Martin Luther might have written it off as an ‘epistle of straw’, but I’ve always been a bit of a fan of the letter of James. It’s not full of the deepest theology, it’s true – but for good, honest, practical lessons in Christian living, it’s hard to beat. I’m particularly struck by James’ challenge to our tendency to assume that we’re in control of our lives and our futures. ‘Come now’, he writes, ‘You who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money”. Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring’. Instead, he writes, ‘you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this and that’… (4:13-15) And having initially booked a period of study leave in the Autumn, which has been cancelled; and then a trip to Boston, which has been cancelled; and then a holiday to the Pyrenees, which has been cancelled; James’ words are nothing if not apposite! Of course, the uncertainty of which James speaks can be infinitely more serious than the odd cancelled holiday: and many in these past months have faced the profoundest of upheavals, threatening future plans, livelihoods, relationships, mental health and even the gift of life itself. And in such a context James would point us towards two possible responses: either to live by fear (shoring up whatever securities we can find in a desperate attempt to wrest back some semblance of control from the uncertainties that surround us); or else to live by faith (placing ourselves and our futures in the hands of the Living God). Living by faith in such a context is certainly not the easy option: God’s ways are not our ways, and Christian people are not immune from the sufferings of those around us. But there is extraordinary comfort in knowing that whatever challenges life throws our way, ‘Underneath are the everlasting arms’. ‘For you are my hope, O Lord God’, as we read in yesterday’s Morning Prayer, ‘My confidence, even from my youth’ (Psalm 71:5). And before you ask, the current plan is to travel to the Isle of Skye in mid-September, provided that Scotland hasn’t closed its borders by then… Every blessing, +Andrew.
We've become accustomed to sportsmen, and some women, displaying multiple tattoos.Perhaps it was former England captain David Beckham who led the vanguard of heavily inked footballers using tattoos as a fashion item and repeatedly adding to their body art.Chelsea and France star Olivier Giroud carries a tattoo that reflects his Christian faith. On the inside of his right arm are the Latin words: "Dominus legit me et nihil mihi demerit". That is the first line of Psalm 23: "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."Giroud, who plays for Chelsea after a spell with Arsenal, is a regular worshipper at St Barnabas Church, Kensington. He explained: "I grew up with my mother bringing me every single Sunday to church. After, I just carried on and now I'm seeing a priest studying the Bible together and I feel I want to know more about Jesus Christ's life."Every time I read the Holy Bible it makes me feel grateful about everything that has happened to me."Giroud, who will be 34 next month, was a member of the France World Cup-winning team in 2018. He won the FA Cup three times with Arsenal as well as once with Chelsea. He also won the Europa League with Chelsea in 2019.
Are we ‘Good to Go’? This is a UK wide visitor industry standard and consumer mark to reassure visitors that they can have confidence that there are clear Covid secure processes in place to ensure an enjoyable visit. Our Cathedral site, Café, Shop and building itself are all ‘Good to Go’. What does that mean during August, traditionally a slower month of holiday, flexible working, school holidays and travel? Is there something we can all learn during this period which we can take forward?At our Cathedral the process for applying for the ‘Good to Go’ Chartermark has been a terrific opportunity to consider again our welcome, which includes signage, volunteers, staff and learning to smile ‘with the eyes’ over the top of face coverings. We’ve been able to go out electronically and connect with those who may never have need or opportunity to visit the site, or to worship in the building and we are using the time to pay careful attention to the answers to the question, ‘who are WE?’This is true for schools and churches too as parishes have discovered new ways of serving their community and in some places the schools have been the only steady presence for the community with the staff becoming also sources of advice and support to many parents – above and beyond everyday support for children’s learning. Who are WE as a church, or as a parish, or as a school and also, in our places of work? WE is being reshaped through this pandemic as consideration is given to working from home, staggered attendance at schools, flexible start and stop times for offices. All these affect how people interact. Who are WE when WE can’t be physically together?As we make our tentative plans for the coming few terms can we consider who we are making plans for? And can I suggest that we consider making plans for building the kingdom of God, as well as for ‘reopening’, or ‘getting back to normal’. Are there some things we’ve been doing for ages simply because we’ve never had time to stop and ask ‘how is this building the kingdom of God’? This is a prayerful activity which requires no committee or meeting, just using the gift of time to listen to God. We may well find the answers surprising.Dean Dianna
