Church News Volume 1, Issue 10

Dear friends,

To many people the outlook for religion seems so hopeless that they are tempted to give up in despair, even before they have started on the road at all.

The scornful challenge of unbelief outside the Church; the doubts and even denials of what would have been accepted as fundamental truths at one time; the way the Church is moving away from its long held traditions in the search to be more acceptable; the deminishing numbers of worshippers in the Churches; the deep divisions of Christianity itself, and the way in which endless talk about Christian unity seems only to make those divisions more unbridgeable, is all so depressing and for many it all strains at our faith and our endurance with the Church.

But it was for such times of darkness and doubt that St. Paul's message provides glorious encouragement. In his letter to the suffering church in Rome of the first century he writes "The creation will be set free from its bondage to decay, and obtain the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:21).

St. Paul sees not only our own despairs and sorrows and failures, but he sees also the whole creation in a state of bondage, groaning in travail, looking for the hope of redemption. We remember the darkness of utter despair that gathered around the cross of the dead Christ and we remember the Easter dawn that followed it! We who believe in the resurrection of Christ can never be permanently in a state of despair. As has been well said, short term pessimism may sometimes be excused for a Christian, be we are people of hope for the future.

We are to remember that we are like weavers who work seeing only the underside of the loom - for we may not see how the right side looks; we can only weave and wait.

Long-term pessimism is not permissable for the Christian. It is impossible to believe in the resurrection and to believe at the same time that the spirit of this world will in the long run conquer and win over the Spirit of God.

Pentecost is almost upon us when we remember that the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles at the promise of Christ. That same Holy Spirit will and does come down upon us at the same promise. We are not alone in our struggle in the world.

Things can only get better! We shall eventually be free from the bondage to decay and given the glorious liberty of the children of God. Do not despair - only have faith.

Revd Ian M. Finn

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