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“Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending.” Jesus in John 1:47-51, today’s Gospel.

‘Michael, row the boat ashore. Hallelujah!’ Spiritual song from the American Civil War.

Today is the feast of St Michael and all angels, Michaelmas. His name means, ‘Who is 

like God?’ and Michael is regarded as the protector of Christians from the devil, particularly at their death, which is why he is the focus for the spiritual – often sung by slaves in the American Civil War – about crossing safely to the other side after life in this world ends. He is also the slayer of the dragon in the Revelation of St John and so Michael and his angels are a reminder that we also need to play our part in standing up to the power of evil, which is so much in evidence today – as is the power of love. 

Here at St Melangell’s, the Shrine has crockets on it – decorations that look like hooks and their particular shapes have been likened to the wings of angels. In this thin place, where heaven and earth do not seem far from each other, many folk have said that they find that a comfort in a place where the Bible speaks of the existence and involvement of angels as God’s intermediaries with humans. The word comes from the Greek angelos, meaning messenger, and some have also taken that interpretation in the name Melangell itself. It’s been suggested that the name may derive from mêl angel, honey or sweet angel, or mil angel, meaning a thousand angels. A pun in the register here in 1723 notes:

Mil engyl a Melangell trenchant lu fyddin y fall.

Melangell with a thousand angels triumphs over all the powers of evil. 

That was taken up by the Guardian, Evelyn Davies, who wrote the Prayer of Blessing from St Melangell’s Shrine. This Michaelmas, may her words still hearten and encourage us all to keep battling on at this time of such severe conflict and warfare in the world, knowing that we are not alone as we do and that the power of love and hope will eventually prevail:

May the love of God fill you with joy and peace.

May the healing power of Christ strengthen and save you.

May the Holy Spirit encourage you

And the compassion of St Melangell surround you.

May a thousand angels guide your steps

And a blessing from this holy place protect you all your days. Amen.

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian.

I remember really looking forward to Harvest Festival when I was a child and looking for the little harvest mouse that was in a different place on the Harvest Loaf every year. The church would be decorated with fruit, vegetables, flowers and produce which filled the windowsills and were delivered afterwards to the elderly and those in need. Many folk looked forward to receiving them and knowing they’d not been forgotten, though I recall one pensioner saying, “ Oh no, not more apples – I’ve not eaten my own yet!” 

Today, this produce can’t be distributed in the same way due to Health and Safety regulations as its origins, production and storage can’t be verified. Instead of the natural displays on the windowsills, here they are now filled with tins, packets and toiletries which will be taken to the local Food Bank where demand and the number of families they support has greatly increased. Many folk are struggling with the cost of living so donations to various charities have understandably diminished at a time when they are most needed and it’s good to be able to contribute in this way. 

Harvest Suppers are also not so common as they were, although they still happen and will be doing so locally. Originally, they were a thank you to all the workers whose labour had gathered in the harvest, usually manually. They would also show the hard work that had gone on in the farms, fields and gardens, resulting in beautiful produce if the weather had been good. The chutneys, jams and pickles that were made were also useful provisions for the winter ahead, when food might not be so easily available in the days before supermarkets and freezers. Finally, the supper would usually be held in the church or village hall, after the Harvest Festival service in church which was an act of gratitude and thanksgiving to God at a time when the land and its weather could mean that a poor harvest might lead to a difficult winter and starvation could result.

Nowadays, the weather and land still affects the yield more than is sometimes realised. This has not been a good harvest for barley which doesn’t like getting its feet wet as it has done this year, whilst the potato yield has also been affected by rotting in ground that was waterlogged. However, berries have done well, as have roses although the war between Russia and Ukraine still affects wheat supplies and, in turn, bread prices….

Perhaps as we consider Harvest Festival and the yield of our life’s produce so far we should remind ourselves that, in a world where so many go hungry, we still have much for which to be thankful this year despite the challenges that lie ahead?

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian.

“But you, who do you say I am?” Jesus, of his disciples, in Mark 8:27-38.

“Who in the hell does he think he is?” Joe Biden, of Donald Trump.

Today’s Gospel is set in Caesarea Philippi, the city rebuilt by Philip the Tetrach, son of Herod the Great, which served as the capital of his own tetrachy and was called by his own name to differentiate from Caesarea, the centre of the Roman government. It was a centre for pagan worship of the gods Pan, Baal and the emperor, as well as a place of immorality and worldly power, so it’s an appropriate setting as Jesus asks who people think he is. The disciples reply that some say he is John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets but when he asks the disciples who they think he is, Peter replies that he is the Messiah. 

