GOOD FAITH FOR THE COMMON GOOD

Good Faith and the Co= mmon Good

Occasional Offeri= ngs from Sam Candler on issues of faith, church, and the world.<= /p>

= BLESSINGS TO YOU!!

= WHY I BLESS THE PEACHTREE ROAD RACE IN ATLANTA

Her= e is why I do what I do on the Fourth of July. A lot of us say “God Bless America,” but the Fourth of July Pea= chtree Road Race actually gives us a chance to do that – to bless America= .

On = this day, more than 55,000 people run and jog and traipse and walk by our church= . I see all sorts and conditions of humanity. I see all shapes and sizes, all i= lks and opinions. In fact, I see a true and beautiful representation of America= itself. And I bless all these sorts and conditions of humanity. That way, I believe, God is blessing Amer= ica. God bless America!

Som= e have asked exactly what values I am blessing. Well, I am blessing perseverance a= nd endurance, and I am blessing training and exercise and good health. I am al= so blessing fun and frolic. I am blessing the life and liberty that come to us through the celebration of Independence Day.

Her= e is some history. Ever since the great Peachtree Road Race occurred on a Sunday= , in 1999, the Cathedral of St. Philip has been gathering a community at 6:30 am. While others were cursing the interruption and disruption of Sunday service= s, we decided to welcome the runners and bless them. The result was such a blessing, not only to runners but also to us, that we have done it every Fo= urth of July since then.=

By = now, it looks to me like thousands of runners expect that blessing. They swerve ove= r to the right to soak up the water and the good words. They are all shapes and sizes, and they are all sorts and conditions of humanity. It is absolutely amazing what our Cathedral community sees go by on that morning.

Wha= tever it is, we bless it. Superman and Batman dart by. Brides and grooms romp on. Sl= ow walkers, fleet athletes, entirely obese folks, young people as skinny as a rail. One group marched mischievously with a sign declaring, “Beer =3D Good, Water =3D Bad.” Well, I certainly disagreed with half of that sentiment, but I blessed them saying, “This water is good! This water= is holy!” They laughed.

Fol= ks ask if they can receive the blessing if they are Jewish or Muslim. Of course, we say! Some people say that they have not had a blessing for years. Some cross themselves. Some kneel and kiss my hand. Mayor Shirley Franklin comes by. Congressman John Lewis has stopped for a blessing. One man said he had rece= ived a blessing last year, and his wife had had twins. Another person said he had been healed, and this past year was the best of his life. One man said the blessing had been part of his performing CPR on a fallen runner several yea= rs ago (I actually remember that one).

One= year, a woman showed up, rather sheepishly, and she removed her hat. She confessed, “I just called someone a $%&*!$.” I told her she was forgiv= en. Yes, her blessing had evoked actual repentance on her part. Such is the pow= er of God. Blessing is not just a “feel good” event. Holy blessing= can actually produce repentance, when repentance is necessary.

I b= elieve that God wants to bless us, and that God created us for blessing. I know th= at sometimes the way we bless, and what we bless, upsets folks. But I would al= ways rather err on the side of blessing than on the side of condemnation. As for= me and mine, we will speak good words to people; we will bless.

Our= world needs God’s blessing. And God has empowered each of us to deliver it. Consider, this summer, whom you need to bless. Consider all the folks who a= re running the race with you. They are right beside you. Maybe you don’t agree with everything they say or do. Maybe they don’t agree with you. But God has placed us on this grand road of life together. Don’t miss= the blessing!

2 J= ULY 2008

Sam Candler is Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, Georgia. Contact him at scandler@= stphilipscathedral.org.
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