A visit to Huddersfield today, so Janet could have her jab, then a visit to our bubble-mate, Janet’s father.
Meanwhile in Sunday’s Lectionary, a couple of things about exposure. Jesus talks about being the light by which our lives can be seen – are we living like him? – Also he says about being ‘lifted up’ – a dark reference to dying on a cross and being visible for all to see. This looks back to the Old Testament story of Moses putting a bronze snake on a stick and showing it to everybody so they could see what was tormenting them and be healed.
Being healed in the 21st century needs a prior stage of ‘seeing’ – seeing what the problem is. The COVID vaccines were preceded by a massive scientific effort, which goes way back before the current pandemic. ‘Seeing’ Jesus, we have to confront our own bad stuff and the tendencies in us which have spoilt the world.
The media help us to ‘see’ what is going on in the world and are vital to democracy. But often the effects are not helpful. When your private life is troubling you, the trouble is multiplied by everything being all over the internet and radio and TV and papers. And not everybody in the media is fair – far from it.
And when the government and sections of the press cosy up, watch out! We need to cherish the parts of the media that remain honourable. We need to see!
God help us to see
what is going on in our nation,
in our world,
in our inner being:
help us to know the truth,
and in knowing,
find the way to healing.