The notion of the Messiah for the Jews in the time of Jesus was of a great leader from the house of David, an anointed king who would free Israel from their Gentile invaders and restore independence. When Peter says this, Jesus speaks instead of the cross, of rejection and suffering. Although from the house of David, Jesus has shown no interest in regal or political power and, skirmishes with the Pharisees being many, he has yet not had dealings with the Romans. Clearly, Peter and the disciples don’t understand what is unfolding before them – is that why Jesus tells them to say nothing about him? 

As Peter argues with him, Jesus rebukes him harshly in front of the other disciples and speaks of them taking up the cross and following him in the suffering that lies ahead. But this is not just embracing the trials of life and the suffering that can be part of daily life – Jesus asks them to do this for his sake and for the sake of the gospel as well as the consequences of faithfully following him, whatever that may involve. A hard choice indeed, but one which could – and did – change the world.

That same challenge and hard choice continues to face Jesus’ followers today as their purpose and identity clarifies through service as well as example.  As the difficult choices of the American presidential election campaigns develop and the battle for worldly power continues in Washington, it may be that Joe Biden’s question is being asked not only of Donald Trump but that similar queries are being made of us too. It may also be that we are asking this of others and the response may have heavenly consequences as well as hellish challenges. In whichever case, much rests on the reply and in whatever lies ahead.

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian. 

’Then looking up to heaven he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha”, that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released and he spoke plainly.’ Jesus healing a deaf man in Mark 7:24-37. 


“Rose Ayling-Ellis, who’s been absolutely sensational, has taught me more about the art of communication and about teamwork… It’s been honestly one of the real joys of my life to work with her and I think I’ve learned a lot from her. And we’ve had a lot of fun!” Clare Balding, of her deaf co-presenter on Channel 4’s Paralympics coverage. 

Today’s Gospel is first set in Tyre, Gentile territory where Jesus wants to keep his presence quiet – perhaps for some peace after a busy time or perhaps to avoid further criticism from the Jews attacking him. However, a Syrophoenician woman hears of his arrival and comes to him, falling at his feet in a sign of humility. As a woman, and a Gentile of Canaanite descent with whom the Jews were in conflict, there would usually be no contact between the two of them and Jesus is not tactful in his reply to the unnamed woman’s request for healing for her daughter. However, she perseveres and, displaying great faith in him despite their differences, this outsider enables Jesus to realise that his mission may be greater and wider than he has realised. As she refuses to give up and counters what he says, so Jesus fulfills her hopes because of her persistence. When he tells her to go home as her daughter has been healed, the woman does as he suggests at that point and finds that her daughter is indeed well. She has enabled Jesus to see beyond the immediate and to perceive that his ministry is for all people including Gentiles, an insight that changes his own perceptions of what he is about.

Jesus’ ministry continues as he goes through Sidon and a deaf man with a speech defect is brought to him. He takes the man aside and heals him, although using his own spittle on his tongue would not be considered good practice today! As Jesus tells him to “Be opened” he also orders the unnamed man not to tell anyone but is not open himself to the consequences that the healing will bring as word of it spreads. The people are astounded and just cannot help themselves – good news is infectious!

Today, bad news often seems to predominate and one of the things the Prime Minister has been accused of in these early days of his premiership is being too gloomy about the circumstances facing the UK currently. However, one of the good news stories recently has been that of Rose Ayling-Ellis, the deaf contestant who won Strictly Come Dancing and is now co-presenting the Paralympics on Channel 4. With the support of two signers, one covering what others are saying and the other the editorial directions in the earpieces worn, Rose has achieved what many had thought would not be possible, just as Libby Clegg has become the first blind pundit to comment on athletics. Unusually, 25% of Channel 4’s production team and 80% of those presenting have some form of disability which has not been allowed to hold them back – Paralympic events build on what is possible rather than not. That has enabled ways of overcoming disability that creates openings which can astound – just as the crowd was astounded by Jesus, as he enabled the deaf man to hear and speak and found his own vision widened by an outsider who enabled him to see things differently.

