Friday, April 21, 2023

 

Friday, April 21, 2023


Psalms 121; 122; 123

Exodus 17:8-18:9

Luke 24:28-35


Observance: Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, teacher (d. 1109)


Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.


You may be familiar with the term “thin places”. It comes from Celtic Christianity, and refers to the idea that there are some places in this world where the barrier between the material and the spiritual is not so strong. Ancient monks in the far-flung most northern reaches of Scotland would go out and sit on rocky crags in the ocean and come back with reports that they could almost reach out and touch heaven. As a pilgrim who prefers much more to sweat than to shiver, I can confidently assert that we have our own “thin places” here at home: try going to your favourite beach at the very early hours of the morning, just as the sun begins to decide to wake up, when it is just you, the waves and the Lord, and experience heaven on earth for yourself.


But we all know that all of creation sings praises to God’s glory: the tropical beaches, the frozen North Sea, jungles, deserts and everything else in between reveals God to us. It is like God has given us a beautiful playground in which to spend this life.


What about the idea that God has chosen a specific geographical location as His favourite place on earth? Is that beyond the realm of possibility? Not really: out of all the galaxies, out of all the solar systems, out of all the planets, God made this one His special planet. Out of all the creatures, God made humans His special creature. Focus down to the person of Christ and we see that all of God’s energy is like a big funnel: starting wide, and getting more and more intense and personal until we get to the Beloved Son.


It must be the same with places. One day, all who love the Lord will be brought to the New Jerusalem, the place where heaven and earth meet. All of God’s beauty, majesty, power and glory will be poured into one place: and we will live there, with Him, forever. In the meantime: pray for the peace of Jerusalem.



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