Sunday 23 October 2022

Parties

 Should a party raise anxiety for the host? Ideally, no, it should be a carefree occasion for all to enjoy the food, the drink, the company, the ambience. But there's always the niggle- 'is there enough food?' why didn't John and Fiona turn up?' 'is it warm enough?'..........

Presumably this was part of the context which motivated Martha to ask Jesus to berate her sister Mary into helping with the hospitality (perhaps not a party) when Jesus and his followers came one day. She was not alone in that anxiety- it was one I shared earlier this week when Mary and I hosted a meal for twenty-some friends in celebration of our golden wedding anniversary.  

Jewish views of heaven all seem to centre around food, feasting, fellowship- a good time had by all, or at least, by all the righteous (even in this instance a word to beware of). God as the host. Presumably, in his perfection, without anxiety that all was as it should be. 

Well, I look forward to that, if only for the awe-inspiring spectacle of God's perfect enjoyment of it all. Now that will be something to see! 

Sunday 9 October 2022

A saint near here

 Not far from here, in the north of Anglesey where we are on holiday, is the reputed landing place of St Patrick, when he was shipwrecked in the year 440AD. A cave with fresh running water, at the bottom of the cliffs, gave him shelter and water until the storm was over. A church now stands at the top of the cliffs, marking the spot. 

Back then, the saints seemed to live larger, more heroic lives. Back anytime- I think of twentieth century saints who were martyred for the cause of Christ's justice and peace- they seemed to live those larger lives. But this is merely to display ignorance of the even larger number of saints who simply kept on keeping on, pursuing quiet lives of devotion to God, in all times and in all places.  And ignorance too of the unknown saints who are being called on in our generation to lead heroic lives in the face of injustice, warfare and want in many far from comfortable places far removed from Anglesey. 

Which leads us, or should, to prayer. 'Remember your church, Lord, in many lands, especially......' as the Eurcharistic prayer has it. We may be on holiday, but it is not a holiday from prayer.