There may be times for us when we are being shortsighted or are deaf to what we are being told, although our actual vision and hearing are not impaired – or, like the Syrophoenician woman, we may be the means of enabling others to realise this for themselves. Perhaps like the deaf man, we also need to “Be opened” to seeing and hearing how things actually are?

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian.

 “Do you not see that whatever goes into  a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach?” Jesus in Mark 7,1-8, 14,15,21-23. 

“He’s a man with a fork in a world of soup.” Noel Gallagher of brother Liam.

In today’s Gospel, Pharisees from Jerusalem are shocked to notice that some of his followers were eating without washing their hands and it may be that their concern about abandoning the hygiene practices of their faith is genuine rather than done to provoke him. According to the dietary laws Jews followed, washing of the hands, the food to be eaten and the vessels used to cook and eat it was essential and, being from the centre of faith that is Jerusalem, the more lax customs of the provinces would be particularly noticeable. As this is voiced, the Pharisaical comments irritate Jesus, who quotes Isaiah to them and calls them hypocrites due to a passage omitted in the Gospel today. (Mark 7:9-13. Although the fifth commandment is to honour your father and mother, it had become accepted that money which might have been used to care for them could be given to the Temple as an offering instead, thus disobeying the commandment.) 

Having confronted the Pharisees, Jesus then calls the crowd and suggests to the people that it’s what comes out of someone that defiles rather than what goes in. He later tells his disciples that it’s what is in the heart rather than the stomach that matters as the heart is where many sins which can grow when the person feeds on wrongdoing whereas food simply goes through the system and passes out again. 

However, the washing of food and utensils is important in avoiding food poisoning, a factor to consider is the days before fridges. Restrictions over pork and milk were also considerations for good reason whereas Jesus declares all foods clean (v19) as he now prepares to enter Gentile territory and its practice. Nowadays, hygiene regulations apply where food is served and the washing of hands became a priority during the pandemic with emphasis on thorough cleansing rather than a brief rinse. Given that so many people the world over have no clean water to drink or nourishing food to eat, the irony in what the Pharisees say is not lost today and being from Jerusalem links them with the place of Jesus’ death but also his resurrection as circumstances changed. As the church continues to battle the tension between established practice and changing interpretations, compromise may be possible – as Oasis reunite after resolving the protracted disputes between the Gallagher brothers, perhaps Liam’s dilemma could be overcome by using a spork, a spoon with tines, instead of a fork!

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian.

’So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” ‘ From John 6:56-69.

“He was there for us. We’ve now got to be there for him whilst he’s going through this.” Sean, 17, of Freddie Flintoff as he recovered from a serious car accident.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of gaining eternal life through eating the bread of heaven which is his flesh and blood, to be offered on Good Friday as his body is pierced and blood flows from the wounds the soldiers inflict on him. However this happens before the Last Supper and those with Jesus are bemused, wondering what on earth he’s talking about and finding it all too hard to understand. They complain about it, and even his disciples say that it’s a hard teaching with many refusing to follow him any more with Jesus even challenging those who remain and asking if they also want to leave. This must have been a difficult time, before Simon Peter replies that there is no-one else to whom they could go for Jesus has the words of eternal life and is the Holy One of God – although he was later to deny him.

Earlier, Jesus had referred to the manna in the wilderness when the Israelites were given sufficient food for the day. Initially, there had been thankfulness for the escape from Egypt (Exodus 15:1-22) but this quickly turned into complaints as the Israelites began to doubt and found it hard to trust in what is happening. Even though God 

miraculously provided water, quails and manna for them, the people complained and began to grumble about Moses and his leadership. So it is with Jesus: even though he has miraculously provided food for the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-14) the people begin to complain about him and to doubt what he is saying. His followers reject Jesus as the manna to which he refers but, in the way they grumble about him, treat him just as the Israelites responded to manna in the wilderness – showing that he is the manna on which they could feed. Many, however, choose not to.

As they turn from him, Jesus suggests that this is because some of them do not believe (v64) but this word can also be translated as trust or reliance. The people don’t trust him, despite what they have witnessed earlier, just as the Israelites doubted Moses despite what God provided for them. Jesus suggests that trust is key when he says that they can abide in him and he in them (v56) – regardless of the circumstances and perhaps because of them. Abiding with Jesus is challenging when he baffles his followers with his teaching and learning from him is difficult, particularly when many want their physical rather than spiritual needs met by him. Having seen him at first as a Moses figure, to continue the discipleship he offers is a challenge many can’t or won’t undertake and they turn back rather than abide with him.

