I recently heard someone say that reading is an opportunity to enter into conversation with the dead. That wasn't meant to sound as spooky as it might - the point is that books enable us to benefit from the wisdom of people who may have lived centuries ago. We get to enter into conversation with remarkable people all these years later - what a gift!
This week in the global church calendar we remember All Saints Day (1 November) and All Souls Day (2 November) - opportunities to give thanks for those who have gone before us and joined the crowd who cheer us on as we "run with determination the race that lies before us" (Heb 12:1). There will be specific people in that crowd for whom you are grateful this week - I know there are for me. Is there a way we can "enter into conversation" with them - remembering some of the things that they taught us, and imagining some of the things they might want to say to us today?
In our services this Sunday, we will give attention to the heavenly crowd that cheers us on. I hope that as we do that, we will be able to pick out the voices of our loved ones who have gone ahead of us.
This week in the global church calendar we remember All Saints Day (1 November) and All Souls Day (2 November) - opportunities to give thanks for those who have gone before us and joined the crowd who cheer us on as we "run with determination the race that lies before us" (Heb 12:1). There will be specific people in that crowd for whom you are grateful this week - I know there are for me. Is there a way we can "enter into conversation" with them - remembering some of the things that they taught us, and imagining some of the things they might want to say to us today?
In our services this Sunday, we will give attention to the heavenly crowd that cheers us on. I hope that as we do that, we will be able to pick out the voices of our loved ones who have gone ahead of us.