A few years ago during the season of Lent, I discovered a pale yellow envelope in our mailbox with my name and address handwritten across the front in blue ink. Mixed in with advertisements, bills, and donation requests, the sealed envelope bore an ordinary postage stamp with a Newport News postmark. While the return address did not look familiar, I knew immediately who sent it when I saw the handwriting of a dear friend on the folded letter I found inside.
In her letter, she shared her commitment to write letters during the 40 days of Lent to express her appreciation, gratitude and encouragement to 40 people who had made an impact on her life. I was inspired by the thoughtfulness of her letter, but also touched that she valued our friendship and included me in her circle.
Growing up, letter writing was an important part of my life. I remember receiving letters across the miles from my grandparents who showed interest in my school activities and hobbies. I would always write them back on stationery they had given me for birthdays. As I got older, I grew to appreciate the wisdom, encouragement, and humor they imparted in their letters. I enjoyed our correspondence and am thankful that I tucked away some of their letters for future generations.
When I went away to college, I received letters from my parents with news from home. Sometimes they would include a newspaper clipping, a church bulletin, and occasionally a little extra cash. The summer I studied abroad in Great Britain, I eagerly awaited the distribution of mail each morning during breakfast. Receiving letters from home helped to ease my homesickness.
Before we were married, my husband and I stayed in touch through cards and letters during our summers apart. Writing letters gave us the opportunity to share what was on our minds and express our fondness for one another. I always took delight when I received his letters in the mail, and I still treasure them to this day.
With the impact of technology, letter writing seems to have taken a backseat to texting, email, and social media. I guess what is most important is staying in touch with those we love, but I still think there is something special about receiving a handwritten letter.
A large portion of the New Testament includes the letters of the Apostle Paul. Paul’s letters were written to instruct the early Christians in his understanding of the message of Jesus. In his commentary on Paul’s letters, Dr. L. Michael White, who serves as a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, notes, “When Paul writes letters he’s writing every day, ordinary letters to real people in real cities trying to deal with the circumstances in which they’re living.” White points out that whether Paul is giving advice, mediating disputes, or settling social tensions, he offers encouragement for living.
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes, “Clearly, you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Cor. 3:3).
Paul’s use of this interesting word picture raises my curiosity. What does it mean to be a “letter from Christ?” In her book “Fresh Bread,” Joyce Rupp suggests that to be a “letter from Christ” means to “look into someone else’s life and to see there the wonder, beauty and goodness of our God.” Rupp writes that “when the goodness of our inner selves is seen, the qualities of Jesus shine forth in us like messages shine from a letter penned from the depths of one’s heart.”
With the Lenten season upon us, I have contemplated the idea of following my friend’s example and writing letters to the countless people who have made a difference in my life. No doubt it is a challenge to even think about finding the time to pen 40 individual letters, but greater still is the challenge for me to become a “letter from Christ” by reflecting his compassion, extending forgiveness, moving beyond my comfort zone, doing justice, and offering peace.
May our Lenten journeys be blessed with meaningful growth and connection.
The Rev. Becky Evans Glass is Executive Director at Peninsula Pastoral Counseling Center, Newport News. She can be reached by email at beglass@peninsulapastoral.org