 Resources for Churches, Organizations, Laity and Clergy of the Diocese of California
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Sharing Wisdom: A Saint of God |
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Written by PCN Print Edition Writers
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Monday, 06 December 2004 |
I grew up loving the hymn, "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God." I was
inspired and challenged by its affirmation: "...they were all of them
saints of God, and I mean, God helping, to be one too." I'd like to
share the story of one of God's saints and a saintly practice which
recently inspired and challenged me to grow more fully into my
sainthood.
It has been my privilege for the past eight years to travel the world
on behalf of the United Religions Initiative. During that time I have
worked in over 20 countries with deeply faithful people from an
astonishing array of faith traditions and vocations. What they have all
held in common—Animists, Baha'is, Buddhists, Christians, Confucianists,
Hindus, Indigenous, Jains, Jews, Muslims, Shintoists, Sikhs, Taoists,
Wiccans, Zoroastrians, and many more—was the belief that human beings
are put on this Earth to reflect the sacred source as fully as possible
through inner transformation and outward service. These extraordinary,
ordinary people, who I have come to appreciate as saints of God, have
inspired and challenged me to be a better Christian; none more so than
Bhai Mohinder Singh of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Jatha of Birmingham, U.K.
Bhai Mohinder Singh's sainthood shone, in a way that bespoke deep
faith, humility, and service, at the Parliament of the World's
Religions this past July in Barcelona, Spain. It was because of his
vision and leadership that the Sikh community around the world created
the spiritual heart of the Parliament gathering of 8,000 people. That
heart was the gurdwara (sacred space) they created in a tent by the
Mediterranean Sea. It was a center of worship for a Sikh community
celebrating the 400th anniversary of their holy text, the Guru Granth
Sahib, a center open to people of all traditions seeking a quiet space
for prayer or meditation.
It was also the home of the Sikh langar. The practice of langar was
instituted by Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, over 500 years ago in
an effort to erase distinctions of caste and creed. The spirit of
langar is inspired by a deep love of God and of humanity, and a deep
commitment to selfless service. It is a practice of radical generosity,
but also of radical equality. As people file into a langar and take
their place, sitting on the floor next to whoever happens to be next to
them, there is total equality. No one is of higher value or of greater
importance than anyone else. Also, the food at langar is prepared by
volunteers, all working together in total equality. Langar is a
distinctive practice in Sikh communities all over the world. I have
been a guest at a gurdwara in New Dehli where more than 30,000 people a
day are fed for free with food lovingly prepared by volunteers.
Inspired by the vision of Bhai Mohinder Singh, Sikhs from around the
world created the langar at the Parliament and fed a free lunch, packed
with physical and spiritual nourishment, each day to 5,000 people
attending the Parliament. Those who served at the langar and those who
ate there will be forever changed by this celebration of God's
uncompromising love as it flows out in service and equality.
As Christians, we believe that the Eucharist we share every Sunday is a
foretaste of the heavenly banquet prepared for us by God. I believe
that what I experienced at the Sikh langar was also a foretaste of that
heavenly banquet. I remain inspired and challenged by the devotion to
God, the selfless giving and the profound experience of shared
humanity, that were at the center of the langar. It was the work of
God's saints, inspired by Bhai Mohinder Singh. And I mean, God helping,
to be one too.
--By The Rev. Canon Charles P. Gibbs |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 06 December 2004 )
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