Reflection – 6th July 2020To Bend the Knee?One of the most noteworthy news items lately has focussed on the protests against racism in both the USA and in Britain, as well as elsewhere, often invoking the name of the Black Lives Matter campaign group. The origins of the recent upsurge of protest lie in the alleged murder of a black man by a white police officer in a jurisdiction some 3000 miles from here but link in to what is perceived as endemic racism across all Western cultures.One of the more controversial acts in this campaign has been the adoption of the gesture of kneeling on one knee, ‘taking a knee’, which is similar to a genuflection (without the immediate rising) and has long been associated with Black Lives Matter, though its immediate reference is to the manner in which the alleged murder victim met his end. However, it has also been used in both religious and secular contexts as a symbol of homage and loyalty and it is this, as well as the more political aspects of BLM, which has caused many people considerable disquiet at its use.Christians, more than anyone, have to be opposed to racism in any form, just as we must be opposed to any of the other ‘-isms’ which devalue people based on a perceived characteristic. This is because, as the first chapter of Genesis makes clear, all humans are created in the ‘image’ of God and with the potential, through the grace of God made known to us in Jesus Christ, to attain to his ‘likeness’. For Christians, the only real distinction that can be made is between those who are baptized and those who are not yet baptized, for all people are called to baptism and membership of the Body of Christ. There is thus absolutely no place for racism in Christianity and, indeed, the very concept is a denial of the Faith.However, this opposition to racism in no way implies that Christians must agree with all or part of the BLM agenda. Even a rapid survey of its literature demonstrates that it is a deeply neo-Marxist organization, committed to an awfully specific, anti-capitalist, anti-family agenda that many Christians would find uncomfortable, even offensive. Thus, even support for its basic message in no way indicates support for the totality of its programme, which may be perceived as being deeply anti-Christian. Therein lies the problem for Christians living in the modern world.Christians, whilst having a primary focus on the Kingdom of God, which is not of this world, nevertheless live in the world and are part of it and this is as true for the most remote hermits as it is for the ordinary layperson making a living and raising a family. We are called to work in this world in such a way as to help make the conditions of the world more closely resemble those of the Kingdom, though only God can actually bring the Kingdom into being. Therefore, we create and join organizations of numerous sorts to further these aims. Many of these are not only not Christian, but may even be deeply ambivalent about the Faith, with some even expressing various degrees of hostility to it. Yet most Christians feel that some accommodation with what are often unchristian, or even anti-Christian policies and agendas is necessary to further an important goal. So, whilst not condoning the extreme policies of BLM on other issues, many Christians feel it necessary to support their anti-racist stance and are willing to make the necessary sacrifice.Yet ‘bending the knee’ in this manner is fraught with danger, as history demonstrates. In 1917, for instance, numerous Russian Christians found it necessary to support the new Communist regime of Lenin because they held the laudable aim of supporting greater equality for all – but ended up in the Gulag in their millions once their usefulness was past. Likewise, a generation later, German Christians often supported Hitler’s Nazi Party because they saw them as being fellow workers in the fight to end the depression, inflation and mass unemployment Germany was facing. Only later – and too late - would they come to realize the true evil of the Nazi’s murderous regime.We do not even need to look at such obvious examples. Closer to home, we find the very recent example of Stoke’s own Rob Flello, deselected as a candidate by the Liberal Democrats. As a practising Catholic, he opposes both same-sex marriage and abortion, both of which are supported by the Party. In this case, the conflict between a political stance and Christian principles made it impossible for there to be a reconciliation of beliefs.So, Christians find themselves, very often, being required to ‘bend the knee’ to secular principles which run contrary to Christian ones. Yet Christians can only do this so far, in good conscience. A commitment to opposing the insidious evil that is racism should not come at the price of granting approval to the overall political agenda of a deeply anti-Western organization.In what is increasingly a post-Christian society, people of faith are, more than ever, having to perform all kinds of tricks of mental agility to continue to support organizations and causes which have often been deeply important to them. Whether this should be the case is open to question. Yet, at the end of the day, if we are at all serious about our faith, we have to place our loyalty to this first, even at the price, as Flello discovered, of damage to one’s career and personal interests. Christ commanded us to take up our cross and, in our modern world, Christians are finding that, increasingly, they must.Father David