Recently, the former England cricketer Freddie Flintoff began to coach a team of lads from the streets in Preston, using the sport to try to encourage them to do more with their lives and develop their skills. Some fell by the wayside although others committed to what he was offering, and ideas of a tour in India were mooted. During this time, Freddie had a bad accident whilst filming for Top Gear and his recovery was delayed by not only his physical wounds but also the flashbacks and anxiety attacks that he suffered. Sean, one of the lads from a difficult background who had not easily settled, realised that Freddie needed help and time and seemed to commit to that, saying: “He was there for us. We’ve now got to be there for him whilst he’s going through this.” 

Abiding comes in many forms.

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian.

“Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Jesus, in John 6:51-58.

“It is chicken soup which has brought us together.” Miriam Margolyse, the atheist of Jewish heritage, after attending a Sabbath meal with a Rabbi and his family. 

Today’s Gospel is the third part of Jesus’s teaching on the bread of heaven, which he likens to his flesh and blood. This takes place after the feeding of the five thousand, when so many are fed through God’s grace and the generosity of a little boy who gives up his lunch for others to share. Jesus teaches the crowds after they have been fed and causes some offence as many of his listeners confuse his words with cannibalism, which was also an issue for the early church. Food was a huge issue for the Jews, whether the apple (which definitely could not have been a Granny Smith!) or more likely a pomegranate depicted in the story of Adam and Eve, the manna provided for the Israelites in the wilderness, Elijah being fed by a raven or the traditional Friday night Shabbat meal for which so many families still gather. In saying what he does about his flesh and blood, Jesus is being deliberately provocative as the crowds have been chiefly interested in food for their bodies rather than their souls which is what he is offering when he speaks of eternal life. Jesus shocks many of his listeners, forcing a reaction to his words of hope which many reject through wanting only the bodily food that is easy for them to accept. 

Food is very much an issue in the UK at the moment, whether in the rising prices of the cost of living, the poor harvest of barley and potatoes in some areas due to the soaked ground or the emulsifiers, preservatives, sweeteners, flavours and colourings being added to ultra-processed foods. At the same time, a huge range of food is available all year round through tinned goods, freezers and fresh produce, in contrast to some parts of the world where famine is a reality and where starvation and malnourishment are constant issues. In contrast to You are what you eat, for many it is true that You are if you eat. 

Although Jesus loses many in the crowd and some of his followers through what he says, his words are seen in their true perspective after his death and resurrection. It is also through Jesus’ breaking of the bread that he is recognised by those with him on the road to Emmaus. With whom, and when, have we eaten with others and found ourselves blessed and heartened – whether with bread, chicken soup or the food which is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet? 

For me, one of those times was a recent school reunion, a meeting of former classmates who have been gathering for many years now. As we ate food together and shared memories and photographs of how we were, it was a relief to see that we’re all still recognisable! I heard a couple of things about me as a pupil that others recalled, whereas I had long forgotten them, just as I remembered an incident that the other person couldn’t. It’s fascinating to see what’s become of us all over the years and to know that what linked us then is still being sustained by maintaining relationships and breaking bread as we ate and drank together.

Perhaps this was an aspect of which Jesus was talking, for the central act of Holy Communion means that wherever bread is taken, blessed, broken and shared with others there the bread of heaven is manifest too, feeding souls as well as bodies, generations as well as individuals, and linking humanity with the divine through Love incarnate and its cost. In his poem ‘The Table’, from ‘The Singing Bowl’ published by Canterbury Press, poet Malcolm Guite writes of this:

‘The centuries have settled on this table

Deepened the grain beneath a clean white cloth

Which bears afresh our changing elements.

Year after year of prayer, in hope and trouble,

Were poured out here and blessed and broken, both

In aching absence and in absent presence.

This table too the earth herself has given

And human hands have made……

Because another tree can bear, unbearable,

For us, the weight of Love, so can this table.’

So, too, can we help to bear the sacrificial weight of Love when body and soul are fed and strengthened by the bread of heaven provided at the table that is any altar, if we decide to come to receive it when faced with so many choices in life and sustenance.

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian.

“Stop grumbling amongst yourselves!” Jesus, in today’s Gospel. 

