Mission Musings: When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Took a much needed day off yesterday after working two 70+ hour weeks in a row. I represented the Mission on Sunday at a city-Wide prayer service of Christian Unity sponsored by the Regina Council of Churches Sunday night. It was very poorly attended. The choir and ministerial representation were more in number than the congregants.

One of the ladies sitting across from me had our RESCUE pin on! She belongs to an Evangelical Lutheran Church in the city, here, and said the poor attendance was quite typical of mainline denominations these days.

Jesus said narrow is the way and few are they that find it. (Matt 7:14)

I just hope more young people start finding it.

The service was prepared by a committee of Christians in Ireland, and spoke of repentance and reconciliation. The welcoming reflection was pertinant to the work of RESCUE.

As in many countries, a strong spiritual and missionary culture developed in Ireland, but the country also has a long and painful history. Policical and religious aims and ambitions have torn communities apart and caused hurt on all sides. God has been present in the midst of the pain and has brought healing to many of the physical, psychological, and spiritual wounds inflicted. Christians in Ireland have been able to cetre their Christian belief on these words of Jesus: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." (Matt 18:20)

We too in our Canadian context know the pain of social conflict, racism and the violence of poverty. God calls Christians to come together in love and forgiveness. The experience of Christ on the cross calls Christians to reach out and to forgive. We are called to find a way forward, mindful of the woundedness in our midst and confident in the promise of forgiveness and reconciliation through Christ.

The service ended with the Irish hymn, Be Thou My Vision.

A lovely prayer that God would be our everything: