The Left Handshake of God

I went to a dear friend's Arrow of Light ceremony tonight. If I understand it correctly, it's the rite of passage through which a Cub Scout becomes a Boy Scout. In a world desperate for such traditions, it was a beautiful thing, a real sight to behold.

The best part came towards the end when each boy crossed over a sturdy wooden bridge (undoubtedly built by the members of the troop). This crossing symbolized the completion of one season and the beginning of another. But as the first boy reached the far side of the bridge, something peculiar happened. To welcome the excited and nervous Scout, the Scout Master extended not his right hand but his left.

I was sure it had something to do with the new Scout Master's hand: maybe it was broken or withered or paralyzed. Eventually, though, I noticed that his right hand was working fine; he just wasn't using it to welcome the newly initiated boys. Needless to say, I was confused.

After the last boy crossed the bridge, I finally gave up. Unable to think of its meaning, I simply concluded that it was some secret handshake of the fire-starters' society, some inside scoop for the compass-carrying crowd. I didn't even plan on asking my friend.

And then it hit me: the left hand is closer to the heart.

That's it, the left hand is closer to the heart! The Scout Master was extending far more than a greeting to these rising young men; he was extending his heart.

From that point on, I couldn't stop thinking about the Master of my life. About the bridge of faith I've walked across. About my baptismal rite of passage. And I couldn't stop thinking about Jesus, the left handshake of God.

And after that, I couldn't stop thinking about the confusion people have about Jesus and about the community he created called the Church. That maybe it's a secret society. That maybe it's for the inside crowd.

But it's not.

And so tonight, my prayer is this: that either afresh or for the very first time it will hit you, too: the Church is not an exclusive club but a community of faith open to all who are willing to trust the Master by embracing his outstretched left hand.