Friday, March 29, 2024

OUTSIDE THE PULPIT: No reason to be bitter

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If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceived his heart, this man’s religion is in vain. – James chapter 11: 26.

SINCE MY RETIREMENT, someone told a friend that I am bitter. It shows that people can and will come to any conclusion they want to form for it is just interpretation.

The statement is far from the truth. First of all, I give thanks that I was able to retire, because they are many people who do not live long enough to retire. Why should I be bitter? No, no way.

I hope that my retirement will be a long one.

Now I have the opportunity of getting out of bed late on Saturdays around 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. because I have no office hour to attend to, or any confirmation class to teach. That is what retirement is all about.

On Sundays, instead of getting out of bed at 5 a.m., I now do so at 7:45 a.m., shower and have breakfast (something which I did not do before) and then attend Mass, as I visit other Anglican churches, something that I could not have done in the past.

There is no need to be bitter when I have received my gratuity which I will place in the credit union and it is there to pay my medical bills, which can be very expensive because health care is not cheap. The other portion is there for my burial which will be done by my good friend, Keith Jones (The Keith Jones Funeral Home). Why the credit union? Because they are paying a higher interest rate.

Why burial? I worked at the public cemetery at Westbury and I am aware when one is unable to pay for one’s burial, what can and will happen. Like St Paul, I beat my own body to bring it into subjection, less I find myself an outcast after conducting funerals for so many.

Those who think that I am bitter, you must be reminded that I served the Anglican Church as a priest for 37 years and I served it well. That is a fact. Therefore, there is no need to be bitter.

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