Perspectives - Espace spirituel anglophone RCF - page 11

We inhabit an innocent world. But we live in a world of lies and illusion. Unlike us, the natural world and all things in it are true to themselves. We may not always like that truth, but it is what it is. For example, we don't like it when our cat catches birds. But it's what cats do. He's only being true to himself. Truth is. It's an absolute ; the only reality. The cat is living in reality. But when we veer from the truth, knowingly or not, we are entering the world of illusion – unreality, where we will lose ourselves.

In the days before selfies and video clips, people who went on holiday sent one another post cards: “Having a wonderful time; wish you were here”. There's a scene in the bible, in St Mark's Gospel, which we heard a few weeks ago, where we come nearest to seeing Jesus in holiday mood. It's a little snapshot really. The disciples have just come back from their first missionary outreach, sent out two by two to preach the good word and evangelize, taking no money, no snacks for the journey, wearing just what they stand up in ... And they've come back, weary, hungry, and because they are a bit excited by the adrenalin rush, ready to share all they have experienced with whoever is ready to listen. And Jesus, knowing exactly what they need, encourages them to take a little recovery time, away from the crowds, where they can debrief and generally unwind.

In his talk last Sunday, Derek referred to the woodpecker- or rather the varieties of woodpecker - as an example of God's extravagance towards us.

I want to talk today about the archaeology of otherness. As a subject, otherness is seldom discussed in the historical accounts of man's self-discovery; and yet it's one of the key underlying themes of human evolution.

Heartache: it's something most of us have felt at some time or another. But it's hard to describe. It can be a pang, a sudden pain in the heart, almost physical and often it's a sign of regret. Or it can be a dull ache, sometimes passing, sometimes persistent and often resulting in tears.

'm sitting, holding a wooden cube in my hands. It's about the size of a Rubik's Cube, if you remember them, but you can't manipulate it; it's a solid block. On each of its six faces a very short prayer is inscribed. The block is meant to sit on the meal table so that whoever is saying "grace" can choose a side to read or can roll it like dice and see what turns up.

One of the subjects we’ve been looking at in depth in our house group recently is blessing. The practice of blessing is common throughout the Old Testament, but is also encouraged and practised in the New. Jesus speaks of the blessedness of people who bear various characteristics such as meekness, poverty of spirit, peace-making and so on (Matthew 5; 3 – 12), and He and the apostle Paul both encourage us to bless those who oppose and persecute us – quite a contrast with the natural reaction of hitting back at those who hurt us, preferably harder than they hit us!

One of the biggest challenges of this time is isolation. God made us for relationship. That need is part of us, how we’ve been created. Relationship with God and with our fellow human beings. This last year has made this difficult. It is often impossible to have time with family and friends due to restrictions as a result of the Covid 19 Pandemic and whereas this is necessary, the results cause distress and depression for many. Mental health has become an increasing problem and this affects all ages. It is especially hard for those who are bereaved or who live on their own and for those with health issues.

To be or not is still an unresolved issue. Sartre was perhaps too literal when he translated Hamlet's big question as Being and nothingness. There are surely several more fruitful alternatives to his gloomy nihilism : -being and existence -being and circumstance -being and suffering -being and letting be. These are only a few – each of them worthy of at least a book, if not a complete treatise of philosophy.

The heart has only to believe, the lips have only to confess, meaning by that the message of faith that we preach, that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead. 'It is by believing with the heart that you are justified and by confessing with your lips that you are saved.' Saint Paul.

How many times during this pandemic have you heard the phrase, 'we are living through difficult times' ? Yes, it has become impossible to live our lives as we used to live them. Our whole mindset has had to change ; our expectations, our plans, our relationships, everything really.