Friends: Our memories keep absent friends close to us; the truth keeps Jesus close to humanity. See the column below. Blessings! Bob

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Spirituality Column #968

June 3, 2025

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Hard to Say Goodbye

By Pam Walters

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” Jesus to the Disciples, John 15:4

Hey friends, I’m sitting in the bleachers again this week basking in the reflected glow of my wife Pam’s deep relationships with her Mission Christian Academy students and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pam was called upon this week to present the communion homily in the traditional service at our East 91^st Street Christian Church. It is a brief message (below) not only of loving God and loving others, but also of pursuing our own lives in Christ. 

A unique aspect of a small high school like MCA is that even though the students change classes through seven daily periods, they are largely with the same students all day and in various classes with the same specialized teachers – and the other students – for four years. We all know each other well.

Pam and I will attend approximately 24 MCA graduation receptions (currently 18 down, six to go). What I find remarkable is the robust enthusiasm among the grads, younger students, staff, and parents to celebrate and anticipate their futures while holding fast to the love and community we share with each other in Christ.

It is a lesson to remember with our church families as well. Here is Pam’s homily.

“Another school year has ended, and a week ago Friday night MCA graduated 34 seniors.  The year they began as freshmen was my first year at MCA, so I had the privilege of being their English teacher for all four years of their high school careers.

“These kids are an interesting mix of abilities, talents, quirks, and interests.  They can be annoying, stubborn, and lazy, but mostly a joy to be around.  Because they spend so much time together and know each other so well, they are more like brothers and sisters.  They are an amazing group of young people who love the Lord and each other.  As you might imagine, it is very difficult to see them go, but it is exciting to think of their futures and how the Lord will use them.  The memories I have will keep them close until we meet again.

“During His three years of ministry and teaching, Jesus spent a great deal of time with a rag-tag group of men. They came from different walks of life with their own mix of abilities and quirks.  They were also annoying when they didn’t listen and failed to understand what Jesus was trying to teach them.  He shared truth; He challenged their old ways of thinking.

“Jesus rebuked them when they were wrong, but the whole time, He loved them and worked to make them ready for a time when He would no longer be with them and they would carry out the purpose for which He had been preparing them.

“Jesus knew their parting would be difficult, so He told them to remember Him whenever they shared a cup and bread.  That sweet communion celebrated among believers and friends restored their joy as they felt His presence with them.

“Each time we come together as believers and participate in communion, we celebrate the bond, the friendship, the love we have for each other and for the Lord.  The bread and the cup restore and refresh, and we look forward to the day when we will partake with Him in person.  This weekly remembrance brings us close to Him and we recall what He did for us on the cross … with love, mercy, obedience, and grace.”

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com), Bob, that is, teaches history and civics at MCA, a private school in Fishers, Ind., that opened in the fall of 2021 with 38 students.  MCA’s fall term of 2025 currently shows a K-12 enrollment beyond 500. Praise God. As for the column, Bob will be back on his own next week.