“Stars and gripes.” Commentator on the botched American handover in the men’s 100m Olympic relay heat. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is the subject of grumbling from Jews who are angry with him when he says that he is the bread that came down from heaven.  Understandably, they comment that they know his father and mother and, as the son of Joseph, how can he claim to have come from heaven? Although Joseph is his stepfather, what Jesus is telling them is unacceptable as they see it and, as they wonder who he thinks he is, Jesus tries to teach them more about their own belief in God and heaven. The more he tells them, the harder they find it to accept, especially when he says that the bread is his flesh. A conflict develops and, despite his endeavours, the disputes continue amongst Jews who disagree with him with even his disciples find his teaching hard to accept. 

The truth of what Jesus was saying only became clearer after his death and resurrection much later on – today, this teaching is well established and reflected in hymns such as Bread of heaven on thee we feed. However, arguments about aspects of religion remain and were highlighted in the recent riots which also focussed on immigration, race and faith. Placards intending to clarify also confused: one read Violence not welcome. Did it mean violence is not welcome or that no welcome should be given to illegal immigrants who should be strongly resisted? Some would argue that, if their voices are not heard, opposition and arguments are ways of getting attention but violence on the streets has left many injured and in fear with property damaged and relationships at risk. Or are they?

Spellow Lane library and community hub in Liverpool was badly damaged by arsonists and rioters with smoke damage a major issue and many lamenting what had happened. However, online appeals and donations from authors and the local community have also resulted in hundreds of thousands of pounds for repairs being quickly raised. The local Council issued a statement saying that support is appreciated and humbling – activists can tear communities apart but also help them heal and restore relationships. The same was true of a mini market in Southport, where smashed windows and looting had meant that its owner, Chanaka Balasuriya who came to the UK from Sri Lanka, thought it was the end of his business. Yet, the next morning, he found people at work there clearing away the broken glass and carrying out repairs; a local builder replaced his windows without charge and one of his suppliers brought a cabinet of ice cream. A local beauty salon crowdfunded an appeal which raised £11,000 for costs and, a few days later, his shop reopened. As Chanaka said, “It’s not about the money people gave me. It was the messages, the cards, the flowers. That support from strangers is unbelievable.” 

That support was not actually unbelievable but credible as strangers got to know each other, respond to needs and support one another, rebuilding community where it had been devastated. Rather than just grumbling about what was happening, people rallied round and activated a response which would overcome the negativity and hostility that had been generated as people refused to contribute further to the devastation and pain that had been caused. 

So it was for Jesus, as some of the crowd listened to him and remained although others left and began to create divisions or to seek ways of killing him. Relationships were a casualty then, too, as he lost followers as well as disciples because his teaching was so challenging. Yet what Jesus said was a truth that the crowd found difficult at the time but which was later more widely accepted – perhaps what’s happening on our streets now also shows us difficult truths about life today and can be dealt with in good faith and with hope for the future whether a religion is professed or not?

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian.

“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal 

life.” Jesus, in today’s Gospel John 6:24-35.

“All you can say…. is that Jesus is crying as well.” Southport resident. 

This has been a week of great contrasts with the shocking murders of three young girls and attacks on other children and adults in Southport, riots in various communities, the controversy over newsreader Huw Edwards who had seemed so reliable and the celebrations of the best medal haul Great Britain has had yet in the Olympics. From the depths to the heights of the human condition, this has been a time of very mixed emotions with young lives being snuffed out in so terrible a way and families plunged into unexpected suffering. Individuals and crowds have had huge influence on events with a great deal of misunderstanding and unfounded rumour also having an effect, not least in the attacks on Muslims, mosques and police when an incorrect name and faith was wrongly circulated in connection with the Southport murders. Misleading gossip and deliberate manipulation created further pain in communities already devastated by the actions of another child, albeit 17 years of age and now named publicly in order to overcome the growing confusion and anger in some places. In the face of such animosity, as one Southport resident commented, “All you can say…. is that Jesus is crying as well.”

