In Tents Christianity

One of the greatest tasks any pastor has is that of helping people deal with the tough things of life. Of all of those the hardest has to be the seeing of oneself as others see us and then seeing ourselves as God does.

We mumble our excuses and point to the people, places and events that have (mis)shaped us and explain that it is not 'our fault'. We look at the 'good' things we do in the hope that they will mitigate those bad things, forgetting the words in the Eucharist where we ask God to forgive us that bad rather than merely note the good. For we cannot paint over the bad with good deeds and the weight of our flaws is far greater than that of our perfections!

Here it is 2:45 and the house is still. There is no sound from outside and inside only the gentle snoring of the Chocolate Lab' (crushing my feet!) breaks the silence. The world where I am slumbers and a new dawn approaches. What opportunities will today bring? What chance encounters (chance or ordained - perhaps this is merely a matter of perspective) awaits us?

Today we, like those involved with the OLSX camp outside St Paul's, will be faced with choices. They might not be in the public or media gaze like those at St Paul's and our actions may be seen by no one but us (and of course, God) but we need to act as if we were for then we might act as if God was watching too!

Some time back, walking with a colleague, we saw a member of his church. "Quick," said they, "Let's cross here and miss them!" with that they crossed and headed for an alley only to find another member of their congregation who stopped them and told of the ills being suffered by the person who we had turned off to avoid. As the did the very same person turned into the alley (which with the four of us was becoming the local equivalent of Picadilly Circus) and was greeted warmly by my colleague (who engaged with them, asked the right questions and looked every inch the concerned and caring cleric).

As we finally departed from the ensuing conversation the comment was made that we'd, "Got out of that quite well!" Where I saw a pastoral opportunity my colleague saw a hindrance and a delay - only the gaze of an admiring parishioner made the engagement (sought and avoided) happen. The sadness is that this minister still acts like that every day - sadder still, so (I'm sure) do I.

As we enter today pray:

That those who bear the label 'beloved of God' act as they should, not because others are watching but because we know it is the right thing to do.

That humility, love, charity, mercy and forgiveness are ours because we strive to live, and look, like Jesus not because others see us but because that's how we want to live.

That the person you saw in the mirror before you read this will live in the grace of God and under His gaze and love - today and every day of our life (and because of this, so might others).

May God bless us and make us the person He sees rather than the person no one sees!

Pax