Reading in my journal recently, I came across this entry I made several years ago while Heidi and I were visiting the Hudson River Valley in New York:
“We came upon a beautifully restored 19th century stone church and pulled over. I so wanted to look inside but found the doors locked…until I tried the last one, a little red door covered in cobwebs. Stepping inside, the light filtering in through the colorful stained-glass windows guided us through a dark passageway into a stunning wood and stone chapel.
“The pulpit had the words, ‘He is Risen’ carved on it. Sappy I know, but I couldn’t help myself and continued the verse in song: ‘He is Risen, He is Risen, tell it out with joyful voice…He has burst His three days’ prison, let the whole wide world rejoice!’
“Here, in this quiet little chapel of another Christian faith, at some remote crossroads high in the Catskills, I was reminded once again that we are all in this together…our hope and faith is magnified by their hope and faith…their works inspire our works and together, we all rejoice for ‘wherever two or more of you are gathered in my name, there I will be also.’
“Is the gathering exclusive to one proprietary persuasion? To ever believe that my faith and knowledge are superior to another’s reflects my misunderstanding at best and arrogance at worst…for when I stumble upon a rich treasury of centuries of faith and conviction such as this, I am truly humbled and grateful. Does what I know from my religious upbringing mean that what another knows from theirs is less? Can God hand-pick those from any faith who are truly devoted to him and, in turn, bless their lives with happiness and peace, and the real prospect of eternal life?
“I grew up believing that the ‘Body of Christ’ referred to my church alone and that each member had a singular role to play. But now I wonder…could the Body of Christ be something much larger than any specific denomination? Could my church be the feet while another the legs, and yet others the eyes, hands, and heart? Surely Jesus Christ is bigger than any single religion.
“We stayed a while, the only sound being the occasional passing of another car. I looked, and didn’t find the name of the building’s denomination, but thought…does it really matter? God has placed inspiration everywhere. My life is rich because my mind is open. I think of what I’d miss if I turned away in misguided self-assurance.”
A reminder that the boundless love of God expressed this season through the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is a gift we all share; “let the whole wide world rejoice!”
Marc Ensign