Some similarities were reflected in the Gospel reading today as crowds clamoured for Jesus after the feeding of the five thousand, intent on further food for their stomachs. Perhaps, as they had been following him around for days, some of them were out of work, concerned about where their next meal was coming from or wanting to change their lives – not unlike many folk today, too. Having had their fill only the day before when the miracle took place, and seeking more, Jesus tries to get them to think about food for their souls as well as their bodies. When they mention manna in the wilderness during the Exodus, he reminds them that it was not Moses but God who provided it and when they ask for this bread always, Jesus tells them that he is the Bread of Life. That triggers misunderstandings which lead to disputes amongst the disciples and the crowd, with some of the onlookers eventually turning against Jesus as they find his teaching too hard. Others, however, remain and grapple with what they are told and its implications.

Misunderstandings and grappling with what was unfolding were also key to what happened after the initial stabbings in Southport. Some chose to try to support the families and their community by donating toys, food, drinks and money or opening facilities so that people could support one another. Others brought flowers or took in for the night the many soft toys that had been left and brought them back in the morning so that they wouldn’t get wet. After the riots, some went to the mosque and tried to help with repairs or comfort those who had been the focus of further violence. Still others turned out to sweep up and try to rebuild what had been torn down in their communities rather than leaving it all to the various Councils. Even elderly Nans against Nazis turned out with placards as people responded in the various ways and options open to them. As Sunderland Central MP Lewis Atkinson put it, “People from every community are coming together to clean up the shards of hate and build a better future.”

The shards of hatred are clearly well dispersed in what has happened but so, too, is the balm of love and the choices to be made in the days, weeks and years ahead may magnify or reduce both. For the devastation and consequences inflicted on those communities by the murders and the violence afterwards will last long after the media and world attention have gone and the reality of the bereavement and change sets in. In the face of the circumstances and situations facing us, there may seem to be little choice and few options but on what are we feeding, spiritually as well as bodily? Do gossip, rumour and lies feed us, as they have fed so many in all that has happened recently? Are Jesus the Bread of Life and his teaching factors in what needs to be digested or, like many of the crowd listening to him then, might we also turn away as we consider what is hard to stomach in life today? Or will we choose to be sustained by the Bread of Heaven which, as the hymn Guide me O Thou great Redeemer suggests, will feed us now, in all that lies ahead and evermore? 

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian.

‘Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all.’ From John 6:1-21.

‘Faster; higher; stronger – together.’ The Olympic motto, amended in 2021.

In today’s Gospel, over five thousand people are fed by Jesus and a little boy who gives up his lunch for the sake of the crowd. Women and children would not normally be included in the count, so probably many more were fed and it’s a child rather than an adult – who might sensibly have thought to bring food with them – who provides what’s needed. As children would not normally be noticed, was that boy the son of one of the disciples or one of Jesus’s supporters? Using his five barley loaves and two fish, Jesus gives thanks for the food and God’s grace allows even for leftovers, so great is the generosity of his provision for those in need. This miracle feeds both body and soul as the crowd begin to realise who this might be and Jesus withdraws from them, later being seen to be walking on water and quelling the fears of those who are afraid by the unusual things are happening.

During Friday’s opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, unusual things happened there too – a horse appeared to be galloping on the water of the Seine, headless women in costume sang opera and a balloon took the Olympic flame into the skies where it will remain until the Games end. Although it poured with rain for much of the time, hundreds of thousands of people lined the Seine, needing seating and food but persevering despite the downpour. There are 10,713 athletes alone from 206 countries due to take part in the Games and feeding just them requires a huge amount of organisation and co-operation, with guests and spectators wanting food too. A huge operation is underway – spare a thought for the caterers and street food providers!

It’s not only the provision of food but also accommodation, arenas, facilities, judges, equipment, transport, security….. Working together is vital, as well as costly, if the Games are to be successful and it’s already been clear from the sabotage of parts of the French railway system that there are those who oppose this. However, in 2021, the Olympic motto was slightly amended by the addition of one word – together, reflecting the need for mutual goodwill and co-operation. The words faster, higher, stronger (rather than fastest, highest,  strongest) also reflect the personal competition that each athlete has with themselves as they seek to improve their individual performance as well as the desire to do well against others. It’s not only about winning – although some claim it is – but about taking part in so wonderful an experience. That’s so for the crowd, too, as the spectacle and the privilege of watching supreme athletes compete unfolds, being viewed and debated the world over.

That must have been so in the time of Jesus, too, as the crowd responded to that spectacle of love and grace and as, over two thousand years later, this miraculous tale is also known the world over. Further stories will emerge from these Games and not all in the true spirit of them – but the hope that many will be is always there! 

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Priest Guardian.