Reflection – 24th June 2020Today is the Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist and, as such, is an ideal opportunity to consider how we, in our own age, are being called to serve God – not least in these new and trying circumstances in which we find ourselves. St John, of course, served God as his prophet, the Forerunner of the Messiah and the one who, more than any other, summoned the people of Israel to repentance of their sins and to a life worthy of those who are being called to live as members of the Chosen People. We also are being called by God to serve him, albeit in different times and in a different manner.In the first place, we are called by virtue of our baptism, to be Children of God. It is through baptism that we are adopted into this filial relationship with our creator. In baptism, we are made co-heirs of the Kingdom and are therefore summoned to live in such a way that we reflect something of the nature of God in our lives. As God is love (1 John 4:8), we are required to reflect that love in our lives. This is not a mere romantic love, still less is it liking; rather, it is a self-giving sacrificial love, expressed in service. It participates in and reflects that love of God which we find supremely in the all-encompassing love of Jesus Christ, who became incarnate purely out of love for us.Of course, the expression of such a love, even in the form of a pale reflection of that divine love, cannot merely be an act of will, although the will is certainly involved. We cannot just decide that we will always show God’s love in our lives. Rather, we require the grace of God to enable us to do so. Therefore, we must always ask God to give us that grace, for we constantly have to battle against our own sinful and selfish tendencies, our own failings and vain desires. Yet God’s grace is not magic; always we must work with it. This is not just a matter of agreeing with God’s will; work requires actual effort, and effort can be hard going. As often as not, we must admit, we will fail, we will mess it up and fail to show God’s love. Yet, if we persevere in this task, we will discover that God’s grace never fails us, no matter that we constantly fail him!If we are called to show the love of God in our lives, how is this to be done? Just as Christ showed his love in practical ways, so must ours be shown. Jesus cared for the sick, the outcast, the lonely, the bereaved – and so must we. Over the centuries, the Church has taken on itself the ministry of caring for these, and other groups. Schools, hospitals, hospices, care homes, orphanages and so forth largely have their origins in the efforts made by Christians to act out their love in the most practical ways possible, quite often at the lost of their own treasure and lives. More usually, and in our own case most usefully as a model, they have shown the ordinary kindnesses of caring for the elderly and sick by visiting them, doing their shopping and so forth – the little acts of kindness and compassion which are, each day, placed in our own way.However good it is to show our participation in God’s love in this way, there is something much, much greater – to be able to lead a person who is not a Christian into the knowledge and love of God. To give practical aid is undoubtedly a good thing, as is to seek to do good at any institutional level, but to be able to help bring someone to faith is far, far greater. Practical help brings the recipient benefits in and for this life; bringing someone to faith enables them to embark on the journey to eternal life. This is what God has created us for and to be able to share in this creative and redemptive work of God by helping a person towards faith is a tremendous thing to be able to do. The gift of sharing in the nature of God himself is the greatest thing we can give to another human being – and, in any given case, it may be that it is our task, and ours alone, to play this part.So, when we wonder how we are to best serve God, let us not forget that, although we may have neither the gifts nor the opportunity to be a great revealer of the love of God in our lives through the practical works of love and mercy, we all have the opportunity to give that greatest gift of all – the invitation into the Church, which is nothing less than the life in Christ. As the Church moves forward in its life after the pandemic, it may be that we shall all be needed more than ever to help foster the love of God in our neighbour and thus share ever more fully in the work he gives us to do.Father David
A Welcome ReturnMonday 15th June, saw our sister church, St Francis’s, once more open for private prayer, with the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the High Altar of the church. It was really good to see a steady number of people come back to their parish church to pray, whilst we are still in the midst of this pandemic and after a three month absence. Of course, there have had to be changes, in line with both Government and Church of England regulations to allow us to open. The most obvious of these is the new seating arrangement. Gone are the rows of chairs, to be replaced by little more than a dozen, scattered at suitable distances around the nave. Hand sanitizers are placed at the entrance and exits, I would ask that you make use of these. Kneelers are in the process of also being removed and we ask that you enter by the main door and leave by the side door indicated, in order to maintain distancing.Nevertheless, in spite of these constraints, it was fantastic to see people who have perhaps not seen each other for many weeks, be able to at least come back to church to pray before the Lord. Although, at the moment, we are unable to gather to worship the Lord as we are accustomed to, it as at least a welcome first step in the right direction!
