Rerun Week – If I Were a Swordmaker

Last updated on: August 22, 2014 at 3:49 pm by Rebecca Frech

Rerun Week – If I Were a Swordmaker 2014-08-22T15:49:29-05:00 Rebecca Frech

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Alright, it’s just occurred to my that my approach to Catholicism is almost all through analogy. Hmmmm… If you have patience and time for another one, here’s how I explained Redemptive Suffering to a Baptist minister while in labor with our dead child. I could have included it in the Ru-486 post, as it was the same day, but I think it needs its own spot. Do me a favor and breathe deeply every 2 minutes as you read it…I was in labor, remember.

So, here’s what the minister who was sent to me for pastoral care said and my response:

Him: We don’t know why these things happen. We don’t know what God’s purpose is in them. They seem so senseless and there doesn’t seem to be a point. All we can do is trust and hope that one day we understand.

Me: Of course there’s a point, it’s called Redemptive Suffering.

Him: I’ve heard the term, but it is not one which I am familiar or comfortable with. I can understand the longing for finding meaning in meaningless pain, but it’s just not there. This world is pain. That’s all the explanation there is.

Me: No, there is a point, want me to explain?

Him: (skeptically) GO ahead.

Me: Let’s pretend for a second that I’m a sword maker. I’m sure that they have a name for those guys, but I don’t know it, so pretend I’m one of those guys who makes swords. I would take a big lump of metal, I’m not sure what kind really, I’m only a pretend sword maker, and throw it into the fire. After a while, I would pull it out and beat the hell out of it, then I would throw it back into the fire. I would do this over and over again, the throwing it in and beating the hell out of it. After a while, I would cool it in a big bucket of water and then start polishing it and sharpening it until it was sharp and shiny and was a sword.

Well, it’s kinda like that. God’s making me into a sword and I just happen to be at the “beat the hell out of it stage”. That’s okay, because at the end, He will cool me off and polish me up and I will be sparkly and shiny and I will be a sword. And I’m a girl, so shiny and sparkly work for me.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

August 22, 2011

Rerun Week - I'm Like Spike Lee!

Next Post

August 24, 2011 Rerun Week - Purgatory

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

And if a kingdom be divided against itself, ____________.

Select your answer to see how you score.

it has no hope it will fall it is doomed that kingdom cannot stand