
All my life (and long before "fresh
Expressions" of Church became fashionable) I have been seeking for a fresh expression of
the Gospel which makes sense in the light of experience but remains
true to the Bible and Tradition. Many more learned, holy and
significant people than me have done so of course and I will recommend
one from the top, as it were. Forty Years ago writing as Cardinal
Joseph Ratzinger, the current Pope wrote "An Introduction to
Christianity". A friend discovered it and became entranced. He
gave me and many other people a copy, but I am not going to quote it, I
could not possibly do it justice. If you really want to understand the philosphy of Belief and the
details of the Creed then you must struggle with it yourself,
because every paragraph is full of wonderful things. It has probably
influenced what I write below, but what it really did was to give me
the confidence to pursue my own agenda. One thing I will say to those
who may remember the controversy surrounding Bishop Jenkins, the then
Bishop of Durham. Had he and his critics read Ratzinger all could have
been resolved amicably. 
More recently His Holiness has written an easier to read book called simply Jesus of Nazareth.
There are two volumes so far. The first covers the Baptism of Jesus up
to His Transfiguration and the second continues from there through to
the Cross and Resurrection. If you remember the Emmaus story at the end
of Luke's Gospel where the Risen Christ "explained to them what was said
about Himself in all the Sciptures beginning with the books of
Moses through to the writings of the Prophets (Verse 27) and
like me wished we could have a copy of what He said, then these books
are to me pretty close. The Pope would dnot claim that but could claim
that he does not gloss over the difficulties but recognises that Jesus
is one speaking in riddles and parables. I shall allow myself one quote
to give the flavour rather than substance:| In His Steps "The road is too rough, dear
Lord," I cried,
"There are stones that hurt me so." "My child," He said, "I understand, I walked it long ago." "But there's a cool green path ahead, Let me walk there for a time." "No child," He gently answered me, "The green road does not climb." "My burden," I cried, "is far too great. How can I bear this load?" "Dear One," said He, "I remember its weight I carried my cross, you know." "But," I said, "I wish there were friends with me, that would make their way my own." "Oh yes," He said, "Gethsemane was hard to bear alone." And so I climbed the stony path, Content at least to know That where the Master had not gone, I would not have to go. And strangely then I found new friends, my burdens grew less sore, As I remembered long ago, He walked that way before. Olga J. Weiss |
Psalm
23
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. |