Contagious


Saturday was the Zero Stress outing. The ladies went to a farm about an hour from the city and had a barbeque and games. And the biggest encouragement was: so much God-talk. For many of them God's love is like a distant planet which has to be entreated by personal sacrifice: lent, fasting, confession, multiple masses. And not a personal Father and saviour, nor someone you’d relate to and talk about.

 At today’s opening of the Art Seminar an ex-student described the photographic exhibition she’d been allowed to show at the local University. It was on the Song of Songs and demonstrated the privacy of female beauty within the marriage bond. And also testified of an alternative ethic to the ordinary.

 On Sunday, when walking to church, out of the corner of my eye I watched a tramp with his begging cup and dirty shawl. Fearing he might home in on us, I quickened my pace. But no, he shuffled towards the door of an evangelical church, waited and soon a well dressed lady came out and talked to him kindly.

 And this is how the gospel spreads, I guess it’s not so different from New Testament times.

 Photo: pass La Consolata (The Consolation) chapel every Sunday. Crowds attend but somehow the gracious fatherhood of God remains distant

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