'Tapestry Holes' - Easter Reflection Part One

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"Tapestry Holes"

The other day I received I great email fwd (unknown) from my brother, Lorne, who is among the great ‘forwarders’. Along with reading Scripture and some C.S. Lewis, it has triggered some fresh insights or appreciations about Easter and my own chronic illness.  I’ll see if I can synthesize it in few paragraphs.

It begins as dreamy face-to face encounter with the Maker at the Judgment.

I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.  Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off my pile, I noticed how ragged and empty the squares were. They were filled with giant holes.  Worse yet, each square was labelled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I faced in everyday life.  I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all. I could bear to look no more. 

Turning away, I glanced around and it seemed like, other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune and ease. I considered my own life and was despondent.

Meanwhile the angel was sewing up the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth.  Others rose; each in turn to display their tapestries.  So filled their lives had been.  My angel looked upon me and nodded for me to rise.

My stare averted to the ground in shame.  What did I have to offer?  I never had all the earthly fortunes.  I experienced love in my life and laughter.  But there had also been trials of illness and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.  I had to start over many times.  I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to summon the strength to pick up and begin again.  I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. Often I had been held up to painful ridicule, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the gaze of those who unfairly judged me.  And now, I had to face the truth.  I had to accept my life for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.  A collective awe-filled gasp filled the air.  I gawked at the others who stared at me with wide eyes. 

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ.  Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.  He said:

 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.  Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!

NOTE: My next post will be further reflection on human suffering from a personal angle — and how it is possible to ‘participate’ in the sufferings of Christ?

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PASSAGES TO PONDER

1 Peter 4:13 - "...Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

Philp. 3:10 - “I want to know Christ…and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings…."

Rom. 8:18 - “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”