Have you ever searched Google for somebody from your past? Why did you do it? Possibly because that person was important to you, whether it be for good or bad. There's a need among people to be recognised, to be found in a google search, as if by being part of that library you are in some way something important in the world. We want to be celebrated or acknowledged for our achievements, Google our own little epitaph. There are some people who have been in my life who I have searched for, thinking that the world must have in some way be influenced by them. Dr Martin Lawrence, our family GP, the sweetest, most gentle doctor anyone could have wished for their child. I still remember his deep voice and his jowly face. And at the end of a visit you got a little plastic car to take home with you, or a sticker.
Surprisingly though, he doesn't appear on Google. Neither does our wonderful caring dentist, Dr Patrick Masters appear. Both of these great men seem to be very little to the world. Alongside them is Mr Roth my amazing science teacher who stayed late to get me a good grade, Mr Peart who visited us from time to time; my grandparents who meant so much in my upbringing, not merely how they loved me, but how they loved others - they are definitely not indexed. There are many others who have shown great love to me, some of who I didn't even recognise it, but now their words and actions affect me.
The origins of All Saints day is the day when the church would remember the glorious dead - those who are saints. The Bible, if we read it carefully indicates that we are all saints the moment we come to faith, we are set free to become something more than what we have been, but twisted doctrine changed that and made it a title only available to Catholics who got into google search or got some other public recognition. Some of the people I can find from my past aren't there because they were nice. Notoriety is newsworthy.
Yet we persist in attempting to be something big, to be the front page news as if that is all life is about. I have taken assemblies in a nearby school for about 12 years, told stories to the kids and behaved like a fool for them at fun days. They see me nowadays and let me know how much they enjoyed my acts. At the cafe I'm often entertaining kids and behaving like a little kid myself. I give ears to the little people, both adult and child, who are of no importance to the world, their input is drowned out by big headlines, but each of them is important to their creator. I would be embarrassed to be celebrated for my life, and I'm not unique in these efforts - the world is full of people who are doing little things for people. But this story is about keeping on, remembering you are important on somebodies personal front page news, the gentle word, the loving your neighbour. Jesus says that when you have given even a cup of water to one of these little one's it is as if you had done it for me. Surely the place to be is in the happy stories of children's hearts rather than front page news. So I suggest give up looking for recognition, let go of all your anxieties about success. To succeed you need to let go of your own progress and cling onto the one thing that God gave you, after all he called you for a purpose. You probably will amount to nothing in google search, very few of Jesus' followers ever make front page news - those that do, it seems, quite often is because the world doesn't want their testimony of God any longer. Lets rediscover what it is to be a saint, join with the glorious dead.
The origins of All Saints day is the day when the church would remember the glorious dead - those who are saints. The Bible, if we read it carefully indicates that we are all saints the moment we come to faith, we are set free to become something more than what we have been, but twisted doctrine changed that and made it a title only available to Catholics who got into google search or got some other public recognition. Some of the people I can find from my past aren't there because they were nice. Notoriety is newsworthy.
Yet we persist in attempting to be something big, to be the front page news as if that is all life is about. I have taken assemblies in a nearby school for about 12 years, told stories to the kids and behaved like a fool for them at fun days. They see me nowadays and let me know how much they enjoyed my acts. At the cafe I'm often entertaining kids and behaving like a little kid myself. I give ears to the little people, both adult and child, who are of no importance to the world, their input is drowned out by big headlines, but each of them is important to their creator. I would be embarrassed to be celebrated for my life, and I'm not unique in these efforts - the world is full of people who are doing little things for people. But this story is about keeping on, remembering you are important on somebodies personal front page news, the gentle word, the loving your neighbour. Jesus says that when you have given even a cup of water to one of these little one's it is as if you had done it for me. Surely the place to be is in the happy stories of children's hearts rather than front page news. So I suggest give up looking for recognition, let go of all your anxieties about success. To succeed you need to let go of your own progress and cling onto the one thing that God gave you, after all he called you for a purpose. You probably will amount to nothing in google search, very few of Jesus' followers ever make front page news - those that do, it seems, quite often is because the world doesn't want their testimony of God any longer. Lets rediscover what it is to be a saint, join with the glorious dead.
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