To be a Pilgrim One of my favourite stories sometimes feels as though we tells of the famous detective ourselves, having built a Sherlock Holmes and his house, have put the tent away assistant Dr Watson going on in the far corner of the loft a camping expedition. In the along with our walking boots middle of the night, Holmes and rucksack. And we say to woke up and nudged his ourselves, we’ve faithful friend; time to settle “Watson, look it’s up and down! We forget our pilgrim tell me what you see?” Watson calling and it replied, “I see millions I’ve heard of Holmes asked, suggested that the Church is stars”. tell you of “What does that “the best disguised group pilgrims the world has never Watson?” He replied; tells me the “Astronomically it seen!” universe is vast, it also tells There is real spiritual danger me the time is about a quarter in thinking arrived. we’ve past three and I believe we The current season of Lent is will have a clear day an annual reminder to keep tomorrow. What does it tell moving and growing in our Holmes paused for a you?” Christian lives, to stretch moment, then said, ourselves and our faith. That’s my dear Watson, “Elementary why we are often encouraged it tells me someone has stolen to live differently, to give or our tent!” take something up. It is The opening chapter of St particularly good if this new John’s Gospel famously activity is challenging for us. speaks of Jesus becoming Why not do something flesh and his tent “pitching adventurous for God this The earliest amongst us”. Lent? Christians were called One of my great heroes, the of The and we “followers Way” former Bishop of Coventry, are called to be a pilgrim Cuthbert Bardsley, used to people, adventurously willing describe the Saints as, to go where God leads, far “Christians who went pitching our tents where God enough for far will fun!” How is at work, constantly on our you go for God this Lent? guard against becoming too With my prayers and best settled or too comfortable. wishes, However, although nobody +John has actually stolen our tent, it
To be a Pilgrim One of my favourite stories tells of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr Watson going on a camping expedition. In the middle of the night, Holmes woke up and nudged his faithful friend; “Watson, look up and tell me what you see?” Watson replied, “I see millions of stars”. Holmes asked, “What does that tell you Watson?” He replied; “Astronomically it tells me the universe is vast, it also tells me the time is about a quarter past three and I believe we will have a clear day tomorrow. What does it tell you?” Holmes paused for a moment, then said, “Elementary my dear Watson, it tells me someone has stolen our tent!” The opening chapter of St John’s Gospel famously speaks of Jesus becoming flesh and “pitching his tent amongst us”. The earliest Christians were called “followers of The Way” and we are called to be a pilgrim people, adventurously willing to go where God leads, pitching our tents where God is at work, constantly on our guard against becoming too settled or too comfortable. However, although nobody has actually stolen our tent, it sometimes feels as though we ourselves, having built a house, have put the tent away in the far corner of the loft along with our walking boots and rucksack. And we say to ourselves, we’ve it’s time to settle down! We forget our pilgrim calling and I’ve heard it suggested that the Church is “the best disguised group of pilgrims the world has never seen!” There is real spiritual danger in thinking we’ve arrived. The current season of Lent is an annual reminder to keep moving and growing in our Christian lives, to stretch ourselves and our faith. That’s why we are often encouraged to live differently, to give or take something up. It is particularly good if this new activity is challenging for us. Why not do something adventurous for God this Lent? One of my great heroes, the former Bishop of Coventry, Cuthbert Bardsley, used to describe the Saints as, “Christians who went far enough for fun!” How far will you go for God this Lent? With my prayers and best wishes, +John