Oct 15, 2026

Part 1: “THE MEANING OF LIFE”

(Quotes from Robert Fulghum)

The writings this month are inspired by two New Testament verses from the books of 1 Corinthians 11:7 & Hebrews 1:3, both which focus on finding the meaning of life in the midst of a history of division & destruction. With our world as it is at this time, this topic seemed appropriate. In addition to referencing the scriptures, I have drawn my writing this month from a book written by Robert Fulghum. 

The theme of the book, the Scriptures & consequently this writing,  begins with the statement at the end of some college lecture & long meeting asking whether anyone has any questions.  “The gesture is supposed to indicate openness on the part of the speaker. However, rarely, anyone has any questions or at least they chose not to ask them & there is silence in response to the invitation. As the speaker amidst the silence, I usually ask the most important question of all saying: ‘What is the Meaning of Life?’ Once & only once, I asked that question & got a serious answer, which I will share with you today. First, I will share with you where this happened, because the place has a power of its own. It occurred in Greece.

Near the village of Gonia, on a rocky bay of the island of Crete, sits a Greek Orthodox monastery as pictured above.  Alongside it, on land donated by the monastery, is an institute dedicated to human understanding & peace, & especially to rapprochement between Germans & Cretans, which would seem an improbable task, given the bitter residue of wartime.

This site is important, because it overlooks the small airstrip to Malene where Nazi paratroopers invaded Crete & were attacked by peasants wielding kitchen knives & hay scythes.  The retributions were terrible. The populations of whole villages were lined up & shot for assaulting Hitler’s finest troops. High above the institute is a cemetery with a single cross marking the mass grave of Cretan partisans. And across the bay on yet another hill, is the regimented burial ground of the Nazi paratroops. The memorials are so placed that all might see & never forget. Hate was the only weapon the Cretans had at the end & it was a weapon many vowed never to give up.

Against this heavy curtain of history, in this place where the stone of hatred is hard & thick, the existence of an institute devoted to healing the wounds of war is a fragile paradox. How has it come to be here? The answer is a man, Alexander Papaderos. He was a Doctor of Philosophy, teacher, politician, resident of Athens but a son of this soil. At war’s end, he came to believe that the Germans & the Cretans had much to give to one another, much to learn from one another, for they had an example to set. For if they could forgive each other & construct a creative relationship, then any people could.”

~Posted by Rev Kathryn Bindig, MDiv. MS; Spiritual Consultant with assistance from Rich Muscatello; Director of Business Development & Strategy