All too tempting to look for a simple, one-stroke answer, one that will unburden us of the drudgery of hearing the same old excuses, over and over again. There's just got to be an answer, a straight forward, complete, once-and-for- all answer, so that the whole messy business can be over and done with for good and we can get on with our great work. Sorry, no, there isn't. Whatever the malady, it's the human condition that is the real problem. And the human condition is not something that distracts from our glorious mission, the saving of souls or some such, it IS our Mission.
Let's not forget either that for all its loudly proclaimed theological stature, the cement used in the building of our much treasured church is, once again, the human condition. It is still our church, our stupid old, sin-laden Church and we love it. In the face of everything the Human Condition brings to the surface in life, the church is ready with it's own secret weapon: rather than hide behind a mask of ornate vestments, the church is not ashamed to be weak.
St. Paul knew the churches secret of success. In second Corinthians he tells us: "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness". (2.Cor 11-30,) Good old Paul in at the very heart of it as usual. Encouraged by the Apostle let's dare to ask today's question. A question not just about weak human beings struggling with addictions, but about the Church itself. Is it really such a dreadful thing to be so weak that we lose buildings and territory? Losing our local churches, even those dearly loved icons of fondness and devotion never comes easy and churchmen rightly struggle to prevent it happening. But if the tide of history asks us to do so, let's not look at it for more than it is. Let's not be afraid to be weak, losing ground and face.
Perhaps we thought that having come so far, history would not repeat itself. The pain of growth and change would never again come to trouble us. If so, we were wrong. The future we plan for may yet be thousands of years off, in which case the discomfort we presently endure is no more than our version of the catacombs. We all want the Church to be strong again, yes ALL of us. But first we must not be afraid to be weak for we have his parting words for it, " I am with you always, yes to the end of time." (Matt: 28-20)
A COMMENT FROM RUTH
ReplyDeleteYou comment, "The future we plan for may yet be thousands of years off ..." really made me think.
We are all fighting to save our churches, our ' icons of fondness and devotion' in our own way. But it does seem a bit Canute like behaviour. We must all know in our heart of hearts where the tide is taking us.
I know that something that doesn't change and evolve and grow is something which is dead but it's hard to accept or imagine such a big change in our lives as having fewer and fewer churches, priests and on the spot comforting services, support and community. Where will we go? Who will lead us? We will be like lost children.
Children grow up eventually.
Maybe we need to go back to the beginning, without all the trappings.
Just a simple, daily, lived out , REALLY lived out, " Love One Another".
I drove past a church in Wigan yesterday, it is now a balloon shop. Full of air! I reflected on its demise and thought if only I had put words into action, gospel into love, then that church would have survived and indeed grown!
ReplyDeleteI love that image, PAX, it teaches us so much. Once a Church with so much to offer, now a shop for windbags.
DeleteAre we, just that, WINDBAGS?
Val