Our wedding anniversary

We have today celebrated our second wedding anniversary, appropriately on Holy Island, where we met, where I proposed, where we had a blessing the day after the fun in the cathedral in this picture, and where one day we hope to live. We feel so connected to God here, and, away from the stresses and strains of everyday, to each other. 

I’ve been coming here for ten years now and every day there is something new to see or feel. You look at the same scene over and over and God speaks. The silence is powerful and the changing seasons and the depth of community where it is found is a great help. This trip we’ve been really blessed to connect with Sarah, the new vicar, who is giving me some of her time tomorrow to help me seek direction. I’m so fed up with being unable to minister!! She’s been kind by letting me read in evening prayer on several occasions, that’s never happened before. I get exhausted after just a short reading but I’m glad to be asked! The minister in me won’t go away. 

In worship today we’ve focussed on the transfiguration of Christ and the need to look up and around and use what we experience to put some glory and colour into the world. This morning Sarah used a quote from Irenaeus.

Irenaeus wrote one very remarkable phrase, which is often quoted: “Life in man is the glory of God; the life of man is the vision of God.” Another translation says: “The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God” (Against Heresies, Book 4, 20:7) How do we  become so alive with God that we cannot fail to change things? Tonight, she used a poem from

Ann Lewin:

Just as the disciples couldn’t stay on the mountaintop with Christ after the Transfiguration, but had to return back down to the everyday world below, so we need balance in our lives – we need both routine and excitement, everyday and adventure, stress and ease, nights in as well as nights out. There would be no rainbow without the rain, no extraordinary without the ordinary. Both are valid and both are vital in our development as disciples. 

In her poem The prayer we offer, Ann Lewin picks up on this need:

Not for ease? Why not?

What’s wrong with ease?

For most of us the

Problem is not self-indulgence,

But that we allow ourselves too little. Prohibitions, counsels of perfection, Drive us and load us up with guilt.

Time enough for courageous living

And all that rock-smiting.

Let’s rest and wander in green pastures When we find them, make the space To let ourselves be loved;

Build up our strength

And grow in confidence:

Drink living water springing in Great fountains;

Feed on the Bread of Life which Satisfies.

Then we shall have provision For the journey, and at last arrive, not too unpractised In the art of resting

In his presence.

To cope with the plain we need to remember the mountain. But we can’t stay there. I’d love to stay here for ever but I need to use what here does for me to sustain me back home. It’s all about how you see things. Can we have a bigger perspective when the little things grind us down? When our life is hard, I go back to the high altar scene of two years ago and remember my wife is my greatest blessing and gift. I hope I might be a little of that to her! 

An adult visitor to a rather staid congregation became very excited during the sermon and exclaimed “Praise the Lord!” A steward rushed over to him and said “I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t do that here.” 

“But I’ve got religion,” the man explained.

“Well,” huffed the steward, “you didn’t get it here.”  

We need to be more positive about the glories in life. I’ve tried to help churches see them by leading them to see their positives and opportunities rather than just their problems. When we see ourselves fully alive then we meet God. And that’s an amazing thing.

So a happy wedding anniversary to us. I’m thanking God tonight for divine surprises and at the moment I’m praying for some more to break in as I’m unclear what the future holds with where I’m at health wise. We ventured out in the storm to a strange little Thai restaurant in the middle of nowhere, and came back in snow. I’d never been to Duns! Didn’t I learn about Duns Scotus in college ages ago?? Not a clue now what he did!