The God who Turns-Up

It is very difficult in this last week not to feel profoundly disturbed by what is happening in our world and very fearful about will happen. The temptation is to want to turn away, to silence the news. But I would like to share with you some words that Rowan Williams said in a brilliant weekend where he led reflections for the Nazareth Community and Companions in February.

He said this:

‘At the very heart of the church there is that silent consistency of God, where we are summoned back into a reality. Are you showing up? Are you staying? The church should be able to say we are not going away. The church should be able to demonstrate a faithfulness if we can. A bit like the covenant of marriage at its best, or taking vows in a religious community. I’m not going to walk away. I am going to be a sign of God’s commitment to you. I am going to be a sign of a faithful God to you in your greatest need.

So what do we see in the church at the moment? Success metrics, recruitment, we need to pay bills, accountability – all this is important – yes. But more is going on – the sacramental faithfulness of God is grounded in the Eucharist – his body, his blood. God takes this risk of fidelity. Can we? We are the stuff God does things with.

And the freedom we are given is the freedom to set others free. Jesus is the redeemer, literally the releaser. And in redeeming, releasing us, he releases us to release others that together we may love, serve, give breathing space, make room for one another, and witness to how the world might be. A world which so readily assumes that the only model for our living together is struggle, competition, winning, losing, territory, greed . Remember in Jesus we have been delivered from that. Thanks be to God. How can we set others free?’

Adapted from Rowan Williams’ reflection by Revd Richard Carter