Sunday, April 08, 2007

Shoes Off

This is a special day. More special than the vain repetition of 'The Lord is risen' can make it. How would you know the other person loved you if they repeated the mantra 'I love you' by rote but showed no evidence otherwise? He is risen?

We can respond 'He is risen indeed alleluia' or even 'Hallelujah' (the Lord rose and gave us a spelling test) but are we being disciplined or spontaneous?

Today I send no cards. Today I note that if there is no resurrection I have wasted many good career possibilities. Today a slight doubt always creeps up and says 'Fool, your preaching is useless.' Creep. Creep.

Yet today I commit myself to serving a risen Lord one more year (I can only do it a year at a time) and the mockers mock afresh, coming and having a go because they think they're hard enough. So with thanks to Zappa, 'Take your shoes and socks off people he's right around the corner.' Or he may be. If not it's another year at the coal face of disbelief, mining for a glimmer of a seam of asking and seeking.

It's not that tough. 'It's indoor work and there's no heavy lifting' (Terry Pratchett and I think I've become a quoteaholic). But where, without that shadow of a doubt, would we be? All certainty and too gobby for own good. All mouth and no trousers maybe. Carry your disbelief in the same hand as your belief and show them both. Somehow your witness becomes more credible.

Minister: The Lord is risen
People: Almost certainly.
All: Let's go to work.

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