number of times I swam, body surfed and dove for shells or sand dollars in the gulf as a child and I never thought about sharks. It was not until my late teenage years when I saw a shark while swimming that I became a little more cautious about entering the water—but I didn’t stop swimming in the gulf.
Facing our fears is important. We cannot predict everything that might happen to us, nor can we protect ourselves from every harm. We can name our fears and concerns, remind ourselves that most of the time those fears and concerns will not happen to us, and trust in God to take care of us. That seems to be a common theme throughout the prophetic books of the Bible. From Isaiah to Malachi, we hear a truth-telling followed by a profession of faith. Prophets complain to God on behalf of the people (and sometimes about the people) as to their fears and laments and then they put the ball in God’s court—trusting that YHWH will care for them. Over and over again the Hebrew people experience hardship—war, famine, plagues, captivity—and yet, the prophetic response to their condition is one of honesty and trust.
The mother, Ann Blair, of Lulu Gribbin (one of the teenagers attacked), offered that same response to her fears and laments. She posted a CaringBridge message in which she described her story that day—how she had gone to eat lunch with some of the other mothers and as they were coming back down the beach noticed a large crowd gathered. Her fear when she saw Lulu—pale and lifeless—lying on the beach. The journey to the hospital and the wait to hear from the surgeons. Lulu’s first words, “I made it” and her description of what happened in the water. Her words professed a thankfulness to those vacationers who responded to save Lulu on the beach as well as the professionals. She also expressed gratitude for all those who prayed—on the beach, in the car, at the hospital—and asked for continued prayers.
Ann Blair’s message reminds me of how true discipleship plays out in our lives. When we are faithful to our own formation as Christians—attending corporate worship, taking communion, studying scripture, relating to one another through giving and receiving—the way we understand the world and are present therein is transformed. Liturgy trains us to be present in particular ways—the ways that seek gratitude over judgment or complaint. Scripture gives us shape for the stories of our lives. Communion and Christian relationships remind us that we are one body and as one body we can rely on one another and be there for one another in our times of need. Those were the fundamental elements of Ann Blair’s hopeful message and plea. She did not blame or doubt or even fear-monger—all things which we would have understood as her right as a mother in this situation. Instead, she witnessed hope and encouragement and asked us to be hopeful and encouraging in return. That is great faith.
Pray for Lulu and her friend, McCray Faust who was also attacked. Pray for the girls and beachgoers who witnessed such a horrifying sight. Pray for those who helped through their skills and prayers. Pray for the woman who was also attacked that day. Pray for the doctors and nurses and all those who will care for those who were attacked. Pray for their families. And pray, that as Ann Blair knows God and trusts in his presence and our strength through prayer, that we may all know that same God.