Newsletter Column Fall 2004

Dear Friends:

How did I get into all this? This is the look I see on the faces of many new students.

Yet after a few moments of conversation, a new student will share that she or he has been called by God, has been inspired by the Spirit.

Most will say that they resisted the call. A few years ago, one student at Howard told me that he resisted the Holy Spirit for 10 years! And then he had to give in. He might still have had a little reluctance.

Each one of us has a story to tell—a story of divine guidance, of the work of grace in our lives. Telling this story is intrinsic to our ecumenical efforts. A book I have been reading, Stories from Christian Neighbors: A Heart for Ecumenism [Liturgical Press, 2003] contends that ecumenical virtues flourish in the sharing of our spiritual journeys.

Each of us has something to share—God’s work in and for us. Yet we can be reluctant to share this grace with those like us, let alone with those of another tradition.

It may be that someone on another campus needs to hear our story and that we need to hear theirs. I think that this is true for all of us—faculty, students, and administrators.

In this era, can we become holy apart from the guidance of the Holy Spirit coming through other Christian traditions? Can we become truly like Christ if we keep our stories to ourselves?

                                                                                                                                                                       Peace,

                                                                                                                                                                        John